Rise (Lord of the Rings)

36 - On the Road to Recovery

Everyone was silent as we slowly made our way to Helm's Deep. It felt as though a long time had passed since the Wargs attacked. My heart ached at the memory, knowing that yet another Fellowship member had fallen. The only thing left of him was the Evenstar which I had around my throat.

I gently brushed the pendant with my fingers. I closed my eyes, holding back the tears.

"You aren't about to faint, are you?" Legolas' question brought me out of my thoughts.

"Hmm? Oh, no, I'm not," I assured him. "Why? Do I look like I am?"

"No, I just wanted to be sure. You've most likely lost a good amount of blood, probably enough to make you pass out."

I swallowed at the thought. "Well, I'm still awake, so I must not have lost as much as you suspect." I barely managed to wheeze out a laugh. Goodness, I was exhausted.

I didn't have the heart or the energy to let out a whoop of joy as Helm's Deep was just in sight. The villagers' safe place looked like an indestructible fortress, with thick, impossibly high walls.

As the riders slowly approached the bridge, many of the villagers—led by Éowyn—were already making their way over. The path separating the entrance to the fortress from the ground was a rather long one. It looked to be made of solid stone.

Everything about Helm's Deep seemed invincible.

It wasn't too long after the last round of villagers entered Helm's Deep that what was left of the riders filed in, led by King Théoden. The population of Helm's Deep increased staggeringly, so much that there didn't seem to be enough room to move around.

"Make way for Théoden," someone demanded. "Make way for the king."

I searched the packed crowds. I saw Éothain and Freda reunite with their mother. A ghost of a smile played on my lips.

My eyes fell upon Éowyn, who was talking with King Théoden. I looked at Gimli who was on the neighboring horse.

"She should know," I told him, "about him. She will end up asking anyway if we do not tell her now."

"You should be the one to do it, lass," Gimli said gravely.

"If you insist." My stomach churned uneasily as I stole another glance at Éowyn. Whether she had feelings for Aragorn or not, she would be upset to hear he had fallen. This was not a test to see if she did have feelings for him—she had a right to know what happened. "Legolas, do you mind helping me down?"

Wordlessly, Legolas slid off the horse with ease, helping me off. I nodded to him in thanks.

"Good luck, lass," Gimli said over the murmuring crowd.

"Make sure you get your wounds tended to, Marlena," Legolas advised me. "I would rather you not have them get infected."

"Note taken," I agreed. I turned on my heel, shoving my way through people to reach Éowyn. King Théoden had just left her. "Lady Éowyn." Her grey eyes fell to me.

She took a quick survey around us. "So few of the riders returned," she reported gravely.

"It was a rough battle," I said wearily.

"Lord Aragorn," she said. "Where is he? You were with him the last time I saw him."

I bit my lower lip, sucking in a breath. "He fell," I choked out, looking at her with despaired eyes.

The look on her face mirrored my own. It was one of disbelief and distress. "You're hurt." Éowyn knelt down to unravel my right arm. She gasped, dropping my cloak to the ground. "Oh my..." Lucky for her and me, she didn't pass out at the sight of my arm.

"That is only the half of it," I said gravely. "My back is torn up as well."

"And yet no one tended to you in your state?" Éowyn snorted irritably. "It should not surprise me; riders are merely warriors, not healers. We must get you fixed up immediately!"

* * *

I winced as the disgusting feeling continued to crawl along my back. Éowyn had led me to a room she was to stay in and insisted that I room with her.

Éowyn had gotten me settled and ran off to get the necessary supplies. During the time she had left the room, my fingers brushed the open wounds on my arm. I had never been seriously injured, let alone bitten by an animal. Seeing such blemishes stunned me.

When Éowyn came back with medical supplies, I groaned, observing what she had brought. I should have known my injuries were bad to the extent where they would need stitches.

Sadly, Éowyn found no numbing agent to help as she threaded the skin on my back together. Never in my lifetime would I have ever pictured myself being stitched up, let alone be attacked by a mutant wolf called a Warg.

"Was the battle really that bad?" Éowyn whispered to me as she carefully sewed my back. "Or did you just get the worst end of it?"

"You know I didn't get the worst of it," I said bitterly, wringing my hands together. "I'm still here."

"I'll have to stitch your arm next." Éowyn tried to act as if I had never commented.

"It's a shame it's my sword arm." If I ever held my sword while my arm was healing, it would definitely take time to readjust. Still, I guess there was always the option of learning how to spar with my left hand. "I don't think I'll be holding a blade for a while."

"Definitely not. The last thing you need is to tear the threads open."

After another ten minutes, Éowyn had finished my back. She put on a few layers of dressings around my back so my clothes would not irritate the stitching. I stared at the walls and ceiling as Éowyn took my arm. I would not watch her, I would surely throw up.

"It looks like you'll have to discard the dress as well, Marlena," Éowyn said sadly. "It looks as though it has been patched up before. However, I do not think it can endure another fix."

"That's all right," I lied. I hated to have this dress part from me; I had worn it since leaving Rivendell. Still, the idea of a wardrobe change seemed long overdue. It would be nice to finally see what other outfit Arwen had crafted for me. "I have a spare outfit in my sack."

"I thought it felt light," Éowyn muttered to herself.

"You have it?"

"Yes, I do. I brought it with me."

I exhaled with relief. "Tell me, do you know where I can bathe myself? It might do me some good."

"I do, though I recommend you wait until I'm done."

"Can I ask another question?"

"Of course."

"Do you know anyone who can fashion me nightwear?"

"I am sure I know of someone who can lend you something. Now let me get some dressings on this."

I pulled my eyes to the dressings Éowyn wrapped around my arm. I made sure to focus on the wrappings and not the stitches. "Will these scar?" I asked her hesitantly.

"I'm afraid so." She laid a hand on my wrapped arm. "Do not worry; you won't even know the scars are there. They will fade in time. And if you happen to look back on them, they will remind you that you survived."