Another chapter! I'm absolutely horrible at writing battle scenes so I put Anolindë in the caves, protecting the women and children. Apologies if you wanted to see her out there. But there's always Minas Tirith. Enjoy lovelies!

BOLD is for Elvish. ITALICS is for thoughts/memories/flashbacks

Theoden had led the companions through the fortress, surveying the battlements and giving the order to send the woman and children to the caves that lay beneath the mountains. Every able-bodied man was summoned to the armory to be prepared for battle. Now the companions stood among the throng of people heading for the cave.

"We'll place the reserves along the wall," Aragorn said, gesturing. "They can support the archers from above the gate."

"Aragorn, you must rest," Legolas pleaded with the Ranger. "You are no use to us half alive."

Aragorn seemed to ignore his friend. Anolindë was going to speak but Aragorn held up his hands as if he didn't want to hear her.

"Aragorn!"

They all turned to see Eowyn angrily rushing towards them.

"I'm to be sent with the women into the caves," she said angrily.

"That is an honorable charge," Aragorn replied.

"To mind the children, to find food and bedding when the men return. What renown is there in that?" she continued.

"My lady," Aragorn said, grasping her hands. "A time may come for valor without renown. Who then will your people look to in the last defense."

"Let me stand by your side," she begged the Ranger.

"It is not in my power to command it," he said, dropping her hands and turning from her.

"You do not command the others to stay!" she exclaimed. "They fight beside you because they would not be parted from you. Because they love you!"

Anolindë's eyes grew. The Shieldmaiden of Rohan shot her a quick look of jealousy. Then she averted her gaze, looking elsewhere.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, brushing past them towards the caves.

"What…" Gimli began.

Legolas turned to Anolindë, catching her hands in his.

"Go with her, meleth nîn," he said quietly, his eyes pleading.

Anolindë drew back in shock. He wanted her to stay in the caves?!

"I cannot bear to lose you," he whispered to her.

"Legolas, you know of my skill in battle. Why do you speak this nonsense?" she asked, anger flashed in her eyes.

He said nothing, his gaze still pleading with her. Stepping back, she inhaled sharply. An Elf turned away from battle? This was a thing unheard of! Turning on her heel, she left them to go to the armory.

~:✿:~

It was only later that the three males joined her. Anolindë had been helping to arm the able-bodied citizens. Most of them were too old or too young for the horrors of war. Aragorn studied the sword he held before tossing it back on the pile from whence it came.

"Farmers, farriers, stable boys. These are no soldiers," he commented.

"Most have seen too many winters," Gimli said.

"Or too few," Legolas added, looking to his beloved elleth who handed a sword to a young boy in an oversized helmet.

She ignored him but could feel his gaze piercing her.

"Look at them. They're frightened," he said, almost too loudly. "I can see it in their eyes."

The entire armory stopped to look at him.

"Boe a hûn. Neled herain…dan caer menig?"

"Si beriathar hýn amar nâ ned Edoras," Aragorn replied, staying with Legolas' native tongue.

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

"Then I shall die as one of them!" the Ranger exploded.

He turned and left the armory. Legolas made to follow him but Gimli stayed him.

"Let him go lad. Let him be."

Legolas' shoulders slumped slightly as he turned to Anolindë who was now looking at him. Slowly she made her way over to him, her anger still very apparent.

"Do not despair, meleth nîn," she said, despite her anger. "You once told me to trust the mortals. Now you must do the same."

Legolas sighed.

"I will go into the caves. But it is only to help Eowyn," she stated.

A wave of relief washed over the prince.

"I do not know what I would do without you if you were to be killed in this fight," he said.

"And I?" she asked, anger returning to her voice. "What shall I do if you fall during the night?"

"I shall return to you, meleth nîn, this I promise," he said gently, reaching out to place his palm upon her cheek.

She leaned into the gentle touch, her anger melting away as his thumb stroked her cheek. His hand moved down to her shoulder to pull her into him. She went limp in his arms, allowing him to hold her tightly. The soldiers in the room merely glanced at them but left the two Elves alone. Legolas caught the elleth's lips on his, kissing her with passion, ignoring the stares of the men.

"Be safe my love," she whispered. "I will wait for you."

And with that, she was gone. With sadden steps, she made her way to the caves. The last of the women and children were entering and the men were preparing to close the heavy doors. They were surprised to see the Elf there but said nothing. Suddenly, a horn sounded. But it was no Orc horn.

"Hold them," she said to the guards, gesturing towards the doors.

Like a cat, she sprang up the steps to the outer wall, stopping as she reached the edge. Looking down she saw hundreds of cloaked figures entering the main gate. They bore the banners of Lothlorien, the city of light, home to Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel. At their front was Haldir, Marchwarden of Lothlorien. She had met him only a few times, the last being when the Fellowship had arrived in the realm of Lorien. The Elves had come to help the Men. Perhaps they had a chance of survival after all. Smiling to herself, she made her way back to the caves. The soldiers had held the doors for her as she requested. She was taken aback by the sight of the caves as the heavy doors closed behind her. It was absolutely enormous. A lake stood to one side as the people huddled together near it. Children cried in fright and the women looked utterly mournful. Their sons and husbands had been ripped from their sides to go fight. Anolindë could not tear her eyes away from the sight before her. She merely stared at the commotion for a time.

"Anolindë?"

The Elf turned to see Eowyn rushing towards her.

"I thought you would be with the men," the woman said.

Anolindë shook her head as thunder rumbled overhead.

"I have come to assist you. And guard the doors from the inside in case our enemy breaks through."

Eowyn thanked her with a gracious nod. The sound of thousands of feet pounding on the ground reverberated through her head. She looked towards the doors. Eowyn tilted her head in confusion. Anolindë's superior sense of hearing had picked up the sound of the enemy.

"They are here," she whispered to Eowyn.

Finally, the sounds reached the ears of the mortals. It was silent in the caves, save for the sound of babies crying. Anolindë found a small ledge by the doors. Placing her bow next to it, she sat upon it with her back against the rock wall. Her quiver lay beside her and she grasped her knives tightly as the sound of the enemy grew ever closer. Suddenly, it stopped.

They must have reached the wall.

A rhythmic pounding noise was heard from above. As quickly as it had started, it stopped. Then the sound of running reached Anolindë's ears.

So it begins.

~:✿:~

Anolindë sat with her legs pulled to her chest for what felt like an eternity, keeping her eyes trained on the doors. In her mind, troubled thoughts of Legolas plagued her. How was he faring? Was he even alive? What about Aragorn and Gimli? Eowyn noticed the grim expression on the Elf's face.

"I am sure they are well," she said quietly, trying her best to comfort the Elf.

Anolindë said nothing, merely nodding. An explosion rocked the cavern, causing both women and children to gasp in terror. Anolindë bolted upright. She needed to see with her own eyes if her beloved was alive.

"Where are you going?" Eowyn asked, as she noticed the Elf arming herself.

"I need to see what has happened."

"But we need you here," the Shieldmaiden begged.

Anolindë turned to face the women and children looking at her. They were truly frightened. With a sigh, Anolindë knew that Eowyn was right. She began to remove her weapons and placed them on the ledge, keeping her knives in her hands. This time she stood by the door, unmoving.

~:✿:~

Legolas and Anolindë had spent most of the day training with their bows. After a competition of sorts, the two were playfully arguing over who had won, when a palace guard approached them.

"My lord Legolas. Lady Anolindë," he said, respectfully bowing. "The king wishes to see you immediately."

Legolas sighed and swung his bow over his back. They followed the Elf to the throne room where Thranduil was waiting for them. The king dismissed the guard and turned to the two Elves who awaited him.

"It has reached my ears that you have been courting each other," Thranduil said, his face emotionless.

By the way that Legolas moved to stand slightly in front of Anolindë in a protective stance told Thranduil that he was correct.

"I know you have been good friends since childhood," Thranduil continued. "And that is what this shall remain. Good friends. Nothing more."

"Father…" Legolas began, only to be cut off by his father raising his hand.

"She is not royalty," came the explanation. "The bloodline must remain royal."

Anolindë looked to the floor, tears stinging her eyes and threatening to spill over. The muscle in Legolas' jaw clenched.

"You are dismissed," the king said, waving his hand.

Grabbing Anolindë's arm, Legolas pulled her out of the throne room. Upon reaching a quiet corner, he turned and saw the tears in her blue eyes.

"Meleth nîn, do not cry," he said gently, pulling her to him and wrapping his arms around her.

"Your father does not wish to see us married," she whimpered.

Legolas placed his lips upon hers in a swift kiss.

"Come. We shall speak to Pandir. Even my father respects his wisdom and knowledge."

~:✿:~

The low sound of a horn jolted Anolindë out of her memory.

"The horn of Helm Hammerhand," Eowyn explained when she saw the confusion on Anolindë's face.

The horn blew several more times, shaking the rock walls of the cavern. The people inside looked about wildly. And then the sound of hooves reached Anolindë's ears. Thousands of them. And now she could hear shouting. She paced nervously along the doorway. The shouting continued for a bit. And then it stopped. Silence fell over the cavern. No one knew what was happening. They did not even know the time of day or even if it was still night. Anolindë felt completely and utterly lost. A noise she had never heard made its way to her ears. She tilted her head to one side, trying to understand it. But it was completely foreign. Then came a sound from right outside the doors. Anolindë held both knives tightly in an offensive position ready to attack.

"Open the doors!" came a man's call.

Quickly sheathing her knives, Anolindë began to push open the heavy doors. A few women came over to help. Sunlight streamed in, blinding her for a moment. Pushing past the men who had come to release them, she made her way to the battlements. Bodies of Elves, Men, and Uruk-Hai littered the ground. It was a scene of utter destruction.

"Anolindë!"

She sprinted to Legolas, who met her halfway across the battlements. He caught her as she lunged for him.

"Meleth nîn!" she exclaimed before pressing her lips to his.

They kissed each other passionately, almost desperately, only stopping to come up for air.

"I told you I would return to you," he whispered into her ear as she held him.

"I had no idea what was happening. I was so worried," she said, pulling back to look at him. "Never again shall I leave you on the battlefield."

~:✿:~

The two Elves went to seek out the rest of their companions. Legolas had told her that they had survived the night. Her heart had sank as he told her of Haldir's death. Aragorn came to them after Eowyn had sought him out. Anolindë greeted the Ranger happily, glad to see he was alright. The arrival of the Rohirrim, led by Eomer and Gandalf, had turned the tide of the battle in their favor. Now the Riders of Rohan were helping to clean up the bodies, leaving the Uruk carcasses to burn. They found Gimli sitting upon one of them smoking his pipe.

"Final count…forty two," Legolas said proudly.

"Forty two?" Gimli repeated, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "That's not bad for an Elvish princeling. I myself am sitting pretty on forty three."

He patted the corpse. Instantly, Legolas had an arrow to his bow and fired it, hitting the Uruk right between Gimli's legs. The Dwarf looked up at him with a frown.

"Forty three," Legolas said with a smile.

"He was already dead," Gimli huffed.

"He was twitching."

"He was twitching because he's got my axe buried in his nervous system!"

Anolindë laughed. She could not believe the two had kept count of their kills. Males.

~:✿:~

Legolas and Anolindë sat atop Arod as they rode out with Gandalf, Aragorn, Gimli, Theoden, and Eomer to a large hill in front of the fortress. In front of them lay vast plains. In the far distance, Mordor was visible, dark clouds crackling with lightening.

"Sauron's wrath will be terrible, his retribution swift," Gandalf said to them. "The battle for Helm's Deep is over. The battle for Middle Earth is about to begin. All our hopes now lie with two little Hobbits somewhere in the wilderness."

Like it? Hate it? Please review!