Chapter 18: Chapter XVIII
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As the Elves began to fortify their defenses and watch, Legolas went to the outer gates and shouted commands to the guards and the elves nearby before he faced Estelle and her men who were just preparing to leave.
"You are strange, both to my father and myself - a mysterious wanderer - who speaks in words of honor and an indistinct dignity, which alone are most I can say for most races of men. Farewell, wanderer."
With only a nod, Estelle moved along as her legionnaires followed suit, making Legolas stare at their back as an elf spoke over to Legolas regarding his orders and in Elvish-tongue spoke. "How about Tauriel? She has left the gates armed with a bow and dagger."
In disbelief, he is forced to follow after her after he has considered closing the gates and borders as the King has commanded. By possessing a feeling for Tauriel, he easily chose her over the orders of his father.
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Estelle was surprised when she was called upon, by the young prince nonetheless - armed with a bow and sword - as he approached them with something to say.
But it was Estelle, who beat him to it as she spoke before he could, "The Elf Prince, what has brought you out the elven gates?"
Estelle had turned to greet him, with an unsurprised look and not short on mannerisms, as she followed on with a guess that seemed to be right. "Is it perhaps the female elf that we just saw on the way to Lake-Town?"
In an instance, the young prince gave her a stern look before he got up and close to her face, which prompted an aggressive reaction from her men as they threatened to unsheathe their swords. But Estelle gestured them to stay their hands, despite the young prince, having no reaction to their threat.
"I will go with you."
He stated without any room for negotiation, and the men felt discontent in the manners he demanded, but in all manners of seriousness, she had to ask. "Why?"
Within a heartbeat, he nocked an arrow and aimed up to the trees before he let it fly - the arrow whistles - until a few thuds could be heard as branches break and leaves fell, and with a final loud thud it met the ground between an unflinching elf and woman. Their eyes not so much as flinching as the spider still struggled to cling to life, until Estelle unsheathed her sword and buried the tip of the blade - slow and steady - into it as it began to spurt blood of green as it gave out a last shriek.
Without as much as removing her eyes from the young prince - whose eyes reflected his father - staring back at her with such intensity as Thranduil. Except, it was cold and stern, unlike the King who was cold yet broken, and longing.
"I can lead you out these woods without any of your soldiers being turned to food, what say you?"
The young Elf Prince revealed, and based on how she was considering it, it was already decided before she could even say the word to accept him. But what she asked was not what he expected, instead, she asked something the Elf Prince never figured would be 'asked' upon him.
"What is your name, young Prince?"
Due to a proper introduction, he took the opportunity to do so when she asked and so he began. "I am Legolas, son of Thranduil. Legolas Greenleaf."
Interested by the surname, Estelle involuntarily tilted her head at it before whispering it. "Greenleaf" before an interrupting whisper and quiet hushes rush to her hearing. The voices were the same ones that have continued to pester her ever since she entered these woods. 'Just what are they?!'
However, it seemed the others don't seem to be affected by them, nor hear them in the slightest. It only further, and continued to drive her mad before a voice called out to her. "Legatus, are you alright?"
Fortunately, the whispers began to fade and along the threatening migraines with it. "Yes, legionnaire. I am fine and we should get moving. The legion must be nearing Lake-Town by now. Let's get a move on."
"Understood, Legatus." responded the legionnaire, followed by several nods from the other men.
Though, before Estelle and her men could take a step forward, an Elf archer - Legolas - reminded them with an overwhelming sarcasm that seemed to reflect and trace to his father. "Perhaps a sheep may lead the shepherd."
Legolas meant no harm - only rudeness and snarky remark - but that did not help the men to tolerate the bad and terrible company they're forced to journey with to Lake-Town. In some cases, they may actually prefer a company of Dwarves, at least those short folks had great alcohol on them and were merry fun.
But despite the elf's attitude - intolerable to some - Estelle was not bothered in the slightest. Though, it seemed that the men were as talk about a possible blooded murder happening in the woods when comes nightfall.
'Yes... nightfall...'
It should be as early as the next dawn that the Legion should arrive at Lake-Town. It has only been days since he and herself have talked - Numerius - ever since she decided to split from the Legion to accompany the Dwarves. Estelle would say it to Numerius and the others, sometimes but not frequently enough, but that she was grateful for their assistance and loyalty to both her father and herself.
Furthermore, their presence was great company during dinner as they ate by the campfire with their warm and content food. Estelle never felt alone. Through peace and training, to the dangers of battle and death.
It built an unbreakable bond between them. To that, she let out a small smile that Legolas caught as he walked to the woman's side, but he never said anything about it, only that he just continued to walk - to walk by her side - both of them lead.
"I am curious about you and the men you lead, you are not like other races of men, not like the people of Gondor or the people of Lake-Town."
Estelle offered no verbal response to satisfy to elf's curiosity but did suggest through a gesture that she was in fact listening as she gave a small tiny nod as they continued to walk.
"It would be difficult to understand if you were from the East, where the Easterling would no doubt have a history of war with any other kingdom. Especially when that kingdom does not seem to be associated with the Evil they served."
"Rome is not a Kingdom, Elf. Rome is an Empire."
Said a rough voice that belonged to a legionnaire that followed close behind them, the battle scars on the man's face apparent and seemingly old - a man that has been in many battles - before Legolas asked.
"Then tell me, where is the Empire of Rome?" There was no mockery in the prince's voice, except only seeking, and searching for truth to which the legionnaire replied. "One day, elf. Then on that day, Rome will conquer the lands and seas here. If so the Emperor chooses and the Senate."
Piqued by the interesting term, Legolas posed yet another question as the group continued along the dark wood of Mirkwood. "The 'Senate' what is it?"
Only for the Legionnaire and the rest to let out a chuckle before directing it to someone else - someone that was related to the 'Senate' - as the man said. "You should ask the Legatus."
With anticipation, Legolas looked to her for a response but she seemed to enjoy remaining silent on the matter, that was before Legolas stopped on his track which prompted the others to follow the elf's lead. "Spiders?" The woman asked before he responded with a shake of his head. "Warg Riders..."
Outnumbered against the Warg Riders, the men looked to their Legatus for orders as did Legolas until she made it clear to do what everyone had in mind. "Double time!"
Without missing a beat the group ran through the dark woods without fail. Their feet were quick on the move as their breathing became erratic at their exhaustion. But they did not slow down at the pace Estelle provided, as she hack branches and leaves in their way.
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With a miracle - surprisingly - the group was able to avoid and escape the Warg Riders which still continued to be a hassle for them. They must really want Thorin killed before he gets to the Lonely Mountain.
Fortunately, just beyond them - before the river and Lake-Town - there it was; Erebor.
'But how do we get across?'
"There is a bridge - narrow and long - that leads to Lake-Town. We can purchase boats from there."
The young Elven Prince provided as he started to make his way to the settlement - taking the lead - while she is conversing with her men as they followed close behind him. "Be cautious but do not show signs of hostility."
'It would be bothersome if the people of Lake-Town are provoked. Furthermore, we are outnumbered and have little to nearly no supplies. Would they accept Roman coins?'
Estelle began to feel the pouch she had as she heard the coins - golden coins - ring and sang before she let out a satisfied hum.
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When the small banded group eventually made it, there before them stretched a long narrow bridge to the town. Creaking at every step they took - the wooden bridge old and weak - but they continued on without stopping as she lead on. Until a shrieking voice of multiple girls screamed - frightened - as came loud audible grunts of ugly orcs and brave dwarves fighting in one among the many houses.
Quick to join the battle against their pursuer, the legionnaires unsheathed their swords and raised their large shields, while Legolas went on to split from them as he climbed to the roofs.
With their presence discovered with the sound of their armor, half of the orc pursuers went to face them, but to their shame, it seemed a certain elf had a bone to pick with them as a familiar arrow pierced an orc dead through the shot at its head.
'Tauriel!'
Legolas searched where the arrow originated and found Tauriel - already in the midst of battle - as she continue to release hails of arrows toward any foul orc that chased after them. Meanwhile, the dwarves and men charge and fought against the orc in the same manner as the elves - ruthless and merciless - against the vile orcs.
As iron clashed and shields bashed at their opponent, the legionnaire made quick work with the orcs while only, and ever so sustaining minimum injuries due to their large shields. Meanwhile, the dwarves charged with heavy weapons - harpoons and the such - while others fought with hammers that would only hurt a nail.
'Right, they were made prisoners by Thranduil and had their gears and weapons stripped.'
Estelle figured as she fought along with her men, before she saw a familiar giant orc, prompting her to be at the ready as it laid its eyes on her. It uttered something foul as it approached her, words she couldn't fathom to be a language she could understand; meaning, a foul and dark language.
With a sword directed and pointed at the giant orc, and a large shield guarding her by the front, she waited as an impressively large mace was raised against her - held by the giant orc - before it smashes it into her shield.
Estelle made a fatal mistake to decide to block it - as she let the shield along with her arm absorbed the impact - as she was pushed back by the force. Without mercy, the giant orc continued its onslaught as it resumed bashing at the shield and continued to push Estelle back.
Until she have already caught on to what the orc had in mind - it was intelligent - as it was isolating and pushing a great distance between her and the nearest allies.
Then with a giant swing - the large mace charged up as he twisted his waist - the mace landed on the shield as a splatter of blood painted the platform and nearby walls and window. "Legatus!"
The desperate call of her legionnaires caught the attention of Fili and Legolas who quickly made attempts to aid the Legion's Commander but were forced away with the persistence of the orcs that kept them occupied. Then a horn blared in the distance as horses charged to the bridge.
At that same moment, an orc announced to the giant orc - Bolg - that Oakenshield had gone and remained to be seen before he issued a retreat. But before he would go along with the retreat; he would see to it that he killed an annoying and persistent human that remained standing. With a broken arm that was covered in blood, it trickle down to her fingers - that twitched involuntarily - as she remained strong and her eyes locked onto the giant Orc.
Time was wasting and the reinforcement was coming.
In the end, Bolg washed the idea to finish the human - who could barely even stand upright - as he looked into a pair of determined eyes back at him. Bolg understood that he would not have the time to kill the human within a small amount of time before their reinforcement arrived. An opponent that refused to let death meet them - it's a terrible component - as he begrudgingly retreated.
"Kill the bastards! Don't let them even think about crossing the bridge alive!" a familiar voice in the distance yells out. It was Justinian along with his cavalry as they cut the enemy's retreat. "Box them in!"
With that, she collapsed.
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