Hey guys! Hope everybody had a wonderful holiday! I had a great one myself, but that's not the point of me posting. Sorry Nickel and Kelsey, but I really thought I ought to get this up. I'll email you next time there's a chappy for this, kay? Reviewers--

Iceprincess141414--Thank you!...again... ;)

Thunder Ring--...I'm pretty sure you're new. Here's a cookie! And thank you!

Gina--...have fun in New Mexico? And, si, you are the 51st reviewer! Congrats!

Theo--He dosn't know...yet. But I called him last night so he's going to read it...and kill me at school the day after unless I mention someone thinks he's the awesomest character in then world! (Btw, thanks!)

Disclaimer--I'm running out of ideas. Forgive me, free peoples, I do not own LotR...yet.

Mandy Can't Fight

Kelsey's PoV

"Well, it's not my problem!" I insisted.

"Then how do you suggest I learn to fight in only a couple hours time?!" Mandy shouted, her face flushed and her hair askew.

"Don't," Nickel advised. "Learn how to duck and call for Legolas to help you." Mandy paused in her ranting.

"That's not a bad idea," she said thoughtfully.

"Then start learning." I grabbed my sword and swung it so that it barely skimmed her head.

"Hey!"

Nickel's PoV

I swung, Mandy ducked, I swung again and switched to a crowbar—not all Orcs have the same weapons. Kelsey had gone to find some other weapons and had left me with Mandy's life in my hands. Sometimes I wonder why she trusts me…

"Can we stop?" Mandy asked, jumping probably 3 feet in the hair.

"Orcs don't stop." I jabbed forward.

"But we can!"

"Get in shape Mandy!" I swung again, grabbing the spear Ernie offered and jabbed at Mandy's stomach. "Or," I grinned, "you can practice yelling for Legolas to help you."

"Leggy! Leggy help!" Mandy yelped. I jabbed her with the spear.

"You've died thirty times," I informed her as Legolas came running by and knocked the spear away. He pointed one of his knives at me. "Dead." Drat.

"Kelsey!"

"What?" Kelsey trotted over, dumping the fresh supply of weaponry.

"Is he supposed to be here?"

"Why shouldn't he be?"

"Because he's about to kill me!"

"Oh…sorry."

"Well?" I snapped. Kelsey grabbed her stash of weaponry and dumped it on Legolas.

"Hand these out. Now! Shoo!" She kicked his shin until he moaned. "There." I relaxed.

"Mandy, go find some sort of armor that won't make you fall over. I'm sure Legolas will help you." I'd said the magic word…again. Mandy scampered after her buddy.

"Now what?" Ernie sorted through the remaining weapons.

"We could wait," Kelsey suggested.

"I think we'll be waiting plenty." I hefted a glaive. "We could go boost everyone's morale!" A door slammed.

"I don't care if they can fight—The lady Amanda certainly can't, the lady Kelsey I haven't seen, and as for the lady Nicole, she is to be locked up! The boy can fight—"

"Trust me my lord." Aragorn interrupted a booming Theoden. "Do not let…Ernie fight, as he is as much a danger as—" They stopped, seeing us.

"Yo." Ernie waved a pot lid.

"Ada," Kelsey looked up at him from her spot on her knees. "I understand keeping Ernie—"

"Hey!"

"—And Nicole—"

"Traitor."

"—And especially Amanda from fighting, but please, for me—"

"Kelsey!"

"How could you?"

"Traitor!"

"—Let us all fight, Ada."

"What?!" Aragorn and Theoden were the least shocked by this.

"Lady Kelsey, you mustn't. Fighting in true battle is the duty of men. It is unsuitable for—"

"Please Ada?" I owe it all to Kelsey's puppy-dog eyes, for she soon had the 2 kings wrapped around her little finger. Aragorn struggled with his conscience. Theoden, however, was not strong-willed.

"Very well, lady Kelsey, very well. But you must remain on the wall, away from the gate. That will be the main attack point."

"Thank you, my lord." Kelsey curtsied deeply. Ernie gave Theoden a thumbs up and I gave him a dramatic bow. Then we fled, not wanting to push our luck.

Kelsey's PoV

"Where do you think the armory is?" Nickel asked, opening a couple doors as Ernie kicked other doors open.

"Who knows?" I replied, opening yet another door. "Oh…found it." Inside the fairly small room was over a hundred people. And, in the very back corner, away from all the hustle and bustle, was Legolas and Mandy.

"Mandy!" Nickel yelped, spotting them. Everyone in the room froze as it echoed. Mandy and Legolas froze and looked at us innocently.

"What?"

"What were you doing?" Nickel demanded, elbowing her way past several people. Mandy flushed.

"Well…um…" I rolled my eyes.

"Mandy, get on with it." I demanded.

"I…uh…kissed him." Mandy mumbled. We stared at her. "What?"

"Mandy…you're just…" Ernie trailed off, swinging his sword. Immediately, all the men and boys made a path for him.

"Wow…Ernie and the parting of the crowd," I commented.

"Yeah…isn't it cool?" Ernie asked as he approached. "You know, I think people are scared of me."

"Just maybe Ernie," I muttered. "Just maybe." Meanwhile, Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli, had just noticed their fellow fighters…that weren't us.

"Farmers…stable boys. These are no soldiers," Aragorn commented scornfully.

"No dur," Mandy piped up.

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

"Or too few," Mandy and Legolas said in sync. He gave her a look which she returned with an innocent smile.

"What?" Legolas shook his head.

"Look at them," he continued. "They're frightened. I can see it in their eyes." Everyone stopped, including random people, and stared at him.

"What?!" Mandy snapped. "This isn't a showcase or a Broadway musical!" Legolas gave her another odd look before speaking to Aragorn in Elvish.

"And they should be," I translated, totally into letting the whole world know what he was saying. "Three hundred…against ten thousand?" Aragorn replied…also in Elvish.

"They have more hope defending themselves here than at Edoras…" Nickel put in.

"Aragorn!" Legolas burst out before quickly switching to Elvish.

"They cannot win this fight. They are all going to die!" I continued.

"You mean live happily ever after!" Mandy shouted.

"Than I shall die as one of them!" Aragorn burst out.

"Live happily ever after!"

"Mandy…shut up," Nickel snapped.

"What's wrong with being optimistic?" Mandy demanded. Aragorn scowled and stalked away. Legolas left the other way.

"Oh, this is great," Nicole said sarcastically.

"Yeah…well." I shrugged. "They'll get back together and be friends by the beginning of the battle."

Nicole's PoV

"Kelsey…"

"I know, I know!"

"Kelsey, it's been over two hours!" I leaned back against the wall. "The sun is setting, the Uruk-hai are coming and Legolas and Aragorn aren't speaking to each other!" Suddenly, Mandy ran up.

"They're talking to each other!" she announced, skidding up to us and ramming into the wall, causing her to slide to the ground wearing a silly grin.

"And?" I asked, pulling her up.

"What?" she asked, puzzled.

"How'd you do it?" Kelsey asked, halfway impressed. Mandy pursed her lips together.

"Well…I just kind of talked to him and, well…" She shrugged, wearing a toothy grin. "I guess he just kind of found me persuasive…"

"Mandy!" I hissed. "You didn't do anything worse than kissing, did you?" Mandy's eyes flew wide open.

"What?!" she snapped. "No! Never! I just kissed him, that's all! I promise."

"Oh," I sighed. "That's okay then."

"Well, what did—" We all looked up as trumpets sounded in the deep.

"And cue Haldir!" Mandy cheered, leaping away. I glanced at Kelsey.

"You know this isn't book verse," I commented softly, watching her features glow happily. She just smiled.

"Yeah…but I'm glad he came anyway," she sighed. I groaned.

"Not two lovesick puppies!" I moaned, grabbing a rarely shy Kelsey's hand and hauling her over to the gate, where Legolas and Aragorn were greeting Haldir. Even Mandy gave him a hug before sidling over to Legolas, who put an arm around her slim shoulders. I pushed Kelsey forward.

"Hi." She smiled shyly, blushing furiously. Haldir smiled back like a gentleman and kissed her hand.

"Aww…" Mandy cooed. Kelsey glared at her, her face a burning red. "What?!" Legolas led Mandy away so Kelsey could not harm her.

"Well?" I put my hands on my hips. "Are we ready for a battle?"

So?! Good holiday? Don't forget to check out my new fic, Where the Sues Go. I hope you all like it! --Mandi