Muted protection

Chapter 13

"For death and glory?" Théoden asks his eyes brightening.

"For Rohan. For your people." I can feel the mens hope rising and I turn to look at Gimli as he speaks up.

"The sun is rising." Everyone turns to looks up to the window as the sun rises.

Remebering Gandalf words I rise from my seat, pulling tunic over my shoulder and pull my cloak on keeping the hood down. Looking around I open my mouth and close my eyes, parying the words come out smoothly. "Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the East."

Everyone turns to me their faces expressions of shock and awe and my fathers face breaks into a proud grin. He walks up and wraps and arm around me.

"Yes. Yes! The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the deep, one last time." Théoden cries out and Gimli exclaims loudly.

"Yes!" Climbing up to blow the horn.

"Let this be the hour when we draw swords together." Théoden says loudly and confidently. "Fell deeds awake. Now for wrath. Now for ruin. And the red dawn!"

Gimli blows in to the horn and the doors give in.

"For Eorlingas!" The King rides out with Aragorn, Legolas and his men by his side. Am positioned between Legolas and Aragorn per Aragorn's request. We fight as Gimli blows the horn. We fight down the causeway into the Uruk army, Aragorn stops and looks up. He sees Gandalf on the back of Shadowfax.

"Gandalf." I turn to look up at the hill at the same time as Théoden. I watch as a rider trots up next to Gandalf.

"Eomer!" I whisper but Théoden hears me and he begins to look guilty and proud all together. Gandalf and the Rohirrim charge down the hill towards the Uruk-hai. The Uruk-hai point their spears at them, but are blinded when the sun rises. The riders and Uruk-hai clash and the fighting resumes. Seeing the battle cannot be won the Uruks retreat and begin to run towards the trees.

"Stay out of the forest! Keep away from the trees!" Eomer shouts and I ride up beside him and Gredwal. We watch in silence as the Uruks run into the forest. It groans and sways, horrible sounds emerging.

Returning back to the keep we see the people in the cave had been let out and Eowyn runs towards us and touches Aragorn's face and smiles. The two embrace. I smile softly but can't help feel bad for her.

Later the Rohirrim are clearing Uruk bodies. Gimli sits on one, smoking his pipe when Legolas walks up, a little ways away I watch in muted silence watching their antics.

"Final count: forty-two." Legolas says, pride obvious in his voice.

"Forty-two?! That's not bad for a pointy-eared Elvish princeling." Gimli laughs. "I myself am sitting pretty on forty-three."

Legolas frowns and draws his bow, shooting Gimli's Uruk.

"Forty-three."

"He was already dead."

"He was twitching."

"He was twitching because he's got my axe embedded in his nervous system!" Gimli wiggles the axe handle, making the Uruk twitch. I laugh as I walk up to them, speaking in their minds.

You both should be very proud of you counts, yet I for now remain the winner with a count of Sixty-three. Both looked at me their eyes wide. That is what happens when you are faced with a giant army alone. Lets see how well the next battle goes, may the best warrior win.

I hear my father laughing in my mind and I smile wandering away from the fuming dwarf and elf.

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