Chapter 11: Helm's Deep
"Alexandra!" Legolas's silky voice came to her calling out to her as he chased after her. She didn't slow her horse, in fact she encouraged the mount on into the gallop, she was far ahead of the group now, but she didn't care, she was too upset to care, even though she knew what she had said to King Theoden would probably not go unpunished, though she hoped the punishment wouldn't be too severe.
Legolas caught up to her grabbing her reigns, his piercing blue eyes boring into hers. "What do you think you're doing?"
A fire blazed in her own brown eyes as she looked up at him. "Going to Helm's Deep. Is that okay with you?"
He laughed. "It's perfectly fine, Alexandra. Why are you so upset?"
She looked up at him, disbelief in her eyes. "What? How can you ask me that?! Aragorn is DEAD, he fell over that cliff into the river, and he's GONE. The one person that could probably save Middle Earth, and he's DEAD!"
Legolas' gaze softened as he listened to her rant, and he offered a soft smile. "The fall was great, but give Aragorn more credit then that. Gandalf passed through death and came back to us. Aragorn can survive the fall."
"You don't know that." Tears gathered in her eyes as she looked up at him. "You can't know that."
Legolas nodded. "Yes, I have faith in my friend. You should as well. Keep hope. Remember, We thought Merry and Pippin dead, and they are alive." He rested his hand against her back. "My lady, please keep faith." His other hand moved up to brush her hair back from her forehead, brushing it over her shoulder. His hand lingered at her jaw line for a moment before he pulled his hand back and cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I apologize my lady."
She blushed softly, and looked away from him. "You didn't do anything wrong."
He nodded stiffly, and took a deep breath as the riding party came over the ridge. "King Theoden does not blame you for your out burst. You ought to know that."
"Thank you." She took the reigns from him, and urged her horse into a gallop beside him as the group surrounded them. She glanced at Theoden for a moment, and caught a soft smile. She made a mental note to apologize later that day even though he didn't blame her she still felt that he deserved an apology. Finally the holding came into view nestled in at the base of a mountain the wall closing off the holding was two stories tall at least an impressive holding it was, but she couldn't help looking over her shoulder and noticing that in Helm's Deep they would be cornered.
As they moved into the holding she tried to hold onto her composure as she saw Eowyn coming toward them. Legolas helped her to dismount and she heard Gimli speaking to her new friend. Alexandra turned saddened eyes on the blonde as her green eyes widened in shock. Suddenly the realization struck her like a bolt of lightning. "She loves him." She whispered, turning her eyes onto Legolas.
"She has become attached. Just as you have." he said, placing his hand on her shoulder.
"No it's different, she's... fallen for him." Alexandra shook her head as she pulled away from the elf, and moved over to the woman, taking her hands.
"Tell me it's not true." her eyes pleaded with her.
"I didn't see it. But the orc had his necklace, and he was nowhere to be found on the field. I couldn't save him." The brunette's eyes filled with tears as she looked at Eowyn. "I'm afraid he's really gone."
"You both must keep hope." A gentle hand squeezed her shoulder as if to tell her to remember their conversation.
Alexandra nodded. "Of course. If Gandalf came back from the dead, and two hobbits can survive days with Uruk-Hai, Aragorn can survive the river."
Eowyn nodded once sharply before pulling away from her, moving back to the people of Edoras.
Later that evening, she sat with Gimli and Legolas, feating on a meager amount of meat, potatoes and bread. Mostly they sat in silence though she felt Legolas' thoughtful eyes on her more then a few times.
"Doesn't it seem like our numbers keep dwindling?" Alexandra asked.
Gimli nodded solemnly. "Aye, lass. It does seem that way. Gandalf has not gone far. He said to look for his coming tomorrow morning at dawn. He will return. And Aragorn... well, knowing him he found a way out of that god forsaken river, and is finding his way to us as we speak.
"As I said, Alexandra, hang on to your hope." Legolas smiled softly at her as he took a bite of the bread.
Soon after their meal, Gimli took off to the lower section of the holding while she and Legolas moved to the tower, looking over the landscape beyond them. "You spoke of your home the other night. And customs you miss, and the people you miss. But you mentioned... the noise. Has it improved?"
She smiled. "Not really. I mean, it is noisier, but my noise... goes on all night. New York was the city that never slept. There were sirens, like shrill horns that sounded at the most random moments. And yet, It never woke me up. Vehicles, louder then the entire group's hoof beats moving past my home even in the dead of night. Crashes the hallway right out side my door, a neighbor that would get home in the middle of the night, always drunk, and would always slam right into my door. Those are little, strange things that I miss, I'm starting to get used to the quiet, the sounds of the country, but I've been a city girl. I wish you could come home with me."
The elf looked at her then, his eyes soft. "I would enjoy seeing your city."
"But how to explain you to anyone?" She smiled up at him, her voice soft.
"Explain?" Confusion moved into his gaze.
She reached up and drew her finger over the point of his ear. "There are no elves in New York, or anywhere for that matter."
A soft frown touched his lips then. "Then we will have to make the most of the time you have here."
She furrowed her brow as she considered that. He was a gentleman, like none she had ever known, he couldn't mean anything truly intimate. It wasn't who he was. "I guess so."
He smiled down at her for a moment before pressing his lips to her forehead. "Do not look so troubled. We..." He looked up as he heard a guard shout the arrival of someone new. He turned his blue eyes then to the ramp leading to the doors. "Aragorn."
Alexandra's eyes widened. "Forgive me for ever doubting you." She smiled up at him, and they both moved down to meet him.
Legolas greeted him in elvish at first, Aragorn giving him a confused look until the elf spoke again. "You look terrible."
A wide grin spread across his features and he chuckled. Legolas smiled back, and gestured to Alexandra, who pulled the necklace out of a small pouch she had tied to her belt, holding it in safe keeping for Legolas. She pressed it into Aragorn's hand, and motioned with her eyes up to the elf, stating without words that it was he who retrieved it. She didn't have to know elvish to understand the words that Aragorn spoke next, he thanked him.
The man then moved past them, and they turned following as Gimli caught up to them, following him into the throne room. She stood in as Aragorn briefed Theoden of the coming army, and she refused to stay put as they moved out of the hall, and out into the small city. She listened to every plan they made listening for any mistake they might make in their planning.
The small confrontation between Theoden and Aragorn worried her, and as he mentioned that they were alone, she couldn't help her eyes wandering over the small army that stood around them. Old men and children. It was all they had. As the soldiers moved around the holding pulling old men to their feet and boys barely able to hold a sword up.
The soldiers moved the women and children into the caves beyond the holding, and Alexandra and her male company moved through the crowd, Alexandra listening to Aragorn as he spoke out their plan to help the Rohan army.
It wasn't long before Eowyn's voice rang out calling out for Aragorn as she pushed through the crowd to them. "I'm to be sent into the caves with the women!" her outrage was clear as her eyes settled on Alexandra, and for a moment, she felt a pang of regret for her abilities.
"That is an honorable charge." Aragorn tried to reason immediately with her.
"To mind the children, to find food and bedding when the men return! What renown is there in that?" Her voice shook as she spoke, her eyes betraying just how upset she was over the order given by her uncle.
Aragorn clasped her biceps, and spoke in a soft voice. "My lady, a time may come for valor without renown. Who then will your people look to in the last defense?"
"Let me stand at your side." She countered.
"It is not in my power to command it." He returned, then turned from her, starting away before her voice sounded once more.
"You do not command the others to stay! They fight beside you because they would not be parted from you! Because they love you!" It wasn't grief that shook her voice then, it was a new emotion, one she had not shown before to Aragorn.
She turned, and looked up at the elf. "I told you."
His blue eyes looked shocked back down at her. "How did you know?"
she smiled. "I'm a woman, I can read other women easily."
Aragorn turned back to her during her speech and moved close to her. She could see her lips moved once more, but she couldn't make out the words that were whispered before she pushed past them and moved on, not paying Alexandra any attention.
"She's upset with me." She said to Aragorn.
"The only reason I'm allowing you with us is because of your power. We may need it. We will have in experienced archers, and may need your ability to better direct them to the targets." He moved closer to her, and eyed Legolas before turning his attention back to her. "You will do as I or Legolas instructs. Do you understand?"
She nodded. "Yes, I understand."
"Disobey, and you will immediately be moved to the caves."
Once more she nodded. "Okay."
He nodded and moved on to the armory. As they reached it, she couldn't believe her eyes. Boys barely thirteen were there, receiving chain mail far too big for them, old men too frail to be able to fight were gaining weapons.
"Farmers, farriers, stable boys, These are not soldiers." Aragorn commented.
"Most have seen too many winters." Gimli added.
"Or too few." She and Legolas said in unison. They shared a soft smile before turning their attention back to Aragorn, who nodded his agreement.
"Look at them, they're frightened. I can see it in their eyes." Legolas said as he looked over the soldiers. As soon as he spoke, the chatter among the men stopped and turned to look at Legolas. Who then began to speak in elvish. She would have killed to understand what they were saying until Aragorn finally spoke, rather, yelled in English.
"Then I shall die as one of them!" The man moved up close to Legolas a soft glare in his eyes before moving away from him.
Gimli reached out and took hold of Legolas' arm. "Let him go, lad. Let him be."
Legolas sighed, and turned back to her. "Let's get you ready. If you're going to be fighting, I would much rather you not be unprotected."
Alexandra nodded and let him lead her to a more private area. "Will they have anything that will fit me and allow me to fight?"
He smiled. "They should. Being that I've seen you in your nightwear already, I'll be assisting you. I promise I mean not to embarrass you."
she couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips. "Legolas, remember we are from two completely different societies. The night gown you saw me in was nothing. Women go out in public in a lot less clothing then that."
"All the same I will try not to look." He started looking through the remaining chain mail until he found something that might fit her. She stripped down to the slip she wore under the dress and blouse, and momentarily thought of taking that off just for the shock value that would entail. Then thought better of it. They needed Legolas in prime condition during the battle. He approached her carefully, trying desperately not to touch anything on her then her arms as he slipped it over her, it fell to mid-thigh, the sleeves came to just past her elbows, and was tight, but still allowed her movement.
They didn't speak as he helped her pull her clothing back on over the chain mail, and helped to arm her once more, strapping the sword belt around her waist, the movement bringing him close to her, and she couldn't help how her breath caught in the back of her throat. She couldn't seem to help herself but find him incredibly attractive, and want him in every way possible. The elf was beautiful. She was ruined for any other male, if she ever went back to New York, there would be no way she would be able to truly find a man as beautiful as Legolas was.
As he finished, he backed away from her slightly nervous. She couldn't help but foolishly wonder if he felt the same way about her. She knew it was impossible there was no way she was as beautiful as any other elf he could have been with. Her eyes drifted to the main room where she could hear that all the noise had stopped except for one man. They slowly moved back to the main room where they saw Aragorn readying himself for the battle. Legolas moved over and picked his sword up before handing it to him.
"We have trusted you this far. You have not led us astray. Forgive me, I was wrong to despair." He said, his eyes conveying his regret.
Aragorn placed his hand on his chest, and spoke in elvish, then clasped Legolas on the shoulder. Then he turned to Alexandra. "Well you look ready."
Alexandra smiled and nodded. "I won't let you down." She smiled as Gimli dropped the chain mail around him, complaining about fit.
Then a horn sounded, and her eyes widened in fear until Legolas' eyes filled with hope. "That is no orc horn." He raced up the stairs, and the rest followed quickly behind.
Alexandra's eyes widened and a smile crossed her face as she saw Haldir. She couldn't help moving down with Legolas and standing behind Haldir with him.
"We are proud to fight alongside men once more." Haldir said a smile on his features.
Her hope had been restored.