Disclaimer: I own nothing recognizable
Author's Note: I am well aware that Haleth is a movieverse character. I felt that he needed a story, and while I may not be right to write it no one else seems to have taken the chance. Sorry if anyone has. Please do not flame me for adding movie and book together into this story.
*****
Haleth was sweeping up in the kitchen, and his mother Laina preparing the afternoon meal, when a shout and collective gasps wafted into the room. Haleth rushed to the window over the counter. He jumped twice in rapid succession, frustrated by his inability to see out the window. He lifted one leg to rest on the countertop, then hauled the rest of his weight up and knelt, taking advantage of the view offered by the small window.
"Mama! Mama, look. Something is happening at King Theoden's hall! I can't see. . ."
Laina looked up from her work cutting vegetables and sighed. "Haleth, get down from there!" she exclaimed, exasperated. She reached over and effortlessly lifted the boy down to the floor.
"Oh, can't I go and see what's happening, Mama?" Haleth begged, biting at his bottom lip.
"No, Haleth, it is not your business. What is your business is--"
"Getting the floor swept," Haleth finished with her. "I know."
"Good boy," Laina said, kissing his forehead and handing him the broom. Haleth obliged, knowing that he had only to bide his time until his father told him the whole story.
Not so very much later, Haleth and Laina were interrupted yet again. "By order of the King, the city must empty!"
"Empty?" Haleth asked his mother. His watery blue eyes had grown wide with fear, and he chewed his lip again. His already pale skin had gone even whiter. Only eleven years old, Haleth had never been outside Edoras.
"We will go to Helm's Deep," Laina told her fretful son. "Do not be afraid. Not for the first time do our people seek solace. Now help me gather what things we will bring with us."
Haleth obediently helped Laina gather apples, bread, and water. Despite his mother's brave words, Haleth was frightened. This; Edoras, the house; was his home. He had never left it. What if he didn't come back?
*****
Hama, doorguard of Edoras, oversaw the leaving of the people of the city. He heard a child cry, "Father!" and turned just in time to catch his son in a hug. "Aren't you coming with us, Father?"
"Yes, son, but first I must make sure the others are gone all right. Go with your mother now, I will see you at Helm's Deep if not before."
"Good-bye, Father."
"Good-bye for now, Haleth. Give your mother my love."
"I will!" Haleth promised, and he ran off. Shortly he spoke with his mother, then he went off with a few friends. Eowyn led them, all the people of Edoras.
"He is your son?"
Hama had not seen or heard Gandalf approach. "He is."
"How old is he?" asked Gandalf. Hama knew what was meant by the question.
"He is eleven, , and I hope it will not come to that."
"He looks younger. . ."
*****
"Why do you think we are being evacuated?" Haleth's friend Aioch asked. They had been walking for nearly three hours, and all wondered why.
"I bet your father knows, Haleth," Cofen said.
"Of course he does!" Haleth exclaimed, indignant.
"Then ask him," Joshul said. Off Haleth's bloodthirsty look, he added, "We would all like to know." Joshul was only nine years old, too young to understand Haleth's anger at him. Joshul always asked whatever he was wondering, said whatever he thought. He had not meant to challenge Haleth, but Haleth had sensed a challenge, anyway.
"Well. . ." as with all boys, Haleth was proud. He was not willing to simply refuse to ask his father, even though he knew it would be best not to. Luckily a distraction arose.
"A scout!" The shout had come from the ridge just ahead, where a tall, slender figure stood with a bow in his hand. Something lay before him, dead; it was a warg. Trouble was brewing, if wargs scouted them out. The men on horseback or on foot rushed forward as a wave of wargs approached. King Theoden turned to look at his people, most of whom had taken to shouting in fear.
"You must lead the people to Helm's Deep!" The King called to his niece.
"I can fight!" she protested, and to Haleth it looked as though she could. She sat proud in her saddle, a sword at her hip.
"No!" Theoden said. Eowyn turned her horse.
"Follow me!" she cried. "People of Edoras, follow me to the safety of Helm's Deep!" The people collected their things and followed the white lady. Haleth turned to his friends. Joshul was scared stiff, but Cofen wasn't.
"That was so interesting! How exciting!" Cofen babbled. Haleth ignored him.
"We had best find our mamas now, they will be worried otherwise. Come, Joshul, I saw your mama walking beside my own earlier." Haleth took command of the situation, taking young Joshul's hand and leading him forward.
"Joshul!"
"Haleth!" Their mamas were indeed glad to see them, hugging and kissing them through tears. "We must go on." They did, following Lady Eowyn. "I want you to look after Joshul, all right, Haleth?"
"Yes, Mama," Haleth said with a decisive nod. He and Joshul had grown up near each other and had been friends for many years. Haleth had always looked after the younger boy, and now it was more important than ever that he did, it seemed from his mama's tone. "Is there danger ahead?"
"There well may be, my boy. There well may be."
So, how was it? Just for a beginning, of course.
Author's Note: I am well aware that Haleth is a movieverse character. I felt that he needed a story, and while I may not be right to write it no one else seems to have taken the chance. Sorry if anyone has. Please do not flame me for adding movie and book together into this story.
*****
Haleth was sweeping up in the kitchen, and his mother Laina preparing the afternoon meal, when a shout and collective gasps wafted into the room. Haleth rushed to the window over the counter. He jumped twice in rapid succession, frustrated by his inability to see out the window. He lifted one leg to rest on the countertop, then hauled the rest of his weight up and knelt, taking advantage of the view offered by the small window.
"Mama! Mama, look. Something is happening at King Theoden's hall! I can't see. . ."
Laina looked up from her work cutting vegetables and sighed. "Haleth, get down from there!" she exclaimed, exasperated. She reached over and effortlessly lifted the boy down to the floor.
"Oh, can't I go and see what's happening, Mama?" Haleth begged, biting at his bottom lip.
"No, Haleth, it is not your business. What is your business is--"
"Getting the floor swept," Haleth finished with her. "I know."
"Good boy," Laina said, kissing his forehead and handing him the broom. Haleth obliged, knowing that he had only to bide his time until his father told him the whole story.
Not so very much later, Haleth and Laina were interrupted yet again. "By order of the King, the city must empty!"
"Empty?" Haleth asked his mother. His watery blue eyes had grown wide with fear, and he chewed his lip again. His already pale skin had gone even whiter. Only eleven years old, Haleth had never been outside Edoras.
"We will go to Helm's Deep," Laina told her fretful son. "Do not be afraid. Not for the first time do our people seek solace. Now help me gather what things we will bring with us."
Haleth obediently helped Laina gather apples, bread, and water. Despite his mother's brave words, Haleth was frightened. This; Edoras, the house; was his home. He had never left it. What if he didn't come back?
*****
Hama, doorguard of Edoras, oversaw the leaving of the people of the city. He heard a child cry, "Father!" and turned just in time to catch his son in a hug. "Aren't you coming with us, Father?"
"Yes, son, but first I must make sure the others are gone all right. Go with your mother now, I will see you at Helm's Deep if not before."
"Good-bye, Father."
"Good-bye for now, Haleth. Give your mother my love."
"I will!" Haleth promised, and he ran off. Shortly he spoke with his mother, then he went off with a few friends. Eowyn led them, all the people of Edoras.
"He is your son?"
Hama had not seen or heard Gandalf approach. "He is."
"How old is he?" asked Gandalf. Hama knew what was meant by the question.
"He is eleven, , and I hope it will not come to that."
"He looks younger. . ."
*****
"Why do you think we are being evacuated?" Haleth's friend Aioch asked. They had been walking for nearly three hours, and all wondered why.
"I bet your father knows, Haleth," Cofen said.
"Of course he does!" Haleth exclaimed, indignant.
"Then ask him," Joshul said. Off Haleth's bloodthirsty look, he added, "We would all like to know." Joshul was only nine years old, too young to understand Haleth's anger at him. Joshul always asked whatever he was wondering, said whatever he thought. He had not meant to challenge Haleth, but Haleth had sensed a challenge, anyway.
"Well. . ." as with all boys, Haleth was proud. He was not willing to simply refuse to ask his father, even though he knew it would be best not to. Luckily a distraction arose.
"A scout!" The shout had come from the ridge just ahead, where a tall, slender figure stood with a bow in his hand. Something lay before him, dead; it was a warg. Trouble was brewing, if wargs scouted them out. The men on horseback or on foot rushed forward as a wave of wargs approached. King Theoden turned to look at his people, most of whom had taken to shouting in fear.
"You must lead the people to Helm's Deep!" The King called to his niece.
"I can fight!" she protested, and to Haleth it looked as though she could. She sat proud in her saddle, a sword at her hip.
"No!" Theoden said. Eowyn turned her horse.
"Follow me!" she cried. "People of Edoras, follow me to the safety of Helm's Deep!" The people collected their things and followed the white lady. Haleth turned to his friends. Joshul was scared stiff, but Cofen wasn't.
"That was so interesting! How exciting!" Cofen babbled. Haleth ignored him.
"We had best find our mamas now, they will be worried otherwise. Come, Joshul, I saw your mama walking beside my own earlier." Haleth took command of the situation, taking young Joshul's hand and leading him forward.
"Joshul!"
"Haleth!" Their mamas were indeed glad to see them, hugging and kissing them through tears. "We must go on." They did, following Lady Eowyn. "I want you to look after Joshul, all right, Haleth?"
"Yes, Mama," Haleth said with a decisive nod. He and Joshul had grown up near each other and had been friends for many years. Haleth had always looked after the younger boy, and now it was more important than ever that he did, it seemed from his mama's tone. "Is there danger ahead?"
"There well may be, my boy. There well may be."
So, how was it? Just for a beginning, of course.
