A few notes: For those who do not watch the movie obsessively (congrats! You have a life!) Eothain is the boy who delivered the message to the king that wildmen were attacking the villages. Haleth is the kid Aragorn semi-comforted by telling him he had a good sword. Also, little known fact that I just stumbled across, Haleth's dad, Hama, is captain of the king's guard, and he died while they were trying to seal up the gate.

Oh, just in case any of you have weird minds, there is no slash in this fic. I don't do slash, but my sister was getting the idea that that's what I was implying with Legolas' worry for Haldir, so I'm putting in this warning.

There will probably be one more chapter, then I'll consider this fic compteded.

To the story:

Eothain's eyes had gone wide as he fought against, not only the orcs, but also the exhaustion and the tears that threatened to take over his body. He'd never seen a dead body until that day, and now he was surrounded by the dead and dying.

His gaze wandered, and he caught sight of another boy, no older than himself take an arrow to the chest and fall down into the sea of the enemy. With a sickening horror, he realised that he had known him. Haleth, son of Hama, lost to the world.

'Valar, do you care not?' He muttered into the air. His sword was hanging limply at his side, and he raised it only just in time to block the blow of an imposing orc blade. He wouldn't be able to keep this up for long. He was no soldier.

Turning around to face the enemy, he heard his weapon clatter to the stone. 'Father…' his breath caught in his throat, and the man was gone. 'No!' With a sudden spurt of hate, Eothain took up his weapon again and fought his way towards the fallen man.

He knelt beside him, knowing in his heart that there was nothing to be done. 'Father,' he said again.

The soldier took his son's hand into his own and held it tightly. 'Promise me you'll live through this.' He told the boy. 'Your mother and sister will need you now more than ever.'

Eothain nodded, feeling the tears break from his control. 'Don't go.'

'My time has come, make sure they know that it is nobody's fault. I don't want them to blame anyone.' The man's breath was now coming in gasps. 'It's not your fault, either.' He said, seeming to read his son's mind. 'I love you.' His grip on the boy's hand tightened for a moment, then went limp.

'No,' Eothain whispered, his face burning with the salt water that ran from his eyes. Dropping his father's hand, he returned to the battle with a vengeance he could not explain. Perhaps, if he killed enough of the enemy, he would be able to convince himself that he'd killed the beast that had murdered his father.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

'Legolas, what are you doing here?' Haldir asked weakly from his bed.

'Just preparing to return to battle. Nothing serious.'

'Right. What happened?' The elf knew there was something his friend didn't want him to know, and it was not long before he figured it out. 'You were wounded while… while saving me, weren't you?'

The Prince of Mirkwood looked up, seeming as though he was about to deny it. However, he changed his mind and proceeded to inform the person who'd been bandaging his arm that he could take it from there.

'Legolas?'

'It is of no importance.'

'You should have left me there.'

Legolas rounded on his friend. 'Don't say that, you would have died! A simple arrow to the shoulder is a small price to pay.'

Aragorn came up and gently put a hand on the elf's good arm, steering him away from the injured commander. 'Come on, the battle's not yet won.'

Reluctantly, Legolas nodded and allowed the ranger to guide him towards the door. Gimli was just outside, waiting patiently for them.

'The battle awaits!' The dwarf said happily, picking up his axe with only a slight flinch at the pain in his bandaged wrist and arm.

Aragorn patted him on the head, much to his disgust. 'Why I-'

'Calm down, save it for the orcs!'

Gimli didn't respond, but muttered something indistinguishable under his breath. It sounded as though it was in his own tongue and Legolas was reminded of a comment the dwarf had made to Haldir upon their arrival in Lothlorien. This, of course, led to worrisome thoughts of his injured friend.

Both of Aragorn's eyebrows went up as he nodded, amazed at the reaction he'd gotten from the temperamental little dwarf.

The three arrived in the main hall of the keep, where soldiers were still re-enforcing the doors. Most of the warriors had been sent deeper into the keep to set up defenses in case the main door fell.

'The fortress is taken. It is over.' Theoden informed Aragorn as soon as he saw him.

The ranger suddenly became very angry. 'You said this fortress would never fall while your men defend it. They still defend it. They have died defending it!'

Legolas remained silent, but his thoughts were grim. Mountains are not impenetrable; the tiniest stream may one day create the deepest pit.

Legolas had seen it happen many times over his long life; rivers carving valleys into what were once strong, steady cliffs.

But he'd never seen this amount of death in one place before. Did the Valar not care? Eomer's words from their first meeting drifted into his mind. Do not trust to hope, it has forsaken these lands. He'd been right.

Eothain came over hesitantly. 'We are prepared to fight, Milord.' he informed the king.

Theoden turned to stare at the boy, dazed as though he couldn't actually be seeing the young man standing so valiantly before him, prepared to die.

Aragorn, too, is looking at the boy, but his expression is one of silent awe.

'Is there any way for my sis- for the women and children to get out of the caves?' The boy asked, still hesitantly but gaining courage as the banging on the door increases in volume and strength.

Aragorn continued to stare at Eothain for another moment, then turned to the king. 'Is there no other way?'

Theoden seemed either unable, or unwilling to answer, so Gamling, his advisor, took up the task. 'There is one passage, it leads into the mountains. But… there is no hope in that direction. The Uruk-hai are too many.'

Aragorn turned desperately to the child. 'Send word for the women and children to make for the mountain pass. And barricade the entrance!'

Eothain nodded, but protested. 'I can fight though! Please!'

'No. You have done enough, now go. Gamling, make sure they know where to go.'

The king chose this moment to snap back into what he must have thought was reality. 'So much death. What can men do against such reckless hate?'

'The only thing we can do.' Aragorn practically whispered. The king looked at him, needing to hear exactly what that was. 'Ride out with me. Ride out and meet them.'

Theoden hesitated. Could it be done? Could they really win this battle? 'For death and glory.' he said, more for himself than for Aragorn.

Aragorn nodded, then added, 'For Rohan, for your people.'

'The sun.' Legolas whispered as he came back from shoving a table up against the door.

'It is rising.' Gimli clarified to anyone who cared to listen.

'Yes. Yes!' Theoden said. 'This is the day where we, of the world of Rohan, will either rise up from the ashes, or fall into memory. The Horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the deep one last time.'

Gimli grinned from ear to ear. 'Yes!' His gruff voice could be heard echoing through the thin staircase that led to the horn.

'Let this be the hour when we draw swords together. Fell deeds awake. Now for wrath, now for ruin, and now for the red dawn!'

They rode out, the sound of the horn echoing in their minds, joining with the rising sun to lift their hearts and give them hope that, should they die, at least their names will echo long into the starless nights and through the everlasting winter of the world.