Elwing could barely lift her sword but she sheathed the blade and walked over to a man on the ground. Dropping down she pulled the man over her shoulder and began the long walk back to Helm's Deep.
This was, for her, the worst part of the battle. The aftermath, when the true cost was discovered, after the fighting stopped.
She picked her way through the dead Uruk-hai, her head bowed thoughts racing, her brother Elrohir and her father had taught her many things about healing though she was not as skilled as either her father or her brother, but seemed her skills would be needed in the aftermath of this fight.
She walked quickly making it to the inner keep setting the man down looking over her shoulder. Streaming out of the doors, the women had begun to herd the children away from the wounded.
Standing she made her way towards the door registering every face at a glance, then from behind her a teasing voice said in the tongue of her own people, "behind you, my friend."
Asterin was glad to find Elwing uninjured and on her feet. She'd been one of the first out of the caves leading the people of Rohan from the mountain and had already been across the room when Elwing had approached the gathering crowd.
Her friend turned to face her opening her mouth to speak but Asterin just smiled, "good to see we both survived."
Elwing grinned but her smile faded as wounded men and elves began stumbling into the keep. Asterin noticed asking, "should I go find herbs in the nearby wood."
She glanced out the door and Elwing nodded saying, "yes, and if you find any bring Athelias."
Quickly she unbuckled her sword setting it down on the stone floor as speed would be her greatest asset, besides she'd never truly felt right with a sword in her hand. Then with a look to the caves, she'd just left she ran out past the shattered doors and gates and into the dark leafy canopy of the woods.