I slowly open my eyes again, my head throbbing painfully as I look around me. Dead bodies lie around me as Uruk's flood inside. They haven't noticed me yet. I try to remember what happened. I was on the wall, fighting for my life and... Oh, my God! Where are Legolas and Gimli?! I get up quickly and look around frantically. Dizziness makes me fall back to my knees again. My hand goes to my head and feel liquid. Once again there is a gash in my head and this time I don't have my betrothed with me to heal me. I have to survive. With everything in me, I stand up but am soon met by Uruk-Hai coming me way.
,,Neuma!" Gimli shouts and jumps in front of them.
,,Gimli!" I don't want anyone to die because of me. As soon as I see him fall down, I tell the Elven archers behind me to shoot. I take a stance, holding my sword before charging forward with the Elf archers in tow. I slice through many Uruk-Hai and feel amazing despite the gash in my head. Legolas slides down the stairs, shooting them from the side, coming to my aid. I'm happy about that because I'm at Gimli's side way quicker. I help him up but the amount of Uruk-Hai coming inside is getting larger. I try to fight them off with Legolas and Gimli at my side, until I hear Théoden call out to me.
,,Rebecca!" He yells and I look up. ,,Fall back to the keep. Get your men out of there!" I look over at the Elves following me.
,,Am marad! Am marad ( To the keep! To the keep )!" I yell at them and they fight their way back. I know many Elves will not survive this, but I have to keep going. This war has to end! I look up and see Haldir still fighting on top of the remaining wall. ,,Haldir." He stops fighting and looks down at me. ,,Am marad!" He gives me a nod and orders his men to get back but what happens next breaks my heart. Haldir is struck down by an Uruk-Hai. ,,Haldir!" I desperately yell and fight my way up to him. It takes longer than I want, because of the Uruk-Hai still living but I don't give up. I rush over to him but when I hold him in my arms, I see the live drain out of him. Anger fills my body and I don't think twice about my next move. I use one of the ladders to get to the other Uruk-Hai who are still outside the walls of Helm's Deep and start fighting them all. I rush my way over to the main gate that's about to fall and meet an injured Théoden. I pass him to the gates and fight the Uruk-Hai trying to get in.
,,Hold them!" Théoden yells at me.
,,How long do you need?" I ask him.
,,As long as you can give me." I nod and pull Gimli with me to a side entrance. Gimli and I carefully close in on the Uruk-Hai outside the gates.
,,Oh, come on. We can take them." Gimli says, readying his axe. I glance down at him.
,,It's a long way." I whisper to him. He looks at the bridge.
,,Toss me." I raise my eyebrows.
,,What?"
,,I cannot jump that kind of distance. You have to toss me." I nod and hold him, ready to throw him. ,,Please, don't tell the Elf." He says.
,,Not a word." I reassure him before I throw him onto the bridge. I soon follow him, fighting the Uruk-Hai. Gimli and I hold them up as long as we can, until Théoden orders us to get out of there. We gets grabbed by an Uruk-Hai, who throws his arms around our neck, trying to suffocate us.
,,Neuma!" I hear Legolas yell from atop the wall and a rope is thrown down. I quickly grab the rope, holding Gimli close to me and Legolas pulls us up. Théoden gives us a thankful look before we get inside the caves as quick as we can, realizing we're trapped. King Théoden then turns to his men, doing everything to keep the Uruk-Hai out of the caves.
,,The fortress is taken. It is over." He says, his voice defeated.
,,You said this fortress would never fall while your men defend it." I yell. ,,They still defend it. They've died defending it!"
,,I cannot risk the women and children to get hurt." Théoden explains.
,,Well, is there no other way for the women and children to get out of the caves?" Théoden and the men stay silent. ,,Is there no other way?!" I repeat.
,,There is one passage." Gamling speaks up after glancing at Théoden. ,,It leads into the mountains."
,,Start getting them out of here." I demand.
,,But they will not get far," Gamling protest. ,,The Uruk-Hai are too many." Théoden then nods at me as he turns to Gamling.
,,Send word for the women and children to make for the mountain pass." I send Gamling to the caves. ,,And barricade the entrance!" Théoden looks at me, face full of sadness.
,,So much death. What can men do against such reckless hate?"
,,Ride out with me." I say. ,,Ride out and meet them. Rohan is home of the horse lords, why not show them what that means."
,,For death and glory?" I shake my head.
,,For Rohan. For your people."
,,The sun is rising." I look to the East window and see that the sun indeed is making an appearance. I remember what Gandalf said. Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the East.
,,Yes! Let the horn of Helm Hammerhand sound in the deep, one last time." Théoden says.
,,Yes!" Gimli says, holding up his axe again. Théoden places a hand on my shoulder.
,,Let this be the hour when we draw swords together." I nod at him as we mount our horses. ,,Fell deeds awake. Now for wrath, now the ruin and the red dawn!" Théoden shouts before putting on his helmet. The horn sounds as the doors of the keep give in. I draw my bow and we charge as the horn sounds again. We gallop out of Helm's Deep, fighting the Uruk-Hai. Just as I slice through another Uruk-Hai, I suddenly hear a horse neighing and look up to the East. I smile as I recognize Shadowfax.
,,Gandalf." I state. Théoden also looks up as another figure stands next to Gandalf with more horses.
,,Éomer." He sighs. The Rohirrim and Gandalf begin charging down the hill as the Uruk-Hai turns to face them. As the sun peeks over the hill, the Uruk-Hai are blinded and flinches back at the brightness. I smile and then fight with Gandalf, side by side with Legolas and Gimli.
After half an hour, we finally managed to drive them away. My head is throbbing because there's a large cut from me flying through the air and hitting the ground that hard. The Uruk-Hai run away from us. I watch them run into the forest.
,,When did those trees get there?" I ask as I watch the Uruk-Hai.
,,Stay out of the forest!" Éomer calls out. ,,Keep away from the trees!" I raise my eyebrows in confusion as I watch the last Uruk-Hai run beyond the tree line. A moment later, my eyes widened as sounds of dying Uruk-Hai emerged from the forest. Legolas and Gimli are standing next to me, just like Gandalf, Éomer, Théoden and the Rohirrim are standing beside us on their horses. We ride back to Helm's Deep, and dismount our horses the moment we arrive.
As I make my way up the last stairs, Éowyn suddenly appears in front of me. Her hands find my cheeks and she smiles at me relieved to see me alive. She hugs me, holding me close for a moment.
,,I'm okay." I reassure her, but then she sees the cut and goes over it with her thumb.
,,You don't seem okay. Let me help you clean up." Éowyn smiles at me and hopes I will follow her. Legolas appears at my side and excuse us. Éowyn doesn't question and bows in respect to us before walking away.
,,We're riding to Isengard tomorrow." Legolas tells me. ,,Gandalf says Merry and Pippin are there." I nod, happy to hear that the hobbits are indeed fine. ,,Oh, and don't let Éowyn get so close to you. You might give her false hope." He says before walking over to Gimli. I look over at Éowyn who helps some Rohirrim taking care of their wounds. Éowyn is just being helpful to me. She doesn't help only me, as the proof is right in front of me. I don't think she has double meanings. She gazes up at me and gives me a warm smile. I give her a nod, before following Legolas.