Reforging the Fellowship

By Michael Weyer

Part seven: Helm's Deep, Day

Living in Rivendell made one a bit dismissive of other grand places. However, Arwen had to admit to being impressed by Helm's Deep. The fortress seemed to grow right out of the mountain, the banner of Rhoan flying from various towers and battlements. She carefully paced through the long hallways as the refugees settled. She was unable to hide a broad smile as she saw the two children who had come to Edoras embracing a woman who was apparently their mother.

She saw Eowyn approaching, the woman's face drawn. "What are our supplies?" she asked.

Eowyn shook her head. "Not as well as I had expected. We may have enough for a few weeks, perhaps longer if we ration but not enough for a full-scale siege."

Arwen frowned. "And we are cut off from other routes." She shook her head. "Your uncle should have prepared better."

Eowyn glared at her. "We maintain this outpost for desperate situations only and then for soldiers. We were not expecting it to be used, not by this many people."

"I only meant------"

"My uncle," Eowyn cut her off. "Is doing his best to aid his people. This was our best chance to survive and escape the wrath of Saruman."

"We could have done that at Edoras," the elf replied. She was about to go on when they heard the commotion at the front gates. They quickly headed over to see the soldiers returning. Théoden dismounted, nodding to the guards as he let them take his horse.

Eowyn looked about, swiftly counting the number of riders. "So few," she whispered. "So few have returned."

"We took heavy losses," Théoden acknowledged. "But now, we must look to the safety of the Keep."

The two women saw Gimli coming up, his face drawn. "Milady," he said in a soft voice.

Eowyn blinked. "Where…where is the Lord Aragon?"

Gimli tried to keep his voice steady but did not succeed. "He fell," he choked out.

The two women's reactions were interesting. Eowyn was stunned, moving back and her eyes misting. Arwen, on the other hand, was calm, her eyes staring out at the battlements above. "He is not dead," she said.

Gimli and Eowyn both stared at her. "How can you know that?" the Rhoan woman asked.

Arwen simply looked at her. "I know." She turned and walked away.

Gimli sighed and shook his head. "She will not accept it."

"No, she will not," Eowyn said, her voice softer and her eyes lighting up with understanding. "She will not allow herself to. She loves him. She truly does." She looked down as she walked away, feeling the weight in her heart shift as she realized her true attraction to this man.

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Morwen brushed the horse she had been riding inside the stable house of the Keep. She heard the heavy footsteps behind her and sighed. "Save your words."

"And what words did you expect?" Boromir stated, crossing his arms.

"The usual," Morwen stated as she kept up the brushing, not looking back at him. "Women have no place in battle, I should have stayed behind with the others, I had no business risking my life. I don't wish to hear of them."

Boromir gazed at her carefully. "Do you think your family would want you to throw your life away so carelessly?"

Morwen whirled on him, her eyes flashing with anger. "Do not talk of my family again," she hissed. "You did not know them. You do not know me. You have no right to judge me."

Boromir's gaze hardened as he moved in. "I nearly caused death to one I had sworn to protect," he hissed himself. "And after it happened, all I wanted was to wallow in guilt and self-pity. But I quickly realized that doing so would be unfair to all who know me." He straightened. "I would hope you can understand that as well." He turned and marched away, leaving Morwen to process his words.

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His words still carried as Morwen walked the battlements of Helm's Deep. She saw Gimli standing by a corner, puffing on a pipe. He nodded his head to her. "My lady."

"There is no need for that," Morwen said. "I am not nobility."

"No," Gimli said. "But you are a fine fighter and braver than most nobles I've met, men or women. That deserves some respect."

Morwen nodded. "I do not feel…noble. I am just trying to survive."

"There is a difference between surviving and living," Gimli stated. "You should realize that."

Morwen took in his words but before she could process them, there was a commotion at the gate. The two exchanged confused frowns and headed over. "What's happening?" Morwen asked a soldier coming down from the battlements.

"It's Aragon!" the soldier replied. "He has returned!" He rushed away as Morwen and Gimli exchanged dumfounded looks. Then they ran to join the throng of people surrounding the man sitting atop a horse. "Let me through!" Glimli said as he pushed through the crowd. "Where is he? Let me through! I'm gonna kill him!"

He finally got through to face the exhausted Aragon. "You are…" he said, trying to keep his voice steady. "The luckiest, the canniest and the most reckless man I've ever met!" He moved in to embrace the startled Aragon. "Bless you, laddie, bless you!"

As Aragon put up with the passionate welcome, Morwen smiled and bowed her head. "It is good to see you survived."

Aragon nodded back as he managed to pry Gimli off him. "Where is the king?"

The dwarf nodded toward the main hall. Aragon moved up to it. He was almost there when he came face to face with Legolas. The elf showed no surprise as he looked at him. "You're late," he said in Elvish. He looked Aragon over and wrinkled his nose. "You look terrible."

Aragon simply smiled before looking around. "Arwen?"

"I'll find her," Legolas stated. "She…has something for you." He moved away so Aragon could move to the doors.

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"We have new troops coming from the East," Gamling was telling Théoden. The King sat on the throne in the hall, Boromir pacing nearby. "That should up our strength."

"But not enough," Boromir stated. "Not if the might of Isengard comes our way."

Théoden sniffed. "Saruman's reach will be long indeed to come to us."

Boromir frowned. "Do not underestimate him, sire. He was cunning enough to cut off your power for months. If there is a way to attack us, he will find it."

Théoden opened his mouth to reply when the doors to the hall were thrown wide open. The men stared in shock as Aragon stumbled in. "Aragon!" Boromir called out, a grin breaking over his face. He moved over and quickly embraced the other man. "I knew it would take more than a single Warg and rider to kill you!"

Aragon broke away to smile weakly. "It almost was."

"I am grateful to see you alive," Théoden stated.

"You may not be when you hear my news," Aragon said. He moved to a nearby table, grabbing a flask of water and drinking it down. Gimli, Legolas and Morwen had entered by the time he had sated his thirst. Wiping off his mouth, Aragon spoke. "I managed to find a horse that helped fish me out of the river. As I rode here, I came across a host of Uruk-hai coming from Isengard, heading straight here."

Théoden frowned, rising from his throne, his arms behind him. He walked past Aragon, looking out as if he could see the orcs coming. "A great host, you say?"

"Ten thousand at least."

Morwen choked out loud at the number. Théoden's reaction was close to her own as he turned and stared, stunned, at Aragon. "Ten thousand?" he whispered.

"It is an army bred for one purpose," Aragon gravely stated. "To destroy the world of men." He let his words hang for a long moment before finishing. "They will be here by nightfall."

Théoden took in his words, pursing his lips. He then turned away, his cape sweeping behind him as he marched off and barked out three words. "Let them come."

The group followed Théoden as he stood outside the fortress' gate, studying it. "We will cover the causeway and the gate from above," he stated. "No army has ever breached the Deepening Wall or set foot in the Hornburg."

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

Théoden moved in, fixing him with a cool gaze. "I have fought many wars, Master Dwarf. I know how to defend my own keep." He marched away, the other following as he spoke. "They will break upon the walls like water on rock. We will outlast them while they pillage and burn. Crops can be resown, villages rebuilt."

"They do not come to destroy Rhoan's crops or homes," Aragon argued. "They come to destroy its people, down to the last child."

Théoden suddenly turned and moved in close, his voice a low hiss. "What will you have me do? Look at my men. Their courage hangs by a thread. If this is to be our end, I would have it be such an end as to be worthy of remembrance." He broke away and walked away again.

Morwen could not keep silent. "My lord, send our riders! We must call for aid!"

Théoden turned to her and Morwen swallowed at his gaze. "Aid?" he softly asked. "And who would answer? Elves? Dwarves? We are not as lucky in allies as others," he finished, his gaze on Aragon. "The old alliances are dead."

"Not all," Boromir said as me moved forward. "Gondor will answer."

He was unprepared for the venom in Théoden's tone as the king whirled on him. "Gondor! You dare say Gondor will help?" He pointed right at Boromir. "Where were you when the Westfold fell? Where were you when our enemies closed in around us? Where were you when…" He broke off and shook his head. "No. No, your father will never come to aid us. We are quite alone."

He turned and marched away, leaving the group more than a little stunned. "He will not see the truth as it marches towards him," Legolas gravely stated.

Morwen shook her head. "He…he is doing what he thinks is right."

"Too bad it's wrong," Gimli grumbled.

Seeing Morwen about to yell at the dwarf, Boromir cut in. "Nevertheless, it is his decision. We must respect it and prepare." He put a hand to Morwen's shoulder to pull her away. "Come. We can aid in the preparations to move the women and children into the caves."

Morwen glared at him. "I am hoping you do not expect me to be among them."

Boromir sighed as he realized he had an argument to handle.

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Aragon entered the small room in the tower. She was there, facing the windows, gazing at the movement below. He came up and put his hands on her shoulders. She sighed and turned to face him. No words were needed as she pulled his face to hers for a long kiss. He held her to him and decided that, for a while anyway, he could forget the weight of the battle to come and lose himself in the one thing that made his life worth living.