Bregolad glanced over his shoulder just as Fathwine captain of the guard of Pelargir came with a brisk step in his limping walk.The sun was glistening like a pale silver over the almost entirely ironclast sky.''Bregolad,called Fathwine in his raucous voice.''Darn this autumn harvest,all over the southern fiefs their harvesting all this barley and wheat and corn.I had to keep reaching for my handkerchief the whole way.Came to remind ye that broth is not until three'oclock.Gather At Pelargir.''There is indeed a threat,a threat which could split the Gondorian cities asunder.As you may know the Corsairs of Umbar fleet of ships were burned in the the great raid in the stewardship of Denethor,but the accursed haraddrim have supplied them with wood and men,very crafty those men from Harad.Meanwhile they plan to harrass our coastal cities,chiefly Pelargir.This is their biggest fleet they have assembled,but we will meet them head on.Dol Amroth will supply us with three score of ships,altogether we number close to four hundred.This i believe is the biggest threat to Gondor of this age." He ended his speach limped down the small platform on which he had been standing.Bregolad always wondered about Fathwine's limp,only a few days ere the rising of the sun Bregolad had asked Fathwine when and how he had taken the wound.Fathwine explained to Bregolad that he had received the limp in a fight with the fierce black uruks of Mordor in Ithilien."Gondor's arm has been shortened,it's glory days are over,Brego my lad"he used to say.Indeed with the comings of uruks and taking Ithilien and those pirate rogues coming from Umbar it seemed the end of Gondor.After Bregolad had done his many soldierly chores he ate a quick meal of cheese and wine and bread just baked from the hearth.Since it was nine'oclock Brego's watch had come about.His watch was in a few housing quarters near the sundering sea.The moon was bright,Bregolad thought, but yellow as smeared with freshly churned butter.Bregolad chuckled beneath his brown beard as he passed the gate of Pelargir towards the docks.He would take watch on the east docks while Mablung would take the west docks.Their watch extended until Hurin and and the young lad Birgil relieved them at eleven pm.Speaking of Mablung,he had the best weed of Southfarthing He knew.Mablung was like a brother to him,he was a orphan until Bregolad's parents took his good friend Mablung.Together they would train to become knights,a lofty goal,but one they could reach with determined wills.Mablung was heavyset,with long brown hair like Bregolad's.But unlike Brego he had a thick mustache which always would sway in the autumn wind.At last,Bregolad reached the west port of Pelargir and checked into the watchmens quarters.Old man Hurin was there,sitting quietly smoking his long hand carved pipe.A long scar ran down his brow.A good natured grin was on his gaunt face."Brego my boy,he said the voice coming out of his throat like a rusty hinge.Mablung is already out waiting for ye."Bregolad quietly shut the door behind him until it was firmly clicked.As soon as he caught a glimpse of Mablung's sword hanging by his waist he called him over."Mablung your not going to deny be of one of your sacks of Southfarthing weed to an old chap like me,eh."Mablung twisted form turned from his worn stool he had been sitting on and waved Bregolad over. "Brego,you know me i could not offend such a captain like you,"he almost coughed and laughed all at the same time. Bregolad called Mablung,"your very jovial,What happened?" "Fathwine had me promoted to captain of the Turgon, master ship in are squadron,"said Mablung as a beaming smile brokeout on his thickface.Bregolad was about to congratulate him when a thought touched his mind.The Corsairs!Well,that would mean they would head straight for his flagship"Mablung,he said,did Fathwine tell you about the Corsairs,there coming in just a fortnight!" "What!tell me every thing."Then Bregolad told Mablung about Fathwine's speech several hours in past.When he was finished,Mablung was more than uneasy,he was despairing."It's fine,Mablung there are many squadron flagships to choose from."But Mablung just turned his head and started taking nervous puffs from his pipe.For the rest of the watch they were silent as the waves that were slowly lapping the shore of Perlargir.At last,Hurin and Birgil came to relieve them of their watch.Bregolad and Mablung slowly,like drunken men at last reached their quarters which housed twelve men.Brego then plopped down over his bed and fell into uneasy dreams. PART TWO It had been three days since Bregolad and Mablung had taken the watch on that calm autumn night.Since then,the days had been filled with the mustering of men,swords,short spears,shields and more than a few battle axes.Not to mention the cleaning of the Gondorian armor in which they wore.From head to toe the description i have for you is this:at the head was a cone shaped helm in bright steel with seven stars on it.The breast plate covered down to the knees in fine bright steel.Finally the gauntlet and the horned boot.The men of Pelargir were of stiff materiel.Bregolad had various chores in which the nervousness of the the upcoming fray wore on him.Then the thirty ships from Dol Amroth came well supplied with knights and bowman.These ships were larger then the fleet from Pelargir housing up to 148 men-at arms.The soldiers worked with abnormal speed changing rudders and not to mention to hire the emergency rowers for their ships.It was a blustery day with torrents that poured from the heavens.The men had been mustered 10000 soldiers strong.Bregolad's captain was Angor who led his flagship.Then they borded their boats,leaving a small group onshore.These are the captains leading their detachments:Varandil led the archer company,Frothwine was in comnand of the entire fleet except those from Dol Amroth lead by Lord Dahril brother of Prince Imhral.Bregolad's captain Angor was one of the more than a few of the hardy captains who led each detachment of ships.Then at dusk,they set sail towards sixteen miles out of the coastal city of Pelargir.As the moon peered beneath the gray storm clouds,it glinted across the helms and armor of the Gondorians.Then suddenly,as it went beneath the clouds again Frothwine stood up on his flagship and spoke in a voice like lightning:"Soldiers of Pelargir,in a few moments we will be ascending upon the Corsair fleet.For most of you lads this is your first encounter with these uncivilized pirate rogues,these cutthroats are great with knifework,but thats about it.The secret is archery,thats pointing at you,Varandil.Finally,make sure you keep in good formation,with spears in the forefront.At last,when arrows and quarrels are raining from above,i will say, shields above set."As Frothwine was just finishing his speach on that stormy night,Bregolad stretched his eyes and saw his worst fears,THE CORSAIR FLEET!"Captain,Corsairs,the Corsairs are upon us!" Angor quickly motioned to his mate then he blew the horn of Gondor.Quickly the men shifted their weapons to their forefront,and then as a gust of wind blew mighty upon Frothwine's flagship his voice range out again over the Sundering Sea:"for Gondor,for Pelargir,for the West!"His voice reached the climax and he lifted his sword over his head his feet on the prow.Then at last his voice carried out one more time:"Children of Gondor,Together we will grind these Black Numenorean's into this Sea,the same sea which carried Elendil,Anarion and Isildur from the destruction of Numenor.We are the descendents of this great race which was forged back into the War against The Evil In The North.This,our moment of destiny,sons of Gondor draw swords with me,my brothers!"Then Frothwine finished simply by taking his feet of the prow.Bregolad then whispered to Damrod who was standing behind him."I have never heard him talk like that before,i saw that he seemed to have grown while he was speaking.Like their is the blood of Numenor flows in his veins,"said Bregolad his voice full of awe.Then the banner of the swan of Dol Amroth and the blue sword of Pelargir went forward to meet the black sails of the host from Umbar.As so the moon was completely covered by the stormy clouds.Arrows twanged inaccurately as the two oncoming hosts charged forward.Then as the Corsairs rushed up,there came a cloud of arrows that blotted out all lights.Frothwine yelled above the gathering din :"above,shields set."The warriors of Gondor shifted from standing order and tugged their shields above their heads like a living wall of armor.The arrows bounced off,not causing the littlest of damage.Varandil's archers came back up,and fired their bows.The Corsairs had few shields amongst themselves and the damage was high.The Gondorians fired volley after volley and the black fleet were filled with the dead and the dying.As the ships got from thirty feet of distance their the swarthy pirate bowmen let loose their great bows of yew.These pirates were not accurate and few found there mark.Varandil's archers were striking the Corsairs down and the southrons found this to their disvantage.Bregolad kept low to the planks of the Eorl, his ship for dear life.Then the Corsairs got into boarding range and suddenly their gangplank went onto the leading Gondorian ship.Battle had been commenced. PART THREE The leading dark men jumped off their gangplank only to meet the shafts of arrows sticking about them like pins.More poured off,ships boarded eachother and the fierce hand to hand combat ensued.Two warriors from Umbar closed down on their opponents,then striked them with cosecutive uppercuts, felling both.Bregolad conquered his fears and met his first adversary, the Corsair swung his sword,Brego ducked and slashed at his chest downing his first foe.Angor yelled orders left and right,"keep formation,keep formation!Angor then dashed into the fray hewing the head off a large southron.Mablung was fighting with his spear dodging assaults warily then poked his enemies in their ribs.Fathwine was in the thick of the enemy slicing and stabbing.Then as one Corsair decended upon him with a battleax,Fathwine shifted positions right then and as his opponent swung downward,he lopped off his head with an easy slash.Varandil had now slung his bow over his shoulder and was wielding his sword with utter agility.By now,almost all the enemy ships had emptied.Lord Dahril was heaving a great axe as were many of his knights as they chopped their way onto a Corsair ship.Then the tide turned greatly towards the fleet from Pelargir as the pirates were pushed on the defensive.The boarders in turn jumped over the black fleet cuting their way against their resilient foe.But still, the Cosairs were having victory on Eorl as Angor fell to an pirate beserker.Bregolad felt his own voice raise in comnand:"push them back lads,sweep Gondor cold steel upon them!"The men ralllied,but the sight that met Bregolad's eyes was appalling.A Corsair landed a downward stroke on the helm of an unexspecting soldier crushing off his cheek guard.The rest of the evil men bashed into the brave crew,and Brego found himself pushed into the fray.The archers onboard slung away their bows and unsheathed their swords,charging beside him.Right before Bregolad an Umbarian pushed his way towards him.He tried to land a sword blow on him,but Brego parried every attempt.He put out the insilent pirate with a slash to the throat,then downed another of the enemy.Meanwhile,Fathwine found himself facing the captain of the Umbarians.He hewed the bodyguard,then moved on to duel his rival.Hurin was locked in combat with several of the enemy,as he finished off the last one,he turned.A mace swung down hard,crashing down on his helm ontop of his scar.Fathwine took a chance hacking upword,and the captain of Umbar took advantage of it.Fathwine let his shield fall just as his rival set a mace stroke fall on his breastplate,crashing Fathwine down.Just about to be finished for good,Fathwine did not notice a shady figure behind his executioner.The mace stroke went down,all of a sudden a bloody sword point sprouted out of the Corsair's chest,then it pulled out letting the deadman fall.Right ahead of him stood Varandil his armor and shield covered in gore.Helping Fathwine up he said,"captain we have pushed the enemy back though with many casualties.Victory is nigh." "Varandil,don't stop until their all slain." "Yes sir."The Corsairs were mentally defeated,and they started to flee.Mablung chased down an opponent and slashed him from neck to the hip.Then hopped over the enemy's ship blocking their way.Meanwhile on the Eorl Bregolad had pushed the enemy off with the help of the knights from Dol Amroth.Then,night began and the torches on the masts were lit.The enemy tried breaking away but the swift fleet from Dol Amroth closed off all escape.Now that his ship was cleared of Corsairs Bregolad directed his archers to aim to the forefront of his vessel."Damrod move the rest of the company off the ship, start boarding the enemy." Damrod lead the charge of the ganplank and moved towards a pirate flagship,the Melkor.Lord Dahril met an enemy captain who swung at him with his mace.Dahril's axe met the mace shattering his adversery's weapon,then plunged for the kill.As more terrified Corsairs fled towards their ships Mablung jumped in the way.Before he could fully duck,a pike glanced off the side of his helm.Mablung was sent flailing over the rail of the ship.Dazed and spluttering and weighted down by his armor,Mablung made quick strokes to the nearest vessel.The Corsairs fell everywhere as ax and sword and spear slashed at them in the dark.Brego following his men met a rogue who had been hiding in a dark corner of the boat.He made way towards this lurker but he failed to see a hidden spear until it was to late.The spear,poorly aimed but still lethal,plunged it's way in Bregolad's armpit,his shield arm.Cringing in pain,Brego stumbled back yanked the spear PAINFULLY out.Then pulled his sword with one hand.Full of rage and shame,he waited for the Corsair to come to him.As his enemy skidded towards Bregolad,he pulled himself back and sticked out his leg to trip his opponent's step.It worked,the oaf made a thump sound as he hit the bottom of the boat.Bregolad then slashed his back with one clean strike across,then finished him off with a downward thrust.Bleeding,Bregolad made his way towards the action.As he passed,he saw a fellow soldier swimming in the water.Giving him a hand,he was fully suprised to see the groggy and exhausted face of Mablung!"By the tower what happened to you Mablung?"It took a few moments before Mablung could reply. "Just forgot to duck at a straying Corsair pike.Sent me clean over the rail.What happened to you?" "A spear in the shadows got me in the pit as you can see.Just a scratch.Well,you stay here and get some rest i'm going to help finish off the Corsairs."With that Bregolad started the long process of boarding empty ships to get the ones held by the enemy.Fathwine and Varandil were fighting side by side,an indestructableduo that paved mayhem about their path.Fathwine had sheathed his sword,and was fighting with a spear.As he was just finished skewering a Umbarian,the last three Corsairs charged upon him.He parried the first with his spear,then ducking to the side like a panther he impaled the second.Turning around he throwed his shaft at his first adversary,striking him into his side.He pulled out his sword as the last one came barreling down upon him.He new he was to late.Bregolad seeing this moments before,bended over and picked up a spear.His one weakness had been throwing it correctly and accurately.Then before he fired he said:"may the Valar guide this shaft."Then he threw.It whistled through the air then gored it's way past his target's heart!Fathwine had been saved by a matter of seconds,and the fight was over.Fathwine spying Bregolad from affar said"well down Bregolad son of Beregond,well done!"Then trotting his way towards Brego,he put his hand on his shoulder and congratulated him."How did ye do it son?" "Well sir i invoked the Valar,the gods." "A good thing to say Brego,say how did you get that poke?" he said solemnly. Just at that moment Lord Dahril,Varandil,and the captains who survived walked over to were Fathwine and Bregolad were at."Our foe is vanquished,thanks to our valour,"said Dahril. "Yes,but we must put the slain over into the water so they can sink.Also,many men have notched there weaapons,we will give them the Corsairs instead." "My lord,we must spend the night here,the men are deeply exhausted." "Yes,do so my lord."At that moment,Birgil who had survived the battle came towards them. "Sir,he said,Hurin is dead!You must come at once.I was putting the slain bodies over the rail when i found him,terrible."They found Hurin,then solemnly Fathwine laid him to rest in the waters."A true soldier of Gondor indeed."Bregolad left them,full of hurts and being weary,joined Mablung several ships across on the Turgon."Mablung,we have one our very first battle and a mighty fine role we played in it did we." "Bregolad,never speak of this,never!" "Mablung why so- Mablung stopped him short."So many a fair man slain,i'm tired,"he said simply.Bregolad then sadly returned to his Eorl,he was the captain now after all.He lay down and quickly fell asleep.It was morning,everyone was astir.Fathwine called out orders,"heave out lads he-abewuuy abewuuy.They had heard them,the horns of the HARADRIM. PART FOUR Fathwine swore loudly as the grotesque fleet advanced."Dahril get the rest of your knights back in vessels" "Fathwine,we have 7000 men it looks like they have only 5000,we can take them on." "Dahril,hurry.Regroup back into your ships in order men,we must crush these Haradrim swiftly."As the Southrons approached,Bregolad saw the crimson and black banners tinged against the mid -afternoon sun.Some kind of marching song shifted from the enemy's ships in their harsh language.As they became closer their facial features and arms became visible.They were dark faced men full of skin discolorations and piercings and earings.Their arms consisted of cruelly curved scimitars and many mouthed pikes.Their armor was a mixed red and black and dirty silver.Around their shoulders crimson capes hung.Haradrim were not seamen,and their ships were oddly built.Monstrous floating objects made for carrying hordes of men not for agility or speed.At last their shields were square not rectangle like the men of Gondor.Decorated with blotches of red paint smeared onto them.The archers were many and did not wear armor and only carried short knives.Fathwine gave more instructions:"The key to victory is always sending waves of spearmen leading the offensive.We are going to board first.Even if we are being defeated constantly stay on the offensive,it's your's and mine salvation.I bid thee stand men of the West!"Arrows twanged like before and both sides suffered heavy archer damage. Standing in the middle of the Harad fleet was a man of gigantic scale.Bregolad thought he nearly was seven feet. He carried a mace with many crevaces and evil looking spikes. On his helm was a human skull. His face was made up of a leering dirty scowl which gave away his cruel intentions. He was the fiercest of them all,the barbaric Lord Barst.The lead Gondorian ships made the agressive move and the ganglank was prepared for it's fall.Bregolad was weary, weary from his wound and battle.The bleeding had stopped now, but the pain was immense. He was indeed now the captain of the flagship Eorl,Indeed all in his detachment would obey him.He spoke to Birgil who was a replacment for his ship."Stay close,Birgil and together we will hew the enemy".Birgil just grimly nodded his head.But indeed Bregolad knew that Birgil would not survive the upcoming fight.The pikes of Harad waited for their victims as wood touched wood.This time the Eorl led the boarding.Thirteen soldiers ran on the gangplank,all falling to the southron arrows.More poured on,meeting extreme haradrim defense.Gondorians were gored by pikes,hacked by scimitars,and constantly bows fired.One knight of Dol Amroth did hew two of the enemy.First by cleaving the stomach his adversery,then crushing the skull of a another.Bregolad defected many blows downing many enemies.As Fathwine's men gained control on the ship,Bregolad met the captain.With suprising speed for his size,the captain rammed his shield in to Brego's face.Causing his face to be bloody,then the pike went down.Bregolad by inches ducked out of the,kicking his opponent in the chest.Doubled over by the blow,the southron could not move for the moment,and Brego landed a crashing blow on his helm.Their was a flash,then the cloven head of the captain was seen with the notched sword of Bregolad lying in shards beside it.Without a weapon,he picked up a axe from a fallen warrior of Dol Amroth.Birgil fought with three pike men,dodging aside everytime a pike plunged towards him.He became slowly to exhausted to move he let the mouths of the pikes crash onto his helm then he knew no more.Fathwine and his men were in peril,his men dying everywere around him.Fathwine slayed ten consecutive enemy warriors.Then rallied his men by a backhanded stab,killing the captain in the gullet.Mablung and the men under his charge were driving back the enemy by sheer numbers.Mablung killed the last haradrim on the enemy ship then moved to another.Charging in the forefront of the assault.He was the main target for the harad archers.Sending a flow of arrows,Mablung just got under his shield in a sheer nick of time.The southrons charged,pikes in the forefront.Mablung could not dodge or return back.He was stuck between the pikes and his own men.Death lay before him.Knocking aside a pike,Mablung thoght he was safe.Not looking at his left sid efor the moment a scimitar slashed downward,hacking off his arm.He cried out in pain,reeling to meet his wounder.Before he could move a pike dug into his flesh from neck to hip.As his dying eyes drifted across the ship he saw the slain and the dying.Crushed helms,blood,dead Haradrim.Then he saw no more,Mablung was dead.His men crashe into the pikes with wrath.Only for most they were gored."Slay them all,"Dahril said as he crushed the helm of another enemy.The Haradrim were outnumbered,then began a fighting retreat.Death,and destruction was immenent for the swarthy men.It went on for hours,Bregolad downing enemys every axe fall.Little did he now his friend Mablung had been slain.Varandil armor rent,sword notched,was fighting with a worn mace of the fallen Corsairs.Dahril and his knights were encroaching the enemy in a tight circle as the enemy ships were taken under control.Then something happened that the Gondorians did not expect.Lord Barst threw himself into the fray.I mean threw himself.He swung his mace,landed hard on his adversary's helm,making his face hideous to behold.It bounced off and clipped another man sending him crashing over the rail into the water.Another two dozen fell to Barst.He have to be stopped.But with three ships left,the Haradrim were in deep trouble.Varandil and his archers chopped their way on to another ship ahead of Barst taking it.Darhil was seizing the ship just south of the barbaric captain.Fathwine was behing Varandil,cleaning up after him.Then Dahril and twelve of his knights boarded onto Barst's flagship.Varandil then boarded.Barst's ship was trapped.Three knights came and hewed the bodyguard to pieces.Then charged upon Barst.Barst then with lighting speed sent a obliterating assault on the closest knight sending flying five feet into the sea.Barst swung again this time cracking the sternum and puncturing the throat of another sending slumped against the rail.The last one,well we know what happen's to him.Varandil came crashing throght on the other side of Barst,stabbing him in his hip.Barst howled in pain then turning with inhuman speed,powered another smashing mace blow.Snapping Varandil's sword and cracking his rent armor.Skidding him across the boards.Barst slowly walked towards him oblivious to the carnage around him.Then he his seven foot frame jumped in the air.His wicked mace came down right on top of Varandil's chest killing him.Barst let out a war cry and raising up the dead Varandil threw him into the bloody sea.Fathwine saw this and said"today thou diest!"Charging towards Barst his sword came down.Dahril did the same cry aloud"southron i will send thee to Udun!"His axe went down in perfect stroke.Fathwine's sword bit into Barst's chest and Dahril's axe went down cleaving off the leering head. Barst was dead.The southrons defeated begged for mercy,but none was given.The battle was won.Fathwine's voice ranged out"our foe is vanquished,for the victorius dead!" CONCLUSION Bregolad looked for Mablung around the carnage,wishing to speak to him.He pulled his tired body to the wounded Damrod and said."Have you seen Mablung,my good man." "I last saw him fighting on the enemy ship,the Ancalagon."Bregolad thanked him and went to the Ancalagon.It was filled with the slain.Then he saw the broken figure of Mablung and ran towards it.Turning him around his eyes boiled and hot tears ran down from his face freely.No not Mablung.At that moment Fathwine limped up to him."Mablung,no,it can not be!" Bregolad just nodded his head.Then turned and laid him to rest over into the sea.They spent the rest of the day piling the bodies into the sea.When it was all over the remaining 2134 men went into their ships,their host sadly lessened.As they reached the Poros the Ships of Dol Amroth plit up.Their were thanks and Dahril congratulated Fathwine for outstanding river.Then the Pelargirians made the sixteen mile trek to Pelargir.Bregolad sadly reflected the last moments he had spent with Mablung.After he thought about Varandil,Mablung,and Hurin and many others who had died.But the enemy had been vanquished. THE END PLEASE FILL FREE TO GIVE ME MORE IDEAS PLEASE