A Half Elf's Love

Isengard's Approach

(Aragorn POV)

Something nudged me. It nudged me again. I slowly opened my eyes, my head aching. There was a horse. I knew this horse. It was Brego. He kneeled down, letting me pull myself up. We rode for what felt like years, but in reality was maybe a day. My head finally cleared and I knew we were on the path to Helms Deep. Brego eventually stopped. I looked up and saw a massive army marching towards us. It was Saruman's army. He was coming to destroy the people of Rohan in Helms Deep. I whispered to Brego, urging him to hurry.

"Mae carnen, Brego, mellon nîn." (Well done, Brego, my friend.)" Brego's pace quickened, and we reached Helms Deep. The gates opened, and I dismounted, trying to push through the surging crowd to reach Théoden. Someone began shouting my name, and the voice was familiar.

"Where is he! Where is he! Get out of my way! I'm gonna kill him!" Gimli approached me, trying to feign anger, but it didn't work too well. "You are the luckiest, the cunningest, and most reckless man I ever knew!" Gimli wrapped his arms around my legs, hugging me tightly. "Bless you, laddie!" I quickly returned the hug before returning to my task at hand.

"Gimli, where is the king?" He pointed me in the right direction, and before I could move a few paces, I was in the dirt. Someone was sobbing into my shoulder and punching me in the other.

"I'm going to kill you Aragorn! I'm going to kill you! Never do that to me again!" Delia. I wrapped my arms around my sister, hugging her tightly while still on the ground.

"A little hard when I'm supposedly dead." Delia laughed, tears still running down her cheeks.

"How can you make me laugh in a time like this?" I laughed, pushing myself up, and helping Delia up. "You are an idiot. Such an idiot." I hugged my sister tightly before we ran up the steps to try and find Théoden. I was stopped by Legolas, who hugged me and smirked.

"You look terrible." I laughed and pushed through the doors, reaching Théoden and explaining to him what I saw. Théoden spoke calmly, almost as if he didn't believe me.

"A great host, you say?" I responded, exhausted.

"All Isengard is emptied." Théoden responded back with yet another question, eyeing us all.

"How many?" I threw out a number that was most likely not even close.

"Ten thousand strong at least." Fear finally crossed Théoden's face.

"Ten thousand!?" I continued on, exhaustion slowly sweeping through me.

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

"Let them come." Siege preparations began, and I helped, running on very little energy. Delia kept following me around, catching me at times as I swayed. We all followed after Théoden at one point as he spoke to Gamling. "I want every man and strong lad able to bear arms, to be ready for battle by nightfall. We will cover the causeway and the gate from above. No army has ever breached the deeping wall or set foot inside the Hornburg." Gimli spoke up, his pipe in his hand.

"This is no rabble of mindless orcs. These are Uruk-hai. Their armor is thick and their shields broad." Delia left, presumably to help Elrohir and Rúmil. Théoden fired back at Gimli, clearly not understanding the gravity of the situation.

"I have fought many wars, Master Dwarf. I know how to defend my own keep. They will break upon this fortress 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."

"They do not come to destroy Rohan's crops or villages. They come to destroy its people. Down to the last child!" Théoden merely looked at me, his eyes narrowing. He was ignoring my words yet again. To my surprise, anger crossed his face and stood in front of me.

"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!" I countered, trying to make him see reason.

"Send out riders, my lord. You must call for aid." Théoden clenched his fist, fury in his eyes.

"And who will come. Elves? Dwarves? We are not so lucky in our friends as you. The old alliances are dead." I tried to counter once more.

"Gondor will answer." Théoden's fury mingled with disappointment.

"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." He walked away, leaving me with Gimli and Legolas. I swayed again, leaning on the stone wall. Legolas placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Rest, rest my friend. For an hour at least. You have done much." I gave in, letting Legolas lead me to a quiet room where I could sleep for a little. I was awakened by Delia, who quickly dragged me to the armory, whispering under her breath.

"We don't have much time brother. Come on." We entered the sad looking armory, where Legolas and Gimli were already waiting. I spoke quietly as Delia crossed to our friends.

"Farmers, farriers, stable boys. These are no soldiers." Gimli spoke up from his pipe, his eyes downcast.

"Most have seen too many winters!" Legolas looked up at me, adding to Gimli's statement.

"Or too few. Look at them. They're frightened. I can see it in their eyes." The armory grew quiet, and Legolas began to speak in Sindarin, clearly wanting to keep our conversation private amidst the silence. "Boe a hyn neled herain... dan caer menig!" (And they should be. Three hundred... against ten thousand!) I spoke back, trying to raise his hopes.

"Si beriathar hyn ammaeg na ned Edoras." (They have a better chance defending themselves here than in Edoras.) It was true, but Legolas refused to believe it.

"Aragorn, men i ndagor. Hýn ú ortheri. Natha daged aen!" (They cannot win this fight. They are all going to die!) I shouted back, unaware I had spoken in Westron.

"Then I shall die as one them!" I stormed away, into the open air. Delia followed after me, trying to talk to me. "Delia, let me be alone. This is not something you can fix." She made some sort of noise, and I listened to her walk away. I was too upset with Legolas to want to talk with my own sister. How perfect. I sat on the stairs, watching as men sharpened their weapons. There was a boy, with blonde hair, looking confused. I gestured for him to come over and began to talk to him. "Give me your sword. What is your name?"

"Háleth, son of Háma, my lord." The boy couldn't be any older than twelve. "The men are saying that we will not live out the night. They say that it is hopeless." I stood and swung the boy's sword. It was quite good. I returned it to the boy, trying to fill him with any hope.

"This is a good sword, Háleth, son of Háma. There is always hope." I returned to the armory, putting on whatever was left. I went to reach for my sword, but I saw Legolas holding it. He spoke quietly, looking ashamed.

"We have trusted you this far and you have not led us astray. Forgive me. I was wrong to despair." I smiled at him, truly meaning the words I said next.

"Ú-moe edamed, Legolas." (There is nothing to forgive, Legolas.) We shared a smile and Gimli emerged from somewhere, trying to fit human chainmail onto his body. We all laughed as it pooled around his feet like a dress. He spoke up in his embarrassment.

"If we had time, I'd get this adjusted. It's a little tight across the chest." A horn sounded. A very loud horn. Legolas smiled, shouting as he ran.

"That is no orc horn!" We rushed outside, watching as an army of Lothlórien marched through the gates. Rúmil ran forward, throwing his arms around the figure leading the army. The figure leading the army hugged back, smiling. It was Haldir! Haldir spoke once Rúmil let go of him, addressing everyone who had gathered.

"I bring word from Elrond of Rivendell. An alliance once existed between elves and men. Long ago we fought and died together. We come to honor that allegiance." I rushed forward, hugging Haldir.

"Mae govannen, Haldir! You are most welcome." (Welcome, Haldir!) Haldir awkwardly hugged me, and spoke calmly, smiling at his brother.

"We are proud to fight alongside men, once more."