Chapter Six
I sat quietly on the small stonewall inside the hall, listening to the heated argument going on before me, marvelling at the immaturity of the three men. Two kings and an Elven captain who was thousands of years old were actually arguing about who should be able to call out orders in the battle. I sighed, deciding we'd wasted enough time and stood up, striding to the table where the supposed 'Grown-ups' were standing.
"Look, if you three want to argue about unimportant shite, then that's your business. But frankly, I think we should be making battle-plans before we decide who's going to call them out," I said, crossing my arms. I glanced at Theoden and added, "Your Highness."
The men looked uncomfortable and muttered about my idea being a good one, so we sat down around the huge map of the castle.
"What do you suggest we should do, Captain Faith?" King Theoden asked several minutes later. I shifted in my seat, wondering how to reply. What if my input lost us the battle? I mean, what if my ideas for battle plans would end up ruining the entire outcome?
I sighed before replying carefully, "Well...I agree with Captain Haldir on that we should appoint the Elven archers here...And I agree with you that should place Rohan's men here and here..." I said, pointing to the map, "But, I think Lord Aragorn has a valid point that if the Uruk-hai somehow break through the front lines we will have no defense left to protect the main keep...so why don't we place about a hundred Elven archers here and about 50 of the Roherrim creating a horse-shoe around the top of the keep. We can place the younger lads up there and they can pour boiling oil over the sides and chuck rocks and things if the Uruk-hai break the archers," I said. Theoden smiled in approval and nodded, apparently pleased with my idea.
Haldir began to disagree, stating that it was unlikely the Uruk-hai would even gain access, never mind breaking through 100 Elven archers but King Theoden interrupted,
"It is better to be safe than sorry," he said forcefully, shooting me a quick smile. I fought the impulse to laugh and instead nodded shortly, raising an eyebrow at Haldir and daring him to try and argue.
He didn't.
We finally decided that Aragorn and Haldir would be directing the Elves and King Theoden and I the Roherimm. We shook hands and headed to our appointed spots, organizing the men into rows and giving instructions for what to do when the time of the battle came. I was so deep in thought I didn't even notice Haldir until he placed a hand on my shoulder.
I jumped and cursed loudly, "DO ALL OF YOUR PEOPLE DO THAT OR IS IT JUST ME?" I shouted, furious at being caught out yet again by a bloody elf. The men around me made strangled noises that sounded very much like stifled laughter and Legolas and Gimli who were walking by actually had the audacity to bust out laughing. Haldir looked astonished and he took a step back,
"I apologize for startling you," he began. I waved a dismissive hand at him.
"No need, sorry for snapping. I'm just a little on edge," I said shooting a dark look at several of the younger boys who were sniggering quite openly...they stopped.
"We all are," Haldir said gravely.
"Yes, well, what did you want to talk to me about?" I said, eager to move on to a different subject. I knew if I lingered on the thoughts of the coming battle too much then I was liable to chuck myself off the top of the wall I was standing on.
"I wanted to know who you are...really?" he said, lowering his voice. I shifted on my feet, uncomfortable at the mention of my real gender in such an open place.
"I am a human soldier named Faith and I shall fight for these people. What more is there to know?" I replied, my tone neutral. Haldir raised an eyebrow and seemed to be studying me for a whole minute before he finally spoke.
"There is nothing more I need to know. You are a good person with a true spirit young Faith, and I am honoured to be fighting beside you," he said, holding out his hand. I shook it, unable to wipe off the broad grin that had spread across my face.
"Ditto," I replied simply.
"Ditto?" he questioned, looking confused. I nearly slapped my forehead in frustration. When would these people learn about the wonderful ways of monosyllabic answers? There was only so much of "I thank thee kind and merciful Lord"s you can take before you want to teach people the phrase "Ta very much".
"It means, I think the same of you," I said, plopping myself down on the step behind me so I could rest a bit before the battle. Hell, I'm not superwoman; even my feet get tired occasionally.
Haldir eyed the mucky step with distaste and looked as though he were about to make an excuse and a hasty retreat so he wouldn't have to get his nice battle-clothes dirty.
Bloody Elves.
"Would you like to sit with me? Unlike you Elves, we weak mortals need a rest after organizing an entire army, falling off a cliff, being shot in the shoulder and attacked by hundreds of smell-ass Orcs...and not in that order either," I said, leaning back so my elbows were resting on the step behind me. To my surprise, Haldir simply laughed and he gracefully sat down next to me. How do Elves DO that?
"It seems you have been busy the past few days," he said with mock seriousness. I rolled my eyes,
"I think it's safe to say that is the understatement of the year," I said shaking my head.
Haldir smiled and lowered his voice, "I hope you do not think me as rude but I must say: You are by far, the oddest woman I have ever met," he said, his face serious but his eyes twinkling with laughter.
"An odd woman who can kick your Elf behind any day of the week," I said poking him, "Unless...you're scared?" I asked raising an eyebrow.
Haldir smirked, "Is that a challenge?" he asked.
I grinned, "Yes. That's a challenge. I challenge you to a fight. No weapons. Think you can handle that?" I asked, watching his face carefully. If he was nervous, he was a damn good actor.
"Yes, I think I can handle that. But I wouldn't want to hurt a woman," He said, obviously trying to get a rise out of me.
I simply smiled sweetly, "Neither would I," I said. Haldir narrowed his eyes but I ignored him and stood, brushing the dirt off my trousers. If he wanted to make a fool out of himself, who was I to stop him?
"When shall this event take place?" Haldir asked warily. I paused, realizing the flaw in my little idea.
"If we survive this battle, you're on," I said, holding out a hand. He shook it, his face set in the same expression as mine. The look of weary resignation one has when they know it's not likely they'll get out of this battle alive. If all goes to plan, I hope it's an expression nobody will ever have to see again.
We said goodbye and Haldir went off to give his men (or should I say Elves?) some instructions. I sighed wearily, annoyed that the pleasant little distraction of bickering was gone and I would finally have to face the terrifying reality of war.
As I directed the men and helped the younger ones to hold their swords correctly, I began to wonder why war had always looked so exciting and beautifully tragic in the old movies. Of everything I've ever learnt, it's that war and fighting is the furthest thing possible from beautiful OR exciting. Sure, your heart beats faster and adrenaline pumps through your veins, but it's not a good feeling. It's different from the rush you get when you're bungee jumping or something like that...it's not for fun. It's necessary to survive.
That's all you think about in a battle. Survival. You just shoot whatever you think is a threat, whether the threat is on your side or not. So many people who have slipped into the dead zone did so because when the red-haze of battle had worn off, they look around and find they've killed their own men as well as the enemy. I can't even imagine the horror of what that would feel like...and I don't think I want to either.
The aftermath of a battle scares me more than the actual fighting.
When we were traveling to Newcastle, I would look around after a battle and see the pained faces, the parts of bloody meat that were once people, the devastation and the fire... and I wondered whether any of it is worth it. Worth this grief. I wondered whether we should just give up and join the enemy...it would be so much easier.
But then, after I shed my tears...I would see Grace. Her face would be wet with tears and her gentle brown eyes would be filled with pain...but was always hope and innocence in them. And then I would know that I was fighting for her innocence, hers and every other kid out there who still hung onto the hope that we would win and everything would go back to normal.
"Captain Faith!! What's that?!?" One of the boys near me shouted, pointing towards something in the distance. I squinted my eyes, annoyed at the lack of light, before gulping and pulling myself onto t higher step.
"THE ENEMY!!!!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. There was a collective gulp and I heard the other men calling the news to their comrades at the other end of the wall. My heart was in my throat as I sorted the men into their positions, checking that all of them could hear my orders from the steps I was standing on. I could only hope that my plan would work, there were never any guarantees on the battlefield. I heard Aragorn shouting in Elvish at his section and I smiled grimly at the words.
'Show them no mercy, for they shall show you none.'
Leith had said that just before the battle of Newcastle. I paused at the thought and observed the keep around us more carefully. The towers steps lead down into the heart of the keep and I put one of Theoden's guards in charge, telling him I'd be back in a second before jogging down the steps myself. As I descended, everything became more and more familiar until I was standing in a large-ish room in the middle. Great big wooden doors were at the head an I suddenly realized I was in the main hall. I looked around me, suspicion and fear rising in my chest...and there it was.
The East window. The East window I had jumped out of, back at Newcastle when I lead Delos and the others into the forest ... to their deaths.
I suppressed a scream and I sat on the floor with a thud. How was this possible? I had known that the castle in Newcastle had been rebuilt thousands of years ago, and that it was rumoured to be the site of many pivotal battles...I gulped hard and made a mental dam on the hysteria that was threatening to take over.
I was sitting place where everyone I loved would die.
I took several deep breaths and steeled myself. It hadn't happened yet. I hadn't failed them yet. It was only then that the realization hit me full force. I could stop this. I could stop the Great War of 2056. I could save them all. All I had to do was survive this battle and destroy a book...and then I would have archived the seemingly impossible.
I stood shakily and stood still until my hands had stopped shaking. I then strode up the stairs back to my place on the wall and continued shouting orders with new enthusiasm and hope. The men seemed to sense it and the feeling of purpose spread like wild fire.
I no longer needed to squint into the distance to see the army of Uruk-hai, because they were so near that I could actually smell their foul stench. The others could too and I could see the fear and determination on their faces. I sighed and took my position on the wall, setting up Mr Bang-Bang and checking everything was in order. As the 'things' drew closer, I could see the cruel jagged ends to their swords and the white hand-prints on their helmets.
"All for one and one for all," I whispered to myself, honouring the tradition Caleb, Ethan and I had started.
I looked about me and saw that many of the men's lips were moving in silent prayers...and I knew it had begun.