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To the Helm

The Rohirrim mounted their horses and charged towards their land's most durable fortress. Selanae found herself with them, even though she was ready to go on her way. But Eothain would not allow it.

Nor would Eomer. He managed to hide the pain on his face as they rode hard towards Helm's Deep, even after he'd rested a bit. But Selanae knew Saruman's power had hurt him.

She frowned at the thought of the old wizard. Why had he frozen so when he'd seen her? It was odd, wasn't it? He'd known someone was there, and was about to attack her. Selanae wasn't sure if she would have survived—the moves of men and orcs, she knew, but wizards were slightly out of her league.

Eomer kept glancing her way as the company raced across the land. She was well aware of it, but every time she looked back, he would turn his gaze to the way ahead. Eothain rode close to Eomer, and kept shooting her warning looks. He still did not trust her. Selanae almost sighed until she realized she didn't care. She didn't need their trust. She only needed to be able to move on.

To what? She knew all too well that the road for her was as muddled as the plains after a battle in torrential rain. It had been that way for four years now.

"Rohirrim, halt!" Eothain yelled out. Selanae cast a glance in his direction. He was staring at Eomer, who was having a hard time hiding the pain now. Eothain dismounted quickly and went to his lord's side.

"Come, rest, Eomer," Eothain said gently, his arms out and waving the man down. Eomer shook his head.

"We have not time," he said weakly. "That host of orcs will be upon Helm's Deep too quickly." Even as he spoke, he kept one arm tucked against his chest. Selanae frowned.

"Then rest quickly, Eomer," she said despite the glare from Eothain. "If you do not have your strength, what good will it do your people?"

They managed to coax Eomer off the horse, and Eothain inspected the marshall's chest. They had already cleaned his wounds and bandaged his torso, but Selanae knew that didn't make the pain disappear. Being jostled about on a horse wouldn't help either.

"I have not thanked you," Eomer said suddenly to her. He couldn't seem to look her in the eye as he spoke, so Selanae studied the ground. She waited for him to say whatever else, but he seemed to struggle with the words. Eothain jumped in.

"Thanking her is too generous," he said, glaring at her. "If it were not for her, you never would have been captured."

Selanae rolled her eyes.

"If you hadn't kept me captive, I would never have held you hostage to escape."

Suddenly she could sense someone near, and she turned quickly.

"Hmmm. This sounds like a most interesting tale," an old man said. He was tall and bearded, wearing white robes and holding a staff. Selanae glared at him—he was a wizard.

Immediately she unsheathed her sword and swung it once over her head.

"Selanae!" she heard Eomer yell. The wizard held up a hand, and she expected some powerful force to hit her.

"Peace," he said with a grandfatherly grin. "I am no foe." She narrowed her eyes.

"The last wizard I encountered was."

The wizard's eyes widened. "You have seen Saruman?" He glanced to Eomer.

"We have not time, Gandalf," the Third Marshall said. He got to his feet slowly, but even so could not hide the aches that plagued him.

Gandalf nodded. "Time is precious. A large army of Uruk Hai march on Helm's Deep. We must hurry to help Rohan."

Eomer nodded back. "We have seen them and were headed there." This made Gandalf frown.

"You know? Tell me all that has happened," Gandalf said, "for the slightest thing could change our fates." He led Eomer away, leaving Eothain and Selanae to stare after them.

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"How have you seen Saruman? And the woman—she spoke of him too," Gandalf pressed quickly. He seemed a bit unnerved, which in turn made Eomer nervous.

Eomer took a deep breath. "She freed me from Saruman. I was captured last night by orcs."

Gandalf frowned and turned his eyes to the Rohirrim. "Did you lose many men?" Eomer shook his head.

"No, they were not there when I was captured," he said. Gandalf raised an eyebrow at the man. Eomer sighed. "To understand this, I should start at the beginning."

He began to tell of how he'd discovered Selanae, relaying her stubbornness and secretive manner. He reluctantly told of how she'd escaped, using him as leverage.

"But she rescued you from Saruman?" Gandalf asked as the details sank in. Eomer nodded. The wizard stroked his beard and looked in Selanae's direction. "You say she gives you no information about her or her home? And she managed to get you out of the tower, even in the presence of Saruman?"

Again, Eomer nodded. He frowned, not sure what it was that Gandalf was getting at.

"She must come with us," Gandalf said. He straightened his body and whistled for the great Shadowfax to come. He and Eomer walked back to the Rohirrim, drawing their looks and Selanae's as they approached. "Theoden needs us."

At the mention of his uncle, Eomer froze. Gandalf looked on this with skepticism.

"What is it, Eomer?"

Eomer sighed deeply. "I am banished by the King's hand," he said morosely. "But I will still return, even if it results in my death."

He saw Selanae look up sharply from her sword at his words.

Gandalf's face softened. He seemed to take pity on the marshall. "Your uncle is free from Grima, and Saruman. He will not kill you for saving his people."

Eomer did not say anything, but he looked confused. Gandalf chuckled.

"Yes, your uncle is fine now. And Eowyn too," the wizard added. With that, he clapped a hand on Eomer's back. The Third Marshall winced but tried to hide it. Gandalf frowned, and pulled something from the ground.

He offered it to Eomer. "Chew on this. It will take the pain away." Eomer knew better than to question Gandalf, and obeyed. The wizard turned to the men. "We ride on to Helm's Deep!"

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The first rays of dawn welcomed them to battle. As the Rohirrim came over a steep hill, she heard the roar of orcs, the clatter of weapons, armor and bone. The sounds rattled through her.

Her horse propelled forward, ready for battle like any good Rohirric creature. But she had other plans in mind. There was no way she would have any advantage if she remained on the horse to fight.

She brought her legs up on the horse and crouched on its back. The host of orcs wasn't far. As soon as the horse met resistance, she leapt forward with a gleam in her eye but no ferocious cry from her throat. Her body flew through the air and her sword in hand. She twisted her body around to land squarely on an orc.

It was crowded with so many orcs, but she wasn't alone in this fight. Selanae made herself room as she plowed over the enemy, slashing guts and beheading where she saw fit. She ducked blows, and lashed out kicks, one, two, three times in a row. Her arms swung out, using elbow and fist to disorient or beat the foul soldiers of darkness.

She stepped boldly forward towards a burly orc. His teeth bared and his stench offending, he was menacing to say the least. Selanae crouched ahead and leapt off one foot, turning her body and spreading out her arms. She came down in a twirl, with her sword slashing into the orc. A deafening howl sounded, and Selanae swung again.

A brief moment of silence was her reward. She smiled to herself and went for the next.

Her muscles ached, and the sun beat down on the orcs and soldiers alike. The enemy tired, and began to run away.

Suddenly though she saw one bold orc swing his crude sword. Whoever he fought jumped back, but the orc advanced enough to kick him right in the chest.

The soldier went down.

Selanae took three gliding steps over the dead bodies in her path and raised her sword. She dove towards the fallen soldier, and nearly landed on him as she blocked the blow coming from his opponent. The orc roared and tried again.

It was his last attempt. Selanae stayed on the ground, but went up on her knees. She turned on them and stabbed through the orc. Her chest heaved with exertion, but she uttered no empowering cry.

The orc fell as she retracted her sword from its gut.

Suddenly cries of victory sounded throughout the valley they fought in. Soldiers cheered as orcs fled and any stalwart ones remaining were killed. It wasn't just Eomer's men. It was all who were at Helm's Deep.

Selanae frowned and looked for another foe. But they were truly dwindling. She shrugged and turned to the fallen soldier.

He brushed himself off as he got to his feet. He glanced at her and blushed at seeing her.

Selanae grinned. It was Eothain.

"Thank you," he mumbled. Selanae almost rubbed it in. Part of her cried out to do so. But she opted not to push her luck. She casually nodded and turned away from him.

Even so, she couldn't wipe the smirk off her face.

Soldiers scoured the battlefield for any remaining threats, and Selanae joined them in doing so. She swiped at the dirt and orc blood on her face. It was disgusting. She longed for a bath, or maybe a swim in a river.

She spotted a water pouch and grinned. She took a long sip and then poured some over her head. The water that remained was sparse, but it felt good.

Suddenly someone darting across the field caught her attention. Eomer. He ran full-speed for the fortress, his sword still in hand and his body covered in the grime that plagued all of them. He seemed unburdened by the pain he was in before.

What's his hurry?

At the broken gate of the fortress stood a willowy woman, dressed simply but carrying a proud air about her. Her wavy blonde hair flowed in the wind. She smiled and ran towards Eomer.

Selanae raised an eyebrow. His lady? Hmm. She hadn't thought of him as married or attached. In fact, it hadn't crossed her mind. Selanae shrugged. It didn't matter.

She turned back to scouring the fields, only to run into the man named Aragorn.

"Selanae," he greeted with a tired bow. She smiled and returned the gesture.

"You survived, I see," she said. He grinned, showing off a goofy smile that almost made her mock him.

"And you are no longer prisoner," he said back. She smiled and granted him a nod. "You fought well. Indeed strangely as Eomer said." The dark haired man cocked his head to the side. "Where did you learn such methods?"

Selanae opened her mouth to reply but no words came. She settled on shrugging as she tried again. "As much as I would love to discuss this, I much prefer a bath." She bowed to the man and turned for the fortress.

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"Who is she?" Eowyn asked, her eyes narrow. "And why was she allowed to fight and I not?"

Eomer sighed and rubbed the sides of his head. It throbbed again, though now more because of his exhaustion. He was glad he was atop his horse, on their way back to Meduseld.

"Eowyn," he said, warning her. She glared at him.

"Eomer."

He threw his hands in the air, which nearly startled his horse. "Fine," he relented. "We stumbled on her during our travels."

Eowyn shot him a look. "And for that she gets to fight?"

He groaned. Suddenly a new voice interrupted, and Eomer was most glad.

"She is strange," Aragorn said, coming to pace with the marshall and his sister as they rode. "I spoke with her about it, and she will not reveal anything." It was both more information for Eowyn's curiosity and a diversion for Eomer's sanity. He grinned at Isildur's heir.

"She won't reveal what?" Eowyn asked.

"How she came to learn such methods to fight," Aragorn said. "Have you seen it?" Eowyn shook her head. "Even in the middle of battle, I noticed it. It's like a dance, the likes of which I've not seen before."

Eomer frowned. That was saying something, especially since Aragorn had traveled extensively.

"It is not only her fighting abilities she keeps secret," Eomer said. "I've yet to learn anything about her life. I only found out her name when she told you, Aragorn."

The ranger grinned. "Well, yes, but you had her tied to a horse. I wouldn't tell you anything either."

"Tied to a horse!" Eowyn repeated skeptically. Eomer groaned.

"There is a reason for her silence," a new, deep voice said. It was Gandalf, riding atop Shadowfax. The wizard was still white and clean, even though he'd fought in the battle as well.

Aragorn, Eowyn and Eomer stared at him, then up ahead where Selanae rode by Eothain, Gimli and Legolas.