The pounding of my heart echoed in my ears, the rising of my chest was the only thing I was aware of. Slowly, I opened my eyes to gaze at my surroundings. The walls were made up of white and grey stones, and as I stood up, I noticed a wooden door and a small window that let in the late evening light. The padding of feet made my ears perk up, swivelling around to locate where they were coming from. The door opened to reveal Saruman and a pasty white, sickly man with greasy black hair. We stared at eachother, a satisfied smirk on my mentor's old face. "It's good to see that you are finally up, Laila. We have much work for you to do."
A sudden flare of heat spread up my spine, and the intensity of the heat grew. I tried to shake it off, but the fiery pain would not dissapate. "What- what's happening to me?" I choked.
"You are feeling the need to do your master's bidding. Lord Sauron was quite pleased to have you work underneath him." Saruman explained.
I tried to laugh at the old man who I despised, but I seemed to only choke on my words and then speak things I would have never dreamed would come out of my mouth."Of course, I live to serve Lord Sauron. What does the master wish me to do?" I asked. The fire in my spine flared up as I protested against its will, but it overcame me before quickly simmering down. It felt like I was trapped in my own body, I had no control over my actions. All I had was my thoughts, and nothing else. Whatever Saruman did to me when I was knocked out, I was now afraid I was not going to be able to get out of this without harming the people I loved. Saruman moved towards a large, black ball, pouring a powder like substance into an opening at the top. "Theoden will move his people to the great fortress of Helms Deep: an inpenatrable keep. However, Helm's Deep has one weakness. It's outer wall is solid rock but for a small culvert at its base, which is little more than a drain." The wizard explained while the sickly man peered over the White Wizard's shoulder, into the metal ball, a torch in his hand. "How? How can fire undo stone? What kind of device could bring down the wall?"
Saruman looked pointedly at him, pushing away the torch from the powder, and walking slowly towards the balcony that opened to the outside as he continued speaking, "If the wall is breached, Helms Deep will fall." Grima quickly followed behind him, and so did my own body though I willed myself to runout the door.
"Even if it was breached, it would take a number beyond reckoning, thousands, to storm the keep!"
"Tens of thousands." Saruman corrected.
"But, my lord, there is no such force!"
Coming out onto the balcony, each of us gazed upon the army as a horn sounded and all the Urk'hai roared in praise at the appearence of their leader. I could only look upon them in shock, my stomach sinking. How could my friends compare to such a great force? They would all no doubtfully be destroyed! Raising his hand for silence, Saruman called out to them. "A new power is rising! Its victory is at hand!" A short-but-loud cheer came from the army, but they quickly quieted. "This night, the land will be stained with the blood of Rohan! March to Helds Deep! Leave non alive! To war!" Quickly walking back into the room, the old man sneered, "There will be no dawn for man."
I sat, watching in horror as the army of monsters began marching to the safe haven which my friends were at. What I wouldn't give to be with them at this moment. Though they were standing on the eve of battle and more than likely going to their deaths, they would be fighting for what they believed while I sat here with the enemy at my side, collaberating with them. I was a traitor against my will, how horrible of a way to live and die was that? Peering down at me, Saruman outstreched his hand. "Come Laila, we have much work to do for you in a short amount of time, for you must be prepared for battle and manage to catch up to the masses." I so desperately wanted to reach out and bite his hand, but the fire once again flared up my spine. The muscles in my neck forced my head to bow dow, and my lips moved on their own accord. "Yes my lord. I am ready for any task you shall give me."
My dear friends, how I wish you would not have to bere witness to my treachery, and fall by the swipe of my claw.
Third Person POV
It had been almost a month since they had found Gandalf in Fangorn Forest, and Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli now found themselves preparing for battle. The absence of their kidnapped comrads weighed heavily on all of them, but Legolas could still not shake the feeling of great loss that captured his heart. They were staring death in the face, and Legolas found himself not caring. If death was what he needed to see Laila again, then he would take that opportunity. Yes, the mixed feeling which had been contained inside the woodland elf had finally made sense to him. He had grown feelings for the spunky, sofident, optimistic cursed elf; feelings that reached past friendship. Though, with her presence missing, the usually hearty elf had become forlorn and easily agitated, something that had not passed by his comrads unnoticed. The comotion of men grabbing whatever armor and weapons they could within the armory surrounded the three as Aragorn inspected a dingy sword before tossing it back into the pile. "Farmers, farriers, stable boys. These are no soldiers." The ranger said through gritted teeth.
"Most have seen too many winters." Gimli piped up from below.
"Or too few. Look at them. They're frightened. I can see it in their eyes." Legolas spoke, his eyes narrowing at those around him. The armory fell silent, watching the human and elf begin to heatedly bicker. "Boe a hûn: neled herain dan caer menig!" [And they should be: three hundred against ten thousand!]
"Si beriathar hýn. Amar nâ ned Edoras." Aragorn reasoned with the upset elf. [They have more hope of defending themselves here than at Edoras.]
"Aragorn, men i ndagor. Hýn ú-... ortheri. Natha daged aen!" Gimli watched as his companions continued speaking in elvish, the dwarf not understanding a lick of it besides the fact that they were arguing about the upcoming battle. PAragorn, We are warriors. They cannot win this fight. They are all going to die!]
"Then I shall die as one of them!" Aragorn roared. With a pause, the human quickly walks out of the room, his own anger boiling. Legolas's face softed as he realized he had upset his friend and he moved to follow him, but Gimli held onto his arm.
"Let him go, lad. Let him be." The elf glanced down uncertainly, but finally relented, turning to finish preparing. Legolas fell into the deep recesses of his mind and he got ready, and once he had fianlly finished, he went out in search for the northern ranger, finding him in the lower parts of the armory. Spotting Aragorn making his finishing preperations, the elf picks up the sword which laid to the side and handed it to Aragorn, who hraciously accepted it. "We have trusted this you far, and you have not led us astray. Forgive me. I was wrong to despair." The blonde elf confessed.
"There is nothing to forgive, Legolas." Aragorn said in elvish, putting his hand on the other's shoulder. Then glancing over at the dwarf that had just entered, they watched him as he struggled to put on his chainmail.
"If I have time, I'll get this adjusted." Finally rolling it over his stout figure, the chainmail fell to the floor and then some. Looking sheepishly up at the two, he quickly looks away begrudgingly. "It's a little tight around the chest." He grumbled.
Both elf and human bit back smiles, but their small moment of relief was broken by a horn belting through the air. The three look between eachother curiously, wondering what was going on, when Legolas stated that it wasn't an orc horn. Running out of the battlements, they watch in shock as the forces of the Lothlorien elves made their way into the keep. Theoden, also having rushed out at the sounding of the horn gapped in amazement. "How is this possible?"
Standing proudly at the front, Haldir removed his helmet and stood proudly in front of the mortal king. "I bring word from Elrond of Rivendell. An Alliance one exhisted between elves and men. Long ago we fought and died together." Looking up, he smiled and nodded at the rushing three. "We come to honor that allegiance."
Hesitantly Aragorn bowed, but quickly rose up and pulled the elf into a bear hug. "Mae govanen, Haldir." He beamed while the elf tentively returned the hug. Turning to King Theoden once more, Haldir proudly states, "We are proud to fight alongside men once more."
Theoden nodded, an inkling of hope showing on his grim face, and Haldir began looking through the crowd of people, a frown etched onn his usually smooth face. "Where is Lady Lanomarila? I wish to make sure she is well."
Suddenly, the faces of the three turned grim. "Laila.....she was taken by Urk'hai to the Tower of Isenguard. We haven't seen her for months." Aragorn confessed. Haldir's face registered shock as he glanced between the three.
"That can not be! Why would Saruman want her? How could they have taken her?!" The elf's calm demeanor quickly dissolved into one of disstress.
"Soon it won't matter." Gimli grumbled, "We won't be here to do anything about it."
All of them stood there, contemplating their fate, wondering what sort of horrors awaited them.
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AHhhhhhhh!!! I finally have thee next chapter out! THough, I feel bad because it took so damn long, and it's not the best I've written, I just felt that I HAD to get this out. I've been trying to do better about updating, so let's see how long I can keep this up for. Until next time!!!