"By order of the king, the city must empty! We make for the refuge of Helms Deep. Do not burden yourself with treasures, take only what provisions you need."
Gamling, the guard at Meduseld, had spent the whole morning making that same announcement over and over again. Due to her lack of sleep the night before, Noelle was really grouchy and it was getting on her last nerve.
The four of them followed Gandalf to the stables. Noelle figured she was going with them. While she didn't want to get caught up in another war, the Rohirrim badly needed protection.
"Helms Deep!" Gimli snorted. "They flee to the mountains when they should stand and fight. Who will defend them if not their king!"
"He is only doing what he thinks is best for his people," Aragorn defended Théoden.
"Edoras doesn't exactly have the tactical advantage," Noelle said crossly, as she yawned. "A city on a hill in the middle of nowhere is going down."
Gosh, she had to stop thinking like a tactician. That's what happened to you when you fought in a war for almost three years straight. But Noelle would have done the same thing were she in Théoden's shoes. Edoras was no place to stay when you had limited military.
"Helms Deep has saved them in the past..." Aragorn sounded unsure.
Noelle realized that she was following him and Gandalf still instead of going to tack up Flash.
"There is no way out of that ravine. Theoden is walking into a trap," Gandalf stated.
Only if Saruman knew they were going there. Maybe if they hadn't let Wormtongue go... Noelle shook her head thinking about it.
"He thinks he is leading them to safety. What they will get is a massacre." Gandalf entered Shadowfax's stall. The white stallion looked less than happy being cooped up in there.
Suddenly something dawned on Noelle. "Gandalf, you're not coming with us are you?"
"No, dear Noelle. I am not," Gandalf replied simply before turning his attention back to Aragorn. "Theoden has a strong will, but I fear for him. I fear for the survival of Rohan. He will need you before the end, Aragorn. You too, Noelle. You wanted to make a difference, did you not? The people of Rohan will need you."
Noelle nodded.
Gandalf sighed and turned towards his horse, stroking his shoulder thoughtfully. "The Grey Pilgrim. That's what they used to call me. Three hundred lives of men I've walked this earth and now I have no time."
Aragorn opened the stall door for him as he mounted Shadowfax.
"With luck, my search will not be in vain. Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day- at dawn, look to the east."
Aragorn nodded.
Gandalf gave Noelle one last look.
"Good luck," she said with a smile. "Wherever you're going." Noelle had learned to stop questioning Gandalf's mysterious disappearances and reappearances.
The wizard took a deep breath and gave Shadowfax a kick. The horse galloped speedily out of his stall almost knocking over Legolas and Gimli. They jumped out of the way right on time.
Noelle sighed. Now she remembered she had to groom Flash and tack him up.
"Someone's in a sour mood this morning," the Arabian commented as she entered his stall.
Noelle was this close to telling him to shut up. But the soft spot she had for the horse despite his sassy personality took over. She patted his nose. "Yes, I'm tired," she said quietly.
"Why's that?"
"Bad dreams." Noelle had a feeling Legolas was probably overhearing this conversation. Since last night, she had been actively avoiding being alone with him.
There were so many things she didn't want to think about. How she had probably made an idiot out of herself in front of him. Plus... what could have happened.
His face had been so close to hers. She had felt his breath on her cheek.
Feeling her face heat up. Noelle bent down to tighten Flash's girth.
"Hey! Not so tight!" came Flash's voice in her head.
"Sorry."
"What's wrong? Are you alright? You're acting so strange today."
"It's nothing," Noelle said quickly. "Let's go."
~~~~~~
Noelle spent her time riding behind Aragorn. Legolas and Gimli were up further ahead of them.
Eowyn came up to join them as well. Noelle honestly missed hanging around other girls. The past six months had basically been all guys.
She missed Bern and Ahsoka.
The two kids Theoden had taken in earlier were also there, hanging out with Eowyn. Noelle learned their names were Éothain and Freda respectively. Little Freda asked her if she was from Gondor since her hair was a dark color and she had blue eyes.
Noelle smiled. "No I'm not from Gondor."
"Where are you from then?" the little girl had asked, sounding confused.
Noelle was silent, not knowing how to answer. "I'm from a place... far, far away from here."
"What's your country called?"
"Uhhh. It's called America," Noelle answered sadly.
Little Freda noticed. "I'm sorry, Miss Noelle. I didn't mean to make you sad."
"No it's alright. Really," Noelle tried to reassure her with a small smile, as she reached over and patted the little girl's hand. "I'll be fine."
"Yeah that's exactly what you told me earlier today," Flash added.
"Oh hush," Noelle muttered under her breath.
"I have never heard of your country," Éowyn jumped in, her voice curious. "Where in Middle earth is it?"
"It's in the far West- I live close to the ocean." Noelle shifted uncomfortably at the questions. Who would ever believe the truth aside from her companions? She had barely been able to explain everything well enough to Legolas last night.
Legolas. Ugh. Noelle again didn't want to think about how awkward that had been.
He hadn't pushed her for answers after that strange episode, but even before that...
Why hadn't he wanted to tell her why he wanted to know everything?
And the way they had been so close together.
Noelle exhaled a shaky breath, and realized she was sweating.
Legolas had barely spoken to her today other than a "good morning" with a concerned glance, and she knew she would have to face him again eventually, but she wanted more time to think first.
About what was going on between them.
Legolas was so mysterious all the time, yet when she thought about it, she realized she was probably equally mysterious to him.
"Do you not know?" he had asked.
Should I have known? Noelle wondered. What had he been trying to tell her?
Noelle sighed. "Flash let's go over this way for a little while." She clicked her tongue and nudged the horse away from the group slightly. She knew Aragorn was watching her leave.
"I'm not going far, don't worry," she called over her shoulder. She just needed quiet so she could really think.
She got about ten yards away from the group when she had a feeling someone was following her- not necessarily a good presence either.
"Flash, is there someone behind us?" she whispered.
"Think so. I'll turn around."
If it wasn't for his warning, Noelle likely would have fallen off as he turned quite sharply.
There they stood face to face with Náedran.
"Uh oh. Here comes trouble."
Noelle frowned, resisting the urge to touch her sword. Instead she cleared her throat. "Can I help you, Sir?"
Náedran raised his head. "Yes princess, you can come back with me. Off to try one of your magic spells on us while we're preoccupied?"
Noelle opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She really didn't know how to respond to that.
"Why that little scumbag! I'll show-"
Noelle kicked Flash. Then she started to turn him around back into the other direction they had been going in.
"The king doesn't trust you," he called after her.
Noelle stopped Flash and turned back around to face him. She snapped. "He trusts Gandalf, who brought me along. So why don't you mind your own business. You don't really know what is going on." Her voice was harsh.
Náedran smirked. "What makes you think he trusts that old vagabond sorcerer?"
Noelle sighed. "Just leave me alone, will you?" She really did have more important things to worry about than this agitator.
"Why my lady? Am I making you... uncomfortable?"
Noelle stared at him, speechless. She felt a chill run down her spine at those words. Why though? Náedran was just a man- well a Rohan soldier. But still, he was no real threat to her, an ex-Jedi.
However, there was something about the way he had said it and the gleam of amusement in his eyes.
Maybe wandering off alone had been a bad idea after all.
"Noelle?" came a calm and cool voice behind Náedran.
Legolas. Noelle had never been more glad to see him.
He was standing a few yards away, and he didn't look happy. At all. He walked over to beside Noelle and Flash. He gazed up at her. "What are you doing?" he asked in a low voice.
"I was just going for a walk."
"It may be best if you stayed with us for now." He took Flash's reins and slowly guided her past Náedran.
"My lord." The Elf glared at him as they passed him.
Noelle felt a chill at the tone of his voice. Legolas was deadly too. Upsetting him would be a mistake on Nàedran's part.
When they got a good distance from him (Legolas led her parallel to the caravan of people), he finally spoke. "Are you alright?"
She released a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. "Yeah. I'm fine... I think."
"As I said before: perhaps you should just stay with us. I saw you wander off, but then I saw him follow you."
"I have a bad feeling about him, Legolas," Noelle whispered.
"So do I," Legolas said uncomfortably. "Why did he say all those things to you?"
"I don't know. He acts like he's superstitious and such, but... it's almost sarcastically."
Legolas looked at her.
"Ironic humor," Noelle explained.
"I see."
Of course you do, she thought.
As if he had read her thoughts, Legolas glanced up at her. "Are you coming down?" he asked, offering her his hand.
Before Noelle could respond, a loud shriek hit the air. Her eyes widened.
Legolas fit an arrow to his bow and took off running in the direction the noise had come from.
Pulling out her sword, Noelle gave Flash a nudge to canter forward. "Hyah!" She saw Legolas up ahead disappear. Then Flash skidded to a stop, causing her to be almost thrown forward in the saddle.
"Whoa!"
Noelle looked down. Legolas had jumped down about a fifteen foot drop, which was why he had disappeared.
He was slicing the throat of an orc. Behind it lay a dead warg.
Noelle felt her throat go dry. It took her longer than normal to comprehend the thought.
They were under attack.
She could hear Aragorn screaming as he raced back down the hill.
"A SCOUT!!!" Legolas shouted.
Noelle was still a bit stunned when Legolas came running back up to where she was. Racing past her, he stopped on the other side of the cliff to get a better view.
Noelle urged Flash on to follow him. "What is it?" she asked.
"Warg riders. Maybe thirty of them." The Elf squinted.
Noelle swallowed, remembering the time she, Bern, Bilbo, Gandalf and the dwarves had been chased by wargs. They had only gotten lucky enough because they had the help of Radagast and Elrond. The people of Rohan wouldn't stand a chance.
"You should go," said Legolas.
"No, I can't just leave you all behind. I'm staying-"
"If you want my opinion, I say we go too," Flash chimed in.
Legolas opened his mouth to respond but the wargs were getting closer. He whipped out his bow, as Noelle kicked Flash, her sword in hand. "Down the hill! Go!"
"Now we're about to see how great of a rider you really are!"
Noelle actually grinned. "I hope all those years of lessons were worth something."
She saw Aragorn following Théoden and the other riders in the direction of the wargs. Gimli, who was by himself, was hollering at his horse. "Forward!" he yelled as he yanked the reins.
"Gimli! Give him a kick!" Noelle shouted over to him.
Gimli gave it his best shot and Arod lurched forward. "Whoa!!! Thanks lassie!"
Noelle took a deep breath and turned her eyes to the oncoming horde before them
~~~~~
"Aragorn!" Legolas shouted.
Noelle shakily got off of Flash's back. The battle had only lasted around fifteen minutes, but the casualties had been great. And they also couldn't find Aragorn, the one who was usually leading the charge.
"Aragorn!" came Gimli's deep voice.
Noelle dropped Flash's reins and wandered over to Legolas and Gimli. She was exhausted, but they had to find him.
Gimli looked worried, and Legolas's eyes were sad and more than concerned.
"Any sign of him," Noelle asked tiredly.
"None," Legolas shook his head.
"We'll find him, Legolas."
There was the sound of someone coughing and spluttering behind Noelle. She glanced down. It was a half-dead orc. His gurgling sounded more like strangled laughing. Gimli pointed his axe at his face. "Tell me what happened and I will ease your passing!"
"He's dead!" the orc spat. "He took a little tumble off the cliff."
Noelle felt her heart stop. She raced over to the edge of the cliff and peered down. It couldn't be. There was no sign of Aragorn anywhere. There was only the rushing creek. He could have been carried off...
Theoden joined her, then Legolas and Gimli.
"Get the wounded on horses," she heard Theoden say. "The wolves of Isengard will return. Leave the dead."
Legolas looked sharply at the King, shocked and upset.
Theoden placed a hand on his shoulder. "Come," he said kindly.
Legolas swallowed.
"I'll go look for him," Noelle said. "He could have just been carried downstream-"
"He's gone Noelle."
Noelle opened her mouth to protest, before Legolas opened his hand.
The Evenstar. The necklace Arwen had given to Aragorn.
Gimli placed his hand on Noelle's shoulder. "No one could have survived that fall, lassie." She saw him wipe his eyes.
"But..." Noelle had nothing to say. Nothing. Except for the fact that she was absolutely stunned. They couldn't do this without Aragorn. Without Strider. They needed him. More than she realized.