A/N: Heya! Oh wow. I am so happy about all the reviews I have been
receiving! Thank you everyone, I really appreciate it! I managed to update
this one only a week later *gasp* Aren't you all proud of me? I'm amazed,
that's for sure. Well, here's another chapter. I hope it doesn't suck too
bad! Thanks everyone!
R/N:
ChikensgoMOO: Thanks for your review! I'm glad you like it.
Oil Pastel: Thank you for always reviewing hunni! I am so glad you like my story so far *grins happily* Everyone should check out her fics. Really funny stuff. And OMG, are you fucking kidding me? YOUR SCHOOL BURNED DOWN? What are the chances?? Eeek! Lucky!! How the hell did that happen? Wow. *sighs dreamily* I wish my school would burn down. No chance though *sigh* Winter is coming. Can't burn with a hundred feet of snow on the ground. Newho, thanks a billion for your review *hugz*
Princess-snake: Awww! *hugz* thank you so much for liking my story and for reading it. If you like all the sappy romance stuff, just wait for a couple more chapters *wink-wink* though I might change it. I could have gone overboard a bit. *shrug* whatever. Thanks so much for your review. I will be sure to email you when I update! And you should as well! Thanks again! Bye for now!
KnowinSight: Thanks so much for sticking with this story hun. I really appreciate it! I am glad ya like it, even when it sucks *grins* Thanks for always reviewing and for reading!
Alida Fruit: Thanks for your review! I always like reading your reviews. You really take the time to share your thoughts. Thanks so much. And don't worry about reading my original until you have time. It sucks anyway. I've no idea where I am going with it and I doubt it will be very long or deep. *sigh* it is my first original, so I have an excuse *grins* read it whenever you have time. Thanks for staying with this story! *hugz*
Vorsekeien: Yah, some Mary Sues are not bad. Some of them are horrible though. And I must admit there are few that I like. *shrug* The only reason it's such a big deal is the fact that there are SO many of them that are all the same. There's no new ideas out there. But some of them can be so well written that it doesn't matter how used the idea is.
Noa9: OoOh. Thanks for your review! I'm glad you like Aurora and Scott. *smiles* I hoped people would. And I am especially glad that you enjoyed that chapter so much! Hebrew? *gasp* that is sooo cool. Wow. I have never met someone who can speak Hebrew. *gapes at you in awe* that is beyond cool! Wow. Anyways, thanks for your review!!!
Mojo: Hey sweetie! Thanks so much for always reviewing! I always look forward to what you have to say! I am so glad you enjoy it so far! Luv ya hun!! *hugz*
--
Aurora woke at dawn the next morning. She would definitely have slept longer if horns hadn't started bellowing the minute the sun rose from behind the mountains in the distance, waking the people of Edoras for one last day of traveling. At least this is what Aurora gathered from all the talk and mutterings that swept around her as she folded her blanket and placed it back into the worn pack that she had been carrying since Rivendell.
Dan had gotten his things together before he quickly left them, heading more into the heart of the camp. Aurora shook her head in dismay as she mounted her horse, Scott by her side, and began following the line of people once more. The morning was still cool and it felt refreshing to smell the meadow's and valley's as they moved on. Aurora didn't speak to anyone all morning.
The sun rose higher and higher into the sky and by mid-afternoon people were calling for a rest. Aurora dismounted her horse, deciding that she wanted to look for her brother as an excuse to stretch her legs.
It didn't take her long to find him. He was behind her a little ways and he was standing next to a blonde haired woman, talking to her animatedly. So this must be the mystery woman he had been visiting, Aurora thought. She decided that she would like to meet this woman, so with a grin on her face, she strolled over, calling out to her brother.
"Here you are, dearest brother of mine." She said dramatically, coming up upon him and the woman.
"Oh. Uh. Hi, Aurora." He said uncertainly. He was silently pleading with her not to embarrass him, she knew. She wouldn't try, but if she did on accident there was nothing she could about it. Her brother had interrupted something with Scott last night and she was feeling a little resentful for it.
The woman turned around and Aurora was immediately struck by how pretty she was. She had long blonde hair that was straight and fell to the middle of her back. She had bright green eyes and a pale white face. Was there an ugly woman anywhere in these lands? Looks like her brother caught a good one, she thought, as the woman smiled politely. But even with this said, Aurora felt like she didn't like the woman at all. Who was she to come onto her brother like that? She didn't even know him!
"Who is this, dear brother? Another girlfriend of yours? Surely you must introduce me." Aurora said, sounding very unlike herself. It was fun to watch her brother's face flush that way. She was embarrassing him, she knew, but she couldn't help it. What if Scott had been about to tell her that he felt something for her last night? Maybe he had finally gotten up his resolve and now he lost it. He hadn't spoken to her all morning and he kept a safe distance away. Things might have been different if Dan hadn't interrupted him. Maybe it was childish to take her anger out by embarrassing him, but she couldn't help but feel that he deserved it.
"Oh. Um. Aurora, this is Hanalee. Hanalee, my sister, Aurora."
"Hello!" the woman said happily. "Dan has told me so much about you."
This surprised Aurora. Dan had been talking about her? "That can't be good," she said sarcastically, looking at Dan from the corner of her eye. "What might he be saying about me?"
"Many things. How is worried for your safety and how he fears you may be falling in-"
"Ok! So anyway," Dan interrupted clearing his throat uncomfortably.
Aurora frowned. She felt touched that he worried about her. But what was the end all about? Falling in what? Suddenly Aurora felt rather guilty. It was very obvious that her brother liked this girl. By the sounds of it, he had confided into her, something her brother didn't do with anyone. And she had a strange feeling that Hanalee felt very much the same. The looks she kept throwing at him, the glow in her eyes and upon her face. She couldn't figure out how her brother had been taken with someone so fast but maybe it was one of those "love at first sight" things that she had never believed in or understood. It was rude of her to take whatever joy he had away from him and she suddenly felt very warm toward Hanalee. She hadn't even given the girl a chance, maybe she wasn't so bad after all.
"It was nice meeting you, Hanalee." Aurora said softly. She looked into her brother's eyes and she could have sworn she saw a flicker of gratitude or maybe relief.
"And you," Hanalee replied back. "I hope me may become friends."
Aurora nodded slightly before turning around and mounting her horse, leading him back to where Scott sat.
"What was that all about?" he asked her. Aurora could tell at this moment that Scott missed Dan. He missed him very much and Aurora knew that he was very unhappy that they weren't getting along.
"Her name is Hanalee. I think my brother is in love." She said, admitting the words to herself with a small jolt. This was the last thing she would have expected. The very last thing. She sighed, thinking of Scott. Things often happened that were never intended or planned.
The procession began again and Aurora fell into silence once more. Háma and another man that Aurora had come to know as Gamling, rode past them, going over a hill that was before the line. Aurora gazed after them, wondering where they were going. Legolas, who was walking near her, was also watching intently. Too intently. Aurora suddenly felt uncomfortable. Something wasn't right, she could tell by simply looking at Legolas.
Her fears were confirmed for Legolas suddenly ran forward, an arrow notched and shot at something that was just becoming visible over the hill.
"Argh," he cried, "A scout!"
"What is it?" Théoden called, "What do you see?"
Aragorn, who had sprinted forward, now ran back. "Wargs! We are under attack." (A/n: *rolls eyes* good one Aragorn, there can't be a better way to keep the people calm)
Cries and screams rent then air as soon as these words were spoken. Aurora groaned. What in the hell was a Warg? People were fleeing in different directions, unsure of where to go. Children were crying out to their mothers and tangible fear and panic was beginning to break out upon the refugees.
"All riders to the head of the column!" Théoden called loudly.
Immediately Aurora and Scott rode forward, making their way between the people and frightened horses.
They came upon Gimli who was crying, "Come on! Get me up here! I'm a rider. Argh!" as he desperately tried to mount a horse. He finally managed it but the horse took him in the wrong direction. Yelling angrily, he kicked the horses sides and, after a moment more of doing its own thing, the horse finally began trotting toward the hill.
Théoden turned on his horse and spoke to Éowyn. "You must lead the people to Helm's Deep! And make haste!"
"I can fight!" Éowyn cried angrily. Aurora was struck by this. Was this the cage she feared? Éowyn was a warrior, wanting to defend her people? Aurora pitied her.
"No!" Théoden said, almost too quickly. "You must do this. . . for me."
Éowyn held his gaze for a moment before reluctantly turning around and calling out to the people, trying to organize them once more.
Théoden cried, "To me!" and began leading the way over the hill where Legolas was already shooting his arrows.
Aurora began to follow but Scott grabbed the reins of her horse. Confused, she turned to look at him. "Maybe you should go with Éowyn."
Aurora felt like she had been slapped. "Are you kidding?"
Scott shook his head solemnly. "I don't want you fighting."
This angered Aurora. Who was he to tell her what she couldn't do? She had been through just as much as he had and here he was telling her that she should run away. "I have every bit of right to fight as you do." Aurora hissed back, trying to keep the trembling rage from showing on her face.
"You are the only girl here Aurora! Please, just, go with Éowyn. They need your help."
"Girl, am I?" she asked, her blue eyes cold slits of anger.
Scott seemed to realize his mistake and began muttering apologies. Angrily, she tore her horse away from his grip and galloped over the hill where the battle was already beginning, her heart thousands of emotions again. But mostly she felt anger. She caught a glimpse of Dan fighting and could have sworn she saw him laugh as he slew an Orc. But she only saw a quick glimpse and so she wrote it off as imagination.
She didn't have much time to think as an Orc, riding what Aurora assumed was a Warg, attacked her. His blade missed her but stabbed into her horse and it came crashing down. Aurora felt dazed for a second before she regained her senses and then jumped quickly up, warding off another attack by the Orc. On his third attempt she ducked his blade and rose, drawing her own sword across the monster's hideous neck. With a choke he toppled off the beast beneath him and was crushed by the very creature he rode. Aurora had assumed that the Warg would flee, but instead it turned around with blood thirsty eyes and a rabid mouth and attacked her. The beast grabbed her arm and she lost her sword. Crying in pain, she tried to shut off the thought of the beast pulling her arm, the teeth digging deeper and deeper into the sinew of her skin. Remembering the knife she had found in Edoras, she pulled it out of her boot and stabbed blindly. She must have struck something sensitive because the monster released her arm and roared in pain. Aurora took this advantage and grabbed her sword, stabbing it into the heart of the creature.
Wincing, she glanced down at her left arm. It was a mass of blood and it felt numb. Aurora didn't have time to worry about it, however, for another Orc began an assault on her. This one was somehow easier to slay and she received only a few more scratches and bruises.
A Warg suddenly dashed in front of her and it took Aurora a moment to realize what was wrong with this one. It was dragging Aragorn. Aragorn was stuck to the monster somehow and he was trying to release himself of the creature while throwing fearful glances at the nearing cliff.
"Oh God," Aurora whispered. She immediately began running after him, running as fast as her legs would carry her. But the Warg had four legs and he pounded across the rocky ground much faster than her two legs could accomplish. Even with this disadvantage, absolute fear drove her on and she caught up to the monster. But it was a second too late. As Aurora threw herself onto her stomach and stretched her hand out over the cliff, Aragorn fell to the raging river hundreds of feet below.
Time seemed to stop completely. The sound of battle echoed somewhere in the back of her head as she watched Aragorn fall for what seemed like centuries. She watched him fall to his death, unable to do anything but stare over the cliff, still lying on her stomach, her hand outstretched. Somehow, she was unsure how or when, she managed to pull herself up. But it was for only a second because her legs crumbled beneath her, unable to support her weight. Her mind was a maelstrom of raging emotions, her soul, heart, and reason trying to catch up with the horrible event that she had just witnessed. No tears came to her eyes. She simply stared over the cliff, resting back on her knees, gazing at nothing, feeling nothing, seeing or hearing nothing.
She was dimly aware of Legolas coming up behind her. Gazing at her in confusion and then calling "Aragorn" loudly. It was perhaps this name that brought her back to reality. Sounds burst into her ears. The king calling victory, the shouts of the victors, and the yells emanating from Legolas. She turned to look at him, slowly, willing herself to move. Her blue eyes began to fill with tears now and her heart was beginning to crush as the realization hit her. Aragorn, her friend, her king, her leader. He was dead.
A sudden wheezing interrupted her sorrow. A laugh, a chortle, a horrible choking sound. Legolas stopped looking at Aurora and dashed to an Orc who lost half his body but was wheezing with laugher.
Legolas was so angry, so scared, that Aurora could almost feel it flow from his body. She wanted to tell him. She wanted to be the one that broke the news. But her voice wouldn't work and all she could let out were strangled sobs. At this moment, Scott and Dan came over, both looking utterly confused. Scott saw Aurora on her knees, still facing the cliff, tears sliding down her face and a bloody arm hanging limply at her side, and he quickly ran over to her. Dan did too and they stood on either side of her, but looking at Legolas who had the Orc by the armor.
"Tell me what has happened and I will ease your passing," Legolas spat, shaking the Orc vigorously.
"He's. . ." The Orc began. He had to stop as black blood gurgled from his mouth. ". . .dead!" He stopped for a moment before continuing, "It took but a little tumble off the cliff."
Legolas looked over the cliff and then over to Aurora who was still sobbing, still gazing over the side. He knew it was true. He knew it but he couldn't, he wouldn't, believe it. "You lie!" he roared.
The Orc chortled and then, with a last choking sound, died. Legolas looked down at the Orcs hand and retrieved Aragorn's jeweled necklace. He clutched it his hand for a moment before standing up and running to the edge of the cliff, looking hopefully down, almost as if he would see Aragorn walking out of the stream, wet, maybe hurt, but alive.
Aurora looked at Legolas and through her tears she saw his hurt, his pain, his disbelief. He was confused, completely unsure of what to do, what to say. The pain was evident in his startling eyes and Aurora couldn't bare to look at them for long. It was almost as if his heart was breaking and he was unsure of how to stop it.
She was surprised when she saw Scott AND Dan crying. Dan hadn't tried to get close to any of the remaining members of the fellowship. But here he was, his eyes downcast, tears spilling down his mud stained cheeks.
Théoden's voice bellowed around them, "Get the wounded on horses!" he called. "The wolves of Isengard will return." After a moment of silence, he continued, "Leave the dead."
At these words Legolas stared at him in perplexed anger and disbelief. Aurora couldn't help but feel angry herself, even with the tears of sorrow still sliding down her face. How could he just leave them here, leave them for wild animals to feed upon? No burial and no sign of bringing them back where they could at least be blessed by their families.
Théoden walked over to Legolas and rested a hand on his shoulder. His eyes said that he was sorry but when he spoke all he voiced was, "Come."
Legolas and Gimli gazed down at the river, one last time, before they reluctantly began to follow. Scott and Dan both helped Aurora up and they supported her to a horse. Dan sat behind her and wrapped his arms around his sister, careful not to bump her bloody arm. He nodded to Scott in appreciation maybe. Scott didn't know. He just found a horse for himself and rode beside them, heading to the refuge of Helm's Deep.
R/N:
ChikensgoMOO: Thanks for your review! I'm glad you like it.
Oil Pastel: Thank you for always reviewing hunni! I am so glad you like my story so far *grins happily* Everyone should check out her fics. Really funny stuff. And OMG, are you fucking kidding me? YOUR SCHOOL BURNED DOWN? What are the chances?? Eeek! Lucky!! How the hell did that happen? Wow. *sighs dreamily* I wish my school would burn down. No chance though *sigh* Winter is coming. Can't burn with a hundred feet of snow on the ground. Newho, thanks a billion for your review *hugz*
Princess-snake: Awww! *hugz* thank you so much for liking my story and for reading it. If you like all the sappy romance stuff, just wait for a couple more chapters *wink-wink* though I might change it. I could have gone overboard a bit. *shrug* whatever. Thanks so much for your review. I will be sure to email you when I update! And you should as well! Thanks again! Bye for now!
KnowinSight: Thanks so much for sticking with this story hun. I really appreciate it! I am glad ya like it, even when it sucks *grins* Thanks for always reviewing and for reading!
Alida Fruit: Thanks for your review! I always like reading your reviews. You really take the time to share your thoughts. Thanks so much. And don't worry about reading my original until you have time. It sucks anyway. I've no idea where I am going with it and I doubt it will be very long or deep. *sigh* it is my first original, so I have an excuse *grins* read it whenever you have time. Thanks for staying with this story! *hugz*
Vorsekeien: Yah, some Mary Sues are not bad. Some of them are horrible though. And I must admit there are few that I like. *shrug* The only reason it's such a big deal is the fact that there are SO many of them that are all the same. There's no new ideas out there. But some of them can be so well written that it doesn't matter how used the idea is.
Noa9: OoOh. Thanks for your review! I'm glad you like Aurora and Scott. *smiles* I hoped people would. And I am especially glad that you enjoyed that chapter so much! Hebrew? *gasp* that is sooo cool. Wow. I have never met someone who can speak Hebrew. *gapes at you in awe* that is beyond cool! Wow. Anyways, thanks for your review!!!
Mojo: Hey sweetie! Thanks so much for always reviewing! I always look forward to what you have to say! I am so glad you enjoy it so far! Luv ya hun!! *hugz*
--
Aurora woke at dawn the next morning. She would definitely have slept longer if horns hadn't started bellowing the minute the sun rose from behind the mountains in the distance, waking the people of Edoras for one last day of traveling. At least this is what Aurora gathered from all the talk and mutterings that swept around her as she folded her blanket and placed it back into the worn pack that she had been carrying since Rivendell.
Dan had gotten his things together before he quickly left them, heading more into the heart of the camp. Aurora shook her head in dismay as she mounted her horse, Scott by her side, and began following the line of people once more. The morning was still cool and it felt refreshing to smell the meadow's and valley's as they moved on. Aurora didn't speak to anyone all morning.
The sun rose higher and higher into the sky and by mid-afternoon people were calling for a rest. Aurora dismounted her horse, deciding that she wanted to look for her brother as an excuse to stretch her legs.
It didn't take her long to find him. He was behind her a little ways and he was standing next to a blonde haired woman, talking to her animatedly. So this must be the mystery woman he had been visiting, Aurora thought. She decided that she would like to meet this woman, so with a grin on her face, she strolled over, calling out to her brother.
"Here you are, dearest brother of mine." She said dramatically, coming up upon him and the woman.
"Oh. Uh. Hi, Aurora." He said uncertainly. He was silently pleading with her not to embarrass him, she knew. She wouldn't try, but if she did on accident there was nothing she could about it. Her brother had interrupted something with Scott last night and she was feeling a little resentful for it.
The woman turned around and Aurora was immediately struck by how pretty she was. She had long blonde hair that was straight and fell to the middle of her back. She had bright green eyes and a pale white face. Was there an ugly woman anywhere in these lands? Looks like her brother caught a good one, she thought, as the woman smiled politely. But even with this said, Aurora felt like she didn't like the woman at all. Who was she to come onto her brother like that? She didn't even know him!
"Who is this, dear brother? Another girlfriend of yours? Surely you must introduce me." Aurora said, sounding very unlike herself. It was fun to watch her brother's face flush that way. She was embarrassing him, she knew, but she couldn't help it. What if Scott had been about to tell her that he felt something for her last night? Maybe he had finally gotten up his resolve and now he lost it. He hadn't spoken to her all morning and he kept a safe distance away. Things might have been different if Dan hadn't interrupted him. Maybe it was childish to take her anger out by embarrassing him, but she couldn't help but feel that he deserved it.
"Oh. Um. Aurora, this is Hanalee. Hanalee, my sister, Aurora."
"Hello!" the woman said happily. "Dan has told me so much about you."
This surprised Aurora. Dan had been talking about her? "That can't be good," she said sarcastically, looking at Dan from the corner of her eye. "What might he be saying about me?"
"Many things. How is worried for your safety and how he fears you may be falling in-"
"Ok! So anyway," Dan interrupted clearing his throat uncomfortably.
Aurora frowned. She felt touched that he worried about her. But what was the end all about? Falling in what? Suddenly Aurora felt rather guilty. It was very obvious that her brother liked this girl. By the sounds of it, he had confided into her, something her brother didn't do with anyone. And she had a strange feeling that Hanalee felt very much the same. The looks she kept throwing at him, the glow in her eyes and upon her face. She couldn't figure out how her brother had been taken with someone so fast but maybe it was one of those "love at first sight" things that she had never believed in or understood. It was rude of her to take whatever joy he had away from him and she suddenly felt very warm toward Hanalee. She hadn't even given the girl a chance, maybe she wasn't so bad after all.
"It was nice meeting you, Hanalee." Aurora said softly. She looked into her brother's eyes and she could have sworn she saw a flicker of gratitude or maybe relief.
"And you," Hanalee replied back. "I hope me may become friends."
Aurora nodded slightly before turning around and mounting her horse, leading him back to where Scott sat.
"What was that all about?" he asked her. Aurora could tell at this moment that Scott missed Dan. He missed him very much and Aurora knew that he was very unhappy that they weren't getting along.
"Her name is Hanalee. I think my brother is in love." She said, admitting the words to herself with a small jolt. This was the last thing she would have expected. The very last thing. She sighed, thinking of Scott. Things often happened that were never intended or planned.
The procession began again and Aurora fell into silence once more. Háma and another man that Aurora had come to know as Gamling, rode past them, going over a hill that was before the line. Aurora gazed after them, wondering where they were going. Legolas, who was walking near her, was also watching intently. Too intently. Aurora suddenly felt uncomfortable. Something wasn't right, she could tell by simply looking at Legolas.
Her fears were confirmed for Legolas suddenly ran forward, an arrow notched and shot at something that was just becoming visible over the hill.
"Argh," he cried, "A scout!"
"What is it?" Théoden called, "What do you see?"
Aragorn, who had sprinted forward, now ran back. "Wargs! We are under attack." (A/n: *rolls eyes* good one Aragorn, there can't be a better way to keep the people calm)
Cries and screams rent then air as soon as these words were spoken. Aurora groaned. What in the hell was a Warg? People were fleeing in different directions, unsure of where to go. Children were crying out to their mothers and tangible fear and panic was beginning to break out upon the refugees.
"All riders to the head of the column!" Théoden called loudly.
Immediately Aurora and Scott rode forward, making their way between the people and frightened horses.
They came upon Gimli who was crying, "Come on! Get me up here! I'm a rider. Argh!" as he desperately tried to mount a horse. He finally managed it but the horse took him in the wrong direction. Yelling angrily, he kicked the horses sides and, after a moment more of doing its own thing, the horse finally began trotting toward the hill.
Théoden turned on his horse and spoke to Éowyn. "You must lead the people to Helm's Deep! And make haste!"
"I can fight!" Éowyn cried angrily. Aurora was struck by this. Was this the cage she feared? Éowyn was a warrior, wanting to defend her people? Aurora pitied her.
"No!" Théoden said, almost too quickly. "You must do this. . . for me."
Éowyn held his gaze for a moment before reluctantly turning around and calling out to the people, trying to organize them once more.
Théoden cried, "To me!" and began leading the way over the hill where Legolas was already shooting his arrows.
Aurora began to follow but Scott grabbed the reins of her horse. Confused, she turned to look at him. "Maybe you should go with Éowyn."
Aurora felt like she had been slapped. "Are you kidding?"
Scott shook his head solemnly. "I don't want you fighting."
This angered Aurora. Who was he to tell her what she couldn't do? She had been through just as much as he had and here he was telling her that she should run away. "I have every bit of right to fight as you do." Aurora hissed back, trying to keep the trembling rage from showing on her face.
"You are the only girl here Aurora! Please, just, go with Éowyn. They need your help."
"Girl, am I?" she asked, her blue eyes cold slits of anger.
Scott seemed to realize his mistake and began muttering apologies. Angrily, she tore her horse away from his grip and galloped over the hill where the battle was already beginning, her heart thousands of emotions again. But mostly she felt anger. She caught a glimpse of Dan fighting and could have sworn she saw him laugh as he slew an Orc. But she only saw a quick glimpse and so she wrote it off as imagination.
She didn't have much time to think as an Orc, riding what Aurora assumed was a Warg, attacked her. His blade missed her but stabbed into her horse and it came crashing down. Aurora felt dazed for a second before she regained her senses and then jumped quickly up, warding off another attack by the Orc. On his third attempt she ducked his blade and rose, drawing her own sword across the monster's hideous neck. With a choke he toppled off the beast beneath him and was crushed by the very creature he rode. Aurora had assumed that the Warg would flee, but instead it turned around with blood thirsty eyes and a rabid mouth and attacked her. The beast grabbed her arm and she lost her sword. Crying in pain, she tried to shut off the thought of the beast pulling her arm, the teeth digging deeper and deeper into the sinew of her skin. Remembering the knife she had found in Edoras, she pulled it out of her boot and stabbed blindly. She must have struck something sensitive because the monster released her arm and roared in pain. Aurora took this advantage and grabbed her sword, stabbing it into the heart of the creature.
Wincing, she glanced down at her left arm. It was a mass of blood and it felt numb. Aurora didn't have time to worry about it, however, for another Orc began an assault on her. This one was somehow easier to slay and she received only a few more scratches and bruises.
A Warg suddenly dashed in front of her and it took Aurora a moment to realize what was wrong with this one. It was dragging Aragorn. Aragorn was stuck to the monster somehow and he was trying to release himself of the creature while throwing fearful glances at the nearing cliff.
"Oh God," Aurora whispered. She immediately began running after him, running as fast as her legs would carry her. But the Warg had four legs and he pounded across the rocky ground much faster than her two legs could accomplish. Even with this disadvantage, absolute fear drove her on and she caught up to the monster. But it was a second too late. As Aurora threw herself onto her stomach and stretched her hand out over the cliff, Aragorn fell to the raging river hundreds of feet below.
Time seemed to stop completely. The sound of battle echoed somewhere in the back of her head as she watched Aragorn fall for what seemed like centuries. She watched him fall to his death, unable to do anything but stare over the cliff, still lying on her stomach, her hand outstretched. Somehow, she was unsure how or when, she managed to pull herself up. But it was for only a second because her legs crumbled beneath her, unable to support her weight. Her mind was a maelstrom of raging emotions, her soul, heart, and reason trying to catch up with the horrible event that she had just witnessed. No tears came to her eyes. She simply stared over the cliff, resting back on her knees, gazing at nothing, feeling nothing, seeing or hearing nothing.
She was dimly aware of Legolas coming up behind her. Gazing at her in confusion and then calling "Aragorn" loudly. It was perhaps this name that brought her back to reality. Sounds burst into her ears. The king calling victory, the shouts of the victors, and the yells emanating from Legolas. She turned to look at him, slowly, willing herself to move. Her blue eyes began to fill with tears now and her heart was beginning to crush as the realization hit her. Aragorn, her friend, her king, her leader. He was dead.
A sudden wheezing interrupted her sorrow. A laugh, a chortle, a horrible choking sound. Legolas stopped looking at Aurora and dashed to an Orc who lost half his body but was wheezing with laugher.
Legolas was so angry, so scared, that Aurora could almost feel it flow from his body. She wanted to tell him. She wanted to be the one that broke the news. But her voice wouldn't work and all she could let out were strangled sobs. At this moment, Scott and Dan came over, both looking utterly confused. Scott saw Aurora on her knees, still facing the cliff, tears sliding down her face and a bloody arm hanging limply at her side, and he quickly ran over to her. Dan did too and they stood on either side of her, but looking at Legolas who had the Orc by the armor.
"Tell me what has happened and I will ease your passing," Legolas spat, shaking the Orc vigorously.
"He's. . ." The Orc began. He had to stop as black blood gurgled from his mouth. ". . .dead!" He stopped for a moment before continuing, "It took but a little tumble off the cliff."
Legolas looked over the cliff and then over to Aurora who was still sobbing, still gazing over the side. He knew it was true. He knew it but he couldn't, he wouldn't, believe it. "You lie!" he roared.
The Orc chortled and then, with a last choking sound, died. Legolas looked down at the Orcs hand and retrieved Aragorn's jeweled necklace. He clutched it his hand for a moment before standing up and running to the edge of the cliff, looking hopefully down, almost as if he would see Aragorn walking out of the stream, wet, maybe hurt, but alive.
Aurora looked at Legolas and through her tears she saw his hurt, his pain, his disbelief. He was confused, completely unsure of what to do, what to say. The pain was evident in his startling eyes and Aurora couldn't bare to look at them for long. It was almost as if his heart was breaking and he was unsure of how to stop it.
She was surprised when she saw Scott AND Dan crying. Dan hadn't tried to get close to any of the remaining members of the fellowship. But here he was, his eyes downcast, tears spilling down his mud stained cheeks.
Théoden's voice bellowed around them, "Get the wounded on horses!" he called. "The wolves of Isengard will return." After a moment of silence, he continued, "Leave the dead."
At these words Legolas stared at him in perplexed anger and disbelief. Aurora couldn't help but feel angry herself, even with the tears of sorrow still sliding down her face. How could he just leave them here, leave them for wild animals to feed upon? No burial and no sign of bringing them back where they could at least be blessed by their families.
Théoden walked over to Legolas and rested a hand on his shoulder. His eyes said that he was sorry but when he spoke all he voiced was, "Come."
Legolas and Gimli gazed down at the river, one last time, before they reluctantly began to follow. Scott and Dan both helped Aurora up and they supported her to a horse. Dan sat behind her and wrapped his arms around his sister, careful not to bump her bloody arm. He nodded to Scott in appreciation maybe. Scott didn't know. He just found a horse for himself and rode beside them, heading to the refuge of Helm's Deep.