Chapter 16
Disclaimer: Still don't own anything.
Theoden had sent out the word that every male able to fight should be prepared and there was nothing more to do but wait.
"We will cover the causeway and the gate from above," the king's voice came from Minerva's left, "the Deeping Wall has never been breached by an army nor have they set a foot inside the Hornburg!"
Minerva looked towards the dwarf that scoffed at the remark. Gimli seemed unimpressed and if anything, he seemed almost bored.
"This is no rabble of mindless Orcs. These are Uruk-Hai," all eyes were on him, "Their armor is thick and their shields broad."
Minerva had briefly spoken to Aragorn about the approaching threat earlier and there was a similar apprehension in his voice when he spoke of the danger. She had yet to come face to face with Orcs, but from what little she heard she knew them to be… unpleasant to say the least. She could only imagine what the Uruk-Hai would be like.
"I have fought many wars," Theoden said spinning on Gimli, "I know how to defend my own keep."
Theoden turned and walked away from the conversation, hoping to avoid the doubt that Gimli only made grow in his mind.
Aragorn and Legolas followed the king and left Gimli leaning up against a nearby wall looking offended.
"I was only trying to warn you," Gimli said hotly.
Minerva gave him a reassuring smile and squeezed his shoulder before beckoning him to follow the rest of the group. They came to rest at a vantage point that allowed them to look out over the plains.
Theoden pointed out towards the land, "They will break upon this fortress like water on a rock. The forces of Saruman will pillage and burn this land. We've seen it before. We can rebuild it all, we just have to outlast them within these walls."
"I doubt they will stop with the land," Minerva said softly.
There was a time she thought the same thing. During the battle at Hogwarts when she told Harry she could buy him some time, there was a moment when she thought about reinforcing the castle and just trying to wait it out. It was foolish of course, but she had just seen the looks on all of her students' faces and she wished she could hide them from it. Looking at the people around her now, she understood what Theoden was trying to do.
"They come to destroy your people," Aragorn said grimly, "down to the last child."
That was all it took for Theoden to snap. He turned on Aragorn and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.
"What exactly would you have me do?" Theoden whispered angrily, "Look around you. My men are in no condition to fight. Their courage hangs by a thread."
Minerva could tell that Aragorn was ashamed of his words, but he only spoke the truth. Both men were trying desperately to protect the people around them, but they each had their own approach. Unfortunately, Theoden knew that what Aragorn was saying was true, he just hadn't accepted it yet.
"If this is to be our end," Theoden looked down at his feet," then I would have them make such an end as to be worthy of remembrance."
"Send out riders, my lord," Aragorn was pleading with him, "You must call for aid."
There was a hopeless sigh that left the king's lips, "And who will come? Dwarves? Elves? We are not so lucky with our companions as you. There are no alliances here."
"Gondor will answer," Aragorn said confidently.
The anger was back in the man's eyes, quickly replacing the hopelessness.
"Gondor?! Where was Gondor when our enemies closed in around us?! Where was Gander when the Westfold fell? We are alone in this battle."
Aragorn nodded, accepting the man's words for the moment.
"Get the women and children into the caves," Theoden turned and walked up the steps to the hall.
"We need more time—" Gimli tried to cut in.
"There is no time," Thoeden stopped him, "War is at our doorstep."
Minerva grabbed Aragorn's arm and held him back from entering the hall.
"I can get a message to them," she said quietly, "I just need you to speak to them and get them to trust you. They won't come if I frighten them with magic."
"How?" Aragorn asked as a little hope returned to his face.
Minerva brought out her wand and quickly cast a Patronus. A silvery cat stood in front of them and waited for it's directions.
"Just speak your message and think of who you want to send it to," the cat never took it's eyes off of Aragorn, "the magic will do the rest."
Within seconds, the Patronus disappeared and would hopefully deliver the message in time.
"Thank you, Minerva," Aragorn said softly.
"I hope they come."
Women and children around them gathered their belongings and were headed towards the caves. Soldiers helped those that needed any assistance and everyone was preparing for the inevitable. Minerva spotted Legolas and took Aragorn by the hand to guide him through the throng.
"We'll place the reserves along the wall," Aragorn gestured to the desired area, "They can support the archers from above the gate."
Legolas took in his companions, "You both need some rest. We all do if we are to be of any use."
"There is no time to rest," Aragorn brushed him off.
Before Minerva could say anything, they all heard a voice calling Aragorn's name. They all turned to see Eowyn rushing towards them.
"I'm to be sent into the caves with the women."
"This is an honorable charge," Aragorn stated, trying to keep everyone happy.
"To mind the children, to find food and bedding with the men return. I am to stay behind while she is able to fight?" Eowyn pointed towards Minerva, "What renown is there in that?"
Minerva was not about to intervene, but Eowyn did have a point. She knew that Theoden did not want her to fight in fear of losing another loved one, and that was the only reason Minerva stayed silent. Merlin knows she had lost too many people to try to stop someone from protecting their loved ones.
"Minerva has magic on her side and therefore has an advantage over all of us," Aragorn said grasping her hands, "My lady, a time may come for valor without renown. Who then will your people look to in the last defense?"
"Let me stand at your side," Eowyn was pleading with him, hoping that he would relent just long enough for her to disappear among the soldiers.
"It's not in my power to command it," Aragorn said, thankful for having Theoden's wishes to hide behind.
"You do not command the others to stay! They fight beside you because they would not be parted from you," her fight was gone, and this was nothing more than a last attempt at getting through to him, "Because they love you!"
Aragorn looked at her with an unreadable expression and Minerva could sense that there was a little more going on here then what was just said. Eowyn said it for a reason, and whatever that reason was, she knew she hit a nerve.
"I'm sorry," Eowyn said before moving away and towards the caves.
"You are only doing what Theoden wants," Minerva grabbed his hand and gave it a light squeeze, "You have to respect that."
He nodded before looking at the weapons around him. Soldiers were handed swords that had seen better days and he was starting to question their abilities.
"Farmers, farriers, stable boys. These are no soldiers."
"Most have seen too many winters," Gimli added.
"Or too few," Legolas supplied.
"That is the price of war," Minerva said looking at the men in front of her, "We are never prepared to fight in the way we think we would be. Sacrifices are made by everyone, and sometimes all that someone can give in a war is whatever fight they have left. It's best not to dwell on it. We will lose lots of good people, and it will not matter how experienced they are. All it takes is for them to be caught off guard once."
"They are all frightened," Legolas said sadly, "I can see it in their eyes."
"No one is prepared for this," Minerva tried to comfort him, "We have to help them in any way that we can, but we cannot take away that fear."
Suddenly Legolas yelled in another language and Minerva watched as Aragorn approached the elf and they had a tense conversation. The emotion behind their words was enough for Minerva to understand the general idea behind their conversation. They were both realizing that the battle would not end in any sort of good way. There were too many of them to hope for a victory.
"Then I shall die as one of them!" Aragorn's voice broke as he stared at his friend.
There was a tense moment between the two before Aragorn broke the eye contact and walked away. Legolas made to follow him, but was stopped by Gimli.
"Let him go, he needs the space."
Minerva watched as they all broke off and went their separate ways. As she looked out at the Deep, she decided to buy them as much time as she could. It may not last long given it would only be her magic against the thousands of creatures headed their way. She wanted to stall them for as long as she could while also take out as many of the army as she could from a distance.
Quickly transforming into her animagus form, Minerva made her way out of the walls and onto the plains that would soon be a battle field. She went out about half a mile from the walls and began her spell work. Laying traps and charms that would trigger as the enemy marched forward, she was meticulous with her work.
She stuck with charms that would cause the most damage and had the potential to spread quickly. She started with charms that would cause flames to erupt all around clusters of creatures, ice that would freeze anything it touched, and puddles that were enchanted to envelope anything that got too close. She also remembered how to conjure some enchanted fireworks, something the Weasley twins taught her after they used them on Umbridge. They had hoped that she would continue their work, and while she would never admit it, there were quite a few incidents that the twins were blamed for.
Her next move was to work on transfiguring some traps into inconspicuous shrubs and bushes. She had made spikes that would come up and hit the enemy in the chest, ropes that were enchanted to ensnare and immobilize, and several bear like traps that were transfigured into wildflowers. She also took a page out of Mr. Finnigan's book and made some explosives out of some ingredients she found around the area, or at least she hoped that's what she made. Severus had been a great teacher when it came to potions and recognizing ingredients, but she was in a different world and was not sure what would come of the concoction.
As she retreated back towards the walls, she continued to repeat many of the same magic hoping to catch more and more creatures off guard as they approached. Hopefully they would slow down as they realized they could not rush the walls, and the archers would have a chance to hit more of them. Now all she needed to do was get to the top of the walls and cast her final set of spells.
Reaching a lookout point atop the walls, she began the chanting she once did to defend Hogwarts. Knowing that they may have reinforcements thanks to her Patronus, she modified the shields as she had the magic on the plains to only attack the army. It was tricky at first and took an immense amount of concentration, but she knew that it was well worth it.
As she finished the last of her spells to create the shield, she could feel the magic coursing all around her. She was exhausted as she realized she had been at it for hours, but she was also tingling with the feeling of all the magic that was now scattered through the plains. All of the spells would provide some relief for the soldiers within the walls, and she knew of a conjuring spell to fire several arrows that she learned from the Appleby Arrows supporters. Thanks to the spell, the fans had been banned from showing their support for the team during Quidditch matches by the British and Irish leagues.
Minerva made it back to the group as they were all gearing up for the battle. Legolas was handing Aragorn his sword while Gimli was struggling to fit into a shirt of chain mail.
"If we had time, I would get this adjusted," he grunted, trying to get his head through the hole.
Minerva flicks her wand and the chain mail slips effortlessly over his head and over his chest. Gimli looks surprised at first before turned to the other two men with a smile on his face.
"She is definitely my favorite," Gimli grinned victoriously as he began put the rest of his armor on.
They all chuckled and Minerva blushed a bit as Gimli took her hand and kissed it after he was completely suited up. Suddenly they heard a horn, and Minerva for a moment thought that the army had reached their walls, but something about it sounded…friendly?
"That is no Orc horn," Legolas said confirming her suspicions.
They all took off towards the gates as they heard calls for the king and to let their newcomers into the walls. Soon the streets were full of elven archers as they marched up the causeway into the Hornburg. Theoden emerged from his isolation to see the reinforcements.
"I bring word from Elrond of Rivendell," the lead archer said, greeting Theoden at the base of the steps, "An alliance once existed between Elves and Men. Long ago we fought and died together and we've come to honor that allegiance."
Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli were grinning like fools as they took in the scene before them. Minerva couldn't help but think that with the newcomers they may have a chance to hold their own.
"I never thought I would be happy to see elves," Gimli said with a chuckle.
Minerva and Legolas laughed at the dwarf as he seemed to gain a little more confidence in their abilities. Aragorn walked out to meet the newcomers, and Legolas followed. Minerva watched as they talked and everything seemed to go well. She knew little about the history of this world, but from what Gandalf had told her, tensions were high between the beings of Middle Earth because of past alliances, or lack there of.
"We are proud to fight alongside Men once more," Haldir said as the army performed a left face to stand in front of Theoden.
TBC...
