AN: It is a little shorter than normal chapters, but Zoe and i are tired. We promise to make the next chapter longer. Thank you for your support :)
Hope you enjoy.
Chapter 15
Time had passed slowly for those trapped inside the main keep. Men rushed around the room, trying to find anything to help barricade the doors in hopes of keeping the orcs out. Others leaned against the door trying to hold it in place while it was constantly bombarded by the host of orcs on the other side.
Aragorn, Legolas and Bee found themselves helping to trap themselves further, while Gimli and Celandine stood off to the far side of the room, trying not to get in the way of those running to seal the door.
Théoden stood alongside Gamling a look of defeat upon his face as he watched his men scramble trying their best to save themselves and those in the caves depending on them.
"The fortress is taken. It is over." Theoden announced weakly giving up any hope of survival. Not believing what he had heard Aragorn glanced up at the King of Rohan as he continued his efforts.
"You said this fortress would never fall while your men defend it. They still defend it. They have died defending it!" he all but yelled at the defeated King, demanding he be listened to.
Suddenly a loud bang echoed through the stone walls, followed by the sounds of fear of the women and children below them hidden away in the caves.
"Is there no other way for the women and children to get out of the caves?" Aragorn asked, scared for them.
The king and his men made no reply, their despair deepening.
"Is there no other way?" Aragorn insisted, beginning to become frantic.
Just as he had given up on the king and his men, finally he got a reply. "There is one passage. It leads into the mountains. But they will not get far. The Uruk-hai are too many." Gamling replied. He had clearly relinquished the idea that any of them would survive. Aragorn took him by the shoulder, making him look him in the eye, hoping to bolster his spirits. "Send word for the women and children to make for the mountain pass. And barricade the entrance!"
Gamling moved to follow his order, his king watching him go.
"So much death. What can men do against such reckless hate?"
Aragorn looked to him, saddened to see his surrender. The sound of the orcs battering ram continued to shake the fort, the men, Legolas and Bee continued to hastily bar the door. Aragorn grasped desperately for a solution, for something to pull them through. His eyes fell on Celandine and he beheld the look of utter terror in her eyes. Yet still, behind that quivering gaze, he sensed a hidden strength, an unwavering defiance. He was suddenly reminded of Frodo, of the reason they had to pull through. And the solution came to him. "Ride out with me."
Theoden turned to him in disbelief
"Ride out and meet them." Aragorn said emphatically, gaze riveted on the king, urging him to again take up hope. "For death and glory?" Theoden asked, wondering if this was a last ditch attempt to appear noble and heroic.
"For Rohan. For your people." Aragorn replied, reminding him of why he was fighting.
"The sun is rising." Gimli said, looking to the window. Aragorn looked also and saw the white lights beaming through the window, illuminating the cold stone. He remembered Gandalf's words before this awful battle began "Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the East."
Aragorn looked to the king, waiting for his reply. Would he stand and fight for his people?
"Yes. Yes! The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the deep, one last time" Theoden declared, rousing his men from their apathy.
"Yes!" Gimli cried, heart lifted by the king's renewed vigour. He took off to sound the horn, Celandine following eagerly after him. Theoden turned back to Aragorn "Let this be the hour when we draw swords together."
Aragorn took a deep breath, and nodded to the king. Theoden looked once again to his men, determined to fully dispel their despondency. "Fell deeds awake. Now for wrath. Now for ruin. And the red dawn!"
Bee and Legolas stopped what they were doing, swept up in the new hopeful fervour. They abandoned the barricade and mounted horses along with the Rohirrim, preparing for one last charge. The sound of the horn rang out and the doors finally gave in with a moaning creak. "Forð Eorlingas!"
The sound of the Horn continued to echo through the land, as the brave men of Rohan rode out to meet their fate. They rode quickly into the battle, killing as they went; they were vastly outnumbered but fought on regardless.
Suddenly from the east came the sound of a horse, looking up Aragorn saw on the Far East hill, the sight of a white horse reared with a much welcomed Gandalf upon its back.
At that moment the battle seemed to pause around them, as all attention turned to the top of the hill, now in view many men upon horses. The original Rohirrim fights rejoiced as their kinsmen began to descend down towards them. Seeing the new enemy as a greater threat the orcs sealed ranks and prepared for the charging men, by lowering their spears. They roared as they had before but now there was something different. For the first time, there was fear in the Uruk ranks. All of a sudden they weren't so sure about their victory. This uncertainty soared amongst them as the sun rose fully over the hill, washing the valley with brilliant white light. Blinded, they shied back and their spears drooped in their hands. The Rohirric cavalry ploughed through them like soil, hewing them down in their masses. Seeing so many of their kind falling like leaves from a dying tree, the remaining Uruk forces turned and ran, fleeing into the outlining wood. Some Rohirric soldiers moved to chase them but Eòmer called out to them to stay away from the trees. Obediently they fell back. When they saw the trees themselves begin to move, swaying against the wind and heard the horrible sounds of screaming orcs being crushed and torn.
Time seemed to pass quickly, the battle was over and they were victorious, the remaining men returned to the broken rubble of Helms Deep.
Many had fallen that day, and it would take a while to clear their bodies and give them a proper burial. As the men of Rohan began to gather their fallen, a dwarf sat upon a fallen enemy with a pipe in his mouth. Close by was his elven companion, a smug smile upon his face (not at all common for elf folk) as he appeared to be cleaning his bow.
"Final count: forty-two." He announced proudly to the dwarf. Gimli took another puff of his pipe before replying "Forty-two?! That's not bad for a pointy-eared elvish princeling." He paused for a moment before continuing. "I myself am sitting pretty on forty-three."
Bee and Celandine who were sitting close by paused at their task of cleaning their own weapons, and laughed quietly at the expression upon the elven princes face at the news he had been beaten.
Not wishing to be shown up even further Legolas whipped out his last arrow and fired at the orc Gimli had taken to sit upon.
"Forty-three." He announced smiling, Bee and Celandine shared an amused glance before continuing on with their cleaning still listening to the conversation.
"He was already dead" Gimli retorted bluntly, not at all sounding amused by the elfs logic.
"He was twitching."
"He was twitching because he's got my axe embedded in his nervous system!" growled the dwarf proving his point by wiggling his axe about roughly causing the orc to twitch uncontrollably.
"And what of you pair?" Gimli demanded turning his attention to the snickering women.
"Huh?" Celandine questioned.
"How many of em did you kill?"
The two women exchanged looks quickly, before turning their attention back to the men before them, curious glancing upon their waiting faces.
"Bee?" Celandine questioned, wanting her friend to go first, Bee rolled her eyes "Didn't keep count" she told them. Eyes turned to the she-hobbit. "I gert helf de blemin ermy!" she announced, standing to place her hands on her hips.
Gimli and Bee snorted whereas Legolas was not sure what to make of the she-hobbits claim.
"What did you really get?" Bee asked, one eyebrow raised
"Tirty eight" Celandine muttered in defeat.
"Very impressive…for a hobbit" Gimli told her, muttering the last part to himself, not at all feeling proud that a hobbit had come so close to his final score.
Celandine was pretty sure she had heard the dwarf mutter something sarcastic but such was her mood, she chose to let it go. "C'mon den! Dere's got ta be food arund dis place somewhere!" she grasped Bee's arm and pulled her away, ignoring the roll of her eyes. Legolas smiled, his irritation forgotten.
"Come, Gimli. Let's go and find Aragorn and Gandalf. They will no doubt have much to say about this battle."
R&R :)