Chapter 5

Buffy, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Willow followed Gandalf to the stables. The king had ordered everyone to flee to Helm's Deep.

"Helm's Deep." Gimli huffed. "They flee to the mountains when they should stand and fight. Who will defend them if not their king?"

"He's only doing what he thinks is best for his people." Aragorn said. "Helm's Deep has saved them in the past."

"There is no way out of that ravine. Theoden is walking into a trap." Gandalf said. "He thinks he's leading them to safety. What they will get is a massacre. Theoden has a strong will, but I fear for him. I fear for the survival of Rohan. He will need you before the end Aragorn. The people of Rohan will need you. The defenses have to hold."

Buffy walked up next to Aragorn. "And they will. If I know anything about fighting, it's getting my troops out of a trap. Aragorn won't be alone in his stand."

Gandulf smiled at the little Slayer. Despite her appearances, he sensed a true strength about her. Aragorn patted her shoulder and looked at Gandalf. "The defenses will hold. We will make sure of it."

Gandalf nodded. "With luck, my search will not be in vain. Look to my coming at the first light on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the east."

"Go."

With that, Gandalf rode out.

Buffy and Legolas were once again alone together. The Slayer used a whetstone to sharpen her broadsword while Legolas checked his arrows. They were heading into battle. Both of them knew the seriousness of it, but despite the extreme circumstances, the two kept stealing glances at each other.

Finally, Legolas laid down his arrows and looked at her. "Do you not fear death as I do?"

Buffy looked startled. "What?"

"For the first time, I fear death. Not my own, but yours and the others. Before the Fellowship came together and you joined us in Loth lorien, I was certain of my skills and the skills of my kin. Now I am not. Promise me you will not die. Promie me you will protect your life and the lives of our companions. For if you promise me this, my certainty of my skills will be restored."

"Legolas….. The best I can do is promise that I'll try my best."

"Then I shall do mine."

Buffy smiled and placed her hand on his cheek. "Why couldn't I have met you on my world?"

"Our destines were not yet interwoven as they are now." He leaned forward and kissed her gently.

Willow watched the two from a hallway. She had been searching for Buffy and found Legolas in the process. Her heart broke for her Slayer friend. The poor girl could find the most decent guys in the world, but they were never able to stay around very long.

Buffy, Legolas, Aragorn, Willow, and Gimli rode with Theoden and the entire town of Edoras behind them. They had traveled a long way and camped a couple of times for rest. Legolas had left Gimli on the horse and moved ahead of everyone on foot. Buffy watched him closely, sensing trouble just like he must be.

"Buffy….. Are you even listening?" Willow asked.

"Sorry, what?" Buffy asked, not looking away.

"I've been talking to you for a while. What's wrong?"

Buffy looked at Aragorn. "We're not safe. Something's coming."

"What?" Aragorn asked.

"I don't know."

Suddenly, Legolas disappeared over the hill when a scream sounded. There was a commotion and Legolas yelled, "A scout!"

Buffy rode for Legolas while Aragorn went to warn Theoden. "Willow!" She called back. "Go with the people of Edoras! They might need you." The Slayer rode past Legolas and drew her broadsword.

"Buffy!" Legolas yelled. He began to shoot down Orcs on giant hyena-looking creatures with his bow and arrow with deadly accuracy. The men of Edoras and Theoden rode up behind her. Legolas jumped on his horse while it was still galloping.

The giant hyena-things with Orcs riding on their backs came at them full speed. "Bring it on!"

The first Orc got its head sliced off and the second lost its right arm. One of the hyena-things jumped at her and she planted a hand on the saddle, jumped, and kicked the thing in the snout. Leaving one foot on the saddle and one hand holding the reigns, she kicked and slashed at the Orcs and hyena-things. Just as she plopped back down in the saddle, an Orc jumped off its hyena-thing and tackled her off the horse.

The air flew out of Buffy's lungs and she saw a bright white light as her head slammed against the ground. "Buffy!" Aragorn shouted. The Orc was pulled off of her and she was lifted to her feet. "Are you all right?"

The Slayer shook it off and stabbed an oncoming Orc behind Aragorn. "Never better."

Fighting back-to-back, Buffy and Aragorn took out Orcs and hyenas in quick succession. One hyena with an Orc on top barreled toward them. Aragorn grabbed on and mounted the hyena, taking out the Orc. Buffy lost track of him as she pulled an Orc off a hyena and beheaded the hyena. The Orc tried to get back up, but Buffy stabbed him through the throat.

Before she knew it, the battle was over. She found Legolas and Gimli, but not Aragorn. "Where is he?" she asked.

"Aragorn!" Legolas called.

"Aragorn?" Gimli yelled.

The three made their way to the edge of a cliff overlooking a rapid moving river. Behind them, an Orc laughed. The thing was clearly dying. Buffy bent over the Orc. "Where's Aragorn?" The Orc managed to gurgle a laugh. She dug her boot heel into the thing's gaping chest wound. "Tell me what happened or I'll make your death seem like an eternity."

"He's….. dead." The Orc said. "He took a little tumble off the cliff."

Legolas grabbed the Orc. "You lie!" The thing died.

Buffy sunk to her knees at the edge of the cliff. She looked below at the river as Theoden joined her, then Legolas. "It can't be. Not Aragorn." Legolas gently touched her hair and she laid her forehead against his thigh.

"Get the wounded on horses." Theoden ordered. "The wolves of Isenguard will return. Leave the dead." Buffy and Legolas's heads shot up. Theoden helped Buffy to her feet and touched Legolas's shoulder. "Come." He walked away leaving Buffy, Legolas, and Gimli staring over the cliff.

"Make way for the king!" A man yelled as they rode into Helm's Deep.

Buffy saw Eowyn and Willow run up as they approached. "Buffy!" The Slayer dismounted and Willow hugged her tightly. She noticed that her friend barely responded. "What's wrong?"

Legolas came up behind Buffy and took her hand, placing it over his heart while he held it. "Aragorn." Buffy said. "He fell."

"Oh no."

"I lost track of him and….." Buffy looked away.

"I'm sorry."

"He's not dead."

"What?"

"He can't be."

"Buffy….."

"She is right." Legolas said. "Aragorn is strong. He will find his way to Helm's Deep." With that, he led Buffy away. They managed to find a tiny room that was empty and secluded. Legolas took off his cape and folded it, laying in on the ground in front of him for Buffy to sit on. She sat down and then leaned back on his chest, listening to his heart beat. She didn't realize how tired she really was and found herself drifting off to sleep in Legolas' arms.

Legolas gently shook Buffy awake. "Come, meleth. I hear rumors of Aragorn's return." Buffy looked up at Legolas and then they hurried out of the room. They hurried to the main hall. People were saying that Aragorn had arrived. Sure enough, he walked in, heading straight for them with his head down. He stopped and looked up just before he ran into them. Legolas said something to him in Elvish and then said, "You look terrible." Aragorn laughed.

Buffy hugged him tightly. "We knew you weren't dead."

Aragorn smiled and hugged her back. "It is good to see you too."

Legolas handed Arwen's necklace back to Aragorn. "You dropped this. I thought that you might like to have it returned to you."

"Thank you."

Legolas smiled. "You are welcome."

"So what happened?" Buffy asked.

"My sleeve became tangled in the beast's saddle and it took me with it over the cliff. Come. There are much more dire things to talk of in front of the king." He started to walk.

"Like what?"

"There are ten thousand Uruks heading this way."

"Ten thousand?"

"At least that. And they come for war."

"A great host, you say?" Theoden asked.

"All Isenguard is emptied." Aragorn said.

"How many?"

"Ten thousand strong at least."

"Ten thousand?"

"It is an army bred for a single purpose: To destory the world of Men. They will be here by nightfall."

Theoden turned and walked away. "Let them come." Buffy, Legolas, Willow, Gimli, and Aragorn followed. "I want every man and strong lad able to breat arms to be ready for battle by nightfall. We will cover the causeway and the gate from above. No army has ever breached the Deeping Wall or set foot inside the Hornburg."

"This is no rabble of mindless Orcs." Gimli said. "These are Uruk-hai. Their armor is thick and their shields broad."

"I have fought many wars, Master Dwarf. I know how to defend my own Keep." Theoden walked up to the outer wall. "They will break upon this fortress like water on rock. Saruman's hordes will pillage and burn. We've seen it before. Crops can be resown, homes rebuilt. Within these walls, we will outlast them."

"They do not come to destroy Rohan's crops or villiages." Aragorn said. "They come to destroy its people down to the last child."

"What would you have me do? Look at men. Their courage hangs by a thread. If this is to be our end, then I would have them make such an end as to be worthy of remembrance."

Buffy had had enough. She moved up beside Aragorn. "Don't you get it? Remembrance won't mean anything after this because there won't BE anyone to remember it."

"Buffy….." Legolas tried to pull her back for fear of the king's wrath.

"No! Do you think Saruman and Sauron will give a damn about Theoden's last stand at Helm's Deep? The Uruk-hai will have one hell of a party on your bones if you don't send for help."

"Who are you to give orders to Theoden King?" Theoden asked. "You are just a woman."

"I wish. I'm a Slayer. I've been through more battles with things you couldn't possibly imagine or want to imagine. And I'm still around because I wasn't afraid to ask for help."

"She is right." Aragorn said. "Send out riders, my lord. You must call for aid."

"And who will come?" Theoden asked. "Elves? Dwarves? Witches and Slayers? We are not so lucky in out friends as you. The old alliances are dead."

"Gondor will answer."

"Gondor? Where was Gondor when the West Fold fell? Where was Gondor when our enemies closed in around us? Where was Gon….. No, my lord Aragorn, we are alone."

"You're not alone." Buffy said. "You've got me and you've got one powerful witch too."

Theoden stared at her and then walked away. "Get the women and children into the caves….."

"Egotistical man!" Buffy growled. "He's let power go to his head." She looked at Willow. "Get with Legolas and figure out a way to call for help magickally. He'll know who to send the call to. We're going to need all the help we can get. Find Haldir or Galadriel and them that the Slayer and Aragorn ask for help. I need to find a new shirt."

Buffy watched the people prepare for battle all around her. She had managed to get a dress and modify it so she could fight. She had cut a large slit down the front of the skirt so she could still use her legs. The sleeves were long and reminded her of the dresses at a Renaissance Fair. The entire thing was black velvet and had a collar that scooped and clung to the middle of her shoulders. She still wore her black leather pants and boots. Eowyn had helped her pull her hair back enough to keep it from flying in her face.

Her belt hung around her hips and she was loaded with her four knives, two swords, her scythe, and her bow and arrows. She looked like an Elven goddess to Legolas. Buffy didn't feel like a goddess, though. She felt like a Slayer going into battle with an army that was highly unprepared.

"And Haldir didn't respond?" Buffy asked.

"If he did, I couldn't hear it." Willow said. "I'm sorry, Buffy."

"It's….. ok. I mean, I've gone into the Hellmouth with an army of less than twenty five teenage girls facing a cavern of thousands of Turok-Han ready to mangle us and rip the flesh from our bones and, hey, I still came out alive. This time I'm facing ten thousand Uruk-hai with an army of young boys and old men. How hard could it be, right?"

Aragorn walked over to them. "Farmers, farriers, stable boys. These are no soldiers."

"Most have seen too many winters." Gimli said.

"Or too few." Legolas added. "Look at them. They're frightened. I can see it in their eyes." He and Aragorn exchanged a few phrases in Elvish ending with Aragorn yelling, "Then I shall die as one of them!" And walking away.

Legolas tried to follow, but Gimli stopped him. "Let him go, lad. Let him be." After a minute, Legolas walked away in the other direction.

Buffy followed. "What was that all about?"

"I am ashamed of my actions. They were rash." Legolas said.

"Ok, but what did you say?"

"I lost hope and said all of these people were going to die. I have shamed myself and hurt my friend."

"You were scared. It's ok. I'm scared too." Buffy touched Legolas's cheek and forced him to look her in the eyes. "You asked me before if I feared death and the answer is yes, I do. I'm terrified I'm not going to get to see my friends grow old and my sister grow into a woman. But I don't let that fear stop me from doing my job because I know in my heart and soul that if anything happens to me, they're all gonna be ok. I know this looks hopeless now, but have a little faith, Legolas. Something tells me the fates are on our side. She gently kissed his lips and then walked away to find Aragorn.