Life Sucks
By: Honolulu
Maria stifled a yawn as she sat with Gimli in the Golden Hall eating breakfast. Aragorn and Legolas were conversing with Theoden about the pathway to Helm's Deep. She gave another yawn and placed her face in the palm of her hand. She was slowly falling asleep when something tickled her ear. " You need to eat something, you will need your strength today." She smiled and looked to her right to see Legolas. He gave her a quick peck on the lips and sat down.
"I need my sleep to but that's not going to happen. Besides, my stomach is in jumbles, I can't eat much this morning. What'd he say?" She positioned herself between his legs, his arms wrapped around her. She rested her head on his shoulder.
"We depart soon, the villagers still need time to prepare."
"Where did Aragorn go?"
"He went to prepare the horses for us, all of us will ride one."
"Oh no!! I will not ride another blasted horse! Nothing will convince me." Gimli protested. Maria and Legolas shared a look.
This time, Maria tried to stifle her laughter at the sight of Gimli arguing with Aragorn about the horse. It was a funny scene, Gimli riding on the huge horse compared to his small frame and Aragorn walking beside it trying to calm him down. She sighed and looked around her. She rode on Charlie behind most of the villagers. She was to make sure none of them straggled behind. Her mood dropped at the sight, most of the villagers were tired and she could see the kids full of energy but could do nothing because of the danger that surrounded them.
She hummed a song to herself just to keep her aware of her surroundings. Theoden had them up at four in the morning but they didn't depart till around 6:30-7. Those hours of sleep wasted. She hummed louder unaware of catching the eye of some of the people. She saw Legolas scouting ahead. She heard the laughter from Aragorn and Eowyn. Her eyes narrowed. She stopped when she felt a tugging at her leg. Maria looked down to see a boy, no older than the age of ten.
She smiled at him. " Yes, what is it?"
"Sing something to me." He said. She gave him another smile; she opened her mouth to start when a commotion up ahead caught her attention. She looked back at the boy.
"Maybe another time." She instructed Charlie forward and rode up next to Aragorn. "What's going on?" She received her answer when Legolas came shouting.
"A scout!"
"What is it? What do you see?!" Theoden asked.
"Wargs! We are under attack!" Aragorn shouted. Maria heard the villagers scream in panic.
"All riders to the head of the column!" Theoden instructed.
"Maria!" Aragorn called to her.
"What is it?"
"Stay with the villagers. Help them go to Helm's Deep! Make sure nothing attacks them, you are their defense!" She nodded and turned Charlie away from the fight.
"You must lead the people to Helm's Deep and make haste." Theoden told Eowyn.
"I can fight!" She protested.
"No! You must do this...for me." Slightly irritated, she turned and helped Maria.
"Make for the lower ground. Stick together!" She shouted at them. Maria rode along side them, so far so good. Eowyn was telling everyone what to do and that was fine. A woman ran up to her.
"Help me! Please!" The woman yelled to her.
"What is it?"
"My son! I can't find him!!"
"He's probably with every---
"MOMMY!!!" A voice screamed. They both turned around to see a boy in the middle of the field crying.
"HALTHE!" The mother shouted back.
"Stay here! I'll get him!" Maria turned back around and rode out to the little boy. Once reaching him, she got off Charlie and tried to calm the boy back down. Lifting him up into her arms, she rocked him. "It's okay. I have you. Let's get you back to your mom." Slowly, she tried to make him stable on the saddle when more screams echoed into the air. She cursed at the sight; a warg rider was making way to the people. Many of them ran but many haggled behind. The rider came closer to where Eowyn was.
Maria took grabbed her bow and arrows from the saddle. Notching an arrow, she took aim, " Please hit..."she let it fly. The first shot went wide, she notched another arrow, "Come on..." she let it go. This time it hit the warg on the side, catching the creature attention. The rider motioned it in her direction. "Fuck!" She swore. She ran back to Charlie. "Hang on tight Halthe and whatever you do...DON'T LET GO!!" She positioned his hands tight on the saddle reins. She slapped Charlie on the rump and he took off to the safety of Helm's Deep.
She turned around in time to hit the ground to dodge a blow to her head. Eowyn watched from a distance as Maria ran around avoiding from getting hit. While she ran, Maria tried to notch an arrow but all the movement from running was preventing her from doing it. She was tossed to the ground like a rag doll when the warg clipped her on the side. The bow and the arrow flew out of her hands. She gasped for air when the rider approached her. The warg placed a foot on her chest. Maria was sure that a rib or two were going to snap under the pressure.
The rider moved his spear down to her head and brought it up to stab downward when the warg screamed and started thrashing around. Rolling out of its path, Maria saw Eowyn with blood-coated hands. She looked back at the warg to see an arrow sticking out of its eye. The rider was thrown off the saddle. She looked back at Eowyn, "Good job no.."
Eowyn tackled her on the ground, Maria yelled at the impact. Eowyn rolled them out of the Rider's swings from his sword. They kept moving until the orc stabbed his sword deep into the earth that it got stuck momentarily. Taking the chance, Maria shoved Eowyn off her and jumped to her feet. She unsheathed the sword at her hip and clashed with the orc. Breathing heavily, she thrusted her sword and stabbed it in the chest. The orc stiffened then went limp; she pulled it out and wiped the blood on the grass. Eowyn retrieved her bow. Maria sheathed the sword and gave her a small smile.
"Thanks for the help. Now let's get the hell out of here." They both gave a small laugh and walked slowly after the villagers. Maria's eyes went wide when she saw Helm's Deep in all of its glory.
When she heard of them returning, Eowyn ran to the gates to greet them. She scanned the warriors. "So few. So few of you have returned." She tried to spot Aragorn.
"Our people are safe. We have paid for it with many lives." Theoden told her. She continued to watch for Aragorn when Gimli drew her away.
"My lady..."
" Lord Aragorn, where is he?" She asked him.
"He...fell." Her eyes went wide. She looked at her uncle for confirmation. Theoden merely glanced at her and walked away. Her eyes started to fill with tears as she sat down; she brought her shaky hand to her mouth as she started to cry. She looked up when someone touched her shoulder.
"Where is Maria?" Legolas asked her. She simply pointed into the open hall. He nodded and walked off. She followed him with her eyes as he approached her. She saw Maria smile at him and inspect him for wounds. She watched Maria's facial expressions, how it moved from happiness to confusion then to anguish. Maria's head shook in disbelief. Her knees shook as she started to break down. Legolas took her into his arms as her legs gave way. Eowyn turned away as she started to weep.
Maria stood on one of the high walls away from everyone else. Her jaw tight, her eyes bloodshot.
Meet me after dark again and I'll hold you
I want nothing more than to see you there
And maybe tonight, we'll fly so far away
We'll be lost before the dawn
She sang softly to herself as the cold wind whipped at her face.
If only night could hold you where I can see you, my love
then let me never ever wake again
And maybe tonight, we'll fly so far away
We'll be lost before the dawn
Legolas and Gimli walked up the stairs to hear her voice.
Somehow I know that we can't wake again from this dream
it's not real, but it's ours
Gimli moved to speak with her when Legolas stopped him. "Let her finish."
Maybe tonight, we'll fly so far away
We'll be lost before the dawn
Maybe tonight, we'll fly so far away
We'll be lost before the dawn
She turned her head toward their direction but didn't look at them. " He's not dead. I would know and I will not believe it unless I see his...body for myself." She told them. She swallowed the lump in her throat. Legolas embraced her from behind.
"None of us believe that he is truly dead." He said kissing her cheek.
"Come Maria. Theoden wishes to speak with us." Gimli said. He led the way, placing a hand on her back Legolas followed with Maria.
After much bickering amongst them, Legolas and Gimli went to help announce to all the men about what was going to happen. Maria stayed with Theoden speaking about the best placement for his strategies. They were looking at the layouts of Helm's Deep when one of his men entered the room.
"Excuse me for my intrusion my lord but Lord Aragorn is alive." He reported. Not evening sparing Theoden a glance, Maria sprinted out of the room. She ran into the open hall to see Legolas and Gimli with him. Aragorn was placing the necklace around his neck once more.
"Aragorn!!!" She shouted. He looked up, opened his arms and prepared himself as she ran and jumped into his arms. They all laughed when she gave a shriek when he spun her. Eowyn viewed them from a distance not wanting to ruin the moment between friends. He set her down. "I knew you weren't dead." She smiled through her tears. Then she whacked him on the arm. "Don't you ever scare me like that again!" She dove back into his arms. He gave a chuckle. After a couple minutes she stepped back. "It's good to have you back."
"It's great to be here. Now I must speak to Theoden." She watched as he entered the hall. She turned to her other companions.
"I told you he wasn't dead."
All of them listened to what Aragorn had to say about his travel back to them. "A great host, you say?" Theoden questioned.
"All of Isengard is emptied." Aragorn answered.
"How many?"
"Ten thousand strong at least." All heads whipped to him.
"Ten thousand?"
"It is an army bred for a single purpose: to destroy the world of Men. They will be here by nightfall."
"Let them come." The four companions shared a look.
"This is not good." Maria muttered as they walked after Theoden.
" 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. These are Uruk-hai. Their armor is thick and their shields broad." Gimli informed him.
"I have fought many wars, Master Dwarf. I know how to defend my own keep. 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." Theoden proudly stood on walls looking down at his people.
" They do not come to destroy Rohan's crops or villages. They come to destroy its people. Down to the last child." Aragorn shot down.
" What would you have me do? Look at my 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!"
"Send out riders, my lord. You must call for aid."
"And who will come. Elves? Dwarves? We are not so lucky in our friends as you. The old alliances are dead."
"Gondor will answer." Theoden approached Aragorn and stood in front of him.
"Gondor? Where was Gondor when the Westfold fell? Where was Gondor when our enemies closed in around us!? Where was Gon- No, my lord Aragorn, we are alone." Pivoting on his heal, he walked away from them.
"That went amazingly well." Sarcasm dripped from her words. Gimli snorted. " So what do we do?" She asked.
"Let him calm down and pray that he will listen. We should make some plans of our own just in case." They followed Aragorn back inside.
Eowyn walked in to see Maria clothed in body armor, her daggers strapped onto her thighs, sword at her hip, bow and arrows at the back. Her hair pulled back into a tight braid, the bruise she received from the wargs clearly shining on her forehead. She couldn't help but look at her in admiration and opposition. Her Uncle stood beside her with a group of 50 men in front of them. She listened in on the conversation.
"Most of you have already seen Lady Maria and how she is here to help us with her companions. Today she has a special task and needs qualified men for it. I will not demand it of you to help her for the situation is quite bleak and I know that you already have enough to handle. I ask you to volunteer; no one is pressuring you to do this. Maria," Theoden had her take over.
"I won't lie to you about what's going to happen. Lord knows that you have enough shit on your plate." Some of them laughed. "Here's what's going to happen. I need 20 men maximum, 12 men minimum to come with me. We will be doing a big job. We will be securing everyone with weapons; if someone is critically wounded we move them out of the way. If someone is lying on the ground dead and is in the way, we move them. Enemy has broken into this big fortress, we fight them. Someone needs help, we help them. If everyone retreats, we make sure they get away safely before we retreat ourselves, we are the last line of defense."
"Doesn't sound too wonderful now? People will get killed or injured doing this, that's why I'm asking you not demanding it out of you. Who will help me?" At first no one moved and Maria was afraid no one would help her. Slowly, men moved out of the line and stood in front of her. Counting, she had a total of 16 men. "Now, one more thing. I will be Captain of this task. I know some of you will not like that. Too damn bad. I don't have time to deal with your piss poor attitude towards me including when you might try to undermine my authority. I can't have that happening, I will try my best to keep all of you safe but it'll be even harder with you working against me."
"Now, if you feel that you can do this take one step forward." All but one stepped forward. "I appreciate your honesty and you can leave. If you have family, go and say goodbye properly. Meet me back here in one hour fully dressed and armed." Eowyn listened in disbelief. She couldn't believe that her Uncle allowed Maria to do this. Quickly, she moved away to go back to the caves before someone discovered her.
Maria walked into the armory just in time for Aragorn to brush past her. She saw Gimli holding Legolas back. "Anyone mind telling me what just happened here?"
To be continued....
Author's Note: Next chapter, Battle at Helm's Deep, bum bum bummmmmmm. Review!