The Darker Side of Hope (a Lord of the Rings fanfiction)

Chapter 7- 10,000 Reasons to Abandon Hope

Théoden drew a breath and immediately summoned a council of his best men, Legolas and Gimli. Legolas and I stood off to the side as we waited for the King to speak.

The King rubbed his beard, not sure what to do. "A great host, you say?"

"All Isengard is emptied..." my brother announced, much to our disdain.

"How many?" the King asked quietly.

"Ten thousand strong at least."

He turned to face us, worry creasing his brow. "Ten thousand?"

"It is an army bred for a single purpose: to destroy the world of Men."

"We can take them!" I protested. "The walls are high and we are strong."

"They outnumber us by thousands, young lady," the King snarled. "When should we expect them?" he turned to face my brother.

"They will be here by nightfall."

The King turned away and stormed out of the Great Hall of Helm's Deep. "Let them come!"

"My lord!" I interjected. "You just said so yourself! We're horribly outnumbered!"

"In Rohan and Gondor," he snarled at me. "A woman speaks when spoke to!"

"I am of Elf blood," I snapped back. "Your customs do not apply to me!"

"Rayel!" my brother growled. "You need to behave."

The King stormed by us and down the cobblestone pathway, whispering with his most-trusted soldier Hamling. "I want every man and strong lad able to bear arms to be ready for battle by nightfall!"

My thoughts immediately went to the young boy and his sister, who had been in Edoras with us the other day. Would he too be taken? Would all the young boys face the darkness of battle tonight? My thoughts went to Merry and Pippin. They had both been so young and carefree when I first met them... but they had been hardened and matured by battle. I did not want this to happen to the young men in Rohan.

I had seen more fighting in the past five months than I had ever fathomed. I had experienced more death than most elves of this age... I had become hardened by battle and I would not wish this fate on anyone.

We followed the King outside the city gates, where already the Riders and Guards were busy reinforcing the doorway with heavy boards and metal. "That's it! Right there, the weakest point!" one commented, hammering a nail into place.

"We will cover the causeway and the gate from above," stated Théoden, gesturing to the battlements above. "No army has ever breached the Deepening Wall... or set foot inside the Hornburg!"

"This is no rabble of mindless Orcs," put Gimli flatly. "These are Uruk-hai! Their armor is thick and their shields are broad."

"What he says is true, my lord," I agreed with Gimli. "Saruman's forces are not to be underestimated."

"I have fought many battles, Master Dwarf and Mistress Elf," the King snarled. "I know how to defend my own Keep."

Gimli glared at the King and I did my best to imitate Boromir's enraged and furious scowl. Théoden pushed past the two of us and my brother and Legolas followed. Begrudgingly, the dwarf and I trailed behind, making our way up to the third level. "They will break upon this fortress like water on rock," the King announced, almost as if he had foreseen all of this in a dream. "Saruman's hordes will pillage and burn. We've seen it before. Crops can be resown and villages rebuilt... Within these walls, we will outlast them."

"They do not come to destroy Rohan's crops and villages!" my brother protested. "They come to destroy its people... down to the last child!"

The King spun around and gripped my brother by his cloak. "What would you have me do then?" he demanded. "Look at my men! Their courage hangs by a thread!"