Dragon Rider in Middle Earth

XXVII

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All the while Arya was getting depleted of her energy and since she wanted to save the energy inside the stone of her sword for another time, she cut off the spell.

She sped their deaths up, although she reluctantly did so, and released the spell, the flames dissolving into the air as if they had never risen, only living behind the bones and ashes of her enemies.

Once the fighting dissipates, Legolas and Gimli look for Aragorn.

-Aragorn!- Legolas calls out.

-Aragorn?- Gimli spots a dying orc on the ground, laughing. He bends down and points his axe at it just as Legolas rushes to his side and Arya tiredly drags herself along -Tell me what happened and I will ease your passing!

-He's...- it coughs -...- the orc lets out a gurgling laugh due to the hole in its throat -He took a little tumble off the cliff.

Legolas grabs the orc roughly but the neck of its armour.

-You lie!- the orc laughs, blood bubbling in his mouth. He falls back dead. Legolas stands up but sees the Evenstar in the orc's hand.

Arya slips her hand into Legolas' own, their fingers crossing tightly over each other and her other hand on Gimli's shoulder as they approach the cliff and look down into the river below. Théoden approaches behind them.

-Get the wounded on horses. The wolves of Isengard will return- he gives them a sad look -Leave the dead. Come.

-Legolas, Gimli- Arya catches their attention -I have decided to go for a while.

-What?!- Gimli asks.

-I need to clear my head, breath some fresher air and I also wish to see something- Legolas nods sadly while Gimli grumbles.

-Just be careful lassie- she bends down to the dwarf's height as he hugs her, roughly patting her back, before going to help the wounded.

Legolas steps closer to Arya, their chests nearly brushing before he too pulls her into a hug. Arya shivers when he places his head on the crook of her neck and his mouth near her ear.

-Come back to us safely- Legolas felt her nod and he inhaled her soft, flowery scent mixed with a metallic tinge of the blood from the orcs she had killed and a soft burning oak one, before pulling away and helping Gimli help the others.

•••••

Arya hiked up one of the mountains kicking a few of the corpses out of her way. Once she was up at the top, she reached her mind out to Argent.

-Argent!

-I'm coming Arya!- he was close.

Arya waited a little more  and then she stepped closer to the edge of the cliff.

-I'm doing the thing Argent!- she shouted.

-Don't do the thing!- Argent sped up.

Arya smirked and she jumped off. She felt a few moments of exhilaration before she saw Argent fly down and free fall alongside her.

-Really?- he looked at her.

Arya forced herself closer to Argent's saddle on her back, the muscles on her arms groaning at the effort and she pulled up alongside the dragon, both angling up. Arya let out a laugh as a feeling of liberty and Argent smiled, happy that he and his Rider had finally been reunited.

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The women and children approach Helm's Deep. As the women and children enter Helm's Deep.

-Mama!- the little girl Freda shouted as soon as she saw a woman among the crowd.

The children ran to their mother's arms and she cried tears of happiness.

-Freda! Freda!- she cried.

Èowyn surveys the food that had survived the trip.

-Where is the rest?- Éowyn asked one of the soldiers carrying the crates in.

-This is all we could save, my lady- he told her.

-Take it to the caves.

•••••

The riders return to Helm's Deep.

-Make way for the king! Make way for Théoden. Make way for the King!

Èowyn hurries outside to meet them.

-So few. So few of you have returned- she looked around the few left men.

-Our people are safe. We have paid for it with many lives- the king sighs.

Gimli walks to Èowyn with a sad look and a heavy heart.

-My lady...

-Lord Aragorn, where is he?- the poor lady asks.

-He fell...- the dwarf stops the sentence there.

Èowyn is shocked and looks at Théoden in disbelief not believing it.

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-Helm's Deep has but one weakness. It's outer wall is solid rock for except for a small culvert in space, which is little more than a drain- Gríma tells Saruman back in Orthank.

Saruman pours explosives into a metallic ball.

-How? How can fire undo stone? What kind of device can break down a wall?

Gríma moves a candle close to the ball, but is stopped by Saruman.

-If the wall is breached, Helm's Deep will fall- the wizard says.

-Even if it is breached, it would take a number beyond reckoning ... thousands ... to storm the keep.

-Tens of thousands- he whispers.

-But my lord there is no such force.

They walk to the balcony of the tower Orthanc and Gríma looks in awe at the sheer number of Uruk-hai warriors. A horn sounds and the army cheers.

-A new power is rising. Its victory is at hand. This night, the land will be stained with the blood of Rohan! March to Helm's Deep! Leave none alive!- he lifts his arms -To war!- he smirks -here will be no dawn for Men.

After they finish cheering they begin to fill out.

Saruman's smile soon drops as a random shadow crosses the sky and blocks out the Sun momentarily.

-What is it my lord?- Gríma asks in concern. Saruman shushes him.

A great silver dragon lowered down from the clouds, its large shadow contrasting against the white stone of Orthank.

It hovered in place stirring the clouds with the gusts of its wings. Saruman saw the vaguely feminine figure of a woman on the dragon's back before it turned and flew away too fast for him to react.

•••••

Argent turned away from the creepy wizard and changed course. They passed the marching army only for her to catch a small trail of a horse on a hill and a familiar scent that waged in the air (which she sensed through the dragon's senses).

-He's alive- Argent states happily.

-That he is- Arya and Argent fly back up and glide to Rohan. They would reach there a bit after Aragorn.

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