The next chapter is finished. Showdown hasn´t began yet but preparations are made.
What you will find is some Éomer content, Legolas content and some of the usual three men. As well, some interactions with Brego. (He is by far my favourite animal in whole Middle Earth.) A few heart-warming interactions in this chapter can´t be wrong. A battle is upon them.
Hope you still enjoy to read along but I guess as long as you do, you do. Thanks for your loyalty and belief in this story.
Enjoy.
May they come
Éomer rode behind his king and uncle during their journey to Helm's Deep. Not once did enemies block their way. The Marshal dismounted and lead his horse to the stables. There were men for that he knew but Éomer prefers to do this on his one. The fair-haired man racks his steed and quickly unsaddled it. He took down his helmet and made for the exit when he realized Boromir's horse next to him. "King Théoden gathers all commanders together to hold council. Can he count on you?" Éomer questions the Captain General of Gondor.
"Be sure of my participation," Boromir replies.
"Then may come with me," the marshal counters. The dark-haired man nods and both men left the stables. They passed Faramir, brother of Boromir and his follower smiled at the younger one.
"I hope my sister will be safe at Dunharrow," Éomer mumbles. Never would he commit such a fact in front of his soldiers but a brother, as the Captain General of Gondor was one would not denote it as weak.
"I understand. That is the burden the older one has to worry about," Boromir answers in a low voice. "The woman that turns around when we left was that...," the dark-haired man began and Éomer finished the sentence," My sister. Her name is Èowyn." War preparations were already made and both men manoeuvre around them.
"She became a handsome young lady. I believe you have troubles to fend off men who try to charm her," Boromir declares.
Éomer counters with a bitter smile," I have, friend. Grima Wormtongue was interested in her lately." Every time he said this name aloud the marshal became fierce.
"Do not worry I am not one of them," the Captain General promised. They reached the conference room. Éomer took his place at the side of Théoden and Boromir was gestured to the opposite of the king. Aragorn entered shortly after the two officers and silently asked for permission to join as well. The ranger received it and placed himself next to Boromir. "Rohan faces war and it soon reaches us here at Helm's Deep. The enemy can only come from the front and then the strong outer wall gives him struggles," Théoden began.
"Archers will take position at these walls and within forces on foot prepare themselves to defend the fortress should the enemy break through the front gate. I need men who will lead these forces to victory," the king continued and made eye contact with every single of them.
"I will lead the attack of the footman," Éomer declares.
"And I will join you," Aragorn states.
"Then I will be with the archers together with Faramir, Legolas and Gimli," Boromir determines. The other captains of Théoden joined Éomer and Aragorn.
Théoden closed the council with the words," So be it then. In the unlikely case that they should take over the utter levels, we will meet here again. Go then brave soldiers and allies of Rohan."
So, it may be, the next battle will soon arise and Legolas joins it. The elf sat together with Faramir and Gimli at the outer walls. Soon, the enemy will attack from the land he saw. Rohan was not comparable to Mirkwood but still it has some flair. "I cannot remain here any longer. It may be an elf thing to watch the green of the country. I see you two later on," Gimli states and left. Characteristic for a dwarf.
Faramir seems to focus on a point far away. "I will never completely get used to war," the younger one declares. "I became a soldier to defend the country I love but still I wonder if a war is the only solution for all problems," Faramir continues.
"None of us ever will. Except for the dwarf," Legolas replies, following Gimli with his eyes.
"They seemed to made for battles," the young ranger agrees. The elf returns his gaze to land in front them.
"Who taught you the archery?" he then asks.
"The weapons master of Minas Tirith showed me the basics and practice came from my time with the Ithilien Rangers," Faramir answers. Both remained silent for a while, a comfortable one.
"I have to confess that I was quite surprised of your ability with the bow. For decades I haven't made a man's acquaintance who challenged an elf with this weapon," he pauses and detects the faint smile of the second archer then Legolas continues, "Among elves it is tradition that the father pass along his knowledge to the son."
Faramir looks at him, hands lean on the outer wall," Since I was young, I adored your race. I still do. Mithrandir taught me Sindarin and no book was safe from me. Father called me a Wizard pupil because I spent so much time with him. My mother valued my interest and sometimes told me stories about the elves." When the younger one reminisces about his mother, a sad expression formed on his face.
"What happened to her?" questions Legolas though he could guess the answer.
"She died when I was only five years old," Faramir explains. The elf knows the situation very well. He did not spend much time with his mother either. Only occasionally and when he was in a good mood his father, Thranduil recounts her.
"I neither was allowed to spend much time with my mother," Legolas replies. Then several men of Rohan required passage and the archers lean close on the walls to let them pass.
"Father could not bear with her dead. He still grieves for her," Faramir states with a saddened gaze.
"My father, King of the Woodland Realm neither," the elf confesses.
"Since how long do you know Aragorn?" the younger one asks and changed the topic to a more pleasant one.
"I do know Estel for quite a long time," Legolas began.
"That is Sindarin for Hope," the second archer thought aloud then the prince continued," After the battle of the five armies my father sent me away to meet him. I then accompanied him on some adventures as Chieftain of the Dúnedain."
The very one spoken of then appeared at Faramir's left side. "Théoden held council. Both of you will join the archers here at the outer wall. Gimli and Boromir as well. I will coordinate the footman together with Éomer," Aragorn let them know.
Faramir turns around," I better search for Boromir then," the younger know said and left.
Estel smiled at him, "Ha na- man na gar- cin bui nin haer."
Legolas retorts the smile, "Im would always choose cín haer."
Boromir left the Council and began to search for his brother. He passed the steps to the outer walls in an attempt to search in the stables when the older one saw Faramir. "There you are. You missed the council," he states.
"I do know that," Faramir pauses," Aragorn told me that we will be with the archers. However, what surprises me is that you decided to be at the outer walls and not with the footman." His younger brother knew him too well. Indeed, would Boromir have joined the footmen but he swore himself to not let Faramir out of view since his brother nearly died at Amon Hen.
"I see. You try to evade my attention again," he twits the younger one. Boromir received a look their father could do as well, when someone had gone too far.
Then Faramir smiles," Never would I be able to do that nor would I want to."
The Captain General upholds his emotionless expression," Wise decision Captain." Once he saw the eyes of the younger one, he lost all composure. The joy, the love and courage all reside there. Boromir could defer the embrace no longer. After it he ruffles Faramir's hair. His brother is his weakness and fortitude at the same time. Then they heard a horse outside the gates.
"Open it," Éomer ordered who came around the corner just now. Soldiers action his order and a horse gallops through the gate and stops next to Faramir.
"You have a new friend? Why haven't you told...," Boromir questions.
"Not me. Brego searches for Aragorn," the younger one said while he strokes the horse. "You may hold him? I will get our friend," his brother said while he hands the Captain General the reins. The older one recognizes it as the one of Thèodred. Brego seemed to recall him as well, the older one acknowledges at the look the horse gave him.
Faramir hurried up the stairs to the outer wall. "A friend of you returned," the young ranger let Estel know.
Aragorn turns around," The horse indeed followed me. I will come." The tree of them walk down the stairs. Faramir knew it that Brego would come back. When Estel released him the horse already chose his new owner and a loyal steed will always come back. His brother hands the reigns to Aragorn and again the horse was caressed. Boromir gestures the younger one with his head that they need to go to prepare their unit of men. Faramir returns to his brother's left side and Legolas followed behind him.
"We do not know when they will arrive and there is still a lot to prepare," his brother declared.
"I will look for the dwarf and you for the men," the elf states and separated with them.
Aragorn brought Brego back to the stables. He would not have thought to find such a fine steed. The horse returned to him out of free will. Brego snorts at the ranger and rubs Aragorn's face as to pledge loyalty to his owner. Estel smiles and he met the gaze of his new friend. "Im will thír ed- an cin, im ber," he mumbles in Brego's mane. "Im don't baur cin yet but im am afraid soon farn," Aragorn adds then he left his horse to help with the preparations. Their enemy will arrive with all his might and Rohan will counter.
Conversation of Legolas and Aragorn: A: It is good to have you by my side L: I would always choose your side
Words to Brego: A: I will look out for you, I promise. A: I don't need you yet but I am afraid soon enough.