An Unexpected Journey

Road to Helm's Deep

Previously:

The king had been astonished to say the least when he found out the son of the steward of Gondor and the rightful king of Gondor stood before him. They hadn't a chance to do anything about it because of the funeral. Whatever Théoden decided to do about helping them would determine the fate of Middle Earth.

Of course Annabeth already knew how it would turn out. It didn't make it any easier when the doors burst open to admit Gandalf and Théoden guiding two children in to sit at an open table in the middle of the room. The following conversation, Annabeth knew was going to be slightly painful as even Percy would be able to tell the stupidity of the plan.

"They had no warning. They were unarmed," Éowyn moved from her kneeling position by one of the kids to the throne Théoden sat in. "Now the wild men are moving through the westfold, burning as they go. Every rick, cot and tree."

"Rick?" Percy leaned over to whisper to Annabeth. "Cot?"

"A pile of hay,"Annabeth answered shortly. "And a small house."

"This is but a taste of the terror that Saruman will unleash. All he more potent for he is driven now by fear of Sauron. Ride out and meet him head on. Draw him away from your women and children." Gandalf was sitting on Théoden's right up on the dias. He leaned closer and put his hand on the king's chair to emphasis his next words. "You must fight."

"You have 2000 good men riding north as we speak." Boromir spoke up from his seat on the top of a table. He was fiddling with his sword. As if he was expected to fight right then. "Éomer is loyal to you. His men will return and fight for their king."

"He will be 300 leagues from here by now," Théoden rose from his seat and paced a few steps. "Éomer cannot help us." He turned toward Gandalf but avoided looking at him. "I know what you want from me. But I will not bring further death to my people. I will not risk open war."

"Open war is upon you. Whether you would risk it or not." Aragorn stated, speaking around the pipe in his mouth.

Théoden turned to glare at Aragorn in barely restrained anger. "When I last looked, Théoden, not Aragorn, was king of Rohan."

Aragorn didn't say anything, just stared. Boromir dropped his head in his hands in frustration.

"Then what is the king's decision?" Gandalf asked, walking in his direction from the raised platform.

Théoden looked at Gandalf, almost in challenge. "We will make for the refuge of Helm's Deep," he said, "and make our stand there."

"It could very well be their last stand," Annabeth whispered as a side note to Percy.

"What do we do?" Her boyfriend's eyes found hers, his brow furrowed, showing the concern he had. She should have known he would want to do something to fix that.

"I said it could be their last stand, not that it was," Annabeth said, putting his mind at ease. "But we can still do something."

"What?"

She didn't answer, only grabbed his hand and pulled him to follow their group she only just noticed were leaving.

They followed Gandalf as they made their way to the stables. The white wizard seemed a little upset. Understandably so.

"Helm's Deep!" Gimli spat. "They flee to the mountains when they should stand and fight. Who will defend them if not their king?"

"He's only doing what he thinks is best for his people," Aragorn tried justifying. "Helms Deep has saved them in the past."