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Rohan Refugees
It was a beautiful day, the kind that could make anyone feel light and happy of heart. I decided to go for a walk and enjoy the sun before the next spring shower came and made the ground too muddy. There was a wonderful light breeze blowing that carried the scent of the first wildflowers. I went along the path that lead out of the small group of huts and out into a large plain of tall flowing grass, with an occasional field of oats or rye. I stopped to say hello to a horse that was grazing nearby, then stood for a few moments feeling the sun's warmth, something it seemed I hadn't felt for years. This would be my fifteenth year, starting in summer, for that's when I was born.
It was a very quiet place, out on the plains, but there was talk of orcs that were rampaging unchecked, burning villages and crops, and in broad day light. Now that seemed very unlikely, for orcs hardly ever strayed from their caves under the mountains. But these, as people said, were strange orcs, that were larger and more man-like than normal orcs that came from the misty mountains.
But orcs didn't seem to matter much on a day like this and they seemed very far away. My thoughts were on happier things. I was lost in those thoughts when suddenly a man rode into the little village at a gallop. His horse was sopping with sweat. "King Theoden of Rohan has ordered that all shall make for the refuge of Helm's Deep. Take only what is needed, leave the rest. You must make haste!" What could this mean? I rushed to the little hut where me and my family lived. The entire village was in turmoil. "What's happening?" I cried.
"There is a great host of orcs aproaching! We must gather everything we need and depart!" answered my mother as she pushed a bucket into my arms. "Go fill that with some water!" I didn't ask anymore, but ran to the stream and hurried back. When I returned I helped to pack up food and clothes for me, my brothers and my sister. I tried to sort things out in my head, but things were moving to fast. The king hadn't ordered the people to head for the great sanctuary Helm's Deep in many years. Soon we were ready and all the villagers started out. The going was hard, for there were many children and elders that made the going slow. It was a long walk and soon the youngest children began to get tired. My little brother was only two years old and was getting fussy. Me and my older brother helped carry the buckets of food and bundles of clothes that we had packed. It seemed as if we would never reach our destination when suddenly it loomed up in front of us. Helm's Deep! I didn't know if I felt happy to be there or not, for it seemed to frown at me. How could one feel happy to see it at a time like this?
As I stood gawking at the largeness of it, my older brother bumped into me from behind. "What's the matter? Don't just stand there." he said. "It seems to frown at me." "It's just a stone wall, come on." I hurried to catch up with the rest of my family. We went through the open gate, although I was rather reluctant, for I didn't want to be locked in a place that I might not get out of again. I took one last look outside, and saw a great shadow over in the east, a dark and sinister cloud that seemed to be coming closer even as I watched. It made a chill shiver up my spine, although the weather wasn't very cold today.
The two guards that were there slammed the gate closed behind us, and the hard-wood doors were so heavy and made such a loud noise that it made me jump. There was already several other people there from other villages. We found a place to roll out blankets to sit on and have a short dinner of bread and a little dried meat. Some of the young boys were running around pretending to be warriors, with sticks as swords and spears. My mother, after finishing her slice of bread, got out her sewing things and began to mend a tear in the sleeve of a shirt. I decided to walk around a little and see if my friend Míriel was here too. I soon found her and her family by the stairs of the tower.
"Míriel! Your here too!" I cried out to her. "Eruloth! I wanted to come find you, but mother didn't want me going too far, so I stayed with her. I've been helping her with my little brother Aldarion, he hasn't been feeling well. How have you been? Have you heard much about what's going on?" "I have been well, thank you! I heard the gaurds talk, and it seems that there is a great many orcs aproaching Helm's Deep. There are also Wild Men of Dunland among them." I replied. "What do you think will happen?" "I'm not sure. I suppose there will be war, and that the women and children will go to the caves. I wish to fight among them as well, but first I would have to get away with pretending to be a boy." " Now that would be rather foolish, if you want my opinion. Even if you were able to, what if you got hurt? Then they would find out what you had done, and you would be disgraced!" "I know, but I would like that better than to be trapped in the caves not knowing what was going on until it was all over." Suddenly we heard a horn call, and the gate was opened once more. A host of riders rode past, their spears held high and proud, the horse tails on their helms streaming behind. And we all gasped, for leading them was Theoden King! But just a short time before he had been such an old man, and he never left his palace at Edoras. But here he was! Right behind him rode Eomer, and we were almost as suprised to see that a dwarf sat on his horse behind him, and on either side rode an Elf and a tall man dressed in grey, weatherstained clothes.
We hurriedly got out of their way, and as soon as they passed I rushed back to mother to tell her about what I had seen. Míriel came, for she had asked her mother if it was alright. "Mother! Mother!" "What is the matter with you? Oh, hello Míriel! It's wonderful to see you again, and safe! How is your mother?" "She is well, ma'am."
"Now,' she said, turning to me. 'What is all the fuss about?" "Riders of Rohan have just come, and they were led by the king himself!" I gasped, out of breath.
"King Theoden? How could that be? He hasn't led an army into battle for years! A mysterious thing indeed. I must go tell your father!" "And there was an Elf, a strange Man and a Dwarf with them!' exclaimed Míriel. 'A Mirkwood Elf!"
Before anymore could be said, it was ordered that those who could not fight must make for the caves, and the rest go to the armory to prepare for battle. My older brother Amandil, was one of those sent to the armory along with my father.
"I wish to fight as well." I said. "No. Your a girl, Eruloth, you can't fight. Go with your mother. She needs you. And take this.' My father handed me a small dagger. 'Be careful. I love you. Go now."
I knew I couldn't protest, so I did as my father bid and followed mother into the caves, along with my little brother Alcarin and little sister Ancalimë. I turned to look at my mother and saw that there were tears streaming down her face. I looked away, for I didn't want to cry too, but realized suddenly that I already was.
As I looked around the caves, I saw that the rocks sparkled with precious gemstones. When I turned my head slightly I could see them twinkle like stars in red, blue and green. It was a cozy cave, not dark and gloomy like most. This was a cave that was built by Men, not Goblins. There were torches hung on the wall that cast the only light that was able to reach inside. I could not tell how far back it went.
I sat with Míriel by a rock close to the door that stuck out from the wall and formed a little cavity which we fit in well, and examined my dagger. It had a polished wood handle inlaid with a silver design, and the blade had writing on it in a language that was strange to me. It looked as if it could've been elvish, but I had no idea where my father would've gotten an elvish dagger. I held it high up to the light and it shined and glimmered with what light there was. "I wish there was more light so I could see it better." I said. "It's a very beautiful thing, good craftmanship. I've never seen anything quite like it." Míriel commented. Her father crafted blades, so she knew a little about them.
I stood up and swung the dagger around in the air and it flashed and seemed to be alive. I thought of my father, Cardolan, and wished he was here. I wanted him to hold me, like he used to when I was a little girl. I felt so alone, though the cave wasn't near to being empty. What would happen to him and my brother? Could I be sure of seeing them again? I couldn't really be certain of anything, even of making it through the night myself. I looked in the dagger and saw my reflection. I almost saw my father in those eyes that stared back. I was always told I had his eyes, although I had my mothers brown hair.
"Are you alright?" Míriel asked. I brushed a tear off my cheek and turned to her with a sad smile. "Yes, i'm alright. I miss my father and brother, and my thoughts have been of them ever since they went to the armory. I pray that they are alright. I'm glad your with me." I said and snuggled in with her, our arms around eachother.
"I wish Meneldil was here too." I sighed. He had grown up with me, and we had played many games together until dark. I laughed when I remembered the time that we had gotten in trouble for chasing some goats through a field of rye. He was also outside, ready to defend the caves from whatever evil was on it's way. I hoped that this would not be our end. "Remeber when you and Meneldil almost fell into the well?" Míriel asked with a twinkle in her eye. "Yes! How could I forget! And when we had a contest to see who dared to climb up the tree farthest, but got stuck and they had to get a ladder for us!" "You got into so much mischief!" "You were always the sensible one, and you were constantly getting us out of trouble."
She crossed her arms and made a face like a mother scolding her children. "Well someone had to!" She said. We both laughed, for we knew how true it was. "Míriel! Could you come help with your brother?" Her mother called. "Well, I have to go. I'll see you again soon though." she said as she got up.
"Bye Míriel." I called to her. I leaned back against the rock and looked up, but all I could see was more rock. I longed to see the blue sky, but there was no sky in sight. I
remembered how dark the sky was when I had that last look before the gate was closed. It had seemed so dark over in the East, where Mordor lies. There was something happening, or about to happen. There had not been a darkness like that since before Sauron was destroyed, or so the old songs said. I got up and paced around, my fingers itching to hold a sword and swing it through the air. But it was no use trying to convince them to let me fight, and I sat back down, wondering how far away the enemy was now. How much time had passed? There was no way to tell except to peek out the door and see where the sun was in the sky. I felt a little tired so I closed my eyes, and soon I fell asleep.
I was shaken awake by mother, but did not know how long I had been asleep. I felt hungry, and was pleased to find that it was time to eat. I nibbled on a roll, and listened to the sounds around me. "It's hopeless, there's too few of us, and too many of them! We won't last the night!" One woman wailed. Míriel's mother Vanemeldë was trying to comfort her. "There is always hope, Morwen. There are many brave and strong men out there, my husband included. He will not let any orc pass the gate while he lives."
"But what if he is killed? Then who will hold them back?" Vanemeldë's face suddenly grew dark, and she glared at her. "Do not say such things. My husband is strong, and will not give in to death so easily." She said. Suddenly from outside there came a horn blast, and cries, loud shrieking cries, some that were not from any human. It had begun.
The caves echoed with cries of fear and dismay, for everyone heard the shrieks and yells, and knew what they were from. I looked at my mother's face, and was suprised to find that it had changed. Before it had seemed so full of worry and tears, but now it was cold and hard. "Well, no use in worrying about something we can't do anything about." she said.
I was startled, wondering if she had given up or had renewed hope. If she lost hope, things were truely a mess. I was determined to keep up the hopes of my little brother and sister.
I listened to the noises outside. I could never have begun to imagine what was happening out there. The horrible shrieks of orcs, and the cries of men rang in my ears as the night wore on. I began to sing an old song to myself that my mother had taught me to drown out the noises of war that I could hear everywhere.
The Wind is singing
The trees are dancing
The woods are alive
With natures chanting
This song has been sung
Since the very first tree
And the first breath of wind
Blew from the sea
The tall grass is shivering
Wildflowers are quivering
As the wind rushes by
I can hear it twittering
Over rocky mountain face
The wind moans in lament
Mourning for this lonely place
With a heart that won't repent
I felt a little like the wind on the mountain, lonely and forlorn. With every loud cry of pain coming from outside I jumped, and prayed that it wasn't my father or brother. I constantly watched the door, half expecting something to come through it. I felt a hand rest on my shoulder. "It's alright Eruloth, you don't have to guard the door. Nothing is going to come in. For a while, anyway." She spoke in a calm and reasuring tone, but when she said those last words, I could tell her voice trembled, and I heard the tone of anxiety, and her eyes stared into the distance as if there were no rock walls in front of her. But soon she startled as if waking up from a dream, and she looked at me with a grim smile. "Would you like something to eat? We might as well not starve ourselves from sitting around worrying like a mother hen missing her chicks. There's still some bread left."
I sat playing with my bread, when suddenly there was a large crash and the sound of splitting wood at the door into the caves. My heart jumped and then grew heavy with dread of what might come through. "They're breaking in!" a woman screamed. Everywhere I looked I could see faces filled with terror.
The door flew open and for a very short moment we could see what was happening outside. It was dark, but we could tell that many lied dead. If they were men or orc, we didn't know. There was still men gaurding the gate that were able to fight back the small rabble that had gotten in. But there was one small figure that had been able to slip pass them, and my eye caught it creeping along the wall. I lunged forward, the dagger that father had given me flashed from it's sheath and I drove it into an exposed part of it's neck. The orc stumbled forward with a terrible howl that sent a shiver up my spine and made my blood go cold, and lay quiet. I fell to my knees, heart racing, still not sure of what had just happened. I had never harmed anything in my life, and now I had killed something that, no matter how hateful and ugly, was somewhat human.
I couldn't move for the longest time, but soon my mother came and pulled me away from where it landed and held me close to her. Tears were streaming down her face freely, for she wasn't holding them back anymore. I thought I would cry with her, but to my suprise no tears came. She let go of me and went to Alcarin and Ancalimë who had been frightened badly and were crying.
I stared at the dagger that was now stained with the dark blood that belonged to my foe. Was it right to kill even now? I was protecting my family, and there certainly wasn't anything wrong with that. I turned to her, for I knew it was my turn to comfort mother. I had a new hope, but she had even less now. I looked at her with a weak smile, and embraced her tightly.
"Father knew that this dagger would be needed, didn't he?" I said. "I think he did. It is in good hands now, certainly." she whispered. My little brother and sister came over and stared at us, and I heard Alcarin whimper. I pulled them both in with us, and we embraced. We stayed this way for a long time, waiting for this nightmare to end
But this wasn't a nightmare, it was real, and there would be no waking from it. The fear and terror that brooded in the minds of the people in the caves seemed to make the air thick and difficult to breath. A few times during the excruciatingly long night we heard sounds of blasting and of large rocks flying through the air as if some giant was smashing the wall with a heavy blacksmith's hammer. What new devilry had been born that night we could not have begun to imagine. The night seemed to have no end, if even it was still night. There were no windows, not even a little peep hole, to tell us if day had come. There was a sudden pounding at the door, and we all feared that orcs had come again, but it was a man's voice that cried out. "Open the door!" Mother quickly obeyed the command, for we were the closest to the door. As she opened it a small party of men and boys came in, and the Dwarf from Erebor was with them. Without delay they slammed shut the door and began to bar it with rocks and anything they could find. The shrieks and cries of orcs were soon heard at the door. "We were overcome and slowly driven back. There were too many of them. Our only hope is that dawn will bring about something of reassurance." one of them said.
"None know what a new dawn will bring. As long as there are men left though, there is still hope that we might pull through this night." another answered. I didn't recognize any of them as being my father or brother. "We have to get these women and children away from here somehow. On the path that leads into the mountains." He said. I couldn't stand it any longer. I had to know. "Have anyone of you seen my father or my brother?" I asked in a rather impatient tone.
"What are their names? But even then, I cannot promise that I know where they are." an older man replied. "Their names are Cardolan, my father, and my brother is named Amandil." "I think I may have seen your brother, Amandil, fighting off the orcs by the wall. But of your father I have no news for you." "What about Meneldil? Has anyone seen him?" I implored. "I'm afraid that I don't know of anyone by that name. I'm sorry." My heart sank. I didn't dare to think of what might have become of father. Where could he be if not with my brother? I was sure that where my brother was, my father would be also. But according to these men, that was not the case. I watched them as they continued to hold the door. The shouts of orcs could still be heard outside. I spotted blood streaming down the Dwarf's brow, and saw that he had a large cut on his forehead. My mother had seen it too, for she came up from behind me. "Master Dwarf, it seems that you have been in heavy battle. Let me fix up that cut, at least enough to make it last until you can get proper care." she said.
"No, that's not really necessary, it's just a scratch." She looked at him with a stern glare and guestured for him to sit down. He didn't have much choice, for my mother could be very stubborn. He sat down, but not without a little grumbling. She tore off a strip from a linen sheet and folded it into a pad that she put on the cut. Then she tore off another long strip that she used to wrap around his head and hold it on. "There, all finished. It wasn't all that bad, was it?" she smiled. "I thank you ma'am, it was very kind of you. I give you my thanks." He bowed low and then went back to the door. "Let us make one more attempt to win back the caves! We can't let them keep us locked in here!" One man cried. Others cheered and readied to battle once more. With swords held high they threw open the door, and clashed with the orcs waiting outside in one last desperate charge. As the door opened I saw that the Eastern sky was beginning to lighten. Day was finally dawning! Hope began to rise in my heart.
But still the battle sounds continued. These were strange orcs indeed. And there was more than just orcs. Wild Men of Dunland were also among those that had armed themselves against us. A ray of sunlight came through a large crack in the battered wooden door and hit my face. It felt so wonderful, I didn't want to move. I just wanted to stay right there, for I was afraid that if I moved, it might pass away. But I didn't stay as long as I liked, for I was awakened by shouts and cries of the men outside. At first I thought that something terrible had happened, but I realized that they were shouts of joy, and that the only cries of anguish and terror were from the orcs. Also I heard the cries of "forth Eorlingas". Before mother could stop me I had swung open the door and stepped out. What I saw was quite a sight indeed.
And that’s all she has written, but she hasn’t wrote more for a long time, so maybe that is the end.......o.O
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