"I love you—I am at rest with you—I have come home." —Dorothy L. Sayers

Chapter 21

In the first light of dawn, the war party readied and rode on. Amber rested, the fatigue of her bleed weighing heavily on her. Legolas held her close, one arm wrapped around her as he had the day before, so she felt secure and protected as she drifted in and out of sleep.

At one point, she believed that she heard the elf speaking with Gandalf, the vibrating of the elf's chest rousing her, but she did not catch much of their talk, staying between waking and dreams.

As evening was falling, the host halted. Amber, awoken by the sudden ceasing of movement beneath her, asked Legolas what he could hear. He told her that a man had ridden from the north to greet them, and that the King and Gandalf were discussing which way to go. He paused, listening with brow furrowed. "Gandalf is leaving us, he has an errand of which he will not speak. He urges the King to ride to a place called 'Helm's deep'"

Amber stretched up, looking through the tall spears in front of them, catching sight of the white horse and rider galloping away. The rest marched onwards again, both elf and Beorning growing uneasy at the parting from Gandalf.

At another halting, a scout told of warg-riders scattering their allies in that land. They urged on towards Helm's deep, as the place was defensible and seemed their best chance at withstanding the now vast host marching from Isengard. Legolas urged Arod forward so that they came to the front, alongside Aragorn and Éomer as he rode with Gimli.

By evening they arrived at the Hornberg, as the great stone wall at Helm's deep was called. They gained entry and rode in single file up the steep stone path into the deep. There they found that a great many people, men, women and children alike were camped, having fled from homes destroyed by orcs and wild mountain men who had been armed by Saruman. Thankfully there was also a great store of food and livestock, or they would have had more to fear than their foes as so many were now gathered who would need feeding for as long as they were besieged.

Gimli seemed happy in the great stone place,but Amber and Legolas both felt the stifling of rock around them, being far happier in places of earth and trees. They feared for the people of Rohan, seeming far less in strength than the reports of the host coming from Isengard to make war upon them. As night was falling, the great army of orcs wound their way through the valley, ever closer. Amber looked to Legolas, who was headed to the battlements where he would have best vantage to slay enemies with his arrows. He looked at her, their eyes meeting but neither saying a word. The chance that they would last the night was grim. Finally, Amber looked away, willing herself not to weep at their parting, and hoping beyond reason that they would find each other, whether in this life or the next.

Amber left to find Aragorn, knowing that he would be strategising with the king, and would be the first to fight in close combat if the chance came. This was the only fighting where she could be of any use, so she intended to stay by his side until the chance came.

Dark clouds veiled the stars and a flash of lightening lit the sky, revealing to all gathered atop the wall defenses, an unending army of orcs, filling their hearts with horror. A rain of arrows were shot at the wall, but the men held, not responding. After a quiet moment, the orcs cried in fury and more arrows were aimed at those who stood on the battlements. Trumpets sounded amongst the dark host and the mass began to attack the walls and gates.

The archers of Rohan and Legolas rained arrows upon them, felling a great many who were quickly replaced; endless seemed the count of foes. The battle continued, and when the enemy had made their way up to the gates, Aragorn led a small party round an outside passage to assuage them. He peeked round the corner to where the host beat the door, looking to Amber in silent question. She nodded, her teeth flashing in the dark as her eyes glinted. She was ready for blood. These foul creatures needed eradicating from these lands as they did from her own.

Pressing herself to the wall she passed Aragorn, Éomer who stood behind them frowning at the ranger in alarm. Though he had seen her other form on the path below the golden hall at Edoras, he had not seen her fight. After crouching for a moment, she sprang across the gap, using the momentum of her leap to transform, her great paws knocking down several orcs as she landed on the stone path in front of the gates. She let out a great roar, causing the orcs and wild men nearby to stumble back in fear and shock, for none knew what creature now stood between them and the gates. As she attacked, fueling herself with hatred and fury built up since her homelands had first been seiged; Aragorn and the other men leapt across the gap to join her, the small party effectively defending the narrow path with blades and claws.

Legolas, loosing arrows with a speed he had practiced over many centuries, after much time had passed since the battle had begun; whipped his head around at the sound of a great animal roar far below. There he could see, in the light of lightening flashes and torch flames, the great orange and black beast who he knew to be his love. She fought with a ferocity which filled him with pride and awe, but also fear, for she fought alone. Just as he was searching desperately for a way down to join her, he saw several men, one unmistakably Aragorn, appear from a hidden place to join her. With a frantic heart he turned back to battle, praying to the Valar that they would make it out alive.

Once a great many foes were piled dead on the path, they turned to run back and reinforce the gates which had been bent inwards. As they turned, orcs sprang from the apparent dead to attack them, but Gimli, who had been lurking in the shadows, yelled in his dwarvish tongue and felled several who had gotten hold of Éomer. They managed to get back onto the hidden path before they could be stopped again, and took shelter once more inside the keep.

The battle raged long into the night, ladders being pulled up to the stone walls, the men on the battlements desperately throwing down the grappling hooks as more were thrown in their place. Orcs broke through where the stream flowed through the wall and Gimli led the charge to assail them and seal the hole. Amber stayed with Aragorn and Éomer, several more times leaping to defend the gates when the throng against them seemed too great. The gates themselves were splintered to near ruin, but many beams and rocks had been piled behind them on the inside so that no foe could yet pass inwards.

As dawn approached, the hope of the men was failing. Suddenly a great crashing noise came from the stone wall where the stream had been blocked. Some work of fire and stone had blasted through, leaving a gaping hole which was soon filled with orcs. A call rang out for retreat. All who could get inside, did so and Aragorn along with Éomer and Amber, in beast form, held the bottom of the stone steps so that more could get safely inside.

Legolas, atop the stair, called out that all were inside. They turned to run, Éomer first, followed by the other two. Amber had to return to her two-legged form to climb the steep stone steps, and in her weariness from battle, stumbled, caught by Aragorn. Orcs cried out from behind them and attacked, the first to near them shot in the throat by Legolas' last arrow. Just as it seemed that they would be overcome, a great boulder was thrown from above them, knocking down the oncoming orcs. Amber and Aragorn scrambled up the stone steps and at last were inside, the door quickly barred behind them.

Before she could take many steps further inside, Amber was caught in a tight embrace. She knew immediately by scent that it was Legolas who held her, and she clung to him, thanking the Valar that they could be reunited, even if this day would be their last.

Their companions were scattered, and soon they broke their embrace to continue on, as time would not wait for them. Amber again followed Aragorn, searching for the King while Legolas hunted for arrows to replenish his quiver. When they found Théoden, Aragorn gave him report of what he knew. The King despaired that they were trapped so, wishing he could have ridden with spear in hand, as was the best fighting style of his people. Finally, he seemed resolved and announced that he would ride forth from the gates at dawn, breaking through the enemy or dying in the effort.

"I'll ride with you" Aragorn told him, and Amber felt keenly the strength and courage of the men, dispelling any last remnant of the impression she had had when young, that mankind were brash and dull-witted. These were great men, and she would be proud to die fighting alongside them.

Aragorn returned to the wall to rally the men, and while he did so, Amber followed her nose to a store of food. She knew that whatever strength she had left would be increased with a fresh meal, and she wished to take down as many orcs as she could before she fell. Finding freshly carved meat hung from the ceiling, she used a hook to bring down a flank of what smelled like sheep, and checked she was alone before transforming, devouring it as her beast desired.

Belly full and strength returning to her limbs, she became woman again, heading to the gate where they would ride out to meet the host.

A clamour could be heard outside of the keep, and as she reached the hall before the gate, a great horn bellowed from deep in the cliff, echoing throughout the halls and valley, frightening the enemy and lifting the hearts of those left defending it.

Théoden rode into the hall, Aragorn beside him on Hazufel. Amber felt torn as to whether to join them on horseback as they rode out, or to join them as beast. She decided to ride, vowing to leap into the masses where she was most needed. She ran to Aragorn, who reached down to her and pulled her up behind him. Together they charged, companions in battle once more, as the King and his riders burst forth from the gates.

They cut down all in their path, and halted on the stone path to look upon the changed valley. A forest that had not been there a day ago, when they had ridden up the valley, now lay across the horizon. The enemy were fleeing, attack coming from the caves where many of the surviving men had hidden, now attacking with new vigour. Their foes were stuck between enemy and the looming threat of the silent trees.

As they tried to scatter, they were hemmed in by the cliff face on one side and a great slope on the other. As the orcs fled that way, suddenly atop the slope galloped a white rider, behind him coming a new army of men, clad in the colours of Rohan. Gandalf had finally come, bringing with him the scattered men of those lands who they had thought lost to the orcs.

Horns bellowed again, both from the keep and the new host of men, charging down the slope towards the enemy. The King and his riders joined the charge and the enemy was finally defeated, all who could, fleeing into the waiting trees, from which no orc ever emerged again.

On the battlefield, piled with the dead, the men wept, crying in both joy and sorrow. None who had been besieged that night, had had any hope left by the dawn, and yet they were still alive.

Amber leapt from the back of Hazufel embracing Gandalf who had come to save them in their time of greatest need. She then turned, searching for the one she most sought. She cared not for celebrating until she had found him.

She turned frantically on her spot, searching; her sense of smell useless in a field of so much blood and burning rock.

Suddenly a hand grabbed her shoulder and she was spun round. Before she could steady herself, lips were pressed to hers so forcefully that she would have fallen if his hands had not held her upright. When he pulled away, she gasped for breath and stared into the face of her beloved. The elf looked worse than she had ever seen him, dirt and blood smeared thickly over him, his clothing tattered and hair, usually kept so neat, now dishevelled. His eyes had dark circles from a long night of ceaseless battle, and his pupils were wide and almost animalistic. She loved him.

When her mind and breath had caught up with one another, she stepped forward, not caring who saw them, and fisted a hand in his tunic collar which reached just higher than the mail covering, pulling him down for another kiss. This time she felt it, more than just desperation, a deep passion and need that had been growing ever between them since they had first locked eyes at the council of Elrond.

Her insides were aflame at the taste of him on her mouth, the feel of his hand as it tangled in her hair. Were there not mail between his body and hers, she knew they would have fit together perfectly. Were there not a field of death and victory around them, they would in that moment have entwined, merging until they became one.

With a heavy sense of duty, they finally detached. The same fire that Amber felt inside was reflected in Legolas' eyes. When they turned to greet their friends, their hearts were full of each other, taking their love with them, even as they went to join the throng of celebration.