"Fight for freedom or don't fight at all."
I was beginning to lose hope. It was the last night, Eomer and his eored were no where to be seen. I hoped against hope that I would see him, or a scout. Someone associated to that eored. Where they would lead us to Eomer. We would charge on Helm's deep.
Even Shadowfax and Giant were beginning to falter. As we rode up the hill, I saw the great tower of Orthanc and with a start, I realised we were close to Orthanc, Orc's and many more things that didn't bear thinking about. I turned to Gandalf who had his white cloaked wrapped around him and he seemed deep in thought. I swallowed uneasily and asked him; "Why are we so close to Orthanc. Aren't we meant to be staying away from Orthanc?" My question hung in the air and overhead, the starry sky twinkled.
"Is it not obvious, Eomer and his Eored are preparing for an attack on Orthanc. They will doubtless lose unless we get to them first and persuade them from attacking Orthanc." Gandalf's reply was simple and short. I considered asking him why haven't we encountered out riders and scout's when the truth came.
They galloped at us four abreast, Shining spearheads lowered and strong horses moving over the ground effortlessly, much like birds. My hand strayed down near to my sword hilt and as it brushed it, I was reminded of the fallen warrior and ranger Aragorn. I prepared to rip my sword free and sling my shield onto my back, When Gandalf stopped me with a gentle hand on my arm. I looked at him curiously and he nodded. His confidence inspired me, but I still kept my shield on my arm.
I could see Eomer from the top of the charge. He was resplendent in his Crimson Armor and his Horse head plume on his helm. His face was set in grim determination as I set my eyes on the heir of Rohan and all it's land's.
At the last second, The riders broke apart and rode in pairs around us. At least two thousand spears encircled us and I couldn't help but shiver as the metal heads glinted in the starry night.
Eomer spoke to Gandalf curtly, without sparing me a gaze; "Why have you come, White Wizard. We will march on Orthanc and we will destroy it." The short speech was full of anger and hate. I couldn't help but feel sorry for Eomer. His uncle had disowned him and he was left to the wild's with his faithful Eored.
"Which is more important, Eomer son of Eomund. The falling of Orthanc or the fall of your people. Even as we speak, the defenders of Helm's Deep fall like leaves on a summer breeze. Ride with us Eomer. Save your people. Save your uncle and sister." Gandalf's speech was direct and full of sadness, In the brief few seconds, I could see that Eomer had made up his mind. He wasn't going to attack Orthanc, he was going to liberate Helm's Deep.
"Forth, we ride to Helm's deep!" Eomer's voice was powerful and it carried across the forest, He raised his spear in the air and wheeling his horse around, we began to gallop south.
We rode abreast, Our horses blowing hard as they strained themselves to carry their master's and friend's to Helm's Deep. To try and save their own horse friend's. As we galloped south, the star's went away and dawn came. then we heard the sound's of the battle.
Men slowed down and Eomer wheeled his horse around angrily. Firefoot leapt on the spot anxiously, white foam dripping from his mouth. All our horses were blowing noisily and the cries of men and orc's filled the air.
"Will you not ride to save your loved ones? Will you not ride for honor and for glory. They will see us coming, but we are ready for them! We are fresh and they are not. We shall beat them back into Orthanc and Isengard!" Eomer bellowed at his reluctant Eored and no one bothered to step forwards, With a curse, he turned and raced after Gandalf. There was alot of murmuring and I angrily kicked Giant forwards. Men stopped their murmuring and looked at me curiously. "You marched because your loved Eomer, Yet you will not March now to fight for your family, loved ones and your King?" I shouted at them and they all stared at me ashamed and uneasily. I reached up and ripped off my helm and threw it down onto the ground. "I, No more than a boy of Sixteen winters will march where Grown fighting men will not! What does that say about you?"
I turned and ripped my sword free with a flourish and cantered up the slight hill. I didn't want to look back, in case they saw how scared I was. But then, I heard the thudding of hooves and weapon's being unsheathed.
Shadowfax reared as we neared the top of the hill and my stomach lurched as I looked down the steep incline. Eomer seemed to take no notice and ripped his sword free, raising it in the air, he bellowed out to his eored; "ROHIRRIM" I glimpsed down at the scene below me, there were thousands and we were outnumbered. I gripped my sword tighter and Giant snorted underneath me. "TO THE KING!" Eomer bellowed out the command and we leaped down the incline.
I was trying to calm myself down as the Pike men lowered their pikes and aimed it at us, It would be a disaster. All of the Rohirrim were good enough seats not to fall from the saddle and as we neared the strange orc's, Gandalf raised his staff and a weak light emitted from the top. He looked surprised and unconsciously, I raised my own sword arm. My body seemed to course with energy and my sword seemed to glow even brighter. Gandalf looked back surprised, before raising his own staff and adding to the light.
The pike men screamed in surprise as the light hit them and their Pikes lowered until they were pointing to the ground or pointing to the sky. Then the Rohirrim leaped them.
The first line fell beneath the horses jumping and the second and third lines fell as the horses used brute strength used from the jumping to bring them down. I slashed forwards to back as I leaped and an Orc's head swept from his shoulder's. Giant Barrelled the Orc's away from him easily and I slashed left and right. An orc grabbed at my leg and I stabbed forwards, his face exploding in a mass of blood. Giant lashed out with his hind legs and two of the strange Orc's fell. I wheeled Giant around and slashed down at a blade attempting to slice at Giant's own head. I found myself fighting beside Eomer and Firefoot and he looked at me, seemingly surprised to still see me alive. But than, his face turned to a look of happiness and he pointed his sword to the broken wall. "Take five hundred men and pincer them off!" He bellowed out the command and I nodded and waved my sword, black with the blood of my enemy's. "Follow me! Follow me!" Within seconds, I had over five hundred men following me.
I felt exhilarated as I charged forwards with men behind me. Our horses rode them down and we used sword's and axes for the rest. I galloped forwards through the chaos of battle and I slashed down, my body moving to the right. I saw the biggest of the Orc's, slaying any who came forth, a ring of body's around him. I slashed my sword down right, than slashed it down left. "I want two hundred of each of you to go left and right! The rest of you follow me." The Rohirrim roared and leaped to obey. I thought I heard Swiftfire whinnying, but I pushed the thought out of my mind and spurred Giant toward's the obvious Captain.
He seemed to see us coming and he roared in challenge, brandishing his bloody blade. then he noticed the pincer movement trapping him and his men in. The Urak-Hai (Who's name I learned during the battle) Were ridden down and as I neared the leader and passed him, I leapt from my horse, tackling into him.
We both fell to the ground with a thud and I rolled to my feet, sword still in my hand. The Urak-Hai swung at me and I backstepped, blocked a blow. I parried a blow and bringing my sword around my head, I drove it into the beast's neck.
He desperately tried to stop the blood flow and I finished it off my driving my blade through his mouth. As he fell, blood pouring from his mouth. I felt a nudging at my back and I turned, ready to deliver a two handed blow, only to find Giant standing there, saddle missing. The remaining Rohirrim were assembled behind him and as I leaped onto Giant's back, They raised their weapons in salute. I heard the hissing noise and that was it.
The arrow thudded into my arm and I dropped my right sword in panic and grasped my left arm, hand curling around the arrow. I fought through the pain and grabbed onto a Urak-Hai spear. Raising it I shouted out; "To Eomer!" And fought my way to the red clad figure. I was also there in time, to witness Urak-Hai being torn apart by trees. I wasn't there to see Orthanc, I was recuperating. But I will still remember the ceremony's held in Edoras. And mostly my promotion.
