Sorry for the delay! I got writer's block - this far in, can you believe it? But here we are with Helm's Deep! Let's kill some orcs!

Disclaimer: Tolkien owns Tolkien, you own you!

After a very reluctant goodbye to Balin and Fili, you return to Meduseld to gather what few things you have. Before an early bedtime, you write a letter to Thorin to tell him about the impending fight so he wouldn't murder you for having to hear it from Fili.

Dearest,

I saw Fili and Balin in Edoras! I was so excited! I didn't know they would be here! It was so wonderful to see familiar faces. We had a drink and caught up. You should have said that Tauriel is pregnant! Tell them congratulations and give them my love. I will be home to see that baby if I have to fight the legions of Sauron to get there.

On that note, I suppose I should tell you that there is to be a battle. By the time you receive this, it will probably be over, so there's really no point in getting worked up. We do win, if you're wondering. I just thought I'd tell you myself instead of letting you hear it from someone else.

Things are really picking up, which is good on my end; the faster things go, the sooner I get to come home. Please stay safe; Balin said there's trouble in the lands around the Mountain, and I've never seen how any of that turns out. Don't do anything rash.

I love you more than life and can't wait to be back in your arms. Even if we're apart during the day, I see you in my dreams each night. Please cheer up, darling. I'll be home as soon as possible.

Yours eternally,

Aniel

You send it off with a kiss and get ready for bed. You use the time before you fall asleep to sort out the future. Gandalf has gone to fetch Eomer - that much is normal - but now Boromir has ridden for Gondor. You don't know whether he'll return in time, and if he does, he may not even live through the battle. That's a catch you haven't had to deal with before: saving a life means it could possibly end at any other moment. All that aside, you're in charge of making Theoden listen to reason once Helm's Deep. You plan to use that office to persuade him to listen to Aragorn, the one of the two of you who actually knows what he's doing. Of course, you mustn't forget to plug up the little niche in the wall...

It's morning after one blink. You wrinkle your nose at the sun peeking in the window. The sleep had been dreamless, so it feels much too short. But there's no turning back time, so you stretch and get ready for the day.

Meduseld buzzes with activity. You munch on an apple while you observe the borderline chaos. People rush to and fro, making ready for the exodus. Eowyn is gazing at a sword she pulled out of an open chest.

You grin widely. "It will be an honor to fight beside you, my lady," you say to her.

"The honor will be mine if it comes to pass," she replies with a more transparent smile.

"If?"

"I will likely be charged with the women and children during the battle."

"You certainly don't sound thrilled."

"It is my duty to do as my king commands, thrilling or not."

"Well," you sing, stepping dance-like around her, "even if you do have to sit this one out, there will be other opportunities for valor..."

Eowyn lowers her sword and regards you as an elder sister might her younger. "You are very like a sprite," she says. "Is there something you wish to tell me?"

"I'd just hate for you to think that you'll spend your whole life as a court lady, because that is far from the truth."

Eowyn's smile fades and her blue eyes alight. "What is it you know?"

"I'll not give away the specifics - the details are always more rewarding to find out in the moment - but you, my lady Eowyn, will go down in history for your courage and your skill in battle. Your crowning deed will be something no man has ever accomplished nor ever will again."

"You...have seen this?"

"Yes! I certainly wouldn't lie to you! But I don't want to spoil the whole thing. Just know that your time has yet to come, so don't be too disappointed if you're sidelined this once."

"I...I thank you for this, Lady Aniel..."

"Just Aniel," you correct her brightly. "I'd like to be friends, at least eventually, because I have spent way too long around nothing but men."

Eowyn finally chuckles. "I know the feeling. I'll admit I was surprised to see a lady Elf among a band of men. Forgive me, but from what I know of your kind, you do not usually get involved with the affairs of Men."

"Funnily enough, getting involved in the affairs of men is all I do. It's become an unfortunate habit, one I think I'll break when this is all over."

Your new suggested timeline works exactly as you hoped it would. The journey to Helm's Deep is long but uneventful. No wargs attack, but Aragorn notes that they had certainly been around. You can't help a smirk at the boost to your credibility.

Helm's Deep is so impressive that you're shocked it is a creation of Men; the craftsmanship rivals that of Dwarves. The wall rises tall and intimidating and seemingly impenetrable in front of you - and if you have any say, it will be impenetrable. You only take the time to get settled in before collecting Gimli and a wheelbarrow and heading back out.

"We're gonna plug up the hole," you explain to Gimli as the two of you gather boulders. "I need your help to make the rocks fit. I know now Man will be able to do it better. I'm surprised they built this as well as they did. It looks positively Dwarvish."

"It will be my pleasure to help. I see your point about the construction - it's fine work for Men, but the drain is a terrible design flaw. You'd never find such a weak spot in a Dwarf structure."

You and Gimli discuss the finer points of architecture while gathering and carving the boulders. His work is flawless, of course, while yours is less than perfect despite your best efforts. Gimli quietly tidies up your stones while you place the others. By the time you're done, the small culvert has been seamlessly filled in.

"Perfect," you say with savage triumph.

"I'll assume this errand was crucial to our success."

"Of course it was! Now, we should get back inside."

You mount the highest ramparts and gaze out over the future battlefield. It's eerily quiet despite the many people buzzing around behind the walls. Soon orcs will crash upon the wall like water on stone and the seige will begin. You've done all you can to prevent them from blowing the wall. You just hope it will be enough.

Soft footsteps alert you to Legolas' presence. "You're unsettled," he notes.

"Yes. We win, so I don't know why. Maybe it's just the waiting."

"That's comforting," he says with a slight smile. "This would be much harder not knowing if we will be victorious in the end."

"I can imagine."

"Can you? But you've always known."

"Nah, not always. Once upon a time, I didn't know if things would work out the way I wanted because it was all up to me to change it. But it's nice having companions now. More people to share the load."

"And more room for error."

You laugh. "You're a ray of sunshine!"

"You're right. My apologies," he chuckles.

"You're not wrong, though. Other people are so awfully unpredictable. They've set things askew more than once."

"My father once said that the only thing certain is the progression of time," Legolas says, leaning on the rampart. "So even if things don't go exactly the way you planned, there is always another day to try again."

"That's lovely, Legolas."

"Of course, that's assuming you live to see another day."

"That's...less lovely."

As the sun slowly sinks behind the hills, heavy clouds gather to obscure the sunset. Theoden summons you for a final counsel. "I really don't have much else to say," you tell him truthfully. "I've taken care of the only issue I could think of, and your men will fight faithfully to the end. Otherwise, Aragorn has the rest in hand - he's got much more experience in these matters than I do. That's all we need to outlast."

"And will we outlast?"

"Yes," you say firmly. "It may get grim, but in the end, we will be victorious."

Theoden nods once. "Thank you for your words. Your optimism is encouraging."

"That's what I'm here for!" you say cheerfully.

You try to keep that cheer burning as evening dissolves into a dark night. The men and boys armed to fight line the walls. Their gloom is tangible; either Theoden didn't pass on your prediction, or they don't believe it.

"We have a surprise coming," you sing, almost skipping down the stairs to the gate.

"The orcs are no surprise," Gimli quips.

"Orcs, no. Elves, yes."

The Elvish horn rings out just then, compelling them to follow you. The gate swings open to lines and lines of Elves clad in golden armor, Haldir at the front.

"How is this possible?" Theoden is stunned.

"I bring word from Elrond of Rivendell. An alliance once existed between Elves and men. Long ago we fought and died together." Haldir looks up to see your group coming down the stairs and smile. "We come to honor that allegiance."

"Mae g'ovannen, Haldir!" Aragorn exclaims, embracing him. "You are most welcome!"

Haldir turns to Theoden after greeting Legolas. "We are proud to fight alongside Men once more."

"Thank you," Theoden says, finding his voice. "Your aid is gratefully received."

Haldir gives the order for the archers to line the wall. They move fluidly and almost as one. Before following them, Haldir leans close to you and murmurs, "Lady Aniel, Lord Elrond sents you his thanks and his word that he will continue to help where he can."

"Oh! Thank you, Haldir. I look forward to fighting with you."

He nods with a smile and ascends. You and the others follow into position.

With the sun gone and the stars and moon obscured, looking out over the plain is a much different. While the emptiness of the day was eerie, the thick shadows of night are downright unnerving. Over the swell of the hill comes a wave of pinpricks of light.

As the lights increase, so does the clanking of armor and the rumble of marching, until it looks like all the stars and thunder have fallen to the ground. The sky responds with thunder of its own and a crackle of lightning. Raindrops plink one by one on the armor of the men until the deluge sounds like it's falling on one massive tin roof.

"You could have picked a better spot," Gimli grumbles, straining to see over the wall. Legolas smirks and you contain your own humor.

"Are you ready?" Aragorn murmurs.

"And raring." What else were you supposed to say? "I'll see you when the dust settles."

Aragorn shouts orders to the Elf warriors. The orc leader commands his own troops; they stop only yards away, growling and snarling in anticipation of the bloodshed. You grip your bow, suddenly actually raring to destory as many Uruk-hai as possible.

Gimli hops a bit. "What's happening out there?"

"Shall I describe it to you," Legolas says, grinning down at him, "or would you like me to find you a box?"

You and Gimli both crack up. Laughing feels so out of place in the situation; for just a heartbeat, all of you are back in Rivendell. But it's only a split second: this reality is too pressing to be ignored for long.

The orcs charge after the misfired arrow claims the first victim. They run at full speed towards the wall as though they believe they can ram right through it. With such determination on their part, you know you're in for one furious fight.

The volley of arrows mows down only the first few lines of orcs. The enemy hits the wall and only seconds later ladders appear. Orcs pour up and over the edge. First contact is made, and the battle truly begins.

You set to work slaying any orc within reach of your sword and occasionally pushing over ladders. You devote yourself entirely to the task, since you're pretty sure you don't have any special assignments during the fight. It becomes at once dull and hyper-realistic; each enemy comes and falls in seconds, over and over, but you can't afford to tune out. Each dead orc is just one closer to victory. Through it all, you remember to keep count.

Time passes - you don't know how much - and you see a particularly bright torch moving through the frothing crowd below. It's the Uruk who lights the bombs! Only there's no cozy little niche for the bombs to go. You assume they just piled the explosives in front of the wall and hoped for the best.

"Ha! Try it, bitches!" you shout down at them, beheading an orc with your axe. "Just try it, I dare you!"

The torch bearer reaches the explosives and lights them. You wince as the boom rattles every stone in the wall, then lean over the ramparts to view the damage. There is a massive crater in the wall, but it remains intact. You whoop and jump up and down right in the middle of the battle while also shouting insults at the orcs below in every language you know.

"Your weapons would do more damage," Legolas says from nearby after you yell a particularly shocking phrase in Elvish.

You're not the least bit embarrassed. "They didn't break the wall!" you tell him gleefully. "Blocking the drain worked! All we have to do is last until dawn! Man, this is turning out to be way easier than Ravenhill!"

"Yes, for you, hopefully it will."

"Very funny." You cleave a skull without really paying attention. "I don't plan on sustaining any more injuries; I'll be in big trouble when I get home if I do. By the way, I'm at forty-nine."

Legolas grins. "Fifty-six."

"Oh, come on!"

With an unexpectedly sweet victory at hand, you focus less on the fact that there's a horde of murderous Uruks out for blood and more on catching up with Legolas. You jump atop a high rock and start sniping with your bow, stealing some of his kills. Legolas gapes incredulously at your nerve. You cackle and continue picking off orcs from your new position.

The sky ever so slowly begins to lighten, changing from cloudy to black to dark blue to azure. When the colors of a glorious sunrise finally color the top of the hill across the battlefield, you stop firing and look up eagerly. Finally, finally, a white figure appears on the horizon, quickly followed by a shining calvary that pours over the steep incline like a flood of cleansing water.

The fighting stops abruptly as the orcs realize the new threat and rush to form ranks. Eomer and Gandalf plow through the orc army like a stampede trampling grass. You cheer into the sky of the new day as the reenforcements make short work of the enemy.

The gate is opened to receive the newcomers. You fly down to the entrance hall as quickly as your admittedly fatigued legs can go. Theoden is greeting Eomer; Aragorn, Gandalf. You run right up to the latter and hug them both.

"We did it!" you squeal, jumping up and down excitedly. "We lasted until morning and we're all alive and they didn't breach the wall!"

"What a welcome reception," Gandalf chuckles.

"Were they meant to breach the wall?" Aragorn asks you. His frown signals that he's still in battle mode.

"Yes, but we saw to that. As far as fights go, this was spectacular! It could have been so much worse! Everyone did so well - thanks much to your direction, of course, Aragorn - "

"You perhaps should curb your enthusiasm a bit, my dear," Gandalf says gently. You realize that people are beginning to stare.

"Oh. Right. Okay. At any rate, I'm glad you made it, Gandalf. I'll go now - I have to compare my score with Gimli and Legolas!"