Divided Hearts (a Legauriel novella) [COMPLETED]

Chapter 2: What Tauriel Found

The birds and other wildlife had fled to friendlier places, and though the sun shone brightly, this part of the forest felt colder ... and Tauriel knew why - the Orc pack camping in the valley below her. She'd found it just where the Men of Dale had said she would.

Tauriel had stood unnoticed with her back to a tree trunk at the top of the ridge. At the base of the rocky slope below her the dozen Orcs behaved rather strangely for their kind. Some paced irritably or sat by the ashen firepit picking their teeth with daggers, but none were making any progress on anything. And from the look of their armor, Tauriel could tell these Orcs were of the same kind she fought at the Battle of the Five Armies.

She smirked. Foolish Orcs. With their leader dead, they have no purpose in life. A sinister thought crept into her head. Not too many. I could defeat them without too much of a fuss. She fingered the hilt of her dagger. Then, her brow furrowed. She knew her duty. Reconnaissance only. But how could she determine their purpose when she couldn't understand them?

Tauriel (like any respectable elf) refrained from learning the unholy Black Speech spoken by the dark creatures of Middle Earth. Unfortunately that was the language the Orcs now used among themselves. Still, their body language told Tauriel these creatures were bored and restless. Yet, they stay. Why? Wait, I shouldn't be encouraging their activity when all they ever do is destroy! Why can't I just put them out of their bored misery?

Suddenly, a rustling sounded to the north of the clearing. She stiffened on high alert, unlike the Orcs below her who remained oblivious. Already Tauriel's mind speculated what it might be. Unhindered noise. They know they're expected. More Orcs? Not too much rustling. Might be about the size of this group.

The newcomers emerged from the underbrush, and the Orcs leapt to attention. Despite her restraint, Tauriel gasped at these strange beings. They had the same body type as the Orcs below her, but these new creatures stood head and shoulders above the other Orcs. Also, while the Orcs were shades of gray, the new creatures were black-skinned. As they moved (more smoothly than the hobbling of the Orcs), sunlight glinted off their skin as if it were wet ... or as if the creatures were made of polished rock. And Tauriel couldn't help but stare at their eyes - bright white ovals in the midst of their dark faces. Tauriel could only assume these powerful beings were the legendary Uruk-hai she'd heard of.

So captivated by the eerie creatures was she that she almost missed the newcomers' conversation. She strained her ears to hear, but was only confounded. The speech they used to chat with each other may have been Black Speech, but a different form than any Tauriel had heard. And different for the Orcs, too. When the two companies met halfway in the clearing, they resorted to the Common Speech to converse.

Eagerly, Tauriel slunk through the dappled shadows, halting near the ridge above the group. The Orcs maintained a few yards between them and the newcomers. They occasionally hissed or growled at the newcomers who returned in kind. One Orc at the front faced the Dark Uruk-hai opposite him.

"I assume you have them this time," spoke the Orc in a gravelly voice.

The Dark Uruk-hai's face moved, and Tauriel realized it had sneered with a mouth as dark as the skin around it. The only trace of color in it was its dark red tongue when it retorted, "We wouldn't be this far south if we didn't."

The Orc leader paused. "Let's have a look then," he commanded with a greedy tone. The other Orcs chuckled in agreement and nodded. The Uruk reluctantly gestured for one of his companions to come forward, presenting a small metal box no wider than Tauriel's forearm was long. Despite herself, Tauriel leaned forward, straining to catch a glimpse of the treasure.

When the Uruk's companion opened the box, Tauriel was almost blinded by the light bursting from it. The Orcs, too, recoiled and screeched. Tauriel quickly recovered and forced herself to look back again ... and completely lost herself in the light. All urgency and thought for her mission melted away. Tauriel no longer felt the tree at her side or the ground beneath her feet. All she knew was the pure light coming from the treasure.