I am soooooooooo sorry this is so late. I think I've written the hardest part though now and the rest should flow much quicker.
The column of elves pushed through the day, pressing a quick pace to force an early arrival at the fort. In the shelter of another ravine, this one stony and devoid of green, the elves halted to take care of final grim preparations for battle. Armor was strapped on, helmets were donned. Keen broadhead arrows were stocked in quivers and each elf carried as many quivers as he conveniently could. Bright elven blades were examined and set loosely within sheaths and anything that conceivably could be tightened down was.
Alanya was taking care of her own preparations. On Haldir's advice she also prepared her mundane weapons for use, stringing her bow and stocking her quivers as the rest were doing. She wore no armor but instead close fitting leather and silk. Haldir had objected to her apparent lack of armor but then had found that she had enchanted her clothing to turn aside blades and piercing attacks. The march warden stood watching her soberly, obviously wanting to keep her from the conflict but knowing that she would not. Their fight earlier before dawn proved it would be a waste of energy to even try. So it was he stood watching her as she tightened down the last lacing on her bracer, captured by the sight of her.
The mage felt his eyes upon her, and looked up, cool blue eyes meeting sober gray ones. She spared no words, but grasped his pro-offered hand as an aid to rise. Haldir pulled her close, holding her close with one arm and stroking her face with the other.
"I have set Rumil and Orophin to stay close to you." His words steamed in the red light of dusk. Alanya nodded her assent and moved in to embrace Haldir, but was stymied by his glittering armor.
"You know, in sappy romantic fiction, the heroine never has a problem embracing the hero in his armor. They never mention how uncomfortable it is." She gave a brief smile and carefully rested her head on the spare padding created by his red wool cloak. The elf laughed slightly in response, his hands tightening on hers.
"Not having read any of the sappy romantic fiction that you females seem happy to spend your time on, I could not say." Haldir sighed and stepped back, holding her face to look deeply in her eyes.
"Please my love, please, beyond all belief be careful. I know you are strong and capable. But you have not yet experienced the chaos that is a battle on this scale. I would ask that you please consider acting from a distance with your powers as much as possible. If Rumil or Orophin gives you an instruction, please, please follow it. They have seen combat. Trust their experience."
"I will as much as possible." Haldir sighed rested his forehead on hers. The intimate gesture was comforting to them both, and that was how Rumil and Orophin found them.
"Haldir, all is ready." Orophin said, reluctant to disturb the pair.
"Give us a moment, will you Orophin?" Alanya asked, feeling fluttering along her nerves. Orophin gave a respectful nod and withdrew to stand with Rumil at the head of the column of elves. The mage gave a deep breath and stood back to face Haldir.
"I love you Haldir." She said simply. He gave a mellow smile and leaned in for one long and sweet kiss. Her hands caressed his face and buried themselves in what little hair that was not confined tightly within warrior braids. " I will not tell you to hold back. Hold nothing back against your foes. And come back to me, else I will follow you to the end of eternity." She gave a deep breath and stepped back. "I am ready." Haldir said nothing, only nodding and giving her hands one last squeeze before helping her up on her mount that Rumil had obligingly left near.
Haldir gave the order and all elves stepped out in unison. Once out of the ravine, they had only to crest over the edge of the next hill, before the sight of the fortress was upon them. Despite herself Alanya gasped at the sight of it. It stretched across from one mountain to the next its walls strong and tall. She did not see how the keep might be breeched other then destroying the walls. With a will honed by long hours of practice she dismissed from her mind all worry and let her thoughts dwell only on tactics.
At a signal from Haldir another elf raised a horn to his lips and blew a long, pure note that echoed from canyon wall to canyon wall. There was much commotion on the battlements, and she could see the gates slowly open as the company drew near. On the other side of the gate she could see Aragorn standing on a tower battlement with a disbelieving look on his face. A cry from the side drew her attention and there she saw Legolas wave to her with a look of what seemed to be relief on his face. She could not help but break into a smile at the look of welcome on his face as he stood by Gimli of all people. She had been under the assumption that he and the dwarf were at odds with each other more often then not.
Her attention was drawn back to the courtyard when Orophin helped her down from her horse and it was taken off to the stables shielded within the keep. She murmured her thanks to Orophin and cast her eyes about to find Haldir. Despite the situation she quirked a smile at seeing Haldir embraced by a relieved Aragorn. It was apparent that the elf was less then comfortable with this and did not quite know how to respond. She paced up to the small gathering and nodded to Aragorn and an older man with a noble bearing.
"Your troops will be most welcome master elf." His eyes fell upon Alanya striding up and they widened at what must be to him a most unorthodox appearance. "My lady, I will have one of my guards show you the way to the caverns below."
"My place is here with Lord Haldir, Sire." Alanya shook her head in the negative. "You will find my presence most helpful in this case. She surveyed him with a cool smile, much as Haldir might give. "I am the Lady Alanya Mystewalker, and a magical Adept. You might call my kind a wizard." She held out her hand as fire leapt into the air from her palm. Shocked exclamations came from all as she closed her hand about the flames and they sizzled out with no mark on her hand. Her head rose to fix the man with a look and he did nod gracefully.
"Then I shall not dictate where you be, Lady. I am Theoden, King of Rohan. Can you halt the army that approaches?" Hope flared briefly in his eyes, but dimmed when she indicated otherwise.
"I will be able to break up their attacking charges with widespread area affecting spells, but if they are able to destroy the outer wall and breach the keep, when they are mixed in so tightly with our forces I will have to act as any other fighter would and affect them one by one." She said with regret.
"I leave your troops under Aragorn, Master Elf. Your archers are welcome to join ours on the walls." The king nodded and returned to directing the deployment of the remaining soldiers. Alanya followed with Haldir and Aragorn as they spread their company along the wall. The dark sky echoed her mood as it began to rumble and crackle. Dark clouds and icy winds blew in, much as in her initial dreams. She could not help the brief bit of fear which raced across her face. Haldir saw this and reached back to place a hand on her shoulder.
"Are you certain of this path lirimaer?" Haldir asked her one last time.
"I am Haldir." She responded a quiet affirmative. "Just try to relegate me to the sidelines." Snickers came from his brothers who were on either side of her and Haldir could not help but roll his eyes.
"Never try to change an elleth's mind from a determined course." Haldir reposted back dryly, his eyes upon the horizon. Various comments from the other elves floated about as they all relieved the pre-battle tension. Silence fell as all waited for the approaching army. Haldir radiated a subtle tension as he stood with complete stillness, only his golden hair blowing slightly in the fitful breeze. Gradually a sound began to grow, the sound of many marching feet. A dark cloud appeared over the edge of the hill they had so recently come over, and it resolved into an army. Alanya's eyes grew wide as she attempted to count the numbers and failed.
Her mouth thinned as she stood and analyzed the army. A forest of pikes and blades was before the, for the host was indeed numerous. She could hear Aragorn extolling the elvish troops to show no mercy, for they would receive none. As if any needed encouragement to kill the opponent before her, she thought as she watched. The very ground shook with their feet, and she decided to set her first plan into motion. A tendril of energy sent into the clouds changed the wind pattern to blow from the fortress towards the approaching army, altering the wind favor of the besieged army's arrows, forcing the attacking arrows to be shot into a strong wind. The crackle of thunder was the sky's answer, and icy cold drops of rain began to fall.
The besieging army halted some distance from the fortress, their foul breath steaming in the chill of night. A moment of stillness stood over both defender and attacker. Aragorn drew his sword, and the steely rasp echoed in the bones of those by the heir of Gondor.
"Their very presence taints the earth." Orophin said quietly, his eyes fierce.
Alanya could see his hand tense on his sword pommel. That gave Alanya an idea and she started preparation. Her eyes closed as she concentrated briefly, opening them to see the magical energy plane overlay the material like a bright light in some places, and a dim pool of shadows in others. Pools of energy shone like moonlight and she tapped one strongly, readying a fire spell to disrupt when the orcs charged.
Which was to happen sooner then she thought.
No one knew how it happened, perhaps the arrow slipped from the trembling hands of the Rohan farmer. Maybe he could not contain his anger. But the arrow arced out over the array of orcs to land in the throat of one. Silence reigned supreme as Theoden called a hold. She heard Haldir curse the mortal under his breath and saw the orc fall to the ground. A heartbeat more of silence was all they had before the army in front of them charged with a great roar.
"Prepare to fire!" Aragorn commanded and Alanya responded by tripping the catch on her spell. The power sung through her veins in a triumphant song. Fountains of fire, similar to the one she called to demonstrate her power to Theoden, erupted here and there from the ground. The patterns were completely random, disrupting the charge of the orcs and slowing them down. Some reached the walls and were able to throw up ladders, but those were quickly repelled from the walls.
"Their armor is weak at the neck and beneath the arm!" Shouted Legolas. Alanya watched Haldir adjust his aim and fear went through her again, not so much for herself, but for Haldir. She could not know at when during the battle the call to retreat to the second wall would come.
"We will not let him fall either penneth." Rumil's quiet voice came from her shoulder. She spared him a glance as he stood with arrow nocked on the string.
"Good." That was the only thing she trusted herself to say as she turned back, sending out lines of magical force to knock ladders from the walls. The elves gave her powers no mind, having seen them before, but she could see the men of Rohan look at her with wide eyes before returning to push ladders off the walls. She had the time to spare to grin, and then Aragorn called for the elves to release arrows.
They whistled around her in a deadly rain, but they were not enough. Orcs began to flood over the walls, several more flooding in as each one before it fell to the deadly aim of the Lorien archers. Alanya stood her ground with a nerve hardened in lethal mage duels. The elven blades sung when drawn as Haldir gave the command for blades to be drawn. He whirled swiftly, cutting down one foe on a ladder and turning in a heartbeat to cut down the second that was approaching from behind. Aragorn moved near him to knock down a ladder and send the streaming orcs to their deaths.
It was not enough, Alanya thought clinically in her distant mind. She tapped another energy pool and sent forth tangling spells designed to trip up the enemy. Occasionally she was lucky enough, and one would hear the sickening crack of bone as they fell. A wall of force shimmered around her and her honor guard of Haldir's brothers, and no orc could get through. Several tried, and were shocked into death as a result. A sideways volley of arrows headed for the gate distracted her for a moment and the shield faltered. Rumil and Orophin stepped to the fore and showed their true colors as warriors. Their blades moved quicker then the eye could see to cut down the orcs around them.
She reacted without thought when Rumil was staggered to one side by a blow and Orophin was locked in deadly combat with a foe, allowing an orc to slip by and head straight for her. Her hand flashed to her blade with elven quickness and the orc found several inches of elven steel buried in his gut. The brothers drew back to her, fighting as they did so and the two became a trio, their blades deadly. Working their way across the battlement the flow of the fight brought them near her lover's side. She could see Haldir's eyes widen at the sight of her, but he was too busy dealing out death on his blade to comment. He did fight his way to join with his brothers, felling orcs as he did so.
"I believe I specified I would like you away from the main thrust of battle!" Haldir shouted as he fought.
"Yes well, things changed!" Alanya shot back as she swung at another orc. The creature fell, his body going one way and his head arcing in another direction. Using her sword as a focus point for the energy, she wrapped it in flame and the orcs nearby fell back from her in fear, buying the four some breathing space.
Shouting from Aragorn drew her attention as he gestured for Legolas to bring down an orc running for the wall. She could not see what was happening, but several heartbeats later the world rocked as the outer wall exploded, throwing them to the ground. Alanya's head hit hard on the armor of a fallen Rohirric fighter.
"Alanya!" Haldir said desperately as she struggled to alertness. His gray eyes were concerned as he tilted up her head and wiped away the blood trickling down her forehead.
"I'm fine Haldir." She attempted to stand and was unable though as everything spun in a sickening whirl. A moment of warmth tingled through her and Haldir healed the cut but the dazed feeling did not entirely disappear. This time she was able to get to her feet without too much problem. She shook her head, willing the confusion away.
"Come! Orcs are inside the walls!" Shouted Rumil, a cry quickly echoed as Aragorn called for a charge into the breech in the walls. Haldir's face grew determined, and his voice rose strongly above the others.
"Lorien elves! To me, and charge!" He gripped his sword tightly and spared one look for Alanya. "Stay back if you can." The elves remaining flowed with Haldir, meeting the flood of orcs coming into the wall. Alanya watched with increasing concern as she saw there was no way to halt the intrusion. The gap was as such that she could not mend the wall in its entirety. Desperate, she called forth more power and began raining down bolts of pure energy that fried each orc they struck.
The drain of the energy was beginning to take its toll on her and she staggered briefly against Orophin, who caught her.
"Penneth, you cannot keep this up!" He shouted over the battle.
"There is no choice!" She cried furiously and pushed herself off of him. The chill rain that fell had plastered her hair to her head, and long wet strands straggled into her eyes. She clawed them out of the way, only to hear Aragorn's voice rising strongly above the fray.
"Back! To the keep!" His voice was strident and she could hear the tension in it. Some word of warning rose inside her.
"Pull your men back Haldir!"
Everything seemed to slow. She could see Haldir nod and call for the fighters to fall back. It seemed dreamlike….
The Dream! This was it.
She struggled up and Rumil's arm prevented her from going further.
"Come, we must fall back to the tower!" He shouted.
"No!" She shrieked. "There is no time!" She said desperately, pulling away and rushing over to the steps in an attempt to reach Haldir. "No, you can't fall!" she said to herself as she attempted to fight her way though orcs and lost patience, casting her sword from her and power leaping from her hands to clear a path. Hurry hurry hurry she thought frantically. She could see the scene and it was out of her dream that she saw him whirling among the orcs.
His silver blade flashed, cutting one down and clearing space. He looked up to Alanya and she let got of a breath, but was distracted as an orc approached her. Knocking it off its feet with power, she begun to run to Haldir. Faster…..she screamed out at the sight before her.
She saw Haldir move quickly to cut another orc down, but he was not quick enough and the first blade crushed into his front. He took the orc down but staggered back, obviously wounded.
Oh dear gods NO….
She acted instinctively as another orc rose behind Haldir, his sword ready to strike the elf in the back. Energy arced from her hands to the orc, blasting him back against the wall hard enough that it cracked. Her sight grew dim as she almost feinted but she ran to Haldir who had already stumbled to his knees, holding onto the wound.
"Oh Gods, Haldir!" Alanya moved to look at the wound when Orophin and Rumil arrived at her side, the two pushing her off to the side to look at the wound. Orophin tied a hasty bandage in place and lifted Haldir to his feet.
"Come brother, we must withdraw! Into the keep." The two elves struggled under his weight until Alanya calmed and cast a spell to lighten the weight of the elf and hi armor. A sound of pain ripped through Alanya's soul and her eyes teared.
Was I quick enough? She thought as they pulled themselves through the chaos into the inner keep, pulling back entirely to the entrance area to the caves. Her heart cried out at the possibility of Haldir yet perishing.
"Here, set him down Rumil." Orophin directed his brother, unbuckling the armor to get a clearer view at Haldir's wound. Alanya sat with Haldir's head in her lap and her hair fell around her face. She called upon nerves of steel honed through years of training and gently stroked his face.
"Alanya, I can heal most of this, but he will still be in danger." She looked up to Orophin, tears standing in her eyes.
"What do you need from me." Her voice was steady, as calm as if she was in Lady Galadriel's sitting room having tea. Orophin marveled at her control before continuing.
"He will need to be called back, his spirit is dangerously close to the Hall of Mandos." He held his hands steady over the wound, chanting quietly as the wound healed. Her throat tightened as she fought against the sob that threatened to escape at the sight of Haldir stained with his own heart's blood. Orophin reached out and grasped Alanya by the chin, forcing her to look at him. Her troubled eyes rose to his clear gray ones, pinning her in place with a glare much like his older brother, she mused.
"Do not let yourself perish in this task." He said softly. Alanya shook her head, a tear falling out against her control.
"I will do what I must to bring him back." Her had rose regally and at that moment she truly looked like a queen in Orophin's eyes. He smiled and leaned forward, kissing her on the cheek.
"We must withdraw, if anything should happen…well…we love you dear sister." Rumil said, his eyes sober. She nodded, not trusting her voice in the moment as her hands automatically tightened on Haldir.
"Come back to us." she whispered.
"If we can lirimaer…if we can." Orophin said with a wry look. The door closed with an echo in the now silent chamber. She turned her attention to Haldir, alarmed by his shallow breathing and pallor. The mage stilled her trembling hands and took a deep breath, preparing to call her love back to her.
I will not let you go Haldir…