I know, I know, I'm taking forever. I'm so sorry, but I was in Annie and
we had rehearsals 24/7. Anyway, that's done, so I am going to concentrate
on my schoolwork, and writing. Thanks for your last reviews! I need all
the encouragement I can get; writer's block is really frustrating. Hope you
like this next chappie.
Bill- pack horse that they had until the nine reached Moria. They then let him go free and he wandered down to Rohan.
Aragorn was swept along the river like a doll. He was unconscious and it was pure luck that he managed to keep his head above water most of the time. The river wound its way and Aragorn was swept along in its current, occasionally being pulled under. Eventually, he grounded on a spit of sand, close to the bank of the river, which had calmed down by now and was a gently flowing past, lapping at his sides. Bill was grazing near by and saw Aragorn, lying there. As Arwen was constantly watching over Aragorn, she saw his plight. Calling to Bill, she asked him to wake Aragorn. Bill plodded over and stuck his muzzle in Aragorn's face. Aragorn woke to Bill prodding him. He opened his eyes slowly and tried to focus. "Bill," he whispered. Forcing himself up he climbed onto Bill's back and knew that Arwen would help him. Man and horse trotted for many leagues, while Aragorn regained some of his strength. They were headed toward Helms Deep and he hoped Legolas hadn't been hurt in the battle.
'Thank you Arwen.' He could feel her presence around him. Inwardly he smiled.
****************************
Legolas looked at the land surrounding Helms Deep and thought wistfully of Aragorn. There was no possible way he could have died, Aragorn was strong, even the current couldn't get the better of him. What if he was out there, lost, trying to find his way to Helms Deep! A sound distracted him. Gimli was walking up the stairs to the parapet.
"I miss him too Legolas. But we can't brood about it. There is a war to be fought, and won if I might add."
"I know Gimli, but I just need a little time.. I miss him so much and I'm sure that if we had looked we would have found him."
"Do you not think he is dead?"
"No Gimli. Aragorn is alive and out there, somewhere, somewhere." Legolas said, gazing at the sunset. The dinner bell clanged, rudely interrupting the moment. Both started down the steps, but Legolas turned and stole one last glance at the sunset, and a breeze swirled about him. 'Aragon!' he whispered.
"C'mon you lazy elfling." Gimli shouted up the stairs. The elf ran down the stairs and caught up with Gimli. He smiled faintly to show that he was all right, or would be. Gimli grinned back and they headed to dinner.
Aragorn's 'death' took its toll on others as well. Eowyn did not take the news well. She and the civilians had reached Helms Deep before the soldiers and she had waited anxiously for their return. Pacing the parapets, she sighted the soldiers and ran down to meet them. Vainly she searched for Aragorn's face, and when all had come in and she still didn't find him she questioned Theoden.
"Where is Lord Aragorn?"
Theoden looked down and would not meet her eyes.
" No, NO.not Aragorn!" she wept. Eowyn fled to her room and threw herself onto her bed, sobbing. Suddenly she realized that she was in love with Aragorn. She loved him, why must he have been taken?! No, it was impossible. Aragorn was a legendary Ranger, Isuildir's heir. He could not die. She slowly stopped crying and hope gleamed in her eyes. Perhaps, just maybe, Aragorn was alive and making his way to Helms Deep. Composing herself, Eowyn sat up.
'I must be strong. There will be many casualties because of this war. I cannot mourn forever. And, Aragorn may still be alive. I must have hope!'
**********************************
Aragorn's head snapped up; he heard the clank of armor and the rumbling of marching. Bill mounted a bluff and Aragorn gasped. Before them was the army from Isengaurd, Saruman's army. It was thousands of orcs, prepared for battle. Above them the White Hand of Saruman was unfurled. Sharply, he turned Bill and urged him over the plains. Running, man and horse became one.
"Come on Bill! We must reach Helms Deep before the army can." Showing understanding, Bill lengthened his stride and the wind whistled around them.
Finally, after hours of hard riding, they came to Helms Deep. Aragorn stopped Bill and gazed and the magnificent structure before him. The walls of Helms Deep were tall, and so wide that they could not be toppled. It rose against the cliff behind it, so that enemies could only come from one direction. Aragorn knew that behind the keep, were caves dug into the cliff.
"Just a little more, my friend." He said to Bill. "Then you can rest and eat your fill. I promise." Bill took off, the final stretch before him. They ran right through the gates and up the stairs. Aragon jumped off and proceeded to the main hall. Aragorn raced up the many steps to the center off the keep. He passed a barrel of water, and stopped. He turned back, grabbed a bucket, filled it with water and dumped it over himself. He was hot, and the water cooled him down. Also, it washed off some of the grime form traveling. Aragorn shook his head and continued up the stairs.
Legolas was waiting in front of the main hall. Theoden had requested his presence and the noon hour and it was nearly then. He felt some thing in the air and instinctively looked up. His eyes widened and he couldn't believe what he saw. Aragorn striding up the stairs. Legolas moved forward quickly and threw his arms around Aragorn. Aragorn held him with ferocity and Legolas matched his strength. They drew back and surveyed each other, their eyes shimmering. Legolas smiled crookedly.
"You're late." He said in Elvish. Aragorn smiled back, not needing words. Reaching into his pocket, Legolas drew out Aragorn's necklace and put it into his hand.
"You found it." he looked up at Legolas. "Thank you. We have much to tell, but first I must speak to the king. Saruman's army is coming." Legolas' eyes widened. He gave Aragorn one last squeeze and stepped away.
Not far off, Eowyn was handing out rations. She looked up when she heard a foreign language being spoken. 'Aragorn! He has returned.' She thought joyously. Aragorn left the Elf and walked to the main hall. Disappointed that he didn't notice her, Eowyn consoled herself with the fact that he was alive and there.
Aragorn reached the main hall. He grabbed the doors and in one swift motion, threw them open. On his face was a look of determination. He strode into the room purposefully, water dripping from his hair as it swung around his face. Aragorn's cloak swished around his muscular legs, his chest was heaving. Theoden looked up, irritated at the interruption, until he saw whom it was.
"Aragorn!"
Bill- pack horse that they had until the nine reached Moria. They then let him go free and he wandered down to Rohan.
Aragorn was swept along the river like a doll. He was unconscious and it was pure luck that he managed to keep his head above water most of the time. The river wound its way and Aragorn was swept along in its current, occasionally being pulled under. Eventually, he grounded on a spit of sand, close to the bank of the river, which had calmed down by now and was a gently flowing past, lapping at his sides. Bill was grazing near by and saw Aragorn, lying there. As Arwen was constantly watching over Aragorn, she saw his plight. Calling to Bill, she asked him to wake Aragorn. Bill plodded over and stuck his muzzle in Aragorn's face. Aragorn woke to Bill prodding him. He opened his eyes slowly and tried to focus. "Bill," he whispered. Forcing himself up he climbed onto Bill's back and knew that Arwen would help him. Man and horse trotted for many leagues, while Aragorn regained some of his strength. They were headed toward Helms Deep and he hoped Legolas hadn't been hurt in the battle.
'Thank you Arwen.' He could feel her presence around him. Inwardly he smiled.
****************************
Legolas looked at the land surrounding Helms Deep and thought wistfully of Aragorn. There was no possible way he could have died, Aragorn was strong, even the current couldn't get the better of him. What if he was out there, lost, trying to find his way to Helms Deep! A sound distracted him. Gimli was walking up the stairs to the parapet.
"I miss him too Legolas. But we can't brood about it. There is a war to be fought, and won if I might add."
"I know Gimli, but I just need a little time.. I miss him so much and I'm sure that if we had looked we would have found him."
"Do you not think he is dead?"
"No Gimli. Aragorn is alive and out there, somewhere, somewhere." Legolas said, gazing at the sunset. The dinner bell clanged, rudely interrupting the moment. Both started down the steps, but Legolas turned and stole one last glance at the sunset, and a breeze swirled about him. 'Aragon!' he whispered.
"C'mon you lazy elfling." Gimli shouted up the stairs. The elf ran down the stairs and caught up with Gimli. He smiled faintly to show that he was all right, or would be. Gimli grinned back and they headed to dinner.
Aragorn's 'death' took its toll on others as well. Eowyn did not take the news well. She and the civilians had reached Helms Deep before the soldiers and she had waited anxiously for their return. Pacing the parapets, she sighted the soldiers and ran down to meet them. Vainly she searched for Aragorn's face, and when all had come in and she still didn't find him she questioned Theoden.
"Where is Lord Aragorn?"
Theoden looked down and would not meet her eyes.
" No, NO.not Aragorn!" she wept. Eowyn fled to her room and threw herself onto her bed, sobbing. Suddenly she realized that she was in love with Aragorn. She loved him, why must he have been taken?! No, it was impossible. Aragorn was a legendary Ranger, Isuildir's heir. He could not die. She slowly stopped crying and hope gleamed in her eyes. Perhaps, just maybe, Aragorn was alive and making his way to Helms Deep. Composing herself, Eowyn sat up.
'I must be strong. There will be many casualties because of this war. I cannot mourn forever. And, Aragorn may still be alive. I must have hope!'
**********************************
Aragorn's head snapped up; he heard the clank of armor and the rumbling of marching. Bill mounted a bluff and Aragorn gasped. Before them was the army from Isengaurd, Saruman's army. It was thousands of orcs, prepared for battle. Above them the White Hand of Saruman was unfurled. Sharply, he turned Bill and urged him over the plains. Running, man and horse became one.
"Come on Bill! We must reach Helms Deep before the army can." Showing understanding, Bill lengthened his stride and the wind whistled around them.
Finally, after hours of hard riding, they came to Helms Deep. Aragorn stopped Bill and gazed and the magnificent structure before him. The walls of Helms Deep were tall, and so wide that they could not be toppled. It rose against the cliff behind it, so that enemies could only come from one direction. Aragorn knew that behind the keep, were caves dug into the cliff.
"Just a little more, my friend." He said to Bill. "Then you can rest and eat your fill. I promise." Bill took off, the final stretch before him. They ran right through the gates and up the stairs. Aragon jumped off and proceeded to the main hall. Aragorn raced up the many steps to the center off the keep. He passed a barrel of water, and stopped. He turned back, grabbed a bucket, filled it with water and dumped it over himself. He was hot, and the water cooled him down. Also, it washed off some of the grime form traveling. Aragorn shook his head and continued up the stairs.
Legolas was waiting in front of the main hall. Theoden had requested his presence and the noon hour and it was nearly then. He felt some thing in the air and instinctively looked up. His eyes widened and he couldn't believe what he saw. Aragorn striding up the stairs. Legolas moved forward quickly and threw his arms around Aragorn. Aragorn held him with ferocity and Legolas matched his strength. They drew back and surveyed each other, their eyes shimmering. Legolas smiled crookedly.
"You're late." He said in Elvish. Aragorn smiled back, not needing words. Reaching into his pocket, Legolas drew out Aragorn's necklace and put it into his hand.
"You found it." he looked up at Legolas. "Thank you. We have much to tell, but first I must speak to the king. Saruman's army is coming." Legolas' eyes widened. He gave Aragorn one last squeeze and stepped away.
Not far off, Eowyn was handing out rations. She looked up when she heard a foreign language being spoken. 'Aragorn! He has returned.' She thought joyously. Aragorn left the Elf and walked to the main hall. Disappointed that he didn't notice her, Eowyn consoled herself with the fact that he was alive and there.
Aragorn reached the main hall. He grabbed the doors and in one swift motion, threw them open. On his face was a look of determination. He strode into the room purposefully, water dripping from his hair as it swung around his face. Aragorn's cloak swished around his muscular legs, his chest was heaving. Theoden looked up, irritated at the interruption, until he saw whom it was.
"Aragorn!"