The once terrified and hopeless elderly, women, and children smile and feel hopeful as they approach Helm's Deep. They can see it just off in the distance, with the cusps of it coming up over hills and rocky terrain, the people begin to hope again. "Helm's Deep!" villagers cheer as they approach the fortress. As they rush the last bit of the way to get within the protective walls. Older women, as they rush to the keep pass by Èowyn, hand the young maiden things to carry,
As she rushes past. The women and children enter Helm's Deep. Freda and her brother find their mother and rush to her calling to her, "Mama!" She is just as pleased to see them as they are to see her. The children find their mother and run to her arms. "Freda! Freda!" Èowyn walks around and surveys the food. "Where is the rest?" she calls out to those in charge with her, "This is all we could save, my lady." one of the older men said. She nods.
"Take it to the caves." she orders and the men nod and do as they are told. The sound of loud horse hooves alerts the keep to the return of the riders. Guards shout commands to people in the way of the doors, "Make way for the king! Make way for Théoden. Make way for the King!" hearing this, Èowyn hurries to meet them. "So few. So few of you have returned." she says as she looks at the returned men. "Our people are safe. We have paid for it with many lives."
The king says before helping wounded form horseback to avoid the conversation with his niece. Gimli walks to Èowyn. She sees him and moves to meet him half way, "My lady..." he greets sadly, "Lady Thilia, where is she?" the young woman asks worry very present on her face. Boromir, coming in with Legolas and Aragorn, is very clearly distraught. The blonde woman can see it and she can already tell what news the dwarf has.
"She fell..." he says his own voice quivering with emotion. Èowyn is shocked and looks at Théoden in disbelief. She sits heavily as it hits her.
***
Standing on the wall looking out over the fields of grass and rock, Théoden gives his orders. "Draw all our forces behind the wall. Bar the gate, and set a watch on the surround." one of his guards adds an inquiry. "What of those who cannot fight my lord? The women and children?" walking down the stairs along the fortress wall, he answers, "Get them into the caves. Saruman's arm would have grown long indeed if he thinks he can reach us here." the guard nods.
He then proceeds to pass along the order to his men and they get to work of moving everyone into the safety of the caves.
***
Gríma gives his info on the fortress as his master makes something in front of himself. "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." Saruman pours explosives into a metallic ball. "How? How can fire undo stone? What kind of device can break down a wall?" Gríma asks as he moves a candle close to the ball, but it stopped by Saruman.
"If the wall is breached, Helm's Deep will fall." Saruman states. "Even if it is breached, it would take a number beyond reckoning — thousands — to storm the keep." Gríma says almost defeatedly. Stepping out onto a blacony Saruman gives his response, "Tens of thousands." "But my lord there is no such force." They step further out on the balcony of the tower Orthanc and Gríma looks in awe at the sheer number of Uruk-hai warriors. Horns sound and the army roars.
Saruman raises his hand and the crowd calms, "A new power is rising. Its victory is at hand." The warriors cheer. "This night, the land will be stained with the blood of Rohan! March to Helm's Deep! Leave none alive!" the beasts roar again in cheers, "To war!" Saruman adds. More cheers erupt as he turns back to Gríma. "There will be no dawn for Men."
***
Merry and Pippin and Treebeard are moving past Isengard. "Look! There's smoke to the south!" Pippin calls as he points, "There is always smoke rising up from Isengard these days." Treebeard muses, "Isengard?" Merry points out curiously. The Ent nods, "There was a time, when Saruman would walk in my woods, but now, he has a mind of metal and wheels." The hobbits climb higher to get a view of Isengard.
"He no longer cares for growing things." Treebeard continues, the hobbits spot the Uruk army. "What is it?" Pippin gasps out as he looks at the mass before him, "It's Saruman's army! The war has started." Merry says having figured it out.
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Return to our Destiny.
FanfictionThilia the heir of Durin is going on a mission to destroy the one ring, she's going with 2 men, one elf, one dwarf, a wizard and four little hobbits. *** There's much that needs to be done and as next in line for the throne of Erebor, Thilia is str...
