𝑪𝑨𝑳𝑳 𝑶𝑭 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑺𝑬𝑨 ¹ ↳ 𝒍. 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒐𝒏

lxi. the odds

Her comrades went completely rigid at the sight, just as she did, as they remained silent and shocked at the view. No less than ten-thousand orcs arranged in an organized manner, strategically placed for a battle they needed to win. Vera could feel a dozen emotions running through her body but the one, prominent feeling in her chest that stuck out compared to the rest was her fear. She had never felt fear like that before; a fear that constricted her throat, a fear that suppressed her chest, a fear that made everything else seem like nothing. It drowned her, surrounded her, kept her completely useless and immobile. Never did she feel such a fear like that in her battles...perhaps it was because she had so much to lose; her friends, her family, Legolas, Èmiliya...even the people of Rohan, especially after knowing that her father lived with these people and their blood is in her system. Perhaps it was because she had so much on her shoulders; her people's lives, their deaths, their families, their lives...just carelessly thrown away by the ruthlessness of battle. But whatever it was, Vera was thankful for it as she met her friend's eyes in fear.

"We need to go. Now."

Vera, Grimmund, and Aragorn have never ridden faster as they did when speeding for Helm's Deep. They could not afford any more lost time as every second passing brings that army closer to Helm's Deep and leaves the people of Rohan more vulnerable than they could ever be. With the fear and shock pounding in their veins, blending with the determination to warn Thèoden King and save Rohan from the horrid acts of Saruman and his master, Sauron, the trio found themselves riding to Helm's Deep in a matter of minutes before finally catching a glimpse of it on a hilltop. They have stopped their horses just by the downhill, overlooking the beauty of the structure and registering the number of people inside, who would all be in potential danger, as Aragorn praises Brego for his speed before the group continues with as much haste as before.

Together, the group rises from the ramp leading towards the entrance of Helm's Deep with their hearts beating loudly in their chests, patiently waiting for the wooden doors to welcome them into the large and narrow stronghold before rushing in impatiently and ignoring the people ahead of them — well, Grimmund and Aragorn ignored the people in front of them...Vera is more conscious of the harm they could cause them and shows her displeasure by glaring at Grimmund and Aragorn with reprimanding glares. It is not long before the trio finally reaches the center of the courtyard, giving them enough space for their horses to dismount the steeds and regroup with everyone else. Vera is sure that they looked a strange sight; half-drenched and half-ruffled by their previous rendezvous in the river and the rumple of the winds while battered and bruised by the last battle to protect the Rohirrim. However, her worries did not lie with her appearances.

The moment her feet reach the ground after dismounting her horse and helping Aragorn down, a flash of blonde hair and tiny arms hurls itself on her with a heavy impact, knocking her into the weakened Ranger, who winces and nudges into his horse. Barely gathering the energy and time to turn around completely, her ears are being cut off by the endless words rushing out of Èmiliya's mouth. Vera crouches to meet with the little girl's eyes as she smiles widely at the excited blabbering from her youngest friend, merely nodding and adding sounds to interest the girl as she speaks nearly breathlessly. It isn't long before Èmiliya is wrapping her arms around Vera and embracing her like this is their last day together, and if Vera is being honest, it may be true. The thought consequently worried Vera and saddened her simultaneously as she wraps her arms around the girl tighter, her eyes meeting with Edgar as she flashes him a sad smile of gratitude, which he returns with a beam.

"Èmiliya, please, do slow down. I am afraid you may choke on your own words with the lack of breath in between your words. Besides, I cannot understand a thing you are saying! I may be returned but I am exhausted," Vera interrupts, a soft and teasing smile on her face as Èmiliya giggles but nods understandingly.