Legolas x OC

Helms Deep

The line of Rohirrim stretches far behind them. They look up and cry with delight, "Helm's Deep!" They begin running for their refuge. Éowyn walks to the forefront, helping some of the villagers. In the distance, nestled in the shadow of Thrihyrne, lay Helm's Deep. Éowyn stands upon the rise, looking into the Westfold Vale to the gorge where Helm's Deep lies. She looks upon the sight, mixed with relief and dread, and follows the Rohirrim down.

Desert jumps off the horse and looks up at the massive structure in awe. Soldiers open the mighty doors, and Éowyn enters, followed by the throng from Edoras. The roads are lined with the soldiers and people of Rohan - for all those of the land of Rohan who were driven from their homes have taken refuge there. Soldiers man the battlements around the Helm's Deep Wall.

People continue to flow in. And inside the walls is a flurry of activity. Éothain and Freda run through the masses, spotting their mother, "Mama!" Morwen holds her arms out, "Éothain! Freda!" Desert watches as the children embrace their mother again. Éowyn assesses supplies, "Where is the rest?"

Desert stands next to her as Aldor answers grimly, "This is all we could save, my lady." The two women look to see that the food supply consists of perhaps a dozen bags and about the same number of baskets of food. Éowyn glances at Aldor, "Take it to the caves."

Willow Maid turns her head to the gates at the sound of Gamling's voice, "Make way for the king!" Éowyn breaks into a run to meet the returning soldiers. Willow slowly approaches the wall and watches the Horsemen ride into Helm's Deep and up the roads.

"Make way for Théoden! Make way for the king!"

Éowyn runs through the city to meet them. She surveys their numbers quickly, "So few. So few of you have returned." Théoden turns to her, finding his words. He averts his gaze as much as possible, "Our people are safe." He turns to assist a wounded soldier who was riding with him, "We have paid for it with many lives."

Desert watches Gimli solemnly approach Éowyn, "My lady." She turns to him, worried, "Lord Aragorn ... where is he?" Gimli speaks with difficulty, "He fell." The dwarf leaves her and enters through the gate. Desert notices Legolas enter and looks up to see her watching.

The elf makes his way up the stairs of the wall and stops next to her. The two didn't say anything. Willow Maid adverts her eyes to the outskirts of Helm's Deep, waiting and dreading for Legolas to speak. She knows that he wants confirmation about Aragorn.

Her fingers drummed on the rocky surface of the wall. Legolas leans his arms on the wall and remains silent, looking at the horizon. "Why isn't he saying anything?" Willow felt her patience thinning.

"It is best not to know what happens. It will make things different than they were for us." Legolas suddenly spoke. Desert slightly jumped at his voice.

"Yes. It will alter the timeline if one word or action changes. And since I've been here, that has already happened. Even sixty years ago became altered." She replies, making the elf frown at her.

"What changed that wasn't supposed to sixty years ago?"

Desert glances at Legolas to see him with a puzzled look. "It's-it's a long story..."

"Willow."

Desert sighs and tells Legolas what was altered. Including the present time after leaving Lorithlen.

"Boromir is supposed to be dead?" Legolas shifts his body to her, "And three of the dwarves of Erebor?"

Desert nods her head. Legolas looks away in thought. Willow Maid bows her head in guilt, "I didn't know sixty years ago, but now..."

"Willow," Legolas gazes back at her, "that was in the past. This is the future. You knew Aragorn was going to fall. I don't want to believe that he is dead. But I have to know, is he alive?"

There was the question she knew was coming.

The woman breathes deeply, "I suggest you keep that belief, and you will have your answer in two days." Legolas stares at her in perplexity as she heads back inside.

The next day in Helm's Deep, the battlements are being made as Théoden stands, overlooking the land outside of the structure. He addresses the soldiers and men accompanying him, "Draw all our forces behind the wall. Bar the gate. And set a watch on the surround." Théoden turns to leave the battlements and the men follow. Gamling turns to his King, "What of those who cannot fight, my lord? The women and children?"

Théoden turns his head to Gamling, "Get them into the caves." Théoden leads his men down from the battlements and past the deeping stream, which flows through it via a grate in the wall. Théoden continues talking, passing Desert on the way inside, "Saruman's arm will have grown long indeed if he thinks he can reach us here."

The woman shakes her head, "The grate in the wall is Helm's Deep's weakness." She muttered. Moving to the outside of the structure, Willow summons roots and trunks of trees to cover the grate, hoping it will maintain a sustainable cover.