A mother at Helms Deep
Disclaimer: I don't own Lord of the Ring, Tolkien does, and New Line Cinema owns the movies.
Zillah was sitting on the floor of the cave in Helms Deep with her back against the wall. She was surrounded by women and children. They heard the sounds of metals clashing, loud explosions, and the yelling and screaming from above them. The women were frightened for their husbands, sons, fathers, and brothers, who were fighting the Uraks up there as well as for themselves and their children.
"Shush," said a mother sitting directly across from her to her two year old daughter on her lap. "They won't let those monsters get you."
The two year old was wailing loudly while tears were falling out of her eyes. There was no doubt that the child was terrified. The mother was terrified too. She had frightened look in her eyes, but she kept herself calm for the sake of the child.
Other women were also comforting their frightened children.
Zillah held her seven year old son Aram in her lap; her arms were wrapped around him trying to comfort him. While she was comforting her younger son, her mind was focused on her 13 year old son named Tom who was fighting the urak His with the other older boys, men, and elves. She feared for Tom's safety. He was only a child, and an inexperienced fighter, and until tonight, he never picked up a sword. Her husband was killed by an orc a few months ago, and his loss was still strongly felt. She was not sure how she could bear it if her older son died too.
"Mama are we going to die?" Aram asked with fear in his voice. "I don't want to die mama."
"Your brother and the other bigger boys, men, and elves are fighting the Uraks. They won't let them hurt us."
"What about Tom?" Aram asked. "I don't want him to die either."
Aram was also frightened for his older brother.
"Your brother is big and strong, he won't let the Urak His harm him. He will be fine." Zillah tried to reassure him.
"Are you sure?" Aram asked doubtfully.
Zillah couldn't say anything because she wasn't that sure.
"Why don't we say a pray for Tom and for the other boys, men, and elves fighting up there."
"Yes, mama."
"Eru, please keep Tom and the other boys and men who are fighting the Uraks safe, and please let them win this battle."
The battle raged on for hours. While Zillah was continuing to comfort Aram, she was watching the other women comfort each other and their children.
"Shush," one woman said while she was rocking her three year old daughter who had tears falling out of her face.
A young woman in her early 20's was sitting on the other side with frightened eyes. Her friend was sitting next to her with her arm around her.
Another woman was lamenting for her husband.
"Please be safe my love."
Her sister came over to her and wrapped her arms around her in an effort to comfort her.
Suddenly there was a very loud explosion which gave all of them a shock. Women and children screamed, in fright. Aram buried his face in his mother's chest seeking her comfort.
"Shush," Zillah said soothingly while rubbing her son's back.
A few minutes later the sounds of the battle ceased.
"It's quiet mama," a teenage girl said to her mother. "The battle must have ended."
"I hope we won the battle," another woman said to her sister who was holding her two children on her lap.
"Did we win mama?" Aram asked.
"I hope so," Zillah answered.
They heard steps coming down to them.
"What if we lost?" a woman across from them supposed. "What if it is an Urak coming in here to kill us."
"Shush! Don't think about that," said another woman.
"Then we will have to defend ourselves and our children," said the third woman.
"Lord Aragorn left a few swords near by in case we need to fight them," said Eowyn. And I have one at my side.
"I hope we don't have to use," said her friend.
A warn looking soldier entered the cave.
It is safe now. We won the battle.
"Hooray!" all the women and children cried.
"I hope my husband is alright," said one of the women while she followed the soldier out of the cave.
"I hope the elves are alright," a twelve year old girl said to her mother.
"I hope so too," her mother answered her.
"Are we going to see Tom now?" Aram asked his mother.
"Wait here, I will bring him to you."
Zillah did not want Aram to see the aftermath of the battle that occurred upstairs. She knew that the outer walls of Helms Deep would be filled with wounded and dead men, elves, and Uraks, a sight that would be too gruesome for a seven year old child to see. Other mothers didn't want their children to see the battle sight either. So they left a few women and teenage girls to watch them while the rest went upstairs.
When Zillah came to the outer walls of Helms Deep the sight was worse than she imagine. There were many men, elves, and Uraks, lying dead on the floor with opened eyes. Some of their faces were contoured in rage or pain while others were serene. Some of them were missing limbs, and a few of them had axes or arrows sticking in them. There were also many wounded being attended to by healers. She began to look for her son among them.
One woman was holding her dead husband in her arms, and began to cry, "No! Not my Aaron! Please wake up Aaron!"
Other women were also wailing over their dead husbands, sons, and fathers.
"He was only 11!" another woman screamed while holding her dead son. "He was only a little boy!"
"While some of the women wept over the loss of their men folk, others rejoiced at seeing them alive."
"Oh dad, I'm so glad you are safe," said one of the women with relief in her voice.
"I am so glad that you are alive, Nahor," said his wife.
Zillah found her son sitting up while a healer was wrapping a bandage around his right arm. She walked up to them.
"Make sure you don't use that arm for a few weeks," said the healer.
"He will be alright," the healer said to Zillah.
She patted Tom on his head and walked away to attend another wounded person.
Zillah hugged her son carefully, mindful of his injured arm.
"My son, I'm so glad you are alive," she said.
"It was so terrible, mama! I saw the Uraks kill many people including my friend Elam. I saw one of the Urak's chop his head off."
"It will be alright now," said Zillah trying to comfort her son.
"I will never forget the look on his face when the Urak swung his scimitar at him," Aram said sadly.
Zillah continued holding her child wishing she could take the horrors away from him. After a few minutes she let go of him.
"Let's go downstairs, Aram wants to see you," said Zillah.
They climbed downstairs to where Aram and the other children were.
"Tom, you are hurt," Aram said sadly.
"Yes, but it is not that bad," Tom answered him.
Aram wrapped his arms carefully around Tom, and Tom hugged him back with his good arm. They were glad to see each other again.
Zillah wrapped her arms around her sons, while tears were falling out of her eyes. She was happy that both of her children were safe.
"Thank you Eru," she said quietly.
The End.