Lady Hope of Middle Earth

Chapter 22: When I Care People Die

Hope's POV:

"CHARGE!" Theoden yells. The men around me yell a battle cry and then we engage the worgs and their riders. Up close now I can see that they are no orcs. I have no clue what they are. I slice my way through the animals.

At one point I see Gimli stuck under a worg with another approaching him. Aragorn sees him too, but neither would get to him time. "Dimiterre." I say, throwing the worg off of him. He climbs out from under the other worg. He nods to me and I continue fighting.

I turn to see a worg knock Aragorn off his horse. My breath catches in my thoat. No. I ride hard to I can get to him. I have to get to him. I see him catch onto one of the worg riders and I see him being dragged along by him. They're going towards a cliff.

Suddenly the rider is kicked off yet Aragorn is still being dragged along. Suddenly everything feels like it's in slow motion. The worg drags Aragorn over towards the cliff. I raise my hand to do a spell when suddenly they are over the cliff and lost.

When I'm close enough I leap off my horse and race to the edge. There is no sight of him, only a water death trap. My heart stops beating and tears pour from my eyes. No. No. No. No. No. He is not gone! Angry I slowly stand and turn to face the worg army.

I race towards the nearest worg with its rider. "HOPE!" Legolas yells. It's not him though. He's gone thanks to them. I sprint and when I'm close enough I leap in the air. I'm in pain for two second while I'm in the air, but it's gone when I land on the worg with all four paws.

I'm ruthless as I tear the army to shreds. Letting my anger and grief out through merciless killing of the worgs and their riders. They took him from me! I don't stop until the entire army is dead. I stand there, in my wolf form, snarling. "Hope, calm down, where is Aragorn?" Legolas asks.

I let out a whine of pain. He understands and rushes to the edge of that damn cliff. Suddenly Gimli is there with my pack in his hands. "Here lassie, go change behind those boulders." He says. I take the bag in my mouth and run over.

Quickly shifting back and getting dressed in the elven clothes identical to my newly shredded ones. My hair is lose and wild, but my necklaces, amulet, and circlet remain. I walk out form behind the boulders. I feel numb inside. Like nothing matters. Aragorn is gone. He's dead.

I sink to my knees and let out a pained cry. "I feel your grief Lady Hope, but we must get going." Theoden says, riding up next to me. I glare up at him. Before I can say anything to him about him being a dumbass who led us into this trap Legolas is there, pulling Belle behind him.

"Here, we must get going." He says. He goes to help me up, but I shake him off roughly. I hoist myself up onto Belle's back and ride off after the surviving men. As I ride I try not to think about it, but it is impossible. All I can do is replay him going over the cliff over and over again.

"Hope." I hear behind me, but I don't turn around. Legolas rides up next to me. "I found this in the hands of an orc rider. I thought you would want it." He says. I look over and more tears spill from my eyes. It's the necklace I made him. I take it and look it over.

"I made this so I would know if he was in trouble. Before all this happened. I gave it to him the night before the council meeting, right after the party. We had just talked about destinies." I sob. I play with it for a minute before tossing it back to him.

"Here, it is no more use to me or him. Keep it. Maybe it'll help me keep one person I care about safe." I say, my throat hoarse from crying. Soon Helm's Deep comes into sight. Legolas doesn't say anything, he just rides beside me. I'm thankful, the ride would have been worse with talking.

It's bittersweet. I ride Belle into the stables and push off any help I am offered. I ignore the stares I get. Eowyn tries to approach me when I first ride in, but I ignore her. I just want to be alone. Once Belle is fed and watered I grab a brush and start brushing it out.

I don't pay any mind to it though. For the first time in a long time I question my purpose here in Middle Earth. It's exactly like home. People around me die. I'm surprised Gimli and Legolas are still around. I got lucky with Gandalf, but I paid for it with Aragorn. I feel Belle nudge my hand.

I look at her. "I wish I could be as unknowing as you. Then maybe I wouldn't be so stupid too care about people. When I care, people die. I don't know why I didn't learn that when I was in my would after my parent's deaths. I guess I was naive to think that this world would be different."

I spend the rest of the night in Belle's stable. I sleep in a stool I found, leaning against the wall. The next morning I wake up late to find that Belle needs food and water. Sighing I stand from my sitting position and grab a bucket. I pet her a little before exiting the stall.

I gather the food and water numbly. I'm going through the motions. Nothing feels the same anymore and everything hurts. As I walk back to Belle's stable I can feel a presence behind me. I ignore it. "Hope?"