Chapter 7
The Fellowship had made it to Osgiliath and now they sat crouched in the ships they stole. Caladwen could feel her heart pounding the closer they got to the port. She looked to Legolas, his face intense.
"I'm afraid." Caladwen whispered. Legolas looked up at her, grabbing her hand and squeezing it.
"Don't be. Today we ride to victory. Today the kingdom of men will win." Caladwen nodded her head, agreeing with him, but she still felt that lingering feeling of dread in her stomach. "Cuamin linduva yassen megrille. (Today my bow shall sing with your sword.)" He leaned forward, kissing her lightly on the forehead.
"Amin mela lle." She whispered, smiling to him.
"Amin mela lle." He replied. The boats came to a slow stop at the docks and Caladwen took a deep breath.
"Late as usual! Pirate scum!" Caladwen heard a nasty voice shout from afar. "There's knifework here needs doing. Come on you sea rats, get off your ships." He scowled.
"We go now." Aragorn said. He gave the signal and the four of them jumped over the side of the ship. It was a further fall then Caladwen thought, but she landed gracefully, unsheathing her sword as she stood. Slowly they approached the orcs, who were too stunned to move.
"There's plenty for all of us." Gimli muttered. Caladwen smiled at him, chuckling at his competitiveness. "May the best dwarf win." Moans rang out from behind them as the Army of the Dead emerged from the pirate ships. The orcs began to run in terror, but there was no escaping the wave of the dead.
Caladwen charged ahead, striking out at the nearest orc, dropping him where he stood and moving on. The Army of the Dead made light work of the orc army in Osgiliath, but across the field was where the real fighting took place.
There was an entire battlefield of orc and men clashing not a hundred feet away. Large Mumakils joined in the battle, sweeping their large tusks through the men, killing any they came in contact with. Above the battlefield flew fell beasts with Nazgul riders. Caladwen could hear the shrieking of the monsters as they swooped down, biting and clawing at the men below.
"We have to hurry, Gondor can not outlast that." Aragorn warned, taking off across the field. Caladwen sprinted after him, Legolas and Gimli in hot pursuit. She dove into the battle head long, dodging swords and knives as she went, cutting down any orc in her way.
She searched the battlefield for anyone she knew, Théoden, Eomer, but didn't find any of them. A wave of the Dead washed past her and the small band of Rohan riders she fought towards.
"Demons!" one of them yelled, falling to the ground. Caladwen fought off an orc that ran at him, knocking the orc to the ground dead. She extended her hand, which the soldier took willingly and she pulled him back to his feet.
"They are on our side." She reassured him. He didn't seem to believe her, but he didn't have time to argue. "Lookout!" Caladwen pushed the soldier out of the way, just as a Mumakil clamored its way to them, stomping his foot where they just stood.
"Legolas!" Caladwen yelled over to him, catching his attention. She pointed to the Mumakil that just passed them and he nodded taking off towards it. She followed his lead, taking out her bow and firing a flurry of arrows into his hind legs. She jumped, climbing up the arrows and on to his back.
Legolas joined her on top of the animal and they nodded to each other before diving in. The beast's riders began to jump from their roost and Caladwen ran them through as they did, kicking their bodies from the top of the perch. Legolas began to shoot the remaining riders.
"Thirty three, thirty four." He counted as he shot another Haradrim. Caladwen looked up at him, after slewing another rider, in disbelief.
"Are you counting?" She asked, parrying a blade and elbowing the Haradrim, knocking him out cold. Legolas smiled cheekily and nodded, shooting another man in his chest. Caladwen looked around finding Gimli on the battlefield. She smirked at him. "Are you winning?"
Legolas grinned, grabbing a rope off of the basket and swinging down to the side of the animal. Caladwen continued to fight off the men as Legolas made light work of the straps that held the basket construction to the animal's back. She stepped back, watching the basket slide off the other side. Caladwen joined Legolas on the beast's back, watching the construction fall to the ground.
"I am now." He said confidently. Although its riders were gone, the Mumakil did not stop. He continued his warpath, dropping Riders of the Rhohirrim and orc alike. Caladwen and Legolas ran to the Mumakil's head, nocking three arrows. "Be ready to jump!" he called back as he released them.
The animal stumbled as Legolas fired the killing blow and the two of them took off running across his massive head. As the beast fell, Legolas slid down his trunk, landing on the ground below. Caladwen flipped off of his head, tucking and rolling a few feet away from Legolas. She stood, casually brushing herself off.
Gimli had turned to watch the spectacle and he stared them, astonished. He snorted, looking awkwardly between the two, his eyes finally settling on Legolas.
"That still only counts as one!" He finally managed to stammer out. Caladwen and Legolas exchanged a knowing glance before returning to the fray. As Caladwen sparred, Legolas shot down the stragglers, while Gimli cut the remaining orcs down to size.
"Thirty four! Thirty Five!" Gimli yelled over the sounds of battle. Caladwen could only shake her head at him.
"Tis not always a competition, Master Dwarf." Caladwen grunted, slicing into an Orcs flesh.
"That's what the loser always says!" He retorted. His cockiness made Caladwen wish she had been keeping count, so that she could put him in his place.
Caladwen fought fiercely through the carnage until she came to a large orc who had just pulled his sword out of the chest of a Rhohirrim Rider. He snarled at her, smiling evilly.
"Hello pretty." He grinned at Caladwen a snaggletoothed grin, as he turned to her. The orc raised his sword menacingly, swiping it at her. Caladwen jumped back as the blade barely missed her abdomen. He swung again and she ducked to the right, lunging with her sword.
Caladwen missed with her blade, but she saw an opening and swung her elbow back, elbowing him in the nose. He cried out in pain, but her strike only made him angrier. In his anger he grabbed her shoulders, bring his knee up into Caladwen's side. Caladwen yelped in pain, grabbing for her side. Something warm and sticky had begun to soak through her tunic and Caladwen knew that he had reopened her wound.
The orc brought his fist back, striking her across her cheek, sending her sprawling to the ground. He brought his sword down, but she rolled out of the way, just as the blade hit the dirt next to her head. Caladwen swept her leg, catching the orc's knee, and he fell to the ground.
His tumble gave Caladwen enough time to stand, and as she jumped to her feet she grabbed her bow, nocking an arrow and firing it, hitting the orc between the eyes. He thudded to the ground, dead, and Caladwen picked up her sword.
Caladwen turned, another orc running at her but he froze mid stride, his face contorting with pain. She watched him expectantly as he slowly trudged over to her. He dropped his sword, once he was in front of her and Caladwen put a firm hand on his chest, pushing him to the ground, where he lay dead.
Gimli smiled up at her from where the orc charged her, wiping his axe on his pants.
"I was going to give you that one so you had a chance to catch up, My Lady, but you were cutting it a little too close for my comfort."
"Were you worried about me, Gimli?" She asked. The Dwarf scoffed at her as if it was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard.
"Worried? Nonsense My Lady. You're terrifying with a long sword!" the dwarf winked at her, throwing himself back into battle.
A swarm of The Dead Army crashed into what remained of the Mumakil, taking them and their riders down easily, while what was left of the Rhohirrim made light work of the orc's. Caladwen felt like a great weight had been lifted off of her shoulders as she watched the Army of Men.
The battle had been won, but at what cost? Caladwen looked around at the graveyard that surrounded her, broken Banners of Rohan were left alone to billow in the wind. Piles of bodies were stacked as far as the eye could see. Across the plain Caladwen could see Minas Tirith, still beautiful even though smoke billowed from behinds its walls.
Gondorian riders were making their way out on to the battlefield to offer their assistance in finishing off the remaining orc soldiers and helping to transport the wounded. What was left of both armies of men had begun to sift through the bodies and the destruction.
Caladwen searched the chaos for Legolas. She found him not more than a few feet away, finishing off his final kill of the fight. He turned to look at her, his eyes falling to her waist.
"It is fine." She said, dismissing his worried glances. "It was reopened but I will survive." She joked limping over to him. Legolas did not smile, he did not find her health something to be laughed about.
Legolas pulled Caladwen's arm around his shoulder, helping her to hobble to where Aragorn and Gimli stood. Aragorn stopped sifting through the bodies to look up at them.
"You need to be more careful, My Lady." Aragorn said quietly, looking down at her abdomen. Caladwen grimaced at him, leaning onto Legolas.
"I'm fine, Aragorn." She rolled her eyes. "It's only a flesh wound." Gimli laughed at her spunk, returning to his search for injured men.
"The heroes of Gondor!" a familiar voice called out form behind the group. They turned and were greeted by Gandalf and Pippin who had ridden out from Gondor with the rest of the riders.
"Release us!" A raspy whisper commanded. The king of the Dead appeared, as well as his army. They glared at Aragorn intently.
"Bad idea. Not bad in a tight spot, these lads, despite the fact they're dead." Gimli chimed in from the back.
"You gave us your word!" The King howled. Aragorn looked at them, as if he were contemplating what to do with them. After a moment he sighed.
"I hold your oath fulfilled. Go. Be at peace." Aragorn commanded them. The King of the Dead smiled. there was a great wind and whispers all around as the army disappeared before Caladwen's eyes. Aragorn smiled, turning again to the group.
"Where's Merry?" Pippin asked, looking anxiously from where he stood next to Gandalf. Caladwen glanced around nervously, realizing every one was accounted for other than the Halfling. "Merry!" pippin called, running out into the battlefield.
Caladwen made to run after him but Legolas held a firm grasp on her waist. He shook his head at her as she moderately struggled against him.
"You need to get to the healing houses, they need to check your wound."
"I'll be fine." She argued with him, again trying to pull away from him. "He cannot go alone."
"I will go, lassie." Gimli offered, putting his axe away. "Besides I'm closer to the ground, I will find him faster." Gimli chuckled before running off after the hobbit. Legolas grabbed up Caladwen, carrying her in her arms.
"Nooooo!" Someone wailed in the distance. Caladwen looked over Legolas' shoulder where Eomer had just dropped to his knee's. In his arms sat a bushel of golden hair, and Caladwen felt her heart stop. Aragorn too watched in horror.
"Eowyn!" He whispered fiercely, running over to Eomer and the limp body he held. Legolas turned to follow, but Gandalf stopped him, much to Caladwen's chagrin.
"Get the Lady Amdirvaethil to the healing house. I shall go with Aragorn." Gandalf said solemnly. Caladwen looked back at the two men. Eomer now stood and Caladwen could clearly see Eowyn's unconscious body laying in his arms. He cried over her, while Aragorn knelt down to another.
Legolas began to walk but Caladwen continued to watch them. Aragorn had called over a few of the Gondorian Riders and together they moved a dead horse out of the way. She strained to see over Legolas' shoulders as Aragorn and a few of the other men reached down, pulling up a limp body as they stood up.
It was Théoden King. She could tell his body had been mangled and was severely broken, and just by the desolate look on Aragorn's face she knew he was dead. Caladwen felt tears forming in her eyes as she watched the men solemnly begin to carry him off, Eomer following with Eowyn. Where she once felt so hopeful, she now felt completely bleak, and she began to sob, hard body racking tears.
There you go guys! A long chapter to make up for that sorry excuse i posted yesterdayyy lol. Such action, much adventure, wow. Stay Beautiful! P.S. Theres an easter egg hidden in this one! post a review telling me if you found it!