Legolas had given her some lambas bread which had filled her stomach easily somehow, and she went to look for a place to sleep. She paused when she saw Aragorn sitting some ways from the group, smoking his pipe thoughtfully. I shouldn't disturb him, she thought, turning away. After having not seen him for so long though, she craved to walk over, sit beside him, and lean her head on his shoulder. Snap out of it Alarain!
Looking over to him again, she saw he was looking back. He motioned for her to sit beside him. She sighed and gave in, stepping quietly around sleeping mothers and children.
The woman came up beside him and he gestured for her to sit again. She complied and leaned on the rock beside him, sliding to the ground. They were silent. He put his pipe away and gazed across to the moon as it raised up on the horizon.
"The King gave me a horse." she said.
Aragorn turned his gaze and gave her a half-smile. "That was generous." he answered.
The two were quiet again. Alarain's eyes started to close as she listened to the chirping of crickets. They opened again as she tried to stay awake and wandered before falling to his wrist. The horsehair bracelet that she had made for him all those days ago in Rivendell, was still there. It was dirty, but it was there.
"You kept it." she whispered.
He followed her gaze and lifted up his arm, looking at it with a smile. "Of course."
She fell silent and her mind began to wander. "I missed you." he whispered quietly. She looked back to him and he was gazing down at her with a strange look deep in his gray-green eyes. Her face heated up and she avoided his gaze, looking back out at the moon. Her heart was jumping and the fact that Aragorn didn't move his piercing stare did not help.
He then raised his arm and rested it around her shoulders. His other hand came up and gently pulled on her arm, turned her body towards him. Her head rested on his chest and her heart skipped with nervousness. She felt his hand snake around her waist as he pulled her closer. Despite the weird feeling inside her, she couldn't help but smile. Her eyes closed and she buried her nose farther into the ranger's chest as he sighed contentedly.
Alarain blinked her eyes open to see an amused elf looking down at her with eyebrows raised and smile present. She wondered why he looked that way for a moment before realizing that she was still snuggled up in Aragorn's arms.
"If you two aren't too busy, it's time to go." Legolas grinned, and it was obvious that he was trying desperately not to laugh.
Her and the ranger got to their feet awkwardly and Alarain's face grew hot. Hiding her red cheeks from Aragorn, she hurried off to get Fayna and find Brenir.
Riding alongside Eowyn, Alarain was quiet. Boromir trotted up beside her and tried to strike up a conversation. However, she only answered when asked a question and he soon gave up, going to join Aragorn and the king at the front of the line. Alarain soon fell behind as Eowyn went to walk with Aragorn.
A yell sounded over the hill in front of them and, handing his reins to Eowyn, Aragorn ran to look. He came racing back down as the king thundered forward.
"What is it? What do you see?" Theoden asked.
Aragorn yelled his answer as he sprinted for his horse, Hasufel. "Wargs! We're under attack!" The villagers began to panic around her and she snapped out of her silent march.
"All riders to the head of the column!" the king yelled.
Urging Fayna forward, she galloped ahead and passed Gimli as he scrambled onto the horse that he and Legolas shared. She saw Theoden speaking with Eowyn as she passed, but kept going. Her dog ran beside her and she halted, yelling at him to turn back. Brenir whined and Eowyn called him. Turning, he dashed back to her.
"I'll keep him safe!" Eowyn yelled. "Go!"
Alarain sent her a nod and spun Fayna around, heading after the Rohirrim soldiers.
"Follow me!" Theoden shouted, galloping up the hill.
The horse hooves thundered as the group came over the crest. Aragorn rode at her side and she glanced over as they went. He sent her an annoyed look, obviously wishing she had stayed back. They ran by Legolas and he sprang into the saddle in front of Gimli without missing a beat. Alarain spotted their enemies and gulped. A large pack of dog-like creatures bearing orcs as riders were charging towards them.
A tingle of fear and excitement ran through her as she rode into battle with the Rohirrim. As the two forces came together, the sound of swords clashing erupted. She swung at an orc as it raced by her and decapitated it. The warg however, kept going and bit down hard on a Rohirrim's arm, pulling him out of the saddle. His horse bolted in fear and she looked away as the warg finished him off.
She cast her eyes around and spotted Gimli on the ground not far off. He clambered to his feet and turned to a warg. It growled and stalked towards him.
"Bring your pretty face to my axe!" the dwarf shouted.
Before she could help, Legolas rode by and killed the beast right in front of Gimli. Seeing he was safe, she turned her horse in search of another orc, but still heard him as he yelled at the elf. "That one counts as mine!"
Plunging her sword into a warg's shoulder, in writhed in pain before falling heavily to the ground. Looking about, she spotted Aragorn. He was being dragged along beside a warg with his hand caught in it's harness. It's rider was trying to kick him off, but not doing to well. She galloped after him, planning on killing the orc, but the ranger pulled it off and it landed heavily on the ground.
She turned her horse and trampled the orc before it could rise. Then, she shot off after the warg again. Aragorn was still stuck to the beast and was desperately attempting to untangle himself from it. Her heart sunk when she saw it was headed straight for a cliff. Urging Fayna faster, she galloped up beside the warg and tried to push it away. It ignored her and she took a deep breathe. In a last, desperate attempt as they neared the cliff, she launching herself off her horse and onto it's back. Pulling hard on it's harness, she tried to stop it, but it didn't even blink.
The warg ran right off and into the air. Alarain's stomach turned with the feeling of falling. She closed her eyes when they hit the water below before blacking out.
Drifting in and out of reality, Alarain caught glimpses of the river as she was washed downstream. She woke briefly on the bank before closing her eyes again. The water ran past her legs as they were still in the river, and her head pounded. She moved an arm slowly, but stopped when it burned in agony. She was soon unconscious again.
Boromir's POV
"Aragorn!" Legolas called.
Boromir joined him. "Aragorn! Alarain!"
Gimli was searching nearby with a worried look on his face. "Aragorn?"
The man followed Legolas as he wandered to the cliff and a sputtering laugh caught his attention. He looked down to see an orc lying nearby. It had hoof marks all across it's body and was clutching something in it's hands.
Gimli stalked up and held his axe to it's throat. "Tell me what happened and I will ease your passing." he growled.
The orc coughed. "They're..." it sputtered as blood came out of it's mouth. "Dead! They took a little tumble off the cliff." he laughed.
Boromir stepped forward, but Legolas was faster. The elf grabbed it and spoke menacingly. "You lie!" The creature gave another choked laugh before going still. Legolas pushed the dead body away in disgust and glanced down. Taking something from it's bloody hand, he held it up and they all exchanged a glance. It was the horsehair bracelet that Aragorn wore. The one given to him by Alarain!
Boromir felt sick as he looked to the cliff, images of them falling flashed through his mind. Theoden was at the edge and they joined him, looking down at the rushing river below. His heart plummeted when he saw the distance to the water and closed his eyes, not wanting anyone to see the tears that were forming.
Theoden turned. "Get the wounded on horses." he said to a man behind them. "The wolves of Isengard will return." He paused. "Leave the dead."
Boromir shook his head in sorrow at those words and looked over to see Legolas staring at the king. Theoden gave his shoulder a sympathetic pat. "Come." he said gently before turning to go.
The three stood standing at the edge for a moment. They slowly walked away, hearts heavy.
Aragorn's POV
The battered ranger had just come from a Gimli hug and was about to look for the king, when he halted, nearly running right into Legolas.
"You're late." he said in elvish. He cast his gaze over his battered body and went back to the common tongue. "You look terrible."
The exhausted ranger watched Legolas for a moment before smiling and resting his hand on his friend's shoulder. Legolas held out his hand and dropped something into his. Looking down, he discovered it was the horsehair bracelet. His eyes rose to Legolas again and he nodded, thanking him in elvish. Legolas stepped aside and he continued on. His arms ached as he pushed the heavy doors open and stood there with Theoden staring at him in shock.
Alarain's POV
"Aragorn..." she mumbled.
A hand rested on her cheek. "Hush." a rough voice came.
She opened her eyes to a handsome, scruffy face and smiled. She was lying on the bank of the river, and the sun was high.
"I'm so very sorry Alarain." Aragorn said, sitting back and letting a breath out when he saw she was alright.
Alarain looked around. "What happened?"
"If I had known you fell too, I would have looked for you sooner." he said, guilt in his eyes.
"What do you mean? How long have I been unconscious?" she asked, starting to feel the aches in her body.
"A day."
She stared at him. "What happened? Did everyone reach Helm's Deep safely?"
"There was a battle." the ranger said as he sat up again and began checking her bandages. "An Uruk-hai army attacked. The fortress was nearly taken when Gandalf came. He brought Eomer and his Eored. They had been banished by Wormtongue, but Gandalf found them."
Alarain stared at him blankly. "Wormtongue? That's a silly name. Who is he?"
He laughed. "I'll explain everything later. Right now, I need to get you back. Some of us are to be leaving for Isengard soon." Bolting upright, she stared at him in fear. "It's alright Alarain, you don't have to come."
She gulped. "Whose going?"
"Theoden King of course. Along with Legolas, Gimli, Boromir, Eomer, Gandalf and myself. We will be accompanied by a few soldiers as well."
"Well then, I'm coming too." she said bravely, though her heart was pounding, and not in a good way.
Aragorn gave her a funny look before shaking his head slowly. "Alright." He helped her up. "I'm not even going to ask why."
She smiled nervously and her stomach twisted with the thought of Saruman. "My friends are going, and so am I." A nod was his only response as he helped her clamber onto a horse.
"Who's this?" she asked, giving the dark bay stallion a pat.
"His name is Brego. I first met him in Edoras. He found me on the shore and carried me back to Helm's Deep." Aragorn answered, swinging up behind her.
Alarain's head spun as Brego started moving, and Aragorn slid one arm around her waist to keep her from sliding off. Holding the reins in his other hand, he urged Brego faster.
"Was anyone hurt?" Alarain asked.
Knowing she wished to know if their friends were fine, he comforted her. "Just scratches and bruises."
She was silent for a moment. "Are you alright?" she asked quietly.
Aragorn smiled behind her. "I've been better."
She nodded, and her eyes began to feel heavy. Her head leaned back into his chest and she drifted off. Aragorn slowed Brego slightly so she could sleep more peacefully and tightened his grip around her.
A voice whispered close to her ear and she opened he eyes. "Helm's Deep." Aragorn said as they looked out across the plains.
They continued on and as they got closer, Alarain gasped. "What happened to the wall?"
"The Uruks brought a strange exploding fire with them. Saruman must have had something to do with it." he explained.
Brego neared the battlefield and Alarain grimaced. Mutilated bodies lay everywhere. Many Uruk-hai, but also those of men, and boys. Rohirrim were collecting the dead humans and moving them away from the enemies. Aragorn moved his horse passed them and halted. He helped her down and she turned at a barking. Brenir ran up to her and jumped around, licking her hands and wiggling with excitement.
"Alarain!" she heard.
The woman was suddenly pounced upon as Boromir, Legolas, and Gimli hurried over to her. Gimli wrapped her in a big dwarf hug causing her muscles to ache, and the others beamed.
"First Gandalf, then Aragorn, and now you!" Boromir said grumpily, though his smile was still there. "I though you all to be dead and now you have all returned!"
"It is good to see you Alarain." Legolas said, prying the dwarf off her.
Before she had time to say anything, she heard another voice. An old, wise voice. "Alarain. I was wondering if you might still be with us."
She turned to see Gandalf's kind smile looking down at her. She stared at him in awe and amazement as her own smile grew. He was dressed all in white and had a brilliant white staff in his hands. He laughed at her expression as Theoden walked over.
"Ah." he said with a kind face. "I see the other warrior has returned as well. I'm glad to see you're safe Alarain."
She bowed to him and he nodded his head. "Come." he turned to Gandalf. "We must be off."
Brenir suddenly sprang away and her eyes followed him. She spotted Eowyn among the bodies and waved. Seeing her, Eowyn broke out into a huge grin and returned the gesture. The dog stayed by her side and Alarain turned to look for Fayna.
"Oh no." Aragorn said, seeing her searching look. "You're riding with me. You are in no condition to ride alone."
She sighed and Aragorn helped her onto Brego again. This time, she was behind him, and as they cantered off after the king, she wrapped her arms around him and held on tight as her stomach began to feel sick with fear. Time to meet Saruman...