The wounds are deep. That is wat Aragorn said. So likely I have shall have scars on my back for the rest of my life.

After Aragorn was called away by the king, I slept. I woke up because Éowyn called me and said there was something to discuss. So here I am now, Éowyn is making me ready. My nightdress lies in a corner of the room and Éowyn holds out a dark red tunic. I nod and she throws the tunic over my head. She gives me a black cotton pants and black leather boots. I put them on. She smiles. 'You look beautiful Verya!'

'Thank you' I say and look into the mirror. I see a girl with long dark brown hair, that reaches to her hips and grey eyes with no glimpse of hope in it. 'Shall I braid your hair?'

'Yes, please' I smile at her and she smiles back. She told me that she find it nice to have a women around here after all the men she sees every day.

After she braided my hair, we walk to the throne room. I see two young children sitting at a table. Théoden king sits on his throne, his head buried in his hand and Gandalf at his side. Éowyn walks over to the children and begins to speak. 'They had no warning! They were unarmed. Now the Wild men are moving through the Westfold, burning as they go' It looks like there happened something I was not told off. I sit on a chair next to Gimli. The Dwarf smiles at me, happy to me. 'Good have you back Lassie' He says quietly. 'I am happy to be back Gimli' I see Aragorn looking at me, who is smoking his pipe. 'Where is mama?' The young girl ask Éowyn. Éowyn comforts her and Gandalf turns to Théoden. 'This is but a taste of the terror that Saruman will unleash. All the more potent for he is driven now by fear of Sauron. Ride out and meet him head on' Gandalf puts a hand on Théodens chair and Théoden looks warily at him. 'Draw him away from your women and children. You must fight'

'You have 2000 good men riding north as we speak. Éomer is loyal to you. His men will return and fight for their king' Aragorn speaks up. But Théoden gets out of his chair and walks to the center of his hall. 'They will be 300 leagues from here by now. Éomer cannot help us.' Gandalf opens his mouth to speak but Théoden halts him. 'I know what it is that you want of me, but I will not bring further death to my people. I will not risk open war' Aragorn removes his pipe and leans forward to speak. 'Open war is upon you, whether you would risk it or not' Théoden turns to Aragorn and Éowyn is looking curiously at the two men. 'When last I looked, Théoden, not Aragorn, was king of Rohan' Théoden sneers at Aragorn.

'Then what is the king's decision?' Gandalf says, a bit too loud.

'We shall go to Helm's deep' And that is the kings decision.

Coward.

Gandalf storms out of the room with us running after him. Háma, the right hand of the king stands in the midst of the city, delivering the kings decision. 'By order of the king, the city must empty. We make for the refuge of Helm's Deep. Do not burden yourself with treasures. Take only what provisions you need'

'Helm's Deep. They flee to the mountains when they should stand and fight' Gimli growls. We continue to walk to the rohirrim stable. 'Who will defend them if not their king?' says Gimli.

He's only doing what he thinks is best for his people. Helm's Deep has saved them in the past' I say. We approach the stable of a white horse. 'This is Shadowfax, Gandalf's horse' Legolas whispers to me. 'There is no way out of that ravine. Théoden is walking into a trap. He thinks he's leading them to safety. What they will get is a massacre' Gandalf tells us.

'Théoden has a strong will, but I fear for him. I fear for the survival of Rohan. He will need you before the end, Aragorn. The people of Rohan will need you. The defenses have to hold' Gandalf tells Aragorn seriously. Aragorn looks resolute at Gandalf. 'They will hold' Then Gandalf turns to his horse and stokes his mane. 'The Grey Pilgrim. That's what they used to call me. Three hundred lives of Men I've walked this earth, and now I have no time' He mused. Aragorn opens the doors of the stables and Gandalf mounts Shadow fax. 'With luck, my search will not be in vain. Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the east' He says and climbs on the horse. Aragorn nods. 'Go' Legolas, Gimli and I jump out of the way as Gandalf blast out of the stable at top speed. He Is going to get help.

The people of Rohan leave. They leave their city, their homes. Maybe to never see it again. The people are quiet and are walking fast. Fear. I can feel the fear.

I on the other hand have no fear, not at the moment. I wear a breastplate made out of copper. On my forearms I have also protection, a leather arm shield. With a carved image of a tree on both of them.

I am ready for battle.

Also Éowyn gave me a circlet made out of silver. She said I was a lady of battle and that's why she gave the circlet to me. With no further explanation. I tried to give it back to her, but she said it was okay. I hugged her as an answer.

Now I am waiting on Aragorn, who is still inside the hall. I hear him talking and then Éowyn's sad voice. They come outside and I see Éowyn look at her home one last time. Then we leave, closing the rank.

After a while we ride on the plains of Rohan. I sit with Aragorn on his horse riding next to Théoden. Gimli is riding also on a horse led by Éowyn. 'It's true you don't see many Dwarf women. And in fact, they are so alike in voice and appearance, that they're often mistaken for Dwarf Men' Éowyn smiles at us. 'It's the beards' Aragorn whispers and she smiles. Aragorn chuckles and kisses my head. 'And this, in turn, has given rise to the belief that there are no Dwarf women, and that Dwarves just spring out of holes in the ground' Continues Gimli dead serious. Éowyn laughs and Gimli joins her. 'which is of course ridiculous' But then, the horse Gimli sits on suddenly rears up and Éowyn loses her hold on the reins. The horse gallops away, throwing Gimli in the dirt. Éowyn rushes forward to help Gimli back on his feet. I start to laugh and Aragorn and Legolas join me. It feels good to laugh. 'It's all right. Nobody panic. That was deliberate. It was deliberate' Gimli mutters. 'I haven't seen my niece smile for a long time. She was a girl when they brought her father back dead. Cut down by Orcs. She watched her mother succumb to grief' Théoden tells us when he looks at Éowyn. Poor girl.

After an hour, we made a camp were we can rest. Éowyn walks through the camp with a pot of stew. She sees Gimli and offers him some. But he says politely no. She asks Legolas but he also thanks her politely. Then she comes through the rock Aragorn and I are sitting on. 'I made some stew. It isn't much, but it's hot' She hands Aragorn the bowl and he takes is. 'Thank you' Aragorn says and takes a bite with the spoon. I can see at the look on his face it is disgusting. He swallows hard. 'It's good' He manages to say. I put my hand for my mouth so Éowyn can't hear me chuckle. 'Really?' Éowyn asks him happily. She wants to walk away and Aragorn begins to tip the bowl to throw the 'stew' away. But Éowyn turns around. I see that he burns himself and I chuckle again. Éowyn smiles at me, a happy smile. 'My uncle told me a strange thing. He said that you rode to war with Thengel, my grandfather. But he must be mistaken'

'King Théoden has a good memory. He was only a small child at the time' Aragorn answers. I see that she is shocked. 'Then you must be at least 60!' Aragorn chuckles uncomfortably and looks away. 'Seventy?' She asks again. Aragorn still doesn't respond. 'But you cannot be 80!' Aragorn looks calm and smiles at her. 'I am eighty-seven' Éowyn's jaw drops, she stands speechless. 'You are one of the Dúnedain' And then she looks at me. 'And you Verya?' I smile at her. 'I am also one of the Dunedain. And I am eighty-one' Her jaw drops a little bit further. 'We are maybe old in your eyes Éowyn, but by the Dunedain we are counted among the young ones. For example we are in 'normal human years' at begin thirty' Aragorn nods at my words. 'Now a few of us are left' I say. Éowyn's face becomes soft. 'I am sorry, please eat' And she gives me also a bowl of the horrible stew. She stays with us, so Aragorn and I have no other option to eat the stew.

After some time we are on the road again. I ride again with Aragorn. Gamling and Háma, the captains of king Théoden ride through the crowds to scout ahead. Legolas is standing on a rock, watching the horizon as they pass by. And then, a warg rider charges down the rock and attacks Háma. He Is knocked from his horse on the ground. Gamling draws his sword. 'Wargs!' He yells. The Warg throws the now dead Háma away and turns to Gamling. Legolas starts firing his arrows at the warg and his rider. 'A scout!' Legolas yells. 'We are under attack!' Aragorn screams. The people of Rohan begin to scream and they reduce in blind panic. 'All riders to the head of the colum!' Théoden shouts. Gimli gets on a horse, with some help and then rides away. 'Come on!' he screams to Aragorn. Théoden rides to Éowyn who is standing without a horse. 'You must lead the people to Helm's Deep, and make haste'

'I can fight!' she says. 'No!' Her uncle tells her. He hold her gaze for a moment. 'You must do this, for me' She agrees a bit disappointed. Then Théoden turns his horse and rides into battle. 'Follow me!' He yells. Aragorn puts me with one arm on the ground. 'What!? Aragorn what are you doing! I am going to fight!'

'No, you are not' He says and mount his horse in the way of the battle. 'You are wounded and don't think I let you fight in this condition' I look at him, I try to look mad. 'I see you soon' Is all he says and rides into battle. Following Théoden king. I sign, but I now he is right and start to help people, making their way to lower grounds. I see Aragorn look at me, and I look at him. He breaks his gaze from me and rides away. Be save Melamin.

Éowyn and I make it to Helm's deep. And all the people are save. After a while we see the riders from Rohan galloping in the direction of Helm's deep. 'Make way for the king!' Gamling shouts. Éowyn and I break in a run to meet the returning soldiers. The horsemen ride into Helm's deep and up the road. 'Make way for Théoden! Make way for the king!' Gamling shouts again. So few In numbers. Éowyn sees it to. 'So few, so few of you have returned. Her uncle turns to her, tries to find his words. 'Our people are safe' is all he says. Then I see Legolas and Gimli, I run to them. Gimli looks sad. Where is Aragorn?

'Verya' Legolas says quietly.

'He fell' Gimli says with difficulty. No.

No, no, no. I look at Legolas and he just nods, confirming Gimli's words.

This is a joke, a joke from Mandos. I don't believe this. He, I.

'No!' Is al I say before I run away. Running towards the watchtower, I climb into the top. Where the wind howls and no one could hear my cries.