Song: "Fake A Smile" by Alan Walker feat. salem ilese

*******

Theoden summoned the ten of us to a Council meeting. I noticed more representatives were here now, and several of them cast Baldor and I wary looks.

Draco and Eowyn stood closest to Theoden, and learned earlier he had been named Theoden's heir, since his son had died. In a way, I thought it was fitting as my niece and nephew would both take up ruling positions in Gondor and Rohan.

"According to our sources, Saruman is amassing an army of orcs." Eomer said. "But these orcs are nothing like I had ever seen before."

"They're called Uruk'Hai. A disgusting experiment of Saruman's where he bred orcs to be bigger, faster, and stronger. And these ones aren't scared of daylight." I said. "I was, in fact, once a part of that experiment, helping Saruman with the project and overseeing it myself. It's something I regret, and I left behind. I will give you all the information I possess regarding Saruman's forces, as well as offer my abilities in the coming battle, because there will be one."

"Our best bet, because these Uruks are so large, is to catch them by surprise." Baldor said. "They're better when they are able to fight hand on hand, especially if they can add to their advantages, so if we can get them trapped somewhere, it would surely lead to our victory."

"Yes, but not everyone who lives here can fight." Draco said. "We barely have much of a force as it is."

"Yes, but three dragons." Freya said with a slight smirk. Baldor sent her a small smile.

"If anything, we should try and fortify our defenses the most." Aragorn said.

"Yes. Archers, strong walls." Boromir said. "Perhaps Helms Deep would serve us well, would it not?"

"I don't know... don't you think we'd be more like cornered rats?" Baldor asked warily. "As much as it would do to serve the people in protecting them, it's not exactly the best place to set up an offensive."

"And what do you know about war?" A general asked him, nose wrinkled.

Baldor looked him in the eye, an eyebrow raised, and said, "I'm nine hundred and seventy five. I hardly think you can compare battle experience. You're barely old enough to remember the Battle of Five Armies only sixty-two years ago."

"We've seen many wars, and I was born during the War of the Ring. A few days before it." I said sharply. "War has always been a part of our lives. So, while Helms Deep offers a great defensive position, we need to have an offensive strategy or we will literally be sitting ducks for the Uruks to kill us."

"Spies came back and said there were 10,000 Uruks gathering at Isengard for the attack." Draco stepped in, drawing everyone's attention. "We have 3,000 soldiers. We are outnumbered nearly one of us to nearly three or four of them. We need to be smart about this. My father and aunt, other than Legolas, have the longest life and perhaps the greatest experience with war. It would be wise to take into consideration what they say." He said and gave the general a demeaning look.

"Well, we can't exactly stay in Edoras anymore. It's not exactly defensible." Freya said. "So
Helms Deep may be our only option."

"Then we need fire." I said. "We'll set up traps on the ground in front of the orcs. We will fire a flaming arrow and they will explode. We'll keep the fire going, too. It won't be too difficult with three dragons."

"Why fire?" Theoden asked.

"Saruman was a sick bastard that liked torture. Fire was one of the few things that killed them quickly." I said blandly. "We'll lay sticks covered in tar along the ground an arrow's shot away, perhaps a bit closer to the wall. Fire arrows will go first. At least three or four volleys. It'll ignite the tar coated wood. We want the wall tall or they'll jump through it even if it kills them. They know they outnumber us and don't care about casualties. So that means we have to make them do what we want them to."

"And we should direct the tar covered wood so that they are forced to channel through a very small space and we'll divide the archers that fire at the space in the fire wall and over the fire wall." Aragorn said, following my plan. I nodded and smiled at him.

Baldor grinned. "There you go. Once we've weakened the front lines, keep firing. Collect rocks to throw and prepare for them to have ladders to get over the wall. Draco, Freya, and I will wait in the mountains on either side of the fortress and attack them from behind."

"And what of the Uruks that breach the walls?" Theoden asked. "I don't know if we'll have men enough to fight them."

"You'll have five more that are ready and perfectly capable warriors." I said, gesturing to Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, and myself.

"And Gondor." Boromir said, speaking up. "Gondor will join us. I will send word to my brother and have him bring a legion to join us at Helm's Deep."

"Hm. That'll take too long. I'll fly the message to him." Freya said. "We need that now, and time is not in our favor."

"Very well. We shall clear out Edoras and be gone by daybreak tomorrow." Theoden said. He turned to some men and ordered them to spread the word.

Freya and Boromir went off together hand-in-hand in the opposite direction, towards their chambers to prepare to leave for Gondor.

Soon, the entire room was cleared, save Baldor, Aragorn, Draco, Legolas, Gimli, and I.

There was a momentary bout of silence, broken only by Aragorn. "So. What now?" 

Draco yawned and stretched his arms over his head. "Nap time." He said and scratched at his neck.

Legolas gave him a strange look. "It's nearly midday."

"Yes. Past my bedtime." He replied blandly as he trudged off towards his chambers. "Dragons are nocturnal, elf. I don't make the rules."

I snorted, then immediately covered my mouth.

Aragorn gave me a strange look, a smile stretching across his face. "I see lunacy runs in the family."

Baldor burst out laughing, grabbing for the table as he almost fell over. I scoffed and smacked Aragorn's arm, but soon enough, we were all laughing loudly.

"Illuvitar I haven't laughed like that before." I said and rubbed at my face, finding tears in my eyes.

"You've...never laughed, lassie?" Gimli asks.

The others went quiet. I lowered my hands. "No. I never had a reason to be happy until now." I said softly.

Aragorn's arms wrapped around my shoulders from behind and pulled me into a hug and rested his chin on my head. I reached up and held onto his arms as he said, "Well, there will be plenty more opportunities to laugh like that now, Imara. You're not alone anymore."

A small smile touched my lips. "I know."

******

The day resumed with the rest of us packing what little we owned and helping the soldiers and citizens prepare for the march to Helm's Deep.

Freya and Boromir left for Gondor to convince Denethor they needed assistance in the coming battle, and Draco and Eowyn went about overseeing the castle at Theoden's side. Theoden continuously patted Draco's shoulder and they laughed together.

Draco kept looking over at Baldor when Theoden did this and smiled at him. Baldor smiled back at his son, seeming to appreciate it.

The three of them just needed to adjust to being back in each other's lives.

That night after dinner, I went out to the balcony for some air, wanting to be alone. I couldn't stop thinking about the hobbits. Were they ok? I hoped beyond hope Merry and Pippin were alive, and that Sam and Frodo would make it safely and quickly. I was glad they wouldn't be in Helm's Deep.

I wrapped my arms around my self and shivered in the cool breeze.

"Imara?"

I spun around to see Aragorn. I smiled. "Hello."

He returned my smile and came over to drape a blanket over my shoulders and he kissed my forehead.

"Are you alright?" He asks, arm wrapping around my shoulders as he pulled me into his side.

"Yeah." I said and rested my head on his shoulder.

"Are you ever going to stop lying?" He asks and I lifted my head from his shoulder and frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I know you're not alright. Ever since Lothlorien. You've had this far off look in your eyes. You are more jumpy. You're not ok." He gently lifted his hand to my face to tilt it up so I had to look him in the eye. "My love, what troubles you?"

I reached up and took his hand from my face and held it in both of mine, looking away from him. "I...figured you noticed."

"Of course I did." He said softly and kissed my temple. "I love you."

A smile crossed my face and I stepped in closer to him, his arm tightened around my shoulders.

"And I love you." I replied. "You're right. I'm not ok. You know me too well, I guess. I can't hide it anymore. When Arwen's brothers came, they said at first they were there because of her. She was depressed. Wanted to punish me for it. I wasn't about to go telling you that. I knew it would hurt you."

He nodded, then said, "Arwen can't get me to do anything or feel anything anymore. That's the beauty of leaving someone."

I rolled my eyes. "Alright, Mr. Heartbreaker." I say and push on his chest and he laughs. He looks at me to go on.

My smile fades. "Something...happened to me, a long, long time ago. I was in the forests near Rivendell, in disguise of course, just going for a walk. There were these elves- guards from Rivendell- and they were drunk. Saw me wandering around..." I drifted off, feeling my heart beat harder and faster in my chest, my throat tightening. "...and, ah, thought they'd try and have their way with me. They got pretty close and did just enough before I could get them off of me. I killed them. Tore them to pieces. There wasn't anything salvageable left. And Elladen and Elrohir were at Lothlorien to punish me for their deaths, taking you from Arwen, and...warn me that Elrond had foreseen me turning on you all and killing you."

My eyes filled with tears, and a few slipped down my cheeks. "I-I'm sorry, Aragorn. I-I'm not clean. I'm not p-pure. I'm not what you want or need. I-"

"Imara." He spoke my name softly and I looked up at him to find tears in his blue eyes. He gently lifted his hands to my cheeks and pressed his forehead to mine. "No. Don't apologize, my love. No. That wasn't your fault. You are not tarnished. They deserved what they got. You are not going to turn on us. You did not take me from Arwen. I chose you, Imara, and I'll never stop choosing you. And all of you. Every part of you. Because you're perfect to me."

A tear slid down his cheek and I lifted my hands to wipe it away, then threw my arms around his neck, crying into his shoulder. His strong arms moved around me tightly. So tight, I could hardly breathe. But I didn't care and held onto him just as tightly.

After a few more minutes like that, he loosened his hold on me and pulled away to wipe the tears from my cheeks.

"Thank you. For telling me." He said.

I nodded. "You deserved to know."

"And if you didn't tell me, I wouldn't mind. I'm honored you trust me enough to tell me. Does anyone else know?"

"Only my brother. And I'd prefer no one else knew."

He nods. "Of course. I won't tell anyone. What can I do?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, not expecting him to ask me that. Or even expect anyone to ask me that.

"I mean, what can I do? To help you? Be there for you? What are your boundaries? I won't go past them. What can I do for you?" He asks, and I noticed he didn't touch me, moving his hands away until I gave him the word.

I took his hands and laced my fingers through his. "You can hold my hands"- I brought his hands to my face- "you can hold my face in your hands like this. And you can kiss me. And you can hug me. You can be there with me. You can stay. And wait for me?"

His hands remained on my cheeks and he pressed a kiss to my forehead. "I'll wait for you for all eternity. Seeing as you may or may not had offered to turn me immortal."

I laughed, stepping in closer to him. "Hm. Did I say that, Aragorn son of Arathorn?"

"I believe you did, Imara Sauroniel." He replied with his own sly grin.

"Hm. I think having you around to bother me for all eternity wouldn't be so bad."

He scoffed. "Am I bother to you, my love?"

"No. Not now. But maybe in a hundred years or so, you'll find ways to get on my nerves."

He pressed his forehead against mine. "I can't wait for that day."