Disclaimer: I don't own LOTR.
Reviving Old Alliances

Wanting a little independence, she wiggled her way through the people to avoid another encounter with Legolas. She guessed that he was looking for her. Why was he so afraid? Did he actually think this would be that bad? How many of those Uruk Hai was Saruman sending anyway? She ran on, hearing some commotion by the gate. She made her way through all the people and saw Aragorn in the middle.

"I knew it! I knew you couldn't just leave us to fight by ourselves!" she rejoiced as she hugged him. He patted her on the shoulder.

"Where is the king?" he asked softly.

She nodded towards the right direction.

"You'd better go put some armor and a helmet on. And keep out of Theoden's sight," he instructed her as he winked. He knew she was going to fight even though she wasn't allowed. She happily found her way to the armory and put on a chainmail shirt. It would do. She figured she could go without the helmet since the men all had long hair, anyway.

Her first real battle on Middle-Earth. She was getting excited. Yeah, she'd been in plenty in her life. She'd ridden in spaceships, speeders, fired laser guns against Stormtroopers, defeated foes with her lightsaber. But she'd never done anything like this. Using a sword was much more difficult than using a lightsaber had been. It was so heavy. It was much easier for her to use the bow and arrows Leglolas had given her, but she felt obligated to use her sword. After all, it was from her sister.

She went back upstairs in her "disguise". Legolas narrowed his eyes at her when he saw her. "This is not a game," he told her, sounding like he was getting irritated.

"Legolas, I want to fight by Aragorn's side. Please understand that I won't be content if I don't," she said sincerely.

He looked at her. "You risk your very life to save those you do not know."

"So do you," she reasoned. "You didn't know of Frodo before the Council in Rivendell. It goes so much deeper than friendship."

He put his hand on her shoulder. "You are indeed blessed with the wisdom of the Elves. But I could not let you fall in battle."

"Then let's make this a competition. Let's see who can kill more Uruk Hai. That way maybe the focus will be taken off the horror of this."

Just then Eowyn ran up to the three of them. "Aragorn! They won't let me fight. They're making me stay in the caves with the women and children! What valor is there in that?" she ranted like an upset little girl. Laura decided she'd better stay out of the conversation, and averted her eyes to Legolas, who was also trying to look like he wasn't involved.

When Aragorn tried to comfort her, she protested. "But you do not try and protect them!" she said, nodding toward Laura and Legolas. "They will fight alongside you. Because they love you!"

Laura bit her lip. She'd said too much, and she knew it. She suddenly grew pale and shrank back, running past. Laura scratched her head and looked up at Legolas. He looked after Eowyn and sighed. Then he turned his attention back to her. "Come," he said.

They were surrounded by men. Very few of them looked like Aragorn or Legolas, meaning they didn't seem fit to fight at all. She clenched her teeth holding back tears as she saw boys younger than she was being handed swords and axes. They were clueless. "These are the men that are fighting?" she said meekly. "Most have seen too many winters."

"Or too few," Legolas added. "Look at them. They're frightened; I can see it in their eyes."

The entire place seemed to stop and stare at Legolas. Then Laura realized just how desperate this situation was.

Legolas continued, but in Elvish. "And they should be...300 against 10,000?"

"They have more hope of defending themselves here than at Edoras," Aragorn replied.

"Aragorn, they cannot win this fight. They are going to die!"

"Then I shall die as one of them!" Aragorn said in English, and left. Laura took a deep breath as Legolas began to follow him.

"Let him be," she told him in Elvish, and left. She went outside to the outer walls. It was dark, and it was very cold. She was tired, and she didn't want to be there anymore. Why'd she have to open her big mouth and argue with Legolas? She'd rather be nice and warm, sleeping while someone else did the fighting for her. She watched the men scatter everywhere, following and giving orders. What made these people so eager to fight? What motivated them to even leave the safety of those caves?

But wait...they were fighting to save their families. Not only that, but to save their world from falling under the power of the Orcs and Sauron. She didn't understand because she wasn't-wait a minute, she was from this world. This was her home, too. How could she have been so naïve? When one world falls, so do the rest eventually. Gandalf's words echoed in her head. Gandalf! Where was he? Finding Eomer! So they did have some hope. If they could last until then, that was.

She watched a young boy with a helmet that barely fit his small head. He looked about 12. He was looking at his sword, very confused. He couldn't fight; he'd be killed immediately if he faced an Orc. Then she got an idea. She made her way over to him.

"Hey, don't be nervous," she told him soothingly. "You want to know a secret?"

He looked up at her and nodded. He looked about to cry. She bent down and looked at his face.

"You see that pile of rocks right there?" she pointed to a pile of rubble behind the boy. "Well, all you have to do is find the biggest rock you can and throw it down over the side at those Orcs. That doesn't seem so bad now, does it?"

He shook his head, looking more hopeful. She smiled and put her hand on his shoulder. "Just follow whatever orders you're given and you'll be fine." They both heard a horn blow all of a sudden. She straightened up. "The Elves! Those are my people, you know."

The boy's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah. Come on, let's go see them!" she and the boy ran to where they could see an army of Elves marching through the gates. She ducked as King Theoden came out, looking amazed. Leading the Elves was Haldir, the Elf from Lothlorien.