to love someone else

Chapter 36: elves

Aerin walked inside after Legolas had left ten minutes before. She walked in to have witnessed Aragorn and Legolas reconcile. It had not taken them long. Her armour was ready. Aerin was ready. She played with the helmet Éomer had given her wondering if he would have something to return to, once he does. If he would find anyone alive. Aerin wasn't allowed to have gloomy thoughts for long - Gimli entered the room wearing armour which dragged itself across the room behind him. It was far too long for their short Dwarf friend, but he said: ''It's a little tight across the chest.'' They all but burst into laughter. A horn was heard, but it was an unfamiliar sound. ''That is no Orc horn!'' exclaimed Legolas with joy before he rushed out, and they could only follow.

''Send for the King! And open the gate!'' Aerin ordered Gamling on their way out. Aerins' eyes lit like a smouldering candle in the dark as a grin tipped her pale lips. Recognition alight in her own face, Aragorn and Legolas mirrored her companion's expression of eager hope. They raced through the lower halls, lit by evenly spread torches flickering in the deep. Gimli ran behind them, shouting out his aggravation. They sprinted up the steps to the keep and out the doors to the labyrinthine bailey—the open area between the thick outer walls and tower-like keep—rounding the hidden walls and finally coming to a sudden halt amidst smiling men. For there, standing within the gates, stood an army whose light footsteps had not betrayed their arrival. Standing within the wooden gates of Helm's Deep were a host of Galadrim, Lorien's best archers, and at their head...

The gate opened, and an army of Elves started marching in. All the Men in the Hold stood and stared in awe. ''How is this possible?'' were the King's words. Aerin did not know. Nobody expected this. Haldir came with about two hundred Elves of Lothlórien. Their small hope had just gotten a little bit bigger, and she was thankful and happy to see them. She smiled at the sight.

''I bring word from Elrond of Rivendell. An alliance once existed between elves and men. Long ago we fought and died together,'' stated Haldir, ''We come to honour that allegiance.'' Aerin heard Haldir say as she ran towards him and embraced him. "Haldir! Mae govannen!" (welcome) Hope had arrived. They kissed and spent a moment in each others arms before Aerin let go and stood next to him. ''We are proud to fight alongside men, once more,'' he said. Aerin saw how happy and proud Legolas was that his kinsmen had come. The despair was now gone from his heart for good.

Aragorn then ran and after his initial greeting, did not hesitate to throw his arms around that proud elf, humbled even in his leadership of this crew of archers to serve an old alliance and bury the feelings of animosity, of contempt, and of fear, that had grown throughout the last age. Shocked for a moment, Haldir froze, wide eyes disbelieving at the sudden strength, the heat, the scent that surrounded him. Aerin cleared her throat and Aragorn drew back. They exchanged looks and laughed. Quickly, Aerin hooked her arm back through Haldir's. "Walk with me to the wall. And through the bailey, to the keep. We must talk of battle."

And so they did. Haldir, Theoden and Aragorn followed, rearranging the soldiers on the wall, on the gates, and throughout the Deep. Archers and pikesmen were high. Swordsmen were low. Wind whistled in the Deep. They were ready as ever they could be as Aerin again took Haldir's arm and broke away from the crowds toward the keep, looking over her shoulder. On the farthest battlements, centre and still and sure, she could see Legolas' fair form shimmering in the night. Unhelmetted, with only that leather armour, bow at the ready. His flashing blue eyes turned and the understanding wood elf nodded. No sign of the enemy. There was time.

Aerin asked, "Any word from the battlements?" One man nodded. "Elven archers have spotted a distant mass of torches. They march quickly, but no man's eye can yet discern them." Aerin nodded. "We go. Come, Haldir."

The elven captain remained a silent shadow behind him as they wound their way through the back halls of the bailey, rounding the walls and taking the stairs up to the tower parapet. Aerin approached Theoden, but in the end, there was nothing to say. The King and Lady exchanged a look of false hope and a short nod before Aerin and Haldir set off for the outer wall.

They met Legolas at the center. The wood elf shared a knowing look with Aerin before resuming his elven mask of indifference. "I was just about to fetch you. There here." This made Aerin feel a sudden sense of terror and sensing this, Haldir held onto her hand squeezing it ever so gently. "The grace of the Valar be with you, Haldir." The elf met her eyes bravely, hiding the disappointment. "And with you." He then made his way to his elves.