All is Silent I stood upon the ledge of the cliff over which he had fallen. My strength and courage departed from me. I was scared. He had always been there for me. Never leaving my side when I needed him the most. But now he was gone. I don't know what happened but I know he fell. There was no sign of his body anywhere. He must have fallen in the water for his body was not upon the rocks. That gave me hope that he might have survived. I wanted to cry. I clung tightly to the necklace that I found in a dying orc's hand that had been his. The orc was the one who told me what happened. The king came and stood next to me looking down also.

'He was an honest man. It's a shame he came to his end like this.' I could tell the king was sad. Tears filled his eyes as he spoke. I nodded in agreement but couldn't speak. The words stuck in my throat. I couldn't let them see the pain inside me. No one knew about us. They couldn't know about us. It was our secret. His life was only a breath compared to mine but it was the most wonderful breath. The only comfort I had was knowing that now he was safe from all harm. He could no longer be hurt. He is safe. I left the cliff and walked back to my horse. Gimli stood there looking up at me sadly. I looked at him. Even though no words were spoken we shared the pain of loosing someone dear to us. The pain I felt was of loosing a loved one, not a friend. No one spoke on the ride to Helm's Deep. When we arrived, the fortress was full of men, women, children, and warriors who had fled here for protection. I looked upon them with sad eyes. My greatest hope of survival was now gone. I knew I would perish here within these walls made from stone. I longed to be by Aragorn's side walking through the forests of my homeland. Or going on some outrages adventure just for the fun of it. We shared many happy times together. I went into a quiet room and stood looking out the window at the mountains. He was a mortal and mortals die every day. I had lost other close loved ones but I never felt this way about any of them. I couldn't understand it. The thoughts of our love began to fill my head. The wonderful nights we shared together in each other's arms. The loved he showed me when I was at his mercy. The clumsiness of Man. I smiled. He wasn't very graceful. At that thought I laughed. None of the Men were graceful. Haldir was graceful and beautiful. He was a lover of old to me. We shared our love but were separated because of war. I knew he was still alive and that he would take me back but I didn't want him. No, not yet. I still missed Aragorn. Suddenly my eyes were drawn to a distant figure riding over the hills. I watched it for a while as it drew closer. It was a Man on a horse. He appeared to be injured from the way he sat slumped over. Suddenly I realized who it was. Aragorn! He had survived! I ran as fast as I could to the gate and opened it. He came riding up looking weary. When he reached the place where I stood he fell from his horse. I caught him and laid him on the ground. By that time the king had come. Aragorn mumbled something about a large horde of orcs coming this way. I looked at the king. Fear filled his face as he asked Aragorn how many orcs he thought were coming. 'Thousands of them. Tens of thousands. They're coming swiftly. Should be here by tomorrow night.' he whispered.

'Take him and clean his wounds. Give him food and drink then bring him to me. We shall talk then about what course of action to take.' the king told me. I took him into a private room and dressed his wounds. He watched me work swiftly. When I had finished he pulled me to him. I sat next to him.

'I thought I had lost you.' I told him.

'I thought I had lost myself' he replied smiling. I reached into my pocket and brought forth his necklace. An astonished looked came upon his face.

'How did you get this?' he asked. 'An orc had it in his grasp. He told me you had fallen. I took it and then killed him.' I replied as I put the chain around his neck. My hands remained on his neck. I slowly pulled him towards me and kissed him. We stayed that way for a while. I pulled away. 'I'll go get you something to eat now.' He nodded and I went and got some food. While he ate he told me what had happened. He had jumped upon the back of a warg and tried to kill the orc. The orc pushed him off but his hand caught in the animal's fur. He managed to pull the orc from the creature's back but was still unable to get free from the fur. The warg ran to the edge of the cliff trying to shake him off but fell off itself. He went with it. He passed out and when he awoke, he was lying on the river's bank with his horse nudging him. He got on the horse and rode to Helm's Deep.

'Well I'm glad you are all right. I was beginning to believe you were really gone. It scared me to think about loosing you.' I said softly. He smiled.

'I love you Legolas. You've always been there for me. I couldn't leave you like that. The enemy is going to have to do better than that to get rid of me. It was your love that saved me. I kept thinking about you. I knew I couldn't leave you yet. I know I'm mortal but I know I can live as long as I possibly can just to be with you.' As he spoke his deep blue eyes filled with tears. I wiped them away. There was a knock at the door. I stood up and opened it. It was a messenger boy of the king. He said the king wants to see us to talk about the war. Aragorn and I followed the boy to the king.

'There he is!' the king exclaimed as we entered. 'So how are you feeling?'

'Fine your majesty.' Aragorn replied with a slight bow.

'Well now onto matters of war.' He turned to the captains that were standing near him. 'When Aragorn arrived he informed me that there was a huge horde of orcs coming towards us and that they will be here by tomorrow night. Now we need to decide what to do. We don't have enough men to defend Helm's Deep forever. We will have to use all who are able to wield a sword.' At that statement Aragorn spoke,

'I don't believe we should put boys and old men in that situation.'

'Then what else are we to do.'

'Hold the fort the best we can.'

'Then we will be doomed. Gather every person, young and old, who is able to hold a sword. Give them swords, helmets, and shields. That is what we shall do.' With that the king dismissed everyone. Aragorn left in irritated. 'We will all die here in this forbidden place.'

'Don't say such things. I want to live.'

'So do I but from the looks of things it will be a challenge.' That night we spent completely wrapped up in our love. It was a night full of tenderness and passion. It washed my mind free of any fears I had. The next day we began to prepare for the war. I walked along sorrowfully. I saw young boys, not even 11 years of age, being prepared for battle. I thought it a waste of lives to do this since the young were needed to live not to die fighting in some battle. Many had not even used a sword. I finally left the armory and went in search of Aragorn. I found him standing at the top of the stairs watching all the men preparing to fight. In his eyes was a mournfully look.

'Look at them,' I said to him in my tongue, 'look at them. Many don't even know what they are doing. We are going to die here.'

'Do not speak such words,' he replied in the same tongue. 'If we die we die. Death is appointed to everyone.'

'Yes to mortals. What will happen then if we all die?'

'Does it matter? We need to think of the present not the future. We need to have hope.'

'How can we have hope in a hopeless situation? They know their fate is going to be death.'

'If fate leads to a death here than I will die as fate planned. Maybe I am to die here since I did not die when I fell over the cliff. I would rather die fighting for good and with my kind than anything.'

'I wish none of this occurred. It is horrid. We should have stayed and waged open war.'

'No, it is better to be here. The women and children are safe and the walls will protect us. There is always hope.'

' What if the walls fail?'

'Then I will die with them as one of them!' he shouted at me in the common- tongue. Everyone turned and looked at us. He walked away. I wanted to follow but something held me back. Later in the afternoon, I went to gather my weapons. I went into the room that Gimli, Aragorn, and I used for our weapon room. Aragorn was there putting on his chain mail.

'I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I realized I was wrong. There is always hope even if it is just a faint light.' He put his hand upon my shoulder.

'There is no longer disagreement between us. We were both correct in our own minds.' I smiled. Then Gimli came in. His chain mail shirt was too big. We laughed but not for long. A horn blew. I listened.

'That is no orc horn.' We rushed out to the gate. There stood Haldir along with a company of Elven warriors. When he saw me he smiled. The king had also come out. I rushed forward to greet him with Aragorn by my side. Our greeting was swift for he came on business. He turned and addressed the king,

'Many years ago and alliance was held between Man and Elf. I have come to fulfil that alliance.' The king was very grateful. The Elven Company was then divided into two. One was placed under Aragorn's command the other Haldir's. I was able to pull Haldir away for a moment to speak to him in private.

'Why have you come?' I asked.

'You. Why else. Also we had word of your situation and I offered to come. I knew you would be here.' 'So you came for me? You are willing to risk the lives of those Elves so you could see me?'

'No and yes. I heard them speaking of sending a company here to help defend Helm's Deep. I convinced them to send me as the captain. I wouldn't risk the lives of my men to see you or anyone.' He spoke gravely.

'I'm sorry for accusing you.' He smiled. That smile brought back wonderful memories. So did the sound of his voice. His eyes were still full of love and kindness but yet still full of the pain he has long endured. Slowly evening arrived. We had been hearing the orcs marching slowly closer and closer. The women and children were sent to the protection of the caves. I was standing on the wall watching as the hordes drew nearer and nearer. I began to feel afraid. As though something bad was going to happen. I've never felt this way. I now had belief that we would win ever since the Elves arrived. I had been through many hopeless battles and survived them all. Why I was afraid now, I was not certain. The hordes had finally reached the wall. They were getting worked up for the battle. Pounding the ground and growling at us. The command was given to prepare to fire. I drew my bow and held my breath. Suddenly an arrow was shot from behind the wall and struck down an orc. All became still and stared. Then the orc captain sounded their war cry and it began. The fighting was fierce but we held strong. I didn't notice much taking place on the ground because I was busy killing orcs as they climbed the ladders. I heard Aragorn yelling at me to kill some one. I looked and saw an orc with a torch running towards the wall further down from me. I shot him twice but failed to kill him. When he hit the wall a terrible explosion occurred. Part of the wall had been blown apart. I ran to the spot and began to shoot orcs as they poured through the hole. I noticed that Aragorn and Haldir were fighting next to each other. I heard the king tell Aragorn to fall back into the caves quickly. I suddenly saw something that made my heart stop. Haldir had been struck and was now on his knees fading. I ran to him quickly but was too late. He died as soon as I reached him. Anger filled me. They had killed someone I loved. I had no time to grieve. Aragorn came to my side and saw Haldir. He whispered something and closed Haldir's eyes. They were now shut forever. No Elf deserved to die like this. Aragorn said we needed to get to the caves before they closed the doors. Reluctantly I left Haldir's body lying there and went with Aragorn. We had to fight our way through the orcs. Suddenly I felt a sharp pain in my side. I looked down and saw that a sword had pierced me though. I felt weak and dropped to my knees. Aragorn caught me and carried me to the caves where he laid me on the ground. No one else was around us.

'Legolas!' he was shouting. I looked at him through a mist. He was crying. 'Legolas I love you. I always have and always will.' He sobbed. I choked. 'I love you too.' I could feel myself slipping away. I thought to myself 'So this is what it feels like to die.' I felt him kiss me. Then all went dark. I am dead now. So is everyone else at Helm's Deep. Aragorn perished along with Gimli. All the women and children are dead. The brave warriors and king of Rohan are gone. The Elves are no more. All were murdered. There is no noise at Helm's Deep. All is silent. None shall ever return here. None shall ever know what really happened. All is lost. Everyone is dead.