Remains of the Banished | Aragorn || Lord of the Rings

XXXVI

Again, Eadrid had the upper hand. Though his mace was deadly, it was heavy and gave slower blows. 

So as the Witch King raised it over her, she rolled away, dodging it just barely. In the brief moment she had when he began to swing it around again, Eadrid jumped to her feet with her sword ready.

But she had moved to slow. Before she knew it, his mace met her stomach. She was thrown backwards, crying horribly as she thudded to the ground.

Eadrid moaned in pain, feeling like she had broken every rib, and like every intestine bled inside her.

Eadrid saw the Witch King's metal boots approach her and tried to turn to the side to face herself away from him.

But he simply picked her up and held her by her throat up into the air. Her limbs fell limp, and her vision seemed to be coming in and out of consciousness. 

"You fool!" He drawled his scratchy voice. "No man can kill me. Die now!"

Eadrid closed her eyes as he raised his mace once again, preparing for inevitable death.

But, in a great cry, he dropped her.

Eadrid caught a glimpse of a Hobbit in the corner of her eye as she fell to the ground, and the Witch King fell to his knees before her.

Eadrid had landed on her feet, and somehow hadn't fallen over. Wether by some unknown power, or the pure adrenaline running through her veins, she got one last surge of energy.

Eadrid dropped the sword that she had picked up and removed her helmet, her hair falling around her shoulders. She unsheathed her sword, Adoness glinting in the sun, and held it before her face so that the Witch King could see every detail etched into it. 

"I am no man." Eadrid spat. "I am Eadrid, daughter of Theoden. I am the Queen destined to destroy you."

And as she said this, she thrust her sword into the gaping hole in his face. 

Her arm ached, some kind of magic that seized her muscles and made her cry out in pain, but she twisted the blade deeper. The Witch King let out one last deafening cry, and folded into himself, crumpling into metal and black cloth.

As he disappeared, the pain came rushing back to her, causing her to fall to the ground in a heap.

Eadrid's eyes began to close, just trying to keep them open became too much.

But as she heard the groans of pain from a man she knew so well, she forced herself his way. She crawled, pulling herself to him with every ounce of the little strength she had left.

Eadrid reached her father, barely able to prop herself up to face him.

He still laid under his fallen horse, his face was pale and his breath ragged. 

"I know your face... Eadrid." He put a hand up to her cheek. "My eyes darken." He whispered.

Eadrid didn't have the strength to shake her head, to give him a comforting smile.

"No, no-" She gasped through the pain. "I- I am going to save you."

"You already did." Theoden smiled weakly. "Eadrid, my body is broken. You have to let me go."

Eadrid tried to shake her head. "No- No, please."

Theoden looked up to the sky. "I go to my fathers, in whose mighty company; I shall not now feel ashamed." He looked back up to her, his eyes clear and bright. "Eadrid."

But he could not finish whatever he was to say.

His last breath escaped his lips, and all Eadrid could manage was a single tear to run down her cheek, and she collapsed next to him.

She laid on the ground and looked up to the sky, her focus becoming blurry.

The pain spread from her stomach to each limb, unable to move or even take a full breath.

More tears fell down her cheeks as she choked for air. It felt like a broken rib had punctured her lungs, each breath was agony.

She closed her eyes, exhaling. 

Eadrid reached for her father's hand and gripped it as tightly as she could, and exhaled her last breath. The only thought in her mind was how Aragorn was to find her, dead next to her father.