The elves woke up to a fine day. There was not a single white puff in the blue sky. A pleasant earthy scent permeated the air as the sun bestowed upon them the fullness of its radiance. A peaceful silence took over, with the rustling of the grass against the breeze the only other sound.
The storm was over, and none in their company was seriously harmed, and the pace of their journey was not significantly affected.
But they were robbed of their supplies, and although they were able to keep their chests full of silver, it would afford them nothing in the wilderness.
That day, it had been more than a week since they have eaten properly. Lacking in numbers, every elven soldier was ordered to the ramparts to defend the Atherdaine when the monstrous army arrived for a siege. And for days they fought ceaselessly, forgoing rest and meals. A sacrifice that proved to be all in vain.
But it was a thing of the past, and if they wish to rise from their fall, they will have to address their current challenges. One of which was to provide something to eat that morning.
Meldor sat on a tree stump seat, in front of the house he had rested the night before. His usually combed hair was in shambles, and his face was lacking its lively colors and further ruined by a scowl.
The same descriptions can be said of the elves who had stood before him. Orlem, Tholpiel, Elendiel, Cirdan and a few more elves answered his morning summon. The others did not answer,, and they did not have to, the prince needed only a few volunteer foragers.
"Where is Sauldor?" the elven prince inquired of Tholpiel. He had seen him, go with the trio the previous night.
"He is still asleep, lord prince."
"He has a lot to change. As he is now, he will only encumber us." Meldor sighed, and stood up.
Tholpiel chose not to reveal the conversation they had the night before.
The prince walked to his left until he was at the edge of the house. After resting his body against the wall, he pointed at something in the distance, far into the endless plains.
"There are pear trees, two kilometers east. A bountiful harvest should await you, so bring any container you can find." he informed.
"Pear… trees." Ethendiel muttered as he tried to spot them, a palm across his brows and his eyes squinting. But although his sight was many times better than the common man, it was inferior to Meldor's. All he could see was the silhouette.
But it did not need confirmation, the prince's superior senses have been long proven true.
"Then we shall make sure to bring more than enough pears for everyone to eat, until we are full and farting." Orlem responded, causing a round of chuckles from everyone. Meldor however was anything but impressed.
"Or until your entrails burn and melt at the acid." the prince answered back, silencing everyone.
"Now make haste, so we can quickly depart. We might cross the river Erlimber further on the road, and give ourselves a proper lunch."
It was common knowledge that where scourges are abundant, hunt animals are scarce. Therefore, they could only count at the fruit trees and the river fishes.
Following their lord's order, the elves swiftly fetch their horses and made their way to the trees. The sea of grass parted at the passing of the elven riders. They spotted no scourges on their way, but neither were any prey, not even a single rabbit.
But true to Meldor's words, they arrived at four pear trees standing near each other, with their branches about to break with the weight of the abundant harvest.
"I don't think this is the elven way of collecting fruits." Orlem looked up with a twisted face, a basket in hand.
Because they did not have a fruit plucking stick with them, they had to resort to alternative ways, and Cirdan readily volunteered. Resembling a maddened monkey, the elf wildly shook the branches, freeing the heavy fruits from the tree. The elves below then ran around, making sure to catch the fruits, which was made possible by their superhuman agility and speed.
"I need baskets here!" Ethendiel hollered, the elf had also joined in the fun and had climbed the adjacent tree. Like a child, a wide grin was plastered on his face.
Answering his call, some elves transferred to his tree, and he began shaking.
"How can they be so carefree and happy?" Orlem scratched his scalp and shook his head. He turned his head to Tholpiel, expecting to see the same reaction, but he was dead wrong.
"There's only two trees left, one of them is mine...you can have the other one." Tholpiel offered, as he sprinted towards yet another tree.
A sigh and a bite. Orlem could only munch his concerns away.
+++
An unpleasant giggle woke Sauldor from his sleep. Even without opening his eyes, he instantly knew it was bad news. And when he did, he saw a horrifying sight.
Near the silver chests, were two creatures no taller than a toddler, with wrinkly green skin and an appearance that could only be considered hideous. On the part of their body, that is called their face, were two eyes unproportionately too large for the size of their head, a pointy noise brimming with mucus and a grinning mouth filled with rotten teeth. They were tying to unlock the chests, having smelt of the silver. They were goblins, and it was the first time he had seen them.
He was lying on the floor, wearing only his undergarments. He tried to slowly stand up, but disconcerted, he clumsily pushed the chair behind him. The screeching sound of wood against wood, alarmed the goblins, that might have not noticed his presence earlier. They growled, and abandoned the chests, to slowly advance towards.
He looked around for his sword, and to his despair, he remembered he had laid it by the chests. The only thing that look threatening enough near him was in the hearth. The fire had long died, but he found a firewood with a still glowing ember on the tip.
His back to the fireplace, he pointed his 'weapon' at the approaching goblins. But expectedly, they were not in a bit dettered. One of the goblins had a crude knife in his hand.
He had no confidence he could take them both on, and so he resorted to the only thing he thought he could do.
"Heeeelpppp!" he shouted.
The yell angered the goblins, and the scourges quickened their pace towards the elf. He shouted one more time, this time abandoning any reservations. One of the goblins had come within reach of him.
Still shouting for help, he plunged the burning tip into the goblin's head, causing it to yelp in pain and take a step back. Seeing his companion wounded, further infuriated the other goblin. After a squeal, the armed scourge lunge itself at him, his knife directed at his abdomen. Rattled and confused, he simply screamed, and closed his eyes, anticipating the pain.
But the pain did not come. What did come was a viscous liquid that was sprinkled on his clothes. A thud followed, and then silence. When he reopened her eyes, he saw the armed goblin lying face flat and lifeless on the floor, a silver arrow to the head.
The wounded goblin tried to run, but his rescuer was standing by the door. The scourge then attempted to attack him again, hoping to at least kill their first target. But the arrow was swifter, and he was cut down before he could do any harm.
Standing against the light, Sauldor could not at first recognized who had come to his aid, until he spoke.
"You scream like a little girl." the voice scolded. "Have you no shame?"
The words were blunt and hurtful, but as someone who was inches away from getting stabbed, he couldn't help but be grateful.
Meldor's scrunched up face was revealed when he approached nearer.
"And before a goblin?" he further scolded, "Be glad that your father had entered slumber because if he had seen you now, he would've fallen unto his sword in disappointment."
"I was without a sword, lord prince, I have no armor and I have just awoken. It must be why fear had so easily consumed me."
"Without a sword? Even a child with a stick would have fared better." Meldor leaned in to extract one of the arrows.
"It was my first time seeing a goblin. And I was spooked with their hideousness." Sauldor continued his defense.
"That's not… " Meldor grunted as he pulled the second and the more stubborn arrow. "…a proper reason."
"This won't do. You are too weak and fearful, unfitting to be in my company."
Sauldor grew nervous with the words. "You cannot abandon me now, lord, I know not where Naelif and Baldomir had gone."
"Well, if you wish to remain… you are coming with me."