to love someone else

Chapter 35: worries

''I want every man and strong lad able to bear arms, to be ready for battle by nightfall! We will cover the causeway and the gate from above!'' ordered the King, ''No army has ever breached the deeping wall or set foot inside the Hornburg.''

''He cannot be serious?'' Aerin turned to Aragorn, but he only waved his arm as a sign for her to keep quiet and listen. ''This is no rabble of mindless Orcs,'' argued Gimli, ''These are Uruk-Hai. Their armour is thick and their shields broad.''

''I have fought many wars, Master Dwarf. I know how to defend my own keep,'' answered the King simply, ''They will break upon this fortress like water on rock. Saruman's hordes will pillage and burn, we've seen it before. Crops can be resown. Homes rebuilt. Within these walls, we will outlast them.'' ''But crops and homes are of no interest to them!'' Aerin exclaimed, no longer keeping it in, ''They seek to slaughter your people!'' she shouted. ''Down to the last child,'' agreed Aragorn regretfully.

''What would you have me do? Look at my men. Their courage hangs by a thread. If this is to be our end, then I would have them make such an end as to be worthy of remembrance!'' ''Send out riders, my Lord,'' suggested Aragorn, ''You must call for aid.'' ''And who will come? Elves? Dwarves?! We are not so lucky in our friends as you! The old alliances are dead.'' ''Gondor will answer,'' insisted Aragorn. ''Gondor? Where was Gondor when the Westfold fell? Where was Gondor when our enemies closed in around us!? Where was Gon-? ... No, my Lord Aragorn. We are alone,'' stated the King sternly, ''Get the women and children into the caves!'' There was about three hundred of them, and most of the number were not even trained soldiers but farmers and villagers. Against ten thousand of the Isengard army! Éomer would not come back on time. ''Secure the gates and keep watch, orders of the King,'' Aerin told Gamling before she went to help get the people into the caves. ''Come on, people! Quickly now!'' Aerin encouraged the moving crowd to enter the caves a little faster. 

''We'll place the reserves along the wall. They can support the archers from above the gate,'' Aragorn spoke his strategy plans out loud, quickly looking around and thinking of other possible positions. ''Aragorn, you must rest. You're no use to us half-alive,'' said Legolas.

''He's right,'' Gimli agreed, ''You're a limping mess! You need rest and food and clean water. Please.'' He ignored them both. ''Legolas, you will lead the archers on the eastern wall, I will take the west. Gimli, should they reach the walls I want you with the Rohirrim down below the eastern wall.'' ''Alright.'' Legolas replied. ''Aragorn!'' Èowyn rushed toward them. ''I'm to be sent with the women into the caves!'' ''That is an honourable charge.'' Aragorn replied turning to face Gimli and Legolas. ''To mind the children, to find food and bedding when the men return. What renown is there in that?'' He turned back around. ''My lady, a time may come for valour without renown. Who then will your people look to in the last defence?''

''Let me stand at your side,'' she insisted. ''It is not in my power to command it,'' replied Aragorn. ''You do not command the others to stay! They fight beside you because they would not be parted from you! Because they love you!'' Èowyn wore a look of surprise and shock by her own words, upon realising that she had let herself say too much. The words slipped out of her heart, and she stepped back before she muttered a final ''I'm sorry'' and walked away. Aerin turned to the side after calling out an order, noticing her friend almost in tears. ''Èowyn!''

''Let me go.''

''Wait,'' Aerin said as she took her arm, ''Wait.''

''I have said too much,'' she said, and for a moment there Aerin thought she'd cry. ''Worry not. That weight has been lifted off your chest, at least,'' Aerin said, not knowing how else to comfort her, ''Surely that's some comfort. Look at me, I still have to bear mine.''

''At least you will fight by his side.''

''Èowyn, we need you there in the caves. Those people will need the hope that you will give them. Even if it is false hope,'' Aerin said, but she only looked down. ''We only have to survive the night. If we do, we will face many other battles. And I promise you, you will fight. Right next to me, as my shield-sister.'' She only nodded. ''We only have to survive the night,'' she repeated. She gave Aerin a weak smile before she ran away to her duties. ''Is she alright?'' Aragorn asked her when Aerin returned. ''She always is. She has to be. That's her job.''

...

In the armoury, weapons were being handed out to the people. They all looked afraid, and they had all reason to be. Aerin's heart broke watching all the old men and little boys take their weapons as their hearts were being flooded by fear. Everywhere she looked around me, she saw nothing but terror.

''Farmers, farriers, stable boys... These are no soldiers,'' said Aragorn. ''Most have seen too many winters!'' exclaimed Gimli. ''Or too few, look at them. They're frightened. I can see it in their eyes.'' Legolas added. ''Everyone in this place is,'' Aerin said looking around the room.

''Boe a hyn neled herain... dan caer menig! (And they should be. Three hundred... against ten thousand!),'' Legolas raised his voice. The entire room turned silent. Aerin did not expect Legolas to act the way he did. It was the first time she had seen Aragorn and Legolas argue, and she dared not intervene. ''Si beriathar hyn ammaeg na ned Edoras. (They have a better chance defending themselves here than in Edoras.)'' "Aragorn, men i ndagor. Hýn ú ortheri. Natha daged aen! (They cannot win this fight. They are all going to die!)''

 ''Then I shall die as one them!'' Aragorn all but screamed before he stormed out. Legolas wanted to rush after him but Gimli stopped him. ''Let him go. Let him be,'' he said. ''They have to fight,'' Aerin said quietly, ''They would die either way. Here we have walls at least.'' He knew it himself. He was just having a hard time accepting it. He said nothing more, he only went outside to seek some solitude and composure of mind. But Aerin did not want to leave him alone. It was time for her to comfort him the way he always comforted her. She followed him. ''We are all on the edge,'' Aerin said, taking his wrist. They were alone in what seemed to be an old watchtower. ''I know.''

''Do not worry about Aragorn. His responsibilities are great. I would go mad in his place.'' Aerin said as she sat closer to Legolas. ''I know that too.'' He replied not shifting his gaze of the night sky. ''What is it then?''

''A moment of despair,'' he explained, ''I do not think I've ever had one like this.'' Aerin smiled and touched his cheek gently. ''To think I thought you perfect...''

''I cannot see how we will endure until the next light of day.'' Legolas said sadly as he turned and locked eyes with Aerin. ''We will have to. The people of Rohan look to us for safety.'' she said trying to seem confident. ''Be careful,'' he told her again. ''I will be.'' Aerin stared into his deep blue eyes. ''Do not take any foolish risks and do not get separated from the others again,'' he warned, ''I will be close to you.''

''I will not,'' Aerin smiled, ''Why are you so worried all of a sudden?''

''Because your life has become precious to me,'' he said, cupping her cheek, but he then dropped it. ''Do you trust you will survive this night, Legolas?'' Aerin questioned as she let a single tear flow down her cheek. "I promised my ada that I would return. Yet now I'm questioning it." Aerin felt her voice tremble as Legolas wiped her tear away. ''Death will take many of us, if not all.'' He replied sadly. "I cannot give hope, if I have none."

''Then I will die by your side, my friend.'' Aerin forced a smile before she turned to face the direction of the enemy.