A/N: Just a head's up but this is going to be a fairly heavy chapter. I've tried to add in some comical elements where I could, especially with a certain character, but for the most part…pretty angsty…I'm sorry lol, but it's a war so, makes sense. I hope you enjoy!
Kate could remember, quite vividly, watching her father skin and butcher a deer for the first time. She was so young then, she shouldn't remember but she did. She would never forget how her stomach rolled as she watched him pull the skin from its body in horror, and the squelching sound as he started the process of cleaning it, still rang out in the deep recesses of her memory. It had been the single most horrific event in all her young life, she thought at the time. She did not believe anything could be more horrifying than that and staunchly refused to eat deer ever again. It was silly, thinking on it now, how just that act had disturbed her so greatly. It had to be done. The fur was used to make coats and the meat would feed them well through the winter. It was a necessary evil. It had to be done.
Then she became a surgical resident and her everyday life was full of sights, sounds and smells that would turn the stomach of the most hardened individual. She worked long hours, longer than should have been legal, studied every moment she could, and believed herself to be completely immune to any further shock. She foolishly believed there was nothing she could see that would shock her anymore.
She was an idiot. Young, greedy, cut happy, arrogant. So pathetically oblivious to anything and everything but her desire for a prominent position and the praise of her colleagues. She had truly believed in only her second year of residency that she had seen it all. That after that first year she could never be horrified again by the things the human body could and would endure…and for a time she was right…but that was before.
Before the night Kieran was brought in.
Before coming to this world at all, and the subsequent events that had happened beyond all reason.
Before Helm's Deep.
Before seeing the slaughter and carnage she thought could only be dreamed up in horror movies.
Before watching men and young boys die in vain while her hands desperately worked to save them.
Before choosing who would be helped first and who wouldn't, knowing that they could die waiting.
Knowing that if she had more people, more advanced technology, more skill and knowledge that they wouldn't have to.
She was naïve then…but she was learning.
Her life, from now on, would be composed of two halves; Before and After Helm's Deep…and a part of her would always wish she could go back to Before.
"Please try not to move! You need to stay still. I know it hurts, but you need to stay still." Kate said again to the man she was currently assisting. A sword had barely missed killing him but had taken a considerable amount of his scalp and ear in the process, she was doing her best to control the bleeding and since he was not spurting blood she was least confident that he wouldn't bleed out just yet. "You! Here, hold this here, don't let off. What's your name?" She asked one of the elves that had come along with Nestaron.
"Sudryl, my Lady."
"Cool. Sudryl, hold this, put pressure here. He'll scream but we need to stop the bleeding. Don't let off. Make sure he doesn't thrash around."
"But the bandage is near soaked through my lady. Would the sleeping aid not be a wiser choice?" He asked, sounding far more condescending than Kate thought appropriate. She could understand Nestaron's displeasure now. Without missing a beat Kate handed him another bandage to put atop the old one.
"Stop the bleeding, that is the goal right now." She replied, thin lipped as her eyes wandered to another individual who stumbled in, wide eyed and pale faced. "No, the sleeping aid is not the wiser choice, not right now. It hurts like hell, I'm sure, but he'll manage without it. We need to save it for those with more severe injuries. Keep him from thrashing, it'll only make it worse. I'll see what I can give him for the pain. Don't let off the pressure."
Kate hurried to the man who had just came in, her initial assessment not revealing any life-threatening injuries.
"What's happened. What seems to be the issue?" She asked, her voice quick and her tone prompting an even quicker response.
"I-I have been struck on the head…I fell."
"Let me see." She said motioning for him to bend down, which the man did. His whole body shook and sweat poured down his face and while a nasty goose egged bump was starting to blossom on his forehead she couldn't be sure it was concussive. "You said you fell? Did you black out? Vomit?" Both pupils were equal and not excessively dilate, he was shaking but steady on his feet.
"No, miss. I – I think, perhaps I should lie down?"
"Lie down?" She repeated incredulously. "No, no you can't lie down. I'm sorry but if you're not bleeding, missing a limb or actively dying you can't be here. Get back out there!"
"Please." He begged, chin quivering as he choked back of sob. "You do not know what it is like out there…I cannot go back. I- I am not a soldier…I am just a bard. I sing, tell stories… please, miss, please. I-I, I will work, do whatever you like, keep the fire going. Please, I beg of you."
Kate's heart broke at his pleas. He was absolutely petrified and rightfully so! He was also not the first one to seek refugee here…and he was not the first one she'd have to turn out. The truth of it was, as much as she would have appreciated the help they didn't really need it, her and Nestaron, Sudryl, and the other one, Elaron were managing well enough.
There had been nothing at first, once the battle had initially started, and they waited in the cold, torch lit room for the first wave to flow in. For a while it seemed like no one would come and Kate foolishly thought that had been a sign that things were going well…she didn't realize it simply meant that people were dying and weren't lucky enough to be simply maimed and injured, or they were too wounded to bring themselves here.
Though eventually they came and Nestaron and Kate got to work, aiding those they could. They were busy, but it was just barely manageable. Many people had been injured, and even died…but not quite the number she thought, she had imagined much more of a slaughter and the fact that they were still holding out well on into the night made Kate hopeful that they would in fact see this through.
No, in here they did not need the help just yet, but out there…out there they needed everyone they could…and as much as she wanted to let this man hide out in here for as long as he wanted she knew she couldn't. And she hated herself for it.
"I can't. You're needed out there. Yesterday you were a bard. Today you're a soldier. Be a soldier. They need you." Kate told the man, watching him shake all over again at the thought of heading back out there. "I'm sorry…truly I am, but they need you out there. You have to go back. Five minutes rest, I'll give you, have some hot tea, gather your wits and then go back. Understood?"
"Yes, my lady. Thank you, my lady, bless you." Kate gave a curt nod in reply and took two cups to administer to the men. She was going to give them a calming tea but then her eyes caught the bottle of alcohol they kept in case they ran out of anything else that might calm a person, or numb them enough to not be completely taken over by the pain. Nothing like liquid courage she thought wryly and poured a generous cup for the bard instead, while making a heavy dosed calming tincture for the other man. The man accepted, graciously taking a heaping gulp and then coughed. "What it this?" He sputtered.
"Tea."
"Not like any tea I have ever tasted, my lady."
"Cus It's grown up tea."
"If I live the night I shall compose a song in your honor, I swear I will." He laughed, taking another appreciative sip, this time prepared for it. He did seem calmer now, less shaken. That was good.
"No need for all that." Kate chuckled, but then bit her lip, wondering if it was wise to risk asking. "But…if you wouldn't mind telling me…I was wondering if you had seen Lord Aragorn? And also the Dwarf and the Elf that are usually with him? I just…if you haven't seen them it's fine, I just am curious."
"Aye, I have seen them, or heard them really, the elf and the dwarf were having a competition of numbers last I heard them. Having a right good time of it. I believe the Elf was winning. The Lord Aragorn was well at last I saw him…but in truth, my lady, I could not see much." Kate breathed a sigh of relief, her shoulders sagging just a moment before straightening up.
"Right. Good, well. Finish that up and head out. Be safe."
"Thank you, my lady."
Kate wandered over again to the man Sudryl was with and handed him another bandage to put atop the other two. Carefully she gave the soldier the tea, urging him to drink as gently as she could. Within a few moments it would take effect, calming him and preventing him from flailing about, and relieving some of his pain.
"Kate! Take a look at this." Nestaron called.
"Call me when the bleeding stops. We'll clean it and take a better look at the damage then." She instructed Sudryl and then hurried over to Nestaron who stood frowning opening at the body of young man, only barely out of his teenage years dead on the table.
"Oh…I'm sorry…" She sympathized, getting ready to prepare to move the body.
"Look at the edges of this wound, what do you see?" Kate took another glance at the abdominal wound and frowned. The wound itself wasn't enough to kill him but a closer inspection of the lacerated edges made Kate shudder. It wasn't a clean cut. The edges were jagged, almost looked melted, and the tips were blackened.
"Poisoned? They poisoned the blades." Kate said, horrified. Nestaron scrubbed his hands furiously as he gave a nod of affirmation. "Why would they do that? They already had so great a number…are all the orc blades poisoned?"
Of course, they were poisoned she realized, cursing herself for her naivety. The orcs were here to kill everyone, men, women and children, not to simply win a battle.
" I should hope not! I know the poison, if we can catch it in time, perhaps…"
"What should I look for? Will the edges of the wounds all look like this?"
"Yes. You should check those three men, and the one on your table, they will need to be inspected. Hurry now!"
However, the both of them were relieved to know that, at the very least, not every orc blade had been poisoned, as they could tell. Not every sword wound resulted in the same pattern, making those unaffected savable at least. It seemed that more and more were streaming in through their doors now, so much that they had sent Elaron to prepare areas of the main hall, so that they might have more room to work.
As the night dragged on Kate worked harder than she had ever worked in her life, laboriously holding men down, removing mangled and useless limbs, sewing back together flaps of skin but it seemed to her for every life they could save in this moment three more died waiting for help. Old men, young men…children, no one was made an exception, the had to be triaged according to their injury…but she did not normally do this…she hadn't done this…not to this severity! At home, she simply checked the board and prepped for surgery. Sure, she'd bump a few back if someone of a higher priority came in…but she was never the one to have to tell the patients that! She had the luxury of immunity because she was only a resident…that wasn't her job.
But here she was afforded no such luxury. She had to look every person in the face as she decided their fate, decided if their injury was just bad enough to be taken back, or so bad that it wasn't worth the time and supplies to save them.
She hated herself. Nestaron was right…this was like nothing she had ever done and she could feel that carefully cultivated barrier of hers slipping…it was becoming so difficult for her now to separate herself…not when every face she looked into was someone's Aragorn, someone's Gimli…someone's Legolas. But she couldn't stop, they couldn't stop trying.
Yes, her leg was killing her, yes she was covered in blood, bile and all manner of bodily fluids but they couldn't stop. They had to keep going…but she was slipping. With every death, everyone that died under her hands she was slipping. She had never had so many people die under her care, never seen such a death toll like this.
It's not your fault. You did what you could She'd tell herself…but they were empty words that mattered very little and in the end, she still had to continue on. No time to mourn, to feel sorry for the lost lives because there was always more waiting. And just when Kate found her focus again, just as able to piece back together that protective barrier enough to work on another wounded soldier, a compound fracture of the tibia, the impossible happened.
The blast was so great she had fallen back, shaking her head to clear her ears of the ringing. No one moved as the shock of what happened settled in around them.
"Was…that a bomb?" Kate whispered in shock. What were orcs doing with a bomb here, and what could they possibly- "Oh my God…the wall. Nestaron, the wall!" It shouldn't have been such a shock to her…she had known it would fall…but a bomb of all things?
Nestaron's face had paled and he looked to her with wide eyed horror.
"Prepare yourselves." He said in the infuriatingly calm manner that all elves could, despite the look on his face, and turned out the door before she even had time to ask what he was doing, but she knew what he meant. She knew he meant there was about to be a greater influx of people than they could handle, a greater death toll… But just as quickly as he left he returned, his sword in his hand and a short blade for Kate.
"Why are you giving me this?! Where did you even get this?" Kate hissed as she sutured the torn skin of her patient. Nestaron gave her a pitying glance.
"There is a chance that we will need it, before the night is through my friend."
Oh.
Understanding clicked into place as Kate processed his meaning. If the Uruk-hai had breached the wall then they would be storming through in masses! The doors of the keep were not nearly strong enough to hold such a force back…and there were many other entrances besides that…one lay just a few yards outside their door. Kate took the sword and fastened it to her waist, cringing as her blood slicked hands slid over the belt and she tried her best not to think of which body the sword had once belonged too.
Once again, they were in over their heads as more and more soldiers fell in, some that could be patched quickly and sent back out, but most were simply looking for a better place to die. Perhaps a hand to hold and a kinder face to look upon as they closed their eyes forever. Nestaron said something of an elvish prayer after everything death of his kin, and Kate wondered if that was something she should be doing as well and resolved to ask him at some point.
"We need to move them away from here." Nestaron said after a few more hours. "The main hall is larger. We will move them there now."
"Nestaron, we can't just move all of these people? No, they can rest in the hall." She refuted, carefully sewing closed the skin around the severed stump of what used to be an older man's leg. "Most people can't even move!"
"Sudryl and Elaron will help me move those who cannot walk themselves to the main hall while you finish here. Direct all others there in the meantime. Join us after you are done."
"You can't be serious? You know moving them is a terrible idea! Why in the world would you-" She started to argue, but she could hear the sounds of battle all too clearly now, sounds that were at one time a muffled background noise. Nestaron's eyes moved to the sword attached at her hip, and then back to her, daring her to argue with him again. "Oh."
This wasn't going to be a safe place for much longer. They needed to move now or die here.
"Finish up, and then we will move them."
She could hear the battle waging outside, the frightened and angry war cries of the men and elves, the clash of swords and spears, the roar and screeches of the Orcs. Legolas was right they were close to the battle. Too close.
"Fall back! Fall back to the keep!" Echoed through the halls and Kate shuddered as she did one final sweep of the room, making sure they hadn't left any essential supplies. None. The elves had moved fast and by the time she had finished with her last patient all that was left to do was help move him to the main hall and return to do a final sweep, which she assured Nestaron she could do herself.
She took a moment to breath, wiping the sweat off the back of her neck and wondered if she shouldn't leave a note to let others know they had moved. They don't read English…and you can't write in Rohirric. Little good that would do. Her eyebrows furrowed at the thought but it was true. She just had to hope that they would find them. Maybe someone should stay behind? Let people know?
Shutting the door her eyes scanned the halls, now swathed in darkness, the torches long since burnt out, and an uneasiness began to settle in her stomach. She'd rather not wait here alone in the dark. The bodies of the dead lined the hallways, a thin sheet covering them to give them some semblance decency. So many bodies. Too many. It reminded her all too much of a tomb. Kate's breathing increased and she tried to swallow down the fear she had been keeping at bay for so long now, and she reached out her hand to steady herself against the wall.
Get it together, Kate! She mentally scolded herself, but she couldn't shake the fear. Moving patients, soldiers falling back…this felt like running! They were running, and if they were running then they certainly couldn't be winning.
They were losing.
Saruman would win. The Orcs would win.
What would happen? Would they slaughter everyone left or torture them first? What would happen to her if Saruman found her? What would happen to the women and children in the caves? How would they get out?!
"Oh, God…" She gasped, sliding down the cold stone wall to the floor. How would they get out?
They were trapped.
They couldn't escape! This was a mistake. They should never have come here! Where were Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli? Were they still alive? Did the blast kill them? Please, no. What if they had all died and she was left all alone? She didn't want to die alone…not here. She rubbed her hands down her face, pushing her palms into her eyes to keep herself from crying. They shouldn't in this position at all. But Théoden was so confident they would be safe here, behind the safety of that damned wall! The wall should not have even been breached in the first place! How could they have any hope of victory now?!
Hadn't that snake told her they would win? He had said that, hadn't he? And now look at where they were!
"Idiot." She muttered to herself as she stared at the blade that hung heavily on her hip. It's your fault for giving any credit to anything he said. You're just at fault. She closed her eyes and hit her head against the wall, hoping the repeated action would snap her out of this, or at the very least serve as a punishment for falling for his honeyed words. He had just seemed so sure that they would win!
Kate irritably pushed her hair off her forehead and pulled up the hairs that we sticking to her neck into a sloppy bun once more, frowning at the hardened bits she brushed out and prayed they were only just blood.
They hadn't lost yet.
It wasn't over.
No. They would keep fighting she thought firmly. She had a sword. She wasn't helpless. Scared to pieces and on the brink of panic, but not helpless. She took a few, more steady breaths before heaving herself off the wall, wincing as her sore leg throbbed under the sudden weight.
They might still win this, she told herself.
Aragorn fell off a whole cliff and barely had a scratch on him.
Legolas was an incredible warrior who had lived thousands of years and fought many battles.
Gimli was a force to be reckoned with and just as skilled a warrior as all of them.
Her men would live! They would be fine! She would be fine and after all this she would get rip roaring drunk.
"There now. You've had your freak out. Time to carry on, Kate." She declared to herself, smoothing her mused apron to calm herself and regretting the choice immediately. Lips curled in disgust she stared at the mess that was now on her hands and decided she'd wash up before she went back. She'd have to scrub her hands again anyway when she got back to the main hall but she would feel better if some part of her was clean.
She hurried back into their abandoned infirmary and carefully picked her way through the dark back to the wash basin. Really missing electricity right about now. She mused, forcing herself to concentrate on lathering up her hands instead of the eerie shadows cast about in the room. After the fastest acceptable handwashing she had ever preformed was over she glanced around for something to dry her hands, frowning to herself at the inconvenience of having to air dry her hands.
You're pathetic, Kate. She thought, rolling her eyes at herself. This is the epitome of a first world problem right here. You've really gotten quite-
BAM!
The sound of the large wooden door at the end of the corridor slamming against the stone wall reverberated through the air, shaking Kate out of her thoughts. It should have been bolted, no one should have been able to come through those doors.
Kate swallowed hard as her hands wrapped around the hilt of her sword and quietly hid herself behind the door as best she could. Over the hammering of her own heart she could barely the grunting and dragging sound of what she could only imagine was a rather large and horrifying Orc.
She unsheathed the sword, steeling herself to prepare for a fight when the unmistakable sound of sobbing reached her eyes, eradicating any previous fears of an Orc attack. Orcs didn't sob. At least she didn't think so.
Sword still at the ready she cautiously walked out of the safety of the infirmary to the hall. If someone needed help she was going to find them! Though she had to admit that she was afraid of what horror she might find and all sorts of ghastly scenarios popped into her head as she ventured closer to the sound.
"Bergil?" She exclaimed dropping her sword in surprise. The boy was struggling to pull someone along, gasping for breath and trying desperately to keep his sobs from becoming too loud when he turned around. "Bergil, My God! Wha- what are you doing here? Why aren't you in the caves?!" She cried, feeling her heart jump to his throat at the sight of him in such heavy ill-fitting armor and her old sword that was much too long for him; he couldn't fight in a war like this! Who sent him out like this!
Blood poured down the side of his dirt smeared face and Kate hastily tore off the too large helmet, only relaxing when she saw it was only a minor gash above his eyebrow. Nothing that would kill him, thankfully, but he was far too young! Too young to fight here, to see these things. How could they look at him and see a soldier? Or was it that they were so desperate that the only saw a body? Righteous anger flooded through her veins as she rushed to close and properly bolt the door, grunting in frustration when she realized that there was no such bolt. Great. Probably never freaking had one. Why would you need a bolt when you have such an indestructible wall to hide behind?
"My lady?"
"Yes, it's me. You're alright Bergil. What happened? Who've you got there?"
"The blast…my father. I lost him. I do not know where he is." He choked out, eyes filling. He was only twelve, not a young child but certainly too young for this battle! He was smaller for his age…strong but…too young. Kate moved forward, her eyes landing on the body he was clinging to and let out a slow shaky breath. It was Kieran. He was alive, but barely, Kate noticed as she watched the sword imbedded into his abdomen move ever so slightly up and down with each breath he took. It had pierced through his armor and was so deeply embedded Kate had to wonder if it had gone all the way through. How was this kid still alive?! "Please, my lady…you have to save him."
"Bergil what happened?" Kate asked frantically, her eyes flitting to the door and her mind racing. They couldn't stay here. It wasn't safe. They needed to move. She grabbed the boy by the shoulders and urged him again to explain what happened?
"Kieran, he…an Elf Lord had saved his life during the battle…saved him from losing his head he did. So…we were falling back, trying to leave when the Elf was wounded, he was going to be killed…and you know that would not have sat well with Kieran. He tried to help…I told him not to, the fool, but he moved to quick. He saved the Elf but…"
"But not himself." Kate finished. Her heart was beating so quickly she felt like it was going to burst out of her chest. She looked to the door one more time and then at the body of Kieran. Well…at the very least there was no danger in him falling through the stones here…but there was no way he could live! They couldn't stay here for much longer and dragging Kieran's body all the way back to the main hall would do more harm than good. Kate could barely believe Bergil had dragged him all the way here. "Bergil…kid, look, we have to go. Go to the main hall, you know where that is?"
"Not without Kieran. You have to help him. You help everybody!" The boy insisted stubbornly.
"I can't help everybody Bergil. Not here…Bergil he's not going to-"
"Please, my lady. He is my best friend…and I am all he has, the only one who cares! I said I would get him help. I promised him! Do not make me a liar, Lady Kate." He pleaded, voice cracking but his jaw was set firm and Kate knew he'd keep dragging Kieran to safety, with or without help…and he'd get himself and Kieran killed. Images of Kieran in the OR flashed in her mind's eye, crying, pleading to live and she let out a frustrated huff.
"Bergil…" Kate knew she didn't have the supplies, not here in this hallway where they were open to any attack, not here in this time…she was quite sure she knew what Kieran's internal injuries looked like, hell she'd worked on his surgery, she's seen it with her own eyes! She knew as soon as she took out that sword he'd bled out and there would be nothing she could do without several more experienced hands and advanced lifesaving measures, and even then…but she had to try. If he did bleed out it would be quick…far quicker than the slow agonizing death he was facing now…
"Run to the main hall, find Nestaron. See if he can come and help, tell him what happened. I'll start…but you should say your goodbyes just in case." She added, but Kate knew Nestaron would not come…not for this. He wouldn't leave all those patients with Sudryl and Elaron to come and assist her with a boy who was already at death's door. But it would make Bergil believe he had done the most he could to help…and he had, the sweet boy, he really had. In one night, he had lost everyone he loved…she didn't want to him to have to sit and watch as another loved one died before his very eyes.
"No need my lady. You'll save him, I know you will." He exclaimed hope filling his eyes and crushing Kate's heart. "They say…the people say you have magic in your hands…I knew, I just knew that if I found you…he would make it."
"Bergil…I don't have magic! That's not a thing. I'm nobody…I-I need you to know that he could die. Please, I really need you to know that…to be realistic. I'm sorry to have to say it, but you need to know…once this sword comes out…you should really say your goodbyes while he can still hear them." Kate pleaded, trying her best to sound calm and sure of the prognosis. Bergil shook his head stubbornly and stepped back.
"No. No. He will make it. He has to. You can save him." He insisted already backing up and heading to the main hall. "I will fetch the Elf healer quick as I can. You will have the finest in the land to look out for you, Kieran. Need two of 'em at least, to cut through that gut of yours!" He said with a shaky laugh and Kieran barely coughed up a returning laugh. With another declaration of faith in Kate as a healer he was off, running through the halls until Kate could no longer here his footsteps.
Her heart sank and bile rose up in her throat as she stared down at Kieran. What could she do? She couldn't, in good conscience, perform surgery on him as he was now. No anesthesia, only herself…he'd be put through unimaginable pain for no good reason because in the end he would still die.
Do No Harm.
Kate's eyes began to fill and she furiously wiped them away, as she prepared herself to pull out the sword. A quick death was better than a slow, agonizing one. She still hated herself.
It felt wrong. This was wrong…but she took comfort in knowing that he'd die here, in the comfort of his homeland and not the terrifying and overstimulating world where he might have ended up.
"Do it." Kieran rasped, eyes unopened and Kate choked back a sob. "It is alright, my lady. Do it."
"I'm so sorry." She said, her voice raw and barely above a whisper. "I can't help you…I'm so sorry."
"No…you can't help him here, Kate." The all too familiar voice spoke. There he stood, leaned back against the wall arms crossed and face solemn as if he'd been here this entire time. His ink black hair fell back over his face as his head tilted in pity. But his eyes were cold, assessing and by the faint upturn of his lips he seemed far too pleased with how things were playing out.
Without thinking she scrambled for her sword and held it against his throat, ready to kill him if he even so much as moved. He rolled his eyes, unbothered by her dramatic gesture but that chaos of the scene…the way her hair stuck out in frenzied curls, the blood soaking her clothing, the tears wetting her face…he couldn't help but smile.
"I am going to give you one chance to leave and never come back again." Kate spoke, her voice low and threatening and full of rage. "If you don't take this chance I will kill you. I don't care who you are or what you want or who you think I am, I just want you gone."
"Like you'll kill him?" He asked, jutting his chin toward Kieran. Kate recoiled, feeling like she had been hit in the face. He watched delightedly as her face crumpled and her arm lowering just slightly.
"I…I won't. It's not… I can't. Not here, not with these supplies…it won't be enough." She stuttered, confidence wavering.
"No, no you can't. Not here." He repeated as Kate gave him a confused look. "You know what you have to do. You know where you need to send him."
"Send him?"
"To your world, where he would receive the care he needs." He explained patiently. He sounded so matter of fact, like this was such an obvious answer. Kate's anger resurged and she brought the sword back up to his throat.
"Would you go away? Would you just go away? Just stop this?" She sputtered. "I can't send him anywhere, we aren't near any standing stones and he's not like us."
"You don't need them Kate."
"I do actually, that's how this whole thing works."
"Use the ley lines. Focus on their energy and use that energy to send him through…just like you practiced. You've done this before, you can do it again." He instructed, leaning forward into the tip of her sword. If it caused him any pain he never showed it and it drew no blood.
"I never…I've never done that before. You're insane. Last chance."
"Of course you have. Put that sword down now Kate, I've indulged you long enough. It wouldn't do you much good anyway." Kate didn't move, pushing the sword further into his neck. Why wouldn't he go?
"What are you talking about." She seethed.
"That oafish friend of yours, ushering him off to safety like you did. Very impressive considering your…deficiency of skill. Still you did manage, stuck full of arrows as he was, and you can send this boy too. Now, if you please, do as I've asked. "
"Oafish…? What oaf-Oh my God." The blood drained from her face and her hand fell. The floor seemed to sway under feet as an impossible explanation wormed its way to the forefront of her mind…but surely not. It was impossible! "B-Boromir?" She breathed, too afraid to speak his name any louder than a whisper, least she give herself any hope.
"Yes, that's the one!" He exclaimed. "The Oaf. Suits him more I think"
"He's alive?" She gasped, dropping the sword to her waist side. Impossible. He's lying. They told me he was dead?
"Yes, of course he is. Don't act so surprised you did-Oh!" He laughed suddenly, his eyes scanning her horrified expression and a wave of delight washed over him. "Oh, this is rich! They didn't tell you? No one? Not even the Elf? Ha! So much for sentiment! Oh, dear Kate, yes, he's alive. You sent him. You saved his life. You can do it again for this boy here."
"N-no I didn't. That's impossible! He could hear them. He heard the stones, he could travel too. Like me. Like you!"
"Oh, don't compare me to the lot of you. I am notlike one of you." He sneered. "He could travel time yes, but not worlds. He's not like you. Your talents are a rarity. Trust me, I wouldn't be wasting my time with you if it wasn't."
"I don't understand." She said to herself, body shaking under the weight of it all. If Boromir was alive, where was he? When was he?
"Yes, you do, you're not a fool. You simply don't want to understand. But the longer you try to fight what you know to be true the more time you waste. So, if you please, send him through. I'd like to see this for myself, to ensure that you really were worth all the effort and cost."
"He will die if he goes. I saw it happen, I was there."
"Well, it might have been because you wasted so much time sending him there!" He bellowed, losing his patience now.
"I can't do that. I won't make him go through that for nothing!" She argued. "Gandalf told me not to…I made a mistake before but I will not do it again. Send him through yourself if you really think it's possible."
"If I could do that I wouldn't need you, you insufferable woman!"
"I don't know how. I am not what you think I am." She screeched lunging forward and showing him away from her. "Go bother someone else! You've got the wrong person you psychopath!"
"Kate. I told you not to force my hand." He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and letting out a martyred sigh. "So be it."
Wham!
Suddenly the door flew open and the largest Orc she had ever seen stomped through, sword raised high and with a guttural roar it ran toward them, intent on Kieran, the easy target.
She screamed, darting to block the blow when suddenly, Kate felt as if the oxygen was being sucked out of the room as a thick electric current ricocheted through the air, raising the hair on her arms. The buzzing filled her ears louder than she had ever heard it and just as the Orc was nearly upon him, the sword threatening to sever his neck, Kate felt it happen.
She heard an audible tear, felt a piece of her rip itself off and then Kieran was gone. Time began to move just as quickly as it had before and her sword swung heavily through the air in what she hoped would be a deadly blow for the Orc. It sailed through the air, right through the visage of the Orc and as it whipped through the image rippled. A flash of light and the image was gone, leaving behind nothing but a gasping and horrified Kate. A sickening silence hung in the air only to be broken by the delighted laugh.
"Well done!" He praised, his laughter cutting through the silence. "Yes, worth the cost indeed. Ha!"
Kate hadn't heard a word he said as she sunk to the ground, sword clattering uselessly against the stone floor. She stared at her hands as her whole body shook.
What did she do?
What was she?
Had she really done this? How could she have done this? It shouldn't have even been a possibility. Was he right?
"I didn't mean to…I-I don't know how I … I'm so sorry!" She stammered, trying to explain away what had happened, chocking back a horrified sob. "It…it wasn't my fault, I-I didn't mean to."
"But you did." He said softly. "And you did it beautifully. Well worth the cost I should say."
"You. You tricked me." She gasped in revulsion.
"Yes, I did."
"Why?" She asked. He blinked, staring in shock at her.
For a moment, one very short moment, as he took un the image of her, so dejected, hair wild, eyes red from exhaustion and tears…she looked just as weak and pathetic as he believed all humans were, but something stirred in him. Perhaps it was guilt or pity…he couldn't be sure as the feeling was not one he experienced often.
Really, he had been quite impressed with himself there. She should be grateful to him! He had shown her how to unlock a power within herself that she would have just let got to waste. What good was power if it wasn't to be used?
This woman…she had no right to look at him that way! She was beneath him. A Traveler. A tool for him to use as he would! Whatever guilt he might have felt was instantly replaced with rage as he strode over to the woman, grabbing her by the chin and forcing her to meet his gaze.
"Why? I did tell you not to force my hand, did I not? I did tell you that I was not to be trifled with. I warned you Kate."
"Warned me?" She repeated. She yanked her face away and picking up her sword, swinging it through the air in a blind rage. She was absolutely going to kill him now she was sure of this! The man backed up, narrowly dodging her attack. "You didn't warn me, you did this! This is your fault!"
"I merely gave you incentive, you did all the heavy lifting, dear." He sneered. "Perhaps if you had practiced, like I suggested, I wouldn't have been able to trick you. Really you should have known better by now."
"I didn't want to do this." She wailed, brandishing the sword again. "You think I can do all this but I don't want it. I don't want any of this. You made me do this. You sent him off to die! You've killed him! He was an innocent kid."
The man had grown tired of defending himself and in a flash, he batted her sword away, as if it were made of cloth instead of steel, grabbing her arm and wrenching it from her grasp.
"No, that was entirely your own doing. Just as it was with Boromir, you do want this whether you'll admit it or not!" He screamed back, shaking her in effort to silence her. "You should be thanking me for saving your miserable life. You think Saruman just let you go? Just decided you weren't worth the effort? You're a fool. If I hadn't intervened he would have torn this place down brick by brick to make use of you. He would have made you do far worse things than this, believe me. You are weak and naïve and it would have been so easy to break you. You want to make me out as a villain in your little story? So be it! But you owe me Kate. You're indebted to me and I intend to collect. You. Owe. Me. Is that clear?"
"No, it is not clear, and I don't have to do what you tell me. You can't buy me. Get off me, I hate you!" She cried, clawing and scratching at him as all the anger and hopelessness, and fear, and rage boiled to the surface. She was sure she looked insane, sounded insane, but she didn't care! She had tried to do the right thing, tried to stay away from the caves, tried to really listen to Gandalf and for all that effort she had still failed! She screamed and she screamed, and she fought but her fighting accomplished nothing; her blows bouncing of him like rain water, and affecting him just as much. He continued to sneer at her pathetic raving until she stopped fighting, choosing instead to scream herself hoarse. "I hate you so much! I want you dead! I hate you! I hate you!"
"Well that makes two of us." He seethed so quietly she almost missed it, but she hadn't and she stopped her screaming to gape at him, nostrils flaring, mouth grappling for anything to say.
Something.
She didn't feel sorry for him. She did hate him right now. However, she saw, reflected in his eyes, more self-loathing than she'd seen from anyone and she couldn't help but wonder what he had done in his life to make him say that…or what had been done to him. Those possibilities made the blood run cold in her veins. Stop it! I don't care! Don't you feel sorry for him Kate Mackenzie! Don't you dare!
"Who are you?" Kate asked again, shoulders slumping and shaking her head in defeat. "You say you need me to help you but with what? I don't know who you are…or how you even know that Boromir is alive…or if you're even telling me the truth…I just…I'm so tired. I'm tired of this. Just go away. Please, just tell me the truth or go away."
He stared back, licking his lips in contemplation entirely unsure how he'd answer… perhaps if he played on her sympathy…gave her a name she'd simply do as he asked? Humans always felt more attached to something they had a name for. He rolled his eyes and let out a relenting sigh.
"I am-"
Wham!
The door flew open again and several Orc filled through, pausing for a moment to lock eyes on the pair before charging forward.
"Look, you can stop will the illusions now. You've made your point, you're very powerful." Kate huffed.
"Kate…that was not me."
"Oh…" Quickly she reached forward to grab her sword, instantly regretting the action as an Orc rushed forward, sword raised high and ready to come down hard and Kate narrowly missed the assault, raising her sword just in time to parry the blow. She swore as the Orc's blade crashed into hers, causing her to nearly loose it. "Guess we are doing this now! Great!" She bellowed, angrily fighting off the orc that were filling in through the door. She counted six but more would come.
"You better be worth all this." She heard the man sigh in resignation as he joined the fight, two swords appearing seemingly out of nowhere.
Had they been friends perhaps Kate would have laughed, but as it was now she didn't find him very funny. She needed to focus, giving all of her attention back to the Orc she was fighting.
Her leg slowed her up, but her instincts had kicked in, and with a grunt she took out the first Orc with relative ease, cleaving its neck with two hard swings and letting it fall. However, the second Orc was putting up more of a fight.
It came at her hard, sword raised high and she threw herself to the left, missing the blade by only a fraction of a second, so closely she could feel the rush of air against her skin. She took that opening and swung her sword across but it stepped back and gave a sickening grin as her steel scratched uselessly against its armor.
She brought her sword up just in time to block another blow, but he had the strength that she didn't and when it bared down Kate buckled under the weight, falling to her knees. It kicked her and she went down, grimacing at the force of the fall.
"Kate, get up!"
The third orc was coming now and Kate clenched her jaw, stood as quickly as possible, gripping the hilt tighter. With a shriek, she swung her sword as quick as she could, slicing its thigh and bringing it down, turning and blocking the sword of the third orc. The move kept her from dying but it also left her open to the second Orc on the ground who sliced the tender, fleshy side of her right hip.
"Time to go now, Kate!" He shouted, taking out the remaining few Orc with more ease than Kate would have given him credit for.
She cried out in pain, but managed to hold on to her sword, stepping back from the body of Orc number two, focusing her attention on Three and now Four. Orc three punched her sword wound with the hilt of its crude sword, and when she doubled over from the pain. It grabbed a fist full of her and tossed her to the ground, running over to kick her in the stomach.
She heaved as the air left her body, willing herself to get up but she was not nearly fast enough and as she struggled to move onto her hands and knees she braced herself for the final blow that she knew would ultimately kill here. There would be no survivors this time.
But it never came.
Instead she heard the blessed sound of metal against metal and then the familiar gurgling of someone who's neck had been slit.
Kate blinked stupidly at Orc number three, now dead in front of her and lifted her eyes to watch him take out Orc number four.
"Get up." He grunted, yanking her up to her feet and ignoring the injured yelp she let out and all but dragged her down the long stretch of hallway as fast as the two of them could run.
"Get off me. I can run myself, I don't need you dragging me around like a doll." She shouted between gasps of precious air. If her leg hadn't been the thing to slow her down the wound on her hip certainly would and she was, absolutely slowing down. Rounding the corner, they burst through the door, slamming down the drawbar with a satisfying thunk. They weren't stupid, it wouldn't hold the orc off for long but it was better than nothing.
"Yes, I can see that." He sneered at her blood-soaked side. "I did just save your life! I suppose that's your way of saying 'thank you'"
"Thank you for what?!" She shrieked, batting his hands as he tried to lift her tunic and inspect the damage. "I am not thanking you! We wouldn't be in this situation if it wasn't for you."
"Hardly. It was all your screeching that alerted them in the first place."
"Can't you just magic them away or something?"
"It's not poisoned." He mused to himself, that was the last thing he needed. "And no, I cannot just magic them away. Running a bit short these days, I'm afraid. No thanks to you." He argued. At the sound of several orcs hitting the door they looked at each other and took off running again at full tilt. The sound of splintering wood spurred them on and he grabbed her by the shoulder, pushing her forward.
"Serves you right! You shouldn't have done such a miserable thing in the first place! Get off me, I don't need your help. I don't want your help," Kate shouted again, tripping over her feet as she tried to bat away his hand away.
"Yes, you've clearly got everything under control. I suppose I should have just let you die then?" Kate veered left, making her way toward the main all and snorted.
"Fine with me."
"Well it's not fine with me!" He bellowed. "Are you like this with the Elf Prince? How does he stand you? The shrieking and carrying on like a harpy. What does he see in you? I should think he'd be far too mild mannered to take on someone like you, and a human no less! Perhaps he's not nearly as dull as he once was."
"Oh, would you shut up?! Shows how much you know! You don't know anything about Legolas!"
"I know him well enough and his father too." He sneered, ushering Kate through the next set of doors. "And if I know Thranduil he certainly wouldn't allow his precious son to be with a woman like you." Slamming another draw bar down he stared hard at her, his eyes raking her body as if the answer to the Prince's love could be found in her figure. "I suppose your mildly attractive…still the Prince had to have other offers. Better offers."
"Oh, go away. You are such a pain in the a-Bergil!" Kate gasped, running over to the boy she'd sent off just moments before now lay beaten, bruised and missing his left arm. "How did this happen? Give me your belt!" She yelled to the man.
"Pardon me? No, we cannot stop! We don't have time for this." Kate glared at the man until he relented, peevishly undoing the belt over his tunic and handing it to her. "Of all the living creatures in all the realms, why you? I would have rather endured an actual harpy. We can't stay here, Kate. We need to keep moving."
Bergil jutted his chin in the direction of a very dead Orc where his arm lay, several feet back.
"Orc ran out at me and got me by surprise. I got him back though, with your cruddy sword no less. They've taken the West hall." Bergil replied, his face contorting in pain as she used the belt as a tourniquet. A gold belt, really? She thought sardonically, rolling her eyes at the man. "I'm sorry my lady, I woulda kept going but…I just needed to catch my breath for a moment."
"You've nothing to be sorry about. Well done Bergil, honestly. It's ok, we'll fix you up. Bet you don't think that old sword is so cruddy now, do you?"
"My lady, I wouldna give this sword to my worst enemy. I nearly did too, but my father had me raised with a proper sense of morals." He panted, but Kate couldn't miss how white his face was, and how rapidly he was breathing. "And Kieran my lady? Where is he?"
"H-he …he didn't make it." Kate replied, her throat constricting around the lie. She could hear the man sniff as she watched Bergil try and choke back a sob. "I'm sorry, really…I'm so sorry Bergil."
"Aye, my lady, me too. I know you did your very best, I know you tried." Kate couldn't look him in the eye as he patted her hands gently. She shouldn't have lied to him but…it really wasn't much of a lie. He would die and it was her fault.
A ground shaking roar broke through their brief moment of serenity and Kate scrambled to her feet, heaving the boy up and wrapping her arms around him to help steady him.
The clamoring of blood thirsty Orcs only grew louder and Kate glared accusingly at the man.
"You said that we would win. You told me it would be a victory for the race of Men! You lied to me again. All you ever do is lie."
"I didn't lie about this!" He hissed. "There will be victory. I just didn't realize it would be quite so dramatic!"
"My lady…you should leave me. I will not be able to keep up." Bergil bravely spoke up. The noise was louder now, and Kate knew it would be no time at all before the orcs would be upon them.
"Listen to the boy, Kate."
"Oh, you shut up! And no Bergil, we are not leaving you. Absolutely not!" She shouted. "We are going to the main hall where I am going to fix you up and we are all going to live!"
"Even me? I'll be joining you as well? Don't be ridiculous, Kate!"
"I don't give a damn what you do, I really don't."
"Now that's no way to talk to the one you're indebted to three times over!"
"I am not indebted to you!"
"My lady, there isn't much time. Either leave me or let us continue. I think I'm going to fall out…"
"Listen to the boy, Kate." He mocked. Bergil's eyes rolled back behind his head and Kate tried to slap his face to wake him up but to no avail! He was out. "Oh, this is perfect. Really, just what I need."
Kate swore under her breath and felt for a pulse, which blessedly was still there, weak, but there.
"Ok, we need to hurry now." Kate grunted, her own wound causing her a great deal more pain now and she struggled to support the boy. "And you can tell me how I could possibly be indebted to someone who's name I don't even know!"
He watched Kate struggle for a few moments and rolled his eyes before begrudgingly lifting the boy into his own arms, carrying him like he weighed no more than a bag of flour. Kate was about to protest when she realized, shockingly that he was helping to carry Bergil.
Just then the door burst open, breaking through and Kate couldn't help the scream that escaped her mouth as her eyes filled with the image of more than a hundred Orc running through the halls. They were being overrun! She had no idea where her next burst of energy had come from but she was blessed thankful to have it and loathe to admit it but she was thankful the man carried Bergil. It was faster…and they needed faster right now!
"The first debt incurred was when I convinced Saruman the what I could offer him was of far greater value to him than you could ever be. The second time was when I saved your life, just mere moments ago." He listed, running quickly through the halls to their last set of doors. "The third was when I gave you my belt to save the boy."
"Are you kidding me?" She could not believe that she was listening to an actual psychopath explain to her why she owed him, while the two of them ran for their lives with an unconscious child, from Orcs.
"And now…a fourth time!" He exclaimed more dramatically than should be acceptable in the current situation. Kate pushed through the doors and he set Bergil's unconscious body on the other side of the doors.
"Hurry up!" She scolded. "For what? For aiding a grievously injured boy? Fine, I will gladly sign my name to that debt! You know, you really are a real piece of work!"
"The fourth time, because I am here, saving your life again." He insisted, bowing his head in mock chivalry. "Run along now Kate. Go be the valiant hero, save the boy."
"What? You're staying? The main hall is just over there, hurry up you idiot!"
"I'm touched but no thank you, there are far too many people in there that I'd really rather not run into just yet."
"So, instead you're choosing to die? That is insane? I mean…I still hate you but you don't need to sacrifice yourself for me!"
The man rolled his eyes.
"Don't be ridiculous Kate, I'm not sacrificing myself for you. But I do need you alive, or else this has all been for nothing. I'm not one to waste my time. Not to worry, I am not the one in danger." He exclaimed. "So, go now. I'll be coming back to collect on those debts you owe."
"I am not worried about you. This isn't a debt! That's just called being a decent person!"
"In case you haven't noticed, Kate," he started, holding his swords in his hand as a wicked smile spread across his face. "I'm not a decent person."
Kate lifted the boy once more, baring his weight as she started down the hall and she heard him shut and bar the door.
"Well…I should at least know your name, so I can know who to report to the authorities! You can add that to my tab too."
The man laughed and as the Orc's crashed against the door he readied himself to fight, or magic something up or whatever the hell he was planning to do he turned back to her, his eyes flashing in excitement.
"I am called Kedron. You can give my regards to Mandos and Vairë."
"Barricade that door!" Kate shouted as stumbled into the main hall, pulling along a still very unconscious Bergil. "They've taken the South and West Hall, we tried to hold them off but I don't think it will last very long."
"Kate!" Legolas shouted in relief, as he watched her stumble in, only to pale again as he looked her over. "Where have you been? What happened to you?"
"I'm ok, just a scratch. Big scratch…but Bergil…I used that belt as a tourniquet but he passed out and hasn't woken up. He has a pulse but it's weak, and he feels cold. I'm fine, Legolas, really."
Legolas gave a curt nod and ran back to help barricade the large double doors. Doors that only yesterday morning Aragorn had walked through to tell them of the impending threat. A threat that beat against those very doors now. She let out another sigh as her eyes fell on Gimli and Aragorn as well. All her men were alive and accounted for. For now…
"Ah, well you've arrived just in time! We are about to receive guests any moment now, which is wonderful since we really just gotten ourselves and our patients settled! A perfect time to welcome them in!" Nestaron barked sarcastically, taking hold of Bergil and carrying him over to a dining table that was now being used for patients. The Elf glanced at the sweat soaked, bleeding, and all together frazzled looking wild woman that stood before him and shook his head. "What happened to you? Decided to take the war into your own hands, was it? You could not stay out of trouble for more than an hour?"
"Well, you know me." Kate distressingly laughed as she leaned against the wall to try and catch her breath, wincing as the pain in her side burned with each inhale. "Always finding a way to get myself into trouble. Trouble is my middle name."
"Kate, I understand that you are being glib, as is your way, but it loses the humor that you intended when the statement itself is true." He remarked, returning to assess the mangled wound site. "Though, I am thankful you did not get yourself killed. I trust you have ensured it's not poisoned? Good. Clean it up and give more of the sleeping aid to those who need it. It looks like you could use some stitches yourself, but I am afraid you'll have to wait. Let me know how that man on the end is please, the elderly man. His breathing has been labored ever since we moved him."
Kate nodded wearily, grabbing some clean bandaging to wrap around her side and staunch the bleeding while she tried to keep her mind from spinning out of control. She didn't know why she thought that once she made it safely back to the main hall she would it to be a peaceful haven! So intent, she was, on making it here she hadn't even thought about the possibility of more danger.
All around her men rushed to find anything and everything to barricade the doors and keep the orcs from flooding in and completely overrunning them and in here Nestaron, her, Sudryl and Elaron were still working to keep people alive and for what? They were only a breath away from annihilation now!
As if divining her thoughts King Théoden spoke, sounding almost like he had when he was possessed. Completely and utterly hopelessly.
"The fortress is taken. It is over." He lamented. Aragorn let out a frustrated growl and ran back over to grab a bench to prop over against the door.
"You said this fortress would never fall while your men defend it!" Her uncle shouted, and she could feel the anger rolling off of him. "They still defend it! They have died defending it!"
Another slam against the door made Kate jump, nearly sending the people who held it shut tumbling to the ground. She quickly tied off the bandage and move to start administering the medicines like it was any other day. She had to move, to do something! Théoden said nothing in reply, merely stood staring blankly.
"My lady!" Sudryl exclaimed, beckoning Kate over to the man who had taken an Orc blade to the face, resulting in a nose that was barely attached and gash through his cheek so deep she could make out his teeth.
"Coming!" She replied, knowing that was his way of asking for help without actually having to ask. She ran over, hurriedly introduced herself to the poor man and handed him a large cup of alcohol before proceeding. She tried to explain what she was doing, for Sudryl's benefit and still keep an ear on what was happening at the front. She could still hear Aragorn urging with Theoden, growing increasingly more agitated. To Kate, if Aragorn was agitated, they were all in deeper shit than she thought and that was hardly a comfort to her.
"My Lord, you cannot abandon hope now! Not while your people need you! You must act! Is there no other way for the women and children to get out of the caves?" He asked and Kate shuddered at the unspoken answer when no reply came, the only sound was the crashing of plates and cutlery as Legolas tipped another table to add to the barricade pile. "Is there no other way?"
"There is one passage," Gamling said finally, at length. "It leads into the mountains, but they will not get far! The Uruk-hai are too many!"
Another crash against the door and Kate could hear the wood cracking, moaning from the force of the assault against it.
"Send word for the woman and children to make for the mountain pass! And Barricade the entrance!" Aragorn ordered.
"So much death…What can men do against such reckless hate?" Théoden asked and the hall suddenly grew quiet. No one made a sound, even the orcs it seemed had halted their battering for a moment. What would they do? What could be done?
Kate focused her breathing, willing her hand to stop shaking as she continued to stitch the man's face, who had now started to cry bitter tears. The reality of the situation began to sink into all of them and no one could deny the King. It was what they were all thinking. Yes, they might hide it under a mask of courage and bravery but deep down…they were all thinking it. Kate reached for a cloth with her clean hand, wiping his tears as best she could.
"Don't give up hope." She whispered fiercely to him, handing him the cloth. "This is not over yet. It's not over yet." She repeated, meaning it just as much for herself as she meant it for the man.
"Ride out with me." Came Aragorn's determined reply. "Ride out and meet them." Kate stopped suddenly, her needle frozen in her hand.
What did he just say?! Her heart was beating so loudly in her chest she was sure her patient could hear it.
Please, Aragorn, please tell me you did not agree to go all out in a blaze of glory right now. Please tell me you didn't.
"For death and glory." The king said, sounding more confident in this decision than any other he had made today.
You did!
"For Rohan. For your people."
"The sun is rising." Gimli remarked, and Kate turned to look at the window as the light started to filter through. It was no big thing. The sun rose and set every day and she had never given it a second thought…but today, today she was thankful to still be alive to see it! Today it gave her hope, just as it had given everyone.
"Yes. Yes! The Horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the Deep one last time!" Théoden shouted and Gimli let out a cry of agreement, running off to who knew where. Everything started moving at once now, milling around her and the other patients, horses being fetched and all the while the Orcs still beat against the door. Nestaron worked just as ardently as ever, seemingly unbothered by what was going around him
"Kate." Legolas called, running up to her as the Rohirans prepared to ride out. She was still stitching, taking her time with the flap of the man's nose. There'd be a scar, there was no help for it but, she didn't want to leave him horribly disfigured, not if what she knew of disfigurement in medieval times was true here. No, she needed a steady hand, to focus, and she couldn't do that with the one she loved standing over her. She already knew what he was going to tell her. "Kate, you must go, hide yourself. You cannot stay here!"
"I can't do that Legolas." She said evenly still not meeting his gaze
"Kate!" He continued, his voice tense. She excused herself from the patient for a brief moment, wiping her hands on her apron as Legolas pulled her off to the side. "Kate, please. You, Nestaron, you cannot stay here! Those doors will not hold and once they fall –Kate you cannot hold them back! You must leave."
"Leave and go where? You want me to run and hide while I just leave these people to their deaths?"
"Kate," Legolas beseeched, cupping her face in her hands. Kate had never seen him look so petrified, it unnerved her. She wanted to give him anything he asked just to wipe that look from his face…but she couldn't leave. "You cannot go on acting as if you do not know what is happening. What do you plan to do? Stay here and bandage bodies until you meet your death? Perhaps I will regret it, one day, asking you to do this, to leave. Perhaps it is selfish and you will think me cruel and heartless but at this moment I care not. Kate, I am asking you to please run. Out through the mountain pass with the other women and children. Please."
"Would you stay with me then? Hmm" She asked, watching his nostrils flare in frustration. "I would never ask you not to fight, as much as I might want to. I would never ask you to leave those who needed you behind. I wouldn't do that!"
"You would, if you felt how I felt!" The Elf insisted, his voice low and urgent. "I have never known such a stubborn woman." Kate's hands reached up to grasp his hands still holding her face, his eyes still pleading.
"Legolas…I love you. I love you, I do, I swear I do, but I can't leave. You know I can't." The words had fallen out before she had the sense to stop them, and she hoped that saying it now wouldn't have been a mistake. "If you feel the same way about me than surely you know that. Just as I know you will regret asking me this. Just as I know that'd you would never run either."
Legolas's jaw clenched and her turned his face away, needing to look at anything but the eyes of the woman he loved, who at the very least felt the same. He cursed her stubbornness! Her foolhardiness! Her lack of concern for her own wellbeing! These were, many of the things he admired in her, as much as it grated on him.
Aragorn and King Théoden were starting to mount their horses and he needed to join them. Quickly he reached for one of the daggers on his back and tucked it in along with her sword.
He kissed her, not caring who was watching. He was certain that they would die this day, and if he did he would want to die remembering the feel of her lips against his. All too quickly they tore themselves away. "Fight Kate. You cannot allow yourself to be killed, do you understand? You must fight." He urged.
"I will." She swallowed, hard. "You keep fighting too. Don't stop. Come back to me, please."
Legolas left and mounted his horse alongside Aragorn as Théoden began his speech. Where is Gimli?! A few soldiers stayed behind, to guard the hall and keep the door barricaded for as long as they could, but not nearly enough to make her comfortable!
"Well, if you are quite finished throwing yourself at my Prince," Nestaron snarked, drawing his own sword and coming to stand in front of the patients. "Then I suggest you draw your sword. Let us hope you are as skilled with the blade as you are with a scalpel."
"As you might have noticed I hardly threw myself at him." Kate retorted with a role of her eye, drawing her sword and taking the dagger to rest in its place. "In fact, quite the opposite."
"I had suspected as much, but I would not have to inform his father of an assumption. Had I been able to remain, blissfully unaware…but no, now I know…" the Elf grunted. "I have learned far too much about you today, Kate Mackenzie. Far too much. I should say, I much prefer our previous arrangement!" Kate barked out a laugh as she took her stance. Nestaron spoke something to Sudryl and Elaron, prompting them to come forward too, swords drawn and ready. Ok, a couple soldiers, three elves and a Kate. These odds are doable. Sure! We can do this! She told herself.
The Horn blast bellowed long and loud, lighting the fuse and suddenly the door shattered open!
"Well, let's hope we live long enough to go back to that, shall we?" Kate said as Théoden lead the charge.
"Forth Eorlingas!" He cried as a wave of Orcs poured in, seemingly surprised by the show of force that met them there and they charged forward with a deafening battle cry. They cut through the incoming Orc like a scythe to wheat charging down the causeway until they were out of sight and all Kate could see was the Orc hoard streaming in.
The Orcs crashed into the blades of those left behind to defend the sick and Kate fought harder than she had ever fought in her life, gritting her teeth through the pain and putting all the strength she had into it.
Grunting. Slashing. Blocking. Anything she could to take down the Orcs.
Of those injured, the ones who could still lift a sword did so, bandaged and bloodied they took up their weapons with a great cry, rejoining the war and serving as a blockade for the ones who could not fight for themselves.
Sweat poured down Kate's face, stinging her eyes but she kept fighting, and as the sun rose higher through the air they could hear a mighty shout rise up from outside.
"Mithrandir!" Nestaron shouted, hearing what Kate couldn't. "Mithrandir is here!" He laughed and Kate had never seen a smile so wide on his face. This was the encouragements the needed, strengthening them to fight with renewed vigor! Riotously they fought, taking down the few Orc that remained until at last, the room was cleared. They stood, holding their stances, waiting for the next onslaught and panting wildly.
"Victory!" She didn't need to be an Elf to hear that most welcome cry as the people of Rohan echoed the shout in unison. "We have Victory!"
"Yes! Victory!" She cried along with the others, so deliriously happy, watching those that stood with her dance and shout and cheer! They had won! Kate wiped her brow, trying to wipe the Orc blood from here face where it had started to sting.
"Holy shit!" She shouted, throwing her sword down with a satisfying clatter and praying that she'd never have to pick it up again. "I never want to see that many Orc for as long as I live!"
"Well said." Nestaron nodded in agreement, despite the vulgar sentiment, laughing to himself as he clapped Kate on the shoulder, lavishing elvish praises to Sudryl and Elaron.
"Come," He said after a long moment of celebration between those that were in the hall with them. "There is still much to be done. The war is over for them, but we still have much left to do."
Kate nodded resignedly, glancing around the room and taking stock of the damage done. Injuries would have to be re-stitched, new wounds cleaned, finish tending to the old ones, not to mention the wounded that would still be brought in!
"My lady." The man she has been working on before all this came up to her, fresh blood running down his face, the stitches she had only just made to his face undone. "If it is not too much trouble…would you mind patching me up again?"
"Of course! Sorry, come along then!" She replied, leading him over to sit so that she might wash her hands, clean him up and restart the process all over again. They still had a long road ahead of them, but at least they were alive to walk it!
Kate fell into autopilot, resuming the familiar routine of taking care of patients, wanting desperately to relax! To bask in the glow of their well-earned victory but her mind was running wild trying to process everything that had happened, everything she had seen and done.
As relieved as she was that they had won this battle she couldn't deny the guilt that still gnawed at her, reminding her of what she had done. She hadn't intended to do it, couldn't even have conceived of a world where such a thing was possible! Then to learn that after all this time Boromir was alive! He was alive and she had sent him to wherever he was now. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, something had changed, shifted in her to make room for something else, something she believed to be terrible…things would never be the same after this.
A/N: Alrighty! A lot happening here but I hope you've enjoyed that twist! Poor Kate, girl can't catch a break! Please review and let me know what you think!