The Wild Westfold
By: Lauthica Green Clinkenbeard
Chapter Thirteen: A Great Host
I parted my fingers and looked above me. My eyes fell onto high ceilings of magnificent color and wonder. My jaw fell as I watched the dancing sparkles being cast across the cavern walls I found myself enclosed. It was and will always be one of the most beautiful scenes I have ever witnessed in my life. I was lying on a straw mattress in a make shift room made by blankets hung from the tips of stalagmites. There were several other mattresses lying around and buckets of water and baskets of medical supplies. It was the infirmary of Helm's Deep. Why do I keep ending up in the infirmary? What happened? I was not wounded.
The events of the warg battle slowly started coming back to me. I felt my heart sink in my chest as I recalled the deaths of Hama and Aragorn. I rose to my feet and realized that I was only in my sweaty, dirty chemise. I cringed as I smelled myself. I looked over my blood stained hands and forearms. I went over to one of the buckets and started to wash up quickly. I noticed two large trunks out of the corner of my eye. When I felt satisfied with being a little cleaner than I was, I crossed over to the trunks and opened them. There were several basic, white shirts and breeches, all meant as clean dressing for wounded men. I dug around until I found a pair of brown breeches that looked around my size. I had to pull the strings very tight for them to rest on my hips snuggly. I put on a white shirt and found a brown, leather tunic to wear over it. Once the tunic was fastened I strapped on my breastplate and shoulder guards. I found my boots near the foot of the mattress and slipped them on making sure the ties were secure.
I parted one of the blankets and looked around. The cavern stretched deep into the mountain and glistened like sunrays on dew drops. Hundreds of women and children were dotted along the outcroppings and stalagmites in little camps as far as I could see. There were no openings to the outside and it was impossible for me to tell what time of day it was. I saw an archway and stairs near that led to what I assumed was the keep of the king and started to make my way over to it carefully stepping over people and baskets of food and supplies.
"Drega?"
I turned around and gasped. "Morwen!" I said embracing her. "You're alive!"
"Of course I am alive. And I was happy to find Eothain and Freda well. Thank you so much Drega for everything! You were brave and courageous." she said smiling at me. She had changed little since I had last seen her at our old town in the Westfold.
"I am happy you are all safe now. Did you find your husband?" I asked.
"Yes, he was safe and unharmed. We shall ride out this storm safe behind these walls." She said and turned away to continue whatever it was she was doing. I continued on to the stairs. The stairs opened up into a room much like the mead hall back in Meduseld apart from the building material. Meduseld was mostly wood. Everything here was made of stone. The archway led out from the left side of the room. Théoden was sitting at a small table to the far right eating some kind of stew with Gamling and few other guards. I walked over toward them. Théoden saw me first and he immediately put down his spoon.
"How are you feeling?" he asked standing up. Gamling and the other guards followed Théoden's example and stood.
"Please sit back down." I said gesturing to them. "I am quite alright." I said sitting down next to Gamling. The rest of the men sat back down nodding their heads in respect to me.
"Why are you wearing those clothes?" Théoden asked.
"My basket was still in the caravan and I have no clue where it was placed upon arrival." I said as a servant brought me a bowl of stew. I was starving and began to eat with very large spoonfulls.
"The caravan was unloaded in my chambers. I will have a servant search for your basket." Théoden said and resumed eating.
"There is no rush. These clothes are perfectly fine. We are refugees now and if being dressed properly is a luxury of late than I would rather it go to those less fortunate than I." I said in between bites. Théoden smiled.
"Spoken like a true captain." He said. I almost choked.
"Captain?" I asked looking up at him.
"With Hama's passing Gamling has risen to first in command. You have taken Gamling's old position which is bestowed the title of Captain." He said reaching for a piece of bread from a bowl in the middle of the table. I could not believe his words and returned to eating in silence on my part. I had shattered like glass after my first battle….was I ready to be a captain?
"Have you ever spent any time in Helm's Deep before, my lady?" Gamling asked.
"No. I had never even seen it before today, and I wouldn't say that I have truly seen it all yet. I do not even know what time of day it is." I said taking a piece of bread as well.
"We arrived here in the early evening of yesterday. You were taken promptly to the infirmary, but even when Lady Da could not calm your raves she gave you a draught and you have slept through the night and morning. It is nearing high noon now, I think. No more than an hour or two away." Gamling. He had finished his bowl and a servant came and picked it up quickly.
"What have I missed?" I asked looking at Théoden.
"What was left of my riders were placed on the deeping wall to keep watch. There is no need for any greater military force. We are safe here and I would like to see Saruman try to reach us." He said proudly. From what I have seen of the fortress so far I believed him.
"What are my duties, my lord?" I asked.
"Stay near Gamling and help the women and children with any needs that arise." He said and he too finished his stew and stood up from the table. He crossed the room and sat in his throne. Gamling picked up his helmet from the floor by the table and tucked it under his arm. Another guard came in from the archway to the cavern and stood by Théoden.
"What is the report?" Théoden asked him.
"There may be a dire shortage of provisions within the fortnight, my lord." He said. Gamling walked over and half stepped up on the pedestal that the throne sat on. He leaned in to listen.
"We shall send out riders on the morrow." Théoden said.
"Where will we send them, my lord?" Gamling asked.
"We…." Théoden started to say but everyone's attention turned to the front doors of the hall as the sound of the heavy latch echoed off the stone walls. Both of the doors opened at the same time. My lips parted in shock and my spoon slipped from my frozen fingers and clattered on the table. It was Aragorn. He lingered in the doorway for a moment catching his breath. If I were to say he looked worse for wear it would have been a great understatement.
"Aragorn!" I called out standing up. He looked at me and nodded.
"My lady." He said and he entered the hall. I picked up my water goblet from the table and hurried over to him. He stared at me for a few moments with a raised eyebrow at my attire. I held out the goblet to him. He took it and drained it quickly. He handed it back to me. A servant came with a bowl of steaming stew.
"My lord," she said bowing her head handing it out to him.
"There is no time for that." He said and he walked toward Théoden. "I bring ill news."
"What is it?" Théoden asked standing up. Gimli and Legolas now entered the hall and walked toward Aragorn.
"On my journey here I came upon a great host of Uruk-Hai marching across the plains. Their path led directly to this fortress." He said. Théoden paced toward the door with his back to Aragorn. The rest of the guards stood from the table and stood at Gamling's side listening.
"A great host, you say?" Théoden asked.
"All Isengard is emptied." Aragorn said moving to the side of the hall. He shifted his weight to left side and then clutched his left forearm. Was he wounded?
"How many?" Théoden asked.
"Ten thousand strong at least." Aragorn said. Théoden turned around and stared at Aragorn in disbelief.
"Ten thousand?" he asked. Aragorn sighed.
"It is an army bred for a single purpose…" He said. Théoden took a few steps towards him. "To destroy the world of men." Aragorn finished. Théoden's expression turned to panic in seconds. His eyes drifted about as thoughts and rationalities battled inside his mind.
"They will be here by nightfall." Aragorn said breaking his trance like state. Théoden stared at him for several moments and then he turned away from Aragorn. He started walking toward the doors in brisk, stern steps.
"Let them come!" He exclaimed and he left the hall. Aragorn sighed and turned to look at Legolas and Gimli.
"Were they all Uruks?" Legolas asked him.
"Every last one of them. All armed, armored, and lusting for blood." Aragorn said and then he winced as a pain spread through his arm. His knees buckled for a moment. I rushed over.
"My Lord!" I said gently grabbing his good arm. "Please! Sit down!" I said and urged him toward the table. He nodded and allowed me to lead him. When he sat down I handed him another water goblet.
"Thank you." He said taking it. Gamling came over.
"Do you need anything, my lady? Shall I fetch my mother?" he asked.
"Bring me a bucket of warm water and a couple of clean rags." I said. Aragorn lifted his hand up.
"No, no. I am fine. There is no need." He said.
"Hush!" I said and gently placed his arm on his lap. "Stop moving it!" I said. He kept silent but I could read his expression of protest. Gamling hurried through the archway to the cavern and soon he and Eohides rushed back in with a bucket of water and some rags. She placed them at my feet.
I undid the ties to Aragorn's gauntlet and gently pulled it off. I wiped away grime and blood from his skin but there was no open wound, just a deep, dark bruise. He was lucky. I returned the gauntlet to his forearm and then dipped another rag into the water and started wiping his face and forehead. I stopped and pressed the rag to his forehead.
"You have a fever! We must get you to rest and find a draught." I said. He reached up and gently pulled my hand away from his face.
"I will take a draught in time I promise." He said and he stood. "There is too much to do." he said and he looked at Legolas and Gimli.
"We must find out what the king wants to do." Gamling said to me. I nodded at him, but casted a worried glance at Aragorn. Aragorn placed his good hand on my shoulder to reassure me.
"I will be fine. I have been in much worse condition." He said.
Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Gamling, and I all filed out of the hall. Théoden was standing on a raised platform looking over the fortress. He leaned on his hands that were gripping the wall with stressed fingers. He turned around to us as we approached.
"Follow me." He said to Gamling who nodded. We made our way down to the second level of the keep. The walkways were still packed with people even with all the congestion on the caverns. Théoden stopped for a moment until Gamling was at his side.
"I want every man and strong lad able to bear arms to be ready for battle by nightfall." He said and he patted Gamling on the shoulder. Gamling nodded to him. Théoden continued on toward the gate of the causeway as Gamling hurried back up to the hall. I wasn't sure who I was supposed to follow but with Gamling's absence someone still had to guard the king.
A few soldiers were nailing boards over rotting patches of wood on the gate. Théoden walked out the doors to the causeway and turned around to look up at the battle tower.
"We will cover the causeway and the gate from above." He said gesturing to both. "No army has ever breeched the deeping wall, or set foot inside the Hornburg." He said proudly.
"This is no rabble of mindless orcs." Gimli said. He was standing by the gate leaning on his axe. "These are Uruk-Hai. Their armor is thick and their shields broad." Théoden did not seem too happy about his comment and he stepped toward the dwarf.
"I have fought many war, Master Dwarf." He said. "I know how to defend my own keep." Théoden walked sternly back through the doors of the gate. Gimli didn't look very happy but he bit his tongue as we followed the king.
Théoden walked back toward the hall. "They will break upon this fortress like water on rock. Saruman's hordes will pillage and burn. We've seen it before." He said as we approached the platform overlooking the gate. "Crops can be resown…homes rebuilt." Théoden stopped on the platform and looked out to the thick line of women and children filing into the hall to enter the caverns. "Within these walls….we will outlast them." He said and he continued on.
"They do not come to destroy Rohan's crops or villages!" Aragorn said with anger growing in his voice. "They come to destroy its people. Down to the last child."
Théoden turned on his heels and I saw rage flare in his eyes. He reached out and grabbed Aragorn by his jacket.
"What would you have me do?" he asked leaning into Aragorn's face. "Look at my men. Their courage hangs by a thread." Aragorn looked at him but said nothing. Théoden continued. "If this is to be our end, than I would have them make such an end as to be worthy of remembrance!" Théoden glared at Aragorn, but released his jacket and turned away from him.
"Send out riders, my lord!" Aragorn said. "You must call for aid." Théoden turned back to him leaning back into his space.
"And who will come? Elves? Dwarves?" he said and he glanced at Legolas and Gimli. "We are not so lucky in our friends as you. The old alliances are dead!"
"Gondor will answer." Aragorn said.
"GONDOR?" Théoden exclaimed with rage now fully exposed. "Where was Gondor when the Westfold fell? Where was Gondor when our enemies closed in around us? Where was Gon….." Théoden stopped realizing that he had let his emotions get out of control. He looked down for a few moments and then looked back up at Aragorn. "No, my lord Aragorn…we are alone." He said. He finally turned away from Aragorn and walked toward the hall. Aragorn sighed, but remained silent. He looked over at me.
"You had better go with him." He said and rested his hand on my shoulder. "Whatever happens this night, trust your own mind and judgments." He said and he, Legolas, and Gimli walked away in the opposite direction as Théoden.
I rushed to catch up with the king. He had met back up with Gamling and a couple of the other guards. They hurried up the steps to the hall.
"Get the women and children into the caves." Théoden commanded. Gamling interjected.
"We need more time to lay provisions…." He said but Théoden cut him off.
"There is no time! War is upon us." Théoden said walking briskly into the hall.
"Secure the gate." One guard said to a doorman as we entered the hall.
"Deya?" Théoden said stopping in the middle of the hall.
"Yes, my lord?" I asked.
"I want you to accompany Grimwold and Friktuff through every walkway of this fortress. Send every single man and boy to the armory and get all the women and young children into the caves as soon as you can. Gamling, you will help me ready for battle." He said.
"Yes, my lord." I said nodding my head. Grimwold and Friktuff also nodded. Théoden and Gamling continued on through the hall and toward the door to the king's quarters. Grimwold and Friktuff both turned to me and bowed their heads.
"Captain." They said in unison.
I looked upon them. What series of twisted fates led us to this moment? This was far from what I expected when I passed back through the gates of Edoras. Eomer faded somewhere in between memory and dream and kept getting pushed further and further into the black darkness of the very back of my mind. I was still inexperienced in many ways of war and of this world that was growing dark in shadow. These two men were now under my command. They had no doubt been loyal servants to the king for years as were their fathers who probably died in battles long past. I felt like a fake. I felt like I did not deserve the power that was forced upon me. I wanted to earn a title not be responsible for the lives of these two man and many many more as the night passed. What is to become of this poor, love stricken woman who crawled through the threads of time to mend burnt bridges and reclaim old affections? Would I perish with the rest of Rohan? I glanced up at the sky. The sun was already beginning to set. Would I see the sunrise?
"My lady?" Friktuff asked. I glared at him for a moment pressing my gaze hard against his own. He gulped growing nervous.
"You, soldier, will refer to me as Captain." I said and I raised my hand and pointed at him square between his eyes.
"Sorry, Captain." He said and took a few steps back. I lowered my hand and looked at the men.
"When that sun rises and my blood is split upon your own, there will be no differences between man and woman. Let us just pray there will be even fewer differences between the living and the dead." I said and I turned from them and marched down the stairs.