Hey guys it's been a while since we have updated (you can blame exams for that) but they are almost over so we will try and post more often. and i am going to post another two chapters today so yay!

Chapter 11

The march on to Helms deep was heavily silent. None of the company spoke and their silence was contagious, spreading to the other riders who soon ceased the little chatter they had going. Their losses weighed them down as well. They had once been a force to reckon with but now the few that were left were bedraggled and wounded. It seemed that they dragged themselves forward, driven on by their king's command and the desire to leave the scene of death behind them. As the company approached the gates of Helm's Deep they opened on the one man yelling "Open the gates, for the King"

As they rode through the same voice could be heard yelling at people the get out of the way for the company and their king, "Way for the king! Make way for Théoden. Make way for the King!"

They continued through the city until they reached the keep, none felt the relief of the safety the walls brought them. It was only a matter of time before the next attack where more of their loved ones would fall in battle.

Legolas dismounted first, helping the Dwarf off and then proceeded to help the two female warriors. Celandine accepted the hand, grateful to be on the ground once more and giving the horse a dirty look. After a moment of thought Bee accepted his hand without comment, nodding thankfully to him. Without another glance Bee took her small hobbit friend by the hand and began to lead her away towards the steps to sit. They simply sat together, watching as Rohirric people bustled past, carrying baskets of food or clutching the hands of children. The noise rose in the keep, echoing off the stone walls as everyone busied themselves with some task. Bee and Celandine felt simply empty, sitting there unmoving while the world continued to turn. Celandine had never seen death like this before, never been forced to confront a life ending so abruptly. The pain was raw and confusing. For Bee, though the pain of death has visited her before, it simply compounded the pain. Death is never familiar; never something you can simply pass over apathetically. She was reminded of her brother and did not know whether she was angry or simply sad.

The pair knew not how much time had passed as they continued to sit there and watch people go along with their duties and they did not care they were content to just sit and watch the day fade away.

Legolas and Gimli had disappeared not to long ago with the King to talk about the defence of the wall, the women and children were hurrying around to sort out the food supply and the remaining of the guard didn't know what to do so they simply stood.

"Hey Bee" the eerie silence between the two was broken, the she-elf turned her head slowly to face Celandine, she noticed the she-hobbit's eyes were red and puffy she had obviously been crying.

"Yes?"

"Neva mund" the pair slipped back into the uneasy silence, wondering what they were going to do now. They had unknowingly walked into a death trap by joining with Legolas, Aragorn and Gimli, and now they felt the unnecessary pain of the loss. But as Bee lifted her head she noticed the mood of the keep had shifted. Instead of going about empty business, many of them had stopped, staring at the gates. A hubbub of chatter spread through the crowd, not yet distinguishable. As it drew closer, Bee could hear them talking.

"Someone approaches the gate!"

"Is it the orcs, are they here already?"

"No, it's a man! It's that stranger that rode with the king!"

At these words Bee was on her feet. Celandine, who had not her keen Elven hearing, looked at her in bemusement.

"What is it, Bee?"

Bee made no reply but instead seized her friend by the arm and dragged her forward, through the crowd. Her face was etched with sudden hope and insistence.

"Bee! What is it?"

Bee stopped abruptly as they reached the gates to the keep. A call came from the outside and the gate keepers hurried to pull them open. At first, they could not see it's rider for the angle of the sun. But as he came closer the effect of the sun faded and his face was revealed. The hubbub of the courtyard rose sharply.

"Eragorn?" Celandine breathed softly, not daring to believe her eyes.

Bee smiled to herself. She would have laughed aloud if she too did not fear to break this spell.

"Where is he? Where is he! Get out of my way! I'm gonna kill him!" came the brusque call from somewhere at the back of the crowd. The mob of people parted to let the dwarf through. He strode right up to Aragorn, who was dismounting wearily. The dwarf's spouting continued as he approached "You are the luckiest, the cunningest, and most reckless man I ever knew!" He threw his arms around Aragorn without reservation. "Bless you, laddie!"

Aragorn smiled wearily, patting the dwarf's back. Just as he pulled out of that embrace Celandine shot forward with a cry, wrenching out of Bee's frozen grip and launched herself at him, sobbing messily. Aragorn look awkward for a moment before dropping to his knees to clutch the she-hobbit close. Celandine fought to gain control of herself and did so, pulling away quickly and wiping at her nose and eyes. "Don't you do that again!"

Aragorn smiled. Bee gave him a silent quick pat on the shoulder. Aragorn nodded at her and turned to Gimli. Bee, sensing he had something important to do, got Celandine and herself out of his way

"Come we must prepare for the battle" Bee said to Celandine. Agreeing the hobbit nodded and started off ahead. Bee gave Gimli a friendly nod before following after her. There was much to be done, armour needed to be fitted and Celandine hopped there would be some form of food before the fight.

Reaching the armoury, the pair began to sort through the room, Celandine picking up every dagger within her reach and waving around in an inelegant fashion. Reaching the far wall her eyes opened wider in awe at a single sword resting next to the wall, reaching out she was determined to take it up. Getting a good grip of the sword the she-hobbit gave a heavy grunt as she tried to lift the sword, without any luck.

Hearing her friend's grunts of anger and frustration Bee turned away from what she was looking at to see Celandine struggling to lift a sword.

"Tithen pen what are you doing?"

"What dis it lurk like?"

"You cannot use a sword in battle if you cannot even lift it"

"Well I carn't jist use a dagga can I?"

"You did in the warg battle"

"Dat was a seemple skirmish. I cannae use a dagga against a legion of orcs"

The shake in the hobbit's voice was small, barely there at all. But Bee noticed it. She slung her arm around the hobbit and pulled her close.

"Tithen pen I believe you could take on a legion of orcs with a child's slingshot."

Celandine grinned.

"And if you don't want to battle that's fine too. You are only a hobbit and no one will think lesser of you"

Celandine pulled her shoulders back "I'm nit jist a hobbit! I'm a wirrior of da Shire!" she said, voice bubbling with offence. Bee smiled. She knew calling her friend "Only a hobbit" would get her angry and bring back her confidence. Celandine was not finished puffing herself up yet.

"Ind I am going to dat battle. I don't care if dey come at me wit da Dirk Lird eemself" she declared.

Bee's eyes became grave "do not speak so flippantly of such things, tithen pen. Indeed do not speak of them at all for the dark things of this world are better unspoken of"

Wearily Bee's hand went to her head, smoothing out her hair. Since she had hacked a piece of, the weight had gone from it and it had become unruly, frizzing out alarmingly. She pulled it back earnestly, eager not to make a spectacle of herself.

"Ya no, yoo ort ta do sumfin wit dat hair of yers Bee. Yoo cannae fight if yer constintly doing yer hair?"

"What do you suggest I do?" Bee said a little smarmily. Celandine was un-phased.

"Hobbits do dis ting where dey tie der hair back with ribbons or twine. We call em plaits or pony tails"

"Pony tails?"

"Ya, coz it lurks like a pony's tail comin out da back of yer head"

"Sounds attractive" Bee said, not bothering to hide her sarcasm.

"I hav some twine in me bag ind cutting shears"

"Where did you get those?"

"Nicked 'em o course. Way back in Bree. Lurk do ya wint yer hair tidyin or not?"

"Fine, fine. Just be quick about it, we're in an armoury not a woman's pampering quarters"

Deftly, the hobbit set to work and was finished in a few short minutes. Bee's hair was pulled back into a tight plait, that was only a little bit lopsided, rather good work for hobbit fingers that hadn't had much time.

Bee fingered it thoughtfully. "thanks, tithen pen"

"no priblem"

The two women looked up to see that men had begun to file into the armoury. Their faces were wearied and their eyes flitted around the place nervously. Not many of them seemed to be of military age, most were either to old or too young, some startling so. They began to inspect the armour, gingerly picking up swords and testing them out. It was obvious that some had not yet learnt any skill in wielding a weapon. Bee felt a sudden pity for these people. She looked past them and could see boys being pulled away from their mothers, men from their wives. Aragorn and Legolas and Gimli came into the armoury and looked around at the proceedings.

"Farmers, farriers, stable boys." He said sadly, looking round at those who were being handed weapons "These are no soldiers."

"Most have seen too many winters!" Gimli said gruffly

"Or too few" Bee replied softly.

Legolas nodded "Look at them. They're frightened. I can see it in their eyes."

Celandine looked round at them. Indeed their eyes did carry the look of the haunted, those who knew they were doomed. The room fell silent. People had heard their pessimistic mutterings. Legolas deliberately caught Aragorn's eyes and spoke in the eleven tongue

"Boe a hyn neled herain… dan caer menig!" (And they should be. Three hundred… against ten thousand!)

Bee's heart sank a little further inside her. Hearing the numbers spelled out so bluntly was jarring.

"Si beriathar hyn ammaeg na ned Edoras." (They have a better chance defending themselves here than in Edoras.) Aragorn replied in a bleak attempt to look on the bright side.

"Aragorn, men i ndagor. Hýn ú ortheri. Natha daged aen!" (They cannot win this fight. They are all going to die!) Legolas insisted.

"Then I shall die as one of them!" Aragorn retorted with bitter anger. He stared the elf down for a moment before turning and storming out. Legolas made to go after him but surprisingly Gimli stretched an arm out to stop him.

"Let him go, lad. Let him be."

Celandine felt ill at ease. No matter what she had faced with these people so far they had always stood together. Now they seemed to be falling apart, just at the time when they most needed to be together. She suddenly turned and left Bee's side, hastening after Aragorn. Bee reached out to stop her but she turned too late and the hobbit slipped past her. She called out to her but it was to no avail.

Celandine hastened as quickly as her hobbit feet could carry her after the man. As they weaved through the corridors she noticed his pace begin to slow as the anger left him and sadness returned. He took a seat on one of the keep's many steps, obviously weary. Celandine slipped behind a pillar. She couldn't think of what to say. Should she say anything at all? As she agonised she heard Aragorn speak.

"Give me your sword" he said suddenly. Celandine glanced round from behind the pillar. Did he mean her? No, he was speaking to a rather confused looking slip of a boy who was obediently handing over his sword.

"What is your name?"

"Háleth, son of Háma, my lord." The boy replied.

Aragorn did not offer another question or reply, looking silently at the boy's sword in his hands.

"The men are saying that we will not live out the night. They say that it is hopeless." The boy said, clearly frightened.

Aragorn looked at the boy and still said nothing. He stood and swung the sword around, watching as it cut the air, bringing it close to his eyes to look it over. "This is a good sword, Háleth, son of Háma." He told him. He handed it back, took the boy gently by the shoulder and ""There is always hope."

Celandine smiled, hidden in the shadows as the boy went away with fresh hope. Or at least she thought she was hidden. Without turning Aragorn said "you can come out now, little one. My anger has passed"

Celandine froze. He couldn't mean her, could he? He turned and looked right at her, smiling easily. He strode over to her. "I'd say it's time we got into our armour, wouldn't you say?"

Celandine nodded stiffly. The man's smile grew and he set off back towards the armoury. Celandine followed quickly after.

Meanwhile Legolas had made his way to the outer edge of the keep, eyes fixed upon the distance as he thought deep and meaningful thoughts as elves do. He was too caught up within his thoughts he had not heard the approach of another who came to stand beside him.

"Is it new to you?"

Legolas turned to look upon the face of Bee, she was calm and composed. To say he was shocked was an understatement he had become accustomed to seeing the she-elf being the one who often needed calming. The composed look on her face was not a common one and seemed to take him by surprise.

"What?" he questioned finally answering her.

"Guilt? The feeling of becoming so frustrated that you lash out upon those who you love?"

He thought for a moment, he had not expected Bee of all people to understand what he was feeling. He had always thought the way she viewed the world had been strange, and here she was with an understanding of exactly of what he was feeling.

"Yes, the feeling is quite uncomfortable. How do I rid myself of these feelings?"

Bee raised an eyebrow; she was slightly amused that Legolas sought her guidance.

"Lle lakwenien? (Are you joking?) There is no easy solution, you cannot simply rid yourself of these feelings" the two stood in silence for a few moments the words sinking in.

"You feel guilt for what you have said, the only thing you can do is right the wrong" Bee spoke, it was a strange feeling for her, having to be giving the advice she had not thought he was able to express such strong emotions and to be honest with himself.

"Diola lle (thank you)" without another word of glance he turned from her and headed back the way he had come, Bee rolled her eyes as that was the reaction she had been expecting from her fellow elf, with one last glance at the darkening sky she followed after him.

Aragorn pulled on his armour, face grimly set. He was often grim as he prepared himself for battle, even more so now that he was, as Legolas had bluntly put it, "half-alive". He knew he probably would benefit from some rest but now was not the time for that. Now was the time for summoning up the last of your courage and strength and focusing on making it through the night.

He was so absorbed in getting into his battle ready mindset he did not notice as the two elves made their way back into the armoury. Silently, Legolas picked up Aragorn's sword and held it out to him. The man's eyes widened and he tensed in surprise. Seeing it was only Legolas he relaxed and accepted the sword.

"We have trusted you this far and you have not led us astray. Forgive me. I was wrong to despair."

Aragorn smiled easily. "Ú-moe edamed, Legolas." (There is nothing to forgive, Legolas.)

Celandine grinned to herself. All was right with the world again. Bee smiled too. The experience of having prevented chaos was new to her, but she found it was not entirely unwelcome, or unpleasant. At that moment Gimli came into the armoury, carrying swathes of chain mail in his arms.

"If we had time, I'd get this adjusted." he said simply, letting the armour fall from his arms. It poured to the floor like gushing water, pooling at his feet. "It's a little tight across the chest." he said bluntly.

Aragorn and Legolas made a point of nodding seriously at the dwarf, concealing their laughter with obvious effort. Neither Bee nor Celandine were quite as succesful. Bee covered her mouth and pretended to be coughing while Celandine made alarming spluttering noises from her corner. Their merriment was interrupted by the sound of a horn echoing around the keep.

Legolas' heart soared "that is no orc horn!"

But Bee felt her heart freeze within her at the familiar sound. Hurriedly she pulled her hood over her face and drew back, while the others hurried to the outer edges of the keep.

Men hurried to peer over the walls of the Keep, desperate to see what approached them. The gate keepers scurried to open the gates and the well trained mass came marching in. Men stared at them in awe and wonderment. Theoden hurried down from his high position to meet them, disbelief wrought across his features. An Army of elves were marching into helms deep! Elves!

"How is this possible?" he asked as the captain of the elves approached him.

"I bring word from Elrond of Rivendell. An alliance once existed between elves and men. Long ago we fought and died together."

Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli rushed down the stairs to greet them. Celandine hurried after them, not wanting to be left behind.

"We come to honour that allegiance." the Elven captain continued.

"Mae govannen, Haldir!" (Welcome, Haldir!) Aragorn said in rapt happiness. He bowed in the traditional elf –fashion then launched himself at Haldir in a gesture of unrestrained joy, embracing him fiercely. Haldir was thrown by this gesture but maintained his composure, giving Aragorn a small hug back in return. Eventually the man pulled away. "You are most welcome."

Legolas embraced Haldir also, just with a lot less fire and a bit more tact. At a subtle signal from Haldir, the Elven army turned in unison and set their shields down. As they did, one of the young soldiers at the forefront of the group froze, his eyes fixed on something on the other edge of the keep.

Bee hurried along the outer wall, desperate not to be seen. This army of elves, though very fortunate for the people of Rohan, could spell her undoing. At the sound of the shields being placed on the ground, her heart froze and she turned automatically. An image of her brother, learning that exact same drill flashed in her head. As she turned, her skilled Elven eyes caught the glance of one particular soldier in the group. it was as if her heart had turned into stone. That soldier was Arbellason. All of the curse words she knew, in both elvish and in the common tongue, shot through her head at that one moment. She was undone!

R&R thanks :)