Rangers of the North (Aragorn)

Chapter Twenty-Two: Riders of Rohan

Averael's consciousness came back slowly. She smelt something rancid, but couldn't figure out what it was. Something wasn't right. As her consciousness came back fully, she realized she wasn't lying on the ground anywhere, but was being held up in a standing position. She opened her eyes and blinked. What she saw answered all of the questions flooding her head.

An Uruk stood behind her, holding her arms. That explained the bad stench. Even worse, there was a knife being held to her throat. Orcs surrounded her. Behind the ones in front of her, she saw the doors of the Keep. 

"What do you think we should do with her?" An Uruk to her left asked. 

"I dunno." Another answered. "They don't let their women fight, so there must be somethin' special about her." The Uruk examined her closely. She saw her sword lying on the ground a few feet away from her. The Uruk saw her looking at it and kicked it away, out of sight. She struggled to free herself, but the grip on her arms tightened and the knife against her throat pressed harder. She stopped struggling, glaring at the Uruks around her. Her head hurt badly where it had been hit, and her hood was down. 

More Uruks raised a battering ram and beat the doors of the Keep. They were making progress. Suddenly the doors opened. Theoden rode out on a horse, killing orcs as he went. Aragorn followed. A horn sounded from the top of the Keep.

"Aragorn!" Averael called, but the knife pressed harder.

"Not a word." the Uruk holding her hissed into her ear. She cringed. Aragorn turned, and saw Averael. His eyes lit up at the sight of her alive, and he turned back to get on the wall. 

Averael looked up and saw Legolas aiming his bow from another horse at an Uruk in front of her as Aragorn arrived at his side. The arrow flew, and the Uruk instantly fell. Aragorn's hand flew to Legolas' bow, lowering it, and Averael felt the knife tighten again. Just a little closer, and it would cut through. She shook her head slightly at Legolas.

The rest of the Uruks waiting outside the doors charged at the soldiers. The one holding her moved away from the battle, dragging her with him. She couldn't see Aragorn or Legolas anymore, and she feared the Uruks were defeating their last thrust of defense. To her right, the sun was rising. 

Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the east.

Gandalf's words echoed in her mind and she turned her head as far as she could to look. A moment passed as the Uruk holding her arms behind her back turned to look as well. Then, she saw a white horse ride up over the hill, followed by another, and another, and a whole army of horses rode up. Lead by Shadowfax, the group charged down the hill at a command from Gandalf, attacking the Uruks. Averael heard a low whistle, and looked up. Legolas and Aragorn stood up above, on the next highest roof of the Keep. Aragorn signaled for her to keep still, and Legolas raised his bow. The Uruk behind her didn't see them, watching the newly arrived army on horseback demolish the Uruks. 

She heard the arrow whiz past her ear, and the grip on her arms loosened as the Uruk fell with a grunt, dropping the knife. She stepped forward eagerly, breathing deep, and went to where her sword had been kicked. She found it and grabbed it just as another Uruk attacked, but he was the last one there. All the others had been killed or trampled, or had gone down to fight the riders. Looking up again, she saw that Aragorn and Legolas had left the roof. She ran down, raising her hood, sticking close to the shadows.

Down at the Causeway, she saw the riders in heavy battle. She couldn't run into the fight for fear of being trampled, but picked off a few Uruk archers on the edges that were attacking from afar. The battle ended soon after that. Uruks were either retreating or dead now. King Theoden raised his sword above his head, turning his horse.

"Victory!" He called. "We have victory!" Averael grinned. Men began to return to the Keep from the field, carrying bodies of fallen allies. Bodies of Uruks, men, and Elves lay strewn everywhere. She watched from the side as the horses rode into the Hornburg, and she began walking up the ramp, looking for Aragorn. Hearing her name called behind her, she turned and saw Aragorn. She lowered her hood and ran back. Aragorn wrapped her in his arms and pulled her into a quick kiss before pulling back and embracing her tightly. When he pulled back he was smiling at her, and she smiled back. He put a hand on her neck. She lifted her chin slightly.

"You're cut," He said, frowning.

"It's fine, Aragorn." She pushed his hand down and looked him up and down. "You don't look too good either. I'd be surprised if anyone did after that." 

***

Back up in the Keep, Averael joined the other soldiers and took care of cleaning the blood off of herself, re-braiding her hair, and then helped the women clean and organize weapons. Men brought in bodies of men and Elves, leaving the Uruks piled up to be burned later.

Aragorn approached her, his face washed and clothes changed. He greeted her with a smile. "We're riding to Isengard tomorrow." He told her. "Gandalf says Merry and Pippin are there." Averael nodded. She started to put the sword she was holding away, but Aragorn grabbed it and put it away for her. 

"Every time I see you, either you are with Averael, or she is with you." Legolas walked in with a couple swords. He leaned them against a nearby table. Averael blushed at the comment, and reached for the weapons. She put them away while Aragorn and Legolas conversed a bit in Elvish.

Theoden busied himself giving orders to everybody. By nightfall, most of the weapons and armor was taken care of and cleaned, bodies piled and burned, and food made for everyone. The remaining Lothlorien Elves lined up to leave. Theoden exchanged thanks and farewells with the Elves. Averael turned to Aragorn, frowning.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Haldir's not there. Did he..." she trailed off, the look crossing over Aragorn's face confirming the Elven leader's death. He put his arm around her and she watched the Elves leave, a sad but grateful ache in her heart. 

That night, she fell asleep quickly. Morning came sooner than she would have liked, and she got up reluctantly, stiff from fighting. After eating and mounting Ramir, she rode with Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Gandalf, and Theoden to Isengard.