Éowyn began to shake and raised her teary eyes to look at Théoden. The latter looked back down, and then walked away, confirming her unasked question. She slowly fell, Ed catching her in his arms; his own eyes swimming in unshed tears.
"Another gone…"
Ed worked his way among the people, offering aid to anyone who asked or appeared to need help. Eowyn had gone into the keep and was recovering from her shock. Ed was too, but tried to move past it.
Aragorn, dead? That just couldn't be possible. It had to be a mistake… how could someone Ed trusted be dead? Then again, hadn't his brother been killed? And however said life was fair? It never was, never will be. Just the way it is, he guessed as he carried a basket of fruit into the caves of the fortress.
Ed sighed heavily- we would just have to make the best of the situation and go one day at a time.
Two Days Later…
Ed ran as fast as he could, not looking back for fear of falling and getting caught. He would not lose. About to hit the sharp corner, he quickly turned to his right, almost barreling into an older couple walking cautiously through the tunnels.
"Sorry!" he shouted back, making his way from his pursuers. He looked back to make sure that the couple was okay, and in doing so broke one of his own rules, as well as his pace.
"CRACK" The stonewall was a rude awakening to the oblivious alchemist. He hit the ground hard and was busy trying to clear the flashing purple and red spots from his vision when his pursuers caught up.
"TAG!" shouted the 5-year-old child as he and the gaggle of village children behind him giggle and laugh heavily at Ed's situation.
Slowly the alchemist climbs to his feet wearily. "Oh really? You should watch yourselves…………… I recover very…………. QUICKLY!" he shouted, springing into action. The children screamed in giddy fear and ran from the midget adult chasing them as they had before. "Oh no, you aren't getting away from me!"
Running through the people, Ed was barely paying attention to all the murmurs of the crowd around him until he was near the center of the group.
"It's him!"
"He's alive!"
"This cannot be! It's a miracle!"
Ed was roughly pushed aside my Gimli, who was not paying attention to anything around him but his goal location- the main attraction of the frenzy.
"Where is he?" shouted the dwarf roughly. "Where is he? Get out of the way. I'm gonna kill him!" Ed followed the dwarf, holding his breath at what he knew must be before him, but what was also impossible. "You are the luckiest, the canniest and the most reckless man I ever knew!" Gimli hugged Aragorn and had tears in his eyes. "Bless you, laddie!" Ed steadied his breath and was happy at the turn of events- Aragorn was back. That could only mean things would get better.
But the new arrival could not be swayed from his mission. "Gimli, where is the king?" Gimli gestured to the hall. Aragorn squeezed Gimli's shoulder and then made his way into the Deep, Ed at his heels looking for Eowyn- she would be relieved at the turn of events.
Aragorn reached the doors of the hall, and Ed turned to look for Eowyn among the supplies. Legolas was waiting for the Ranger, but Ed did not hear the conversation between them- he had spotted who he was looking for.
Éowyn spotted a bedraggled Aragorn and smiled joyously, her face bright with relief. Ed watched her face change from joy to a distressed happiness. Turning, Ed saw Legolas take Aragorn's hand and give the Ranger something. Ed guessed it was the gift from the female elf at Rivendell before they departed so long ago. Aragorn looked at the necklace and clapped Legolas on the shoulder.
Ed watched as Éowyn's eyes filled with tears. A shooting pain of dejection and jealousy filled him for a moment; he tried to shake it off, but something still remain and then became all to clear to him.
Aragorn and Legolas quickly walked into the king's chambers, and Eowyn turned from the spot they had occupied to continue her duties. Ed came up behind her hunched back.
"When were you going to tell me you loved him?" he asked her as coolly as possible.
Eowyn sharply turned around, her face flaming red with embarrassment. "Edward! I did not know you were there… I'm very busy, I need to get these supplies to…"
"Lovely excuse you have there- though I don't doubt it's true. Again, when were you planning on telling me about your feelings for him?"
She put her head down in shame, and then slowly lifted it a few moments later. "Edward… I'm… sorry."
Without a word, Ed turned from her and walked away. He ignored the children trying to play with him, and the people wanting confirmation of Aragorn's re-appearance. He made his way across the compound and out the gates to sit on the ramp leading to the building.
He felt tears come to his eyes, but he roughly pushed them away. He wouldn't cry over her. She was……… nothing. Merely a distraction to him, a way to get over what he's left behind. He didn't truly care for her… did he? No… at least, he didn't think so.
"AAAAHHHHHHHHHH! When did it all become so confusing?" he growled to himself. Life used to be so simple, considering. He would take battling homunculus over trying to figure out one's feelings any day.
Hearing people speaking, Ed quickly turned and saw Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas and King Theoden walking from the gate. He quickly picked himself up and joined the others, ignoring the glances from Gimli and Legolas, though the three- and now Edward- were listening to the king's defense plan.
"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 declared. Ed wondered at why they would fear an attack- who would find them, let alone attack?
"This is no rabble of mindless Orcs," Gimli put forward. "These are Uruk-hai. Their armor is thick and their shields broad."
Orcs? Ed wondered. Orcs? They're attacking us………it's war all over again.
"I have fought many wars, Master Dwarf," returned the king. "I know how to defend my own keep."
Gimli seemed miffed, and Legolas clapped a preventative a hand on Gimli's shoulder, and then he followed Aragorn and Théoden back into the hold, followed by Ed and Gimli.
"They will break upon this fortress like water on rock," the king described. "Saruman's hordes will pillage and burn; we've seen it before. Crops can be resown; homes rebuilt. Within these walls, we will outlast them."
"They do not come to destroy Rohan's crops or villages. They come to destroy its people. Down to the last child," Aragorn countered, begging the man to see his point. The king rounded on the Ranger
"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."
"Send out riders, my lord. You must call for aid."
"And who will come? Elves? Dwarves? We are not so lucky in our friends as you. The old alliances are dead." Theoden turned to leave, but Aragorn made one last effort to save the people.
"Gondor will answer."
"Gondor?" the king sounded incredulous. "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." Looking sad, he turned to give the men his orders. "Get the women and children into the caves!"
Aragorn turned away, looking dejected. After a moment, he walked away.
"Aragorn?" Legolas followed closely by the Ranger, as did Gimli and Ed. "Aragorn, where are you going?"
"To help prepare and make sure the women and children are safe in the caves." Legolas attempted to speak, but he was cut off. "We'll place the reserves along the wall," he said, pointing to the overhang over the opening of the hall to the caves that would house the women and children during the battle.
All the women, hopefully, thought Ed, and then reprimanded himself for thinking of Eowyn in such a way once more.
"They can support the archers from above," continued Aragorn.
"Aragorn, you must rest! You're no use to us half alive," pleaded the elf, but without effect.
"My lord!" called a voice from the crowds of people. "Aragorn!"
The men turned, and Ed froze. Eowyn was running towards them, her expression displeased.
"I'm to be sent with the women into the caves," she declared, her distaste apparent in her tone.
"That is an honorable charge," countered Aragorn.
"To mind the children, to find food and bedding when the men return. What renown is there in that?"
"My lady," the Ranger began, "a time may come for valor without renown. Who then will your people look to in the last defense?"
"Let me stand at your side," the maiden requested quietly, aware Edward was listening to her every word.
"It is not in my power to command it." With that, the four began to walk away, Ed keeping his eyes from the woman before them.
"You do not command the others to stay!" Her words caused Aragorn to turn back and face her. "They fight beside you because they would not be parted from you… Because they love you!"
The two looked meaningfully at each other, and Ed stood at the side, his heart breaking every millisecond their eyes stayed locked. Finally, Eowyn looked away, embarrassed.
"I'm sorry." With that, she walked past Legolas and Gimli, stopping a mere fraction of a second to look apologetically at Ed before she continued to make her way into the caves with the rest of the kingdom's people.
Aragorn smiled a small smirk, then turned and led the way to the armory.
Ed felt like he had been hit by a truck- how could she be careless as to show her feelings for another man in front of him? He had been there for her as long as he had been in Rohan- is she really going to just disregard everything that happened in that short span together? He felt like he couldn't breathe. Looking up, Ed saw they had reached their destination.
In the armory, weapons were being distributed. Aragorn picked up a battered sword, looked at it distastefully, and then and tossed it back.
"Farmer, ferries, stable boys." The Ranger seemed downtrodden. "These are no soldiers."
"Most have seen too many winters," Gimli bluntly stated.
"Or too few," scoffed Legolas. "Look at them. They're frightened. I can see it in their eyes." At his words, the men around them fell silent. "Boe a hyn: neled herain dan caer menig! (And they should be... Three hundred against ten thousand!)" He shouted at Aragorn.
"Si beriathar hyn ammaeg na ned Edoras. (They have more hope of defending themselves here than at Edoras.)" Aragorn looked uncertain about the end to the conversation- Ed was just lost in the language, not being able to follow.
"Aragorn, nedin dagor hen ú-'erir... ortheri. Natha daged dhaer! (Aragorn, they cannot win this fight. They are all going to die!)"
Losing his temper, Aragorn breaks the Elvish confidence. "Then I shall die as one them!" With a pause, Aragorn collects himself and walks away. The silence still rang in the room- Ed watched as Legolas attempted to follow. He was stopped by Gimli.
"Let him go, lad. Let him be."
Ed watched as the clangor of metal continued in the background. After a few moments, the three companions collected supplies and went off to prepare for war.
Ed was adjusting the sword at his hip, not bothering with chain mail or a helmet, hoping his alchemy would protect him for the most part. Walking through the other men who were preparing for battle, he heard a young child- no older than Al had been- talking above all din.
"They say that it is hopeless..." His tone was sad, almost in tears, at the prospect of not surviving and dying before he could actually live. Ed knew that fear. A surprise met his ears as another spoke.
"This is a good sword, Haleth, son of Háma," said Aragorn's voice. After a pause that can only be described as a moment between fighters- the elder giving information and the younger absorbing it. "There is always hope."
As Aragorn left the boy, he headed towards Ed. So as not to be spotted, Ed turned around to help another carry a container of supplies into the caves. Once inside, they put down the barrel and Ed looked around. The stalactites and stalagmites glittered from water droplets by candlelight. The women and children ran around here and there, setting up for the siege they were to face.
"Edward?" Ed jumped and looked around.
"Eowyn. Are you ready?" Ed stiffened, but kept his calm. He did not wish to speak to this woman- his time was taken with fighting the Orcs.
"As ready as I can be, trapped in the caves, waiting for life or death." Ed nodded to her, and then began to head out. She grabbed his arm. "Is there any way you can let me fight, Edward?"
"It's not my job to do that. Stay here, and save the people. I have to go- the battlements will be filled soon." With a cool shrug, Ed pulled away and exited the caves just as the doors were being closed. With a final look back, he saw Eowyn fall to her knees and hold her head in her trembling hands. The door closed with a deafening thud.
He quickly made his way to the front gates. Once there, he noticed a well-trained army of what appeared to be Elven warriors in their blue cloaks. A familiar voice spoke to the waiting crowd of men.
"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." Haldir of Lothlorien was speaking to Theoden. Ed came from around the corner, and stood by Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli. Aragorn walked forward to meet Haldir.
"Mae govannen, Haldir. (Welcome, Haldir)" With a gesture of friendship, e pulled Haldir into a short embrace. Despite being stunned, Haldir patted him back. "You are most welcome!"
Legolas also came forward and grasped his friend's hand. With greeting his companions, Haldir turned to Theoden.
"We are proud to fight alongside men, once more."
Ed was placed along the top battlement of Helm's Deep. Men and Elves flanked him on both sides, as far as the eye could see. A little further down the row, Gimli and Legolas stood as well, awaiting the coming fight. In spite of his anger, Ed could not help but worry for Eowyn's safety under his feet.
The sound of the Orc army coming closer… and closer… and closer. The warriors awaiting the fight stared off into the dark distance, lights coming over the horizon, carried by the Uruk-hai and Orcs. The torches reflected off their new armor, their grunts of impending doom echoed in the night.
Aragorn was walking down the line, checking the men and Elves. He came up to Ed and merely patted his shoulder and asked with his eyes if he was ready. Ed slightly inclined his head, passing on that he knew what he had signed up for and was reading for anything. He'd seen worse. Aragorn accepted this, and walked on down the line.
"Eowyn…" whispered Ed. "Al…" Doom was waiting on his doorstep, and all Ed could think of was others. Quietly, he closed his eyes and lost himself.
"Your friends are with you, Aragorn," said Legolas from further down the way.
"Let's hope they last the night," grunted the dwarf. Ed had to smile at this- but it was a sick smile plastered on his face. Don't think about it, he told himself silently.
The marching and thumping grew louder and louder. Lightning flashed and it began to rain, starting slowly and becoming violent but without wind. An Uruk leader stepped up onto a rock outcrop, while the rest of the Uruk-hai army continued to march to the fortress of Helm's Deep.
Aragorn shouted orders to the Elven archers. "A Eruchîn, ú-dano i faelas a hyn an uben tanatha le faelas! (Show them no mercy! For you shall receive none!)" There were Orc cries in the distance, growls and grunts so disturbing it was hard for Ed to forget his location.
The Uruk Leader cried out twice, which turned out to be the signal for all the other Uruk-hai to start to roar and thump their spears in a furious manner.
Suddenly, an elderly soldier from Ed's left lost his grip on the bow and released his arrow prematurely, shooting an Uruk-hai in the neck. The Uruk-hai army stopped their roaring and thumping.
"Dartho! (Hold!)" called Aragorn, unknowing who shot the fatal arrow.
With a hollow groan, the Uruk that was shot collapsed to the ground. The other Uruk-hai bore their teeth and roared in anger. With a cry, the Uruk leader pushed his weapon in the air and the Uruk-hai army started charging.
Ed looked expectantly at the upcoming battle. "So it begins."