meleth nin

Chapter Thirteen- Arrival of Helm's Deep.

I rode back with Legolas and Gimli, walked.
It wasn't too far, luckily for Gimli.
I clung onto Legolas, breathing in his woodsy, fresh smell, laying the side of my face in Legolas's soft blonde hair. He could fight for days and his hair would always still be perfectly straight.

We reached Helm's Deep. We rode into the castle, onto the stone paths.
I heard the sounds of children crying and reunions of broken families.
Eowyn came running up to us as we arrived, she looked behind us, "So few of you have returned", she said.

Legolas got off and walked to Gimli.
My face scrunched as i watched him walk away, leaving me to get off myself.
I handed the horse to a guard and ran up to them, trying not to act annoyed.
Gimli walked up to Eowyn and paused, "My lady", he began, "Lord Aragorn, where is he", she said, looking full of worry.
"He fell", he said, his voice shook as he said so.
She turned to face the gates, her eyes filled with worry.
Legolas walked over and held her arm, "We will help you through this", he said.
I turned around and walked up the stone stairs and into the halls.

I waited there in silence, alone for a long while. I thought about Boromir, Aragorn and Legolas, how he had just left me and went to her. Confronted me about turning Eowyn away whilst fighting wargs and Orcs.
I began to question my feelings.

I got some food and sat down in the hall to eat it, i heard laughter and screams.
I looked to my side and saw Legolas, Gimli and, Eowyn.
They were laughing and chasing each other, Legolas was teaching her how to use a blade. She swung it left and right and Legolas blocked each one.
Gimli laughed and started to clap for her.
"Your a natural, Eowyn", Legolas said whilst placing his hand on her shoulder.
I let go of my bowl and the soup spilled all over me.
I kicked it across the floor and everyone stopped.
I ran out the room holding in my tears and made way to a room, any room where i could be alone.

I opened a door and slammed it crumbling down next to it, my eyes let go of all the tears and released all the pain i felt.
Why did everyone like her so much?, what did she have that i didn't. I kept replaying these thought in my head. Even Aragorn had fallen for her, i was sure of it. The way he looked at her, only someone blind would not see it. I thought back to Aragorn, my brother, my best friend. I thought about how i could tell Arwen. It all became so much, i felt that i couldn't even tell Legolas.

Elves do not love twice, they would never cheat. It is not like them. I kept telling myself that, convincing myself that what they had was just friendship, but i couldn't help but wonder.

After a while of crying, i got up and opened the door. I walked down the corridor and wiped my tears off my face with the back of my hand, sniffling whilst doing so.
I walked through the hall once more, looking over to see them all talking, not even phased by my absence for the past half hour.
I decided if they didn't care to look for me now they wouldn't care at all.
I stormed through the courtyard to the stables,
"Fetch me Legolas's horse, Arod", i snapped at a guard.
I got a saddled up and grabbed my bow and sword.
I rode towards the gates. The guards opened them and i kicked the horse to gallop off into the grasslands.

I just needed to get out and ride without a purpose.
I rode for ages until i decided to give the horse a break. I got off and stroked it before sitting down and observing the nature around.
I watched as the grey horse grazed the grass gently.

I heard screams and the sound of metal hitting the ground causing it to shake.
I got back on Arod and trotted forward to see where the noise came from. I saw smoke and fires ahead so cantered forward before reaching a cliff. I halted Arod and my lips parted in horror. I scanned the legions of Uruk- hai and other creatures below my feet. There was at least ten thousand below me, all cheering at the towers - i must be in Isengard. Elrond always forbid me to go anywhere near this place and now i can see why.
I stared at the balcony of one of the towers up ahead, a white robes figure holding a black staff and the same man from Rohan- Saruman.
I tried to catch my breath after almost having a panic attack seeing all of Saruman's armies. I had to go back and warn everyone, there was no way we stood a chance.

I stared at the army one last time before pulling Arod's reins to the right and kicking him on to gallop back through the forest. "Nor- fast, Arod", i whispered, leaning down closer to his ears. He picked up speed and galloped fast through the forest before i halted him again and let him have a rest, we had rode far.

(in Isengard)

Saruman stared into the eye, "She's all alone, feeling helpless and isolated from the rest of the Fellowship", he muttered to himself.
"Goroth!", he yelled. A big Uruk- Hai marched in, pushing two smaller orc's either side of him out of his way. "I want you to send a pack to find her", Saruman showed Goroth the orb showing Alena sitting in the forest alone. "Do not harm her, i want her alive". Saruman ordered as Goroth left and prepared a pack of warg scouts.
"Stay there, Princess. You will find allies here", Saruman muttered with a small grin.

~

(Back in Helm's Deep)

Gimli laughed at the joke Eowyn had just made, he picked up his ale and began to chug it down, half of it spilling down the front of his beard.
Legolas looked around for Alena, "Have any of you seen Alena?", He asked worriedly.
Legolas got up and walked around, checking each room and calling for her.
He asked some of the villagers, "Have you seen the Lady Alena, long, dark hair, green eyes?", he questioned.
It grew dark, it was getting late.
"Have you seen Alena?", Legolas asked Theoden as he walked past, he shook his head ,"Better find her soon. I am locking the gates shortly, it will be dark soon", he said whilst walking up the stone steps.
Legolas began to worry. "Have you seen the lady Alena?", he asked the men, guarding the gates.
"She left little over an hour ago, armed with her bow and blade". they replied, clearly having too much to drink.
"Alena", he whispered.

~

It was getting dark, the sun was setting and the night grew cold. I sensed movement in the shadows. I had gone so far out, Arod was tired.
I stood watching into the forest, observing closely to see any changes before an arrow hit the tree next to me. My necklace glowed blue. "Orcs", i whispered, climbing onto the horse and kicking it hard to send it forwards. We galloped as fast as we could but the horse was tired. It began to slow down and grow weak.
The Orcs had caught up to us, there were about ten of them. They must have followed us from the valley.
I knocked an arrow into my bow and turned my waist to face one of them, I shot it down but the wolf continued running. I shot it, aiming for it neck and it rolled on its front, dead.
I kept kicking, trying to keep going. I could see Helm's Deep from here. We were close.
I continued to shoot arrows at the Orcs, one by one i took them down, narrowing it down to only 2 left. It was a straight line from here to the gates, i could see them beginning to close.
The two wargs were either side of me, barking and trying to bite us. "Faster nîn mellon, almost ennas", i said, leaning down to whisper closer to its head.
It sped up a little, I shot the warg on my left, it came down. The other biting at the horses legs, barking and growling.

~

I waited by the gates. I could see A white horse galloping towards us, two wargs following either side.
It was Alena. My heart sank, she shot the one of the left down but the other began to bite the horses legs.
She was so close.

~

"Almost there, mellon nîn", i whispered once more. Bending down and stabbing the warg in the side of its neck. It yelped as i pulled my sword out and slowed down.
I could see Legolas waiting at the gates. He did not look impressed.