The One {A Legolas Love Story}

Battle of Helm's Deep

Chapter 12 - Battle of Helm's Deep

"Move back! Move to the caves!" A soldier shouted to the women and children that were being taken into the caves at the back of Helm's Deep,

"Come on, people! Quickly, now!" Another one shouted.
I was walking alongside them with Aragorn and Legolas. I was feeling more and more nervous as the hours went by. Yes, I had fought Uruk-Hai before. But ten thousand? That was a lot of them, a little too much for me.

"Well place the reserves along the wall. They can support the archers from above the gate." Aragorn said, looking exhausted.

"Aragorn, you must rest." Legolas said and I nodded in agreement.

"He's right, you're no use to us half alive." I said but he ignored us. I guess I could've worded it out better. We were then interrupted by Eowyn.

"Aragorn!" She shouted as she ran over to us. "I'm to be sent with the women into the caves." She explained.

"That is an honorable charge." Aragorn told her.

"To mind the children, to find food and bedding when the men return. What renown is there in that?" She said and we waited for Aragorn to say something.

"My lady, a time may come for valor without renown. Who then will your people look to in the last defense?" Aragorn told her, trying to make her understand that her place was in the caves and not on the battlefield.
In a way, I understood what she was feeling. If someone would oblige me to stay in the caves when I knew that I would be of great help to the battle, I would feel the same as her.

"Let me stand at your side." She pleaded. She really did not want to go into the caves, she was convinced that her place was on the battlefield.

"It is not my power to command it." Aragorn said and we started to walk away.

"You do not command the others to stay! They fight beside you because they would not be parted from you. Because they love you." She said as we stopped walking away. Aragorn didn't say anything. "I'm sorry." She said before she walked away with the other women and children. Aragorn waited until he couldn't see her anymore before he walked away in the other direction. Legolas and I followed him in silence all the way to the armory. As we entered the armory, I looked around at the men that were about to fight. They all looked frightened, some not even knowing how to hold a sword properly. This made me grow even more nervous. We already were very few in number compared to the Uruk-Hai, and now I could see that the few soldiers we had were not used to fighting. Aragorn also seemed nervous about that, but he made sure that it wasn't obvious.

"Farmers, farriers, stable boys." Aragorn whispered as he looked around at the men. "These are no soldiers."

"Most have seen too many winters!" Gimli said quietly, probably not wanting to insult anyone.

"Or too few." Legolas said, speaking about the young terrified boys. "Look at them. They're frightened. I can see it in their eyes." He said, a little louder this time. Unfortunately, everyone around us had heard him. We all looked at him and he walked away a few steps but then turned back to face us.

"Boe a hyn neled herain... dan caer menig!" He said and I flinched at his words. He was probably right... But he didn't have to say it. We were all nervous enough already, that was just making it worse.

"Si beriathar hyn ammaeg na ned Edoras." Aragorn replied and the room stayed silent. Legolas didn't seem convinced, he just looked really irritated.

"Aragorn, nedin dagor hen ú-'erir ortheri. Natha daged dhaer!" Legolas said.

"Then I shall die as one of them!" Aragorn shouted and stared at Legolas for a few seconds before walking out of the armory. Way to go, Aragorn. There was a reason we were speaking in sindarin!
Legolas' expression softened a bit, probably realizing he might have offended Aragorn, before he started to walk after him, but Gimli stopped him.