Slash, strike, roll, stab.
One, two, three, four.
All rational thought disappeared from Tauriel's head as she settled into the familiar rhythm of battle. The enemy was seemingly endless, and every Uruk-hai she saw sent a jolt of energy through her body that traveled to her arm, that traveled to her dagger, that traveled through whatever sorry orc happened to be in striking distance from her. Five, six, seven. Eowyn didn't stand a chance in this game. Tauriel was invincible.
Eowyn's heart pounded in her ears. Ten thousand orcs. One of them came charging towards her, sneering.
It wanted her dead. She wanted it dead. With a single blow, it perished.
That was one.
But she could not revel in her small victory for long. She was there to fight, not to think. Adrenaline pumped through her veins as she fought her way to the wall. Three, four, five, six. Her sword could not be stopped. Seven.
"Tauriel! Tula sinome!"
Tauriel whipped around. Who would be calling for her to come? Haldir motioned frantically at her. He was trying to take down a ladder of Uruk-hai that were trying to climb the wall. She rushed to his aid, and their weapons worked together in deadly harmony. When the ladder finally crashed to the ground, she turned to him.
"How many did we kill?"
"Just six." He sighed. "Does it matter?"
"Yes."
Haldir raised his eyebrows. "Really? You are a good fighter, Tauriel. You do not need silly numbers to measure your success. Go now."
"Yes, my captain."
As she sprinted away, Haldir shook his head. Something here must have changed his Tauriel. Why else would she be so respectful?
Eowyn looked out at the battle raging around her. She was tired. People were dying. She wanted out. She closed her eyes and sank down against the wall of the fortress, her heavy eyelids falling onto her tired eyes. Who would plan battles at night? Who would plan battles anyway? She shook herself awake. She was in a war. She couldn't sleep.
The next hours were a blur for both women. Time moved in inches and miles, and their kill counts were the only things that kept them from sinking into a state of half-consciousness. They were tangible milestones, and they were priceless.
Thirteen. Eowyn ran past Legolas, who was yelling "twenty-one!" for some reason.
Sixteen. Tauriel scavenged the dead for spent arrows.
Twenty-one. Eowyn realized why Legolas had been yelling.
Twenty-two. Tauriel wished she could understand Dwarvish, as Gimli seemed to be directing a stream of choice curses at Legolas.
Twenty-eight. Eowyn glimpsed Eomer briefly before another orc charged her. Good, he was alive. Twenty-nine.
Thirty-one. Someone had told Tauriel that Haldir was dead. He wasn't dead.
Thirty-seven. Eowyn brought down a whole ladder by herself.
Thirty-eight. Tauriel almost tripped over Gimli and became the lucky recipient of his obscenities.
Thirty-nine. The current of the battle had finally brought Eowyn and Tauriel together. Two Uruk-hai's lives ended at exactly the same moment as the women turned to each other and said, "Forty!"
Tauriel raised her eyebrows. "The same? I'm impressed."
Eowyn smirked. "For yourself, you mean. Didn't think you could ever beat me?"
"You know what I meant."
"This battle's really getting to you. You're not a sarcastic brat anymore."
"And you are. Funny how that happens, isn't it? I'm glad you haven't died, Eowyn. I wouldn't want to bury you."
"In the whole realm of underwhelming praise, you have reached a heroic low."
Tauriel grinned. "You're never getting any more, so enjoy it."
Eowyn smiled. She was drained, tired, and covered in blood of unknown origin, but Tauriel's crooked smile and short appreciation were more precious to her than any number of corpses. She reached out to take Tauriel's hand. "We're doing well."
Tauriel fought from keep from smiling. She did not want Eowyn to think she was softening. "Yeah, only because I-"
She never finished her sentence.
Three Uruk-hai rose out of nowhere. Eowyn's heart pounded. This was it- her chance to prove herself to Tauriel. She unsheathed her sword and flew at the enemy.
One Uruk fell to its knees at Tauriel's feet, but she barely noticed. She was petrified, gazing at Eowyn with frozen eyes. Why, why, why? Why had Eowyn taken on three huge Uruk-hai by herself? There was no way she could defeat them alone.
One of the Uruk-hai pinned Eowyn to the ground, kicking her sword away. Eowyn winced as her weapon skittered across the ground. The half-orc leered in her face, its crooked and discolored teeth inches away from her nose.
"Didn't expect to be fighting bitches, she-warrior..."
Eowyn thrashed in its foul grip. She was trapped.
Tauriel was frozen. Stupid, stupid, why hadn't she warned her? She knew that Eowyn couldn't fend them all off alone.
But she wasn't alone.
Tauriel lunged for Eowyn's fallen sword. It was heavier than she was used to, but that didn't matter.
Eowyn couldn't breathe. There was no way she could escape. She fought against the thick arms of her captor, but she knew it was in vain. Suddenly, the grip slackened. She was free.
The Uruk-hai was now struggling with another opponent. They were upon the ground, wrestling, with only their bodies as weapons. Among the grunts and growls of the fight, Eowyn caught words.
"Never-" The Uruk-hai hissed. "-touch her-" A glint of steel appeared, and the Uruk-hai shrieked as blood spattered its torso. It fell with a hideous thud.
Her savior lay motionless on the ground beside the corpse. Eowyn rushed over to help. Her heart plunged as she saw the fiery red hair fanning out from under the helmet.
Tauriel.
