Wednesday

the battle

I was quickly equipped with a chain mail shirt, and a round shield. I positioned myself in of the regiment of elvish archers on the Deeping Wall.

The elves coming had been a blessing. I do not think this battle would have been won but for them. The numbers were far too few. Not long after the elves had been positioned-Legolas, Gimli, and myself among them-it began to rain. The torches of the orcs could be seen, and their heavy footsteps heard as they marched towards the fortress. Aragorn began to walk through the elves, until he reached Legolas and Gimli, not far from where I was.

I could hear them talking, but through the rain, it was hard to make out words. I heard Legolas say "You're friends are with you Aragorn," then Gimli added in his rough voice, "Let's hope they last the night." It seemed he was making a pun on an earlier comment.

Thunder crashed in the distance. The orcs were close enought now that we could hear their hideous grunts, see their grotesque faces beneath the helms they wore.

Aragorn began pacing among the ranks of the elves. "A Eruchin, ú-dano i faelas a hyn, an uben tanatha le faelas!" he yelled to the archers. Show them no mercy for you shall receive none!

The orcs ( Uruk-hai, as I have learned) stopped, and stood silently facing us perhaps five-hundred feet from the base of the stone wall.

"What's happening out there!" I heard Gimli ask in frustration. I somewhat pitied the dwarf, his head did not reach the top of the stones, and he could not see. Then Legolas: "Shall I describe it to you? Or would you like me to find you a box?" I could hear the smirk in his voice, yet it was not unkind. Gimli laughed. All else was silent.

The Uruk-hai began to stamp their spears on the ground, creating a menacing, thunderous noise. Aragorn drew his sword, and the elves, myself, and some men on the far side of the ramparts fitted arrows into our bows. I waited with bated breath for a few tense seconds. Suddenly, from the group of men an arrow was sent loose, seemingly by accident. The arrow pierced an Uruk-hai in the neck, and he fell. The Uruk's becam deathly silent, all ten-thousand. It was disquieting to say the least.

"Dartho!" yelled Aragorn. Hold!

The Uruk-hai roared in fury, and as a whole charged forward towards the wall.

"Tangado a chadad!" Prepare to fire!

I heard Legolas mutter, almost to himself (though I am glad I overheard) "Faeg i-varv... dîn na lanc a nu ranc." Their armour is weak at the neck... and under the arms.

"Leithio i philinn!" cried Aragorn. Fire the arrows!

I released my arrow along with the other elves, and Gimli cried out in earnest "Did they hit anything?" The first line and much of the second of Uruk's fell.

I heard the voice from the keep cry out "Fire!" and the lines of men behind the wall released arrows, which went flying over our heads and into the mass of orcs. Arrows from the orcs began to let loose arrows of their own, and elves began to fall.

I strung more arrows, and sent them at the orcs, killing two. I could have done more, but I knew it would drain my energy. I would wait until we really needed it.

Then I heard Aragorn again. "Pendraith!" Ladders!

Then I saw them. The orcs were raisig giant ladders up to the wall, swarming up. "Swords! Swords!" cried Aragorn.

I shot at the Uruk's on the ladder nearest me, and as it slammed against the wall and the Uruk's clambered off, and pulled out my sword, my wonderful elven sword glowing pale blue, and began stabbing and hacking at the Uruk as they came my way.

I found myself next to Legolas, he was using his bow still, which seemed unconventional to me.

"Legolas, two already!" called Gimli proudly.

"I'm on seventeen!" He replied.

"What?! I'll have no pointy-ear outscoring me!" Gimli cried. I smiled at their competition, and decided not to mention that I had killed perhaps fifteen, as I was too busy working on the sixteenth.

The battle drove me away from Legolas and Gimli, but for the next few minutes I could still hear them crying out how many they had killed.

As I whipped around with my sword, seeing the bodies beginning to pile up all over, I happened to glance down and see a clearing in the mass of Uruk still below, near what seemed to be a drain.

I ducked, as an orc scimitar was swung at me, and stabbed my attacker in the gut. Looking back down, I saw two Uruk's carrying a large metal ball place it in some recess in the wall, and then a rather large Uruk started making his way for it, carrying a torch that spitted flames.

I stabbed another Uruk, and slashed at one who was trying to kill a nearby elf, succeeding in cutting off his head.

"Togo han dad, Legolas! Dago hon! Dago hon!!!" Aragorn cried, pointing at the Uruk with the torch. I saw two arrows fly in quick succession and hit the Uruk in the chest, but he continued to make his way. I grabbed my bow. This was my chance.

I closed my eyes, fitting an arrow to the string. Whispering a few quick words, I drew from the power within me. I pulled back the bow string, and let go. The arrow flew, and hit the Uruk in the back of the neck, and would have gone all the way through him had it not been caught on the metal armour at the front of its neck.

It pitched forward, and fell into the reccess, the torch still in its hand. There was a sudden flash of light, a thunderous roar, and then the section of the wall where the Uruk had just been went flying into the air, many warriors along with it. Water came rushing out, and the Uruk-hai rushed in.

Gimli jumped into the mass of orcs. I heard someone cry out to brace the gates. So much confusion!

I had been thrown back in the blast, and I staggered to my feet. "Gimli!" I think I heard Aragorn cry. He was on the ground, behind where the explosion had ripped apart the wall. I could only assume that he had been thrown there in the explosion.

I looked over and saw another regiment of elves, standing behind Aragorn. There were almost no more orcs here, so I ran down the stairs of the wall to join them.

"
Hado i philinn! Herio!" Aragorn yelled. Hurl the arrows! Charge!

I joined the mass of elves as they ran at the oncoming Uruk-hai. I saw Gimli among them, hacking at their chests with his axe.

We plunged into the mass of orcs, and there was more chaos.

"Aragorn, pull back to the keep! Get your men out of there!" I heard Theoden yell.

Aragorn yelled to one of the elf-commanders on the wall, "
Nan Barad! Nan Barad! Haldir! Nan Barad!" To the keep! To the keep! Haldir! To the keep!

I swund my head around at the name I heard. And yes, I recognised him, Haldir, from Lorien. He looked grim, covered in orc blood, his white-blonde hair glistening. I did not bother to stay and watch the show, though. I swung my sword once more, and fired an arrow as I ran towards the keep with the other soldiers.

I heard Gimli protesting as someone dragged him back with the rest of us. All was in chaos, shades of gray and red swimming in my vision. And then I was back in the keep.

I heard a voice cry out "Brace the gate!", and went running. The Uruk had managed to break a hole in the gate, and now soldiers were trying to put new planks in place and brace the gate shut.

"To the gate! Draw your swords!"

This I did willingly, shooting at the oncoming Uruks. Suddenly they stopped coming, and glancing out I saw Aragorn and Gimli on the bridge, fighting off the Uruks.

Men ran forward, yelling "Make way!" and "to the barricade", hefting a large crossbar which was braced against the gate.

The call came to pull back, and we retreated into the Hornburg. The gates splintered, and Uruks rushed through.

"
They have broken through! The castle is free! Retreat! Retreat!" and "To the keep!" rang out, soldiers ran from the Uruk.

We barricaded ourselves in the keep. We grabbed tables, benches, anything heavy and large enough and placed them in front of the doors.

"
The fortress is taken. It is over." I pretended not to hear as these solemn, terrible words came from the King's lips.

"You said this fortress would never fall while your men defend it. They still defend it. They have died defending it!" was Aragorn's angry reply. "Is there no other way for the women and children to get out of the caves? Is there no other way?"

Gamling answered him when Theoden would not. "There is one passage. It leads into the mountains. But they will not get far. The Uruk-hai are too many."

"Send word for the women and children to make for the mountain pass. And barricade the entrance!" Aragorn ordered.

Finally, Theoden spoke. "So much death. What can men do against such reckless hate?"

There was a pause. Then Aragorn spoke in a low, determined voice. "Ride out with me. Ride out and meet them."

"For death and glory."

"For Rohan. For your people."

"The sun is rising." Gimli said to Aragorn. What significance that was, I knew not.

"Yes. Yes! The Horn of Helm Hammerhand shall sound in the Deep one last time." Hope seemed to have returned to Theoden.

"Yes!" cried Gimli. He sprang up, and ran out of the room. What horses there were were brought from the stables, and we mounted. Those without stood behind.

"Let this be the hour when we draw swords together. Fell deeds awake. Now for wrath. Now for ruin. And the red dawn!" cried Theoden. The horn of Helm's Deep sounded, loud and triumphant. "Forth Eorlingas!"

The orcs broke through, and we rode out into them, trampling, stabbing, slashing, clearing a path all the way to the bridge.

"Gandalf!" Aragorn muttered. I followed his gaze to the hill rising in the east, and there was an old man, dressed in white, mounted on a beautiful gray horse. Gandalf it was. A man rode up next to him, closely followed by an entire army of men on horse back.

By now everyone was watching, even the orcs. They faced the horsemen, spears upraised, and the horsemen began their descent, Gandalf at the lead.

It was then that the sun rose above the hill, and the orc, and all others watching were blinded. The orc lowered their weapons and sheilded their eyes, and the Rohirrim rode through and slaughtered them.

After that, all is a blur. The orc were destroyed. Those that could fled back to where they came from. We have triumphed, but at a cost. Many men and elves have died, and I am fortunate to be among those who live.