At nightfall on the third day, before the drums and torches of Saruman's army, the company reached Helm's Deep. The gates were opened and Haldir marched his elves through them knowing he took them to their death.

And for what, he wondered. For men, who had brought Middle Earth to ruin with their weakness? If not for men, he and his elves might still see the shores of Valinor.

A figure ran towards him and as he came closer Haldir recognized the Ranger, Aragorn, who had been part of the company that passed through Lothlorien not many moons ago. Haldir held himself up stiffly to his full height and made to bow, but Aragorn disregarded every formality, and, to Haldir's surprise, embraced him.

"My friend," Aragorn said warmly. "It's good to see you!"

A knot formed in Haldir's throat and he swallowed it down. Aragorn was worn and tired, yet as Haldir blinked, Aragorn's clothing changed to the white garb of the kings of old and on his head appeared a crown. This was no mere Ranger, Haldir realized. The vision melted away and Aragorn was once again a plain man, tears of gratitude in his eyes.

As Aragorn led him and his company deeper into the fortress, Haldir looked around him and saw faces of men, old and young, wearing armour and holding weapons. They watched the elves march in and their eyes showed surprise and hope, the kind of hope that comes in the wake of deep despair.

The knot in Haldir's throat tightened. He scowled and glanced sideways at Mira. She was caught in the same exploration of the faces around her, her eyes wide and wet with unshed tears. Humans, he scoffed inwardly, but knew the disdain to be thin and mostly out of habit. There had been no weakness in Aragorn's tears.

At the end of their three day march, there was no time to rest. The elven archers arranged themselves on the battlements. Haldir walked with Aragorn down the length of the wall followed by Aragorn's companions, Legolas of Mirkwood and the Dwarf, Gimli, whom Haldir remembered well, for he made more noise than a whole army of elves.

They gazed out at the gathering black swarm of uruk'hai arriving before the wall. Their columns spread as far as the eye could see, seemingly without end.

"'Tis a grim sight," Legolas spoke.

"What?" Gimli demanded. "What sight? What do you see?" The top of the Dwarf's head reached to the base of the crenels on the rampart. He raised himself on tiptoes and still could not see beyond.

"Should I find you a box?" Legolas asked softly. "Or perhaps I could lift you?" Haldir raised an eyebrow expecting the impertinent questions to be answered with violence.

Instead the Dwarf grumbled. He jumped a few inches in the air, as far as his stature permitted and each time got a quick glimpse of the army beyond.

Haldir noticed the silent chuckle and look that passed between Aragorn and Legolas. Gimli glanced up at them and gave a frustrated huff. He was wearing a man's chainmail that trailed to the ground around him like a skirt, and rattled noisily every time he moved.

Legolas frowned at him. "Could you find no better fitted mail?"

"None with enough girth," Gimli replied with pride, holding his arms in a circle around his midriff to indicate his considerable belly. Aragorn gave a bark of a laugh.

"I remember Marchwarden Haldir saying you made so much noise he could have shot you in the dark," Legolas observed, and watched with satisfaction as Gimli bristled. "With that chainmail on, you're ten times as loud."

"Well, good thing there's no need for stealth now, eh, laddie?" the Dwarf parried with a hearty chuckle.

What was this, Haldir wondered. Friendship, a voice in his head answered, and it sounded very much like Mira's. Friendship between a dwarf, a human and an elf. This was the beauty of Middle Earth. This was what Mira saw and what he'd missed for the hundreds of years that he'd immured himself in his closed elven fold.

They walked back along the wall. The ranks of uruk'hai had closed in. The armies of Orthanc had arrived, and were now awaiting orders for attack. Haldir saw their hideous faces, and wondered that they had been once elves, his own kin. He felt a shiver run up his spine.

He reached the place in line where Mira stood between two elves, conspicuously dressed in a mishmash of human and borrowed elvish armour.

"A woman," Legolas exclaimed noticing her. He glanced between Mira and Haldir.

Mira bit her lip.

"She is my kin," Haldir answered and saw Mira's eyes widen in surprise.

"Are you especially skilled with bow and arrow that you join the front lines in this gruesome fight?" Legolas asked tentatively.

"She is terrible with a bow and arrow," Haldir pronounced. He ignored the outrage on her face. "I want you to go into the caves with the women and children," he told her.

"You said I could fight! You said I could die whichever way I chose."

Haldir flinched at her words. He gasped her upper arm and turned her to face the horde. "Look at them!" he bit out. "They have no mercy and no soul. They'd rip you to shreds and feast on your flesh before you are even dead."

She paled. "You think these boys wearing armour are going to put up much fight?" she asked, pointing to the child soldiers in the Rohirim's ranks. "You need every able arm," she argued.

"No! I need you to live. I want you in the caves."

"I will fight," she declared raising her chin stubbornly.

"You're rubbish with a bow and arrow," he pleaded. "You'd miss a stationary target at twenty paces!"

"Yes, but my father taught me to use a sword. And I am not rubbish at that."

Haldir looked at her, bewildered. "I've never seen you yield one."

"How could you? You refused to train me!" she yelled at him.

Haldir squeezed his eyes shut and willed the pounding of his blood to subside. The horde below the wall had started a steady thumping with their booted feet and spears. The battle was about to start.

"Your sister could join those on the keep wall and defend the line behind us," Legolas suggested diplomatically.

"She's not my sister," Haldir snapped at the other elf. "Gods, Mira! Just do as I tell you. If not the caves, than at least the keep wall."

She looked behind towards it and shook her head. "It's too far," she whispered.

"From what?"

She raised her chin stubbornly. And Haldir finally understood.

"You think you can keep my destiny from me?"

"I can but try. If you won't. And it is not your destiny. Don't say that."

He shook his head with a laugh of defeat.

"If I promise to try, will you go to the keep?"

"I don't want to, but I will if you hold to your promise."

"I swear it, then."

"I'll go." She looked like she would say more, but then she turned and raced down the battlement steps and up the slope to the keep wall.

Unsure if he could keep his promise, Haldir watched her go, then unsheathed his sword and turned to stand beside his elves and beside Aragorn and his men. The uruk'hai below had added their voices to the war drum. The noise rose in pitch until the walls shook. War was upon them.