A.N. Yay! Chapter 4! And I just thought of yet ANOTHER place to take them-Araluen! (as in Ranger's Apprentice) One more to go!
Disclaimer: How many times do I have to do this? I do not, repeat, DO NOT own LotR.
Chapter 4
As Kestrel rode into Helm's Deep, she noticed that all the villagers (and there were a lot of them) were staring at the soldiers with sunken eyes and barely concealed desperation. And with good reason, too. The force that arrived in Helm's Deep was only about half the number that met the Wargs in battle.
"So few. So few of you have returned." Éowyn said, looking around at the silent parade of soldiers.
Dismounting, Théoden said, "Our people are safe. We have paid for it with many lives."
Kestrel dismounted also, leading Lorthan to a stop in front of Éowyn. "Éowyn…"
"My lady…" Gimli said also, coming up behind Kestrel
With worried eyes, Éowyn asked, "The Lord Aragorn…where is he?"
"He fell…" Gimli said, his voice shaking.
Head bowed, Kestrel added, "Dragged by a Warg off the cliff. A death in battle – that would be what he wished, not to die of old age. But I feel sorrow for him that he did not ever look upon his beloved again." Éowyn's eyes flickered with uncertain emotion. Was that sorrow, anger, or…something else entirely? Kestrel wasn't certain.
At that moment, a soldier came up to her and offered, "Would you like me to take your horse, My Lady?"
"No, but if you would be so kind, please show me where I could keep him." Kestrel said.
The soldier nodded. "Follow me." He turned and headed down a ramp, and Kestrel was about to follow him with Lorthan when she felt a tap on her shoulder.
It was Théoden. "Battle tactics, Kestrel. We need to work out a plan. Come with me." Kestrel nodded, then called after the soldier,
"On second thought, would you take Lorthan for me? Just make sure he's as comfortable as possible." The soldier came trotting back, nodding.
"You're in Rohan. Of course we treat our horses well." He remarked, taking Lorthan's reins.
Kestrel smiled. "You never know. I've heard horror stories of people in Bree…"
0oO0oO0oO0oO0
As Kestrel was following Théoden, Éowyn beckoned her over to speak with her. "Yes, Éowyn?"
"Kestrel, I desperately need to ask you something." she said urgently.
Kestrel smiled. "Ask away."
"Did you see Aragorn's body?" Éowyn asked.
She shook her head. "He was dragged off the cliff by a Warg. But I looked down the edge myself. It's a fifty-foot drop, and there's a rushing river at the bottom. Chances are very slim, almost nonexistent that he's still living."
"Do you believe that he's dead?" Éowyn pressed.
Kestrel nodded slowly. "It pains me, and I'm finding it slightly hard to accept, but yes, I do."
"Come on, Kestrel!" Legolas beckoned from where he had been talking with Théoden. "There's no time to waste!"
"I'm COMING! Shut up!" Kestrel called as she flashed an apolegetic smile at Éowyn and wove her way through the press of people.
Suddenly a hubbub broke out at the entrance to Helm's Deep, and no matter how much Kestrel strained to see what had happened, she couldn't discover anything. But a ripple of sound ran through the villagers, reaching Kestrel's ears. "He's alive!"
"Aragorn?" Kestrel asked. "Who are you talking about?"
"He's back!" Gimli said, pushing between Legolas and Kestrel. "Where is he? Where is he? Get out of the way. I'm going to kill him!" Yeah, like you can. Midget.
Kestrel muttered, "Aragorn's back – that's a good thing. But if Aragorn's back, then Angel's most likely back too…shoot. What am I supposed to do now?"
"Ignore her, Hawk." Legolas suggested, smiling. He had been calling her that ever since the battle with the Wargs.
She shook her head. "Yeah, like I can. Seriously, what do we do with her? She's a burden and she'll never listen to me. Or you. Or Gimli. Or Théoden. The only person she WILL listen to is Aragorn, and that's just because she's hopelessly in love with him." She sighed.
Just then, Aragorn broke out of the crowd, heading towards Théoden, seeming preoccupied. Suddenly, he looked up, seeing Legolas and Kestrel. He smiled.
"Le abdollen." Legolas said in Elvish. Kestrel inwardly groaned. You just HAVE to speak in Elvish, don't you? In case you haven't noticed yet, I do NOT speak Elvish.
Looking Aragorn up and down and seeing his extensive wounds, she said, "What happened to you?"
"You look terrible." Legolas added.
"What do you think happened to me, Kestrel? I fell off the edge of a cliff, got knocked unconscious, and was washed downriver." Aragorn said. "And I was followed back here by Angel."
"Where is she?" Kestrel asked urgently. "I need to see her."
Aragorn pointed behind him. "Back there." Straining her neck, Kestrel could just see a flash of pink glitter on top of a white horse. Wait, that's not a horse. That's…wait, is that a UNICORN? Where the heck did she get that? As Kestrel headed away from Legolas and Aragorn into the crowd, she noticed Éowyn looking at Aragorn with a look of longing. Now let's just hope that she doesn't turn into Angel.
Kestrel reached the foot of Angel's shining unicorn, looking up at her with barely concealed pissed-offness. "What do you think you're doing? And where the heck did you find that unicorn?"
"liek,i went 2 nanria!"
Kestrel facepalmed, turning away with a sigh and groan. You have GOT to be friggin kidding me! She doesn't die or get sent back to Earth; instead, she comes back here with a unicorn, claiming she had gone to Narnia. "Okay, Angel. Come with me."
"y should i listen 2 u?"
"Because I know what you should be doing right now. And I also know what I should be doing right now, and that is NOT taking care of you. My duties are more important. Come on." Kestrel led her to where Éowyn was standing.
"My uncle wishes to see you." she said.
Sighing and motioning for Angel to dismount, she asked, "Yes, I know, but can you please keep an eye on Angel? I'm afraid she might want to join in any battles that happen. And will you please find somebody who can lead her mount to the stables?"
" uncorn stays w/ me."
"Angel, you're probably going to be going underground with a lot of other people. I don't think you should bring your unicorn in there. She can be stabled with Lorthan, my horse." Kestrel said, struggling to keep her temper.
"im not goin 2 let my uncorn stay w/ your stupid hors."
Kestrel closed her eyes briefly before speaking. "Lorthan has served me well. He's probably better than any of YOUR horses. Including your unicorn right now."
"shes a beter then a uncorn."
Kestrel sighed. "Screw you. Éowyn, do you know where Théoden King and everybody else is right now?"
"Down in the hall. Just keep on going all the way down that ramp, and you'll get to it."
0oO0oO0oO0oO0
Kestrel entered the enormous cavern-hall-chamber-room, and everybody stopped talking to stare at her. "Okay, I know I'm late, and I'm sorry. But I had things to attend to, specifically Angel."
"What did you do with her?" Aragorn asked.
Kestrel replied, "I asked Éowyn to keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn't try to join in any battles. But like as not she's going to escape and give us more trouble to deal with." Then she noticed the strained look on everybody's face, specifically Théoden's.
"Who died?" she asked, rhetorically.
"Nobody. It's a question of 'who's going to die'." Legolas answered.
Kestrel nodded. "Explain further…"
"An army of Orcs. How many did you say there were, Aragorn?" Théoden asked.
Aragorn sighed. "Ten thousand."
"Ten thousand!" Kestrel exclaimed. "But…but…how will we defend the keep?"
"Follow me." Théoden said, striding out of the room. Kestrel followed him, as did everybody else.
0oO0oO0oO0oO0
"So, what's the plan?" Kestrel asked as they walked along the battlements.
Théoden answered, "Every man and strong lad able to bear arms will be part of the battle. We will cover the causeway and the gate from above."
"Archers?" Legolas inquired.
Théoden nodded once. "Yes."
Kestrel looked at the strong timber gates. "How many?"
"Enough." was Théoden's curt reply. "You will be with them."
"What do you mean, 'enough'? Do you realize the scope of the army?" Kestrel persisted.
Théoden stopped and turned around to look at her. "No army has ever breached the Deeping Wall or set foot inside the Hornburg."
"There's always a first time." Kestrel replied. "Don't depend so much on the strength of the walls. What we need is a fighting force."
Théoden shook his head. "We don't have a fighting force, Kestrel. Three hundred – that's all we have. Three hundred plus the strong walls of Helm's Deep. They will not be able to defeat us."
"This is no rabble of mindless Orcs! These are Uruk-hai. Their armor is thick and their shields broad." Gimli said, sliding down to rest beside the open doorway of a watch station.
Théoden answered, "You talk of their armor and shields. But what of themselves? What of their hide, their strengths, their weaknesses?"
"Uruk-hai have no weaknesses. They are trained to kill." Aragorn said.
Unpertubed, Gimli continued, "They fight with maces, with flails, with crossbows. They do not feel much pain. They are strong."
"I have fought many wars, Master Dwarf. I know how to defend my own keep." Théoden said as he entered into the doorway. Kestrel followed him, casting an sympathetic look at the dwarf, who appeared VERY pissed off.
"We will station archers all along the battlements. Most of our people can draw bow and shoot arrow – they know how to hunt. This will not be any different." Théoden said.
Kestrel asked, "But, my lord, have you ever fought Uruk-hai?"
"I have fought Orcs." Théoden replied as they came out the other side of the watchtower.
Slightly agitated, Aragorn said, "Uruk-hai have all the brutality and the cruelty of the Orcs. But they are also part goblin."
"Part goblin?" Kestrel asked.
"Yes. Saruman has crossed Orcs with goblins to produce the Uruk-hai." Aragorn answered.
Théoden said briskly, "No matter what their lineage is, they will break upon this fortress like water upon a rock. Saruman's hordes will pillage and burn – we've seen it before. Crops can be resown, homes can be rebuilt. Within these walls, we can outlast them."
"They don't come to destroy Rohan's crops or villages. They come to destroy his people, down to the last child." Aragorn pointed out. Some of the nearby soldiers started at this, sending furtive glances at them before starting to mutter among themselves. Great way to boost morale, Aragorn. Good job.
Apparently Théoden was thinking the same thing, because he drew close to Aragorn, whispering furtively. Kestrel could only make out snatches of words: "what…me do? …men…courage…thread…our end…such an end…remembrance."
"Send out riders, my lord." Aragorn said, stepping back. "You MUST call for aid."
Théoden said, with a hint of scorn in his voice, "And who will answer? Elves?" he asked, gesturing at Legolas. "Dwarves?" He motioned at Gimli. "We are not so lucky in our friends as you. The old alliances are dead. They have no worth anymore." Fine then, go ahead, ignore me! I'm just some random girl who just happens to know how to fight. Screw you sexist person! He turned away from Aragorn.
Aragorn caught the King of Rohan's arm, spinning him back around. "Gondor will answer."
"Gondor? Where was Gondor where the Westfold fell? Where was Gondor when our enemies closed in around us? Where was Gon-" He cut himself off, looking at the ground. Well, first of all, Théoden King, Gondor couldn't have helped when the Westfold was overrun. It's to the SOUTH, you idiot! "No, my lord Aragorn, we are alone." He walked off, calling orders to his soldiers.
"Get the women and children into the caves!" A burst of action followed this order, soldiers scurrying here and there. Kestrel felt that nobody would notice if she slipped off to keep an eye on Angel, at least until the battle.
But as she broke away, Legolas caught her eye and asked, "Where are you going, Hawk?"
"To find Angel and make sure she's down in the caves." Kestrel answered quickly.
Gimli overheard that little bit and perked up, asking, "You say you are going to the caves? How about Legolas and I come with you?"
"Gimli's a dwarf. He loves caves. Personally…" Legolas shuddered. "I prefer the forest."
Ignoring him, Kestrel hurried off to the caves, calling over her shoulder, "Are you coming or not? Because if you are, you'd better hurry up." She looked back, amused at Gimli's waddling run/walk.
"I'm coming!"
"I'm not." Legolas said.
0oO0oO0oO0oO0
They are beautiful. she reflected, looking around at the glittering cave formations. Behind her, Gimli stared in wonder. "They aren't called the Glittering Caves for naught, I see now."
Kestrel pointed Éowyn out by sight at the rear of the pack, shepherding the scared villagers into the caves below Helm's Deep. "Okay, sure, wonderful, but I really couldn't care less. Hey, Éowyn, do you know where Angel is?" she called, making her way towards Éowyn.
She pointed out a pink-clad figure in the midst of the throng. "Right there." Kestrel facepalmed once again. I can't believe I missed that. Wow. I'm an idiot. "Thanks. If it's not too much trouble…"
"I'll keep an eye on her, irritating as she may be." Éowyn promised.
Kestrel smirked. "Oh, you noticed too? Funny, most of the villagers seem to adore her."
"That's because she's pretty, can use magic, and came riding in on a startling white horse with a horn." Gimli said.
Stupid Mary-Sue…"It's weird that WE aren't affected by her." Kestrel massaged her temples, staring all the while at the blinding hot pink glitter.
"Perhaps it's because we know what she's really like." Éowyn suggested.
Kestrel shook her head. "But that doesn't really make sense…" She quieted down as Angel began speaking abnormally loudly.
0oO0oO0oO0oO0
A.N. Please forgive the interruption. I just wanted to point out that the underlined parts in the passage to come are how Angel and some of the villagers see it, and the regular parts are how it really happened.
Angel smiled at the scared villagers around her. "Fear not. I will save you from the Orcs."
Angel slapped and pushed at the crush of people. "get away from me!i said go away,stinky ppl!"
The villagers, immediately eased by her awesomeness, lavished her with praise. "Oh, of course you will! We are no longer afraid, for the great and mighty Angel who slew all the Wargs single-handedly will protect us!"
The villagers ignored her, crying and wailing among themselves and generally annoying Angel.
"Now we shall wait until the fortress of Helm's Deep is breached, and then I will show my superiority above everybody." Angel announced.
"do i really have 2 stay hear w/ al these ppl?what about eragon?"
"Yes, O Great Angel. We bow to your magnificence. We are your slaves." The villagers said, prostrating themselves on the cave floor.
The villagers continued to ignore her.
"My only orders to you are for you to stay safe. Defend your children. And above all, do not sacrifice yourself needlessly, especially for me." Angel said benevolently.
"y r u ignorin me?the grate angle?im just so awsom!eragon,tell them hoo i am!"
The villagers sank even further onto the ground. "No, please don't tell us not to sacrifice ourselves for you! We would give our lives if it meant that you would live happily!"
The villagers continued to ignore her, pissing her off even further.
"Please rise. You're too kind. I value your lives above mine, however, and I can hold my own in a fight. Defend yourselves. Don't worry about me." Angel reassured.
"whatif the orx brake in?what will happen 2 me?i cant fite them!"
The villagers got up, hugging Angel and crying at the same time. "Oh, thank you so much!"
One old woman bumped into Angel from behind, irritating her even further. She got even more annoyed when the old woman failed to apologize.
"I give you my blessing." Angel said, smiling.
"wtf?u ol lady!y did u bump in2 me?and u didnt alopojis!evil." Kestrel was struggling to hid a grin, as was Éowyn.
0oO0oO0oO0oO0
Satisfied that Angel was going to stay with the villagers, Kestrel headed back up into the armoury, where the soldiers were distributing weapons. She regretted slightly that she felt nothing for all the boys sent into battle – boys of which the youngest looked only ten years old. Their hands shook as they accepted their weapons, and even the smallest armor fitted them very loosely.
"Look at them." Kestrel whispered to Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli urgently. "Look at them!"
Aragorn picked up a battered sword. After one look at it, he tossed it onto the floor. "Farmers, farriers, stable boys. These are no soldiers."
"Most have seen too many winters." Gimli observed.
Legolas shook his head. "Or too few. Look at them. They're frightened. I can see it in their eyes." And thus ensued a heated argument between him and Aragorn, and of course, to Kestrel's annoyance, it was in Elvish.
"Why do they have to talk in Elvish all the time?" she whispered to Gimli.
He spectulated, "It's Legolas' mother tongue. And possibly Aragorn, if the stories are true."
"What stories?" Kestrel asked.
Gimli answered, "People say that he was raised as an Elf."
Just then, Aragorn said something that both of them understood. "Then I shall die as one of them!" All the movement around them ceased as the soldiers and villagers turned to stare.
"Anger management, my dear Aragorn. Tone it down, will you?" Kestrel asked. "You'd have the whole place in an uproar." Aragorn ignored her and walked away through the crowd.
Legolas was about to go after him when Kestrel put a restraining hand on his shoulder. "He needs some time alone."
"Let him go, lad. Let him be." Gimli added. Am I the only one who finds this weird? Gimli's calling Legolas a lad, and Legolas is probably a hundred times older than him! And I'm not exaggerating!
Kestrel said briskly, taking her hand off of Legolas' shoulder, "Well, let's go get ready for the battle. I haven't even taken the armor out of my pack yet. Let's go!" She went to grab her pack from where she had put it, against the wall of one of the more unpopular tunnels.
Unwrapping the cloth bundle, she gasped. The equipment looked as new as it would have been the day it was made. There was a fine tunic of glittering mail, a black leather jerkin, metal gloves and knee-high boots, and a open faced helmet. Kestrel first put the mail tunic on. Well, this isn't mithril, but it's so fine that it'll probably stop the point of any weapon.
She smiled as she donned the jerkin, which had a stitched hawk on the left.. Did Mom know that I was going to dress all in black? It matches perfectly! And it fits, too. Just like the mail. And is that the insigna of the She had her doubts about the gloves, however. I'm not sure if I should use these. They might be too clumsy, and my survival out there has always depended on my skill. Her misgivings were unfounded. Although the gloves might have been made out of sheet metal, it was as soft, light and malleable as leather gloves, though they were strong. Kestrel flexed her fingers, marveling again at how well the armor fit. The boots she put on, taking off her customary leather ones. They were lightweight, but again, very strong. The plate that went over her knee bent and flexed with her knee, and she found that movement was still very easy.
The helmet wasn't really a helmet, more like a metal bonnet/veil. The metal extended from the crown of her head down to her chin, but it swept back and just barely covered her ears. The jointed back flap extended all the way down to her waist, flaring out as it did so, acting like a piece of armor. She noticed an insigna on the veil and forehead.. Taking it off to examine it closer, she found that it was the same as the one on the jerkin.
Should I use this? After debating with herself for a while, she shook her head and left the helmet sitting on the bag. Gimli's the only one who wears a helmet. And I'm not a dwarf.
She headed down to the armory, finding Aragorn all dressed, and Legolas as prepared as he ever did especially for a battle. "Your mother's armor?" he asked.
"Yes." She nodded.
Aragorn smiled. "It fits you well."
Gimli came lumbering in right then, wearing a shirt of mail that was bunched around his armpits. If I didn't know better, I'd swear that he was a bearded lady. That really looks like man boobs. "We had time, I'd get this adjusted!" he said, messing around with it until it finally fell to the ground. The edge splayed out a bit, giving the appearance of a mail outerdress. Kestrel sniggered.
Ignoring her, Gimli continued, "It's a little tight across the chest…" Aragorn and Legolas had more success hidding their smiles and laughter than Kestrel did, feigning expressions of understanding.
Suddenly, the sound of a horn cut through the silence. "That is no Orc horn!" Legolas said, sprinting out of the armory. The others followed, though Kestrel started lagging behind. Stupid coat of mail. Screw it.
As she mounted the battlements panting, coming up behind the others, Legolas moved away a little to allow her to see. She nodded her thanks, and then gasped as rows of gray-cloaked Elf archers marched into Helm's Deep.
"Come on!" she said, motioning towards the stairs. The others nodded, and they ran down the steps, Kestrel taking them two at a time.
Théoden came out of the fortress with the same expression of wondering and delight that the other soldiers had. "How is this possible?"
The lead Elf stepped forward, and shedding his cloak, Kestrel saw that it was Haldír. "I bring word from Elrond of Rivendell. An alliance once existed between Elves and Men. Long ago we fought and died together. We come to honor that allegiance." he said, looking up and smiling as Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas finally appeared on the steps behind them.
Aragorn bowed, saying something incomprehensible to Kestrel in Elvish. He hugged Haldír, stunning everybody around them. Once they broke, Legolas and Haldír clasped each other on the shoulder. Then his attention turned to Kestrel.
"I see you are still fighting alongside men, my Lady. May I ask why?" he asked.
Kestrel lifted her chin and replied, "It is what I was born to. I would never forgive myself if I huddled in fear while my equals were fighting to defend me."
Haldír smiled in acceptance of her answer. "Forgive me. I misjudged you when we first met."
He made eye contact with Théoden again. "We are proud to fight alongside Men once more."