The Edge of Night

You're Late

The morning passes quietly and Elfwyn keeps to herself, not really paying attention to the conversations happening around her. She watches Legolas move ahead with Gamling and Hama when a cry rings out, causing Aragorn to take off to the front. "A scout!" Legolas shouts.

She rides up next to her father as Aragorn runs back. "What do you see?" Her father asks.

"Warg! We are under attack!"

"You must go! Lead the people to Helm's Deep and make haste." Theoden yells to her and Eowyn.

"I can fight!" They yell in unison.

"No! The people need a leader. You are their princess, you have a responsibility. You must do this, for me." And in this moment, so soon after losing her brother, Elfwyn does not fight him, just turns her horse down the hill, covering the back, sweeping for stragglers. She watches as Aragorn turns to look to them one final time before taking off with the rest of the men.

They make it over the ridge line before they are found. A stray warg rider cuts the group off, before her is joined by a few more. "Eowyn, take them and run!" Elfwyn orders as she takes out her sword and steers her horse to face down the rider. "You must go!"

"We cannot leave you behind."

"You must. It is our duty to protect and serve our people. It is now your job to see them safely to Helm's Deep." With that said she rides off, leading the strays away from the women and children. She turns, ready to face them down. With a mighty swing of her sword she slices the rider across the chest before stabbing the warg in the head. Another runs off and she does the same. But this one is smarter and slices her across the leg and stomach when she leans in to kill. Her cry causes her horse to rear up and take off, leading her to safety as she does her best to steer it in the right direction.

She approaches Helm's Deep to see Eowyn leading the group in. "Oh, thank the gods. I was so worried." Eowyn cries out, throwing her arms around her cousin as she gets off her horse. Elfwyn winces, clutching her side where blood is seeping through her blouse. "You are injured."

"I am fine."

"You are most certainly not fine. You need a healer." Before Elfwyn could argue, she is being pulled in the direction of the healers. Once she is patched up, with a good scolding from the woman who has been mending her since childhood, her and Eowyn go to take stock of provisions. There was some, but not enough if they get barricaded in.

"Where is the rest?" Elfwyn asks one of the elders.

"This is all we could save, your highness."

"Take it to the caves." Before anymore orders can be given out, a commotion erupts at the gate.

"Make way for the king." The two ladies of Rohan take off running. "Make way for Theoden. Make way for the king." Her father has returned to her, along with Legolas and Gimli.

"So few. So few of you have returned." Eowyn notes, looking at the men who have arrived behind them.

"Our people are safe. We have paid for it with many lives." He informs them.

Elfwyn turns to Legolas but he's walked off. "My ladies." Gimli says, approaching her and Eowyn.

"Lord Aragorn... Where is he?" Eowyn asks.

Elfwyn's heart drops into her stomach at Gimli's reply. "He fell." At this Elfwyn rushes off, hurrying down the path Legolas had gone. She finds him standing at a rampart, looking out at the quarry.

"Is it true?" Instead of answering, Legolas holds up the jewel that never left Aragorn's neck. "I am sorry, Legolas." They stand in silence for several minutes before he notices her clutching her side.

"Are you hurt?"

"I got into a slight disagreement with some stray warg riders."

"They split up, tried to cause the most amount of casualties. I am glad you are alright." He whispers as he realizes the greater plan. "Your cousin seemed very upset about Aragorn."

"I think she fancies herself in love with him. He comes in like a knight in shining armor, eager to save her and her kingdom. He's charming and handsome and she's young and naïve, not fully comprehending who he is and what promises he has already made to another."

"Are you speaking only of Eowyn?" he jokes.

"All respect to Aragorn but he is not really what turns my head." A commotion down at the entrance draws their attention. "It cannot be." They share a look of disbelief before walking towards the keep to intercept him.

"Le abdollen." Legolas jokes. (You're late)

"It looks bad on us as a fellowship when one of us take their time to show up." Elfwyn adds.

"You look terrible." Elfwyn looks him over at Legolas's observation. Cuts and bruises cover most of his visible skin. Before she can start to fret over him, however, he starts laughing. They embrace each other before Legolas hands Aragorn the necklace.

Once he steps back, Elfwyn throws her arms around him, hugging him before pulling back and shoving his arm. He yelps in pain. "I am sorry but you deserve that for putting us through the fear that you were dead." He smiles sheepishly at her before they turn to head into the keep where her father is going over plans.

"A great host, you say?" Theoden asks.

"All Isengard is emptied." Aragorn confirms.

"How many?"

"Ten thousand strong at least."

"Ten thousand?"

"It is an army bred for a single purpose: to destroy the world of Men. They will be here by nightfall."

Theoden looks at each of them, before turning and walking from the room. "Let them come." They run after him. "I want every man and strong lad able to bear arms to be ready for battle by nightfall." They pass through the gates where more men are reinforcing the wood doors. "We will cover the causeway and the gate from above. No army has ever breached the Deeping Wall or set foot inside the Hormburg!"

Elfwyn sighs. If the events of the night go anything like what she has foreseen, that standard was about to be broken. "This is no rabble of mindless Orcs." Gimli states. "These are Uruk-hai. Their armor is thick and their shields broad."

"I have fought many wars, Master Dwarf. I know how to defend my own keep."

"That may be true, but Father, we have fought these beasts. I have never seen anything like it. These are the creatures that slaughtered our men, my brother."

"This fortress is well protected. They will break upon it 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."

Aragorn has heard enough, finally standing to challenge the King's plans. "They do not come to destroy Rohan's crops or villages. They come to destroy its people, down to the last child."

Theoden turns back around, and grabs Aragorn by his arm, pulling him close so as to not be overheard by the masses. "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. 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."

"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."

"Gondor was fighting a losing battle in Osgiliath. Gondor was focusing on saving her own people. Like us, they are fighting an enemy that does not sleep." Elfwyn whispers as her father walks away. He turns his head back, about to respond, before thinking better of it and continuing back to the Hormburg.