Hiding in Plain Sight

Chapter Seven: While We're Going to Helms Deep, My Adopted Son Dives off a Cliff

We were on our way to Helm's Deep. Vithrendir had gone with Cy to find Éomer and his men.


Thia, Wyn, and I were walking together, we'd given our horse (Cy took hers) to a family in need of it.


Éowyn was leading the horse that Gimli was sitting on, he was telling her about his people, "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 smiled and looked back at us. Wyn grinned, and gestured to an imaginary beard on her chin, and mouthed, 'It's the beards.' Éowyn grinned and looked back to Gimli.


"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." Éowyn laughed and Gimli laughed too, "Which is, of course, ridiculous." He threw his hands up and the horse suddenly galloped off, throwing Gimli to the ground. Éowyn smiled, and then quickly ran to help him.


"It's all right. Nobody panic. That was deliberate. It was deliberate."


I heard Theoden behind us, "I haven't seen my daughter or niece smile for a long time. My wife died in childbirth when Théodwyn was born. And Éowyn was only a girl when they brought her father back dead. Cut down by Orcs. She watched her mother succumb to grief. Then they were left alone, to tend their king in growing fear. Doomed to wait upon an old man who should have loved them as a father."


***


We stopped for a short break. Gamling and Hama were sent ahead to scout.


"Wargs!"


Aragorn ran up the hill, "A scout!" And hurried back down to the people. Theoden rode up to him.


"What is it? What do you see?"


Aragorn ran to his horse, "Warg! We're under attack!"


The people began to panic.


"Get them out of here!"


"All riders to the head of the column!"


Gimli tried to get up on the horse, "Come on. Get me up here. I'm a rider. Come on!"


Theoden rode up to Éowyn and Wyn, "You must lead the people to Helm's Deep, and make haste."


"I can fight." They said in unison.


"No! You must do this, for me."


They looked at him for a moment, and then turned away.


"Follow me!" Theoden rode off. Aragorn mounted his horse and followed.


"Make for the lower ground!" Éowyn ordered the people.


"Stay together!" Wyn added.


Thia and I stayed with the group, having no horse to ride and help the fighters.


A while later, we came to the gates.


"At last! Helm's Deep There it is, Helm's Deep. We're safe!" Were many of the cheers.


We walked into Helm's Deep. There were lots of people everywhere. Éothain and Freda saw their mother and ran to her.


"Mama!"


"Éothain! Freda!"


We found the people with the food, "Where is the rest?" Éowyn asked,


"This is all we could save, my lady."


"Take it to the caves."


***


"Make way for the king. Make way for Theoden. Make way for the king!"


The men rode into Helms Deep. Éowyn, Thia, Wyn, and I ran to them, my eyes searching to make sure Aragorn hadn't done something--


"He fell."


Éowyn and I looked at Gimli shocked. She turned to Theoden who was walking up the steps, with a tear in her eye. He looked back at her, and walked away. She stood stunned. Wyn pulled her cousin into a hug, as Thia buried her face in my chest.

"Esteli..."


My heart crumbled at the sound my daughter made.