Forgive me for not updating for almost a week! Work has stressed me out once again, but I sat down at my computer tonight and cranked this one out for you all. Thank you for your reviews, and I hope you like this chapter. Let me know what you think!
Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Lord of the Rings.
Chapter 25: Battles of Different Kinds
Ellethwen sat in the caves with Gelsey, the older woman didn't want her sitting alone, and Ellethwen was thankful for the comfort Gelsey could give. "It's so quiet," Ellethwen whispered and Gelsey nodded. Éowyn joined them and sat next to Ellethwen. The women and children seemed settled and Ellethwen had never heard children be as quiet or sit as still as the ones around them were.
Suddenly, the cave walls around them seemed to shake and Éowyn reached for Ellethwen's hand. Ellethwen gladly took it and squeezed it before she put her hand on her stomach and looked around at the walls. The pains she had been feeling since the morning seemed to grow more constant, but they weren't unbearable. They were in her lower back, and reminded her of the time she strained her back when she first started working in the Citadel.
Thumps and roars sounded outside and Ellethwen began to shake forgetting the pains. The men were about to face the army of Isenguard and Ellethwen didn't know if her heart would last. The sound of thunder echoed, and the littlest ones started to cry. The mothers pulled their children close and comforted them as best they could.
Outside the walls of the caves seemed to grow quiet and still, Ellethwen held her breath and when the sound of piercing roars echoed and then the sound of endless thunder filled their ears Ellethwen gasped and held onto Éowyn, hoping that the men they loved would return to them.
Boromir stood ready next to Gimli and Legolas as the Urks charged the wall. The elves that had come to their aid stood around him and they, including Legolas, had their bows drawn and ready to fire. They merely waited for the signal, which Aragorn gave. "Leithio i philinn!" Aragorn shouted and a volley of arrows followed his command.
"Did they hit anything?" Gimli asked and Boromir nodded.
"Yes, my friend," Boromir said quietly as his eyes were trained on the charging Urks. "They hit many, but trust me; there are more for your axe to strike." Gimli nodded and Boromir watched as ladders were brought up.
"Good! Bring yourselves to my axe!" Gimli shouted and Boromir readied his sword and wiped all thoughts from his mind except for the battle that was ahead of him.
Ellethwen still sat quietly listening to the battle above them and she closed her eyes when suddenly the earth shook around them. Her eyes snapped open and she looked around at the small falling pieces of rock and when the shaking stopped, the roars of battle seemed even louder. Ellethwen's heart was racing and her child seemed determine to keep her attention as he was once again moving about. Éowyn was helping a woman with three small children that had startled from the shaking.
Ellethwen stood to help as the middle child seemed inconsolable but when she did so, a sharp pain struck her lower stomach. It was stronger than any of the other pains she had experienced, and she felt as though someone had kicked her with iron boots. She gasped and bent over. Gelsey was at her side in an instant.
"Ellethwen? Child, are you alright?" Gelsey asked, her voice echoing off the walls. The pain slowly passed and Ellethwen stood.
"Yes, Gelsey, I'm fine," she said softly, but then another pain struck her. She cried out and all eyes turned to her. Tears came to her eyes as the battle raged above them. "Gelsey?" she asked through the pain and the healer put her hand on her back.
"Oh, dear," Gelsey whispered, "now is not the time for this to happen." As the pain subsided Ellethwen let out a shaky breath. She felt a pop and a hot liquid ran down her legs. Ellethwen shook her head in confusion. "How long have you been experiencing pains Ellethwen?" Ellethwen took a trembling breath and sighed.
"Since this morning, but I thought it nothing but indigestion. I haven't eaten well in the last few days, or that I hurt my back," she finished quickly before another pain pierced her stomach. She took a deep shuddering breath.
"You should have told me," Gelsey said. "I'm afraid you are about to have your child."
"No, no, not now," Ellethwen whispered. "Gelsey, I cannot have this baby now," she whispered and Gelsey shook her head and pushed Ellethwen's dark hair from her face.
"I'm afraid, there is nothing we can do to stop it," Gelsey said quickly before she looked around and at some of the other women. "I know the fate of our husbands and sons hangs above us, but I need assistance-," Gelsey was cut off by Ellethwen crying out loudly once again and several women stood and moved close. The pains were closer together and much more painful then they were just minutes before. "I need blankets, and aid. I'm afraid while lives are lost above us, one is about to be born among us." Ellethwen let out another cry as blankets were laid down on the rock and she was lowered onto them. Éowyn moved to her side and took Ellethwen's hand in hers. Ellethwen had tears rolling down her cheeks as she laid on the blankets.
"I cannot have my son, here, without him," Ellethwen whispered and Éowyn shook her head and looked to Gelsey as Ellethwen cried out again.
"It will be alright, Ellethwen," Éowyn said soothingly. Ellethwen shook her head.
"I'm delivering my child in the middle of a battle! How can it be alright?" Ellethwen yelled through the pain. If no one was looking at her they were after her outburst. Éowyn just kept her hold on Ellethwen's hand while Gelsey readied Ellethwen who then took to groaning through her pain instead of screaming and scaring the children.
"Ellethwen, you need to stay calm. You will put too much stress on the baby," Gelsey told her and Ellethwen nodded. Four women surrounded her, giving her as much privacy as they could while Gelsey and another woman she didn't know talked quietly at her feet. Éowyn remained next to her holding her hand.
"Gelsey is a skilled midwife, she will let nothing happen to you or your child," Éowyn assured her and Ellethwen nodded and took deep panting breaths all the while hoping nothing would go wrong.
Boromir's sword sliced through Urk after Urk. Even after the wall was breeched, they were holding them back as best they could, but slowly the Urks were taking over. "Pull back to the keep!" a deep voice shouted. "To the keep!" Boromir fought his way back to the keep. He stood breathless in the hall while, Legolas, and many others blocked the doors with all they could. Boromir looked about.
Several elves were there as well as men, but there were fewer than he would have liked. Boromir sighed deeply and stood fully and looked to the king.
"The fortress is taken. It is over," Theoden said and Boromir shook his head.
"You said this fortress would never fall while your men defend it! They still defend it! They have died defending it!" Aragorn exclaimed as he moved to where the king stood.
Ellethwen wasdrenched with sweat and panting. Hours had passed since she laid down to give birth, and her child was being stubborn. She cried out again as more pain ripped through her. She didn't think it would be as painful as it was, but she was about ready to die. The other women were deathly quiet until a pounding sounded near the door. "They are breaking in!" one woman shouted and Ellethwen shook her head and gripped Éowyn's hand.
"They are past the door!" another shouted.
"Focus on me, Ellethwen," Gelsey said and Ellethwen did. "The baby's head is coming though, a few more pushes, and he will be free, Ellethwen." Ellethwen bit her tongue as another pain ripped through her. "Push, child." And Ellethwen pushed as hard as she could. A scream was ripped from her throat when it felt as though she was being ripped open. "Good! His head is through. Take deep breathes, Ellethwen." She did as she was instructed and took long deep breaths. "Just a few more pushes and you will hold your son." Ellethwen let her tears fall and nodded her head.
Boromir moved to join Aragorn and the King, but stopped when a scream seemed to echo from the caves. He froze and looked at Aragorn who looked at him. Aragorn sighed and looked back at the king and Gamling. "Is there no other way for the women and children to get out of the caves? Is there no other way?" Aragorn asked quickly.
"There is one passage. It leads into the mountains. But they will not get far. The Uruk-hai are too many," Gamling said. Another scream sounded and Boromir was torn from running to the caves to see if it was Ellethwen, and staying where he stood. The latter won as he calmed himself, and turning his attentions to the tasks at hand, although a small part of him worried.
"Send word for the women and children to make for the mountain pass. And barricade the entrance," Aragorn said quickly. Gamling hesitated but nodded and moved away.
"So much death. What can men do against such reckless hate?" Theoden asked and Aragorn looked to him.
"Ride out with me. Ride out and meet them," Aragorn said and Boromir walked next to his friend and looked at the king.
"For death and glory," Theoden said a new light in his eyes and Boromir shook his head.
"For Rohan. For your people," Boromir said firmly and Theoden looked at him. "Ride out for them. For the women and children locked away in the caves depending on their king."
"The sun is rising," Gimli said suddenly. Everyone looked to the small window high in the hall. The first golden rays were piercing the darkness of the keep and provided hope to the downhearted men.
"Yes. Yes! The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the deep one last time!" Theoden exclaimed. Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas, and Gimli smiled. "Ready the horses! We met our fate this dawn." Gimli ran to the horn, he would sound it while the men rode out and then he would follow behind. Boromir moved to his horse that was brought to him. A scream echoed again and Boromir took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He had to be wrong. It was not his wife that screamed as the woman did. He convinced himself of that while he mounted his horse and readied to face the Urks that awaited them.
A few of the women cried out when the poundings got louder and Ellethwen found her focus changing once again.
"Focus on me, Ellethwen," Gelsey said again and Ellethwen nodded. "Push now," she said as Ellethwen felt another pain start. She screamed as she pushed as hard as she could. Pain racked her and she fell back against the rocks weakly. As she took deep breaths, cries met her ears and she felt tears come her eyes. She looked down at Gelsey and saw the other woman whipping the baby clean as he cried. "You have a son, Ellethwen, and from the sound of his cry a very healthy son." Ellethwen let out a sob and looked at Éowyn who pushed Ellethwen's damp hair from her face.
"You're a mother now," she whispered and Ellethwen cried quietly, ignoring the panic the women were feeling and looking at her son as the woman bundled him tightly.
"Before you can hold him, I must take care of you," Gelsey said and Ellethwen nodded. She took deep breaths and closed her eyes briefly. Éowyn took a cool cloth and wiped Ellethwen's forehead.
"He is beautiful, Ellethwen, he has your dark hair," Éowyn told her and Ellethwen nodded weakly. She was tired, but she wanted nothing more than to hold her son. He was still crying, but soon he would be in her arms. When Gelsey was done, Ellethwen took no notice of some of the women moving about. The other woman smiled at Ellethwen and handed her the small bundle.
The baby stopped crying the moment he was in Ellethwen's arms and she smiled down at him as he grasped her finger. He had Boromir's nose, it was easy to see that and his lips. He was definitely his father's son, and she knew he would grow to be a very handsome man. She let her happy tears fall and she shook her head.
"How can you love someone so much?" she asked quietly and looked at Gelsey and Éowyn. "How can you love someone you meet for the very first time you feel as though your heart shall burst?" Gelsey smiled and pulled dark green travel dress from Ellethwen's pack.
"It is the joy of motherhood, child. Now give your son to Éowyn while you change," Gelsey said and Ellethwen didn't want to but the dress she wore was ruined, stained with blood from her heavy delivery and there was no point in keeping the dress on.
Just as Gelsey helped Ellethwen into her clean dress a young girl came rushing to them.
"We are to leave the caves through the pass," she said quickly. "A few of the women are already through and many more are making their way. We must hurry." Gelsey blanched. Ellethwen could not make that journey. Éowyn shook her head.
"You go on," Éowyn said. "She has just given birth here in the caves, she cannot travel. We will remain with her." The girl's brown eyes widened but Éowyn shook her head. "Go." The girl nodded and Gelsey helped Ellethwen sit down. She winced and rested her back against the large rock. Éowyn kneeled down next to Ellethwen and gave Ellethwen her son. Ellethwen looked down at the now sleeping baby with tears in her eyes.
"Is he to die the day of his birth?" she asked in a whisper and Éowyn shook her head.
"No, Ellethwen, he will not. None of us will," Éowyn told her and Ellethwen looked back up at her with tired eyes. The sound of horse hooves echoed from the corridor and Ellethwen sighed as she rested her head against the rock. "Let me take him, while you sleep." Éowyn held out her hands and Ellethwen shook her head.
"No, I do not want to let him go just yet," Ellethwen said and Éowyn nodded. She had a feeling Ellethwen was going to say that.
Boromir fought on top his horse slicing through as many Urks as he could manage when the light of the morning sun came over a tall cliff. Suddenly a figure blocked the light briefly before it shined even brighter. All eyes turned a tall white figure sat upon a white horse and Boromir smiled when he saw that it was Gandalf and then the many horsemen that appeared behind him.
The men and Gandalf charged their horses down the cliff. The battle resumed and soon the men had the upper hand. The urks began to flee and into the forest. The men had chased after them but stopped and pulled their horses back, refusing to go into the trees.
"Stay out of the forest! Keep away from the trees!" Éomer shouted as he rode his horse in front of the men. The forest had not been there before and when the trees suddenly started to move and the guttural cries of the urks echoed and deep groans of the trees sounded as they moved. All around watched with wide eyes, and all figured the trees had just crushed every last urk that had charged into them for protection from the men.
The men watched for only a minute longer before they turned their horses and returned to the refuge of Helms Deep. Many of the women were coming from the caves, and when Boromir did not see Ellethwen, he worried slightly. He spotted Éowyn moving quickly. She welcomed her brother and Aragorn before she finally saw him. Her smile faltered a bit and she moved to him quickly.
"My lord, Ellethwen . . .," she trailed off and she shook her head. "Come with me, my lord," she said quickly and Boromir, pushing away his weariness and quickly followed the golden haired woman to the caves all the while his heart pounding with worry.