Estelwen's hands clasped limply around Legolas' waist as they rode to Helm's Deep. She was silent throughout the ride.

Hoping, praying, wondering, and hoping. Would Aragorn make it? Would he come back?

It was impossible not to know what Estelwen was thinking. Eventually, Legolas felt her face rest against his back. She is asleep. Temporary relief brushed past him when he realized what he might have to do. He hated it. Hated the fact he had to consider the words, "What if?"

Aragorn.

If that mortal, if that king of men did not return...

Those two words were powerful, much more that Legolas had ever thought before. The earthborn behind him was stronger in ways he never would be. Yet, those two words will break her. He could not do it. He could not tell her.

Aragorn will return. He must! Legolas thought before he could stop himself.

Up ahead was the fortress of Rohan's keep, forged within the side of the mountain. The men who built it were far from amateurs. A massive stone wall surrounded the keep where the mountain did not. There were no windows or openings through the stone, save for a small, gated drain used to allow in fresh stream water. The wide gates were the only way to enter. They groaned heavily while they opened for Théoden and his remaining Riders.

Legolas passed through the doors when he heard the wild whine of a horse. Estelwen stirred behind him. Legolas instinctually moved his horse to the side just as a brown steed rampaged out of the keep. The Riders were too tired to chase after it, and simply moved out of the way.

"Hasufel!" Estelwen cried. She slid down and watched as Aragorn's former steed raced away from Helm's Deep. Legolas dismounted and stood next to her. The rest of the men continued inside the gates. Estelwen did not move her eyes from the direction Hasufel had gone.

"Estelwen..." Legolas touched her arm. Please come inside. She was not bleeding profusely, but the grazes on her arm and leg needed to be cleaned before they became infected. She needs to take care of herself. None of the company had washed in days. Estelwen had dark circles under her eyes from little rest, and her hair was tangled and dirty from the battle.

She is not going to leave, he realized in dismay. He decided to bring Arod in. He passed by Théoden just as he gave orders for the gates to be closed.

"Estelwen is out there," Legolas protested.

"Best call her in then!"

Legolas hurried past the men towards the gates. Women and children were everywhere, not just men. It was clear the Helm's Deep wasn't made to hold a whole town for more than a few days, only a week or two at most. He finally made it out of the maze of people.

"Estelwen, come before the gates are closed."

She didn't turn around. "Thank you. I will stay here for the night."

He clenched his jaw. "The purpose of a kingdom's keep is to protect the people who come to it inside."

"I know."

*****

As the hours of the night bid her welcome, Estelwen huddled next to the wall of Helm's Deep. The air was cool, but to her, it was tinged with a bitter cold. She was thankful that she always kept her pack with her, and pulled out a small blanket. She wrapped it around her shoulders and continued to watch where Hasufel had gone. She knew Legolas was frustrated with her after he tried to persuade her to come inside. It did not end well, with her staunchly refusing and him stomping back into the keep. Yet again, it was not something she could do. She had to wait.

She shivered, but it was not from the breeze. A darkness was approaching, as ominous as the thick clouds that were moving in. As they blocked off the last star, Estelwen felt a tear form. Her hand quickly brushed it away. She had refused to cry so far. If she did, it would be like accepting that Aragorn died. She thought about the way he had led them, the Fellowship. He was brave though he was afraid, kind without showing favoritism, skilled but not proud. Everything a king should be. He could do that for others – she knew it. His task was not finished. Her lids felt heavy again, and she drifted off to sleep.

A form shifted, also near the edge of the wall. He was silent and hidden. Estelwen would never see him, but he was close enough to attack should anything touch her. After he watched her drift off to sleep, Legolas continued to keep watch outside the closed gates.

When the orange rays of the sun broke through the horizon, Estelwen awoke. The stench of war from herself and her clothes hit her like a rock. She grimaced as she touched a dried splatter of orc blood on what used to be Éowyn's dress. Arwen would never have slept with this on. The dress had ripped rather high and was also uncomfortably stiff from the dried sweat and blood. I should go in to wash and change. I can come back after. She rolled up her blanket and stuffed it back in her pack. The gates were now open, so she walked inside.

*****

A crowd was beginning to form around the man, their thoughts all the same. Was this not Lord Aragorn, the man who was told to be dead? His appearance was haggard, but his eyes were alive and driven.

There was an angry voice weaving between bodies in the crowd. "Where is he? Get out of my way! I'm going to kill him!"

Gimli broke through and ran up to Aragorn. "You are the luckiest, the canniest, and the most reckless man I ever knew. Bless ye laddie!"

"Where is the king?"

When Legolas saw Aragorn entering the keep, his anxiety and frustration was easily overcome by the relief of seeing his friend alive. "Le ab-dollen. (You are late.)"

Aragorn blinked twice, unsure if he heard correctly. Legolas scanned his condition. Aragorn's clothes were tattered from the sticks and sharp stones in the river. He had barely escaped death. "You look terrible," Legolas said.

Aragorn smiled. He would have laughed if he had the strength and the humor left in him.

Legolas sensed something was amiss, and took something out of his pocket. He handed him Arwen's necklace.

Aragorn's look of surprise and wonder revealed how deeply devoted he was to more than just the gift. "Hannon le. (Thank you)."

Legolas smiled in return.

Éowyn and Estelwen came by. Estelwen had a fresh change of clothes and had washed and brushed her hair with the suspected help of Éowyn.

One moment, she saw Aragorn. The next instant, she was hugging him so hard that he never thought she'd let go. She nearly lost herself as the tears threatened to fall. "If you ever leave like that again-"

Aragorn smiled. "Now, Estelwen, at least you know how we felt when you-"

She smacked his shoulder.

"Ouch!"

She immediately inspected his arm for damage. She looked at him suspiciously. "I know that did you no harm, but you are still bruised beyond measure. You should see if there are any healers here."

"There is no time, Estelwen. War is coming." Aragorn saw their questioning faces. "The king ought to be the first to know."

Estelwen started to follow him. "We will come to hear."

Aragorn stopped her before quickly whispering in her ear. "If there is any time to make amends, it is now." He looked at her seriously before moving on. Gimli followed Aragorn towards the main hall.

Estelwen looked at Legolas, then at the stone ground.

Legolas probably guessed what Aragorn said, because his mouth creased into a frown. He turned to leave, intending to spare her from saying anything.

"Legolas, what else would you have had me do?" she asked at wit's end.

His blue eyes looked straight into her soul. "What did you not tell us before you left?"

He does not want an excuse or a reasonable answer. He wants the truth. She took a deep breath. "We have traveled together and fought together. We have shared in the sufferings of the Fellowship, but this..." Estelwen swallowed. Should I tell him about Anorath? About Amariel's fate? Would he understand? "...But what I have to do-"

"What do you have to do?"

"I do not know," she answered truthfully. "I only know..." She bit her lip hard. Why is this so difficult?

He stepped closer to her. "Yes?" he prodded.

"...That I could not bear it if any of you suffered because of me."

"Estelwen," he murmured. She was suddenly in his arms, enveloped in his warmth.

Safe.

After a moment, he pulled back just enough to look into her eyes. "Are we never to share in your path?"

Estelwen struggled not to let her face reveal her thoughts. Her eyes snapped shut. Part of her wanted to say yes, but defeating Anorath felt personal now. It was time to end what he started. No one else ought to suffer because of what he did. No one but her, an earthborn. She opened her eyes. "Is there any other way I can ease your worries?" she asked.

He did not answer, just as she had left his question unanswered. "Stay with Éowyn while I see what Aragorn has discovered."

"Very well." Suddenly, as they walked away, she remembered. "Legolas!"

"Yes?"

Running to him, she pulled the ice arrow out of her pack. His eyes opened wide with wonder.

She held it out to him. "This was for you." Her small smile revealed her pride in her work.

He ran his hands over the ice that did not melt. "How did you make this?"

"Gandalf did so with me."

"And you do not wish to use it?"

She smiled. He obviously has never seen me with a bow. "No. It was meant for you."

*****

Estelwen looked around. No one is watching. She quickly hid her pack between some rocks on the outskirts of Helm's Deep. She looked up. The vastness of the mountain swallowed her little pack, keeping the ominous mystery of the black arrow safe. I shall come back for you later. Estelwen walked back through the gates of Helm's Deep. She had caught a few men staring suspiciously at her pack, leading her to hide it for the meantime. Keeping the king's warning in mind, she wanted to avoid stirring up any superstitions.

She barely entered when a Rider shouted an announcement. "Men, gather to the wood and steel workers. Women, take your children into the caves. Only bring what is needed to live, and quickly!"

Éowyn was on an upper level repeating the same message. Estelwen quickly parted through some people as she made her way to the stairs. An insistent tug on the back of her dress made her turn around and look down. A fair-haired child, who couldn't have been older than three years, had her mouth in a big 'O.'

"You...not mommy."

"Not mommy?" Estelwen worriedly scanned the crowd for someone with a dress like hers. With horror, she realized that hers was exactly like all the other women. Éowen had lent her another dress since the blue once was destroyed, this one being less colorful and more practical than the other.

The child lost all of her confidence and was beginning to melt into a puddle of panic and tears. Estelwen picked her up. "I'll help you find your mother, ok?"

The girl continued to sob, but quieter this time.

Estelwen followed the crowd of women and children heading towards their belongings and the mines. She will not recognize her mother if she keeps crying. She spoke soothingly to the girl. "Shh... your mother may be calling you, but you are too loud. What is your name?"

"Em...Emilia." She hiccupped.

"My, what a lovely name!" She wiped the tears from Emilia's round cheeks and smiled. "Now, we shall talk to Lady Éowyn. She might be able to help us."

Estelwen did know if it was her words or her tone, but something calmed Emilia. Her golden-brown head rested on Estelwen's shoulder while her hiccups became less frequent. As Estelwen walked up the stairs, a frantic whisper blew through those around her – one that set her heart racing. She found Éowyn, who was helping some of the elderly gather bread and essentials.

"Éowyn! What is going on? Why are they all being herded into the caves?"

Estelwen stopped. There was something in Éowyn's face: a power, a fierceness that surfaced for an instant. Yet, a haunted look masked it, keeping it in check while hiding it from most eyes. "War is upon us all."

*****

Legolas walked into the tent he heard Estelwen was in. He found her sitting on a worn cot, staring at her sheathed swords in her hands.

She calmly raised her head. "So Isengard has come to us."

He huffed. "We are up against more than ten thousand orcs. The king might have suspected an attack on our way here, maybe even assassins later, but not a whole army!" Legolas did not know if he was explaining or ranting, but the words came so easily around her. "They are far from ready, and he is preparing for something that cannot happen. This war, it-"

At that moment, a child burst into the tent, clutching a cloth doll to her chest. Seeing the elven warrior, she threw the doll into the air and ran to Estelwen. When she began to cry, Estelwen gently rocked her. "Shh... it will be alright." More to herself, she asked, "Why did Éowyn send you back?"

Legolas' eyes softened. "What is her name?"

"Emilia." Estelwen spoke softly in guarded tones. "She was with no one when I found her."

"Her mother must be here somewhere." He peeked outside the tent.

Her voice faltered to a whisper. "I...I do not think she made it." She closed her eyes. A single orc raid has deprived this child of the arms that loved her most. For years to come, those arms will only be replaced by haunting memories. "She must have been brought by neighbors. It is not unexpected that they would lose track of her in the hurry."

Legolas glanced outside the tent. People were passing blankets, food, rushing to find each other and gather essentials. "Many never made it. But if it were not for you, most of them would not have."

She looked up into his serious eyes, finding no jest in them. Blushing, she turned to lie Emilia, who had fallen asleep, down on the cot. "Has Aragorn said anything?"

"What is there to say? Théoden made the decision. What's done is done."

She remembered asking Aragorn the same question not too long ago. "Speak to him."

There was silence as he considered it, as well as many other things. He looked at Emilia's sleeping form. "Estelwen, you should be with them."

"What do you mean?"

"Go with the women and children into the caves."

"And not fight?" she said incredulously.

He walked closer to the tent entrance and stooped down. After picking up the simple cloth doll, he tucked it next to its sleeping owner. The slightest of smiles spread across Emilia's face as her cheek nuzzled the familiar keepsake. The child needed someone during the war.  She, and others, would need the comfort Estelwen. was not the main reason Legolas did not want Estelwen to fight. She did not see what I did during the Wargs' attack. If it is true that they want to take her, she should not be exposed in this war. He stood up to leave. Right before he exited the tent, he paused. "If there is anything that would settle the worries in my heart, it would be this."

What will Estelwen do? Stay and fight or go into the caves below? Should she follow her head or her heart?