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

XXVII

They fled into the Great Hall, and men once again attempted to barricade the doors. 

"The fortress is taken." Theoden said, his eyes glazed. "It is over."

Eadrid ran to him. "Father, we cannot give up now. What of the men who have died tonight, do we let them die in vain?"

Aragorn helped barricade the door and finally ran to Theoden. "Is there no other way for the women and children to get out of the caves?" 

The king only looked to the floor. 

"Is there no other way?" He pushed.

"There is one passage. It leads into the mountains. But they will not get far." Gamling said quietly. "The Uruk-hai are too many."

Aragorn shoved him away quickly. "Tell the women and children to make for the mountain pass. And barricade the entrance!"

"So much death," Theoden said slowly. He looked to Eadrid. "What can Men do against such reckless hate?"

"Stop, Theoden." Eadrid shook his shoulders. "You have a duty. You say you want honor for your people? Ride out and meet them."

Theoden's eyes seemed to lighten. "For death and glory."

Eadrid nodded with a small smile. "For Rohan. For our people."

Theoden smiled and cupped her cheek. "Yes...Yes...The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the Deep...one last time."

They quickly prepared, mounting horses as Gimli blew the horn of Helm Hammerhand. 

"Fell deeds, awake," Theoden said. "Now for wrath...now for ruin and a red dawn."

Eadrid patted Aiyla's neck, and drew her sword with her father.

"Forth Eorlingas!" He cried, and as the door burst open, they galloped through the masses of Uruk-hai beginning to stream in. 

Eadrid crossed over the causeway, sweeping her sword while Aiyla trampled over Uruks. There were still thousands of them, and Eadrid's hope faltered as she saw just how many laid before her. 

Eadrid slashed an orc, starting to another, but was drawn to a bright light that appeared at the top of the hill where the sun was beginning to rise.

Eadrid remembered Gandalf's words. "Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the east."

As the light reduced, she saw Gandalf and Shadowfax, rearing on his hind legs. She smiled, but when she saw her men, the Rohirrim, she almost laughed with joy. 

They cheered and surged forward. Eadrid saw the desperate attempts of the orcs to reform their lines, but they had no chance. Not as a few hundred battering horses came sprinting their way.

As they came down the steep hill, Gandalf raised his staff to blind the Uruks, which also succeeded in blinding Eadrid. She sat on Aiyla at the bottom of the Keep, shielding her eyes for a moment, and before she knew it, the bright light was gone, along with the Uruk-hai army. 

_____

Eadrid watched with satisfaction as the remaining Uruks fled into Fangorn forest, where they were quickly devoured.

They traveled back to the Keep, where the women and children waited to be led home. Eadrid dismounted Aiyla and looked around her.

"Eadrid!" She turned around and saw Aragorn, and ran to meet him. She fell into his arms, and wrapped hers around his neck as he hugged her torso tightly. Pulling apart, she put a hand on his face, and he grabbed it and kissed the inside of her palm. 

Soon after, they rode out to the crest of the hill above Helm's Deep

"Sauron's wrath will be terrible, his retribution swift." Gandalf said, and Eadrid turned to the other side of the hill, facing Mordor. Thunder and lightning erupted, turning the sky blood red. "The battle for Helm's Deep is over. The battle for Middle-earth is about to begin."