{Chapter Thirteen}
Siladhiel pulled Aragorn to shore with the last of her strength laying on the ground gasping for breath. She had managed to push the warg off her and get Aragorn free. She could feel her strength leaving her, but she managed to get them to shore. She flinches touching her side looking at the fingers seeing blooding coming the wound. She choked slightly closing her eyes and letting darkness consume her.
"Little Light" A voice rang as she snapped her eyes open in shock "I have missed you Siladhiel"
She stood and looked at the image of her father in shock before bolting forward hugging him tightly. He swung her around easily as she took in his scent. She felt tears form as she relaxed against him taking comfort in his arms again. She pulled back looking at him smile brightly at her feeling the dress against her skin and the grass beneath her feet.
"Am I dead?" She questioned softly looking around remembering this place from so long ago, this was Valinor
"No, Little Light, we brought you here to speak with you while you heal to assist you" Gil-galad said motioning to a figure approaching "As is your mother"
Siladhiel draws back as if she was slapped looking at the Vala that left her alone all these years. She stopped before Siladhiel giving her a smile touching her face. She frowned seeing her thoughts and pulled her into her arms tightly, hugging her daughter for the first time in centuries. Siladhiel tried to fight it but relaxed and returned the hug having missed her mother. She breathed in her scent deeply trying to commit it to memory once more.
"I have never and will never forsake you, my daughter" She whispers pulling back looking at her daughter "I have been there watching every moment of your life. I cried with you, I smiled with you, I laughed with you, and most of all I fought with you"
"I have been alone" Siladhiel said with tears in her eyes looking at her mother "I haven't felt you since father died"
"Because you refused to feel me there" Nienna whispered brokenly "You turned away from me and forsake your nature. I assure you I felt everything as you did, I wished so many times that you would open your heart to me once more"
"I have watched as well Little Light" Gil-galad said softly "Long have you carried the pain of my death on your shoulders, it was not your fault that I perished. Do not hold the blame when it belongs to someone else"
Siladhiel frowned realizing many things that had happened that she had not realized and looked at both her parents with tears in her eyes, the day she lost her dad she didn't just shut down. She had forsaken both completely and totally cutting off her connection to Valinor. That was why she felt her mother had left her as well and why she no longer felt her father at her side.
"It is not too late little light" Gil-galad said softly touching her cheek gently "You must simply accept who you truly are"
"I don't know who I am" Siladhiel said honestly looking between them
"You may be the Queen of Lindon and a Princess in Valinor dear one, but that is not who you are" Nienna explained softly smiling at her "You are the rising sun, a warrior of the Valar. You are the daughter of a great warrior and the Vala of healing. You are not titles"
"You focused too harshly on names and never knew why we named you Siladhiel, that is the name that matters to your soul" Gil-Galad said seriously "Your name means the Shining one. You make the titles, not the other way around"
Siladhiel stared at him with wide eyes in realization, she had hidden her name and forsaken it as well. She put more importance in things that did not matter. What truly matter was her soul and the core of who she was. She frowned looking at her parents.
"We have to send you back. Know this Siladhiel, my shining sun, that the time has come. There is no more waiting, it is upon you now. You must choose who you are from your soul and rise not as a pale imitation or who you believe we want to be. Listen to her heart and soul, let it guide you again and rise as the sun you were meant to be in this darkness" Nienna said seriously kissing her forehead "We will be watching until the day we meet again"
"I love you" She said to both them as they fade from her sight and sat up gasping for breath back on the riverbank next to Aragorn surprise to see a ghostly figure kissing him "Arwen"
Arwen smiled at her before fading from sight as she stumbled to stand as Brego arrived next to her. She watched as Aragorn was nudged by the horse opening his eyes as she assisted him on the horse. She climbed on in front having more energy in the moment despite the pain from the action.
"You got us thrown off a cliff" She mumble nudging the horse forward as Aragorn wrapped arms around her
"Can you forgive me?" He whispers meaning so much more then for the action, he knew now that his actions were wrong and why she was so angry at him
"Already have" Siladhiel said softly as he relaxed against her "Just don't do it again"
"She was here" He whispered against her and she smiled brightly
"She healed you" Siladhiel explained with a chuckle "She loves you"
Aragorn nodded against her back as they quickened the horse full sped towards Helm's deep surprised at how far the river had taken them. She stopped the horse at the edge of a valley eyes widening in horror. She silently cursed looking at Aragorn who nodded as the continued towards the deep. She doesn't slow as the gates open and she could hear the shouts of amazement over their return, although they only speak of Aragorn's return. Aragorn moved forward as she gives directions to the guard for the horse.
"Where is he? Where is he? Get out of the way. I'm gonna kill him! You are the luckiest, the canniest and the most reckless man I ever knew! Bless you, laddie!" Gimli says hugging him tightly
"Gimli, where is the king?" Aragorn questioned urgently
"The lass?" Gimli questioned brokenly as Aragorn smiles stepping to the side revealing the elf talking to a guard harshly "Lass"
Siladhiel paused and smiled at Gimli returning his hug as he hugged her tightly "By Vala! You survived! We knew you would return and survive Lass. You are too crazy not to survive falling off a cliff" Gimli said proudly tearing up looking at her "It's good to see you Lass"
"Thanks Gimli" Siladhiel said before motioning toward Aragorn leaving to speak with the king "I need to follow him"
Siladhiel was taking with Gimli in whispers not noticing Legolas approaching Aragorn in the distance.
"You're late" Legolas says with a smile looking him over "You look terrible"
Legolas takes Aragorn's hand and gives the Evenstar pendant. Aragorn looks at the Evenstar and claps Legolas on the shoulder.
"Thank you" Aragorn said placing the everstar away for safekeeping
"Is she?" Legolas chokes out unable to finish the thought as Aragorn smiles stepping to the side
He drinks in the sight of her walking with a sight limp almost painfully slow with a smile on her lips talking with Gimli. He bolts forward unable to help herself drawing her into his arms shaking slightly from being overwhelm with all the emotions coursing through him. He pulled back looking at her softly.
"Sorry" She said softly causing him to raise an eyebrow "It's not my fault that Aragorn got us thrown off a cliff. I managed to get us free and get us to shore but I was tired. I am sorry I kept you my love"
Legolas smiled at her rambling taken by surprise at her antics looking into her eyes surprised to find the lightness there. He would question her later it as he released her sensing the urgency for them to see the king. He stayed at her side brushing against her just to be sure she would not disappear as the quickly approached the king. They arrived to see Aragorn already speaking with him.
"A great host, you say?" Theoden mumbled with wide eyes in fear
"All Isengard is emptied" Aragorn explained as Siladhiel took a seat at his side
"How many?" Theoden questions as Aragorn looks at Siladhiel with his memories hazy at best
"Ten thousand strong at least" Siladhiel confirmed feeling Legolas grabbed her hand at the information she allows her aura to quill his fear slightly
"Ten thousand?" He said in shock looking between the two in belief
"It is an army bred for a single purpose: to destroy the world of men. They will be here by nightfall." Aragorn explained quickly
"Let them come!" Theoden says walking away as they follow while he directs his soldiers "I want every man and strong lad able to bear arms to be ready for battle by nightfall."
"We will cover the causeway and the gate from above. No army has ever breached the Deeping Wall or set foot inside the Hornburg." Theoden explains looking over the plains from the wall
"This is no rabble of mindless Orcs. These are Uruk-hai. Their armor is thick and their shields broad." Gimli said seriously as Siladhiel placed a hand on his shoulder in comfort
"I have fought many wars, Master Dwarf. I know how to defend my own keep. They will break upon this fortress like water on rock. Saruman's hordes will pillage and burn, we've seen it before. Crops can be resewn; homes rebuilt. Within these walls, we will outlast them." Theoden says seriously walking back into the hall as Siladhiel frowns
"They do not come to destroy Rohan's crops or villages. They come to destroy its people. Down to the last child." Aragorn explains urgently as Theoden turns on him
"What would you have me do? Look at my men. Their courage hangs by a thread. If this is to be our end, then I would have them make such an end as to be worthy of remembrance." Theoden says in his defense
"Send out riders, my lord. You must call for aid." Aragorn explains to the King seriously
"And who will come? Elves? Dwarves? We are not so lucky in our friends as you. The old alliances are dead." Theoden said seriously as Siladhiel glared at him, they were not dead, and she made sure of that
"Gondor will answer." Aragorn pleads again as Siladhiel looks at him. There was no way they would make it in time
"Gondor? Where was Gondor when the Westfold fell? Where was Gondor when our enemies closed in around us? Where was Gon… – No, my lord Aragorn, we are alone" He said with a glance before walking away shouting orders to his mean
Siladhiel turns from the scene in sorrow and walks into the chaos occurring looking around in pity. She watched as Old men and young lads are being drafted for war. The women and children say their tearful and reluctant farewells as their fathers, husbands and sons are led away by soldiers. In the armory, weapons are being distributed. Aragorn picks up a battered sword, looks at it and tosses it back. She feels heartbroken over the sights before her.
"Farmer, farriers, stable boys. These are no soldiers." Aragorn says in a harsh whisper
"Most have seen too many winters." Gimli voiced as she continued to survey the scene
"Or too few. Look at them. They're frightened. I can see it in their eyes." Legolas says causing those around him to become silent continuing in Elfish "And they should be, three hundred against ten thousand!"
"They have more hope of defending themselves here than at Edoras." Aragorn replies seriously
"Aragorn, we are warriors. they cannot win this fight. They are all going to die!" Legolas replies harshly as Siladhiel looked at him with wide eyes at his response
"Then I shall die as one them!" Aragorn responds before walking off leaving Legolas stunned as Siladhiel slips away in the opposite direction in search of the king
Siladhiel paused hearing Theoden question who is his and if he is trusted, he had doubt. She catches his gaze seeing the soldier leave and approaches hearing him whisper into the night.
"Where is the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing? They have passed like rain on the mountains. Like wind in the meadow. The days have gone down in the west. Behind the hills, into shadow. How did it come to this?" Theoden whispers brokenly
"That is the thing that war never fails to cause, the doubts that come in the dead of night to taunt us" Siladhiel explains catching his attention "I have waged more war then anyone combined here. I have watched kingdoms form and fall, I was here when this was built. I have been honored to fight among history legends and even more honor to be considered one myself. I have walked this path before King Theoden and yet I remain"
"Have you not learned?" Theoden said looking at her seriously and she gives him a sad smile
"There is hope, always hope King Theoden. You need only grasp it and hold onto it harder then you would your own life" Siladhiel said turning to leave him "Find it before battle, your men look upon you for it"
Siladhiel walked out of the hall leaving the stunned King behind wondering just who this woman to state such to him was. She glanced from the stairs watching as Aragorn and Legolas made up. She smiled as she investigated the distance sensing a familiar aura approaching. She quickly made her way towards the gate as a horn sounded.