Muted protection

Chapter 13

Gamling calls out orders to the men, who rush to complete them. "Brace the gate!" The gate is almost broken.

"To the gate! Draw your swords!" The king, with his men, try to defend the breaking gate.

"We can't hold much longer." Gamling calls to his king. Aragorn rushes to the gate.

"How long do you need?" Aragorn asks the king.

"As long as you can give me!"

"Gimli!" Aragorn calls to Gimli and they sneak around to the other side of the gate. Aragorn takes a peek at the many Uruks.

"Come on. We can take 'em!"

"It's a long way." Aragorn says looking down at the dwarf beside him who glances back at him.

"Toss me." The dwarf mutters.

"What?"

"I cannot jump the distance so you have to toss me." Aragorn nods and is about to throw Gimli, but the dwarf stops him.

"Eh... Don't tell the elf."

"Not a word." The ranger smiles and throws Gimli, and jumps after him. The two battle the troops at the gate.

From inside Théoden shout to his men. "Shore up the door!"

Saruman's army puts up more ladders and Legolas shoots the chain for one of the ladders. It falls, crushing some of the Uruks below. The men try to seal the gates, as Aragorn and Gimli continue fighting on the other side.

"Gimli! Aragorn! Get out of there!" Théoden shouts from behind the gate.

Standing on the wall Legolas calls to Aragorn throwing down a rope. Aragorn, holding Gimli with him, jumps on to it. Legolas pulls them both up, Linwaethiel grabbing the rope to help.

Seeing the situation Théoden quickly changes tactics calling out.

"Pull everybody back. Pull them back!"

"Fall back! Fall back!"

"They have broken through. The castle is breached! Retreat!"

"Fall back! Retreat! Retreat!"

~~~~~~~

Linwaethiel's POV

Uruks try to break through the inner door and men crowd on the inside attempting to help those with minor injuries while crowding the badly wounded in with the women and children in the caves.

"The fortress is taken. It is over." Théoden sighs and looks down. I flinch as the man tending to my shoulder presses too hard. I watch the events in silence and I can feel the defeat coming from the men.

"You said this fortress would never fall while your men defend it. They still defend it. They have died defending it!" Aragorn says, his voice raised over the loud bang on the door. "Is there no other way for the women and children to get out of the caves?"

The king and his men remain silent. "Is there no other way?"

Gamling is the one to answer. "There is one passage. It leads into the mountains. But they will not get far. The Uruk-hai are too many."

Aragorn grabs Gamling by his shoulder. "Send word for the women and children to make for the mountain pass. And barricade the entrance!"

Théoden looks around as if he can see every dead soul. "So much death. What can men do against such reckless hate?"

The Uruk-hai keep trying to break the door.

"Ride out with me." Aragorn says. Théoden turns to face Aragorn. "Ride out and meet them."