Part 13
The word spread quickly down the line after the scout warg and rider killed Hama. Panic began to spread and Theoden yelled down the line, "Riders to the front of the column."
Drawing out her sword, Eowyn approached her uncle. Theoden saw her approach but shook his head no. "I need you to take the people to safety."
"But I can fight."
"We are the first line of defense if the wargs and Orcs get by us, I'll need someone I know can protect the people with them."
Eowyn looked at her uncle before resignedly nodding her head and turning away.
Both Buffy and Willow, who had overheard their conversation, turned to Legolas and Aragorn, "Don't even think it!"
Legolas grinned at Willow, "Of course not, melde."
Willow narrowed her eyes at him sure that he was mocking her but before she could reply he swung his horse around and headed to the front of the column.
Buffy took her sword out and yelled at Aragorn as she kneed her horse into a gallop. "How do we kill them?"
"They are like men. Kill them as you would any man."
"Right" Buffy muttered as she followed Legolas.
Willow wasn't comfortable enough to shoot her arrows while riding a horse. She had only just learned how and most of that time was spent thinking of Legolas and not really paying attention to the lesson. So when she reached the fight she quickly dismounted and began shooting at her targets.
Buffy swung her sword with agility and grace as she lopped the heads off the Orcs as she passed. Gimli was very impressed with her skill and vowed to have her show him how she did that so he could do that with his axe.
Gimli was so busy fighting but also watching Buffy that he didn't notice the warg approach him until it was right next to him, "Come bring your ugly face to my axe."
Legolas made a quick look over his shoulder to make sure Willow was all right and saw Gimli. Turning, he notched his arrow and watched as it hit its mark.
"That one counts as mine." Gimli yelled at Legolas.
Legolas laughed as he went back to battling the Orcs and didn't notice when the warg fell on top of Gimli.
"Stupid stinking creatures." Gimli mumbled as he wrestled with the dead weight.
The Orcs while fighting were also on a mission. A mission from Saruman to find the one pointed out to them. One saw her among those warriors fighting and smiled at his good fortune. He thought he would have to follow those that fled. Urging his animal closer to her the Orc kept her in his sights.
Aragorn notices an Orc watching Buffy intently and wondered at his motive. He sees Buffy's horse shot out from underneath her and she tumbles to the ground but quickly rises. The Orc watching Buffy rides closer and Aragorn knees his horse to intercept.
Buffy regains her footing and attacks an on-coming Orc. She whirls around when she hears a noise behind her.
Aragorn has gotten in the path of the Orc and their animals are attacking each other as they ride. Buffy sees that Aragorn is in trouble as they grow closer. She grabs the reins of the warg and tries to bring it down but she is dragged alongside of them. Aragorn tries to kill the Orc with his sword but he is only wounding him.
Buffy reaches for a knife and tries to slash at the animal without cutting Aragorn's horse. The Orc is bleeding and falling off his animal. He tries to grab Aragorn as he feels himself fall but all he can reach is the necklace around Aragorn's neck.
Aragorn feels a tug at his neck when the Orc falls off his warg. Buffy sees the Orc fall and tries to let go of the reins but her hand is stuck. Aragorn sees the cliff's edge and can't stop the run away horses in time. He yells at Buffy, "Let go! We're close to a cliff."
"Don't you think I see that?" Buffy yells as the animals can't stop and they all plunge over the cliff.
The last sight the Orc saw before blacking out on the cliff was the one that Saruman wanted and Aragorn falling over the cliff. He had done what his master had asked of him. She must have died in the fall.
The fighting finally came to an end with the people of Rohan the victors. Willow watched as Legolas rode up to where she and Gimli were standing.
With a smile Legolas quickly dismounted and grabbed Willow into a fierce hug, "All you all right? You were as deadly as any Elven marksmen. I have taught you well."
Willow held onto Legolas tightly, savoring the feel of him. Her mind had only been half on the battle the rest of the time was making sure he was okay.
Letting Willow go he turned to Gimli, "And you, Gimli how many riders did you kill?"
"Twenty seven at least. I lost count after so many."
Willow just rolled her eyes at the two friends. She looked around the grassy plain and didn't see Buffy or Aragorn. "Where's Buffy?"
"Yes and where's Aragorn?" Gimli asked as he too looked around the battlefield in search of his friend.
Legolas looked and didn't see them. Now he was beginning to worry for his Elvish eyesight was very keen and he could see for long distances. "Last I saw them they were over there."
Willow and Gimli followed close behind Legolas as he walked to the top of the cliff.
An Orc lay with Buffy's sword nearby. Legolas picked up the sword and leaned down over the creature. "Where is the owner of this sword?"
With an evil smile he replied, "She's gone."
"Gone where?"
The Orc was barely alive but he smiled and looked at the cliff's edge. Willow's eyes followed his and she walked closer to the edge and looked over. She couldn't see anything except a dead warg and a raging river. She turned back, "If she went over the cliff where's her body? There's nothing there but a dead animal."
The Orc coughed and said, "I saw her and the dark haired human fall over the cliff."
Gimli raised his axe. "Why should we believe you?"
"If he is not gone how did I come by this?" He held out his hand and Legolas saw the sunlight glinting off of something in his hand. Looking closer he saw it was the necklace that Arwen had given to Aragorn. Legolas knew that Aragorn would not part from it while there was still breath in his body.
With a sad heart he turned to show Willow and Gimli the necklace. Gimli bowed his head in grief.
"That proves nothing. Buffy has survived worse than that and I refuse to believe she's gone. I would know! I would feel it here." Willow held a hand over her heart.
Legolas drew Willow into his arms and tried to comfort her while he worked through his own grief on the loss of his close friend.
Theoden could be heard in the distance, "Put the wounded on horses. They will be back."
Gimli glared at Theoden but Legolas reached over and put a comforting hand on Gimli's shoulder. "Come, we must go with Theoden."
Willow looked at Legolas in disbelief. "I am not leaving Buffy."
Legolas walked Willow over to the edge and they all looked down. "She's not there melde. IF they did survive both Aragorn and Buffy would know to follow us to Helm's Deep. IF they didn't survive neither one would want us to abandon this fight."
Willow knew he was right but that didn't mean she had to like it. She reluctantly followed Legolas and was startled by a yell from Gimli. She quickly turned around in time to see the Orc's head removed from his body.
Legolas quirked his eyebrow at Gimli, "Feel better?"
Gimli smiled grimly, "Much!"
