Summary: Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli take Eldarion down the path of the fellowship to teach him of sacrifices made and things forgotten.
Disclaimer: I do not own them, a pity
A/N: This is an AU fourth age fic, the times to get to many places may not be exact.
Chapter 11
All the others awakened early, but Gimli having had a bad night was still sleeping.
"Ada, how will he ride today?" Eldarion asked.
Aragorn pondered it and then placed one of the bedrolls on the back of Arod, and spread it out. "This will have to do. Eldarion why do you not go and wake Gimli, for I think he would harm Legolas if he were to see him first thing this morning after last night."
Eldarion did as he was asked and woke Gimli, and then stood mouth open as Gimli let off a string of curses that his Ada would have washed his mouth out for.
Everyone was mounted up and ready, "Hurry Uncle Gimli we will be able to get to Helm's Deep today if we do not dally about."
Gimli grabbed Legolas' hand and was hoisted up behind him. There was a small shriek and then silence, but none of them missed the glare given off by the dwarf.
The four of them rode all morning long, with Aragorn pointing out the various sights surrounding them till at last they saw a huge stone structure, one of the walls with a vast hole in it.
Eldarion's mouth fell open in surprise having only seen it in pictures. The rode closer and led their horses up the walkway. They did not dismount until inside, and that is when Eldarion saw the sadness that had enveloped them all.
"I know there was a great battle here, I read about it in the history books, but what could make you all so sad?"
It was Aragorn who led him over to the side that looked over the walkway beneath. "It was here that many men died. All of them striving only to protect their kin. The uruk hai came just over that hill," Aragorn pointed, and they came in the thousands."
Eldarion gasped, "We do not have thousands of men in our army now Ada."
"Not only did the men of Rohan fight, but the children as well. Boys no older than you were given sword and spear and told to fight for their freedom or die defending it. We were outnumbered, and the protection of the wall failed."
"How Ada, the stone here is so thick, what could have gotten through it?"
"It is my fault the walls were breached," Legolas replied, his eyes downcast. "Aragorn shouted for me to take out the Uruk Hai bringing in the explosives but I was too late. I waited a second too long and all who stood upon that section of the wall were blown away."
"Do not think this Legolas. Your aim was true, he felled him, it was just a moment too late. Such is the savagery of war. It was not your fault."
Eldarion walked over to the edge of the gaping hole and peered over. It was a hole of monstrous size, one he knew that killed many that stood but a foot from where he was now. Eldarion leaned over a little bit closer and was jerked back by his collar.
"Better not to tempt fate young one," Legolas said.
Eldarion knew Legolas was right and he shuddered just thinking about it.
"It is almost as if the feel of death still clings to even the air," he said shuddering again.
"It is because so many died here. Once this place was said to be impassable, but it seems that Saruman's army did indeed pass through."
"Come let us go we will settle the horses in for the night and then come back inside to the shelter from the wind," Aragorn said, walking across the drawbridge.
Once they got to the open area that lay in front of Helm's Deep it Aragorn felt someone tugging on his sleeve. Looking down he saw Eldarion peering up at him tears brimming in his eyes.
"Ada, if so many men died where are their graves?"
Aragorn didn't know how to tell him, and Legolas was near tears himself. It was Gimli who spoke up his voice gruff. "The bodies were burned."
The tears Eldarion had been fighting now fell from his eyes. "What do you mean? How will their families be able to come and talk to them? How can they be remembered if they have no grave!" Eldarion said now his sobs making him gasp with each word.
It broke all their hearts to see someone so young see the cruelness of war, but Aragorn knew his son now understood a bit better what hatred could do. He leaned down and picked up Eldarion as he had done when he was smaller, and held him to his chest.
"The bodies were burned to keep the Uruk Hai from desecrating them. We did not wish for them to die and then their bodies to be dragged off by either the minions of Sauron nor the animals of the woods."
Eldarion laid his head on his father's shoulder and wept till no more tears would come. It was only then that he motioned to be put down.
"Can we go back inside now Ada?"
Aragorn picked up Eldarion and they all walked back inside. The evening meal was laid out but none of them felt much like eating. Eldarion had grown quite sullen and withdrawn, sitting in the corner with a bit of parchment and a pencil in his hand.
It was not long before Gimli fell asleep, and Aragorn soon followed. Legolas sat in the corner his mind wandering, his thoughts going back once again to times long ago. He was startled from these thoughts by a small, slender hand upon his shoulder.
"Legolas, why do you look so sad?"
Legolas did not think the boy was old enough to understand, but he remembered another young adan long ago he had underestimated and found out he was wrong.
"It was here that I doubted your father's abilities. I told him we were all going to die, that we were outnumbered, our ranks filled with farmers and peasants, but he still held his head high, never doubting their courage. It was I who refused to burn the bodies, not being able to bring myself to do it, leaving the task to others, hiding in the trees, my grief for those who had fallen overtaking me. I failed him and the others."
Eldarion put his arms around Legolas and hugged him, a custom the elf was now used to thanks to Estel.
"Will you help me with something Uncle Legolas?"
"What is it?"
"There is something I have to do, will you help me?"
Legolas wiped the tears away from Eldarion's face and brushed the stray hair behind his small pointed ears. "How can I say no to you, of course I will help."