The Wild Westfold
By: Lauthica Green Clinkenbeard
Chapter Seventeen: Forty-Three…Fools
A slightly steamed Eomer parted from my side when we reached the gate of the causeway. He wanted to report in to Théoden. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do, but I was happy to see that the women and children were already filing out of the caves. The scene before the battle was heart wrenching, the scene before me now was joyous. I saw husbands rush into embraces with their wives and sons clutched tightly by their mothers. I saw Eowyn rush to Aragorn's side and she touched his face and embraced him. I smiled to myself; this evil was over.
Very few of the elvish archers survived and were already preparing to leave the fortress. Lisawe bowed her head in goodbye to me as I passed by her. I rode up to the hall dismounting my horse and handed him over to the stable boy. I inhaled deeply the peaceful air walking over and leaning on the side of the wall. I peeked over the side and saw that most of the soldiers were now helping to pile up the bodies. I then saw Gimli sitting down on his latest kill. I hurried down the stairs and toward the keep door.
I was surprised to see that my dagger remained embedded into the door. Well, now that there was a huge hole blown in the Deeping wall there was no pressing need to use the keep door. I pulled the dagger out of the wall and returned it to my belt. I pushed open the door and ran along the wall and down the stairs. Gimli saw me coming he took his pipe out of his mouth
"So you managed to survive two battles. I would say you are well on your way to a decorated military career." He said and he laughed at me and continued smoking his pipe.
"What is so funny about that?" I asked. "Do you not think there will be more battles to come?"
"There will always be another battle, lass. I was just picturing you charging into battle with a wee little one strapped in a basket on your back." He said and he laughed again. I raised an eyebrow at him and crossed my arms.
"Perhaps, you would rather be given the task of minding my 'wee little one'" I said sternly. He gave me a look and then we both burst out laughing. Legolas approached us holding his bow in his hand. He stopped in front of Gimli and started to look over the wood of his bow.
"Final count, forty-two." He said and he gave Gimli a confident look. Gimli removed the pipe from his mouth.
"Forty-two? Oh! That's not bad for a pointy-eared elvish princeling." Gimli chuckled and Legolas looked up at him from his bow less than amused. "I myself am sitting pretty on forty-three." Gimli said putting his pipe back in his mouth chuckling. Suddenly, Legolas drew an arrow and launched it right in between Gimli's legs. Gimli froze for a moment and looked up at Legolas. Legolas gave him a cocky smile.
"Forty-three." Legolas said.
"He was already dead." Gimli said sternly.
"He was twitching." Legolas said looking down at the Uruk.
"He was twitching…." Gimli said and then he reached out and grabbed the handle of his axe that was sticking out of the Uruks head. "Cause he's got my axe embedded in his nervous system!" Gimli said moving the axe back and forth. The dead Uruk twitch with every movement he made. I was rolling in laughter.
"You guys, how I envy you." I said.
"Why is that, my lady?" Legolas asked.
"You two took chaos and death and turned it into sport. Even when faced with uncertainty and hopelessness you can still jest and joke." I said smiling. Gimli huffed at my comment but Legolas smiled. Aragorn came running down the stairs.
"Gimli, Legolas!" he called out. Gimli stood and pulled his axe out of the Uruk's head.
"What is it, lad?" he asked. Aragorn walked over with long strides.
"Come. We ride for Isengard." He said and he started to head back to the stairs. Gimli picked up his helmet from the ground and put it back on.
"Figures, we finally get a moments peace and we are off again." He grumbled as he followed Aragorn behind Legolas. I too followed them, but just as we reached the doors of the hall Aragorn turned around and stopped me.
"You will not ride with us this time, my lady." He said.
"What? Why?" I asked.
"This is not a matter of Rohan." He said sternly and then he turned away. I reached out and grabbed his arm forcing him to turn around.
"Not a matter of Rohan? That wrinkly son of dog nearly destroyed Rohan!" I exclaimed.
"Now is not the time for this conversation, Deya. There are things and evils at work that are far bigger than Helm's Deep." He said gently pulling his arm back. "I promise I will tell you another time…a more peaceful time." He said. I said nothing and let him go. I entered the hall anyway. I needed to visit the infirmary. Théoden, Gandalf, Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, and Eomer were all standing by the king's throne talking when I entered. Only Eomer glanced at me for a moment as I passed by and through the archway into the caverns.
The caves were mostly empty apart from a few wounded soldiers sitting outside of the infirmary. I also passed by a few soldiers that were less than lucky lying outside of the infirmary and bowed my head in respect as I pulled back the curtain and entered the room. Lady Da and a few other servants were running around treating and tending to a few men that were severely wounded. When Da saw me she threw up her arms.
"Your alive, child." She said rushing over and she hugged me tightly.
"Yes, I am alive." I said. "I just need a medical basket." I said.
"Are you hurt?" she asked and then she noticed my raw cheek. "Oh dear…." She said and then she smacked the back of my head. "This is a perfect example of why you should always wear a helmet!" she said.
"Ow! Ok! Ok! I understand." I said. What kind of healer coos at her wards and then smacks them?
"Have a seat, child." She said and she turned to get back to work.
"I can treat it myself. I just need some supplies." I said. Da sighed at me and then she reached up and moved a lock of hair out of my face.
"Child, you are still so young. Stubborn, rash, and bull headed." She said and then she threw her hands up into the air. "I learned long ago to avoid confrontation with you. Take that small, tan basket from the shelf over there." She said and she went back to work. I furrowed my brow and took the basket from the shelf leaving the infirmary.
I started to head back toward the archway but stopped. The men were probably still talking about Isengard. If Eomer took notice in the medical basket he would be concerned and distracted. I looked around. Now that the caves were mostly empty the cavern seemed to stretch on forever deep into the mountain. I tucked the basket under my arm, grabbed a torch from the wall, and headed down a narrow passage.
I found a little pool made from water dripping from the stalactites above. I found some abandoned wood left behind from the refugees and made a small fire. I sat down and unbound my leg guards, and took off my boots. I pulled out the ties of the boots and used them to put together a make shift rack that I set near the fire. I began to undo the straps of my shoulder guards and of the breastplate. I stood back up and untied the jerkin and pulled the chainmail shirt off over my head. I set the chainmail shirt aside to take back to the armory later. I stacked the shoulder guards and leg guards neatly inside the breastplate and set them aside as well. Those would eventually end up in my trunk and hopefully would remain there for a long while.
I unbuttoned the tunic, folded it, and set it next to the fire. I pulled the white shirt over my head and tossed it into the pool. I removed the breeches next and tossed them into the water as well. First, I lifted up my arm to examine my side where I had been struck during the battle. I had a huge bruise that began on my ribcage and traveled all the way to my top of my hip. It was very deep and would take a long time to heal. Still better than a broken bone or being piled up with the rest of the dead from the wall.
I looked over my arms and legs. Many many small cuts and scrapes, but nothing so serious that it needed stitches. I sighed. Just what I needed…more scars. I opened the basket and took out a bar of soap. I walked over to the side of the pool and peered into the water. The ripples from throwing in the clothes had ceased and I once again looked down on my reflection. My hair was going in just about every direction. My face was caked with soot and speckled with both red and black dried blood. I could smell my stale sweat and cursed at myself for letting Eomer get so close to me earlier. I stepped into the pool slowly. It was very deep and the water ended up coming to just under my chin. I got back out and sat down on the side of the pool dipping my feet in. I washed them quickly and then my legs. I lathered up the rest of my body and my hair before re-entering the pool and rubbing over the soap with my hands to make sure I got squeaky clean. I washed my hair three more times to get all of the tangles and debris out.
I grabbed the white shirt floating about on the surface of the pool and laid it over a rock. I ran the soap over it and rubbed it in with my hands. I rinsed it out and repeated this two more times before I tossed it up toward my little fire. I washed the breeches next. When I rose from the pool I rung out the shirt and breeches as best as I could and laid them on the little rack I had made by the fire to dry them. I felt much better now that I was clean. I set the soap by the fire to dry as well. I found an abandoned blanket a few feet down another cavern passage and wrapped it around me like a great cloak. I secured it with a strong knot and returned to the medical basket
I took out a bottle of clear spirits, a stack of bandages, and a large pair of tweezers. I sat down next to the pool and soaked one bandage with the spirits. I took several deep breaths before I press it up to my cheek and squeezed it out. I winced and cried out for a few seconds. When the sting began to dull I poured more spirits onto the bandages and held it up again. I set the bandage aside and then picked up the tweezers. I wiped them off with the damp bandage and then I leaned over to look at my reflection in the pool.
"You'll never get all the pieces out using the reflection in the pool."
I just about jumped clean out of my skin. Eomer appeared holding another torch. I double checked to make sure the blanket was still secure around me. I felt my cheeks redden. I had never been very modest, but I did not want him to see the bruise or the ravaged, scarred flesh of my back.
"It isn't very polite to sneak up on a lady unannounced while she bathes." I said to him turning back to the pool.
"I waited until you were finished bathing." He said and smiled raising an eyebrow to me. I looked at him but I couldn't tell if my face grew hot from anger or romantic emotion. He laughed at my reaction and even though he was still in his full armor, minus the helmet, he sat down next to me by the pool. "I can assure you that I did not see any part of you that was not meant to be seen." He said as he leaned over and rinsed off his hands in the pool. He then reached out for the tweezers in my hand. I pulled my hand away.
"I am not a child. I can do it myself." I said.
"If you had a proper mirror I would agree with you, but if you missed one or two of the pieces and left them behind they would become infected very quickly." He said. "Would you rather spend a few minutes in an empty cave feeling like a child or get half of your face eaten away by infection?" he asked. I looked up at him. The fire in his eyes had died down since we first spoke out in the ravine but I could tell there was still a flicker lingering inside of them. He was very lucky. I was still so thrilled to see him or I should say, still so thrilled to be in the same building as him that my desire to punch and yell at him quickly faded. I turned my cheek to him slowly.
"Make it quick." I said. "You do have your 'duties' after all." I said sarcastically. He reached out and gently took hold of my chin tilting my head toward the light of the fire.
"I can spare an hour, I think. Théoden King and party will ride for Isengard before sunset. Théoden has just visited the infirmary for his shoulder. I assumed you were also in the infirmary. When I did not see you I walked into the caverns and here you are." He said.
"Who all is in Théoden's party?" I asked.
"Myself and Gamling. Gandalf, Lord Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas." He said.
"Such a small party? Do you realize you are marching on a wizard?" I asked and I turned my head to look him in the eye worried.
"Gandalf in confident he can break through Saruman's madness and return him to reason." He said and he tilted my head again. "Please hold still." He said as he continued to pick out the tiniest bits of rock and debris. I did not want to break my gaze from him but I had no choice. I felt my heart sink in my chest. He had barely returned with enough time to supper and now he was going off again into the unknown and possibly death. I felt my eyes grow teary but I did not want him to see. I gulped and looked away to the far side of the cave.
"How long?" I asked.
"Just a couple more minutes and then I will wash it again in the spirits." He said picking out a couple more tiny pieces.
"I meant, how long will you be gone?" I asked.
"Isengard is a day and a half's ride from here. However, I will not be returning to Helm's Deep. The refugees are already starting to depart the fortress. Théoden has given Eowyn the charge of leading the people back to Edoras safely." He had to stop and he let a slightly angry sigh escape his mouth. "You are to be her guard. However, I still cannot understand how you managed to convince the king to let you join the guard." He said and he quickly pulled out a larger piece of rock that was near my eye. I winced and pulled away from him.
"That hurt!" I said sternly. I felt a trickle of blood flow down my face.
"Sorry." He said and he picked up the spirit soaked bandage to wipe the blood away. "Edoras is a two; maybe three days ride from Isengard. I expect to return in no more than five days. I have been gone many days and I long for a peaceful night's sleep and clean clothes." He said.
I did not say anything else back. The one thing I needed in my life to help me make sense of all the chaos was sitting here at my side, but I feared he would away like a whisp of cloud at any moment. I closed my eyes. Freeze this. Don't let him leave. Leave us here forever frozen in these caverns. Eomer noticed I wasn't talking. He hurried up and finished picking out the debris. He did as he said he would and soon I had a large, white bandage the spanned my cheek. I reached up and felt the bandage. At least the debris hit me on my cheek with the scar. Maybe it would look less like a scar and more like….oh who was I kidding….several scars.
Eomer reached out and took my hand gently. I turned my gaze up to him.
"What is it?" I asked him.
"Théoden King spoke of a grand feast on our return to Edoras. When we return….when I return I will have a great deal of free time and…..well the feast would be very fun…..however there will be a lot of unclaimed men…drunk men…..I would like for you to….if you want to….I would like to be your….." he continued to stutter about in his words. I looked up at him patiently and raised my eyebrows trying to get him to continue. Bless him for trying, though. He continued on.
"The feast…I would feel much honored and happy….that is happy to be doing the right thing…..anyway honored and happy if you would allow me to….."
"Spit it out man! Heavens! You can stare an Uruk in the face and slice through his head like a twig but you would turn into a babbling fool talking about a mere feast? You sound as if you have already come from a feast. What are you trying to say?" I finally said losing my patience. He looked at me in shock and then his expression turned sour. He let go of my hand and stood up.
"Find your own official escort then." He said sternly and he turned away picking up his torch walking away back into the dark passage.
Escort? To a feast? Why would I need an es…..My eyes went wide with shock and realization. 'Unclaimed drunk men' he had said. He wanted to be my official announced escort. He wanted to protect me and make sure the other men knew I was in his charge at the feast. He wanted me to be at his side at the feast. I am a fool indeed! I reached out and grabbed the half-dried breeches from the rack and slipped them on quickly. I tied them and then grabbed the shirt and pulled it over my head not bothering to tuck it in. I grabbed the tunic and slipped it on tying the strings as I ran down the passage as fast as I could.
"Eomer!" I cried out. I did not even see the glow of his torch in the passage. I came to the blankets of the infirmary and drew them back with both hands. "Eomer?' I asked looking around.
"He left with the King not five minutes ago." Lady Da said as she folded some clean blankets on a table. I rushed out of the infirmary and up the stairs through the archway. No one was in the hall. I hurried out of the doors and over to the stairs of the watch tower. I leaned over looking down on the walkways and passages through the fortress to no avail. I heard the steady clacking of hooves and looked outward. They were already halfway across the ravine.
Author's Note:
Hello everyone! I just want to say how excited it makes me that so many people are reading, reviewing, and adding this story to their alerts and faves. I cannot express enough how much you guys mean to me and help push me to write my very best. I would also like to recognize a couple of my fans who are always been honest and have always reviewed. Thank you so much LibbyGoof and WillowDamon14. You have stuck with me these long chapters and I always enjoy reading your reviews. Don't ever hesitate on giving me your honest opinion either. Thank you all so much!