Disclaimer and notes in the Prologue.
Promoting the LJs, as always:
http://www.livejournal.com/users/miss_lacey/
My friends and I have also created a small RPG/Round Robin Community spun off Confessions here.
http://www.livejournal.com/userinfo.bml?user=thornhold
It's based upon the events on a possible ending to this arc.
Anyway, just read the user info in the link above if you're curious for more.
Acknowledgements! =^_^=
Mith-amrun: Lol, that wouldn't surprise me one bit.. Rofl.. Especially at how randomly long/short I make my chapters.. lol
Uber Shinigami: ^_^ *great big Uber Hugs for my SUG!* *wamps too* Pacifism, Relena style? GAH!! NOOO!!! *Lacey whips out an Uzi and aims it at Relena* Don't be tampering with Middle Earth. That's MY job here.
Weirdbard: *Uber hugs bro!!* Thank yous!! *gives Cookie of DOOM*
Pellagolloien: It wasn't quite as humorous, because the situation is rather lacking for it. ^_^ More humor, I hope, in chapter 19..
Dru of the Nightrunners: ^_^ I hope you enjoy the rest of it!
Starbrat: *merely cackles insanely as she gets more Cookies of DOOM* Want?
Lime Green Lion: Will she live? Am I so evil to kill her off? Probably.. Lol, but moving on, not too much left to go sadly.. But I'm glad you love it!!
BookCrazy77: I had to mention the slash writers.. It's a must. I'm not one/nor do I read, but even I thought of it when I saw the hug.. Lol
WilWheatongirl87: Thank you! I'll do my best!
Spaztic Lapdancing Pinata: Lol! Did they win in the dream? And Virginie owns. Some of the pics I've seen look as bitchy as Lacey tends to be.. lol Random: I had a dream about being in Helm's Deep with a Pokeball that contained the Vorpal Bunny from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It really liked eating the Uruk-Hai and kept sitting on my shoulder like Pikachu. Lol
Manx: WOO!! MORE POINTS!! *cheers* And Pixi Stix are like the little straws filled with nothing but flavored sugar type stuffage. Makes very well with the hyper insanity! ^_^
Dying Moonlight: Thank you! Read on..
KoUsagi: Evas would be suuuch overkill. Damn! I shoulda thought of that. Lol. And I could just see Tuxedo Mask hopping around throwing roses at the Uruk-Hai. *giggles* Uber hugs!
Yumeko: Thanks! I'm glad, and I hope you enjoy the rest of it too!
That's it for now, and sadly, possibly only 2 more chapters after this. Although there MIGHT be a couple of alternate endings, depending on how they flow when I write them.
Uber hugs everyone and thank you sooo much for the feedback! *gives everyone Cookies of DOOM*
------
Chapter 18A - A World of Madness
"Legolas, two already!"
"I'm on seventeen!"
I let out a groan as I pulled my sword out of another Uruk-Hai's chest. So far I was only on seven. Not bad for someone who'd never had training. Of course the fact that they all hustled right by me was a big help.
My ego would be bruised if the 'inviso thing' wasn't keeping me alive.
Another Uruk-Hai ran past me and I swung my sword, taking a nice slice into his leg. He let out a roar but continued to ignore me, allowing me to finish him off with a stab and a shove over the wall's edge.
I stuck my tongue out as he plummeted to the ground. "Nyah!!"
The rain continued to poor and the loose tendrils of hair that had fallen from my bun were plastered around my face, annoying the hell out of me. I pushed back a lock and let out a curse as someone shoved me towards the wall's edge.
Growling, I spun around to see another Uruk-Hai heading for a Rohan soldier. I knelt down and kicked his legs out from under him. He toppled over with a grunt and the soldier dispatched him quickly before moving on.
I stood up in time for the scene I dreaded.
"Dago han! Dago han, Legolas!" Aragorn yelled. "Dago han! Dago han!"
Legolas fired at the torch carrying Uruk-Hai, but even hit, it kept going. I stepped backwards involuntary and realized I was definitely not in a safe place.
Someone cried out, "Run!" and I had already started moving before I'd realized it had been me who'd done so.
I forced myself to stop and I grabbed the closest warrior and shoved him out of the way just as the explosion rocked the very wall I had just been standing on.
I didn't even get a chance to scream as I felt myself tumble onto the stone pavement of the wall from the force of the explosion. My chest ached from where I'd landed and I let out a gasping breath.
A huge stone slab the size of a German Shepard fell to the stone just inches from my skull. My eyes went wide as I'd narrowly escaped getting my head crushed. Scrambling to my knees I scanned franticly for my sword. Not seeing it, I grabbed the nearest one, an Elvish blade, no doubt belonging to one of the fallen.
An Uruk-Hai chose that moment to run past me, and I rose swinging. He snarled at me as the blade slid into his stomach. With a snarl of my own, I pulled the sword out and let him fall.
I took a deep breath and tried to grab my bearings and find out where I was, and where the others were. The stench of all the blood, sweat, mud, and bodies nearly overwhelmed me and my body threatened to take a violent reaction to it all. I barely managed to hold myself together as I caught sight of Legolas just as he pulled off his shield surfing.
I cracked a smile at that, even among all the carnage that surrounded me. With a shake of my head, I started hacking at more Uruk-Hai as I moved.
Even a little bit was better then nothing.
All sense of time flew out of my head and I wasn't even sure if I was soaked because of the rain or all the blood that was spilled everywhere.
Aragorn's voice carried over to where I was. "Am Marad! Am Marad! Haldir, am Marad!"
Oh. Time to fall back. Great. I'm god knows where and we have to fall back. Why does that not surprise me?
I heard the standard Uruk-Hai growls and I found myself staring at the back of yet another one.
I didn't have enough room to actually swing, I was too close, so instead I shoved him with everything I had. He stumbled away and found his head detached by an expert swing of an elf.
My eyes found themselves locked on Haldir. Or rather behind him. I knew my eyes had gone wide, as an Uruk-Hai was about to take him from behind.
Haldir must have noticed my look, because he ducked and rolled out of the way. The Uruk-Hai roared in frustration and I drove my sword into his stomach as he ran forward.
His body was heavy as it put it's weight on to me, but I drove the sword upwards even further, causing him to gag. He stared down at me and his final growl sounded more like a gurgle as his blood bubbled out of his mouth.
Black blood spilled onto my hands even as I shoved the body off my sword.
A hand grabbed my arm and I shrieked. My sword rose but my wrist was caught by Haldir.
"We must fall back." He said, his Elvish accent making the order sound more important.
Lucky elves make everything sound better.
I let out another shriek instead of moving though. This time it was one out of pain and surprise.
Haldir pulled out the dagger that had somehow buried itself in my left shoulder, and I let out a moan as the blood poured down my armor.
Blood.
My blood.
I was hurt.
God knows how I made it to the gate where Theoden and Gamling were, I was in such shock. Haldir must have watched my ass real well. Either way we were both with the others.
Both.
Haldir was alive. I'd apparently saved his ass without even planning on it. Go figure. I shook my head with a sigh as I tried to bind my wound with a shredded part of my cloak. Do you have any idea how hard that is to do one handed? Let me tell you, it's a fucking bitch, but I got it done. Sloppily, but done. It was better then nothing.
"Make way for the king!" Gamling shouted. "We can't hold much longer."
"Hold them!" Theoden ordered.
Aragorn chose that moment to join us. Running up he stabbed away at the Uruk-Hai through the broken gate. "How long do you need?
Gamling barked another order. "Brace the gate!"
"As long as you can give me!" Theoden said.
"Gimli!" Aragorn called. The two of them slipped to a side exit.
I wanted to help, but one glare from Theoden as his eyes flew past me, told me to be a good girl and let the men handle things.
If this were the real world, the world would be fucked. Thankfully this was Middle Earth. Miracles can happen.
Instead, I tightened my makeshift bandage on my wound. So I guess I didn't get to be invincible now. They key question was why. Then it hit me.
Because I saved Haldir.
I had interfered. Changed movie canon.
I wasn't just a Convenient Plot Device/Mary Sue. I was now.. Linked to the world in a way. Because I tampered with the fates.
Is this what would happen if I'd saved Boromir?
Of course I could be completely wrong, but hey, it was the best theory I had at the moment.
Theoden pulled me from my thoughts. "Pull everybody back! Pull them back!"
Gamling echoed his king. "Pull back! Pull back!"
Before I knew it, I was ushered into the keep along with everyone else.. who had survived anyway..
-------
The sounds of Saruman's army filled everyone's ears as they overran the Hornburg. The lot of us were trapped in the hall of the keep.
Myself, I kept to the shadows and avoided eye contact with everyone.
Theoden looked defeated. "The fortress is taken. It is over."
Aragorn carried a table with Legolas to shore up the door of the hall. "You said this fortress would never fall while your men defend it! They still defend it! They have died defending it! Is there no other way for the women and children to get out of the caves?" Theoden remained silent, and Aragorn tried to reason with him. "Is there no other way?"
Gamling spoke up. "There is one passage. It leads into the mountains. But they will not get far. The Uruk-Hai are too many."
"Send word for the women and children to make for the mountain pass. And barricade the entrance." Aragorn ordered.
"So much death." Theoden said, his voice soft. "What can men do against such reckless hate?"
"They can fight." I mumbled. I winced at another shooting pain in my shoulder. I was ready to snap at Theoden myself, but I held my tongue. God knows it took all my will power to do so. He was annoying me with his giving up spiel.
"Ride out with me." Aragorn said. "Ride out and meet them."
Theoden's eyes lit up slightly. "For death and glory."
"For Rohan. For your people."
"The sun is rising." Gimli announced.
Aragorn looked up at a window to see the faint light streaming through.
"Yes. Yes!" Theoden cried. "The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the deep one last time!"
---------
I found myself joining Gimli to the Horn of Helm Hammerhand. I wouldn't be much use fighting or riding, and Aragorn had even said so as he sent me with the dwarf. I waited on the steps as Gimli took in a breathe and began to blow the horn.
My gaze fell onto the battlefield as Theoden and the others rode out of the keep. I allowed myself to watch.. And I caught Aragorn looking to the east.
The smirk on my lips was filled with glee as I watched Gandalf appear with Mr. Testosterone and his merry men.
Gimli caught me wincing and finally noticed my injury. "Stay here, lass."
I arched an eyebrow but he gave me one of those looks that I've learned in my life to obey. Almost as bad as a mom look, but not quite.
Still, I sighed and sat down on the steps as he went down them.
I allowed myself the pleasure of closing my eyes, knowing full well that the battle would be won and everything would be fine.
For now.
Promoting the LJs, as always:
http://www.livejournal.com/users/miss_lacey/
My friends and I have also created a small RPG/Round Robin Community spun off Confessions here.
http://www.livejournal.com/userinfo.bml?user=thornhold
It's based upon the events on a possible ending to this arc.
Anyway, just read the user info in the link above if you're curious for more.
Acknowledgements! =^_^=
Mith-amrun: Lol, that wouldn't surprise me one bit.. Rofl.. Especially at how randomly long/short I make my chapters.. lol
Uber Shinigami: ^_^ *great big Uber Hugs for my SUG!* *wamps too* Pacifism, Relena style? GAH!! NOOO!!! *Lacey whips out an Uzi and aims it at Relena* Don't be tampering with Middle Earth. That's MY job here.
Weirdbard: *Uber hugs bro!!* Thank yous!! *gives Cookie of DOOM*
Pellagolloien: It wasn't quite as humorous, because the situation is rather lacking for it. ^_^ More humor, I hope, in chapter 19..
Dru of the Nightrunners: ^_^ I hope you enjoy the rest of it!
Starbrat: *merely cackles insanely as she gets more Cookies of DOOM* Want?
Lime Green Lion: Will she live? Am I so evil to kill her off? Probably.. Lol, but moving on, not too much left to go sadly.. But I'm glad you love it!!
BookCrazy77: I had to mention the slash writers.. It's a must. I'm not one/nor do I read, but even I thought of it when I saw the hug.. Lol
WilWheatongirl87: Thank you! I'll do my best!
Spaztic Lapdancing Pinata: Lol! Did they win in the dream? And Virginie owns. Some of the pics I've seen look as bitchy as Lacey tends to be.. lol Random: I had a dream about being in Helm's Deep with a Pokeball that contained the Vorpal Bunny from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It really liked eating the Uruk-Hai and kept sitting on my shoulder like Pikachu. Lol
Manx: WOO!! MORE POINTS!! *cheers* And Pixi Stix are like the little straws filled with nothing but flavored sugar type stuffage. Makes very well with the hyper insanity! ^_^
Dying Moonlight: Thank you! Read on..
KoUsagi: Evas would be suuuch overkill. Damn! I shoulda thought of that. Lol. And I could just see Tuxedo Mask hopping around throwing roses at the Uruk-Hai. *giggles* Uber hugs!
Yumeko: Thanks! I'm glad, and I hope you enjoy the rest of it too!
That's it for now, and sadly, possibly only 2 more chapters after this. Although there MIGHT be a couple of alternate endings, depending on how they flow when I write them.
Uber hugs everyone and thank you sooo much for the feedback! *gives everyone Cookies of DOOM*
------
Chapter 18A - A World of Madness
"Legolas, two already!"
"I'm on seventeen!"
I let out a groan as I pulled my sword out of another Uruk-Hai's chest. So far I was only on seven. Not bad for someone who'd never had training. Of course the fact that they all hustled right by me was a big help.
My ego would be bruised if the 'inviso thing' wasn't keeping me alive.
Another Uruk-Hai ran past me and I swung my sword, taking a nice slice into his leg. He let out a roar but continued to ignore me, allowing me to finish him off with a stab and a shove over the wall's edge.
I stuck my tongue out as he plummeted to the ground. "Nyah!!"
The rain continued to poor and the loose tendrils of hair that had fallen from my bun were plastered around my face, annoying the hell out of me. I pushed back a lock and let out a curse as someone shoved me towards the wall's edge.
Growling, I spun around to see another Uruk-Hai heading for a Rohan soldier. I knelt down and kicked his legs out from under him. He toppled over with a grunt and the soldier dispatched him quickly before moving on.
I stood up in time for the scene I dreaded.
"Dago han! Dago han, Legolas!" Aragorn yelled. "Dago han! Dago han!"
Legolas fired at the torch carrying Uruk-Hai, but even hit, it kept going. I stepped backwards involuntary and realized I was definitely not in a safe place.
Someone cried out, "Run!" and I had already started moving before I'd realized it had been me who'd done so.
I forced myself to stop and I grabbed the closest warrior and shoved him out of the way just as the explosion rocked the very wall I had just been standing on.
I didn't even get a chance to scream as I felt myself tumble onto the stone pavement of the wall from the force of the explosion. My chest ached from where I'd landed and I let out a gasping breath.
A huge stone slab the size of a German Shepard fell to the stone just inches from my skull. My eyes went wide as I'd narrowly escaped getting my head crushed. Scrambling to my knees I scanned franticly for my sword. Not seeing it, I grabbed the nearest one, an Elvish blade, no doubt belonging to one of the fallen.
An Uruk-Hai chose that moment to run past me, and I rose swinging. He snarled at me as the blade slid into his stomach. With a snarl of my own, I pulled the sword out and let him fall.
I took a deep breath and tried to grab my bearings and find out where I was, and where the others were. The stench of all the blood, sweat, mud, and bodies nearly overwhelmed me and my body threatened to take a violent reaction to it all. I barely managed to hold myself together as I caught sight of Legolas just as he pulled off his shield surfing.
I cracked a smile at that, even among all the carnage that surrounded me. With a shake of my head, I started hacking at more Uruk-Hai as I moved.
Even a little bit was better then nothing.
All sense of time flew out of my head and I wasn't even sure if I was soaked because of the rain or all the blood that was spilled everywhere.
Aragorn's voice carried over to where I was. "Am Marad! Am Marad! Haldir, am Marad!"
Oh. Time to fall back. Great. I'm god knows where and we have to fall back. Why does that not surprise me?
I heard the standard Uruk-Hai growls and I found myself staring at the back of yet another one.
I didn't have enough room to actually swing, I was too close, so instead I shoved him with everything I had. He stumbled away and found his head detached by an expert swing of an elf.
My eyes found themselves locked on Haldir. Or rather behind him. I knew my eyes had gone wide, as an Uruk-Hai was about to take him from behind.
Haldir must have noticed my look, because he ducked and rolled out of the way. The Uruk-Hai roared in frustration and I drove my sword into his stomach as he ran forward.
His body was heavy as it put it's weight on to me, but I drove the sword upwards even further, causing him to gag. He stared down at me and his final growl sounded more like a gurgle as his blood bubbled out of his mouth.
Black blood spilled onto my hands even as I shoved the body off my sword.
A hand grabbed my arm and I shrieked. My sword rose but my wrist was caught by Haldir.
"We must fall back." He said, his Elvish accent making the order sound more important.
Lucky elves make everything sound better.
I let out another shriek instead of moving though. This time it was one out of pain and surprise.
Haldir pulled out the dagger that had somehow buried itself in my left shoulder, and I let out a moan as the blood poured down my armor.
Blood.
My blood.
I was hurt.
God knows how I made it to the gate where Theoden and Gamling were, I was in such shock. Haldir must have watched my ass real well. Either way we were both with the others.
Both.
Haldir was alive. I'd apparently saved his ass without even planning on it. Go figure. I shook my head with a sigh as I tried to bind my wound with a shredded part of my cloak. Do you have any idea how hard that is to do one handed? Let me tell you, it's a fucking bitch, but I got it done. Sloppily, but done. It was better then nothing.
"Make way for the king!" Gamling shouted. "We can't hold much longer."
"Hold them!" Theoden ordered.
Aragorn chose that moment to join us. Running up he stabbed away at the Uruk-Hai through the broken gate. "How long do you need?
Gamling barked another order. "Brace the gate!"
"As long as you can give me!" Theoden said.
"Gimli!" Aragorn called. The two of them slipped to a side exit.
I wanted to help, but one glare from Theoden as his eyes flew past me, told me to be a good girl and let the men handle things.
If this were the real world, the world would be fucked. Thankfully this was Middle Earth. Miracles can happen.
Instead, I tightened my makeshift bandage on my wound. So I guess I didn't get to be invincible now. They key question was why. Then it hit me.
Because I saved Haldir.
I had interfered. Changed movie canon.
I wasn't just a Convenient Plot Device/Mary Sue. I was now.. Linked to the world in a way. Because I tampered with the fates.
Is this what would happen if I'd saved Boromir?
Of course I could be completely wrong, but hey, it was the best theory I had at the moment.
Theoden pulled me from my thoughts. "Pull everybody back! Pull them back!"
Gamling echoed his king. "Pull back! Pull back!"
Before I knew it, I was ushered into the keep along with everyone else.. who had survived anyway..
-------
The sounds of Saruman's army filled everyone's ears as they overran the Hornburg. The lot of us were trapped in the hall of the keep.
Myself, I kept to the shadows and avoided eye contact with everyone.
Theoden looked defeated. "The fortress is taken. It is over."
Aragorn carried a table with Legolas to shore up the door of the hall. "You said this fortress would never fall while your men defend it! They still defend it! They have died defending it! Is there no other way for the women and children to get out of the caves?" Theoden remained silent, and Aragorn tried to reason with him. "Is there no other way?"
Gamling spoke up. "There is one passage. It leads into the mountains. But they will not get far. The Uruk-Hai are too many."
"Send word for the women and children to make for the mountain pass. And barricade the entrance." Aragorn ordered.
"So much death." Theoden said, his voice soft. "What can men do against such reckless hate?"
"They can fight." I mumbled. I winced at another shooting pain in my shoulder. I was ready to snap at Theoden myself, but I held my tongue. God knows it took all my will power to do so. He was annoying me with his giving up spiel.
"Ride out with me." Aragorn said. "Ride out and meet them."
Theoden's eyes lit up slightly. "For death and glory."
"For Rohan. For your people."
"The sun is rising." Gimli announced.
Aragorn looked up at a window to see the faint light streaming through.
"Yes. Yes!" Theoden cried. "The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the deep one last time!"
---------
I found myself joining Gimli to the Horn of Helm Hammerhand. I wouldn't be much use fighting or riding, and Aragorn had even said so as he sent me with the dwarf. I waited on the steps as Gimli took in a breathe and began to blow the horn.
My gaze fell onto the battlefield as Theoden and the others rode out of the keep. I allowed myself to watch.. And I caught Aragorn looking to the east.
The smirk on my lips was filled with glee as I watched Gandalf appear with Mr. Testosterone and his merry men.
Gimli caught me wincing and finally noticed my injury. "Stay here, lass."
I arched an eyebrow but he gave me one of those looks that I've learned in my life to obey. Almost as bad as a mom look, but not quite.
Still, I sighed and sat down on the steps as he went down them.
I allowed myself the pleasure of closing my eyes, knowing full well that the battle would be won and everything would be fine.
For now.