It was a horrible sight that Míriel had to witness in the armoury. Swords, axes and shields were passed to the men who were to fight for Rohan - but most men were not only too old, but too young as well. Boys no older than twelve were to be forced into battle since Rohan could not spare a single man in this fight. Míriel saw the fear in the eyes of little boys for they had never swung a sword or stung a bow before. Now, they were expected to kill. Even if they gave it their best effort, they were probably not going to survive the night and none could blame them for wanting to run away.

"Farmers, farriers, stable boys," Aragorn said and tossed a blade away that he had been examining - a rather blunt blade. He glanced around the armoury, tried to assess the weapons, and sighed. He was not impressed by either the army or the weapons they were going to use.

He stopped in front of Legolas, Gimli and Míriel with a very solemn look in his eyes.

"These are no soldiers."

"Most of them have seen too many winters," Gimli said bitterly. He was right, many of the soldiers were far too old for war. They had fought their battles in their lifetime and should have never had to fight in a battle again. Some were keen to fight for their land again while some seemed to long back to the caves where their wives and children were wishing for their safe return.

"Or too few," Legolas added suddenly. He was not pleased either as the glanced at the children. As Míriel glanced at Legolas she saw that he seemed very upset by the army he saw. "Look at them, they are frightened, I can see it in their eyes."

Everyone stopped doing what they were doing and turned to the group - they had heard what Legolas said since he was speaking rather loudly. Legolas turned his back to them all and he seemed almost amused that they were even going to attempt this battle against Saruman. Míriel understood his anger but did not see the point in scaring the men further. They could not lose hope just yet, not before they had even tried. They could not surrender, it wasn't even an option for this fight was not about lands or wealth. This was about destroying a whole kin.

Legolas seemed to not understand this, though, for his eyes grew darker as he stared at his companions.

"And they should be... Three hundred against ten thousand!"

"They have more hope of defending themselves here than at Edoras..." Aragorn said, trying to convince Legolas to keep hope alive.

"Aragorn, they cannot win this fight," Legolas said darkly and shook his head. "They are all going to die!"

"Then I shall die as one of them!" Aragorn snapped and launched forward, he knew what Legolas said was true but he was trying so hard to remain strong. Legolas did not help with that.

Aragorn glared into Legolas eyes and the Elf seemed slightly startled by Aragorn's reaction. Aragorn had never been this upset with Legolas before. It also did not help that Aragorn more or less had just returned from the dead, and the pending battle only reminded them all that he could be taken from them again.

Aragorn finally broke away from their staring competition and hurried out of the armoury.

"Let him go, lad," Gimli said as Legolas had tried to follow him.

Míriel knew he regretted losing his temper with Aragorn and now wanted to apologise, but Gimli was right. Aragorn needed some time for himself to think - he had much responsibility as a commander in the battle and it would be good for his sanity to be alone with his thoughts. Aragorn knew as much as the rest of them that there was not much chance of success at all, but he tried to remain hopeful. The least thing Legolas and the others could do was to try and do the same.

Míriel eventually departed from Gimli and Legolas since she had to get dressed, and it had been hard enough to find some kind of armour that would fit a woman. Éowyn had volunteered to help Míriel and it gave them a chance to say their goodbyes if the worst were to happen.

"I wish I was in your place," Éowyn said as Míriel tied her belt across her hips and looked at the girl. "All this nonsense of being sent to the caves - they wouldn't dare ask you to do the same."

"You need to prove yourself, Éowyn," Míriel said and smiled as she let her finger run across her blade to see if it was sharp enough. "It is all about proving oneself, that is the only way we get anywhere in life."

"It's not very easy when one is not given the chance," Éowyn lamented and sighed deeply.

"Then don't wait for someone to give you the chance," Míriel said cunningly with a grin. "Take it."

Éowyn smiled faintly at her friend and Míriel sat down next to her and grabbed her hand.

"If we fall tonight, the people of Rowan will have no one but you to look to," Míriel said sadly. "To stay behind is a strength of its own, my friend. Knowing that everyone you care about is out fighting is painful and cruel, but you can do it. You can lead, Éowyn, and they need you. Don't let your own pride stand in the way of what might actually be the right thing to do."

Éowyn sighed deeply again and groaned since she knew that Míriel was right. Míriel would have gladly wanted Éowyn to prove herself and fight in this battle, but she knew better than to ask her to do it anyways. Théoden was a wise man and he knew what would be best for his people.

"The hour has arrived," Míriel said and stood up with a sigh. "Time to kill some Uruk-hai."

"Are you frightened?" Éowyn asked curiously.

"Of course I am," she responded with a nod. "But it is not a bad thing, that's when you know you have something worth fighting for."

Míriel embraced her friend tightly and then made her way out to the yard where she would try to find her stubborn companions. Her eyes spotted Legolas as he walked out of one of the chambers dressed in armour and making his way to the weapon's bay. Legolas saw her and waved her over, and before he even spoke she knew he was not in a good mood.

"I have to find Aragorn and apologise," Legolas said, sighed. "Do you still think he's angry with me?"

"No, he wouldn't be," Míriel assured him with a smile. "He was never really angry at you, Legolas, you just didn't make things much better by pointing out everything that could and possibly will go wrong."

Legolas chuckled and shook his head while walking slowly next to her. Míriel found it amusing that in the moments before they would meet their possible doom, Legolas cared for nothing else than to make up with Aragorn. It was very sweet of him to care so deeply.

They walked together through the yard in the chilly night. The sky was filled with grey clouds, alarming that rain would haunt them this battle, and loads of it. It seemed that it would not only be a hard fight but a wet one as well. Like they weren't in enough trouble already, now they were all to slip on the wet surface of the fortress as well. Luck was definitely not on their side.

Míriel stopped outside the bay since she figured that Legolas should talk it out with Aragorn in privacy without having her standing there in the background awkwardly.

"Are you coming?" Legolas asked and raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"I'll let you two talk," Míriel said with a smile.

"Right," Legolas said but did not go in. Instead he walked up to Míriel who instinctively backed into the stolen wall as Legolas got closer and closer. "Before that, I just wanted a moment with you alone."

"Oh," Míriel said and gulped as she suddenly felt very nervous.

"You already know how I feel about you, Míriel," Legolas said with a small smile. "I did not particularly like you much in the beginning of this journey, but as I have gotten to know you it feels like we've known each other forever. I truly feel like there is something special here... and I couldn't go into this battle without telling you how much I love you."

Míriel felt the air leave her lungs as though someone had punched her in the chest. Those three little words were all that Míriel had ever wanted to hear Legolas say. Gazing into his eyes, she knew he meant it with all his heart.

"Legolas," Míriel said softly, conflicted since she did not know what to do. She couldn't very well lie even more and tell him she didn't feel the same to put him off for a while before she had the time to tell him the truth. They might not survive for much longer and Míriel refused to go into battle without letting him know her true feelings. "I love you. There is so much about me that you don't even know. There are things about myself that I don't even know. It feels rather complicated."

"Míriel, you are a Maia," Legolas said and caressed her cheek carefully. "You are an incredible being and I am in no way deserving of your affection, so if you were to reject me now I would understand it. But I can't ignore the feelings that I believe we both share for each other. During this journey nothing has been certain and up until this moment things still aren't. Except my love for you."

Míriel could have burst out into tears right there and then. Legolas had never spoken to her in this way before, not even before the curse. All the events since setting out from Rivendell might have been a different way of falling in love than what Míriel experienced the first time around, but it had been one of even more passion. Míriel loved him more than she'd ever done before. This was the same Legolas that she'd fallen for eighty years ago, he'd always have her heart.

"I'm afraid you won't always feel the same," Míriel admitted.

"How can you say that?" Legolas asked with a frown. "Nothing will ever change what I feel for you. I never thought I'd have these feelings for anyone. I thought sailing away West was going to be the hardest and scariest thing I would have to do, but I now know the hardest thing would be not being with you, Míriel. I'd sail anywhere as long as you were by my side."

Míriel couldn't help but smile.

Legolas hesitated for a moment before leaning in and pressing his lips against hers. This was the second kiss they'd shared in a short amount of time, but it felt even better than the last. Now Míriel knew Legolas loved her, and for a moment she allowed herself to forget about all the lies.

Legolas pulled away from the kiss after a while and smiled before entering the bay to speak to Aragorn. Míriel stayed outside, dumbstruck, as she listened in on their conversation.

"We have trusted you this far and you have not led us astray," Legolas said and his voice was very soft and full of regret. "Forgive me, I was wrong to despair."

"There is nothing to forgive, Legolas," Aragorn said and Míriel could hear the smile in his voice. She suddenly saw Gimli running around in his too long and too tight armour looking absolutely ridiculous. He went into the bay after greeting Míriel quickly, and only seconds later she heard a horn from the gate.

It was no Orc horn though, Míriel would have recognised that. This horn was clean, long and melodic, almost pleasant to listen to since it reminded her of something she used to call home. It was the horn of Rivendell, of Elves that had come.

Míriel turned around and looked at the gate. Her heart started racing as she realised that her own kin had come to help Rohan in the very moments of despair and ruin. Legolas and Aragorn hurried out of the bay and Míriel followed them toward the gate. She was stunned to see over fifty, maybe hundreds of Elves marching in rows in the lead of Haldir himself, bearing the banner of Rivendell. It was like a gift from Elrond that had shown itself to them, as a way to say that they were still on their side. He had given the men a glimpse of hope for victory in this fight, Míriel could see it in the eyes of all the soldiers of Rohan. They saw the Elves like their saviours, their numbers had now increased and they stood a chance against the Uruk-hai.

"I bring words from Elrond of Rivendell," said Haldir and bowed slightly with a small smile on his lips. "An alliance once existed between Elves and Man. Long ago we fought and died together. We come to honour that allegiance."

Aragorn hurried to embrace Haldir who seemed slightly surprised by the gesture. Legolas greeted him as well and when it came to Míriel, Haldir merely bowed politely. Despite all of his brothers and dozens of Elves standing behind them, Míriel gave her friend a long embrace as a thank you for coming to save them all.

King Théoden's loud steps echoed as he walked to greet the Elven heard, and on his face, a look of surprise and gratitude was planted. The King had been wrong to think that he had no allies anymore for here he stood with an army at his side.

"We are proud to fight alongside Men once again," Haldir said and nodded toward Théoden with a small grin on his face.