Angel From Another World

Chapter 34: Ride Out With Me

We make it inside with barely any time to spare. Orcs pound on the door to Fort Eorlingas as Thèoden paces back and forth in despair.

"The fortress is taken. It is over." He says disheartened. The men, Legolas, Aragorn, Gimli, and I help to barricade the door as quickly as possible. Aragorn turns and stomps towards Thèoden.

"You said this fortress would never fall while your men defend it. They still defend it. They have died defending it!" Aragorn says angrily. "Is there no other way for the women and children to get out of the caves?" He asks looking to the men. They stay silent. "Is there no other way?" He asks again desperately. I watch him as I stand with Legolas.

"There is one passage. It leads into the mountains. But they will not get far. The Uruk-hai are too many." Gamling says quietly. I sigh in relief quietly but continue watching the conversation.

"Send word for the women and children to make for the mountain pass. And barricade the entrance!" Aragorn says turning to Gamling.

"So much death. What can men do against such reckless hate?" Thèoden asks looking lost. I flinch as the banging on the door gets louder.

"Ride out with me." Aragorn says to the King. Thèoden turns to look at him, slightly shocked and surprised by the idea. "Ride out and meet them." Aragorn says calmly.

"For death and glory?" Thèoden asks in wonder.

"For Rohan. For your people." Aragorn confirms.

"The sun is rising." Gimli says smiling slightly. We all look to the window.

"Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the East." I whisper Gandalf's words to myself quietly.

"Yes. Yes! The horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the deep, one last time." Thèoden says with hope.

"Yes!" Gimli yells and runs off to blow the horn.

"Let this be the hour when we draw swords together." Thèoden says putting a hand on Aragorn's shoulder.

"Send for Shadowpaw. He's in the caves." I say to one of the guards. The horses and Shadowpaw are brought from the caves quickly. Legolas rides on his own. We both needed plenty of swing room.

"Stay close to me." He whispers next to me. I nod in agreement.

"Fell deeds awake. Now for wrath. Now for ruin! And a red dawn!" Thèoden says drawing his sword. The rest of us follow his lead. I smile as I draw Langoril. "Forth Eorlingas!" Thèoden yells as the doors are pulled open and Orcs swarm in. The sound of a loud horn is heard as we ride into the battle. I stick close to Legolas like he asked. We both swing our swords furiously striking down our enemies. Legolas and I come towards Aragorn. The three of us stop as the sun shines over the hill. There stands a glowing man in white on a horse.

"Gandalf." Aragorn whispers. I smile.

"He made it." I say smiling. Suddenly another man rides up next to him. It's Èomer.

"Rohirrim!" Èomer yells raising his sword.

"Èomer!" Thèoden says coming near myself and the two males by my sides.

"To the King!" Èomer yells loudly. A great horde of horses charge at the Uruk-hai army. The Orcs are blinded temporarily by the sun as it comes over the rise of the hill. They then set up their spears in defense. The Orcs get blinded by the sun even more and pull back. The horses crash into their ranks. The battle is soon over. The Orcs are on the run. We yell in victory. Shadowpaw makes a loud howl and I laugh.

"Good job boy." I say patting him. He snorts at me in thanks. We begin to follow the Orcs over the rise. I stop Shadowpaw between Èomer and Gandalf.

"Stay out of the forest! Keep away from the trees!" Èomer calls as we look out over the out-of-place forest. I cringe as I hear the screams of pain coming from the trees.

"Well, Fangorn Forest certainly got it's revenge on those roaches." I say smiling.

"I'm sure our friend will be glad." Gandalf says to me. I smile at him knowing exactly who he speaks of. After a little while, filled with hellos and hugs. We return to the battlefield. I look over the dead bodies in dismay, they were all someone's son, brother, or husband. I slip off Shadowpaw and walk towards Gimli sitting on a dead Orc. Legolas follows me.

"Final count: forty-two." Legolas says looking up from fiddling with his bow.

"Forty-two?! That's not bad for a pointy-eared Elvish Princeling." Gimli says smiling.

"I myself am sitting pretty on forty-three." Gimli says chuckling. Legolas then shoots the Orc Gimli was sitting on.

"Forty-three." He says straightening up.

"He was already dead." Gimli says in shock.

"He was twitching." Legolas says trying to claim the kill.

"He was twitching because he's got my axe embedded in his nervous system!" Gimli says pulling around the axe in the Orcs head making it twitch.

"Pfft. Really, Forty-Two and Forty-Three? That's pathetic." I say laughing.

"Well how many did you get lass?" Gimli says looking unconvinced.

"One-Hundred-and-Twenty-Three." I say proudly. Legolas and Gimli look at me in shock. "Yup, having godly powers really has it's perks." I say smirking as I nonchalantly look at my fingernails. Then I remember something. "I'm going to find Haldir." I say sadly as I walk back to Shadowpaw. Climbing on his back I ride him through the hole in the wall. We climb up the stairs on the right and I hop off him at the top. Scanning the ground for my friend, I find him buried under a couple of dead Orcs. I pull out Haldir and motion Shadowpaw to sit down so I can lay him on his back. "We should take him somewhere nicer than this." I say quietly as I climb on behind my fallen friend. I stir Shadowpaw around and go back out of the hole in the wall. "I'm gonna go bury him." I say riding past Legolas. The others had seen me walk past and joined me. They slowly follow after me. I ride over the rise onto the open plain. I ride with the others in tow until I find a reasonable place to bury my friend. The area was a flat green patch of grass. It had a small tree growing there with small pink flowers on it. "I hope he likes it here. I know he would have preferred Lothlórien but it's so far." I say sadly getting off Shadowpaw. He lays down and I pull Haldir off his back. Legolas and Aragorn walk over and help me carry Haldir to the grass. Shadowpaw digs a shallow grave in the ground for the broken body of our friend. We lay him down in it and then go and find a bunch of rocks to cover him with. "Back to the earth on which you were born. Sleep well my friend and good hunting to you. Where ever you end up. I promise to send word to your Brothers, Rúmil and Orophin." I say through racking sobs as I rest my hand on the pile of rocks. Shadowpaw howls to the wind for our lost friend. Legolas crouches on my left and Aragorn on my right. They hug me as I cry for my friend.

"He was family to you. He was the bravest warrior I have ever met, and he was my kin. We will fight back the evil for the rest of our lives to honor his death." Legolas says gently to me. I nod in agreement.

"He'll always be here." I say touching my heart.