Chapter 18

Adette's POV

"Legolas!" I slammed myself up against the door again, hoping that it would smash to pieces and allow me through. "Legolas!"

If he heard me, he didn't turn back and let me out. I continued to throw myself against the door until the two guards grabbed me by the shoulders. I threw them off of me, turning to kill them both but Faina was quick to come to my side.

"You should be ashamed of yourselves!" She screeched at the two guards, kicking them both while they laid on the ground, stunned by my push. She stepped over them and came to me, putting her arms around me…

FLASHBACK

I rushed to the caves after hearing Théoden's request. I couldn't believe that he was honestly going to recruit old men and young boys to fight. He had to be either completely mad or coldhearted. How could he lead children into battle?

My eyes came upon the sight I had hoped not to see – young boys putting on armor that was two sizes too big for them and old men hardly able to lift swords. Mothers and wives were crying, trying to keep their loved ones from harm. I saw Faina crying while a guard handed Èothain armor and a blunt sword. I was quick on my feet and rushed to his side.

"He cannot fight." I told the guard harshly, taking the armor and sword from Èothain. I pushed the boy behind me, standing toe to toe with the guard. His face was set and stone.

"King Théoden requested that all able bodied men be given armor."

"He is not a man." I growled angrily, stepping forward. The guard took a half step back from me. I watched as he nodded towards the other guard, and he hastened towards me, taking my wrist. I grabbed it, remembering that I had done the same to Boromir, and flipped him onto his back.

I watched helplessly as the other guard dragged Èothain off. Faina began to cry harder, as did Freda. My eyes narrowed as I watched the guard take Èothain away, and I dropped the armor and sword to the ground. I was about to rush at him when the guard I had knocked down clothes lined me and I fell backwards.

"Don't touch her! You're a monster!" I heard Faina cry. I looked up to see her coming forward to help me but I motioned for her to stay back. I got to my feet and sent the guard flying back into the wall, diving at him. He shouted for help to the other guard while I beat him about the face.

"You can't send him to battle! He cannot fight!" I screamed. I let go of the guard and watched him slump to the ground, his hand on his nose. I saw Gimli watching me, his eyes wide at the scene before him. He came towards me as the other guard returned, slapping me across the face. Gimli looked enraged.

"If you lay hands on the lass-" He snarled.

"Gimli, get Legolas." I ordered, regaining my composure. I hit the guard who had slapped me, and he stumbled back in surprise. I watched Gimli rush off and turned to Faina and Freda, who were watching.

"Faina, did you see where they took Èothain?" I asked her.

"No Adette, I didn't." Her eyes widened and she pointed. "Watch out!"

I turned to see that one of the guards was about to grab me, but I drove him back and pinned him to the wall. His friend had just gotten to his feet, still tending to his nose.

"You need to calm down-" The guard I had pinned to the wall attempted to use a calm tone but I could tell that I had pissed him and his friend off beyond belief.

"Bring Èothain back and I will!"

The other guard then reached for me but I knocked him on the ground, straddling his waist to keep him there. He struggled beneath me and I felt the other guard's arms go around my waist, touching my wound. As I gasped in pain I heard a familiar voice.

"Don't touch her!" Legolas roared. I looked up just as he tackled the guard who had been holding me around the waist backwards. I could hear a struggle, and then nothing else. As Gimli reentered the caves, I felt two arms go around right beneath my chest, pinning my arms down at my sides. They carried me over to where Faina and Freda were and put me down there.

"Milady are you hurt?" Freda asked in a small voice. I wondered if I had frightened her. Meanwhile, Legolas was gently poking at my wound. When he was satisfied that nothing was wrong, he held my shoulders fast.

"What happened?"

"I am fine Freda." I assured her calmly. "Legolas, they took Èothain to battle. How can they take these young boys to battle, not to mention the elderly men?"

"It was Théoden's orders. We can do nothing dúlinn."

"Legolas, men i ndagor. Hýn ú ortheri. Natha daged aen."

(Legolas, they cannot win this fight. They are all going to die.)

He didn't respond for awhile, just simply held my shoulders and stared into my eyes. I could have sworn there was a flicker of guilt in his eyes as he continued to look into mine.

"I said the same thing to Aragorn moments ago." He muttered quietly kissing my forehead tenderly. "I love you Adette," he leaned in and kissed me so passionately that I nearly fell away in surprise, "please know that."

"I love you too Legolas." It sounded more like a question when I said it, for I knew not what had brought this sudden need to see me like that. I watched as he went to the guard he had tackled and brought him close, holding his shoulder tightly. I did not hear the first few words Legolas whispered to him, but I caught the last part.

"If she is harmed in any way, I will slit your throat and spill all of your blood." He then released the guard and stomped away. It was only when he reached the door and turned to look at me one last time did I realize what he was doing – he was going to leave me there. He was not going to let me come to the battle. He must have known I had figured out his place because he quickly opened the door and disappeared.

"No, Legolas!" I shouted, running to the door. I tried the door but was horrified to find it bolted shut. He had bolted it closed from the outside. "Legolas!"

"Your wound Adette." I heard him murmur on the other side.

"Let me out of here! Legolas! Legolas!"

END OF FLASHBACK

Legolas's POV

As I walked away from the door, I could hear Adette throwing her body against the door. I could hear her screaming my name, begging me to return and open the door. When I worried that she would reopen her wound, I turned to go back. I took a half step and thought about what could happen if I let Adette go into battle. If her wound reopened, she would be distracted and could be killed…or bleed to death. I shook my head and turned back around, the pain in my heart only increasing when I continued to hear her screams.

Gimli had gone ahead to put on his armor and retrieve his axe, and so I was alone was I walked the halls. I looked around, trying to remember everything about Helm's Deep. I wouldn't know if I would live to see another day.

No. I had to live, because I couldn't leave Adette behind. If I died, she would be left alone to face the challenges of the world. What if something happened to her, and I couldn't stop it? I shuddered and continued up the stairs to find Aragorn. I entered a room and found him putting his armor on. I grabbed his sword and handed it to him as he turned to face me.

"We have trusted you this far and you have not led us astray. Forgive me. I was wrong to despair." I apologized quietly. He smiled at me.

"Ú-moe edamed, Legolas." He then frowned, looking around. "Where is Adette?"

(There is nothing to forgive, Legolas.)

"She is in the caves."

"She wanted to stay in the…" His voice trailed off, and he suddenly understood. He nodded, putting a hand on my shoulder comfortingly. "She'll be very angry when she sees you again."

I grinned as we heard Gimli enter. I turned to see him dressed in armor that was much too long for him. He scowled as Aragorn and I laughed.

"If we had time, I'd get this adjusted. It's a little tight across the chest." He complained. Before I could interject with a pun, the sound of a horn pierced through the room. I turned my head.

"That is no orc horn!"

We rushed out the doors and down the stairs, running out into the night air. The sky was dark, the stars and the moon offering as much light as they could. Even with their help, the night still seemed gloomy and dark. I saw Haldir and his friends standing at the bottom of the stairs.

"I bring word from Elrond of Rivendell. An alliance once existed between elves and men. Long ago we fought and died together. We come to honor that allegiance." He said in his usual, emotionless tone.

"Mae govannen, Haldir." Aragorn said warmly, throwing his arms around Haldir. He seemed surprised, but returned the gesture. "You are most welcome."

(Welcome, Haldir.)

"We are proud to fight alongside men once more." He then turned to me, his eyebrows knit together in confusion. He looked around, and then finally spoke. "Where is the princess?"

I sighed heavily. Why was everyone bringing Adette up? It was only making me feel guiltier and more heartbroken that I had left her in such a state in the caves.

"She's wounded." I answered simply. He put a hand on my shoulder.

"My condolences, I trust she is doing well?"

I nodded my head, and he simply dropped the subject altogether. We then climbed the stairs and proceeded to the top of Helm's Deep. I stood beside Gimli towards the front of the wall, watching him try to peek over the side.

"You should have picked a better spot." He said angrily. When Aragorn joined us he turned to him. "Well lad, the luck you live by, let's hope it lasts the night."

I looked out towards the sea of orcs, rushing ever closer like the tide. Their torches were held high, their weapons ready to assault our men, elves, and dwarf alike.

"Your friends are with you Aragorn." I said to him.

"Let's hope they last the night." Gimli began to rain down on my confidence, just as the rain that began to fall at that moment. I looked up to the sky, the water cascading down my face and hair.

"You'll get sick again." I warned softly.

"Then let me get sick again!" She lunged at me, throwing me back onto the ground. The breath left my body with the impact of the ground and she giggled, turning to motion for the Hobbits. "Come!"

"Why are you standing here alone?" She asked me, her hands on her hips.

"We have to keep going Adette. We don't have time for this and you'll-"

While I had been droning on, she had reached down and gotten a handful of mud in her hand. I raised my eyebrows in surprise and before I could react, she slapped the mud into my face, laughing out loud as I raised a hand and pushed it off.

"You had better run." I growled, my eyes narrowed.

She ran around me, heading for the trees.

Finally I caught her, falling on top of her. My hands sunk into the mud on either side of her head, my chest heaving and shaking from both running and laughing. She turned her head to the side for a kiss.

"What's happening out there?" Gimli asked.

"Shall I describe it to you? Or would you like me to find you a box?" I asked, grinning. He laughed merrily, and I joined in.

That was when suddenly, an arrow flew from an old man's bow, striking an Uruk dead. We all watched as it fell down dead, and stared at the old man.

"Dartho!" Aragorn cried.

(Hold!)

But the Uruks began to charge anyways. I smiled suddenly, before getting an arrow ready.

"Faeg i-varv dîn na lanc a nu ranc, Adette." I looked to my side, and remembered that she wasn't there to hear my direction. I frowned sadly.

(Their armor is weak at the neck and under the arms, Adette.)

"Leithio i philinn!" Aragorn shouted, and I released an arrow. I watched many of the Uruks in front fall down dead, arrows protruding from their bodies. "Tangado a chadad!"

(Fire!)(Keep firing!)

"Come on send them to me!" Gimli shouted in frustration.

Soon the Uruks started shooting their own arrows. I watched as an elf toppled over the wall after being struck in the chest. I then realized that no one was safe.

"Pendraid!" Aragorn commanded.

(Ladders!)

I watched Gimli waiting anxiously as Uruks finally began to climb the walls, heading towards us. The real battle was about to begin, and I was ready for them. I released another arrow, sending it through an Uruk's throat.

"Legolas, two already!" Gimli said excitedly. I turned to him after slicing an Uruk in half, grinning from ear to ear.

"I'm on seventeen." I then turned and swung my sword at another Uruk – taking off his head and the one next to his. "Nineteen!"

More of the ladders were readied, allowing more Uruks to climb up. As one tried to come over the wall, I shot an arrow through its skull. It screamed in agony and toppled backwards, sending two of them off balance. I watched as they fell down the ladder and landed on the ground with sickening crunches.

Not too soon after that did we lay eyes upon an Uruk carrying a torch – heading straight for the hole in Helm's Deep, where there were explosives ready. Aragorn turned to me, his eyes wide.

"Togo hon dad, Legolas! Dago hon!"

(Legolas, stop him! Kill him!)

I readied two arrows and released them quickly. However, I failed in striking it dead, and watched in horror as the Uruk lit the explosives. A deafening crack sounded through the air as part of the hole blew away, rocks flying off in every direction.

"Adette." I murmured, wondering if the hole was anywhere near the caves. I suddenly didn't care about the battle, and raced past Aragorn, who had just regained consciousness, to go to the caves.

"Legolas!" I heard him call after me. I didn't listen, I just kept running. But before I could reach the stairs I was met by a band of Uruks, who were descending on Èothain.

"Èothain!" I shouted to him, swinging my sword. He turned to see me as I jumped in, swinging my sword like a madman. I took of one's arm and then saw one fall apart in two pieces.

"Look out!" Èothain called. That was the last thing I remembered before darkness swept over me.