Chapter 20
"Farmers, ferriers, these are no soldiers," Aragorn said quietly.
"Most have seen too many winters!" Gimli exclaimed in agreement.
"Or too few," Legolas agreed. "Look at them. They're frightened. You can see it in their eyes."
Everyone fell silent and stared at the elf.
"~And they should be,~" he said in elvish. "~Three hundred against ten thousand?~"
"~They have a better chance of defending themselves here then they did in Edoras,~" Aragorn countered.
"~Aragorn, they cannot hope to win this fight. They are all going to die!~" Legolas told him.
"Then I shall die as one of them!" Aragorn returned, forgetting to speak in elvish. Morwen's eyes widened in shock and Malinaduial gasped. Aragorn and Legolas had never fought like that before. Aragorn stalked off and Legolas seemed as though he would follow him, but Gimli stopped him.
"Let him go, laddie," the dwarf said. "Let him be."
Moments later, Boromir entered with a confused look on his face and joined them. "Why did Aragorn just storm out of here?" he asked Morwen and Malinaduial.
"Legolas made him angry," Morwen explained.
"Legolas?"
Malinaduial sighed, then explained everything that had just happened. "Legolas rather hopelessly said that everyone fighting will die and that we stand no chance of victory, let alone survival. Aragorn, of course disagreed, there was a short disagreement-"
"More like a fight," Caranduin muttered. Malinaduial glared at him.
"There was a short disagreement, ending with Aragorn leaving in anger," Malinaduial finished.
"Anyway, where were you Boromir? Why did you run off like that?" asked Morwen curiously after a few moments.
"Nowhere. And no reason," Boromir said quickly.
The two female elves looked unconvinced, but Caranduin came to Boromir's rescue before they could pester him.
"If he doesn't want to tell us, that's fine," Caranduin said. "What we should be focusing on is the battle, not Boromir's personal life."
"It's nearly nightfall by now," Malinaduial said a couple minutes later. "We should find Aragorn."
"I agree," Morwen said. "Legolas, Gimli, let's find Aragorn."
"Why?" asked Legolas.
"Because it's nearly nightfall, so the Uruk-hai will likely be here soon. Also, you need to apologize to him," Caranduin said.
"You're right," Legolas said. "Let's go."
The group made their way to where Aragorn was preparing for battle. He reached for his sword, but Legolas had beaten him to it. He turned and saw Legolas holding the sword, hand outstretched.
"Thank you," he murmured as he took the sword from Legolas.
"Forgive me, I was wrong to despair," Legolas said.
"~There is nothing to forgive, Legolas,~" Aragorn replied.
A horn sounded, startling them.
"That is no orc horn," Legolas said. They left the room and made their way to where the sound had come from. When they arrived, they saw a huge group of elven archers arriving.
"How is this possible?" asked Theden, clearly surprised. Morwen didn't blame him.
"We bring news from Elrond in Rivendell," Haldir replied. "An alliance once existed between men and elves. We come to honour that alliance."
"Haldir, mae govannon," Aragorn said, hugging the startled elf who led the group. "You are most welcome!"
"Long ago we fought, and died together," Haldir continued. "We are proud to fight amon men once more.
"You could have picked a better spot!" Gimli was complaining again, but this time it seemed reasonable to Morwen. The short dwarf couldn't see over the wall to where the Uruks were marching towards them. "Well lad, whatever luck you live by, let's hope it lasts the night," The dwarf added to Aragorn.
"Your friends are with you, Aragorn," Legolas said inn assurance as it began to rain.
"Let's hope they last the night," Gimli muttered. Morwen glared at him.
The Uruk-hai stopped marching. "~Show them no mercy, for you shall receive none!~" Aragorn shouted in elvish.
The Uruks began to chant and began banging staffs on the ground, making a loud noise. They were clearly trying to intimidate the Rohirrim.
"What's happening? I can't see!" Gimli complained again, jumping and trying to see.
"Shall I describe it to you, or would you like to find you a box?" Legolas asked with a slight smirk. Gimli laughed slightly.
The intimidation worked. An elderly man couldn't take it any more, the arrow he had ready on the bow was let loose. It struck an Uruk, which fell dead. And so it began.
The Uruks began to charge towards the walls of Helm's Deep with no intention save for massacre. The battle of Helm's Deep had begun.
Merry and Pippin were very bored of listening to the ents attempt to decide upon something. And so Merry decided o question them. And just as he decided to do so, Treebeard turned to look at them.
"We have just agreed," Treebeard said. After he didn't continue in a few moments, Merry spoke.
"Yes?"
Treebeard's head snapped up. "I have told your names to the entmoot, and we have just agreed... That you are not orcs."
"But what about Saruman? Have you come to a decision about him?" Merry snapped.
"Now, don't be hasty," Treebeard replied.
"Hasty? We're running out of time!"
"I'm on seventeen!" Legolas replied to Ginmli when the dwarf was excited about having killed two Uruks.
"Seventeen? I'll have no pointy ear outscoring me!"
Legolas shot down two more. "Nineteen!"
Morwen rolled her eyes and shot down another Uruk. "How about you focus on staying alive?" she suggested to Legolas and Gimli.
"Where's the fun in that?" asked Caranduin. "I've got twenty!"
"Don't tell me you're in on it too!" Morwen groaned as she shot an arrow at another Uruk.
Malinaduial shot down an Uruk. "Get used to it, Legolas and Caranduin are quite competitive, and Gimli appears to be no different!" the other female elf told Morwen.
"Brilliant!" Morwen replied, shooting down another Uruk. She couldn't believe that anyone in their right mind would be so competitive in such a situation, but she had to believe Malinaduial. After all, the other elf had known the elven princes since she was quite young.
Back with Merry and Pippin, the ents were still attempting to decide.
"We have just decided," Treebeard said again. "The ents cannot hold back this storm. We must weather such things as we have always done."
"How can that be your decision?" Merry replied angrily.
"This is not our war," Treebeard replied.
"But you're part of this world!" Merry exclaimed. "Aren't you?"
"~Bring him down Legolas! Bring him down~" Aragorn shouted.
Legolas shot at the Uruk that was carrying the torch towards the explosive device at the wall.
"~Kill him!~" Aragorn yelled again.
Legolas tried again, and hit the Uruk. A second later, the Uruk leaped into the the wall where the explosive was, and the wall exploded.
There you go. I included Merry and Pippin a bit so that I wouldn't have to spend to much time on the battle.