Sucked Into Middle Earth...Just My Luck!

Chapter 21

I could hear the dull thuds of what assumed to be horses and felt myself being jostled around. I let out a groan, my head felt like it was being cleaved in two with every movement.

"She's awake!" Called a familiar voice and it felt like we stopped.

I could feel I was slumped over and decided to lift myself into sitting position on top of the horse I'd been placed on. As I sat up the back of my head collided with something hard and someone exclaimed in pain as I clutched my head and swore. A head spin kicked in and sent me off the edge of the steed. I crashed against the ground with an 'oof' and then just laid there, eyes closed as people gathered close to me.

"Are you okay?" Asked what sounded like Legolas.

"Ugh, kill me" I groaned and then squinted my eyes open, the light unbearably bright.

Aragorn offered me a hand and I grabbed it, letting him pull me to my feet where he helped steady me. I glanced around to find Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Théoden, Gandalf and a few soldiers of Rohan accompanied me, but where was...

"I thought I heard Boromir" I croaked and realised I was insanely dehydrated.

"Behind you" he called and I spun to find him rubbing his head where I must have head butted him before falling off the horse.

"Thank god" I breathed and then looked to Aragorn.

He caught the question in my eyes before I even had to ask it and said "we won. Less than 10 minutes after you fell in battle the Rohirim arrived and your plan worked perfectly. We trapped the enemy between two lines of offence and drove them away where the Fangorn forest dealt with them. You did good" he smiled at me but I just frowned.

"I couldn't save Haldir" I mumbled and Aragorn brought me into a short hug.

"It wasn't your fault. You did more than your share and thanks to you most of the men survived. We suffered few more than 100 casualties all up and defeated an army of 10,000!" He pointed out and I nodded.

"So are we off to Isengard?" I asked and Gandalf stepped forward, nodding.

"We should deal with Saruman sooner rather than later" he told me and I chuckled.

"I've missed you Gandalf, but you don't need to worry about Saruman. He's chilling in his tower like a damsel in distress. Karma and the hobbits took down Isengard days before the battle of Helms Deep" I said and he nodded thoughtfully, as though he wasn't that surprised by the turn of events.

"Well the battle ended 2 days ago lass" Gimli told me and I raised my eyebrows.

No wonder I was dehydrated. I was still in my armour but my hair was beginning to fall out of its braid so I pulled the hair tie out and let it unwind itself as I shook my head until it covered my shoulders and back. Everyone was getting back on their horses as Théoden motioned for us to continue. Boromir offered his hand from atop his own steed and I realised he must have carried me for the past 2 days. It was just like when I almost died saving him all over again, only this time at least it wasn't his back I was slumped over, also this time I didn't wake up with almost fatal wounds again. I grabbed his hand and let him pull me up onto the saddle in front of him. My heart began to beat faster as I felt his body heat against my back and his breath gently cause my hair to rustle at the back of my neck. Maybe I should have rode with Gimli or something...

"I'm sorry about the elf" he said suddenly and my brain blanked.

"What?" I asked quickly as I tried to focus on his voice instead of his proximity to me.

"The elf. I know he meant something to you. I am sorry for your loss" he said and I sighed.

"Thank you. I think maybe I meant more to him than he meant to me but I still considered him a friend, I didn't want him to die" I said as I tried not to let my emotions take control. I felt my emotional break on the wall was more than enough to fill the grieving period.