Rashkuk was desperate. He was desperate because was he not used to an enemy who was continually dumber than him. He had been trained to lead his troops to the slaughter, not winning battle after battle. He also was sick of the food. Meat all day, and although he had reduced to eat heart, liver and kidneys only, he could not stand any more of it. He longed for a bite of rotten bread, for a sip of polluted water. He was sick of the sunshine on the Rohan plains and dreamed of his dark, damp cell in the dungeons of Morannon. And what would he give for a decent whipping!
Yesterday, deliverance seemed to be so close. After he’d noticed the dustcloud of the approaching Rohirrim cavalry, he ordered his sergeant to pack his things and prepare for a quick escape. He didn’t even bother to order any tactics. But then, when he had scanned the charging enemy troops, he sighed. “Them horseboyz won’t make it, sah!” his sergeant whispered. So he had entered the slaughter, and slaughter it was in spite of the even numbers. “Whadda us gonna do now, sah?” his sergeant asked, while sucking some Rohirrim brain through a straw. “Dunno”, Rashkuk answered and thought very hard how he could arrange for at least a small failure in this campaign…
In the plains of the east Ovatha sighed a weary sigh
at the head of his vast cav army he looked back at his men
and felt saddend for they had become slovenly and dissinterested
not a shadow of thier formerselves just 4 weeks prior,when he remembered how they had ridden hard singing songs of the
battles and glory they would encounter and now what had he brought them too. He cursed the cowardly Northman how could they abandon every town in the Rhun. Now he stood before
Dilgul and bearly could stomach to give the order,where was the honour in this slaughter of woman and children and yet he knew he must for it was Saurons will. But he was no fool he would make this quick and then make his men one last promise that would raise thier spirits…The CAPITOLl he thought surely they will make a stand at thier capitol and our honour will be restored.
With That he raised his sword and gave the order ,the thunder of
hooves began as did the screams from Dilgul.
K.E. - As you said Nman the war has begun!
Ciyandur sipped his Daquiri as his palanquin made its way through the ranks of his soldiers to the front line.
Some of it spilt into his jaunty beard and he motioned for one of his faithful cabin boys to mop it up with a silk hanky.
As he reached the front lines, he saw Old Ned, on loan from Gedron, meandering about on his two peg legs with his faithful dead parrot nailed to his shoulder.
“What news Old Ned, you salty old dog of the sea?” Ciryandur asked?
“Who said that!” said Old Ned, turning around in some confusion, until his keen sense of smell picked up Ciryandur’s perfume and pointed him in the right direction.
“Right you are master” said Old Ned, scratching his eye patches.
“Bad news I’m afraid, them Gondor folk have got a big army on that there hill and they is looking ready fer a fight, me lord”
Ciryandur looked up to the hill just north of his position. His eyes gazed across the rank upon rank of orderly Gondorian heavy infantry, the sun glinting off their polished helms and sharp spears.
As the Gondorians began to advance in a disciplined battle line, Ciryandur’s eyes gazed across his own troops, a scurvy band of cutthroats playing cards, singing dirty songs and chasing parrots.
A sense of impending doom came over him as he suddenly realised that his euncuhs wouldn’t be able to carry him away from the battle fast enough…
From the corner of his eye he could see Bain creeping to the door.
“Halt! Where are you going in such a sneaky way?”, said Bard as he confronted his fellow captain,“We’re not finished here.”
“I know sir, but the enemy is at Lest in large numbers and they will take Dilgûl too. I feel that I’m needed there more than here.” complained Bain as he stopped in the doorway.
Bard gave a great sigh and turned his head towards the window from where he could see the smoke rising from Lest. The enemy had started the attack with terrible fires that burned down the houses of the ones so calm and beautiful village. “I understand”, said Bard,“but we need you here too and as your commander I order you to stay here and gather our troops.” Bain could sense the troubles that went trough his commander’s head. He had feared for a while that Bard, his long life friend, would finally crack under the heaviness of the world. Hope has fled a long time ago already and now, as the news had come that no help could be given by our allies, all things seemed doomed. But still he fought hard against the growing armies of the enemy. “And if we were to die here then so be it. We will die in honour in protecting our capital! Our mother of cities.” “Yes sir!”,cried Bain and he closed the door behind him.
A message had arrived from Girion just a few hours ago that there were three armies with different banners coming to Lest. The enemy seemed to have done the one thing that we feared the most. They have formed an alliance to destroy the northmen. And without the help of the west, soon they will fall.
But not without a fight!
The Noldo had been busy… busy preparing their ships to sail away from this cursed land back to their beloved home they remembered so fondly.
“My Lord” said Glorfindel, “envoys have begun arriving from the lands east of the mountains - Legolas for the lady in the woods, Gimli for the Dwarves and even Boromir, first son of the Steward of Gondor. They bring grave news. Dark banners have been unfurled and darkness is beginning to spread out from mordor once again. They seek our help.”
“If only my old master shipwright Cirdan was still here! He could build enough ships to take all our friends with us to safety” said Elrond. “Alas, it is not to be. Perhaps fate would have us delay our sailing until after we have eradicated the dark blight once and for all.
Summon a war council. Let us see what aid we can give. And tell me when Gandalf and those pesky hobbits arrive. I have a feeling there’s a journey they will need to undertake.”