Shimmering waves of heat rose above the grasses of the Firion Wood. Mosquitos droned around her ears as Asmalinde pressed her body deeper into the crevasse in the Ered Nimrais, the White Mountains separating Rohan and Gondor. She was forty days out of Imladris: through Misty Mountains cold and the swamps of the Anduin wetlands. Asmalinde’s journey had been uneventful, at least until today. She had broken camp by the Mering stream and was setting out on the final leg of her mission to Tol Lochu. Her plan was to skirt Minas Tirith through the Druadan Forest and into the Lossarnach. Hours out of camp, the tromping sound of iron shod feet shattered the afternoon calm.
Taken by surprise, Asmalinde urged her horse into the brush and the safety of the skirts of the Ered Nimrais. She tied her steed to the bough of a low lying tree limb, took her bow from the saddle and slung her shield over her back. She half pulled Varyando from its sheath and saw it glowing a deep blue, ‘Yrch!’ she cried to herself and eased back into the crevasse.
The brush in front of her opened into a rolling plain before intersecting with the deeper wood of the forest. The broken road to Minas Tirith curved off into the distance. She squinted and could make out the shiny helms of Mordor black arrows and raiders. Grunting and snarling they aligned themselves along the well trodden path and hid themselves in the brush, waiting.
Asmalinde wrinkled her forehead in thought. This was a large raiding party not a patrol. ‘I wonder who they are waiting for?’ she asked herself and counted noses and the weapons of the enemy.
Unknown to the orcs, Asmalinde’s vantage gave her a perfect view of where the brutes were hiding. Stealth was unusual for an orc, especially in such large numbers and she was concerned. Her quiet journey had been too good to be true. The orcs' arrival at this place and this time, could not have been coincidence. She looked at her horse and where the small chest was hidden by her saddle bags. In sending orcs this far, someone really wanted what she was carrying. Unfortunately, for the moment, she could see no way through her predicament.
The tops of the grass waved to and from in the wind that now seemed chill and the skies darker. The orcs grew more difficult to see as they lay still, clutching their ungraceful swords in their hands. The black arrow orc’s bows were nocked. They waited.
Stalemated, Asma decided the only way through was by stealth. Getting her horse through was going to be nigh impossible but she had to try. She glided over the rough earth and brambles to the steed. She avoided snapping any twigs to alert the orcs to her presence. The horse was skittery. It could smell the blood and uncleanliness of the orcs and it made her nervous. Asma whispered to the horse in Sindarin and it settled down. She untied her from the tree and led her slowly east along the base of the mountain keeping the low trees and grass between herself and the orcs. They dipped down into a low creekbed taking care not to splash. The bed of the creek was made up of rocks worn smooth by the passage of time. Foam edged the banks as the water chuckled down from the mountain. Shockingly, next to a pile of flood-brush a serpent slithered into their path. Asmalinde’s already nervous horse whinnied loudly and reared. The elleth cursed under her breath and pulled the horse back down. The orcs, startled, leaped from their hiding places snarling loudly. They gestured wildly at Asmalinde and the horse. The black arrows took aim and Asmalinde vanished.
Realizing in moments it was flee or fight Asmalinde leapt into the saddle. The elf and her horse flew out of the creek bed and made for the road ahead past the orcs. Arrows whizzed by her ears and Asmalinde leaned forward into the horses’ neck and urged her to move faster. The raiders rushed to cut them off from the road and moved very rapidly, for orcs. Yelling an elvish warcry Asmalinde urged the animal on. The horse reached maximum speed and the road opened clear ahead. A loud thunk then sounded, like a melon falling from a great height and Asmalinde’s horse staggered before crashing to the ground. A black arrow had hit the steed through the shoulder and pierced her heart, Killing her. Asmalinde flew forward and fell hard on her face. Stunned, she shook her head and flipped her shield over to her arm and drew Varyando from its scabbard. Asma’s bow was trapped under the dead horse. She prepared to sell herself as dearly as possible before being overwhelmed.
Arrows slammed into her shield and the mithril laced protector held sturdy and was undamaged. The first orc died quickly as he launched himself at her on the open road. Asmalinde pulled her sword from his throat in time to slam her shield into the face of another. Stunned, the orc collapsed backward as another and another moved into her kill circle. She feinted forward and drew the attack of both. She pirouetted and the arm of one orc landed on the ground, sword still in hand. She used her momentum to duck under the blow of the other creature and she swung backhanded. The flashing blue blade clove through the rear of the orc’s neck. He fell screeching and grunting to the ground as the armless orc frantically tried to reattach his severed arm.
Asmalinde retreated backwards to the remains of her steed. She could not leave the chest she had been entrusted with. She held her sword up as more orcs entered the semi-circle in front of her. The black arrows hooted and mocked her as they took aim at the elleth with no place to go.
The sky darkened as arrows flew and hooves pounded the ground like a tremor from an earthquake. Orcs began falling to the ground laced with arrows through their bodies. Horses, with gleaming riders and shining steel charged into the now visible clan of orcs. Asmalinde cheered as she watched the captain with pale flaxen hair streaming under her helmet flash by. She charged and struck down the leader of the orcs hewing him with a greatsword. The horsewoman spun her swift steed and made short work of other foes unlucky enough to be in her path.
Asmalinde still had the orcs directly in front of her to deal with. They grunted and snarled not one bit afraid from watching the sudden death of their comrades. Asmalinde, instead of retreating, beat her shield with Varyando in challenge and moved forward. Both orcs decided to rush her at the same time. She took their blows upon her shield and smote one through its helm and into its brain. The beast fell instantly. The other, quick like an eel, slithered around and almost managed to get under her defenses. Asmalinde parried the low swinging blow with her sword and the orc was in her face. His breath was foul as he grappled with her, trying to force her to the ground. Asmalinde was having none of that and she head-butted the orc in the face. Her blow crushed the nose of her opponent. The orc growled and smiled, gore streaming from his broken face. ‘You will die now elf!’. He grunted and grasped his sword in two hands.
Asmalinde ignored the carnage around her and focused entirely on the orc. He was taller than most and his muscles bulged. His armor was not the standard gear of Mordor. Instead a strange sigil marked his chestplate. It was not the white hand of Saruman, nor the eye of Mordor. It was something infinitely more sinister. A blood red ruby, made up as an eye, peered out at Asmalnde. It wept blood and was encircled by the black symbols of rebirth.This orc did not fear death..
The orc of the ruby whipped out a dagger and began to wave it with his sword before Asmalinde. ‘What you have elf, will soon be ours.’ he grunted with the accent of Mordor. ‘What was given must be taken away!’
The orc feinted with the sword to lower Asma’s guard and thrust with the dagger which had the dull green glow of poison on the edges. ‘A defiler!’ Asmalinde gasped as she deflected the incoming blow. The orc followed up with a swing with all of his might at the elleth’s head. Asmalinde took the blow with Varyando and kicked the orc square in the chest. He flew backwards, his arms flailing and his weapons fell to the side. She was on him as he hit the ground slamming her shield into his neck. Her momentum drove it all the way through. Black blood inundated the ground beneath the decapitated orc. Asmalinde stood quickly and instantly returned to guard mode but the danger was past.
The squad of horses recovered from their attack and grouped together on the now open road. The corpses of over a hundred orcs littered the field. Asmalinde cleaned her blade and slid it back into the sheath and set her shield down. She put her hands on her hips and watched as the pale haired captain approached and removed her helm. Flaxen, almost white hair tumbled down onto her shoulders. She pushed the hair back from her eyes and wiped the sweat from her brow. She had a large, curved, elven blade strapped to her back. Her armor trailed mud and debris from hard riding and black blood was smeared on her greaves. A bright dragon gleamed fiercely from her breastplate. She wore a grim look on her face and said, ‘What are you doing out here by yourself elleth? Do you not know these hills crawl with orcs and the Haradhrim?’
Asmalinde looked into the green eyes of the warrior and smiled with bravado. ‘I do now brave one. Thank you for coming when you did. Do they usually raid in such numbers here?’ she asked.
‘They raid in many numbers these days. Sauron’s creatures have grown brave as late.’ she replied. ‘I am Eduwiges of Faldham and I will ask again. Who are you and why are you out here alone?’
‘My name is Asmalinde, formerly of Hollin and many other places. Why I am out here alone,’ She crossed her arms and assumed a stubborn look, ‘I cannot speak of. Only, that I am forty days out of Imladris and I journey to Tol Lochu on the coast of Belfalas.’
Eduwiges’ eyes flickered when the elleth revealed her destination. She gave a low whistle, ‘Forty days from Rivendell. You travel fast Asmalinde of Hollin. Was the ambush for you then?’ she asked with a wry look.
‘I have no idea.’ she replied. ‘I have been travelling off the roads and was surprised when they trooped in and hid themselves. I was trying to sneak away when a snake spooked my horse.’ She sadly pointed to the arrow pierced animal lying on the ground.
‘I do not suppose you have an extra mount?’ she asked.
Eduwiges looked at her group of mounted warriors and gestured to them. ‘Search the bodies,’ she ordered, ‘bring me anything which looks out of the ordinary.’ She looked at Asmalinde. ‘I don’t have an extra horse.’ she drawled and patted her own mount. ‘Oenone can carry us both until we find you one. You handled those orcs extremely well but their numbers would have taken you.’ She pointed to Asmalinde’s sword. ‘That is quite a blade you have there. I have never seen its like.’
Asmalinde looked down at Varyando ‘It was forged by smiths in Gondolin long ago. I have been fortunate not to lose it.’ she walked over to the dead leader of the orcs and pointed down at the blood ruby sigil on its armor. ‘You asked to see if anything was out of the ordinary?. I have seen the eye and the white hand, but never have I seen this.’
She pulled her dagger from her belt and cut the leather straps holding the orcs armor on its body. The elf pulled the front chest plate with the blood ruby on it away from the orc and handed it daintily to Eduwiges and rubbed her hands together as if she had been fouled by the armor’s touch. Eduwiges frowned as she held the chestplate up in the light to see it better. ‘This symbol I have seen before.’ She thought of the blood ruby found in the evidence her father left her after his death. It was also the mark Thunar carried as well.
‘Thank you.’ she said. ‘This is a mark I never thought to see carried by an orc. You travel to Tol Lochu, you said?’
Asmalinde replied, ‘Yes, Tol Lochu. Is it much farther?’
Eduwiges chuckled at some private thought. ‘Fate has been kind to you Asmalinde of Hollin and other places. Not only is it not far, but I can take you there. Gather your equipment and we will travel to one of the settlements outside of Minas Tirith for a new mount. I am sorry you lost this one. She appeared to be a fine animal.’
‘She brought me many leagues.’ Asmalinde replied with remorse. ‘You will take me to Tol Lochu? Will that not be out of your way?’ She pointed to the warriors checking the orcish dead and the others guarding the glen as if asking Eduwiges if she did not have a greater responsibility to her troop.
Eduwiges cracked her knuckles and laughed out loud. ‘It isn’t out of my way at all my elleth lass. It is home.’
