The Edge of Night

The King's Decision

"By order of the king the city must empty. We make for the refuge of Helm's Deep. Do not burden yourself with treasures. Take only what provisions you need." Hama announces in the middle of the town as those who live there scurry about, trying to prepare for the long journey ahead.

"Helm's Deep." Gandalf says in disgust as Legolas, Aragorn, Elfwyn, and Gimli trail after him. "They flee to the mountains when they should stand and fight. Who will defend them if not their king?"

"You forget Gandalf. My father has already lost much. He fears his rule is wavering. He does what he must to protect our people."

"Elfwyn is right. Helm's Deep has saved them in the past." Aragorn reiterates, hoping Gandalf will see to reason.

"There is no way out of that ravine. Theoden is walking into a trap. He thinks he's leading them to safety. What they will get is a massacre."

"We need more men." Elfwyn says simply. "We need Eomer."

Gandalf nods. "Theoden has a strong will, but I fear for him. I fear for you and the survival of Rohan." He says, turning towards the princess of Rohan. "He will need you before the end, Aragorn. The people of Rohan will need you. The defenses have to hold."

"They will hold." He promises. Gandalf nods, satisfied with Aragorn's promise.

"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." He whispers, more to himself than anyone, before mounting Shadowfax and turning him towards the stable door. "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." They nod, and Gandalf gallops out, leaving the city in haste.

They are prepping their horses for departure and two of the guards are having trouble with one in a back stall. Elfwyn looks on with sadness before retreating from the stable, Legolas following closely behind her. "What is wrong?"

"That was Brego, my brother's horse. The pain of his loss is still raw, still raging underneath the surface. To see his beloved horse like that, at the hands of someone Rohan once counted as a friend... I would put a dagger through Saruman's heart myself if given the opportunity."

"Such violent words from one with such a soft face." Legolas jokes, trying to distract her from her grief.

"Surely you know me better than that. Soft face, ha!" Just then the stable doors burst open and Brego, without a lead or halter, runs to the plains outside the city walls, free. "There goes the spirit of my brother, free to run, free to live." She says sadly before turning to mind her horse.

She sits upon one of her trusted steeds on a hill overlooking the city, as she watches her people mill out in a line, like ants marching to and fro. This was not what she had in mind when their path turned her home to Edoras. That she would be leaving again so soon, and for Helm's Deep. From a safety standpoint she could understand the advantage. There were the caves, for the woman and children to hide in, much safer than trying to keep the fighting out of the city in Edoras.

But her visions and the niggling feeling in her heart provide more anxieties than calmness in the days that they have spent on the move. She's in the middle of the group, beside her father and Aragorn, the latter it seems is deep in thought. "You understand why I made this decision, right?"

"Yes Father... and no. It will be easier to defend our people at Helm's Deep rather than Edoras. But we are vulnerable out here, in the wild. And without most of our men, I worry for the journey."

"We will be safe. I trust each of my men with my own life, and yours." She nods but continues to survey their surroundings.

They come to a stop that night and she quickly goes to one of the village women for dinner, who is all to happy to offer her a small helping. In exchange, Elfwyn offers her provisions from the royal carts. "No, thank you Princess. We have plenty."

"You will need your strength, for the remaining journey. Please, allow me this courtesy to repay your kindness." They smile and bow deeply and she blushes.

She watches with interest as Eowyn gives Aragorn some of her stew, a small smile gracing her lips. Eowyn was not known for her cooking. House work was not an area that her cousin was extremely skilled. And that still seemed to prove true, judging by the look on Aragorn's face and the sudden green tint to his skin.

As she settles into her sleeping pack that night, and drifts off to sleep, her mind takes her far from the plains for Rohan, across rivers and through valleys, back to the towering trees of Lorien and her love. "We have to stop meeting like this." She jokes once Haldir turns round to greet her.

"You are still safe?" He inquires, after kissing her in greeting.

"Presently, although that can change at any moment. We are on the way to Helm's Deep. My father... he fears an attack from Isengard and thus we have left Edoras and are fleeing to the mountains."

"It is as you have foreseen, is it not?"

She nods. "We will hold this course until we are safely behind the fortified walls of Helm's Deep. And then it shall rain blood with all the death we will experience."

He looks at her, grimly. "Have you had any more visions?"

"No. Just the awful sense of foreboding as more and more things I have seen come to pass." She looks out of Lorien, taking in the star lanterns and the elves silently walking home for the evening, not a worry among them, at least not outwardly. "We had to bury my brother upon arrival." She whispers into the night. "He was struck down by Saruman's forces while I was away, having an adventure."

"You could not have stopped this. Fate is a fickle thing. What is meant to be, will be, whether we want it to or not."

"Are you speaking of Theodred now, or of us?"

"A bit of both, I suppose."

"The only reason I did not stop Theodred's passing is because I was not here to interfere. I will be there when I can save you, and I will do what I must."

"I do not wish to fight with you again on this."

"Nor I you. But we are both stubborn and it seems that, until this battle occurs, we will constantly be at odds about this."

"What do you expect me to do if you die?"

"I know what will become of you. But you cannot ask me to live the rest of my life without you, if I let you die. I might not die from a broken heart, but it will kill me just the same. Only one of us is cursed to continue on if the other should die."

Before he can respond, something in her waking world pulled at her, forcing her to leave him again. They set out that next morning and she mostly keeps to herself, worrying those who love her.