Jim, Swann, Stetmann, Kerrigan, Zagara, Stukov, Dehaka, Artanis, Karax, Talandar, and Alarak had a meeting. Without a notice, Eowyn was eavesdropping. "What do you know about castle defense?" Artanis asked.
"When a castle is under siege, archers at the battlements would fire at the attackers. Should the attackers get too close to the walls, the defenders would drop rocks and hot oil onto them," Stukov gave out what he knew.
"What about now?" Karax asked.
The leaders went out surveying the fortress and Jim said, "In the case of Helm's Deep, the ranged units will take the Deeping Wall while the melee units will be on ground level if the enemy break through the grate. I don't machines would fit into the battlements of the walls. Theoden's men will attack from the keep."
"I see, the ranged infantry will first fire at the enemy," said Kerrigan.
"We are to wait until the wall is breached?" said Zagara.
"That is correct."
"So the dragoons and stalkers have to stay with the melee units?" Artanis asked.
"That's right," Swann replied.
The marines, reapers, infested marines, hydralisks, High Templar, adepts, ascendants along with half the number of havocs, sentries, and energizers took position at the Deeping Wall. The firebats, hellions, vultures, zerglings, roaches, infested colonists, zealots, centurions, sentinels, dragoons, stalkers, dark Templar, avengers, blood hunters along with the rest of the Protoss robotic support units were on ground level behind the Deeping Wall.
"It looks like you have come prepared," said Eowyn.
"What makes our matters interest you?" Alarak asked.
"Hey! Hey! Look over there!" a marine shouted as he spotted something.
The leaders except Talandar went to the battlements of the Deeping Wall and saw a rider on a brown horse heading towards the keep. "Aragorn?" Jim recognized the rider.
"How is it possible?" Artanis wondered.
The leaders went to the keep and the people of Rohan were glad to see Aragorn alive. "He's alive!" said a woman of Rohan.
"Where is he? Where is he? Get out of the way! I'm going to kill him!" Gimli shoved through the crowd. "You are the luckiest, the canniest, and the most reckless man I ever knew. Bless you, laddie," the dwarf hugged Aragorn after he dismounted.
"It's good to see you, Aragorn," it was Jim.
"You're the next to cheat death. You remind me of Gandalf," said Stetmann.
"You, Gandalf, and Jim share one thing in common," said Kerrigan.
"What is that?" Aragorn asked.
"Presumed dead."
"How come I was presumed dead?" Jim asked. Kerrigan recalled Arcturus Mengsk telling the public that Jim was executed after interrogation, "Now I get it."
"Gimli, where is the king?" Aragorn asked and the dwarf nodded in one direction.
Before the Dunedain entered the interior of the keep, Legolas was on the way. "You're late," the prince of Mirkwood said in elvish. "You look terrible," he said in common tongue and returned the jewel to Aragorn.
"Thank you," Aragorn said in elvish.
Jim, Swann, Stetmann, Kerrigan, Zagara, Dehaka, Stukov, Artanis, Alarak, Talandar, and Karax followed Aragorn to meet with Theoden. "A great host, you say?" said the king.
"All Isengard is emptied," Aragorn informed.
"How many?"
"Hundred thousand strong at least."
"Hundred thousand?"
"It is an army bred for a single purpose: to destroy the world of Men. They will be here by nightfall."
"Let them come!" Theoden walked out.
"Hundred thousand, I see. Huge numbers is used to compensate for weak weapons," said Alarak.
"Numbers don't win a battle," Artanis countered the statement.
"They do help, zerg use numbers," said Zagara.
"We have 1,700 troops now in position," said Jim.
"I'm sure the defenses will hold," said Kerrigan.
"I guessed what Saruman had sent against us are all Uruk-hai," said Stetmann.
"Even so, everybody should get some rest before the siege at night," said Jim before the leaders sent out the order. Jim's men, the Zerg, and the Protoss except for the robotics rested in their positions.
Stetmann, Eowyn, and Jim's medics had to go to the caves along with the women and children. "Sir, I don't think you'll like this," one of the medics said to Jim.
"Spit it out."
"Elderly men and boys over approximately the age of seven are to be armed."
"This is ridiculous."
"What is it, friend Raynor?" Artanis asked.
"Theoden is arming old men and young boys," Jim replied in an uneasy tone.
"Is the king out of his mind? The young and old don't stand a chance against the enemy," Artanis spoke in disbelief as the elderly men and young boys did not receive training after they were armed.
"True, the young and old are easy kills," said Alarak.
"Especially that they are just peasants, farriers, and stable boys. They aren't meant to be sent to war," said Swann.
"I heard that this add up to 300," Stetmann informed as he witnessed the elderly men and young boys were given weapons. He noticed fear were in the old and young. Some of them became spearmen and some became yeomen archers.
"That makes it 2,000 against 100,000. Saruman outnumbered us 50 to one," said Kerrigan.
"Let's hope Gandalf arrives with reinforcements soon," said Jim.
"We'll have to use heavier units if the need is great," said Swann.
"Or hit them from the air," said Artanis before walking off. He went to the interior of the keep and said to the king, "What do you think are doing?"
"What is the meaning of this?"
"You're sending old men and young boys to war. They don't stand a chance against the Uruk-hai."
"Do you not know who are you dealing with, hierarch? I am the king of Rohan and it is my decision of who to send to war. I don't recall allowing you and your friends to question every of my decision. What's done is done, we cannot undo it. We don't have enough men to face Saruman's army."
"The sacrifices of the young and old will be for nothing. Don't you forget that my warriors and our allies are aiding you in this fight," Artanis walked out. He told the other leaders, "There's no way we can convince the king to leave the young and old alone."
"Then we'll have to save their sorry butts," said Jim.
Author's Note
Sorry folks, the next chapter will be on the north.