Chance Encounter
Disclaimer: I don't own anything that you recognize. I'm just borrowing them without permission but with every intention of returning them to their rightful owners.
Chapter 25: The Battle for the Keep
Wave upon wave of orcs surged forwards, their wet bodies glistening in the flickering torchlight from the fortress. Aragorn gave instructions, and the elves fired at the orcs. Arrows fell down on them like the rain, striking them at the weak points of their armour and felling many. Not to be outdone, the men released a volley of their own.
Balian could sense the men's nervousness. The tension was so thick he could almost slice through it. The boys clutched their chunks of rock, ready to throw them down upon their enemy. He held up a hand to stop them. The orcs were out of range.
The minions of Isengard retaliated, shooting crossbow bolts up at the defenders. Bodies tumbled from the wall to smash upon the hard rocky ground below or to be impaled by pikes. A force using the turtle formation with shields protecting them on all sides and the top slowly and steadily made their way up the causeway towards the gate. Each shield bore a crudely drawn shape, but it was not so hard to tell that it was the White Hand which was trying to strike down Rohan.
"Now!" shouted Balian and his contingent threw their rocks and other missiles down upon the orcs. Most of them bounced off the shields but some hit the orcs below. It seemed that every orc they felled was replaced by another more determined to get at the gate with their battering ram.
Ladders were being propped up against the wall, each with an orc perched at the top. Balian could not help but be impressed. Whatever these orcs were, incompetent was not a word that he would use to describe them. The blacksmith drew his sword, and around him, the others did the same. The orcs leapt onto the wall and the men promptly engaged them in battle. As soon as Balian parried the first blow that was meant for him, he immediately knew that these orcs were not like the others that he had fought. To compare these ones to those was like comparing the light of the sun to that of the moon. His arm shook from the force of the impact. The orc was strong; too strong. The only advantage that the blacksmith had was speed and agility. He ducked the next blow and struck the creature's leg, amputating it just below the knee. Black blood spurted onto his hands and the orc roared in pain as it toppled over. Amidst the din, he heard Gimli's battle cry of something which sounded like 'Baruk Khazad!'. Without slowing down, he whirled around to face yet another assailant. Unlike his previous adversary, this one wore armour. The Sword of Ibelin struck it with a loud clang and Balian had to drop to the ground and roll to avoid being cleaved into two. He thrust up with his blade and plunged it into the orc's neck. The blacksmith scrambled to his feet and pulled his sword out of the dead orc.
His inexperienced boys were fighting three of the foul creatures and they were losing. Behind him, Gimli was harvesting orc heads, landing blows left and right. He shouted numbers gleefully while nearby, Legolas was also counting.
'They have made a game of it,' thought Balian. It was too serious to be a game. He blocked a downward stroke that would have killed Éothain then trapped his adversary's blade with his sword's guard. He swung the blade upwards and cut the orc's throat.
Éothain had already engaged himself in yet another fight, this time with help from his companions. He was determined to prove that he was worthy of his knighthood.
Éowyn could hear the din of the raging battle above them. The domed roof of the caves amplified the sounds. It seemed as if their whole world was tumbling down around them. Mothers clutched their frightened children to their bosoms, too terrified themselves to offer them any words of comfort. The Shieldmaiden of Rohan ran her thumb gently along her blade of blue steel. She itched to see it covered in the black blood of the orcs who had taken both her father and her cousin.
She wondered what was happening outside the caves. Aragorn no doubt would have assumed the role of a commander of some sort. His friends would be fighting beside him cleaving orc heads as they would ears of wheat. More than anything, she wished she was out there with them. Why weren't women allowed to fight? Was she not as capable as any of the men? Théodred had said that she was better than most. He ought to have known and her cousin had not been a man who would tell her a lie in order to placate her. Valar damn it! Why was she born a woman, a member of the weaker sex?
Éowyn took up her sword. The hilt felt comfortable in her hands. She gave it a few experimenting swings, imagining that it was cutting through orc flesh.
Shooting arrows for an extended period was more tiring than Guy had thought that it would be. His shoulders and arm muscles ached and his quiver had almost be emptied. Soon he would be fighting with his blade and he had no desire to face one of those demons from hell. He put his last arrow to the string… then he saw something that he hated more than hell itself. He changed his mind and aimed at Balian who was fighting with one of those things nearby with his back to Guy.
Guy's hand shook with anticipation and excitement. At last, the day had come! Warmth coursed through his body and his heart hammered like the drumbeats of victory. He released the arrow. It flew … and grazed Balian's thigh. Guy cursed then cheered up again as the blacksmith faltered. That moment's distraction was all the orc needed. It struck Balian's ribs with its club, sending the man falling backwards. Balian landed hard on his back, wheezing in pain, his breath driven from his lungs. His chest throbbed.
'Probably broken,' he thought, grateful for the armour that Lady Galadriel had given him. Somehow he felt that she knew he would need it. He knocked aside a blow that would have impaled him then rolled away, ignoring the fire in his chest. The orc's sword connected with the stone, creating sparks. Just as the orc charged at the wounded blacksmith, an elven arrow suddenly sprouted from its eye and pierced its brain. Balian turned and nodded his thanks to his rescuer. Legolas saluted him then turned back to the next oncoming wave of orcs.
The former king of Jerusalem saw this out of t he corner of his eye as he fought of the ferocious onslaught of one of the foul creatures. Damn the elf to Hell, and may he burn for eternity! Why did he have to ruin everything? If not for him, Balian would have been long dead, with no evidence to suggest that Guy had any hand in his demise.
Balian clambered to his feet, gasping. Each breath hurt. He doubted that he was of much use now.
'Come on!' he told himself. 'Godfrey once fought two days with an arrow through his testicle, so why can't you fight with a couple of broken ribs?'
'Godfrey wasn't fighting with demons from hell,' said another part of his mind.
'Shut up,' he told it. He was about to charge back into the chaos when he heard a large explosion. Moments later, he was being blasted backwards. Rocks and bits of debris hailed down around him and he tried to shield his head with his arms. He heard someone calling his name desperately then he was being shaken. Balian looked up to see a terrified Éothain. "They've blown a hole in the wall," said the boy fearfully. "Are you alright, sir?"
"I'm fine," he said, clambering to his feet. "They'll be needing my help." He raced off to where the wall had been breached, not looking back to see if the boy was following him. Personally, he hoped that the boy was not following. It was too dangerous for a child. He arrived just in time to see Gimli jump off the wall into a group of orcs who were about to tear Aragorn to pieces. The dwarf did not seem to care that the orcs were holding pikes that were pointing upwards. Gimli must have had the blessings of all the deities in Middle Earth for he was not impaled. He landed in the water at the base and started hacking in every direction. Balian found a flight of steps and ran down to help his friend.
Gimli had been overwhelmed and if he did not get help soon, he would drown. Balian threw himself at the orcs, just as Aragorn gave the elves a command. Arrows flew towards them and hit the Uruk Hai. Balian reached into the water and pulled the sputtering dwarf up. They looked up just in time to see Legolas sliding down the steps while standing on an orc shield and shooting at the same time. He had used up the last of the arrows and now he brandished his knives. Aragorn had joined in the fight. The four friends hacked and slashed, trying to stop the orcs from entering the fortress, to no avail. There were too many of them.
"Fall back!" they heard Théoden shout. Gimli took no heed of the command and Legolas and Balian had to drag him away by the arms, kicking and struggling.
"What are you stopping for?!" roared the infuriated dwarf. Balian was surprised. Could Gimli not see the futility?
"Stop it, Gimli!" said Legolas. "If we don't go in we'll all be killed!"
Gimli looked up at the elf. "Alright, then, elf. Put me down! I can walk!"
"You promise you won't go the other way?"
"I promise!"
Balian and Legolas released Gimli and they rush inside the keep to find Théoden trying to reinforce the gate. "Hold them!" the king was shouting. "Stand firm!" The orcs had made a hole in the wood and the men were busy trying to fend them off as well as mend the gate. The blacksmith immediately went to help the men with the timbers, while Aragorn pushed the orcs' weapons back so that the men could place their timbers.
"Hold them!" repeated Théoden.
"How long do you need?" said Aragorn.
"As long as you can give me," said the king.
"Come, Gimli!" said Aragorn. The two of them disappeared. Balian wished he could follow them but he could not abandon the men. They needed him here; he had done this before and he knew what to do.
Moments later, he could see Aragorn and Gimli appear miraculously in front of the gate on the causeway, sending orcs falling down the sides. 'Where did they come from?' he wondered.
"Up a bit!" he said out loud, instructing the men where to put the wood. "We need another one over here!"
Bit by bit, the hole in the gate was blocked in until a tiny space was left. "Aragorn!" Théoden shouted through said space. "Get out of there!"
The ranger started for the gate, uncertain of how a man and a dwarf could fit through such a small gap. He didn't have to think for long. An orc grabbed them both by the neck and proceeded to strangle them. The king ordered the last timber to be placed, much to Balian's dismay.
"You're just going to leave them out there?" he demanded angrily. "They may have just saved your nation and is this how you repay them?"
"Much must be sacrificed in war," said Théoden. "You of all people should know that, Sir Knight."
Balian stormed away to find a way to save his friends. The king's words irked him; Théoden was right and he knew it. Only his conscience found it difficult to accept. He went out to the battlements above the gate and looked down at his friends. The blacksmith hated his helplessness.
The Uruks were launching ballistae at them, using the large missiles as grapple hooks to pull up ladders that were covered in orcs. Balian felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Legolas. "We've got to do something," said the elf. He pulled an arrow from his quiver —somehow he had managed to refill it— then took aim. His arrow flew true and severed one of the ropes pulling the ladders up. The ladder fell backwards and crushed its load of orcs. Legolas took the rope. "Aragorn!" he shouted, throwing the rope down to them.
The ranger caught hold of the rope with one arm and Gimli with the other. Legolas hauled them up while Balian fended off any orc that tried to attack the elf while he was preoccupied.
"That was stupid," said Balian, clapping Aragorn on the shoulder. "Next time, take me with you."
"Agreed," said Aragorn. "Now inside the hall. We can't hold them here for much longer."
"Where's Haldir?" said Legolas suddenly.
Aragorn was silent and the elf understood. He sent a swift prayer for Haldir's soul. They would mourn him later, when they had the luxury of time.
Guy rushed inside the hall, panting. He was going to die. There was no way that anyone would survive this, not unless there was divine intervention. Guy prayed to God for help. He wasn't ready to meet his maker yet! Goddamnit! He was not ready to die!
Aragorn, Balian, Gimli and Legolas rushed inside. They were the last. The doors were closed and the remaining men and elf started to barricade the entrance.
"Come on, Lusignan!" shouted Balian. "Don't just stand there and wait for death!"
"The fortress is taken," said Théoden in despair. "It is over."
"You said the fortress would never fall while your men defended it!" shouted Aragorn, releasing the table that he and Legolas had been carrying over to the doors. "They still defend it! They have died defending it!"
"The women and children…" said Balian. It didn't matter if he died but he could not let those innocents be harmed.
"Is there no way for the women and children to get out of the caves?" demanded Aragorn. He got no answer.
"Is there no other way?" he repeated.
"There is one way," said Gamling hesitatingly at last. Legolas rushed to the remaining table and with Guy's help dragged it over against the door. "It leads into the mountains," continued the guardsman "but they won't get far. The Uruk Hai are too many."
"Send word to the women and children to get out of the caves, and barricade the entrance!" said Aragorn.
"Does it matter?" said Théoden. His voice was heavy, laden with hopelessness. "There has been so much death; too much. What can men do against such hate?"
"The least you can do is try," said Balian. Didn't Théoden care? They were his people! How could he give up like that? Théoden threw him a dispirited glare. He was too tired to argue with the young man.
"Ride out with me," said Aragorn. "Ride out and meet them!"
Light returned to Théoden's eyes. He remembered his own words. 'If this is to be our end,' he had said 'Then I would make it such an end as to be worthy of remembrance.'
"For death and glory," he breathed.
"For Rohan," said Aragorn. "For your people."
"The sun is rising," said Gimli.
'What is so significant about that?' thought Balian. 'The sun will rise whether we succeed or not.'
"The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the deep for one last time!" declared Théoden.
"Yes!" cried Gimli and he sped off, no doubt to sound the horn. Moments later, the horn blast shook the fortress.
"Now for wrath, and for ruin, and a red dawn!" cried Théoden, putting on his plumed helmet and mounting. The others followed the king's example, with naked blades in their hands. The door gave way and fell to the ground with a loud crash, sending dust flying upwards.
"Forth Eorlingas!" shouted the king and he kicked his horse forward, cutting his way through the ranks of orcs. To be honest, more orcs were trampled to death than cut down by swords but at that moment, the remaining defenders of Helms Deep were not particular as to who actually killed the orcs as long as the orcs were killed. They rode down the causeway, spilling orcs off the sides.
In the east, the golden rays of the morning sun reached across the sky. In front of the sunrise was a lone rider on a white horse.
"Gandalf!" breathed Aragorn. Another rider soon joined the wizard, then a whole contingent of riders.
"To the king!" shouted Éomer. The riders charged down the slope just as the sun emerged, blinding the orcs.
"Reinforcements!" cried Guy. "Praise be to God!" He started hacking at the orcs with more fervour than before. Killing orcs was not so different from killing infidels. It was killing the enemies of God either way and it might just secure him a place in heaven, or at least keep him out of Hell. He forgot about Balian for a while as he slashed at the monsters, feeling as if he was a saint fighting the minions of Satan.
To Guy's left, Balian cleaved an orc head in two. The hope had renewed his strength. He forgot about his injuries.
The Uruk Hai, which had been so feared, were driven away into a forest which had not existed the day before. 'What in God's name?' wondered Balian. Forests did not grow in the span of one day, not even in Middle Earth, at least, he thought not.
"Stay away from the trees!" shouted Éomer. Legolas looked on with awe and reverence as the forest began to move. The screams of dying orcs could be heard.
"Mary mother of God!" breathed Guy. He was never going to look at trees the same way ever again. In fact, it would be best if he never saw another tree in his life. Who knew whether it could be one of these murderous things? Wait. Was it possible to lure Balian into one such forest? Maybe, if the blacksmith was drugged. Then again, his friends would never let that happen. The elf knew too much about trees anyway.
"That was the most magnificent thing I have ever seen," said Legolas with an intoxicated look on his face. Gimli grimaced.
"I am not going to go into another forest again, ever," he grumbled. Balian felt inclined to agree. Getting crushed or impaled by a branch was not a desirable death.
"Gimli," said Legolas cheerfully. "I believe we have a score to settle."
"What score?" said Balian.
"Well, the elf here bet that he could kill more orcs than me," said Gimli. "I felt disinclined to agree."
"What did you bet?" said Balian, not sure whether he wanted to know or not.
"Let's just say that the elf won't be pleased if he loses," said the grinning dwarf.
"Gimli, it's not very nice…" began Balian.
"Sir Balian!" cried Éothain. He was followed by more children, Freda among them.
"Thank goodness you're alright!" said Balian. One of the girls ran to him and hugged his leg.
"I was scared," she said, looking up at him with large round eyes. "But I was bwave and I didn't cwy."
"I'm sure you were very brave, little one," said Balian, bending down to ruffle her hair.
"Well, Balian, Childminder of Rohan," said Legolas with a grin. "We'll leave you to your charges. Gimli and I have some counting to do."
Balian had forgotten all about that nickname, until now. All of a sudden, he was very eager for Legolas to lose his bet.
A/N: Well, that was more difficult than I thought it would be, mainly because I know next to nothing about fighting techniques. Ah well, I hope you enjoy it anyway. I stayed up until the early morning to finish it. Let me know what you think!