I'm grateful to all the people who review my story and loyal readers who await my chapters patiently. Sorry its been taking a little longer but I assure you that each chapter will come out no later than two weeks apart. The golden hall awaits our heroes, enjoy.

The people seemed saddened as we walked past the assortment of wooden houses and buildings. They watched us pass by, yet for the most part ignored our presence completely.

"You would find more cheer in a graveyard," Gimli muttered as we passed through.

We finally made it up the stairs of the golden hall, we were immediately stopped by a host of Rohan soldiers, one of them stepped forward.

"I am Hama, door steward of the king; I cannot let you pass through so well armed Gandalf Greyhame. By the orders of…Grima Wormtongue, you must leave your weapons here."

Everyone agreed silently, Gimli hesitantly giving up his axe, Legolas unsheathed his long elven knife, and handed them his bow and quiver. Aragorn laid his ranger sword against the wall.

Grumbling I unlatched my katana and kodachi sheaths, laying them by Aragorn's, unstrapping my shield from my arm I laid it down as well, Elrond's bow atop my back was the last to go. Gandalf handed Glamdring over as well. By the time we were all done we were devoid of any weapons, save for Gandalf's staff.

"Your staff too," he said, holding out his arms.

"There's a difference between being cautious and being rude," Gandalf said, smiling lightly. "You would not part an old man from his walking stick?"

"A staff is more than a walking stick in the hands of a wizard," Hama replied. "And we have been told explicitly by the ambassador to take your staff."

"Ambassador? What ambassador?"

Hama relieved Gandalf of his staff, opening the door to permit us passage. As we entered he laid the staff against the wall on the inside of the door.

We entered hesitantly, the doors closed behind us as we approached the king's throne, quite a ways from the door.

"The courtesy of your hall has somewhat lessoned of late, Théoden king," Gandalf said, the old king sat hunched over in his throne, looking as if he had lived two hundred winters.

As we walked in the guards and shield maidens watched us. I glanced over at the shield maidens; they all had golden yellow hair, save for one whose hair seemed to be that of a black waterfall down her back.

Is that?

Yet as I thought, I noticed a group of raggedy looking men followed us with dark looks in their eyes and evil smirks upon their lips. Standing to the right of the king was a scrawny looking man in a black robe, no doubt Grima. On the left stood a man in dark armor.

Ben, the "ambassador."

"Why should I welcome you Gandalf Stormcrow?" asked the king, his voice sounded hoarse and broken.

"An honest question my liege, late is the hour in which this…conjuror chooses to appear. He comes with ill news no doubt; ill news is an ill guest."

"And his companions aren't much better," Gothmog answered. "Derek, the great Dunedain ranger," his voice was oozing sarcasm. "Come to save the good king I suppose?"

One of the shield maidens perked up her head as he spoke, watching what was transpiring.

He walked up to me, putting his face mere inches from mine. "I may not know the rings location, but you do," he whispered in my ear. "What is your answer to my proposition?"

My mind raced, considering if we truly could get home, yet what would befall this world if we did, however after a moment I had thought everything through.

The next thing Gothmog knew he was flat on his back, a red mark was swelling on his cheek, I rubbed my fist in pain.

"I say no to your proposition and any other proposition the dark lord may have for me! You say that Sauron can send us back with what you seek, yet I will not sell out an entire world just for some chance of returning to my own." I could feel myself panting heavily as I spoke.

"Fool," Gothmog hissed at me. "Kill them!"

The raggedy wild men charged at us, but though they had greater numbers they had not the will to withstand us.

Aragorn and Gimli grappled with two each, while Legolas's well placed kicks flattened a third. I myself delivered a roundhouse kick to a fourth bearing down on me, before a fifth grabbed me from behind.

Gothmog was snickering as we fought, though his laughter died as he soon noticed his dwindling numbers. I threw the one that had grabbed me over my shoulder; a good kick to the head rendered him unconscious.

Finally only Gothmog remained, he reached to pull his sword from his back, looking to strike me with it.

Gandalf's hand suddenly whipped towards the wall, instantly his staff flew across the room as if by an unseen force and back into his waiting hands. Before Gothmog could even move Gandalf delivered a sharp blow to his gut followed by another blow to his knees, Gothmog keeled over in pain.

"Keep your foul tongues behind your teeth; I have not passed through fire and death to banter creed words with witless worms."

"This isn't over, old man," Gothmog hissed. "You always did hide behind greater men Derek," he said to me before a black fog consumed him, when it cleared he was gone.

Grima was on the ground cowering, Gimli's foot was pressed on his chest, preventing him from standing; the other goons were unconscious around him.

Gandalf approached the throne, staff in had, aiming it at Théoden.

"I release you, from his spell," he said, closing his eyes as he spoke.

At first I smiled, however the king began to softly laugh, which turned into a full blown cackle. He spoke with a fel voice, the same voice I had heard when Charadras had almost fallen atop us, the voice of Saruman.

"You have no power here, Gandalf the Grey."

Gandalf just looked at him, and swiftly threw aside his grey cloak, revealing himself to be clad all in white. Théoden flew backwards into his throne, at the same time I felt a pressure on my head, I collapsed to my knees.

"I will draw you Saruman as poison is drawn from a wound," he thrust his staff towards Théoden again; my mind reeled at the same time, as if I was feeling what Gandalf was doing.

No, screamed a dark voice in my mind that I recognized as the Balrog's. I will not go!

"Begone!" shouted Gandalf, thrusting his staff towards Théoden a final time, the old king slouched in his chair, not in pain, but as if he had been released of a heavy burden.

I flew back as well, landing on the ground, the pressure on my head was gone, Legolas bent over to help me up.

As I looked up I saw Théoden appear to grow younger before my eyes, only the leechcraft of Grima made him think that he was old when he was still a strong king. A shield maiden with flowing gold hair rushed to his side.

"Are you alright Dunedan?" Legolas asked.

"Dark have been my dreams of late," I responded.

"Dark have been my dreams of late," Théoden said almost simultaneously.

As I got to my feet I smiled and hugged Legolas heartily.

The balrog was gone from my mind.

My memory was back, I remembered everything.

Only one who is stronger than the balrog can break the curse, Gandalf had defeated it, I guess the ladies prediction had come true.

With the kings recovery Grima fled, no doubt back to Saruman. Eomer, who had been imprisoned for betraying Grima, was released from the dungeon. The saddest news of all was that of Théoden's son's death, Theodred.

We all attended the funeral, as the boy's body, broken by orcs in battle, was lain to rest in a tomb just outside Edoras. Once the funeral was over I went before the king, his guards and shield maidens were behind him.

"I am terribly sorry for your loss my lord," I said, trying to use my regained knowledge to comfort him. "No parent should ever have to bury their child."

"You appear to be young Dunedan," the king replied his voice was no longer hoarse, but deep and full of strength. "Yet your speech shows you have wisdom beyond your years."

I bowed accordingly, "Thank you sire, though I have one question, who is that shield maiden with the raven hair?"

"Her? We call her Elizabetha; she came here several months ago. At first we thought her a spy of the enemy; however Eowyn vouched that she could tell she was a good person, so she has become one of my shield maidens over since."

"May I speak with her?"

"Of course."

I walked up to the girl; her head was hung low, not looking at me. Her eyes appeared saddened, as if she had lost all hope.

"Liz…is that you?"

Immediately her face lit up, she shot her eyes up at me, locking hers with mine.

"Derek! It really is you! I thought I'd never see anyone I knew ever again!" she shouted, lunging at me and hugging me intently

"It's…nice….to see…you too," I stuttered, her hug was so strong it was crushing me. Once I recovered I returned the hug, albeit softer.

"Wow Derek, look at you!" she chuckled; her eyes were no longer saddened, but happy. "You've changed."

I returned the laugh. "Not as much as you look at you," I said, motioning towards her. "You let your hair grow, and that shield maiden gown looks most fair upon you."

"Most fair upon you?" what was I thinking?

"Come, they're planning to discuss the war inside, we can catch up on each other later" I followed her and the other maidens inside as Gandalf, Théoden, and the others were sitting within the great hall.

"You must fight my king," Gandalf said, apprising him of Saruman's intent on destroying Rohan. "Ride out and lure him away from the women and children."

"I will not risk open war upon my people," Théoden replied, the weight of this war was bearing down on him.

"Open was is upon you, whether you would risk it or not," Aragorn said, puffing several times in his pipe.

"Last I checked, Théoden, not Aragorn was king of Rohan," Théoden said, turning his attention to Aragorn.

"What if we rode out across the open plains?" I asked, throwing around ideas. "We have a thousand good men here; riders on the open field have an advantage to those on foot."

"That is a good plan," Gandalf said to me. "However we may need more. The marshal Erkenbrand and his men were scattered across the Riddermark, they must be gathered."

"I can think of none swifter than Shadowfax," I said, knowing where Gandalf was going with this."

I followed Gandalf as we headed out towards the open meadows outside Edoras where Shadowfax waited.

"We must be swift, the enemy draws close, 300 lives of men I have walked this earth and now, I don't have enough time."

"We shall not fail Gandalf, Rohan shall stand fast."

"For all our sakes I hope you are right, look for my coming at first light on the fifth day, at dawn look to the east."

"Gandalf what are you…" but before I could finish he had ridden off, beyond the distance of hearing me.

How could he know when to come? He doesn't even know where we'll be in five days.

We prepared to leave Edoras, the men gathering their steeds and weapons for war, the civilians were retreating to the fortress of Dunharrow.

"You ride with us?" I asked Liz, noticing she had pulled up alongside us on her horse.

"I am a shield maiden of Rohan now Dunedan," I had told her to call me Derek in public from now on. "I ride with my king."

"Okay, but stay close to me, I'll keep you safe."

I saw her blush at this, though she tried to hide it. Finally we set forth from Rohan, one thousand men strong, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Théoden, and Eomer rode with us as we went onward to war.

Helm's Deep is coming up next, coming soon to a Fanfiction site near you. I'll try not to keep you waiting too long