Two chapters in one day! Hopefully that makes up for the slow updating. I hope you all like this chapter. The tension is building! Let me know what you think, and thank you to those that reviewed the last chapter, and thank you to all of you who read my stories!

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Lord of the Rings.

Chapter 24: Helms Deep

Their journey was almost over. Helms Deep was not much further. Legolas had journeyed ahead of the group scanning the distance. Hama and Gamling trotted their horses further ahead of him. Ellethwen was still in her cart, alone that time, however. Boromir rode ahead and spoke with a few of the guards that journeyed with them, and Éowyn walked her horse next to Aragorn talking quietly with him. Ellethwen smiled as she watched the younger woman. Éowyn had taken a liking to Aragorn, but Ellethwen had a difficult time trying to read if the man returned those emotions.

A shouted suddenly sounded followed by a loud growl the echoed off the hills around them. Ellethwen started and sat up looking ahead to see Aragorn break away from the group and run up the hill ahead of them. He paused and then turned back down the hill and ran to his horse.

"What is it? What do you see?" Theoden asked as Aragorn came running down the hill.

"Wargs! We are under attack!" Aragorn shouted as he moved to his horse and mounted quickly. Hearing Aragorn's words, Ellethwen looked immediately to Boromir who looked at her with a worried filled gaze. "Get them out of here!" Aragorn called referring to the women and children. Theoden turned to his guards

"All riders to the head of the column!" Theoden called and trotted his horse quickly over to Éowyn who was trying to steady her own horse. "You must lead the people to Helm's Deep. And make haste!" Éowyn shook her head.

"I can fight!" Éowyn protested and Ellethwen felt her chest tighten, as the woman's horse was next to the one that pulled her cart.

"No! You must do this... for me," Theoden said. Éowyn held his gaze and Ellethwen looked away from the pair and at Boromir who was still looking at her.

"Stay safe, my love," she whispered when he bowed his head and charged his horse ahead and away from the quickened path the villagers and she were taking.

"Follow me! Yah!" Theoden shouted and he too took off towards the coming wargs along with all the riders that led the villagers.

"Make for the lower ground! Stay together!" Éowyn called as she led the others away. Ellethwen looked to her and the woman let out a soft sigh, but gave her friend a worried filled smile, one Ellethwen had to struggle to return as her eyes kept moving to the hill where she knew Boromir and the others were facing more of the darkness' creatures.

"Charge!" Theoden shouted and Boromir drew his sword as the horses charged quickly down the hill and into battle. There were many wargs and orc riders, and he hoped the villagers would not be attacked.

The battle raged, Boromir, Aragorn, and the others sliced through the riders. Boromir had dismounted his horse and fought off orc after orc. As his blade sliced thorough the final orc before him, silence fell around them. He took deep laboring breaths as he looked around. What few wargs and orcs that survived the battle had scampered back off in the direction they had came, and many more laid dead upon the ground. However, many riders laid among the slain and he sighed.

"Aragorn!" Legolas shouted and Boromir frowned when he glanced around but saw no sign of the other man.

"Aragorn?" Gimli and Boromir asked at the same time. Boromir walked over to the dwarf and Legolas and walked towards the cliff. A wheezing orc laughed from its position on the ground and three pairs of accusatory eyes fell on him. Gimli was the first to step to him and held his axe up for the orc to see.

"Tell me what happened and I will ease your passing," Gimli said in a dangerously low voice. Legolas stepped up next to him and Boromir stood behind him.

"He's," the orc coughed, "dead," he finished with an evil laugh. "Took a little tumble off the cliff." Legolas and Boromir looked to the cliff, and as Boromir slowly walked to the cliff, Legolas kneeled down and grasped the orc's armor.

"You lie!" Legolas hissed dangerously, but the orc choked a laugh before he died. Legolas looked at the orc's clenched hand and saw a shiny object in its hand. He took the object from its hand and saw the Evenstar pendant Aragorn wore around his neck. He stood quickly and joined Boromir who was looking somberly down a steep and rocky cliff with a raging river below.

"If he fell, he would not have survived," Boromir said his voice heavy with sadness. "But there is no sign of him." Legolas frowned and his eyes remained on the water and rocks, focusing on anything that would give him a sign of his friend. Gimli joined them and looked sadly at what was Aragorn's fate. Theoden joined the trio and looked on sadly before he turned to his men.

"Get the wounded on horses. The wolves of Isengard will return. Leave the dead," Theoden said. Legolas' head snapped to the king and he looked at him with confusion and anger in his eyes. Theoden sighed quietly and put a hand on the elf's shoulder. "Come," he said softly before he turned and walked away. The three hesitated before they too turned and made their way back to the horses for the rest of the journey to Helms Deep.

Ellethwen paced about the keep, her hand on her stomach. Éowyn had banished her from helping because of her pale color and slightly weakened state. So, the pregnant woman was forced to sit idle, but she did not want to sit. She couldn't sit anymore even if she wanted to. Her backside was sore, and now she was worried and it seemed her son was just as worried, as he refused to remain still.

When pacing no longer satisfied her she found a rag and dusted off some of the tables while others bustled about her. Suddenly, the doors to the keep opened fully and in marched Theoden looking tired and drawn. Behind him, marched Gamling, Legolas, Gimli, and much to Ellethwen's relief, Boromir, but Aragorn was no where to be seen. Boromir stole away from the group for a moment and moved to her quickly.

"Are you alright?" she asked in a whisper while the King stood and talked with Gamiling as well as other guards that had joined them. Boromir nodded.

"I am fine, however, Aragorn . . .," Boromir trailed off but he did not have to say it. Ellethwen could see it in his eyes.

"He fell?" she asked in a whisper. When Boromir nodded Ellethwen felt tears come to her eyes before she embraced Boromir tightly and closed her eyes. Boromir relaxed in her embrace, letting some of his grief slip out in a tender moment and relished the comfort his wife could give him. However, duty was calling and he had to ensure she would be kept safe when an attack would be launched. He pulled back and held her face in his soiled hands.

"Stay close to Éowyn, and try to rest," he told her gently before he kissed her softly. He pulled away and joined the other men who were heatedly discussing the next steps to be taken. Ellethwen hesitated before she left the keep, she wanted to hear what was about to be said.

"Draw all our forces behind the wall. Bar the gate, and set a watch on the surround," Theoden said as he turned to Gamling.

"What of those who cannot fight, my lord? The women and children?" Gamling asked and Theoden glanced at Ellethwen briefly before he looked to Gamling.

"Get them into the caves. Saruman's arm will have grown long indeed if he thinks he can reach us here," Theoden said and Ellethwen sighed as she put her hand on her stomach and left the keep. Éowyn would not be happy when she learned that they would be forced into the caves, but the young woman would do as her king, and uncle instructed, she cared too much of what the man thought to do otherwise.

After what seemed like ages of walking around and chatting with various people and helping one woman tend to her two small children, Ellethwen found Éowyn sorting through baskets and folding blankets. Ellethwen waddled over and helped her. "We are to be moved to the caves," Ellethwen said and Éowyn looked at her.

"What?" Éowyn asked.

"Your uncle has ordered the women and children to the caves. Saruman's army is to attack, and we are being hidden." Éowyn sighed and continued folding.

"I will not be sent to the caves," Éowyn said stubbornly and Ellethwen sighed and went to say something when the murmurs of people talking, grew louder.

"He's alive!" someone called.

"He's back!" another said and Éowyn and Ellethwen looked at each other before Ellethwen's eyes moved behind her friend. Ellethwen's eyes widened and she smiled.

"Éowyn!" she exclaimed in a whisper and pointed behind the gold haired woman who turned as she finished folding one blanket. Éowyn quickly sat the blanket down as she watched a very much alive Aragorn talking with Legolas. Éowyn smiled and turned to Ellethwen with tears in her eyes. Ellethwen returned her friend's smile with a grin of her own but it slowly disappeared as Éowyn moved away gathering the folded blankets and moving away. Ellethwen watched as Aragorn walked inside, there was a dark look on his face as he entered the keep, and she had a feeling he wasn't bringing good news.

Ellethwen lifted her dark skirts and slowly made her way to the keep's door. She stepped inside and quietly made her way to the men.

"A great host you say?" Theoden asked Aragorn and the man nodded grimly.

"All Isengard is emptied," Aragorn said and Ellethwen felt her heart race.

"How many?" Theoden asked.

"Ten thousand strong at least," Aragorn said and Ellethwen stumbled back slightly into one of the pillars. They stood no chance at against an army that big. The fortress would be taken, the caves invaded and all life that was hidden there would be destroyed.

"Ten thousand?" Theoden asked in a shout.

"It is an army bred for a single purpose: to destroy the world of men. They will be here by nightfall," Aragorn said. Ellethwen looked down at her stomach and felt tears come to her eyes. She looked up and met Boromir's gaze, he had been watching her while keeping his ears trained on the words exchanged by the king and Aragorn.

"Let them come!" the king shouted before he stormed from keep. Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Gamling followed, however, Boromir stayed behind.

"Ellethwen?" he asked quietly as he walked over to her. She put her hand on his extended forearm and he felt her hand tremble against his arm.

"You won't be able to hold the fortress," she said in a whisper her voice trembling slightly. Boromir shook his head and pulled her as close to him as he could get her.

"We will hold it, Ellethwen. I will let no danger come to you, our child, or any other woman and child that is sent to the caves," he said. She closed her eyes tightly as she rested her head against his chest. Now was not the time for him to be holding and consoling her. He had a battle to ready for, one that could very well take his life, and she knew that, but she did not want to let him go.

"What if you cannot?" she asked as she lifted her head and looked at him. "There are barely three hundred men here that would be able to fight, most are too old and they will call upon the young boys to fight. Boromir, what if the darkness wins? They will kill every last one of us without care or mercy, and you know they will show none upon the women." Boromir stiffened and looked down at her with concern.

"How do you know of such things?" he asked her hoarsely.

"Rohan, has not been peaceful during my time here. I've heard stories of attacks on villages, wild men and orcs fighting together, they show no care for life." Boromir sighed and kissed her forehead.

"The doors will hold, Ellethwen," he said as he embraced her. He pushed her hair from her face as her head rested against his chest. He kissed the top of her head and she looked up at him. "You will be kept safe," he whispered before he kissed her slowly and deeply. When he pulled away, Ellethwen did not want him to. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him. He held her face and seemed to take in every detail of her face. "Go to the caves, Ellethwen, and do as King Theoden said. Go and keep our child safe." Ellethwen gave him a teary eyed smile and nodded.

"I will, but who will keep you safe?" she asked. He ran his thumbs across her cheeks and gave her a small smile.

"I will keep myself safe. I will return to you and our child, Ellethwen, I promise," he whispered before he kissed one last time before he pulled away from her and rushed from the keep. Ellethwen sighed and closed her eyes as she put her hand on her stomach once more.

"You have yet to break a promise to me, Boromir, I just hope to all that is good that you do not break this one," she said in a whisper before she walked from the keep.