Chapter Sixteen
Nightfall came too soon. I had gathered my few belongings, and followed the others into the caverns, which were a marvel in themselves. Glittering stones spattered everywhere, glinting of the feeblest candle light, and stalactites nearly reaching the floor.
I glanced at Eowyn, who was scowling, and shooting glares at the doors that would keep her from fighting.
Knowing the battle was near, I leand against one of the doors, hearing nothing of the outside world. The exterior room was empty; all the men, young and old, were on the walls, waiting for it to begin.
I remembered my parting with Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli.
"I will open these doors as soon as the battle is over." Aragorn had promised, holding one of the handles of the said door.
As I had went into the stronghold, I turned one last time to look at the three. Legolas and Gimli were retreating to the outer door, but Aragorn had been watching the activity in the caverns. My eyes met Aragorn's. His revealed worry, and unsure of our fates. I wondered what mine held. Without a word, I entered the cavern, and heard the door slam and lock. There was nothing I could do now, and I realized with a jerk the consequences I would face if the three were killed. I would be here, in the ruins of a battlefield, with nowhere to go.
I went back to my place, and stared at the caves for a long time. I heard pounding, roars, and thunder.
I leaned back against the hard rock wall, and then sat up straight, startled. I felt something, a gentle pulling, like a current. Calming myself, I leaned back, and felt it again. It was so slight I wondered at how I had felt it initially.
I looked around, trying to tell by faces if anyone else felt what I had. The tugging grew stronger, and I realized it was familiar. It was the same pull that I had felt as we entered Lothlorien.
Remembering Galadriel's words made my heart beat faster as I tried to recall her exact words...
"... Perhaps you have felt something, like the presence of something you couldn't understand..."
The straining weakened. I leaned to the right, and it grew stronger. I stood up, and took a few steps. Now it felt as though my insides were being drawn along a designated path, and I had no choice but to follow.
My feet took me far from the others, but I attracted no attention. As I entered a large cavernous room accessible through a tunnel I would never have found on my own, I knew I was close to my target.
Every part of me was tugged to a dark corner of the cave. I felt as though my insides would explode with the feeling. The object doing the pulling needed to be found. I walked more cautiously, now with very little light to guide my way.
Without warning, I tripped on an indention in the rock floor, and tumbled down what I guessed was a steep stairway.
I regained my footing, and gingerly continued down the stairs, feeling the walls for guidance. Finally I reached the base, and was surrounded in thick darkness, but I knew where to go. I walked in a straight line until I bumped into a pillar of some kind. I felt it carefully, finding that it was more of a pedestal.
My hands searched the top of it meticulously, and as they reached the far side, I felt something smooth. The pulling ceased immediately. I cupped the sphere object in both hands, and drew it near to me.
It was cool and perfectly smooth. I knew without hesitation that it was a palantir. I grinned widely, and picked it up. It was heavy, heavier than I expected. I turned to leave, but realized that I wasn't sure of the way back. I walked in a straight line, but I ended up hitting a wall.
I glanced down at my hands, not seeing them, but knowing where they were. Something red-gold began to pulse in the center of the sphere, twisting and writhing, and growing larger by the second.
Dread sank into my heart as I knew what it was. I closed my eyes tight, and concentrated, but I could still see the red light. I thought about the lost palantiri, and willed myself to know their location. The fire from within the palantiri began to fade, and I began to see something different.
Everything was dimly lit. Roars sounded overhead, and crumbling, and screams. There was a patch of light above me, then things began to change again.
Birds sang. Golden light shone through a canopy of green and yellow. Something moved-larger than a person, but it blended with its surroundings too well for me to make it out. Then the scene shredded away into silver fog.
Everything was green and blue. White light filtered down onto a ground of smooth sand, interrupted every so often with a sharp rock. The light flickered strangly on everything, but before I could focus clearly, it dissolved into darkness.
The red flame flickered, growing larger and larger. I snapped my eyes opened, and looked around. I was back in the dark room. The light grew brighter, and more orange and gold. I forced it back to a small ember using a part of my brain I didn't know I had.
When the light was its brightest, I had seen the interior of the room, and my route to the exit. I hurried to the stairs, and sprinted up them as fast as I could.
As I reached the top, panting, I unclasped my cloak, and wrapped the palantir in it. I held it unostentatiously, and followed the dim light back to the others.
Pounding resounded in the distance, and I remembered the first location I had seen. Was the sound from where I had been taken, or from the sounds of battle?
I returned, and saw most of the women asleep, with their children held close. I smiled at a small girl sucking her thumb, while her wide eyes roved the ceiling of the cavern. I sat down on my blanket, and placed my cloak in my pack.
Laying on my back, I felt content. I was fulfilling the mission Galadriel had sent me to do. I was no longer useless. I smiled, feeling as though a burden had been lifted from me. I stared up into the blackness of the high ceiling, and waited for sleep to take me.
.
I awoke a few hours later, unsure of whether it was morning, or night, or even afternoon. It was a very unsettling feeling. Others were talking softly, voicing whether the battle was over or not.
Turning my gaze to Eowyn, I saw that she didn't seem to have moved at all during the whole time we were in the caverns. She sat up straight, with her head bowed slightly, but her eyes were wide and alert.
I stood up, and leaned against the door, straining my ears to hear any sounds. Then I heard hurried footsteps towards the door. I backed away in time for one of the doors to be cracked open, and a guard peered in.
Eowyn leapt to her feet, and ran to the door.
"What news, Eothed?" she demanded. He nodded to acknowledge her, and then continued, "Theoden King requests that you leave the safety of the caverns to meet him, and Lord Aragorn wishes to see some," he stopped, biting his lip, "Or-Ortall-"
"Orthalion?" I helped out, grinning. The guard nodded, and opened the door wider for us to slip through.
Eowyn ran through the room to the far door, and waited for me to join her. We both opened it, and a sight met our eyes.
The outer wall had crumbled in a large section, and most of the stronghold was in ruins, and littered with bodies. I hurried to the edge of the wall, and looked out. A large, dense forest laid where there had been a plain. The trees swayed independantly, and roars, bellowing, and grating screams were heard from within.
The Rohirrim had arrived. They were riding atop their majestic horses, and killing the few remaining orcs.
I raced along the wall, vaulting over slain orcs, and ran to the main gate. At the base of the bridge I saw Aragorn atop Hasufel, Legolas and Gimli on Arod, Gandalf on Shadowfax, Theoden on Snowmane, and a few other brave soldiers, all looking exhasusted.
Eowyn caught up with me, and ran down the bridge to Theoden. I followed, and greeted them with a huge smile. Aragorn smiled wearily down at me, but Gandalf chose to ignore me.
"Tell me of everything!" Eowyn exclaimed, helping Theoden off Snowmane. The king gave a short laugh, and hugged Eowyn with one arm, shaking his head.
A helmed man atop a large horse rode forward with a few other men behind. He took off his helmet, revealing himself to be Eomer. He bowed his head to Aragorn, and slid off his horse.
"Your white wizard found us just in time." he said, smiling slightly. Aragorn nodded, "And your aid was greatly needed. I thank you."
The Elf and the Dwarf, both of whom had been discussing something, burst out into a loud argument. Growling, Gimli toppled off Arod, and stocked up the bridge, followed by a protesting Legolas.
Eowyn drew herself from Theoden and went to greet Eomer. The two exchanged a few words, and then Eomer turned to me.
"Aragorn, you have yet to introduce me to this lady." he commented.
"This is Eleanor Orthalion, a member of our fellowship, and my friend through many dark times." Aragorn supplied.
It sounded impressive. Granted, he could have mentioned the whole distrust thing at the beginning, but I was glad he excluded that.
"Lady Eleanor, it is an honor." Eomer said, kissing my hand. My heart lightened considerably. It's funny how an opinion of a guy can change just by him kissing your hand.
"Aragorn, I have important news." I said suddenly. The way I said it must have sounded urgent, because Aragorn stopped in mid-sentance with Gandalf, and whirled around to me.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Did the Lady Galadriel tell you of my mission?" Aragorn nodded, "Aye, and Legolas told me of the book she gave you."
"I have found one of them in a cave in the keep." I said quietly, because Eomer, Eowyn, and Gandalf were watching us curiously.
Aragorn's eyes widened, and he begged leave of Gandalf. With a frown, the wizard agreed, and I practically dragged him back to the caverns.
Most of the women had taken their children to search for their loved ones, so the cave was mostly emptied.
I ran to my blanket and pack, digging out my cloak. Gently, I unfolded the cloth, and held the sphere out for Aragorn to see. He inhaled sharply, and took it, cradling it as if it were a child.
Abrubtly, he shoved it back at me, closing his eyes tight. I wrapped it back up as Aragorn explained, "I am too weak now to look into it, and even in full health I doubt my strength."
I placed it carefully at the bottom of my bag, piling my other things on top of it, and Aragorn continued, "Keep it secret, and do not bring it out often, for not all of them are accounted for. Now," he finished, "let us go back to the light of morning, I daresay all the men will be keen to tell their battle stories to someone."
I chuckled, and followed him out. Many of the people had congregated in the main room, where wives hugged their husbands, but many women sat alone, with their head in their hands.
Eowyn stood by Theoden and a guard, all talking earnestly about battle. Legolas, Eomer, and Gimli, all of whom had been talking, made their way over to us. Gimli wore a broad smile on his face, "Forty-two orcs I slayed last night, that's one more than this Elf princling!"
Laughing, I looked at Legolas, who didn't look too resentful.
"May I hear the whole story?" I asked, smiling widely. Aragorn launched into the battle from his perspective, interrupted frequently Gimli, who demanded his tale be told. It seemed that Haldir and a legion of Elves had arrived the night before to aid us. Aragorn told me somberly, however, that Haldir had been killed.
"Where are the others?" I inquired, an idea forming in my mind.
"They went to the east wall, and are readying themselves to leave." Legolas replied.
I jumped up, "Where is the east wall?"
Eomer agreed to take me, and guided me to the said wall. Many Elves were cleaning their blades, restringing their bows, and otherwise fixing things.
Thanking Eomer, I hurried among their number. "Is Galawe among your number?" I asked. A fair-haired Elf looked stonily at me, and pointed a ways to the right.
I found him, but when I saw him, I wished I had never gone in search of my friend.
.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* elrohir lover: heh. Nifty name
AAAclub: Wait... Brego was Theodred's, according to the movie. Because Aragorn instructed that he be set free, since he had seen enough of war. Right? Or am I dreaming this up? Gah, I could have sworn Brego was Theodred's horse....
Nightfall came too soon. I had gathered my few belongings, and followed the others into the caverns, which were a marvel in themselves. Glittering stones spattered everywhere, glinting of the feeblest candle light, and stalactites nearly reaching the floor.
I glanced at Eowyn, who was scowling, and shooting glares at the doors that would keep her from fighting.
Knowing the battle was near, I leand against one of the doors, hearing nothing of the outside world. The exterior room was empty; all the men, young and old, were on the walls, waiting for it to begin.
I remembered my parting with Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli.
"I will open these doors as soon as the battle is over." Aragorn had promised, holding one of the handles of the said door.
As I had went into the stronghold, I turned one last time to look at the three. Legolas and Gimli were retreating to the outer door, but Aragorn had been watching the activity in the caverns. My eyes met Aragorn's. His revealed worry, and unsure of our fates. I wondered what mine held. Without a word, I entered the cavern, and heard the door slam and lock. There was nothing I could do now, and I realized with a jerk the consequences I would face if the three were killed. I would be here, in the ruins of a battlefield, with nowhere to go.
I went back to my place, and stared at the caves for a long time. I heard pounding, roars, and thunder.
I leaned back against the hard rock wall, and then sat up straight, startled. I felt something, a gentle pulling, like a current. Calming myself, I leaned back, and felt it again. It was so slight I wondered at how I had felt it initially.
I looked around, trying to tell by faces if anyone else felt what I had. The tugging grew stronger, and I realized it was familiar. It was the same pull that I had felt as we entered Lothlorien.
Remembering Galadriel's words made my heart beat faster as I tried to recall her exact words...
"... Perhaps you have felt something, like the presence of something you couldn't understand..."
The straining weakened. I leaned to the right, and it grew stronger. I stood up, and took a few steps. Now it felt as though my insides were being drawn along a designated path, and I had no choice but to follow.
My feet took me far from the others, but I attracted no attention. As I entered a large cavernous room accessible through a tunnel I would never have found on my own, I knew I was close to my target.
Every part of me was tugged to a dark corner of the cave. I felt as though my insides would explode with the feeling. The object doing the pulling needed to be found. I walked more cautiously, now with very little light to guide my way.
Without warning, I tripped on an indention in the rock floor, and tumbled down what I guessed was a steep stairway.
I regained my footing, and gingerly continued down the stairs, feeling the walls for guidance. Finally I reached the base, and was surrounded in thick darkness, but I knew where to go. I walked in a straight line until I bumped into a pillar of some kind. I felt it carefully, finding that it was more of a pedestal.
My hands searched the top of it meticulously, and as they reached the far side, I felt something smooth. The pulling ceased immediately. I cupped the sphere object in both hands, and drew it near to me.
It was cool and perfectly smooth. I knew without hesitation that it was a palantir. I grinned widely, and picked it up. It was heavy, heavier than I expected. I turned to leave, but realized that I wasn't sure of the way back. I walked in a straight line, but I ended up hitting a wall.
I glanced down at my hands, not seeing them, but knowing where they were. Something red-gold began to pulse in the center of the sphere, twisting and writhing, and growing larger by the second.
Dread sank into my heart as I knew what it was. I closed my eyes tight, and concentrated, but I could still see the red light. I thought about the lost palantiri, and willed myself to know their location. The fire from within the palantiri began to fade, and I began to see something different.
Everything was dimly lit. Roars sounded overhead, and crumbling, and screams. There was a patch of light above me, then things began to change again.
Birds sang. Golden light shone through a canopy of green and yellow. Something moved-larger than a person, but it blended with its surroundings too well for me to make it out. Then the scene shredded away into silver fog.
Everything was green and blue. White light filtered down onto a ground of smooth sand, interrupted every so often with a sharp rock. The light flickered strangly on everything, but before I could focus clearly, it dissolved into darkness.
The red flame flickered, growing larger and larger. I snapped my eyes opened, and looked around. I was back in the dark room. The light grew brighter, and more orange and gold. I forced it back to a small ember using a part of my brain I didn't know I had.
When the light was its brightest, I had seen the interior of the room, and my route to the exit. I hurried to the stairs, and sprinted up them as fast as I could.
As I reached the top, panting, I unclasped my cloak, and wrapped the palantir in it. I held it unostentatiously, and followed the dim light back to the others.
Pounding resounded in the distance, and I remembered the first location I had seen. Was the sound from where I had been taken, or from the sounds of battle?
I returned, and saw most of the women asleep, with their children held close. I smiled at a small girl sucking her thumb, while her wide eyes roved the ceiling of the cavern. I sat down on my blanket, and placed my cloak in my pack.
Laying on my back, I felt content. I was fulfilling the mission Galadriel had sent me to do. I was no longer useless. I smiled, feeling as though a burden had been lifted from me. I stared up into the blackness of the high ceiling, and waited for sleep to take me.
.
I awoke a few hours later, unsure of whether it was morning, or night, or even afternoon. It was a very unsettling feeling. Others were talking softly, voicing whether the battle was over or not.
Turning my gaze to Eowyn, I saw that she didn't seem to have moved at all during the whole time we were in the caverns. She sat up straight, with her head bowed slightly, but her eyes were wide and alert.
I stood up, and leaned against the door, straining my ears to hear any sounds. Then I heard hurried footsteps towards the door. I backed away in time for one of the doors to be cracked open, and a guard peered in.
Eowyn leapt to her feet, and ran to the door.
"What news, Eothed?" she demanded. He nodded to acknowledge her, and then continued, "Theoden King requests that you leave the safety of the caverns to meet him, and Lord Aragorn wishes to see some," he stopped, biting his lip, "Or-Ortall-"
"Orthalion?" I helped out, grinning. The guard nodded, and opened the door wider for us to slip through.
Eowyn ran through the room to the far door, and waited for me to join her. We both opened it, and a sight met our eyes.
The outer wall had crumbled in a large section, and most of the stronghold was in ruins, and littered with bodies. I hurried to the edge of the wall, and looked out. A large, dense forest laid where there had been a plain. The trees swayed independantly, and roars, bellowing, and grating screams were heard from within.
The Rohirrim had arrived. They were riding atop their majestic horses, and killing the few remaining orcs.
I raced along the wall, vaulting over slain orcs, and ran to the main gate. At the base of the bridge I saw Aragorn atop Hasufel, Legolas and Gimli on Arod, Gandalf on Shadowfax, Theoden on Snowmane, and a few other brave soldiers, all looking exhasusted.
Eowyn caught up with me, and ran down the bridge to Theoden. I followed, and greeted them with a huge smile. Aragorn smiled wearily down at me, but Gandalf chose to ignore me.
"Tell me of everything!" Eowyn exclaimed, helping Theoden off Snowmane. The king gave a short laugh, and hugged Eowyn with one arm, shaking his head.
A helmed man atop a large horse rode forward with a few other men behind. He took off his helmet, revealing himself to be Eomer. He bowed his head to Aragorn, and slid off his horse.
"Your white wizard found us just in time." he said, smiling slightly. Aragorn nodded, "And your aid was greatly needed. I thank you."
The Elf and the Dwarf, both of whom had been discussing something, burst out into a loud argument. Growling, Gimli toppled off Arod, and stocked up the bridge, followed by a protesting Legolas.
Eowyn drew herself from Theoden and went to greet Eomer. The two exchanged a few words, and then Eomer turned to me.
"Aragorn, you have yet to introduce me to this lady." he commented.
"This is Eleanor Orthalion, a member of our fellowship, and my friend through many dark times." Aragorn supplied.
It sounded impressive. Granted, he could have mentioned the whole distrust thing at the beginning, but I was glad he excluded that.
"Lady Eleanor, it is an honor." Eomer said, kissing my hand. My heart lightened considerably. It's funny how an opinion of a guy can change just by him kissing your hand.
"Aragorn, I have important news." I said suddenly. The way I said it must have sounded urgent, because Aragorn stopped in mid-sentance with Gandalf, and whirled around to me.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Did the Lady Galadriel tell you of my mission?" Aragorn nodded, "Aye, and Legolas told me of the book she gave you."
"I have found one of them in a cave in the keep." I said quietly, because Eomer, Eowyn, and Gandalf were watching us curiously.
Aragorn's eyes widened, and he begged leave of Gandalf. With a frown, the wizard agreed, and I practically dragged him back to the caverns.
Most of the women had taken their children to search for their loved ones, so the cave was mostly emptied.
I ran to my blanket and pack, digging out my cloak. Gently, I unfolded the cloth, and held the sphere out for Aragorn to see. He inhaled sharply, and took it, cradling it as if it were a child.
Abrubtly, he shoved it back at me, closing his eyes tight. I wrapped it back up as Aragorn explained, "I am too weak now to look into it, and even in full health I doubt my strength."
I placed it carefully at the bottom of my bag, piling my other things on top of it, and Aragorn continued, "Keep it secret, and do not bring it out often, for not all of them are accounted for. Now," he finished, "let us go back to the light of morning, I daresay all the men will be keen to tell their battle stories to someone."
I chuckled, and followed him out. Many of the people had congregated in the main room, where wives hugged their husbands, but many women sat alone, with their head in their hands.
Eowyn stood by Theoden and a guard, all talking earnestly about battle. Legolas, Eomer, and Gimli, all of whom had been talking, made their way over to us. Gimli wore a broad smile on his face, "Forty-two orcs I slayed last night, that's one more than this Elf princling!"
Laughing, I looked at Legolas, who didn't look too resentful.
"May I hear the whole story?" I asked, smiling widely. Aragorn launched into the battle from his perspective, interrupted frequently Gimli, who demanded his tale be told. It seemed that Haldir and a legion of Elves had arrived the night before to aid us. Aragorn told me somberly, however, that Haldir had been killed.
"Where are the others?" I inquired, an idea forming in my mind.
"They went to the east wall, and are readying themselves to leave." Legolas replied.
I jumped up, "Where is the east wall?"
Eomer agreed to take me, and guided me to the said wall. Many Elves were cleaning their blades, restringing their bows, and otherwise fixing things.
Thanking Eomer, I hurried among their number. "Is Galawe among your number?" I asked. A fair-haired Elf looked stonily at me, and pointed a ways to the right.
I found him, but when I saw him, I wished I had never gone in search of my friend.
.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* elrohir lover: heh. Nifty name
AAAclub: Wait... Brego was Theodred's, according to the movie. Because Aragorn instructed that he be set free, since he had seen enough of war. Right? Or am I dreaming this up? Gah, I could have sworn Brego was Theodred's horse....