A bright moon shone over one of Thranduil's private gardens, illuminating the two Elves that lay side by side, surrounded by sweet smelling flowers and bushes. They were completely hidden from sight. Anolindë gazed up at the night sky, dotted with stars. She sighed in content as she felt Legolas' eyes on her but didn't turn to meet his stare. He was committing this image to memory, the sight of his beloved Anolindë drenched in moonlight as she lay on her back. The stars seemed to be mirrored in her eyes. Not a word was said as he followed the curves of her neck and chest, down to her flat abdomen and shapely legs. The image of her would be a place to venture to when his thoughts turned dark. He reached out to brush a stray strand of hair from her face, feeling the soft skin beneath the pads of his fingers. Tilting her head towards him, her eyes finally met his. He leaned over her, blond locks spilling forward over his shoulders, to place his lips against hers, enjoying the sweetness of them. The presence of a handmaiden went unnoticed as they kissed passionately until they needed air.

~:✿:~

Daylight found the citizens of Edoras marching onwards towards Helm's Deep. Anolindë and Legolas had scouted ahead of the column, their Elven senses aiding them in alerting them of any trouble. Háma and another man, Gamling, had ridden past the two Elves. Their horses moved uneasily beneath them. Anolindë could feel some sort of disturbance but couldn't figure out what it was. They disappeared behind a group of large boulders, out of sight from the Elves. Suddenly, they heard it. A growl and a scream.

"Wargs!"

Both Elves bolted to the riders, met with the sight of Háma's body clenched in between the mighty jaws of a Warg as its Orc rider clashed swords with Gamling. Like lightening, Legolas notched an arrow to his bow and fired at the beast, bringing it down and throwing its rider in the process. Anolindë unsheathed her knives, bringing one swiftly down to the Orc's neck and slicing it open.

"A scout!" Legolas called to Aragorn who had appeared behind them.

Aragorn ran back to Theoden to warn him of the danger. Anolindë could hear the panicked screams of the people.

"All riders to the head of the column!" Theoden cried.

Anolindë followed Legolas as he ran to the top of a ridge overlooking the plains. A large number of Wargs and their Orc riders were in sight, howling as they drew closer. Drawing their bows and notching arrows to them, the Elves fired arrow after arrow, felling as many as they could before they reached them. Behind them, Theoden and his men charged towards the the oncoming Wargs. Anolindë loosed one last arrow before leaping onto Arod whom Gimli was riding, swinging herself up behind him. He quirked an eyebrow at her. She smiled down at him and notched another arrow to her bow, letting it fly into the throat of a Warg as the two parties clashed. Quickly returning her bow to its place on her back, she unsheathed her two knives, slashing at an approaching Orc. Gimli lost his balance and tumbled off Arod as he galloped. Anolindë turned to see him stand, brandishing his axe at a Warg that stalked him, licking its blood-drenched mouth hungrily. Swinging Arod around, she switched weapons yet again, returning to her bow. She fired an arrow just as Gimli asked the beast to bring its face to his axe. The animal flopped onto its side, the arrow protruding from its head as Gimli frowned at her.

"That one counts as mine!" he yelled, outraged.

Anolindë left the Dwarf to his own capable devices as she went on to bring down more Orcs and Wargs. The filthy animals were already beginning to devour the dead bodies that littered the battlefield. Both sides were beginning to dwindle in numbers, the Orcs more so than the Men. What was left of the creatures began to flee into the plains. Pulling her knives out of the body of an Orc and dismounting from Arod, Anolindë scanned the survivors, searching for her prince.

"Anolindë!"

The unmistakable voice was behind her. She whirled around to see Legolas sprinting over to her. The two met in a sweet embrace, both Elves checking each other for injuries.

"You are injured, meleth nîn," he whispered, trailing his fingers lightly over her arm.

Looking down, she saw blood seeping out of a wound on her upper arm, red staining her tunic. It was only a slight wound and would not scar but she did not remember receiving it. She raised her head to meet his eyes and pushed her lips onto his.

"Aragorn?" Gimli's call pulled the Elves from their kiss.

They looked around, trying to find the Ranger but he was nowhere to be seen. A harsh laughter caught their ears. They followed the sound to an Orc, who lay on the edge of a cliff. Gimli held his axe over the Orc threateningly.

"Tell me what happened and I shall ease your passing," the Dwarf growled.

"He's…dead!" the Orc rasped, coughing. "He took a little tumble off the cliff."

Legolas grabbed the Orc's dirtied and tattered tunic angrily.

"You lie!" he accused the Orc.

The Orc laughed again, his last breath leaving him. Anolindë stared at the creature before her in a stunned silence. Something glittered in the Orc's hand. She pried open the fist, revealing a beautiful jewel on a chain. The Evenstar, the necklace that Aragorn always wore. It had been a gift from his Elven lover, Arwen of Rivendell, Lord Elrond's daughter and a good friend of Anolindë.

"Legolas," she breathed, holding up the jewel.

Legolas' face was angry as he went to the edge of the cliff, joining Theoden who was already looking down into the rushing river below. Gimli and Anolindë followed him, casting a sad look down into the waters beneath them.

"Get the wounded on horses. The wolves of Isengard will return," Theoden commanded Gamling, who had taken over Háma's position. "Leave the dead."

At the last statement, Legolas whipped his head to look at the king. Theoden placed one hand on the Elf's shoulders.

"Come," he said before turning to leave.

He cast a sorrowful glance at Anolindë as he walked by her. Legolas did not move for a long moment.

"Meleth nîn, we must go," Anolindë whispered to her beloved.

He turned swiftly, mounting Arod and pulling Anolindë up behind him. Gimli sat atop Hasufel. They rode to Helm's Deep in silence, save for the cry of the injured Men. At long last, Helm's Deep appeared before them. The fortress lay nestled in the shadow of the mountains. A bridge of stone led them to the gates which were hastily opened.

"Make way for the king!" came the order as people sprang out of their way.

Hooves clattered over stone as they made their way to the keep. Other men came to gather the horses. Flinging the reins to the man who approached Arod, Legolas dismounted and lifted Anolindë off as if she was incapable of doing it herself. Normally she would have protested but Legolas was in such a foul mood, she let it be. He embraced her as her feet touched the ground and held on for a moment longer.

"I shall tell the lass," Gimli said softly, referring to Eowyn.

Even he had noticed the woman's feelings for the Ranger.

"Come meleth nîn," Anolindë said, gently pulling him away from the crowd.

The two Elves found a quiet corner on some steps and sat, leaning into one another for comfort. Aragorn had been one of their closest friends and they had known him his entire life. Legolas placed his lips onto Andolindë's temple and kept them there.

~:✿:~

"It's Lord Aragorn!"

The feminine voice broke the Elves' thoughts and both heads snapped up. There he was indeed, dismounting from Brego, the horse that had belonged to Theoden's late son. He had been set free as they left Edoras and must have found the Ranger somewhere in the wilderness.

"Where is he?" Gimli's gruff voice was heard. "Where is he? Get out of the way! I'm going to kill him!"

Upon reaching the wounded and exhausted Ranger, Gimli stared up at him in awe.

"You are the luckiest, the canniest, and the most reckless man I ever knew!" he said, embracing the Man. "Bless you laddie!"

"Gimli, where is the king?" Aragorn asked as Gimli stepped back.

The Dwarf nodded towards hall. Aragorn thanked him and raced up the steps only to find his path blocked. Anolindë and Legolas stood in front of him, a mixture of emotions in their eyes.

"Le abdollen," Legolas said, smiling slightly.

"You look terrible," Anolindë added, looking over the Ranger. Multiple cuts, seeping blood, covered his body.

Aragorn laughed. Legolas handed him the Evenstar he had been holding on to.

"Hannon le," Aragorn thanked him, placing the chain around his neck and clasping it shut.

The three continued up the steps to the hall, swinging open the large wooden doors. Theoden and his men looked up in surprise at the sight of Aragorn standing there.

~:✿:~

"A great host you say?" Theoden asked the Ranger before him.

"All Isengard is emptied," Aragorn replied.

"How many?"

"Ten thousand strong at least."

At this, the king stopped to stare at him in disbelief.

"Ten thousand?" he repeated in almost a whisper.

"It is an army bred for a single purpose," Aragorn said grimly. "To destroy the world of men. They will be here by nightfall."

Theoden was silent for a moment before turning to leave from the hall.

"Let them come!"