The Wind Through the Trees

The Wind Through the Trees

We stepped outside the hall as Hama started to speak, “By order of the king, the city must empty. We make for the refuge of Helm’s deep. Do not burden yourselves with treasures. Take only what provisions you need.” The people started moving and gathering their belongings as we walked to the stables.
“Helm’s Deep! They flee to the mountains when they should stand and fight. Who will defend them if not their king,” Gimli yelled frustrated. “He’s only doing what he thinks is best for his people. Helm’s Deep has saved them in the past,” Aragorn explains to Gimli. “They will be over run with the darkness only the light shall protect them. They have light inside them but their isn’t enough of them to last a battle they must call for assistance,” I said looking over and Gandalf.

“There is no way out of that ravine. Théoden is walking into a trap. He thinks he’s leading them to safety. What they will get is a massacre. Théoden has a strong will but I fear for him. I fear for the survival of Rohan. He will need you before the end, Aragorn. The people of Rohan will need you. The defenses HAVE to hold,” Gandalf told us looking at Aragorn sternly. “They will hold,” Aragorn assured him.

“I shall whisper to the elves of Lothlórien and call upon them for assistance,” I told them as I petted the horses. “The king will not accept their help,” Aragorn said looking at me. “Then we will all parish before Frodo and Sam can destroy the ring,” I whispered to them.

“The Grey Pilgrim... that’s what they used to call me. Three hundred lives of men I’ve walked this earth and now I have no time. With luck, my search will not be in vain. Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the East,” Gandalf told us as he got onto Shadowfax. “Go,” Aragorn told him as he took off causing Legolas and I to jump back out of the way. Aragorn went back into the Hall as I stepped out side to feel the cool wind run over me, “Do you want to go home Milady?” Gimli asked as he and Legolas walked up to me. “I do miss it the trees always feel pain when I’m not around but in the end I am saving them from death,” I commented looking over the vast treeless plains of Rohan. “we must put our things on the horses and started to move out Milady,” Legolas told me holding out his arm to lead me back to the Hall. “Yes, we must go and bring these innocents to there death,” I looked solemnly at the women and children grabbing very little supplies. “We will protect them Artemis I promise,” Legolas said and him and Gimli smiled at me. We all got onto our horses and rode out leading the people to Helm’s Deep.

As we rode on to Helm’s Deep I felt a strange feeling coming from the forest close to Gondor I stopped walking and stared into the open feeling the Hobbits hide from the Oliphant. “Frodo, Sam!” I called out as the Oliphant stomped towards them. Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, Eowyn, and the king turned towards me. “Lady Artemis what is wrong?” Aragorn asked as Legolas held on to my tranced body. “They near close to Mordor in the forest by Gondor but there are so many fighters two little hobbits shall never stand a chance against them. They have brought out the Oliphants and the trolls we won’t last long,” I replied in a light voice. “What of Frodo and Sam?” He asked again. I turned my head towards him, “The fighters of Gondor have saved them but they won’t be with them long,” I explained falling out of the trance into Legolas’s arms. “Milady are you alright?” Legolas asked as he touched my face lightly. “She used much energy to see the forest of Gondor. She must rest and gain her energy again,” Aragorn told
Legolas as he stood up holding me and continued moving along with everyone else.

I awoke to the sound of Gimli talking and he smell of Legolas. As I opened my eyes I looked up at Legolas who was holding me, he noticed my movement and looked down at me with a smile, “Are you alright artemis?” “Yes thank you Legolas,” I smiled as he placed me on the ground.

“It’s true you don’t see many Dwarf women. And in fact, they are so alike in voice and appearance, haha that they’re often mistaken for Dwarf men,” Gimli told lady Eowyn who smiled and turn to Aragorn. “It’s the beards . . . .” Aragorn told her. “And this, in turn, has given rise to the belief that there are no Dwarf women. And that dwarves just spring out of holes in the ground!” Gimli yelled excitedly causing Eowyn and I to laugh. “Hehehe! Which is of course ridiculous… Whoa!!” Gimli said as the horse reared up and galloped away from lady Eowyn’s hold on it causing Gimli to fall off.

“It’s alright, it’s alright. Nobody panic. That was deliberate. It was deliberate,” Gimli said as he struggled to get up. Eowyn helped Gimli get up from the ground and she laughed and brushed he dirt off him as she looked back at Aragorn. I looked up at Legolas with a worried expression, he looked down at me confused, “Milady what is wrong?” “I feel that Someones heart will break by the end of our journey,” I whispered looking up at him. He looked over to Eowyn and Aragorn and nodded his head in agreement.
“What do you think of love Legolas?” I asked him as he helped me get onto the horse. “I think it can ever be truly shared with one person. You can’t possibly love two people because you can’t give them both the same amount of love. Now if you have loved in two different times then that is different all together, like an elf falling in love with a mortal and that mortal dies the elf can possibly find love again but elves only ever find one love their whole life,” He explained to me leading the horse. “Have . . . have you found your love Legolas,” I whispered blushing as I lost my confidence. Legolas looked up at me, “Yes I have my queen but I don’t believe she will ever love a Prince like me,” he finished sadly. “Don’t be a fool you are a handsome elven prince from Mirkwood any girl would be an idiot if she didn’t like you,” I smiled at him. “Well . . . um Artemis-” Legolas stopped short as we watched Gamling and Hama ride to the front their horses becoming restless.

“What is it? Hama?” Gamling asked. “I’m not sure,” Hama answered as the looked around. As the watched a warg scout appeared and charges at them, the warg kills Hama as Gamling cries out, “Wargs!” Just as the warg started to turn on Gamling Legolas ran and killed it and the orc. “A Scout,” Legolas shouts back at Aragorn and I.

“What is it? What do you see?” Théoden asked. “Wargs! We are under attack!” Aragorn called out to the king. When the villagers heard the warning they started to panic. “Get all the villagers out of here,” I called to the people. “All riders to the head of the column!” Théoden ordered as everyone mounted their horses.

“Come on, get me up here, I’m a rider! Argh!” Gimli ordered trying to mount his and Aragorn’s horse. “You must lead the people to Helm’s Deep. And make haste!” The king told Eowyn. “I can fight!” She fought back. “No! You must do this . . . for me,” he told her as she held his gaze.

“Follow me! Yah!” Théoden yelled taking off with his horse. As Gimli had trouble with his horse I rode past him making my way toward Legolas who stood out front everyone and shot the first warg in the pack. As I rode by him he grabbed onto the reigns and jumped into place. The warg-riders war cried and Théoden yelled for us to charge. I wrapped my arms around Legolas as we crashed into battle with the war riders. We started to hack away at the riders when in the midst of the fighting Gimli fell off of Aragorn’s horse, I quickly jumped off of Legolas’s horse and ran over to Gimli. As Gimli stood up and saw a warg growling at him, “Bring your pretty face to my axe!” Gimli yelled at the warg. The warg quickly jumped at Gimli and I deflected him away it dying when it hit the round over a hundred feet away. Gimli jumped back at the warg’s death outraged, “That one counts as mine!” He yelled at me as I smiled and continued to fight.

Behind me I hear Gimli kill a creature and another one soon after, I hear him struggle under the bodies of the warg and the orc but I can’t help him as five wargs come running in my direction. I take my fighting stance raising my white staff towards the nasty creatures, “Lig do na crainn a bheith do bháis, agus lig an dorchadas céimnithe ó do anam. (Let the trees be your death, and let the darkness fade from your soul.)” I whispered thrusting my staff forward sending roots out of the ground and towards the creatures. The roots formed a cage around the creatures as the struggled to get out, “Every time you move the roots will move closer to your bodies, so I suggest you stand still,” I glared at them and ran off towards the other fighters.

I run to the others in time to see Aragorn be sent off a cliff, “Aragorn!!!” I screamed as I ran to the edge. The others started to look around for him as I stared over the edge. An orc behind me started to cough and wheeze as he laughed, “Tell me what happened and I will ease your passing,” Gimli ordered standing over the dying orc. “He’s dead. Took a little tumble off the cliff just ask the beauty over there,” He said between coughs gesturing to me ridged body staring over the cliff. “You lie!” Legolas accuses him as he laughs and dies. Legolas looked down at the orc’s hand to see the Evenstar pendant. He quickly grabbed the Evenstar and ran over towards me shaking form looking over the edge.
“Get the wounded on horses. The wolves of Isengard will return. Leave the dead,” Théoden ordered as we turned sharply to him giving him an angered look. The king frowns and puts his hands on our shoulders, “Come,” he tells us as he walks away.

We road in silence all the way to Helm’s Deep the pain of the deaths to fresh in our minds. “Make way for the King!” Gamling yelled as we arrived at Helm’s Deep. Eowyn rushed towards us looking at the few returning people, “So few. So few of you have returned.,” She whispered sadly. “Our people are safe. We have paid for it with many lives,” Théoden said dismounting his horse.

“My lady. . .” Gimli started as he walked up to Eowyn. “Lord Aragorn, where is he?” She asked looking around for him. “He fell. . .” Gimli finished looking down. Eowyn started to shake raising her teary eyes to the king who looked down and walked away confirming that Aragorn was no longer with us.
I looked at Eowyn as she walked over to me, “How did this happen?” She looked mournfully at me asking me for the answer to her question. “Fighting for our lives Eowyn. Your sadness brings no hope to anyone milady. Aragorn is strong, he is still alive and fighting.” “How can you say that when you watched him perish?” She questioned angrily. “My child your anger need not be taken out on me, I feel everything that goes on across the lands. Have you not the knowledge of my true powers? I can see anything I want to see as long as it touches the land. I am the wind and air you breath child, disperse of your anger and I will calmly talk to you,” I looked at her sternly and lowered the hood of my cloak. “I’m sorry Queen Artemis forgive me. I just worry about him,” she blushed looking at the ground. “You need not worry about him my dear for that is his lover Arwen’s job to worry.” She looked away sadly and nodded before heading off.

“Artemis are you alright?” Legolas asked. “Yes I’m fine thank you,” I said looking away. “You don’t seem alright Milady,” Legolas grabbed my face to make me look at him, “Please milady it is my job to help you.” I placed my hand on top of his and looked into his eyes, “Legolas . . . I’m scared.”