XXVII- The Rising of Dawn
"Pull everybody back. Pull them back!" Théoden's orders were shouted loudly as Legolas and Mirren gripped their companions and dragged them over the Deepling wall. The elleth breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of them and the man and the dwarf both equally gripped her fiercely when they had their feet on solid ground once more.
"We thought we'd lost you." Aragorn murmured to her, clasping a bloody hand around the back of her neck.
"Never." She smiled brightly and helped him over to the stairs. Legolas and Gimli followed quickly behind them, ferrying the last of Théoden's men from the wall.
"Fall back!"
The cries were getting quieter as the King raced back to the keep. With little time to catch up, the remainders of the Fellowship ran towards the gated building with all haste. Legolas gently pushed Mirren in front of him , ensuring her safety in small ways as he fired more arrows at the Uruk-hai.
As they retreated, the foul creatures had finally broken through the main gate and were washing into the Hornburg as Mirren had predicted only the day before.
"Hurry! Inside. Get them inside!" Aragorn shouted loudly as they paused on the last steps before the secondary gate. Each of them ferried the remainders of Théoden's army into the mild safety of the stone building at the heart of Helm's Deep.
Mirren's mind was overcome by the franticness of the battle once more, praying to the valar that what little hope she believed they still had, would remain until dawn. She did not know what was truly keeping her from despair, but she knew that as long as she was with her friends her heart would be as full as it had ever been and her hope would not diminish.
As the coming of dawn grew ever closer, the banners of Saruman were thrown over the battlements of Helm's deep. The dark cloth bore his white hand and it waved in almost victory over the Hornburg.
Within the fortress' walls, the resistance of men shuddered as the foul Uruk's yelled outside. Since the allies retreat, Saruman's army had been using a great wooden ram to batter down the Great Hall Doors.
Inside, Mirren scrambled with those around her to barricade their last hope between life and death from behind. Panting as Legolas helped her to lift a great bench and wedge it vertically against the weakening wood, the elves paused only when the King began to speak.
"The fortress is taken. It is over." King Théoden muttered from behind them. Mirren sighed and swept more useless cutlery from the table, pushing it closer Aragorn and Legolas who lifted it towards the doors. If she wasn't in such of a rush she would have enjoyed the irony of the similarities of the barricades of the Hornburg and the Fellowship's attempts at one with broken axes in Moria. Then, Boromir and the Hobbits had still been with them. Reluctantly, the elleth wondered if they'd ever get to see the Hobbit's again.
"You said this fortress would never fall while your men defend it." Moving still, Aragorn argued loudly, "They still defend it. They have died defending it!"
Mirren remembered Haldir, and the fallen elves who had died defending the Hornburg wall. Would Théoden really give up now, after all that had been sacrificed? The thought burned through her and she set a steely gaze against the King. How was this the same man who had boldly stated 'let them come' in the face of this army. How was this the man that had lectured them on these walls about how to defend this keep?
"While we still stand, the Hornburg has not been taken! It is not over until death claims us all!"
Théoden said nothing, ignoring each of their cries.
"Is there no other way for the women and children to get out of the caves?" Aragon asked frantically, hearing the snarls of the Uruk-hai a breaths distance away from them and the equally terrifying hints of fear in Mirren's voice.
When Théoden could barely drag his gaze from the floor, the ranger paused to approach him.
"Is there no other way!?" His insistence forced Gamling to answer for the King,
"There is one passage. It leads into the mountains." The captain offered hopelessly, "But they will not get far. The Uruk-hai are too many."
Aragorn looked to Mirren for a moment and she nodded, "If they move they stand a greater chance than if they stay."
The Uruk-hai continued to batter the doors, each thump of the ram jolting through the last defenders hearts.
"Tell the women and children to make for the mountain pass." Aragorn clasped Gamling's shoulder firmly, pointing towards the back doors, "And barricade the entrance!"
Théoden did not even notice the absence of his captain and spoke instead, dreamily into the air.
"So much death."
Mirren curled her hands into fists, willing the King to snap out of it before they were over run once again.
"What can Men do against such reckless hate?" He continued slowly.
Breathing heavily, the she-elf watched as a thought dawned on Aragorn's face. Behind them, The Uruk-hai rammed the door again and Legolas' fingers dropped to settle with hers. They were warm and familiar. Mirren wished for a moment that they hadn't left their feelings to settle for so long, unspoken. She lifted her gaze from the ranger to the ellon's face and smiled as the glowing pre-dawn light illuminated his sharp features and crowned him in airy silver.
If this was to be the end of them, she was happy.
"Ride out with me." The rangers words drew Mirren's gaze away from the Prince and finally snapped Théoden from his stupor, "Ride out and meet them."
"For death and glory." The King nodded, although it was slight and almost indistinguishable.
"For Rohan. For your people." Aragorn agreed.
The elleth squeezed Legolas' hand a smile dawning on her face at the idea.
"The sun is rising!" Gimli mused, looking towards a small window that faced East.
Turning her head, in the glow of the riding sun Mirren could see the smile of Mithrandir and the warm words he'd spoken only a few days before.
Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day. At dawn…Iook to the east.
"Yes!" Théoden agreed, feeling a renewed sense of hope, "Yes..." He breathed once more, thinking, "The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the Deep one last time!"
Grinning now, Gimli shouted, "Yes!" and took off towards a staircase in the corner of the room that Mirren hadn't seen upon her first entry.
Pulling a Legolas beside her, Mirren moved to a large set of wooden doors on the Eastern wall.
"We're going to need some horses." She grinned, reaching the doors only to find them locked.
Following her lead, Aragorn joined them and the three warriors forced the doors open with their shoulders.
With a sharp whistle, Brego, Hausfel and Arod trotted eagerly into the chamber, followed by the King's horse, Snowmane, and a few others. The elleth was thankful that the stable hands had prepared them for battle the day before. They each wore armour fit for the best of the Rohirrim and she patted Hausefel's snout proudly as he paused in front of her to snuff her palm.
His eyes ablaze once more with the promise of at least a glorious death, Théoden met Aragorn in the middle of the room and clasped his hand on the Ranger's shoulder.
"Let this be the hour when we draw swords together." He promised.
Above them the thrum of the Hornburg's great horn echoed around the fortress. Knowing Gimli had created the sound bought a smile to the she-elf's face as it thundered so loudly that the Horses shook their heads and neighed anxiously.
Mirren placed her hand over Legolas' heart as he came to stand in front of her, checking Hausfel's reigns. Careful that she had the attention of him and no-one else, she flashed an innocent smile, "Stay alive."
Her demand lit up the princes face and he nodded, assured now more than ever that he had something to live for.
"Stay close." He whispered the words in her ear and she could not stop the warm shiver that reached through her with the gentle brush of his lips.
As the elves mounted their horses, each blushing slightly, Théoden drew his sword.
"Fell deeds, awake." The King breathed and drew his sword. "Now for wrath…now for ruin and a red dawn!"
Determination set in their faces, the riders finally re-drew their blades. The sound of the Horn of Helm Hammerhand rang loudly once more, blocking out the foul wails of the Uruks as they finally battered down the keeps doors.
Faced with the grotesque beasts once more, Mirren winced before steeling her thoughts, bringing up her remaining blade and praying to the valar that each of her strikes would be true.
Raising his voice in a final battle cry, Théoden led their party into the thick of the fight, growling as he pushed Snowmane forward.
"Forth Eorlingas!"
The brave horses rushed into the flood of uruks with the power of a rapid. All about them, Uruk-hai and orcs fell in great numbers with the forceful slicing of the riders blades and sheer surprise of their attack.
Riding side by side with Aragorn, The King led their party out onto the causeway. Thinking for a moment how unbelievable it was that just a few hours before Gimli and Aragorn had defended it during the night, Mirren fixed her gaze upon Legolas in front of her and hacked at the Uruk's who challenged them.
As she severed the head of a burly orc, the she-elf's breath hitched at the sight of thousands of Uruks still waiting to storm the keep. They growled at the riders with a viciousness that only fueled the battle cries from her lungs.
Suddenly, as they charged the ranks upon ranks of Saruman's army, a white shining light pressed down upon them. Lifting her gaze to the sun, Mirren's jaw dropped, a little grin forming on her face as the battle still raged beneath Hausfel's hooves.
The rising sun illuminated a lone figure astride a white horse that could only be Shadowfax. Together, they crested the Eastern valley and the Mearas reared magnificently.
Mithrandir had returned.
"Gandalf!" Aragorn gasped loudly near her.
Using her elven ears to listen more intently, Mirren could hear the rumbled of thousands of horse feet and her heart unclenched with relief.
"Eomer!" The King smiled upon seeing his nephew and the young Marshall lifted his sword mightily into the air.
"To the King!"
His shout rattled down into the field of battle as the Uruks tried to reform their lines to face the new threat.
Fearlessly, Eomer, Gandalf and the exiled Rohirrim charged down the steep valley in defense of their king. Crying out in fear, the orcs around Mirren backed away, brandishing their spears in front of them to try and blunt the oncoming attack.
It seemed that the whole of the battlefield had stopped to watch as Gandalf rose his staff above the reach of all the orcs spears. With Narya ablaze on his hand, the wizard sent out a bright white-light, blinding the Uruk-hai and even the riders that had ridden from the Keep winced as Eomer's Rohirrim finally collided with the wall of uruks.
It seemed that the shock of the meeting sent the Uruks raging once more and Mirren returned her gaze to the unfortunate orcs that surrounded her and Hausfel.
Around the she-elf and her friends, the enemy fell in great numbers until all of the ravine was filled with victorious Rohirrim and the light of both the dawn and Gandalf who was unmissable now in his white robes.
As the aging wizard reached her side, Mirren smiled brightly and nodded her head towards him.
"Mithrandir! Your timing, as always, is impeccable!"
The old wizard's mouth pulled into a wry smile at her excitement still gripping Glamdring tightly in his hand.
"Well…I do aim to please, my lady." He replied,
Surprising herself more than her old friend, Mirren let out a laugh and for a moment Gandalf joined her quietly as Shadowfax turned to stride in line with Hausfel. From across the field, Legolas smiled at her.
Behind them, Théoden shouted the words that all of the Deep's defenders had hoped for since the battle had begun: "Victory! We have victory!"
Free from fear once more, the she-elf looked around them to witness the devastation of Saruman's forces. What remained of the uruk's fled towards the trees.
Riding toward the great wood, Mirren noticed the uneasy air radiating from the forest. She rose in her stirrups to look more intently at the trees and only sat when Eomer cut them off, drawing his Rohirrim behind him.
"Keep away from the trees!" He shouted, throwing a weary eye over his shoulder.
Mirren did not disagree with him and watched, amazed as the wood began to move. Screaming, the remains of Saruman's army were vanquished in its confines as nature avenged itself.
Sighing, the elleth wiped a sweaty hand across her forehead, thankful that the pain she had felt in it during the night as a result of being tossed from the wall had seemed to fade.
Breathing both slow and calm, she finally sheathed her remaining blade and turned to her friends as Eomer addressed them all loudly,
"I apologise for not getting here sooner... I am indebted to Gandalf for bring us back."
"There is nothing to forgive, my friend." Aragorn replied, moving to clasp Eomer's hand with his own. "The possibility of victory would have been much slimmer without you."
Knowing the truth of his words the company of riders dispersed, allowing Eomer to command his men and commence the clearing of the battlefield.
Sensing where she was needed most, Mirren took her chance to slip away from the heavily armed riders and dismounted. Leaving Hausfel in the care of Gandalf, she made her way towards the Keep, grimacing at the death that surrounded her as she walked.
His quiver full once more with collected arrows, Legolas looked for Mirren after the battle. He had last seen her brandishing her weapons near the fallen gates, pushing wounded men back towards the keep as the Rohirrim had begun to clear the field of battle.
Immediately Aragorn had pointed him in the direction of the healers station, "She'll be there." He'd stated with a firm clap on the ellon's shoulder and an exhausted nod. Legolas had followed his advice and found himself amongst the seriously injured, offering a helping hand where he could as his eyes searched for the she-elf.
His wounds weren't severe enough to require attention and even if they were he would have refused, there were riders and horses in the field that had more serious injuries. Plus, he had other things on his mind.
"You should rest." he said when he saw her directing some men towards clean bandages.
Mirren twirled around to meet his gaze, Legolas was relieved to see that she looked uninjured.
She felt his presence like a horse kick to the chest. For a moment, all the breath was stolen from her lungs. "So should you." She replied, wiping her hand across her forehead, smudging some other mans blood across her skin.
"I couldn't." He breathed, without seeing you
The elleth didn't reply immediately, only looking directly at him. Her blue eyes seemed to tear through his soul and Legolas found that his heart beat a little quicker in his chest.
"Are you injured?" She asked, her gaze softly tracing his form.
Legolas shook his head minutely and released a breath he didn't know he had been holding.
"Good." She smiled, albeit a small one.
Focussing on him for a moment, Mirren thought that for once, he looked nervous and the thought warmed her from the inside out.
She knew then what she had felt in Lorien, by the river, where she had dared not to accept the feeling that was creeping up on her like fate. In this moment, she once again remembered Arwen's words, spoken so long ago by the gardens in Rivendell.
You and my father are so alike, your foresight makes you doubt - some things are certain… they cannot be changed.
Her mind flashed to other moments, in Fangorn and in Edoras. Legolas had known then and for once in her life she had been blind enough to miss it. He was even wearing her brooch still, and then suddenly grinning like a child.
"I never thought-"
"-nor I" Legolas finished. Some things are certain, they cannot be changed.
Mirren willed him to continue because she did not believe the valar could give her any words of her own that expressed her feelings.
"When we were in Lorien.." He began stepping closer, "Galadriel told me to beware of the sea-"
"-Yes." She encouraged, her voice so soft she barely breathed the word.
"But I hear its call in your heart... In you."
Legolas placed his bow carefully on the makeshift bed next to her, stepping one more step towards her so that she had to finally look up into his eyes. His beautiful, beautiful, blue eyes. Mirren didn't know if she was breathing or if he'd simply been able to steal the breath from her lungs.
The she elf tried to ignore his closeness and the memory of his lips on hers, however briefly on the Deepling wall, or the feel of his touch in the armoury the day before as she forced breath so that she could speak.
"Legolas…I didn't know it before. But now ..well.. I think I'm in love with you."
A look of pure disbelief swept across his face for half a moment, before his mouth pulled into a hopeful grin.
"You love me?" Legolas repeated and she nodded, placing her hand over his heart lightly, not caring about the blood and mud on her palms.
And suddenly, all he could think of was what it would be like to kiss her again.
And so he did.