MOON LETTERS : CREATIVE WRITING
The Black Tide - by Topaz
The orcs filled the valley to the horizon, so many of them their torches
were like stars in the sky. This night, there were no stars, no sky,
only black clouds and the foreboding rumble of thunder. As the darkness
grew, the Uruk-hai drew closer and their chants of death and destruction
were louder than the storm. The rain began, as the battle began, with
fury and terror.
Helm's Deep, fortress of Rohan for an Age. Its defenders feared, by
morning light, it would be no more. They made their stand on the ancient
stone walls, man and elf, sword and bow. Fear, and defiance. If they
were to end like this, Theoden King told them, they would make it an end
worthy of legends to be told in the next Age.
Then the wall exploded, and the black tide of orcs filled the void. Wave
after wave scaled the walls. Hundreds fell, thousands replaced them.
Táraregwen stood her ground, a company of elves on either side of her as
she shouted orders to them. She had volunteered, she knew she would
never return to Lothlórien. None of them would.
The rain made it difficult to see their targets until the hulking
creatures were upon them. The corpses of the orcs grew five deep, then
ten. There was no count of the dead. She glanced up, at the tier above
her. Haldir and the legions with him were already fighting the orcs by
sword. They were being over-run far faster than they had anticipated. No
one could have known how many there were. He met her gaze for a moment,
one last moment. Both knew it.
Lost somewhere in the rain, the call came. Aragorn? Was it him, she
wondered or was it Theoden King. A man, yes. He was shouting for them to
fall back. Too soon! If they retreated to the Keep, all the warriors at
the bottom of the wall would be lost. It was Aragorn, he was calling for
a retreat. Táraregwen told her archers to hold, to wait for Haldir's
word.
The pain was sudden, white-hot, coursing through her like fire through
dry grass. Seeing only rain on her armor rather than blood, she knew it
must be him. Haldir. Her love. He would be the first to cross the river
into the Undying Lands. Táraregwen wanted to scream, to go to him, to
wish the enemies of Man were not the enemies of Elves. She dared look
again to where he had stood. An orc had struck him, forced him back but
many arrows had taken the beast down. Ten replaced the foul thing.
She called for her archers to fall back while she held ground. The wall
was lost. A handful moved away. Many more stood with her.
Shouting and cursing, Aragorn pushed towards his friend. Táraregwen was
too far
so was Aragorn, he just didn't know it. Aragorn called
out. Another orc struck Haldir from behind. Táraregwen felt the blade -
they were bound to each other, of course she would feel such pain. She
turned to look again, cursing the coward that would strike even an enemy
in the back. Aragorn reached him, too late. The life in his eyes faded.
Haldir was gone.
Táraregwen renewed her onslaught, firing almost randomly at the orcs. No
longer could she think, or feel, or care. Her quiver was down to a
handful of arrows and she would soon draw swords against the Uruk-hai.
Haldir waited for her in the Halls of Mandos, but he would not wait
long. She ordered the archers to retreat. If they could hear her or not,
they remained, some already fighting by sword. The rain masked her
tears. She met the Uruk-hai, sword in hand.
There was pain, her own this time, and noise like the rushing of water
over falls. She could feel rain on her skin, but not the warmth of her
own blood. She heard the song of a bird somewhere over the glades of her
home. There was light and clear skies.
Haldir smiled back, and offered his hand. Táraregwen took it.
Disclaimer - I am not making any money from this fic. Nor am I making
any claims on characters created by J.R.R. Tolkien. I am just a fan.
Notes: I don't claim to be an expert on Tolkien-lore, but I had to write
this. Forgive me any discrepancies.
Archive: Email me to ask me please.
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