Chapter Twelve, The Battle of the Hornburg

"You could have picked a better spot," Gimli grumbled as he stood between Boromir and Legolas. Calén stood behind them next to Aragorn and Haldir behind Calén. "We could describe it to you," Boromir offered, smirking. Calén bit his lip to stifle his chuckles.

"Or we could find you a box," Legolas finished. Gimli glared at the two before he burst out laughing. Aragorn walked up behind them to stand beside Calén, the rest of the Elves were behind them with Haldir. "Whatever luck you live by," Gimli said to Aragorn, "Let us hope it lasts the night."
"Your friends are with you Aragorn." Legolas told his friend.
"Let's hope they last the night." Gimli grumbled as his fist clenched around his axe. Aragorn smiled bitterly. "A Eruchîn, ú-dano i faelas a hyn an uben tanatha le faelas!"
"What's that mean?" Boromir asked.
"Show them no mercy," Calén answered. "For you shall receive none."
"Dartho!" Aragorn yelled to the Elves. An old man accidentally released his arrow. It hit an Orc in the front.

The Orcs roared in anger as they saw one of their own killed and started to run towards the keep banging their shields. "And so it begins," Theoden muttered. He unsheathed his sword and held it at his side. "Leithio i phillinn!" Aragorn yelled. The Elves released their arrows. They rained down on the orcs. "Give them a volley," Theoden ordered. He thrust his sword forward in front of him.
"Fire!" Gamling shouted to his men.
"Fire!" Aragorn shouted again. "Pendraid!" Aragorn shouted. The Elves began firing down the ladders, knocking off multiple uruk-hai at a time. Aragorn's eyes widened as he saw an uruk-hai with a flaming torch. "Na fennas!" he yelled. Elves began shooting the the uruk-hai.

"Legolas!" Calén shouted, pointing at the uruk-hai as he fired his own arrows at the Urk as Legolas took aim and fired. His arrow hit its mark, but it was too late. Aragorn, Calén and Boromir were thrown to the ground in front of the oncoming uruk-hai. "Brace the gate!" Theoden yelled. "Hold them!" Men and Elves rushed forward.
"CALÉN!" Gimli, Legolas and Haldir yelled. Gimli jumping off the battlements as Legolas and Haldir went down the steps on a shield killing the Urukais as they went. "CALÉN!" Aragorn and Boromir shouted running over to him and helping him up off of the floor.
"Are you alright?" Aragorn asked frantically as he checked him over seeing he was covered in small cuts and bruises. "I'm fine. Are you okay?" Calén asked concerned. Aragorn places a quick peck on his loved cheek nodding his head.

Gimli ran over to his friend knowing the young Elf was already sick and dying and they all hated it that his fate was to that of the Ring. They just wanted this damn war to be over so he could be safe. "I'm fine Gimli." Calén smiled seeing the Dwarf rush over to him.
"Good!" Gimli said gruffly as he looked at the others, they all shared a silent agreement that they'll keep a closer eye on him from now on as they joined back into the fray. "Hado i phillinn," Aragorn ordered the Elves who had also fallen to the ground with them. "Herio!" Aragorn, Boromir, Calén, Haldir, Legolas, Gimli and the Elves charged into the uruk-hai army. They began hacking at the enemy.

"Aragorn!" Grimbold shouted. "Fall back to the Keep! Get your men out of there!" Aragorn nodded. Legolas and the others ran after them while some Elves grabbed hold of Gimli. Calén feeling like something was going to happen to Haldir rushed over to him and just in time too as they were soon surrounded by uruk-hais. Aragorn looked around for Haldir and Calén, he couldn't see Calén so he called to Haldir.
"Na baraad! Na baraad! Na baraad, Haldir!" Haldir turned towards his voice and nodded. He turned back around to call his men to leave when he saw Calén behind fighting with the Urk that had been about to stab in the back. Feeling grateful to his young friend he helped Calén dispatch the ones around him before they made their way into the keep stumbling as the doors just behind them.

"Calén!" Aragorn cried in relief finally seeing his one and holding him tight to him. "Do not scare me like that! I thought I lost you!"
"I'm sorry I felt something was going to happen to Haldir and I couldn't let it. He's like a brother to me Aragorn." Calén apologised.
"It's okay my love." Aragorn soothed. "Im just glad you're safe."
"Brace the gate!" Gamling yelled.
"How long do you need?" Boromir panted leaning against the wall slightly. "Hold them!" Theoden yelled at the soldiers.

"As long as you can give me," Theoden replied. Boromir nodded. He, Aragorn, and Gimli slipped through a side door. "It's a long way," Aragorn smirked at Gimli. The short dwarf would have trouble jumping the distance. Gimli looked around Aragorn and frowned. "Toss me," He grumbled. He scowled up at the man and shot a glare behind him at Boromir.
"What was that?" Aragorn asked, his smirk widening. He just couldn't believe the dwarf was admitting that. "Toss me," Gimli repeated. "I cannot jump the distance. Just don't tell the elf." He was struggling to admit that.
Boromir snorted as Aragorn tossed Gimli over the distance. He followed close behind him. The soldiers quickly braced the gate. "Fall back!" Theoden yelled to Aragorn and the others.

"Aragorn!" Calén yelled from his position back on the battlements. He tossed two ropes down. Boromir grabbed one while Aragorn grabbed the other pulling Gimli to him.
Legolas, Calén, and Haldir pulled the ropes up, lifting the others up with a little difficulty. Calén quickly checked over his love and his two friends making sure they were okay when they heard Theoden shout to them. "Into the Keep!" Theoden ordered. Everyone ran inside. "The fortress is taken," Theoden groaned. "It is over." He stood in front of his men. "You said this fortress would never fall while your men defend it," Calén growled. "They still defend have died defending it!" He grabbed Aragorn's hand. "You can't give up now!"

"Take the women and children through the mountain pass," Aragorn ordered. Two young boys left to follow his orders. "We must ride out and meet them."
"For death and glory," Theoden said. Calén shook his head at the king, but it was Aragorn who spoke.
"For Rohan and its people," He corrected. He swung his leg over Brego's back. Calén slid up in front him. Legolas and Boromir climbed onto a horse on their own. Gimli ran off to blow the horn. Theoden climbed onto his own horse. "The sun is rising," Gimli said, looking out the window. He stretched his head to see the window at the top of the wall. "Look for my coming at the dawn of the sixth day," Calén repeated Gandalf's words. "Forth Eorlingas!" Theoden shouted. The riders charged forward into the midst of the oncoming uruk-hai.

"Rohirrim!" Eomer shouted from the distance of the forest. "To the king!" The Riders of Rohan charged forwards. "Eomer!" Theodred cheered. Eomer, Gandalf and the riders charged into the Urks, easily taking out half the army. The other uruk-hai rushed into the forest. "Victory!" Theoden yelled. "We have victory!" Calén turned around and pulled Aragorn into a heated kiss causing him to moan and wrap his arms around his waist, pulling back for air they smiled happily at each other.

***

The Company had just picked up Merry and Pippin once more where they found them sitting on a broken wall feasting and smoking at the edge of Isengard apparently under orders from Treebeard who's taken over management of Isengard. "Ahh young Master Gandalf, I'm glad you've come." Treebeard greeted as they rode up to the tower where they could see Saruman and Grima up on platform on the tower. As Grima was about to come back to Rohan at the words of Theoden Saruman taunted him and backhanded him causing him to fall.

He unsheathed a dagger that was in his coat and stabbed Saruman multiple times in the back causing him to fall into the water wheel and for Legolas to shoot him with an arrow killing him instantly. Pippin noticing something had fallen out of Saruman's robes picked it up out of the water revealing a Plantir which Gandalf quickly took off of him wrapping it in his robes hidden from sight.