Chapter Seven~
The next morning it was said that the city would make for Helms Deep, a man calling out before the Hall,
"By order of the king, the city must empty. We make for the refuge of Helm's Deep. Do not burden yourself with treasures. Take only what provisions you need." as everyone packed I stayed by my brother who wouldn't talk unless I asked him questions. Normally he's such an inquisitive kid, and seeing as if we were in his favorite book and movie series he must be itching to ask a few questions, but he didn't. He just sat in the Hall as everyone got ready eating while I sat beside him, a protective hand over his shoulder.
"He knows that if we go to Helms Deep the walls will break right?" he asks after a period of silence. I shook my head and he looked shocked then but I told him,
"He doesn't know remember?"
"Then tell him, tell him this is a death trap!" he cries making a few people turn to see him. Sighing deeply I whisper to him,
"It wouldn't change his mind, trust me, he was already told that by Gandalf."
"But its true!" cried Roger but I slapped my hand over his mouth to make him shut up. As the day wore on the city was evacuated with Gandalf going off to find the other Rohan Riders we had encountered before. As the city began marching to the Deep; Théoden, Aragon, Legolas, Gimli, myself and Roger rode on horseback. Roger fell into another period of silence having gotten mad that I wouldn't tell what I knew about the Deep to the King. The march was long and cruel for there were women and children to carry or ride with. The men for the most part put up with a great amount of strife trying to help, doing their part for their King and country. Roger rode behind me on a fine white steed, myself in front along with the others. It would be days before we reached the suppose safety of the Deep and I knew it would be just as long if not more so than everyone thought. At one point I hopped off my horse to help with a girl who had fallen from a wagon. As she cried I carried her, singing a soft song to her knowing that she was just as scared if not more so than her King. When her mother finally caught up to us she thanked me greatly before taking the young girl away back to her family. As I walked to catch up with my horse it was Eowyn who said,
"Your wonderful with children."
"Thanks." I said smiling despite myself. She was trying just as hard to be happy as everyone else and I knew for her sake I had to be happy too. As the night fell we made a makeshift camp setting up tents and small fires. As most of the women fussed about I was busy mock fighting with Eowyn who had begged me into it. The fight was quickly over though with me winning but she didn't seem to mind, she was just happy that someone besides her could wield a sword.
"You know-" I began as we sat round a fire with the others.
"Where I'm from women go into battle all the time." this caused her to look up in shock, along with everyone else around me.
"It's true." chimes in Roger who is eating a piece of dried meat.
"Why would they let women fight?" asked an astonished Eowyn. I shrugged and said,
"Because we won the right to, it took a long time, but they realize that we were just as good if not more so at war as the males." and here I cast a look around the group seeing their eyes widen at my words.
"My mother was a soldier." I said suddenly causing everyone including Roger to look up. It was Aragon who asked,
"Was she now?"
"She was before she found out she was pregnant with me. Made it all the way to Major before discharging so she could give birth to me. Though she wasn't in any major battles she still made her way up in the ranks, conquering anything she put her mind to." Eowyn looked impressed as did everyone else and of course the answer I knew would come came up from Gimli,
"If she was so highly thought of what happened to her then?" casting a sideways glance at Roger to see if I should say or not I found him asleep on Legolas's shoulder, Legolas looking awkwardly down at him. Since he was asleep I went on saying,
"Well, she gave birth to me and decided to raise me since there was no father in the picture."
"What happened to your father?" asked Eowyn looking worried. Sighing, I said softly,
"He died, killed in an accident well before I was born." this brought up the question as to how I could have a brother so quickly added,
"My mom remarried when I turned two and she had Roger when I was eleven. My step-father was in jail then, for this." and here I pulled back my sleeves to show my scars causing everyone to gasp in shock.
"He gave those to you?" asked Legolas in an angry voice. Nodding I gulped down some of my food before saying,
"He was drunk, was always drunk and got some barbed wire and sliced into me, he had tied me to a chair beforehand. Mom was out of the house when it happened and walked in on him doing it to me. He went to jail after that and then we moved so that he wouldn't be able to find us again. We changed our last names to my mother's maiden name and lived on without him." a hush fell over everyone and I stood to take Roger to bed, picking him up away from Legolas's shoulder. As I left the group I could hear Gimli say,
"That explains a lot." after putting Roger to bed I crawled down next to him to sleep though it almost never came. The night passed in a blink and too soon we were walking or riding again, the camp dismantled and the fires put out. This was the way we passed for several days before we were attacked by Wrags. Everyone went into a panic as the soldiers tried to form ranks around the group, but it was simply too big a task. It was then an idea came to me and so telling Roger to get off and run to Aragon rode off calling out,
"Come get me you rotten flesh eating dogs!" as the Wrags ride towards me away from the group I pushed the horse into a gallop telling it,
"If you don't move fast enough were both dead." the horse seemed to understand for it picked up speed. I turned round to see the soldiers chasing after them, Legolas, Aragon and Gimli leading the charge. Smiling I turned around at a cliff side to watch them charge at me and rearing up on the horse's back charged into the melee sword drawn. The battle drew on for seemingly forever until at last the last Wrag was dead, its rider killed as well. As everyone got under control it was Legolas who asked,
"Where's Aragon?" looking around, I noticed the fact that he was nowhere to be seen and instantly knew what had happened.
"He fell." I said indicating the cliff and as we rushed towards it we all saw Aragon's necklace hanging on off a rock.
"Evenstar." Legolas says in a hush, his eyes scanning the ravine below. I knew he wouldn't find him, knew he would think Aragon was dead but said nothing. Instead I simple put a hand on his shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. He looked up at me with tears, real tears in his eyes and to my surprise hugged me. Almost coming to tears myself, I hugged him back knowing that he'd see him again, but was unable to bring myself to tell him so.
"Get the wounded on horses. The wolves of Isengard will return. Leave the dead." we hear the King say and knowing it's time to go Legolas let me go heading back to his horse.
"That's it then?" Gimli asks turning around to see his retreating figure.
"We leave him to die?" Legolas turns to see him but says nothing, too filled with grief. Roger comes running over to me and is about to speak when I cover his mouth with my hand.
"We can't say anything, we can only watch. Like we're outside the movie." I said to him bending down to see his eyes. He nods and we head off back to our waiting horses. Mounting again we headed off and before long were at Helms Deep, the supposed safe house for Rohan. When we entered we found even more people inside milling about or preparing things. We dismounted and several people come up to take our horses away. Théoden turns to his niece and tells her to go into the Deep itself before turning to me and says the same.
"I can fight my Lord." I say afraid to leave my friends' sides when they would need me most. He looks me up and down before Legolas comes over to say,
"She may be a woman but she handles a blade like no other."
"That may be, but I will not have a woman in my army." Théoden says his voice cutting into me like a dagger. Gimli is about to say something when I speak up saying,
"No disrespect my Lord, but I am not under your ruling. I am not from Rohan let alone this Earth, I can fight and I can help you." he looks at me sideways before speaking again,
"That may be true, but while you are here you ARE under my ruling and I say you stay in the caves." he turns to leave then his men following him into the chambers for the King but I stop him calling out,
"A great force is coming, ten thousand strong to break your walls! You'll need every willing soldier you can get!" he turns sharply on his heel to look at me with an amazed face before asking,
"How do you know this?" I can feel all eyes on me then, including Roger who stood by my side holding my hand.
"I just do." I reply but this doesn't have any effect for the King turns back around to leave. The eyes leave me and I am left to head back into the caves with Roger and Eowyn. Legolas gives me a sympathetic look before I go and clapping a hand on his shoulder and saying,
"Aragon will be here shortly." and leaving before he can ask what the hell I meant. The caves are horrible, the stench of thousands mingling in the thick air along with smoke and food scents. I sit on a rock with Roger by my side as Eowyn attends to her people.
"He should have listened to you." Roger says to me and I know he's right, but that doesn't help me. After a while I stand not being able to handle the fact I'm useless and can faintly hear a horn being blown.
"The Elves are here!" Roger cries and I can see Haldir's face in my mind's eye and sprinting out of the caves find the great doors opening and the Elves marching inside the Deep.
"… Long ago we fought and died together." Haldir is saying but when he spots me he falters before returning to his speech,
"We've come to honor that allegiance." he finishes as Aragon back from the dead comes to welcome him. They hug and I can't help but giggle at the look on Haldir's face. As they break apart Haldir says,
"We are proud to fight alongside Men once more." the famous line. It's after Theoden thanks him and his men that I go over to him all smiles.
"You knew I'd come didn't you?" he asks and I nod before shrugging as saying,
"Call it greater knowledge." he laughs at that before taking my hands into his own surprising me. He's about to say something when Roger runs over to ask,
"Are you the one who helped my sister?" he looks shocked down at the boy before turning to me and saying,
"I am so sorry Anna." shrugging again I can't help but punch his shoulder and say,
"Told you so." he smiles before bending down to say,
"I am." to Roger who smiles wide before saying,
"Just don't die please." as Haldir is about to ask what he meant he rushes off as I have given him the death glare for spilling the fact he might die here. When he stands to look at me I say,
"Don't ask."
"I won't but, I do wish to talk to you in private." this confuses me and peeks my interest but I nod and lead him to the armory. As we pass by men, boys, elders and Elves I can't help but wonder how many will die here and when the wall explodes. But I won't let that happen, nor would I let Haldir die, he never dies in the books so why should he here? At last we reach the armory and stepping in Haldir closes it before turning to me, his mask of indifference gone replaced by raw emotion.
"I know you are not from this world," he begins stepping over to me and raising one hand to cup my cheek.
"But I also know that when you left a part of me, a large part of me went missing. When I was told I would come here little did I know I'd see you again and find that missing piece of me." he stopped here to take a breath and look down and as he did I let my mind try to process his words. What the hell was he talking about! Looking back up at me he leans in slightly and I realize he means to kiss me. My first kiss, with an Elf Captain from Lord of the Rings. When his lips brush mine I feel electricity run through me and my eyes slide close. Before I want it to the kiss ends and he steps back to rest his forehead on mine saying as he does,
"I feel so strongly towards you it hurts me." at that I can't help but giggle and looking him in the eye say,
"Well, I don't want to happen." and before he can speak I press my lips back onto his.