Chapter V: The Fall of Dol Guldur (Pt. VII)
“After much discussion, I left Celeborn’s tent for mine. I knew at first light, my last battle would begin. I looked South to a familiar sight—the flames of Orodruin. As they had burned for as long as I could remember, I thought of all that were fighting not far from where so many of my warriors fell beside my father.
“Ada,” I heard behind me. “Might I have a word?”
“Yes, Tarthôn,” I answered as I entered my tent with him.
I sat in my seat beside my table as Tarthôn sat on my chaise nearby.
“What worries you,” I asked.
“You worry me,” he said. “I know what you lost in similar circumstances. I fear you would allow yourself to fall.”
“There is no need to worry,” I said smiling. “I would not do such a thing. I have had plenty of time think on it, but there were far more things I had to live for. You and Legolas, Nenduîl and Tárimë. My people. I worry how it would be should I not return against my will.”
“You will return, Ada. And so will I.”
“Why are you so sure of such things,” I asked.
“Because, I was told,” he said. “Though I have a family of my own, I still in need of a father. You will keep your word you made to Melros. It still ails you.”
“Yes, son,” I answered. “It does.”
“You have nothing to worry about,” he began. “You are as great a father as you are a king. As Legolas, I will keep my word and return home.”
“You are a good son,” I said, remembering Melros’ words to me. “A very good son. I am proud to have raised you. You are much a part of me as Legolas.”
He smiled and bowed to me.
“See you at first light, Ada,” he said. "And when we complete our task, we will ride home together. I love you, Ada.”
“I love you as well, Tarthôn.”
He left me alone to think. Silence demands to be heard—it can be sharper than a blade and more painful. I tried to keep my thoughts from clashing like blades in my mind. I realized I had not fought many wars but one. There had only been times of peace intermingled with battles. When I found a calm within me, the darkness had begun to lighten. It was time once more to wage war with evil.
In the twilight of the coming day, I saw that the elven troops had surrounded the garrison of Dol Guldur. The orcs would use their height to rain arrows down upon us. Aradin had positioned archers a distance away and as high as the crumbling remains of the walls of Dol Guldur. Surrounding Celeborn and Me were shields to deflect arrows away from troops at the slope. At the first ray of light, arrows fell from above and over us. I glanced at Celeborn and he nodded.
“Noro, thî,” he shouted and hundreds of elven warriors ran straight toward the ruins from which orcs ran to meet them in battle. We rode into the fray together—into a fury that created its own winds with the blood of the slaughtered blowing in the air. I swung my sword until the pain was nearly unbearable when all of sudden everything stopped abruptly. I looked around me—not one elf nor one orc moved. They were looking to the south toward Mordor.
Friend and foe stood together watching what seemed out of place to us. We felt the earth rumbling and rolling as a wave on the sea. Orodruin seemed to turn from orange to red then fade to black. Only puffs of dark clouds erupted from it—eventually fading into daylight.
“It is done,” I heard Eldôr say to me. “It is finally done.”
“Perhaps,” Celeborn said. “But what there is left, we must destroy.”
As nothing had happened, the battle continued well into dusk when we found we stood amidst the corpses of orcs and some elves. I began to worry once more—my heart beating so loudly I heard not a word.
I looked up to see Elranduil with Nimlos and Ardôr, Orísil and Tarthôn. I felt some comfort when I saw Eldôr speaking with Celeborn and Galathil.
“Where is Êlenuil,” I asked. “And his brother Elendôr?
“There,” Elranduil pointed. I looked to see them alive and well, speaking with Aruilos, Elmîr and Fëaluin. When I saw Isílion and Tárion with Haldir, Orophin and Rúmil, I knew our loses were very few. It took me some time to reach land unsoiled by death. When I found my footing night had begun to fall.
“We can rest,” Galathil said. “For the first time, we can rest. The ring has been destroyed.”
“We will return to Mirkwood tomorrow,” I said. “Victorious.”
I went to my tent for the first time feeling thousands of years of darkness no longer weighing down the night as the stars seemed to shine brighter than they have since I was a youth.”–Excerpt from TKWR Book III: To Eryn Lasgalen by J.M.Miller 03-25-17
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