abnormal tragedy

Chapter 37: back

"The sun is rising." Gimli pointed out as Aragorn looked up to the window as the sun rose. "Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the East." Aragorn heard Gandalf's voice in his head. "Yes. Yes! The horn of Helm Hammer hand shall sound in the deep, one last time." The King added. "Yes!" Gimli cheered. Gimli climbed up to blow the horn.

"Let this be the hour when we draw swords together."

"Fell deeds awake. Now for wrath. Now for ruin. And the red dawn!" Théoden nodded as Gimli blew in to the horn and the doors gave in. "Forð Eorlingas!" The King shouted. The King rides out with Aragorn, Legolas and his men by his side. They fight as Gimli blew the horn. The men fought down the causeway into the Uruk army. Aragorn stopped and looked up. He saw Gandalf on the back of Shadowfax. "Gandalf." He mumbled to himself. Théoden turned to look up.

Gandalf and the Rohirrim charged down a hill to Uruk-hai. The Uruk-hai point their spears at them, but are blinded when the sun rose. They fight. The Rohirrim's clearly outnumbered the Uruk-hai and they easily made their way through. The Uruks run from Helm's Deep and into a line of trees.

"Stay out of the forest! Keep away from the trees!" Èomer ordered from his horse. The Uruks run into the forest. The forest groans and sways. Horrible and terrible sounds emerge.

The Rohirrim turn back to Helm's Deep and start clearing out Uruk bodies. Gimli sits on one, smoking his pipe. "Final count: fourty-two." Legolas declared proudly and Gimli laughed. "Fourty-two?! That's not bad for a pointy-eared Elvish princeling. I myself am sitting pretty on fourty-three." He boasted and Legolas frowned. He drew his bow and shot Gimli's Uruk. "Fourty-three."

"He was already dead." Gimli grumbled. "He was twitching." Legolas replied and Gimli continued to grumble. "He was twitching because he's got my axe embedded in his nervous system!" He added as Gimli wiggled the axe handle, making the Uruk twitch.

...

Blood trailed Rowan's footsteps onto the grey stone as she walked deeper into the realm of men. She didn't know them. All she wanted was to find someone she trusted, someone who cared. Her ragged and ghostly state drew the attention of many and soon, the whispers grew. Rowan didn't know what she would find at Helms Deep. She heard Saruman speak of destroying it and that Aragorn was present which quickly became the hope that she clung on to.

She didn't realise that her thoughts had brought her legs to the Keep of the mountain fort. Rowan half-expected the doors to fly open, but she did not look like herself and were questioned by the guards. "What business do you have with the King?" Looking at the men, Rowan stared at the one who spoke, almost forgetting that she had a voice. "Rowan..." Rowan whispered, feeling the painful scratch from her dried-up throat. "Gandalf's apprentice."

The men's eyes widened and they clamoured over one another, rushing to open the door and let Rowan pass. Warmth from the room hit her exposed skin like a furnace, the step onto the smooth ground pricked her bare and sensitive feet. She felt more pain in her body in the King's hold than she did running through the forest. Rowan saw King Theoden at the very centre of the room, drawing close with each breath. Then she started to notice more familiar figures to his side. A stout red-bearded dwarf and a man with a firm and regal posture. The dwarf was the first to notice the additional person and Rowan saw the colour drain from his face.

"Bless my beard." He exclaimed, prompting the man to his side to turn. Aragorn felt his blood run cold at the sight too. He knew of the evil of Saruman but never had he thought to see it being inflicted on someone in his family. Taking a step forward, Aragorn whispered his sisters name but his voice was quickly drowned by a third voice - a much louder one. "Rowan." The sound of swords clattering to the ground filled the air from behind the King.

Rowan's attention was pulled to Legolas Greenleaf and she froze entirely. He abandoned the weapons at his feet and ran over as fast as his feet could take him. He dared not wait to place a hand over her cheek and one over her waist gently. His eyes filled with love and fear and anger. "What have they done to you?" He asked. Rowan wanted to speak - to explain - but seeing three people that she cared for proved to be too much. Emotional and physical pain overwhelmed her senses and she fell forward, clutching onto the elf as a quiet sob escaped her lips. She saw Èomer out of the corner of her eye staring right at her as if he felt an extreme wave of concern and wanted to say something but couldn't bring himself to do it. Rowan glanced over at him and gave him a weak smile before letting a single tear cascade down her cheek at a rapid pace.

Èowyn had been called upon to take Rowan to be cleaned up. "My Lord?" She requested. Legolas squeezed gently around Rowan's shoulders before relinquishing his hold. As reluctant as he was, he knew that she needed to heel before the darkness approached their doorstep. Very carefully, he helped Èowyn take hold of the wizards apprentice and as just like that, Rowan was taken from him again.

Èowyn helped Rowan bathe and dress, growing worrisome when she saw the scars on her friends body. Bruises littered her skin while stab wounds were held together with thick staples. Èowyn did not speak of it, instead she led Rowan to an empty room and let her sleep for an hour.

Rowan woke with a startle. She didn't remember when she had been placed in a bed, nor did she remember how long she had been asleep. Slowly, she sat up and pulled the covers off. Looking around, Rowan found some clothes laying in wait for her. Carefully, she dressed herself and walked over to the door, pushing it open. Their was a bustle as soon as she closed the bedroom door. Slam! A body smacked straight into hers as she rounded a second corner.

Stepping back, she shook her head and blinked the stars away when the other person placed their hands on her shoulders. "You're awake." They said. Looking up, Rowan found herself staring at her brother. He looked exhausted and battle worn. "How are you?" He asked. Immediately Rowan threw her arms over his neck and pulled into a tight hug as she glanced around the corridor and at the mess that had become of the Men. "I don't know... what's going on?"

Aragorn took in a deep breath and seemed conflicted on whether to tell his little sister the truth. Placing a hand over her back, he guided Rowan outside onto the fort towards the gate. The rabble outside was far worse than what she saw within the Keep walls. Rowan looked around at the masses of dead bodies which had not yet been cleared of last nights battle. "We're travelling to I-Isengard to rescue the Hobbits.." Her brother mumbled the last part as they reached the rest of the group. Rowan just nodded slightly.

"Where do I go?" She asked. A second pair of footsteps joined them and Rowan felt his Elven aura radiate. "You need to join the women and children. It is too dangerous for you to come with us." Legolas said, his voice quiet and serious. Rowan opened her eyes and turned to the Woodland Prince and Aragorn - if they thought that she would sit on the sidelines, they were mistaken. "I won't." Rowan defied. "You need me out here while help is in short supply. We lost Boromir anyone could die- you need backup."

"Rowan, you've barely rested upon your return. Your wounds have not healed." Legolas had strong arguments - valid points too - but Rowan could not stand by idly while Saruman destroyed lives again. "I have been at the mercy of evil for too long. Let me turn the tables. I have strength enough for this." Legolas frowned and looked to Aragorn for some back up but the rightful king of Gondor bowed his head in respect. "You are the maker of your own decisions. I trust that you understand the toll this will take on you, little sister."

"I understand. Trust me, the Uruk-hai from Isengard will not see tomorrow's sunrise." Aragorn could say no more on his sisters choice and patted her arm gently before taking his leave. Rowan turned to the Woodland prince and saw that he had not taken his gaze away from her. "Legolas, I'm fine."

"I heard Lady Èowyn describe your wounds to the court. Rowan, you were barely held alive with those Orc staples." Rowan looked deep into her friends eyes. "I did what I had to then and I shall do so again now." Rowan replied, looking out to the remaining group including Èomer who was helping Gimli onto his horse. "B-But.." Legolas started but was quickly interrupted,"Let's go we have another war to win."