Remains of the Banished | Aragorn || Lord of the Rings

XXV

The four came into the armoury as the sun began to set. The room was full, and Eadrid passed through men to get to a table piled with swords and picked one up. They were blunt, rusty, dull swords. 

"Farmers, farriers, stable boys. These are no soldiers." Aragorn said next to her. 

Eadrid looked around the room. How were they to win this battle? If fighting orcs was a game of endurance, they were far too outnumbered. But outnumbered and against trained Uruk-hai? Eadrid shook her head.

"Most have seen too many winters." Gimli said.

"Or too few." Eadrid muttered, dropping the sword onto the table where it clattered loudly. Everyone looked to her in the room. 

"Look at them. They're frightened. I can see it in their eyes." Legolas said curtly. "And they should be...Three hundred against ten thousand!" He spoke in elvish as they felt every pair of eyes on them.

"They have more hope of defending themselves here than at Edoras." Aragorn said, stepping to him.

"Aragorn, they cannot win this fight." Legolas cried. "They are all going to die!"

Aragorn rose his voice. "Then I shall die as one of them!" He glared at Legolas, who glared back, and walked off. 

Legolas tried to follow after him but Eadrid held his arm. "Let him be, Legolas."

Eadrid prepared her sword and daggers, and found her armour had been laid out for her. She strapped on her fitted steel breastplate and spaulders to cover her shoulders. A leather bodice fitted around her waist, to which she preferred to steel below her bust as it gave her more ability for movement. She put her leather bracers on her forearms, that were each engraved with the horse-head of the Rohirrim, its leather mane etched down to her wrists. And finally, she strapped her belt around her waist, and sheathed her sword.

As she turned around she saw Aragorn had returned, and he and Legolas were sharing words of support. They smiled and patted each other on the shoulder.

"Would you mind helpin' me, lass?" 

Eadrid looked to Gimli, who had his chainmail stuck around his neck. She smiled and shifted it so that it fell around his waist. He looked down at it and gruffed, shimmying so that it fell to the floor and pooled around his feet, obviously far too long.

"It's a little tight across the chest."

Eadrid grinned and patted him on the shoulder. 

She turned to Aragorn and motioned for him to come to her. As he did, she reached to her neck, and unfastened her Dahlia necklace. Eadrid held it out to him.

"Eadrid..." Aragorn shook his head.

"I have your ring." Eadrid extended her arm. 

Aragorn gave a subtle smile, and Eadrid reached around him to fasten it over around his neck. Aragorn placed it under the fastening of his cloak, but it was still visible on his chest. They smiled at each other, but turned to the sound of a horn.

"That is no Orc horn." Legolas said. He ran out of the room, the rest following quickly behind. 

Eadrid smiled as she saw a large elven army awaiting at the bottom of the steps. Theoden walked in front of them, eyes wide. "How is this possible?"

"I bring word from Elrond of Rivendell." Haldir bowed before Theoden. "An alliance once existed between Elves and Men. Long ago we fought and died together. We come to honor that allegiance."

Aragorn ran to Haldir, hesitant at first, but then gave him a desperate hug. He pulled away and clasped Haldir's shoulders. "You are most welcome."

Haldir paused and studied Eadrid, then Aragorn as they stood next to eachother. He looked to the necklace that laid on Aragorn's chest, and the ring on Eadrid's hand. Haldir smiled. "We are proud to fight alongside Men once more."

_____

Eadrid took her place on the left side of the wall, facing where the enemy was yet to come. A line of men stood at the stone railing, and a line of elves behind them. Eadrid walked between the two lines, pacing as the thundering of boots and lightening approached them. 

She saw a young boy in line, who was shakily holding a bow. She put a hand on his shoulder as he stared out into the darkness before them.

He turned up to look at her. "Eadrid?"

She smiled down at him. "Lucen."

"You remember my name?"

Eadrid crouched down in front of him, holding his hands in hers. "Of course I remember your name, you were one of the strongest swordsman I had taught. Although you were just a small boy. My how you have grown."

"I am thirteen now." He gave a small smile.

"And now you are a young man!" 

"I am scared, Eadrid." He whispered. "Men are saying it is hopeless."

Eadrid squeezed his hands. "Do not listen to them, Lucan." Eadrid stood and clasped his shoulders. "There is always hope." 

She turned and went to take her position in the middle of the wall. Across the path, on the other end of the wall, was Aragorn between the two lines of men. They nodded to one another and each took their positions.

She had archers in a line behind and next to her, and past the wall were another group of elves as second defense to be called upon. 

As the torches from the Uruk-hai came into her view, it began to pour rain on them. But through the clanging of rain on armour, she could hear the battle cries across the field.

"Abandon any forbearance you hold with you this night!" Eadrid yelled over the rain, her hair clinging to the sides of her face. "Show these beasts no mercy!"

The Uruks stopped not far from the Deep's wall, and began to slam their weapons and stomp their feet on the ground in unison. They snarled and hissed, spitting from each of their hideous mouths.

Eadrid raised her hand, and each bow was raised. Aragorn commanded his side to do the same.

Near her, an old man fumbled the string, and his arrow was let loose. 

"Hold!" She shouted. 

The Uruk swayed and fell flat on its face, the arrow burying itself deeper in his throat. 

The rest them growled, and the Uruk-hai that led them raised his spear and commanded them to advance.

The corner of Eadrid's mouth lifted as they charged.

So it begins.