A/N:
Blondeducky77 – Yes! And more rejoicing to come!
Jebb – Duh OH! I feel like a dunderhead! Glad you enjoyed the "other stuff", too! Yes, that Gimli is just a big old marshmallow under all his bluster!
IwishChan – Gimli wants all the Orcs for himself! Shame on him! ;-)
Norie Ape 1 – Glad you could join us! Welcome to the story! Well, I hadn't intended to talk about Prince Imrahil because I don't want to create confusion by introducing a bunch of new names all at once. But since you asked! I added him in the battle scenes (although it's not much!)
This is a bit more of the book than the movie here but hopefully it won't confuse anyone. If it does, please let me know and I'll clarify myself. Also note that the Southrons, Haradrim, Easterlings and Variags are all legions of the Dark Lord. The Rohirrim and Gondorians are the "good guys".
Deka stood completely motionless as she gazed out over the fields below. Soon, very soon they would ride forth with the Rohirrim to attack Sauron and defend Minas Tirith. Truly it was madness but it was the one chance they had to rid the land of The Enemy.
She and the other dryads had made haste to Dunharrow after seeing to the Ents at Orthanc. She had hoped to catch Annowe but the man king did not know where the nymph had gone and did not seem too concerned at her disappearance. He was too busy trying to prepare the men to leave for Minas Tirith.
Frustrated, Deka had begun asking about the camp. No one seemed to know what had happened to Legolas or Annowe and the dwarf and the Ranger were also missing. Deka wondered if she had misunderstood their intentions to join in the last battle.
But where could they be? I know they were coming here to muster with the men. Why are they not here? She bit her lip anxiously and shaded her eyes against the sun's feeble rays as she scanned the field again.
"M'lady," began a soft voice at her shoulder. Deka turned to see a young warrior standing near her.
"Yes?" Deka asked curiously.
"You are searching for the elf and the nymph, I hear," the lad began. Deka took in a sharp breath and turned to fully face the young warrior.
"What do you know of them? Where are they?" She questioned eagerly.
"They have gone to Pelargir to stop the corsairs," he informed her.
"The corsairs?" Deka repeated unbelievingly, her mind whirling with dire thoughts.
"Yes, it is a rather long story and I fear I have not the time to impart it to you. But Annowe and three travelers have gone to Pelargir to stop the corsairs," he began to move off but not before Deka managed to grab his wrist.
"Wait!" She cried and looked down to see that it was actually a woman's wrist in her grasp and completely forgot her thoughts.
Eowyn pulled her wrist away. "Please," was all she said to the startled dryad.
Deka blinked, unsure of why the lady would need to keep her identity secret.
"Annowe is my cousin," is all she managed to blurt out. "I am very worried for her."
Eowyn visibly relaxed. "You will not tell my father?" She asked anxiously.
"No, lady. Although I find it puzzling why you would need to hide your identity. Do they not allow women to fight here?" Deka asked curiously.
"I must go," Eowyn said abruptly and retreated to fetch her horse. Deka watched her go, determined that she and the other dryads would fight alongside the men no matter what their feelings on the matter were.
As much as she hated to admit it, the battle at Isengard had made her realize that Annowe was correct – Sauron was indeed preparing for war, determined to subjugate world to his will.
She sighed and closed her eyes, wishing there were some other way to avoid the terrible confrontation. She just wanted to end. All of the fighting, the violence, the killing – it all seemed so senseless to her.
"Deka! They are leaving!" She heard her sisters call. Slowly, she opened her eyes and walked back toward the now deserted camp.
As the Rohirrim drew within sight of Minas Tirith, Theoden ordered Elfhelm and his men to attack the siege engines near the walls of the city while the rest of the Rohirrim would attack the enemy's reinforcements to the south.
With a great trumpet blast, the first wave of horse riders thundered toward the besiegers and a great cry of joy rose up from the city. Elfhelm's men swarmed over the siege engines and equipment, setting fire to the infernal devices and driving the enemy to the river. Those who did not flee were cut down in their tracks leaving an opening for Theoden and the rest of his men to attack the Southrons in the middle of the field.
Seeing this opening, Theoden ordered the charge and the rest of the Rohirrim swept over the field to attack the now demoralized Southrons who beat a hasty retreat before the onslaught of horsemen. The Rohirrim pushed the enemy farther east toward the river and seemed to be gaining the upper hand on the field when suddenly enemy reinforcements - footmen and horsemen of the Haradrim, war oliphaunts and the Variags of Khand poured from Osgiliath to even the battle once again.
The fearsome sight of the oliphaunts, their giant gray bodies topped with massive siege towers, gave even the most stout hearted of Theoden's men pause. Some of the horses reared and shied away from the frightening creatures, throwing their riders as they fled in terror.
For several horrifying moments, Theoden believed that all would be lost. The earth pounded with the heavy steps of the giant creatures and arrows rained down from their mounted towers causing chaos among the Rohirrim. Giving a great cry to rally his men, Theoden urged Snowmane forward toward the advancing monsters, determined that his knights should hold their ground. Seeing the king's intention, the line of Rohirrim suddenly stiffened and they turned to charge their attackers.
Merry's eyes grew wide with fear and the reigns shook in his hands but he refused to quail in his seat. He was guiding their speeding horse through the legs of the gigantic oliphaunts as his riding companion slashed at their soft underbellies and harnesses.
He could hear the screams of the creatures and men as some of their towers toppled to the ground. Dangerously, he weaved the swift animal around the terrifying creatures, avoiding their tusks and trunks at once both exhilarated and terrified at his place in this great battle. He tried not to think of what he was doing, concentrating only on guiding the speeding horse from one lumbering creature to the next.
He would certainly have a story or two to tell Pippin! At the thought of his absent friend, Merry's eyes teared up but he pushed the thought out of his mind. He refused to believe that he might never see Pippin again.
"Concentrate!" His companions rough voice cut through his thoughts as he narrowly missed getting clipped by an Uruk-hai. Immediately, Merry's thoughts left Pippin and returned to the task at hand.