Into the West

“Follow Rank and file!” Eadlyn called out among her warg riders. Gandalf went to her with Shadowfax as Eadlyn road circled around her riders. Rounding them up. Burzashk muscling in those whom disobeyed her command. “What are you doing?” Gandalf asked Eadlyn slowly as he drew nearer. “they’re numbers must be cut, I must ride ahead” She said, her white hot eyes burning through Gandalf’s. “alone?” He asked “are you ready?”

Eadlyn drew in a deep breath and then gave a feeble smile. No she wasn’t she knew in her heart that this was true. But what choice did she have, for the sake of those dear to her.

Eadlyn gazed into Gandalf and then past him, to the river far off in the distance. “no” she breathed, making eye contact with him again “but I will be if I must. And besides” she paused as she could hear the heavy padding of the Burzashk and his blinded mount. “I won’t be alone” she said.

Gandalf showed a hint of a smile as Eadlyn turned gave Burzashk and nod and moved Iliad her stead forward, her War riders behind her the tore for the river and the armies of Isengard.

Meanwhile back at helms deep. Legolas followed a exhausted Aragorn around the keep, doing all he could to help make preparations for the battle to come. “come quickly now! Swiftly!” A Rohan soldier called out has he and what remaining Rohirrim urged the women and children and old into the keep. “well will have to place the reserves along the wall, they shall support the archers from above the gate” Aragorn said his voice drained. He had not rested since his arrival early that same day. It was now well past mid day and the sun would soon begin to fall.

“Aragorn” Legolas said sternly a frown etched on his face as his stormy eyes honed in on his friend. Aragorn’s attention was gone into his planning and he hardly paid any notice to him. He had to fortify the Keep at least until Gandalf’s return with Eadlyn and the Rohirrim. For he had seen the enemies strength and they were heavily out matched. He hated to think and wanted to shutter at the thought of what would be to pass if Gandalf did not arrive in time.

His hear started to race and his eyes darted around at the ground. “Aragorn!” Legolas called after having watched him. He rested a hand gently on Aragorn’s shoulder. “ You must rest” Legolas said slowly, giving him time to register his words and ease out of his thoughts. “you will be no good to us half alive” he warned. Aragorn opened his mouth to speak but his attention was drawn away “Aragorn! My lord Aragorn!” Eowyn called out.

The young shield maiden came flying through the stone pathways of the keep. Her eyes distraught, as she stopped before him. “ I am sent to be the women into the caves” she huffed. Surely he wouldn’t allow it, and she wouldn’t bare it. Not with her friends and her blood out there fighting. Surely he would see. Aragorn swayed something in her uncle, if not he than who else would speak for her.

Aragorn turned to her with a weak smile “That is a very honorable charge” He said. “I know what it is that she wants” Aragorn thought to himself, trying to hold his smile. “but this...this isn’t her time. Not such an ill-prepared battle. She does not understand” He thought as Eowyn’s light glint of hope that had fired in her eyes faded at an alarming rate. “To mind the children and find bedding and food for when the men return. How? What renown can be in that?” she asked incredulously eyes still wide from what was happening.

Legolas glanced off to the side, if ever they had needed Eadlyn. The two women seemed to have an understanding. And there was no one Eowyn seemed to listen to more clearly. He could imagine, that Eadlyn would have told her calmly to her face that if in battle you battle for the renown alone. You needn’t set toe on the field. He turned his gaze to Aragorn, and frowned. "My lady, a time may come for valor without renown. To then, to then who shall your people look to in their last defense.” he asked, Eowyn seemed speechless as she thought over his words. Aragorn turned around and headed to leave. “let me stand at your side!” She called. Heart racing, she wanted to be apart of this as much as anyone else. She wanted to hear the sounds of the battle cry, and feel the rush of victory that she had heard tale and had seen others grasp before. If Eadlyn could be a woman and fight, why not her too?

Aragorn paused in his steps and turned around, all his weariness hitting him at once he gave a tired sigh. And at once found himself missing the She Ranger all the more. “It is not in my power to command it” he said. “But you do not command the others to stay!” she called out clenching her fists “they stay of their will, they stay of their own desire! Because that they love you! They will fight for you!” she said voice raised high. It hit her like a wave that her emotions flew out of their entrapment in her heart. And as Aragorn went to face her. Eowyn found herself frightened and ran.

Aragorn went to follow when Legolas grabbed his arm. And shook his head. “let her” He said.

Eowyn stopped running once she had gotten into the keep’s caves. Catching her breath under the glittering rock formations she rested a hand on her forehead. “oh” she thought closing her eyes “must you have left me here like this, Eadlyn I am not you...but how am I any different form you. Why can I to fight for those that I...” Eowyn’s thoughts trailed off she didn’t want to admit to her feelings. For the pain would be to much. After all what would he see in her? When he had the very heart of a elven kingdom laying in wait for him to return to her.

The sun was setting in the plains, Eadlyn, Burzashk and the warg riders, thundered across the grassy expanse ahead of them the armies of Isengard covering the fields like a black river. Eadlyn hadn’t the slightest idea of how she and her few could cut down such large numbers. But she would do all that she could.

As they neared the rear lines, Eadlyn drew in a long deep breath, and leering at the black river of Orc and Hai she bellowed out a piercing stinging cry. The army halted and searched the skies for the Nazgul as who hied the wraiths orders. But as their eyes had been turned up towards the sky the had failed to notice the meager army crashing into them.

Eadlyn swung Theodred’s sword along with her own. Severing two Uruk-Hai’s heads from their spines. Eadlyn quickly pulled up her hood, hiding her face. As the Hai and Orcs look around for an attacker, they floundered around in confusion. They saw no enemies. And yet, some of the army was indeed fighting some one.

“Traitors!” A Hai Captain called pointing his large ax at the site of Eadlyn’s Warg Riders attacking the army. Burzashk lopped off his knees and finished him before he could draw more attention to them. Eadlyn calmly road Iluad through the ranks, traveling farther in. She needed to cut off a more significant number of them.

They took her for a wraith and did not bother her. Of course the Hai were two dim witted to spot Iluad’s white socks or her larger build in compression to the horses of the Black riders. But her problem lied with the Orcs, weaker than the Hai they were also smarter. “Aye! That’s no Nazgul!” One called. At this a Hai reached up and snatched Eadlyn’s hood ripping her from Iluad’s back she went crashing to the ground. “You!” The Hai growled with a please smile “Lord Sauron, has been seeking you” he rumbled. “best hobble her lest she flees!” an Orc said giddily as he raised his blade over Eadlyn’s ankles.

“be gone from me!” Eadlyn growled sweeping her leg across the ground she tripped the Orc and got to her feet. Her back turned to the Hai she didn’t not see him swing his ax down upon her.
Iluad whinnied loudly and bucked, kicking the Hai with her powerful hind legs he flew far into the ranks knocking many down. Eadlyn gasped pulling her sword out of the Orc’s chest, she smiled faintly at her horse and patted her neck. Grabbing her mane Eadlyn pulled herself back up and cut a line through the army. It wasn’t as much as she had hopped to keep behind. But she had managed to now isolate about a tenth of the army behind while the rest marched on for Helm’s Deep.

Gazing out upon her targets a smile came to her face. Bodies flew this way and that into the air as Burzashk barreled through the ranks. Behind him in line the Warg Riders of the red hand. Eadlyn smiled and rushed Iluad into the ranks as well swinging as she goes. She prayed that they could make this a short fight, and keep moving forward to the Keep.

Night, had finally fallen at Helm’s Deep. And in the Inner halls, the able bodied men and boys were being mailed and armed for battle. All was silent among the men as Legolas watched them. Utterly disgusted with the poor odds. He looked over their faces. To old, too young, or two tired. These were not soldiers, and they were likely going to their doom. But what could he say? He was no longer in Mirkwood, he was no captain here and these were not his men. Even still in his already mounting fear and frustrations, it was far to much to hold his tongue.

Aragorn looked this way and that, his heart breaking slowly as he looked over faces, faces that had not seen 17 years of life, and faces that were nearing their last ten year of life. Faces that were not made for the things seen in battle. “farmers, stable boys, farriers” he muttered with a heavy heart. Looking around at all the faces. All of them frightened to the point of silence. “these are n soldiers” Aragorn said softly.

Gimli stood leaning on his ax, he too found himself watching the men wander around getting fitted and armed all of them in a grave daze. He was slightly amused and slightly disheartened. He’s never seen a army so scant, such as this was. “Most have seen to many winters” Gimli grumbled. Low enough for the Men not to hear him but for Aragorn and Legolas to pick up.

Legolas gave a heavy frown as he watched what would only be called a child walk by holding a helmet in his hands. No older than 15 at most. “or too few” Legolas said bitterly for one whom had lived so long as Legolas, it was nearly as if a baby had walked by to be armed for war. “ They are frightened” Legolas said turning to Aragorn, the rejection he felt for the hand dealt to them shinning in his eyes as his frustrations grew higher. “look at them! I can see it in there eyes” Legolas said. Aragorn could beckon them not to fight, and they would listen. It was what Legolas would have done with his own men. And it was what he felt needed to happen here.

Aragorn looked at Legolas sharply. By now he was tired of everyone expecting something out of him when it was not his place. Even so he understood, that Legolas was an unnerved as he himself was.

The room became wholly silent. No metal clanked, no feet scuffled. And all eyes were on Legolas at his outburst. He glanced over the faces of the men. If anything, as a captain he knew well. They could not afford to get their spirits any farther down. But unable to hold his tongue any longer. Legolas continued in Elvish.

“And they should be. Three hundred against ten thousand!” He said. Aragorn glanced around at the men, surely none of them, no man from Rohan would know the elven tongue. Aragorn's eyes fell hard down upon Legolas. He felt his meaning and he knew what we was going through. Weather the elf prince wanted to admit to it or not, he was worried for Eadlyn’s safety, she was far beyond his reach, and he stood on the edge of a battle that seemed irreclaimable but one that they had no choice to to claim victory over. He knew his feelings as a captain as well. But even still. These were not his people. And his words were out of place.

“They have a better chance defending themselves here than that in Edoras.” Aragorn replied he too using else to mask the conversation. Gimli whom didn’t know much elvish watched the two of them, his eyes darting tot he confused men around them who slowly went back to the tasks given to them. “ Aragorn” Legolas said slowly through gritted teeth “They cannot win this fight. They are all going to die!” He called out loudly as Aragorn went to leave from him. Aragorn clenched his firsts and turned back swiftly. Leaving elvish behind “Then I shall die as one of them!” He yelled.

The room froze as did Aragorn as he locked eyes with Legolas. Somewhere out int he grassy Plains Eadlyn would have been smiling. Or so Legolas thought. “one of them” Rang in Aragorn’s ears. Had he really just-

He had, and this scared him. Long had he left behind the race of man for that of the Eldar. Maybe she had changed him more than he had thought. “Eadlyn” Aragorn found her name born into his mind. “one of them” he thought over his own words. But they were not his people. And yet, they were. He couldn’t stand his thoughts, and fear rose again in him, tearing his eyes away from Legolas’ gaze Aragorn rushed out of the armory.

Legolas went to follow his friend, he had seen he had greatly spoken out of turn, “whoa laddy!” Gimli called stopping him as he went to go after Aragorn. Legolas looked down at Gimli both confused and annoyed “laddy?” the thought bitterly. “Let him go. Let him Be” Gimli advised. Legolas sighed. Maybe Gimli was right. Legolas glanced at the looks he was getting form the men. He’s never felt so far from home in his life. Closing his eyes he released a breath. “please return soon, you don’t have a gentle tongue...but you have a way of saying what needs to be said” Legolas thought.

“wait!” Eadlyn cried out as Burzashk went to end the life of the Isengard Hai. Burzashk stopped his swing. “we need more troops” Eadlyn reasoned. Burzashk sneered and nodded. Grabbing the Hai by his armor he shook him. “You will serve Fellstar” He growled darkly before slicing his own hand open to let the red liquid pool in his palm. He then marked the Hai’s helmet with the palm print. The Hai sneered, but hadn’t any other choice. “go capture others” Eadlyn ordered him. He nodded and stopped off in to the remaining ranks. “bring me back as many as you can salvage!” Eadlyn called out to her Riders.