A/N: I continue to be pissed. A "friend" of mine called me a shitty writer. I could use some affirmation.
~* Chapter One: Turning *~
"A cage," whispered Eowyn ruefully, shaking her head as she gazed at the women and children, huddled together for comfort and warmth in the cold caves of Helm's Deep.
"A tomb," came a voice with a slightly more playful tone to it, from behind Eowyn. Smiling, she turned, facing the other young woman.
"Rinweth!" she exclaimed, collecting her friend - weary, dirty from a long journey - in a hug. "When did you arrive?"
"Just before they shut us in," replied Rinweth, tiredly. "The road seemed to be growing longer beneath our feet."
"Oh, no matter! You're here now!"
Rinweth smiled sadly, nodding. "I hope things go well above."
No sooner had she spoken, then did the entire cavern rumble and shake. Frightened cries sounded out, and Eowyn looked to Rinweth.
"Is it an earthshake?" Rinweth asked, looking to her friend, sharing her confused and concerned expression.
"No," replied Eowyn, raising a hand. The rumbling continued, beginning and stopping, beginning and stopping, in a steady 'boom boom boom'. "It comes from above."
Both women raised their gaze to the cave's ceiling, watching it. Dust and rubble sprinkled down upon them. Then, it stopped, and a silence followed that Rinweth thought was more horrible and unbearable than the pounding and shaking had been. Eowyn held her breath.
And then cries from above, screams and shrieks and shouts and such pained sounds, man and orc alike. Children held their ears, eyes shut as though that would drive the sounds away. It did not. More pounding, the clanging of swords and chainmail, the twanging of arrows, and more battle-cries, orcs and men shouting out in victory. And in death.
Rinweth took Eowyn's hand, holding it comfortingly, squeezing lightly. The two women stood, listening to the cries from above, trying to discern how the men were doing, how things were faring for Rohan.
Things seemed to be faring badly. Pressing her lips together, Rinweth glanced about slowly, and her attention was drawn to a door, hidden behind a few baskets of food.
"What's that?" she asked Eowyn, gesturing with her head, nodding in that direction.
"The passage into the mountains," came the response from Eowyn, distractedly, still staring up at the ceiling of the cave, as though if she willed it enough the fate of the battle might change for the better. Rinweth, however, was watching the door, in thought, her head tilted to the side.
And that's when the door's handle started to turn.
~* A/N: I like cliff-hangers! How 'bout you? *~
~* Chapter One: Turning *~
"A cage," whispered Eowyn ruefully, shaking her head as she gazed at the women and children, huddled together for comfort and warmth in the cold caves of Helm's Deep.
"A tomb," came a voice with a slightly more playful tone to it, from behind Eowyn. Smiling, she turned, facing the other young woman.
"Rinweth!" she exclaimed, collecting her friend - weary, dirty from a long journey - in a hug. "When did you arrive?"
"Just before they shut us in," replied Rinweth, tiredly. "The road seemed to be growing longer beneath our feet."
"Oh, no matter! You're here now!"
Rinweth smiled sadly, nodding. "I hope things go well above."
No sooner had she spoken, then did the entire cavern rumble and shake. Frightened cries sounded out, and Eowyn looked to Rinweth.
"Is it an earthshake?" Rinweth asked, looking to her friend, sharing her confused and concerned expression.
"No," replied Eowyn, raising a hand. The rumbling continued, beginning and stopping, beginning and stopping, in a steady 'boom boom boom'. "It comes from above."
Both women raised their gaze to the cave's ceiling, watching it. Dust and rubble sprinkled down upon them. Then, it stopped, and a silence followed that Rinweth thought was more horrible and unbearable than the pounding and shaking had been. Eowyn held her breath.
And then cries from above, screams and shrieks and shouts and such pained sounds, man and orc alike. Children held their ears, eyes shut as though that would drive the sounds away. It did not. More pounding, the clanging of swords and chainmail, the twanging of arrows, and more battle-cries, orcs and men shouting out in victory. And in death.
Rinweth took Eowyn's hand, holding it comfortingly, squeezing lightly. The two women stood, listening to the cries from above, trying to discern how the men were doing, how things were faring for Rohan.
Things seemed to be faring badly. Pressing her lips together, Rinweth glanced about slowly, and her attention was drawn to a door, hidden behind a few baskets of food.
"What's that?" she asked Eowyn, gesturing with her head, nodding in that direction.
"The passage into the mountains," came the response from Eowyn, distractedly, still staring up at the ceiling of the cave, as though if she willed it enough the fate of the battle might change for the better. Rinweth, however, was watching the door, in thought, her head tilted to the side.
And that's when the door's handle started to turn.
~* A/N: I like cliff-hangers! How 'bout you? *~