Chapter Eleven, Planning for Battle

"It's true you don't see many Dwarf women," Gimli told Calén and Eowyn. The two of them were walking on either side of his horse. Legolas, Aragorn, Boromir and Theoden were riding on horses a little behind them. "In fact, they are so alike in voice and appearance to Dwarf men that they are often mistaken for Dwarf men." Calén laughed and looked back at Aragorn. 'It's the beards,' he mouthed, stroking his chin. Calén and Eoywen broke out in laughs and giggles.

"And this in turn has given rise to the belief that their are no Dwarf women," Gimli continued. "And that Dwarves just spring out of a hole in the ground." Eowyn and Calén were laughing hysterically. "Which is of course preposterous. Woah!" Gimli's horse surged forwards, knocking him off. Eowyn and Calén rushed forward and helped him up, trying to stifle her laughter. "Nobody panic!" Gimli shouted. "That was deliberate! That was deliberate!"
"Sure it was, Gimli," Boromir laughed having come to see the Dwarf as a dear friend.

The next day Legolas followed Hama and Gamling up to scout ahead. "What is it?" Gamling asked. "Hama?"
"I'm not sure," Hama murmured. The next second a Warg and an Orc attacked him leaping on top of him from the cliff above. Legolas fired an arrow, killing it. "A Scout!" Legolas shouted to Aragorn who had ran up to help before he ran back to inform the King and protect his love. "We're under attack!" He shouted to the King. Before he turned to Calén who was stood next to Eoywen. "My love please go with the others. I cannot lose you." Calén sighed agreeing as he knew when to pick his battles and he knew with how he was feeling today he would be more of a hinderance than any help and tied the Evenstar around Aragorn's neck firmly.

"All riders to the front of the column!" Theoden ordered. "Come on get me up here I'm a rider!" Gimli shouted as he truer to climb on to the horse he was sharing with Boromir only to nearly fall off the other side. "Forward! Charge forward!" Gimli ordered the horse only for it to go backwards. Boromir taking pity on the Dwarf pulled his horse in the right direction to coax it before handing the reins back to Gimli as they charged into the fray. "Eowyn," Theoden called. "Lead the people to Helm's Deep."
"I can fight!" She yelled back.
"No! You must lead the others to safety including Calén he is looking worse today." Eowyn turned her head to look at the young Elf was resting his head against Aragorn's as they shared a moment. She nodded her head and with the help of Calén began ushering the people who couldn't fight down the path as the riders charged into the Wargs and Orcs.

Legolas fired arrow after arrow at the oncoming swarm of Wargs and their Orc riders. As the others came closer he swung up onto the horse he was sharing with Gimli. As they charged at the Orcs hacking at them Gimli dived off of his horse to kill a Warg that was eating a fallen rider who had been killed. "Bring your pretty face to my axe!" Gimli growled at the Warg as it ran at him ready to feast on the Dwarf as Gimli was about to attack the Warg Legolas through a spear killing the Warg and saving Gimli. "No! That one still counts as mine!" Gimli shouted at Legolas. He sighed and ran off to kill some more.

A little while later Boromir saw Gimli was under a pile of Orcs and Wargs and was on his way to help him when Aragorn got there first throwing a spear into the Warg's back only it it to fall on top of Gimli who groaned in pain. "Here, Gimli." Boromir said as he pushed the bodies off of him. "Thank you Laddie." Gimli said gruffly as he got to his feet. Looking around them they saw that the battle was over, but there was no sign of Aragorn not even among the dead. "Aragorn!" Legolas shouted.
"Aragorn?" Gimli asked, looking for his friend.

"Tell me what happened to him," Boromir snapped at the wheezing orc at his feet his sword at his throat. "And I shall ease your passing." Legolas and Gimli ran up to stand beside the auburn haired male. "He's dead," the orc wheezed. "Took a little tumble off the cliff."
"No!" Legolas gasped what was he going to tell Calén. He ran to the edge of the cliff as the Orc breathed his last breath. There was no sign of his friend.

Boromir bent down and picked up the Evenstar pendent out of the Orcs hands, it was what Calén had gifted to Aragorn. It was glowing a silvery-blue. The others joined Legolas at the cliffs edge. "Get the wounded on horses. The Wargs of Isengard will return. Leave the dead." Theoden instructed his men heavily. "You can not do that!" Boromir argued. "Calén deserves to bury the man he loved!"
"What good would it do? Would it bring him back? No it would not it would only cause him more grieve and pain that I do not wish to burden her with further!" Theoden snapped thinking of the sweet dying Elf.

During the last few hours in the journey to Helm's Deep, everyone was somber. Many had died in the battle. When they got to Helm's Deep, Theoden immediately sent the women into the caves. Calén was distraught when Gimli told him the news of his beloved Aragorn and collapsed to the floor sobbing as Boromir, Legolas and Gimli comforted their friend. Once he was calm he followed them into the armoury to help put the younger boys in armour. Later Boromir were curled up in the main square just enjoying a quiet moment when he heard shouting. "He's alive!" He looked up to see Aragorn riding in on a horse. As soon as Aragorn jumped down, Boromir pulled the taller man into a fierce hug. When he pulled back, Boromir punched Aragorn's shoulder and handed him his pendant. Chuckling, Aragorn rubbed his shoulder.

"Hannon le. It means thank you." He said as he fastened it around his neck seeing Boromir's confused look. "It's good to see you too, Boromir." Gimli suddenly came running into the square. "Where is he? I'm gonna kill him!" He smiled when he saw Aragorn and pulled him into another hug. "Bless you, laddie." Aragorn laughed harder.
"Gimli, where is Calén? where is the King?" He asked. Gimli gestured to the Hall for the King and to behind him where Calén and Legolas were walking or running to him in Calén's case. "Aragorn!" Calén shouted as he ran into his beloveds arms. Aragorn frowned when he saw how skinny he had gotten in three days and felt immensely guilty. "Goheno nin Meleth nîn?" Aragorn asked. Calén smiled sweetly at him as he placed his hand on Aragorn's cheek rubbing his cheekbone gently.
"Of course Meleth nîn." Calén assured kissing Aragorn softly.

Once they pulled apart Legolas smirked at him. "You're late." Legolas said simply.
"You look awful." Legolas said looking over his long time friend as they clasped shoulders before they followed Aragorn to the hall. With a grimace of pain Aragorn pushed open the doors stopping Theoden's conversation with Glamding and Grimbold about loving the women and children to the caves. As the doors bounced off of the stone walls everyone turned to look at him. "Aragorn." Theoden greeted he saw the look on his face and asked what was wrong, he did not like the answer.

"There are ten thousand Urukais on their way here right now. They'll be here at night fall. It's an army bred for a single purpose; to wipe out the world of men." Aragorn informed the King.
"Ten thousand." Theoden breathed in shock. "Glamding, send everyone who can fight to the armoury we need all the help we can get. We are very much alone." Theoden ordered ignoring Aragorn's pointed look as they got into an argument about sending out riders for aid. Theoden insisting no one would answer as they are not as lucky to have friends like Aragorn and that they were very much alone.

"These are not warriors," Legolas whispered to Boromir and Gimli. "They will not last the night."
"They can hear you know!" Calén hissed. "You doubting them isn't really inspiring them nor is it giving them to fight!"
"These men have seen too many winters!" Gimli shad gruffly.
"Or too few," Boromir added.
"They are frightened," Legolas said. "I can see it in their eyes. Three hundred against ten thousand they're all going to die!" He ranted in Elvish.
"Then I shall die as one of them!!" Aragorn shouted at Legolas before he stormed out of the armoury Calén following his One to try and calm him down. Legolas tried to follow them but Gimli and Boromir stopped him.

"Let him go lad, let him be." Gimli said putting his arm out to stop the older Elf following after his friend. "He just needs time to calm down , he'll be fine. And I'm sure Calén will be able to calm him down." Boromir assured as they three friends stood their thinking of the impending battle.

As they went outside later on that evening Legolas wanting to apologise they spotted a boy who they identified as Hama's son, Halith talking to Aragorn and Calén outside the Citadel. "Aragorn." Legolas called. "I'm sorry I was wrong to despair." Legolas apologised. Smiling at his friend Aragorn clasped Legolas's shoulder as Legolas did the same to him. "It's forgotten." Gimli growled and took off his outer costs as he tried to sort out the too big chainmail. "If we had time I'd get this adjusted." He grumbled dripping the chainmail to the floor so it look like it was a long dress as it dragged on the floor. He glared as Calén, Aragorn, Legolas and Boromir tried and failed to smother their laughter. "It's a little tight across the chest!" He snapped at them. He took off the chain mail and put his coats back on just as a horn wrenched through the air.

"That is no Orc horn." Legolas and Calén said recognising the horn as the gates were opened once more as a soldier came running up to Theoden telling him a battalion of Elves had come to their aid. "Haldir." Calén cried happily as he ran and hugged his friend who was more like a brother to him. "Hello Calén." Haldir said hugging the young Elf tightly frowning at how thin he was. "It's good to see you well Haldir." Aragorn greeted smiling at his friend.

"Thank you, Aragorn," Haldir replied. He put Calén down letting him return to Aragorn's side. "Men and Elves once fought and died together. We are proud to fight beside men once more."

"Hello Orophin, Rumil." Calén greeted as he hugged his friends. "How are you Calén?" They asked concerned.
"I'm okay I guess." He said with a shrug of his shoulders. "We must get in position," Theoden called to all who gathered leading the way to the battlements. The other Elves quickly followed their leader. All the men were already in position. The Elves and the Fellowship quickly joined them.

End of chapter!

Translation:

*Elvish: Goheno nin. English: Forgive me.
*Elvish: Meleth nîn. English: My Love.