Title: Despair and Hope

Chapter 10: In the Caves

"Well that's everyone, I think," said Eowyn, wiping sweat from her brow.

Legolas heaved a sigh of relief. It had been a job to handle his bow and at the same time try and help the wounded into the passage entrance. The injured had to be transported as far back into the caves as possible so they wouldn't get in the way of the proceedings. Everyone else kept getting in each others' way as it was. And it made matters worse that they were in need of great haste.

The orcs were still trying to come in, but the passage entrance was so narrow that only one could come at a time and that one, whenever he tried, found himself staring down the length of Legolas's bow and arrow. As a result, there was a kind of space around the entrance where none of the orcs could go, except the dead ones.

Another cry of "Death to all Men!" rang through the crowds and reached Legolas's ears. Suddenly Legolas realized that everyone was not yet in the safety of the caves. One person was outside awaiting his doom. One person.

Legolas's world froze. No, he thought, this cannot be happening.

"HALDIR!" A scream of terrible realization escaped his lips. The bow and arrow fell from his hands. His hands instinctively reached for his twin knives. He began to run outside. Nothing would stop him from saving Haldir. Not a sea of orcs, not a wall of fire. Not-

"Eowyn," he gasped as he swung around to see who had grabbed him by the collar. "Let me go, Haldir, he-" He struggled against her but she was exceptionally strong, for a woman.

"You can't help him," she tried to tell him. "You can't save him. You'll only kill yourself, Legolas-"

"Let me go, or I'll attack you, I swear-"

Out of the corner of her eye she saw the orcs begin to swarm in to the passage at the sudden absence of Legolas's bow and arrow. The situation was desperate. There was only one decision she could come to and she came to it quickly. She took her sword from under her dress, which she had carried against orders, and turned.

Legolas was still struggling against her desperately.

"I'm sorry, Legolas. I have to do this," she told him.

He stopped struggling for a moment, and looked at her in surprise. "What-?" he started to ask, but by then she had already turned her sword around and had brought its hilt crashing onto his head, knocking him out cold.

She turned on the orcs, silently praying the bomb would go off soon, and began to fight them. All the other Men were already down the passage, already out of hearing, even if she had cared to call for aid. But she hadn't. The hungry fire inside her made her fight well, every move of her sword was lethal and she killed many, in those few moments before the bomb went off.

The huge blast had such an impact that it threw her back, off her feet. Her sword was knocked from her hand. There was still one orc in the passage. He advanced on her menacingly, sword in hand, teeth bared like a horrible animal. She tried to get up but found herself already pushed against a wall. Before she knew what was happening, the orc had plunged the sword into her shoulder. Fire ran through her entire left side. She gasped in pain, her eyes beginning to water. He advanced again, the sword was almost to her chest now. He raised the sword above his head. It gleamed a little as it began its fatal descent to her heart. She shut her eyes…bracing herself…

Nothing happened. All Eowyn heard was a loud whoosh, a sword pushing into flesh, a yell of pain and a body dropping to the ground. She opened her eyes slowly, scared of what she might see. 

"Legolas!" she gasped joyfully. Legolas pulled his sword out of the orc and bent down beside her.

"Are you alright?" he asked urgently.

"I'm fine- Legolas, are you alright?" she blushed ashamedly as she said it.

"As alright as a person can be, after been knocked down by sword hilt," he said dryly.

"Legolas, Haldir-" She couldn't seem to finish the sentence.

"I know," he said turning his face away.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

There was a long pause, punctuated by Legolas's ragged breathing.

"Come on," he said rising, and offered her a hand. She took it, and tried to pull herself up but the movement made her shoulder throb painfully. She sat down again in a hurry. The world started to spin. A voice was calling her, but it was fading away. Little dots danced across her vision. The voice continued to call but she decided to ignore it. The pain in her shoulder was growing; her vision was dimming. She gasped in pain and suddenly her world went black.

 Legolas swore loudly as Eowyn's limp form fell against him.

Notes from the Stone Age:

I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I had to kill him, I had to! I didn't know how to save him. Some one had to die and since he doesn't make much of a difference to the main plot-

Haldir: Thanks a lot!

Stoneage: Well it's true.

Haldir: Well that doesn't mean you had to kill me. And you don't have to say it like that. I do mean something to the story. Ask them points to reviewers.

Stoneage: Oh just shut up, will you?

Haldir: Why you-

Stoneage: I said SHUT UP!

Haldir: blinks Okay, I'm shutting up.

As I was saying, I had to kill him. I love him too but sniffle he had to go breaks down and starts sobbing

Okay I'm done now. On a happier note, there's another cliffie for you. Aren't I evil.

Okay, review replies!

To The Dark Wanderer: Oh I see. It's in the name. That's interesting. You're lucky you have a pen name like that, one that let's you off the hook so easily. If it was somebody else, I'd have thrown a fit!

To Star-Stallion: Hello again, I thought you'd disappeared. Thank you! When on earth are YOU going to update. I wanna see some action ASAP.

To grumpy: Thank you so much! You made my day by reviewing.

 To Lintulinda i luvasi ello eldar: That is one LONG pen name! And what does the parting line mean? Anyway, thanks for reviewing!

Bye all! See ya next update! Please R&R!