No Escape from Fate.
The midday sun was high in the sky as it warningly shone down on the people of Rohan as they slowly travelled to Helms Deep, their strongest stronghold. A soft breeze swayed through each woman, man and child as they walked with their small amount of belongings and the breeze somewhat settled them as they nervously looked across the hilly landscape in worry. Only the horses, an elf and a woman found no comfort by the breeze. The horses' ears twitched as they kept their bodies tensed, preparing to either fight or flee… they felt the same as the woman and elf did; the unsettled atmosphere, the quietness of nature but most of all they all felt the growing darkness.
The elf and woman stood near one another as they scouted the landscape, the silence between them welcoming as they listened carefully, their features opposite one another. The elf held long blonde hair, pale skin and wise sea blue eyes… the woman however had long curly raven hair and deep, sparkling meaningful onyx eyes. The elf worriedly looked down at the shorter woman as she lowly hissed.
"I can feel something out there Legolas, we are moving much too slowly to reach Helms Deep quickly enough to avoid it" the woman quietly whispered as she skilfully looked across the landscape.
"I feel it too Grace, a dark shadow has been brewing in my mind for quite some time… It may be wise to alert Aragorn" Legolas quietly responded to the woman and she nodded in agreement, patting his back. Grace turned and with a hop she leapt onto her 15.2hh's light dun stallion, Spirit. She gently kicked the stallion forward, her command granted as the strong war horse picked up a steady canter to the front of the moving travellers.
As she slowly cantered her stallion to the front of the ride her eyes automatically scanned the crowd, her eyes lingering on a stubborn dwarf that merrily laughed with another man of Rohan. Grace's eyes twinkled as she smile, the dwarf turning around when feeling her eyes upon him. The dwarf, when noticing her, beckoned her over with a wave of his stout arm and the woman happily approached him.
"Ah lass!" he exclaimed, stroking his long fluffy beard in pride.
"Good day Gimli, I do hope you have not injured yourself earlier when falling off" Grace cheekily said earning a loud gasp of fake disbelief.
"Fall off?! Ha! It was meant to happen… I have you fooled!" he loudly told her earning an unladylike snort off Grace and a few held back snickers from ear dropping walkers. The dwarf throatily laughed as he looked up at Grace in friendship, his laugh being silenced as a shadow crossed her features. Without a word Grace beckoned him closer, the dwarf walking on his tip toes as Grace leaned down to his ear level.
"Something troubles Legolas and I, what we have feared will come soon" she secretly mumbled to the dwarf. The dwarf hummed, looking up at her with a strained but excited smile.
"Aye it was to be expected… I shall go and find Arod so, if need be, I can ride into battle" Gimli said under his breath, the dislike easily noted in his tone at the thought of riding a horse, let alone into battle.
"Very well my friend. Tell none, we do not want to alarm the walkers… I shall go and inform Aragorn and the King. Keep safe my friend" Grace stated, ending their conversation as she sat up straight, gently nudging her loyal horse forward once more in search of the front of the travellers.
The appearing smile of Grace's face grew even more as she reached the front, her eyes easily noticing the dark figure of Aragorn out of the lightly clothed people of Rohan. Grace's lips quirked into a frown when she noticed the blonde headed Eowyn alongside him, happily talking away. Grace wearily kept her distance for several moments, unsure whether or not to interrupt the moment between them. Her eyes slowly took in Aragorn's features; his shoulder length dark brown hair danced in the breeze as his silvery blue wise but troubled eyes wearily kept his eyes on the surrounding hills, his mind elsewhere as he paid little attention to the babbling Eowyn. Brego, Aragorn's new horse, gently nudged his new kind masters back as he snorted in annoyance at how slow he walked. Grace's lips fell into a smile again as Aragorn spotted her starring and winked at her. Eowyn was quick to notice the exchange between them and she crossly glared Grace's way as Brego looked in their direction, loudly calling Spirit in greeting as he too neighed back in reply. Spirit impatiently shook his head, his ears twitch as he paused for a moment, listening to the surrounding landscape, his body tensing. Immediately she kicked the stallion forward to join Aragorn, she could no longer wait with the burning feeling in her gut that made her smile fall. Aragorn noticed the worry in his lovers face and he frowned, quickening his walk to keep alongside the bouncing Spirit as he uneasily walked.
"What troubles you my love?" Aragorn uneasily spoke in the elven tongue earning a look of disbelief and hurt from Eowyn as the Mortal man ignored her and spoke in a language she knew nothing about.
"My mind is troubled; they are here, the horses grow restless… We will not make it in time. Be prepared, they are hiding… I shall inform the King" Grace told him, her elven words soft but strained as she hurried them out of her mouth. She went to turn her horse to continue her journey to the King but Aragorn grabbed her nearby hand, desperately squeezing it.
"He will not believe you…" Aragorn truthfully told her but she shook her head, a determined look crossing her features.
"He must be warned" she stressed, her language back to the Common as Eowyn flashed her eyes onto her, an unknown look crossing her features as Grace flickered her eyes onto her for only a moment.
"Let me come with you" Aragorn requested, his hands still squeezing Grace's as he looked up at her.
"Nay stay put" Grace sharply commanded, noticing Eowyn's parting lips in the corner of her eye. Grace looked at the woman of Rohan, tilting her head.
"My lady" Grace politely but sharply greeted, removing Aragorn's hands off her own as she pushed Spirit on into a reluctant trot.
"Grace!" Aragorn called after her and foolishly she paused, turning her head to glance back but it was no use as Aragorn had already caught up with her and pulled her slim frame down into an embrace.
"Keep safe" he told her, worry and care being seen in his eyes as she pulled away. She could see the desperation and need in Eowyn eyes as she looked on at Aragorn.
"I am of no importance, Fate shall choose my path like it has chosen yours" she quietly said, her eyes unable to focus on Aragorn as she looked at the gawping Eowyn. Before the shocked Aragorn could utter a word Grace turned her horse, sharply kicking him into a gallop with no room for complaint…
Grace was no fool; she had seen Eowyn chasing Aragorn around ever since they had arrived. At first Grace had stood by Aragorn, showing that the Mortal man was claimed and that there was no way that the woman was to get her claws into him. But as days flew by Grace noticed the growing bond between the two and she couldn't help but feel the jealousy that attacked her heart yet the constant reminder that Gandalf told her after the Council of Elrond made her heart twist in pain.
'This journey will test us all, but it will also change us all… For better or for worse, we do not know. Paths must be taken, some will stay true to the Fellowship of the Ring and some will part as a sacrifice to its destruction. Aragorn must accept his birth right or all shall fail'
Grace couldn't bring herself to look back at the calling Aragorn. Ever since they had met she had thought of him as Aragorn and Aragorn alone but now the whole of Middle Earth depended on him… He was no longer a simple Ranger from the North, he was Isildur's heir and he was the one that should join his people, the people of Gondor. Ever since they had joined together Grace had accepted his wishes and had not pushed him to take what was rightfully his, she had not pushed him to become a King. She had helped to defend him and stop his fears from becoming true, many times she had argued with Elrond and Arwen of it and many times she had won but now, as she rode to King Théoden of Rohan, she wondered if she had done wrong.
What would have happened if she had tried talking Aragorn around it?
What would have happened if he was a King of Gondor instead of a Ranger of the North?
Would Sauron already be nothing more than a memory or would he be a master of them all?
The questions ran through her head and she glanced back at Eowyn who grasped onto Aragorn, giving him a comforting embrace as he looked on with a longing expression. Grace couldn't help but turn away, looking up at the sky. Maybe Eowyn was meant to be close to Aragorn, maybe she would be the one to turn Aragorn into the King he was always meant to be… maybe she was always meant to be the one to whisk Aragorn out of her grasp… maybe this was Fate's plan all along. With a hardening look Grace looked ahead, spotting the King not too far ahead. Maybe it would be better for Aragorn if Grace kept her distance and stopped meddling with his life…
King Théoden was surrounded by his most loyal Riders of Rohan, his men eyeing Grace up as she pushed Spirit to walk alongside him.
"King Théoden" she lightly said, earning his attention and the King nodded in greeting, signalling his men to give some privacy between the two.
"Lady Grace… shouldn't you be scouting?" the King asked, a clip in his tone as he thought that the woman had abandoned her post. Grace bit the inside of her cheek as she tried not to glare across at the King for speaking to her in such a way.
"A threat is present in my mind, we will not reach safety in time" she spoke, trying her best not to harden her expression as the King raised an eyebrow in question.
"Is that so…? Has there been any sight of the enemy?" the King mockingly asked and the ears dropping Riders of Rohan snickered under their breath. Grace couldn't help but let a glare through her guarded expressions as the King sent her a mocking smile.
"Well?" he demanded, the humour easily heard in his voice. Grace sharply shook her head, biting her tongue this time as she refused to give the King a piece of her mind.
"No... I thought not. My people are safe and we WILL reach Helms Deep without a problem" the King claimed with a challenging look. Grace hotly went to speak some sense into the foolish King but a loud, piercing scream echoed across the landscape sending everyone to a standstill. Grace angrily looked at the King as Aragorn appeared at her side but no words were spoken as everyone looked to the right as Legolas loudly called Aragorn.
"A scout!" the elf shouted, whipping out an arrow as he turned his back to the King.
"What is it? What do you see?" King Théoden called to him but the elf didn't reply, instead he stood as still as a statue. Grace, understanding the elf at once, barged pass Aragorn and Brego as she sent Spirit into a gallop to reach the dead-like Legolas.
Grace harshly pulled Spirit to a standstill causing the stallion to loudly snort in displeasure, awakening the elf at once.
"They are here…" Legolas whispered, his eyes never moving from the valley ahead. Several moments later Grace heard the thundering of feet and Spirit wildly shook his head, threatening to rear and charge forward. Both she and Legolas continued to watch on as orcs riding wargs appeared in the distance, their weapons high as they cried out their words of battle. Spirit reared up again as Grace sharply turned him around in the direction of the King.
"Ambush!" she loudly cried sending everyone into frenzy. She gave Aragorn a fleeting look before turning Spirit in the direction of the coming enemies. She knotted her reins, pulled out her bow and arrow as she and Legolas shot down the approaching enemies. As the soldiers of Rohan reached both Legolas and Grace Spirit leapt forward, galloping towards the coming wargs. By now Legolas had skilfully swung himself upon Arod as Gimli wobbly managed to stay on the strong grey. As they reached closer to the threat Grace returned her bow over her shoulder, grabbing her long sword as she swung it sending a riding orc to his death. She managed to glance behind as she notice Gimli fall off his horse with a large thump. She quietly laughed to herself as she continued to fight.
Spirits pace was fast but well controlled as he patiently listened to his mistresses commands, swerving between dead wargs and horses as Grace continued to send orcs to their deaths. Every time she looked around she could see soldiers of Rohan fall to their deaths, their very eyes showing their soul leaving their bodies. One would say battle is a thing of honour and pride but those words were spoken in fairy tales, war was nothing more than suffering and pain and it would leave the survivors of war crying out into the night as they dreamt of the horrors of battle. They also say that war is over in a matter of moments and to those who watch a battle it is true but to those who fight it the time passes by slowly. Every swing of their sword is set in slow motion as they pray their enemy is too slow to defend themselves, their heartbeats wildly racing as they heavily breathe through the pain of a wound and the unfitting armour that gets hammered out of shape from every powerful hit it takes. People's senses heighten as the adrenaline races through their veins but every heart wrenching scream echoes through their skull and the sickening smell of death and blood cloud over their vision as they try not to puke. Grace and many others were experiencing the effects of war and, as she swiped off the head of another orc she noticed a blur of movement in the distance. She wildly turned her head, her body sent into a panic as she noticed Aragorn being dragged along the floor by a warg as he focused his mind on the rider. Neither he, the orc nor the warg noticed the cliff up ahead. Grace looked around before kicking Spirit into a gallop after the trio, the stallion leaping over dead bodies and knocking enemies over in their haste. She could see that the warg had no intention of slowing down, even when Aragorn stabbed its stomach several times to try and fell the beast. Grace madly kicked the stallion on as Spirit extended his legs, the pure speed and power sending some men in awe of such a sight. Grace never noticed the approaching warg from the right side until it wildly leapt in their direction, sending both her and Spirit crashing to the floor as they clashed together. Spirit loudly whined as a loud snap echoed in his ears and he tried his best to move off of his crushed mistress but he couldn't, his body was pinned down by the warg standing upon him. The stallion wildly kicked out in hope of throwing the warg off but it was no use, the warg dug his claws into the dun stallion right side as he stood upon him, looking at Grace as she lay stuck under Spirits body, her left leg lifeless as the weight of Spirit and the warg crushed all its senses. Grace looked to the left, ignoring the warg for a split second to see the fate of Aragorn. Aragorn had sent the orc rider to the floor but he was attached to the warg and both he and the beast fell from sight over the cliff. Anger and pain welled up in Grace's heart as she looked to the snarling Warg and, with whatever strength she could muster, she swung her broken sword at the wargs neck sending it flying off Spirits body, the warg twitching as the life left its body. Spirit loudly whined again, his breathing loud and unsteady as pain overcame his senses. The stallion tried standing up to get off of his mistress but he shook, his legs unable to bear the task.
"Shh…" Grace cooed, grabbing a fistful of black mane as she pulled the stallion back down again. Grace knew her leg was beyond repair and, truthfully, she had no hope of recovering from this fall so she quietly spoke to the stallion Spirit in hope of calming him down. She hoped the stallion would not strain himself and make his wounds worse than they already were. Darkness was overcoming her sight but she fought it, she must continue on to help destroy the forces of evil but most of all to discover the fate of Aragorn.
It was sometime later until Spirit attempted moving again, a loud grunt of pain and anger erupting from his chest as he unsteadily made it to his feet. The stallion swished his tail as he flinched at the pain from the movement. Spirit fell to his knees once more but the distressed look on Grace's face set determination in the stallion's heart and he arose once more, loudly calling out for anyone to hear. Grace was still awake but she couldn't find the will to move, her armour was dented into her stomach making it extremely difficult to breathe and the tingling sensation in her left leg warned her that the numbing sensation would soon leave and pain would shoot up through her body to remind her that the leg was indeed broken and extremely destroyed. Spirit continued to call out, his neighs one of distress as wounded soldiers looked on at the stallion with a dazed look, believing that he called out in his own pain.
"Grace!" a light, torn voice called and before Grace could even part her lips to try and call out Legolas towered over her, his slim body falling to the floor as he checked her injuries.
"Aragorn…" Grace softly whispered, looking over at the cliff. Legolas sighed before stroking her cheek.
"His life was taken over the cliff" Legolas softly spoke but Grace, through her pain, glared up at the elf.
"No" she stubbornly said, pushing herself up.
"H-He lives" she stubbornly continued, her right hand now resting upon her heart. Legolas understood the motion and hope filled his stomach – he too sensed that Aragorn had not left this world yet… would he survive though?
"N-Not g-gone" she managed to mumble, looking down at her leg. She flinched at the sight before her and she dared not to even process the state of it. Legolas moved forward to inspect the left leg but Grace waved him away.
"No point, ruined…" she clearly told him shifting her right leg to see if it too was damaged. Although the leg had been crushed by the saddle on Spirit it was still in working order and Grace knew that no bones were broken in it. It was clear to them both what had to be done but Legolas could not find it in his heart to do it.
"It needs to be taken off" Grace told him but Legolas was unmoving, his eyes twinkling as water threatened to leak from them.
"You are vulnerable, you have lost too much blood" he told her but the woman painfully huffed, looking up at the elf with a forced, pleading smile.
"And I will lose a lot more if it is not done now. Please Legolas… There should be enough bandages and water in my backpack on Spirit…" Grace begged. By the time Legolas had gathered the supplies from Spirit and returned to Grace King Théoden, Gimli and some of his men stood towering over Grace. None could hide the emotion that flickered over their faces and some had to turn away from the sight before them.
"You should not have fought" the King quietly said as Legolas kneeled down, tightly tying a strip of cloth around the top half of Grace's left leg, slowing down the rhythm of her blood. Grace sharply looked up at the King, her patience lost.
"You should have taken my warning immediately" she snapped, her eyes watering as Legolas poured water over the wound above her knee. Although she wanted to blame him for the fate of herself and Aragorn deep down, in her heart, she knew it wasn't his fault… she knew that it was somewhat her fault, she should have kept an eye on Aragorn from the very start of the battle. King Théoden's expression soured as he nodded, kneeling down at Grace's head. It was then that Grace noticed the vulnerable side of the King; he too had lost a lot. He took a ball of cloth from a nearby soldier, placing it in Grace's mouth.
"I am sorry" he whispered in her ear, his hands shaking as he put pressure on Graces shoulders, pushing her to the ground. Without a command several others kneeled down beside her, including a very teary eyed Gimli, and they all firmly held her to the ground as Legolas picked up his weapon. The landscape became deathly silent as a loud, shrilling muffled cry of Grace echoed – none failed to hear it, not even a badly wounded Aragorn that floated down the river…