The Quest

The Quest: Chapter 14

           

After trekking many miles across the Riddermark, the land began to emit an unsettling feeling on the travelling caravan. Alannah moved her hand to her sword when she noticed Legolas grow quiet and furrow his brow at the sudden change in atmosphere. He gently grasped Alannah by the elbow and pulled her closer to him.

"Stay with Aragorn, meleth nin, I will scout ahead." He kissed her softly on the cheek before following the horseman who also aimed to see what lay ahead over the ridge. Alannah moved close to Aragorn and Eowyn, hoping for Legolas to return with no bad news to bear.

Moments later, the roars of the wargs echoed through the land, signaling that they were most certainly being ambushed. Alannah looked around at the people that were now huddling together in fear and screaming in panic. They were out in the open, mostly women and children with little to no combat experience. Aragorn ran ahead in the direction Legolas went, leaving Alannah to help Eowyn calm the frightened people and horses.

"These people need to get to the fortress!" Alannah called out to Eowyn. Her friend looked troubled as she looked at her people around her, fear shining through their eyes. King Theoden rode up to them, looking down at Eowyn seriously.

"You must lead the people the Helm's Deep." Theoden ordered. Eowyn insisted she could stay and fight, but the determination was quickly silenced by her uncle's refusal as he once again, ordered her to lead the people to safety. Alannah pulled her sword and began to run towards the attack before feeling Eowyn's hand firmly grasping her tunic.

"Come with me, we may need you if we are crossed before we get there." Eowyn pleaded with her friend. Alannah looked back, her heart pained at the thought of leaving Legolas and her friends to fight this battle without her. Almost suddenly, the terrified cries of the children around her snapped her back as she began to help Eowyn corral the people and direct them towards the fortress.

"We need to go now!" Alannah and Eowyn screamed in unison as they lead them away from the battle. Alannah turned to look once more and pulled her bow to her front, nocking an arrow almost as fast and efficient as Legolas. She sent it flying through the air and into the head of an orc before taking up the rear of the caravan and saying a silent prayer that her beloved and her friends would make it safely to Helm's Deep to join her.

~

After several miles of running and trying to keep the people together and safe, they finally arrived at the great fortress. Alannah and Eowyn exchanged a smile as they came upon it, satisfied that they had completed their mission. Their relief soon turned to sadness as they walked through the gates and saw the massive amounts of people that had already fled there, escaping attacks on their own homes and villages from Saruman's army of ruthless uruk-hai.

Eowyn immediately assumed her role to act in the Kings stead and began to direct the people and the supplies to its designated areas. Alannah left her friend to her duties and made her way around the crowded fortress. The walls were high and made of thick stone yet Alannah only felt a slight comfort in them. She was not sure of how many forces Saruman had in his command, but he was a great wizard and she knew that he was capable of great, wicked things. She finally made her way to the top along the gates where she could gaze out in the direction she knew the rest of the caravan would come, and later the opposing armies. She propped herself up onto the ledge, pulling her legs to her chest as she looked across the fields, waiting for any sign that they would come back safe. The people stared at her as they passed her by, wondering why a single female elf was amongst them. Alannah realized her clothing made her obvious but continued to sit perched on the ledge, knowing she would have to get used to the stares for the time being.