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Days Of Estel's Life -- Part II - The First Fight
January 30, 2004
Submitted By Ugluk
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Dratted kid.
We bridled the horses - we don't ride with saddles except occasionally, just to stay used to them - and mounted. Estel climbed on his horse, Galad, and we set off, riding quickly through the morning air. Estel, excited as usual, went riding ahead, while Elladan and I talked strategy. What would we let the mortal face? How good was he, really?
So we set off. We rode for all of two and a half hours, straight for the Misty Mountains, without Estel even opening his mouth.
"How much longer, Elrohir?"
Of course he'd pick me. Elladan would just tell him to shut up. "Another few hours or so."
Estel sighed, then started coughing raggedly.
"Mountain air must not be good for you," Elladan said. "Maybe next time you'd better stay in Imladris."
Estel quit coughing. "I'm fine," he said.
"Patience is an essential of a fine warrior and skilled Ranger," Elladan said. "You never know how long you will have to wait. Days, maybe."
"Days?" Estel asked.
"Elrohir and I once waited two weeks up here, for a band of Orcs to come out scouting," Elladan said. "Right?"
Estel looked over at me.
"Actually, it was closer to one week," I corrected. Elladan shot me a glare.
"We had no food and only a little water," Elladan said, "and we had to keep quiet the whole time, and we couldn't move around. For over a week. You must acquire that patience, Estel. Today would be a good time to practice that."
"I thought we were going to practice killing Orcs," Estel said.
Man, that kid is dumb.
"Patience is a much higher virtue than skill with a blade." Elladan said.
"Yes, but when facing an army of Orcs, patience will get you nowhere, while a sword in your hands - and if you know how to use it..." Estel let his voice trail off.
Elladan grew silent.
It was midday when we arrived at a likely place. Goblins scouting from the mountains usually came along here, it was the easiest path to take. We took the bridles off the horse and hung them up, and sent them over to their usual place, where they began cropping the short bits of grass still available. Estel hurried back into the open space, and drew his sword.
"You will not need that yet, if at all," Elladan said.
Estel blushed and put it away.
We were on a small flat circle, forty feet above a long valley. The circle was situated perfectly so one could sit or kneel very near the edge and look down at whatever passed by below, along the valley floor. The hill was steep, but if an Elf so desired he could run down it easily. A man - maybe, if he ran fast enough.
Estel lay flat on his belly and stared down, one hand on the hilt of his sword, as if he expected an Orc army to come marching along any second. Elladan and I exchanged glances and sat down with our backs against a tree. I drew out a small packet of meat, wild goat, cured to last a long time. At the sound of the bundle opening Estel eagerly came over and took the two biggest pieces. Neither of us were hungry, but we ate anyway.
Two hours later we first started hearing the cackling and snarling of Orcs. Completely without stealth, they are. Judging from the sound, they were about half a mile away. Estel grabbed his sword instantly. Elladan and I sat there calmly, waiting, until finally they came into view. Then we all peered over the edge.
It was a large company - maybe two hundred fifty, at most. Estel stared down at them, and a drop of sweat came out on his brow.
Men. They sweat when they're tired, they sweat when they're not tired. What is with them????
So Elladan says, like a joke, "Estel, draw your sword and charge them. We'll cover you."
Of course he was only kidding, charging two hundred fifty Orcs in broad daylight is suicide. Even more so for an untrained Man like Estel. Only Elf who ever did it was Gil-galad. Of course he killed them all, that's why they kept composing songs about him. And it was only 214 Orcs against him.
So, of course Elladan wasn't serious at all.
Naturally, Estel leaped up, drew his sword, and ran full speed down the hill, screaming like a dying eagle from the mountains.
There was about two and a half seconds while Elladan and I just lay there, completely still, watching the lunatic go charging down towards the Orcs, only fifty yards away.
Elladan was the first to speak, and it was a few curses he'd picked up the time that Dark-Elf came to Imladris.
I grabbed my bow and extra quivers of arrows. Surprise was completely gone, of course, it'd be a miracle if we survived this thing. I started shooting as fast as I could, ruing the fact we didn't have any machine-arrow shooters with us. Like that stuck-up Prince of Mirkwood, Legolas my eye. Every time he was around us he had to show off the fact he could shoot two arrows to our one.
Before Estel reached them, the two of us had killed roughly 19. 231 to go. Elladan cast down his bow, drew his sword, and charged down the hill.
The only thing that kept Estel from a quick death was the fact that the Orcs were clearly not expecting to be attacked by a Man and two Elves in broad daylight. For the first three-quarters of his charge they were looking around for the rest of the troops. Then when Estel crashed into them he was swinging his sword around like a dervish, nearly chopping of his own head once or twice. He'd already killed six by the time Elladan arrived and started neatly dispatching Orcs, and then he almost cut off Elladan's head.
I kept firing until I was completely out of arrows, then whistled for the horses. They came at once. I leapt onto the back of Mellon Nin, told Asfaloth and Galad to follow, and charged down the hill towards the battle.
Amazingly enough, both were still alive. Estel was covered in cuts, bruises, and blood, and would have been long since dead except Elladan had been standing next to him killing everything that got close, except for the few who approached Estel from the front. Fortunately the orcs didn't have bows with them or they would've been dead.
From horseback I killed a couple of them, and shouted. Elladan and Estel ran towards me. Elladan leaped onto Asfaloth, and Estel ran and tried to jump onto Galad's back. Naturally, just as he was about to jump, he slipped on some blood and fell headfirst into a rock, knocking himself unconscious. And the Orcs were charging towards him.
That kid. I swear...
I leapt off Mellon Nin, grabbed him, and hauled him up on to Nin's back. He smelled even worse. Holding him with my arms, I booted Nin and we galloped away, Galad trailing behind.
Heading home.
In bad mood.
Elladan complaining because he has to explain to father.
Estel holding a cloth torn from MY tunic on his head. He looks pale.
The horses are the only ones that are happy.
Why me????
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... 14 Comments
Well, I finally got part 2 up, everyone! Please read and rate!!! And part III will be up as soon as it's finished.
Comment by Ugluk - January 30, 2004 @ 4:12 PM
Now hurry an put up pt 3!
ESTEL PT 3!! ESTEL PT 3!!
!!ESTEL PT 3!!
ESTEL PT 3! !ESTEL PT 3!!
ESTEL PT 3! !ESTEL PT 3!!
!!ESTEL PT 3!!
!!ESTEL PT 3!!
!!ESTEL PT 3!!
!!ESTEL PT 3!!
!!ESTEL PT 3!!
!!ESTEL PT 3!!
!!ESTEL PT 3!!
!!ESTEL PT 3!!
!!ESTEL PT 3!!
Comment by evenstar1 - January 30, 2004 @ 10:52 PM
What a stupid, stupid mortal!!
Comment by Valaróma - January 31, 2004 @ 5:20 AM
That was so funny! Hehehe ... post more, quickly!
Comment by Tinwithli - January 31, 2004 @ 5:36 AM
Me think Ugluk does not like Estel to well. But that is what makes it funny. Finish soon.
Comment by AGLHE - January 31, 2004 @ 6:43 PM
how did he ever become a ranger, lol
Comment by elrin - February 1, 2004 @ 8:56 AM
Hullo! This is great! Very funny; the whole plot is really good! Where can we find # 1 though? I tried to find it but couldn't; can you post it on a message??? Thanx; keep it up!
-A mushroom dude
Comment by *mushroom_dudes* - February 1, 2004 @ 12:38 PM
Here's the link for the previous section: Part 1
Enjoy, and watch for part III!!!
-Ugluk
Comment by Ugluk - February 1, 2004 @ 1:59 PM
Very good. Estel sounds a little too dumb though. (I'm a major Aragorn fan).
Comment by Arwenslove - February 2, 2004 @ 11:36 AM
I must protest to the whole unwashed clumsy human thing. Makes it funny but at least leave out the unwashed part.
Comment by Arwenslove - February 2, 2004 @ 11:45 AM
Funny stuff, I never knew Estel was that dumb. ???
Comment by Katran - February 2, 2004 @ 7:53 PM
huh?huh?
Comment by *~Linsul~*~Songbreeze~* - March 29, 2004 @ 5:09 PM
Still out there?
Please pot part three!
I'm a newbie!
"No more to linger, silent in the shadows."
Comment by WithyWyrm - October 6, 2004 @ 10:52 AM
Typo!
I meant post
Comment by WithyWyrm - October 6, 2004 @ 10:53 AM