The Stone Maiden

Wargs!

The next morning proceeded as slowly as the day before. I told another story to more children as we walked. Jarel and Kalem then became leaders of playful antics, keeping the crowd of children entertained while I talked quietly with Kaila and Laniel.

"Do you think we can last a siege?" I asked.

"Not with the supplies we brought," Kai answered assuredly. "Theoden King will have to send out a group for food if it lasts more than a day or two."

"And we all know what happens to small groups that are sent for food," I murmured.

"Cheer up," Lani chided. "We can beat whatever force they send against us. You forget our magic."

"I could never forget that," I laughed, throwing my head back. "But we don't know the size of Saruman's forces, only that ours are few without Eomer."

"Ha! I was wondering how long it would take you to mention him!" Kai teased.

"Oh come off it already," I groaned. "So fine, yes, I like him, but will you please stop shoving it in my face?" I rolled my eyes and turned back to the kids.

"No, because you refuse to see that he-"

"Wargs!" We all froze at the mention of those creatures. "Wargs!" I turned to my brothers and mouthed for them to keep playing. They nodded and drew the others in closer to them, explaining the rules of a new game. Wyndlance pranced nervously under me. Lani calmed him down quickly.

Eowyn ran back, her face stern. "Get them moving!" I nodded and gestured for Kai to go to the end of the line and for Lani to stop somewhere in the middle. I would stay where I was. We would each provide our encouragement and protection from our posts before forming a rearguard. I adjusted Wyndlance so we could see where the wargs would come from.

I watched stoically. Just over the hill, the men fought the wargs. With as few a number as we had, a couple were likely to slip past them. However, a large group would not come unless most of the men were killed.

Lani trotted forward with the line. She was going past me when I called her back. I needed her as well as Kai in my rearguard. Laniel urged people forward as I stood watching the hill. Wyndlance didn't even twitch as we stood ready, watching, waiting.

A single Warg trotted over the hill. Wyndlance was running before I even saw it. It charged us as we drew its attention away from the line. An arrow streaked past my shoulder, hitting the warg's front leg and causing it to crash down. Wyndlance galloped past and I slid off my moving horse, my dual blades already working to kill the beast.

I wiped them on the grass as Wyndlance trotted back to me. Laniel's arrow remained unbroken so I pulled it out and brought it back to her. Wyndlance and I resumed our vigil over the hills as Laniel directed the column to keep moving.

I was well known among the people for being close to Theodred. I knew many thought that we would wed, but that could never have happened. And could still never happen. People expressed their gratitude as they passed behind me. I heard them, but continued to examine the terrain.

Kaila reached us soon after that and we rode off towards Helm's Deep. Laniel watched behind us whenever she could, her sight and hearing being better than ours.

"Warg!" Lani warned. Kai and I turned around. A warg was stalking something, moving slowly with its nose twitching.

"There's a child," Kai breathed, seeing the whimpering form before I could. She raced off towards the child before I could say anything. I gestured for Lani to follow her, planning on making myself the easier target. As expected, the Warg quickly chased after me as I cantered off at an angle.

"Maeve!" Lani screamed. I turned towards the Warg and it ran faster. As it got close, I slowed Wyndlance down, getting ready to slide off him again. I kicked the Wargs head away from my horse before sliding onto its back. I drove my knives into it as it twisted to try and bite me.

The Warg bucked suddenly and threw me off of it, my knives still deep in its back. It raced to me as I laid in the dirt, winded from the unexpected fall. Horses hooves sounded, getting closer. They wouldn't make it in time. The wargs jaw clamped around my leg as I kicked out at it. I gasped.

Then Wyndlance was there, kicking it away from me. Kaila arrived next, jabbing her sword through its head. Laniel had the child in front of her on the saddle, so she stayed away. Wyndlance gently nudged my torso. I patted his nose in reply.

"Maeve, are you alright?" Kai asked quickly, hopping down from her horse once she was sure the Warg was dead.

"No? I just got bit by some stupid Warg," I groaned. "Help me onto Wyndlance. Can't stay here." Kai lifted me up. I was then reminded how grateful I was that she was stronger than the average woman. She passed me my swords before climbing back on her horse.

Laniel joined us as we rode down to Helm's Deep. It wasn't too far and we caught up with the end of the column as they entered through the gates. Wyndlance followed Laniel through the crowd, bringing me to an emptier area where she could bandage me up.

"That's her," someone whispered. "That's the Stone Maiden." "She saved my girl, she did." "She saved all of us." "The Stone Maiden!"

"I should've known. Maeve, the Stone Maiden," Eowyn commented as she came closer. "They're saying you fought off ten wargs by yourself without batting an eye."

"First of all, it was two total," I corrected. "And both came at separate times. I would've sent Kaila after the second if she hadn't already raced towards the child in danger." Lani poured something on my leg and I groaned, struggling to keep my leg relaxed for her. Eowyn noticed and immediately drew my attention.

"My brother likes you." I rolled my eyes. "No, you're not getting it. He really likes you. Like you like him." My eyes widened.

"What?" I offered meekly. She giggled lightly.

"You heard me right, Maeve."

"There," Lani stated as she pulled the bandage tight. "I don't recommend fighting, but it'll hold. Just try not to aggravate it."

"Thanks, Laniel." She ran off to help prepare for the expected siege. I stayed put. Eowyn rushed away, organizing who did what. She was a natural leader, good at whatever she put her mind to. Children flocked to me, wanting to hear a story. More specifically, my story. I of course embellished it based on the rumors so they wouldn't be too disappointed.