The child of Man

Disclaimer: None of this is mine.

The place was Helms Deep. As night drew nearer Saruman's army hastened toward the fortress. All was chaos as men scrambled to get their weapons and armor before the battle began. As the sun began to sink into the west, only two figures were still and silent. One was seated outside amidst the rushing soldiers. He was Aragorn, son of Arathorn, a man who knew all too well the horror of war. He gazed blankly out at the darkening sky, sending one last prayer to the Valar to allow him to wake from this nightmare. He knew it wouldn't happen, though. He would see one of his closest friends die tonight; he knew not many of the warriors would survive. He was just thankful Eowyn had not been permitted to fight. He did not want to see her injured because of reasons he himself did not wish to contemplate.

Inside the Glittering Caves, she stood against one of the damp walls. Eowyn knew this was not where she belonged; she should be fighting with the men, aiding her strength to their cause. Theoden had only sent her to the caves because he couldn't bear the thought of losing her, the person he loved most in the world. She sighed as she pulled back her long blonde hair. She had to be there with Aragorn when the battle began. Why did men have to be the only ones to fight?

"Milady," called a young voice. "Come with me quickly." Eowyn followed the voice into a dark tunnel. She could see nothing.

"Where are you leading me?" she inquired.

"Where you wish to go," said the voice coming from ahead of her. If Eowyn could have seen the speaker, she was certain a smile would have been mischievously planted on its young face.

The only sound Eowyn could hear was her own breath as she continued blindly forward. She wasn't frightened, but the tunnel seemed to be almost vertical, so it was a difficult climb. The rough rocks scraped her bare hands, but Eowyn ignored them. The cold, damp tunnel seemed to continue forever until she saw a faint light in the distance. It was dim and seemed to flicker like a star. Eowyn would have questioned her leader had she not been given a sharp hand sign to be silent, as though the child had guessed her intentions. After a moment, the child left the tunnel and helped Eowyn out.

"Put this on," she whispered, holding a mail shirt out to Eowyn. The woman stood stunned for a moment. "Hurry!" the child hissed. Eowyn thrust it over her head, tossed some armor on and placed a helmet on her head. She grasped a nearby sword. The child turned her head, alarmed, toward the door to the darkened chamber where they were and Eowyn perceived footfalls approaching. She focused on her armor for a second and when she looked up the child was gone. From the battlements she could hear the sound of trumpets heralding an approach. She rushed out to see what was happening, completely forgetting the child.

"Aragorn, something is amiss here," Legolas pleaded with his friend, concern mounting in his voice. Aragorn cocked a smirk.

"It's called Uruk-hai, Legolas." The elf wasn't amused. "Haldir's here, Legolas. We have a much better chance now."

"It is not entirely for Rohan that I worry. It is for Gondor also." The elf met Aragorn's eyes conveying what he did not say, what he could not bring himself to say. Aragorn, mankind's best hope for unity, would be in the full front of battle fury. Aragorn placed his hand on his friend's shoulder and the elf returned the gesture. Then the trumpets began to sound. Aragorn started off, but Legolas held him back.

"Stay by Gimli or me tonight," he almost begged. Aragorn smiled and nodded. If there was more time before the battle he would have told Legolas something that would secure the future of Gondor. Time, however, had run out for such purposes.