She walked along the wall, shouting to the men different commands and words of encouragement. She knew what they risked by coming here, as did everyones else, but she would not let their spirits fall.

A loud commotion was occuring in the inner sanctum of Helm's Deep. Caran stepped over to the wall and glanced over the side, raising her brows curiously. She could hear Lona barking out commands and words of encouragement. What was louder was the yells of "he's alive!" Caran looked to find the cause of the commotion when her eyes alighted upon Lord Aragorn. His appearance was terrible. It was clear he would need medical attention, but that was certainly the last thing on his mind.

Theoden peered over the wall at the same time Gimli had gripped Aragorn in a tight hug. Soon Gimli stepped back and pointed up at the wall to Theoden. Aragorn nodded and made his way to Theoden. Theoden rushed to meet him. Aragorn made to speak, but Theoden silenced him. "It is good to have you back Aragorn. Come, we must talk." Theoden made his way in to the hall.

In the hall Aragorn and Theoden spoke at great length. Aragorn announced that a great host, was making their way, with great speed to Helm's Deep. A host of ten thousand. Caran's eyes widened. They were doomed.

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Lona looked down and saw Aragorn, and her jaw dropped. He was alive? She couldn't believe it! He went with Theoden, and she looked down at Caran, catching her eye with a silent nod.

Caran caught Lona's eye and swallowed, her eyes clenching shut. There was no escape from this doom. They were cornered with no sign of help from Gondor. They were all alone. Caran was drawn from her misery by the sound of King Theoden's voice.

"All women and children into the caves. Every able bodied man and boy shall be kitted out with armour and given basic training." He looked down at his people, his eyes widened as he noticed no movement. The towns people seeing this immediately jumped into action. Theoden looked around at his warriors, fixing Caran and Lona with a sad stare. "Help them as best as you can..." With a sigh he retired to his hall, slamming the door behind him. Aragorn began to move amongst the men, picking out the men and boys and tearing them from their families. Caran knew she would always be haunted by the sorrowful look upon his face.

"The boy must come ma'am. It is the King's orders!" A soldier yelled.
"My boy! He is my only son. You can't do this!" A woman shrieked in answer.
Caran rolled her eyes and approached the three and placed her hands on the woman's shoulder and the soldiers shoulder. "I will take it from here my lord."
"You are to go to the caves with the rest of the women. Do not waste my time miss."
Caran's eyes flashed. "I am a warrior just the same as you. How dare you talk to me like that. How dare you speak to this woman in that way either. Show some compassion!" She hissed, ushering the woman and her child to the side, away from the soldier.

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Lona strode down to where Caran was and jerked the soldier aside. "You leave my friend be. We are here to fight." she walked towards Caran. "What would you suggest in the way of defense?" she murmured in Caran's ear, quietly. She wanted a somewhat private conversation.

Caran looked to the woman, who held her son in a protective embrace. "Go to the caves as fast as you can. Explain it is my orders and I shall face the consequences later..." She patted the womans shoulder and watched as she scurried away with her son.

Caran straightened and poised herself. Now was no time for tears or sorrow. She looked to Lona and began to walk over to the wall that was really their only defense. "Here is our biggest defense. It is not without fault," she noted, pointing to the grates at the bottom of the wall that allowed water into the hold. They will need to be guarded at all costs. I assume we will take to the top and shoot down at our enemies, hold them at bay as long as we can..." Caran's voice lowered. "Lona I see no victory at the end of this..."

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"Neither do the men. Yet...there is always some type of hope." she murmured to Caran. "Get the men up on the south side, I'll handle the north." she said, patting Caran's shoulder.

Caran reached out and took Lona's hand. "Look after yourself Lona. Good luck..." Her eyes grew sorrowful for just a moment, before a mask of steely confidence took over. She winked to Lona and ran off to the south side of the hold. "Follow me!" She commanded of the men as she sprang up onto the highest post of the wall, looking down at the field that stretched out before them. "Into position. We do not have much time left!"

Aragorn stopped in his tracks, watching as the two women took command of the action, with such bravery. Hope was rekindled in him once more. He took to the wall with Legolas and Gimli. He peered out at the horizon. There it was. A line of advancing blackness. Death was upon them. "Their armour is strong, but weak at the joints, for example the elbow and the neck. Aim for those points." He murmured to Caran, while Legolas told Lona the same.

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"Steady men! Take hold of your courage, fight for your family, fight for your homeland, and fight for your king!" she cried, pacing the upper north wall with confidence. "Do not let them see fear!" she stopped, staring at the lines of advancing Uruk-hai.

"Bravery for our friends! Bravery for our family! Bravery for our King!" Caran chanted as she walked behind her men. "Do not let them see fear! Make them fear you! We are the Rohirrim! We are Eorlingas!" Caran moved into the line of her men and propped her bow on the wall. "We will not be defeated this night!"

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"Remember, men, we count our victories by the husbands we return to their wives, the fathers we return to their children! On this night, we fight for freedom!" she raised her sword high, looking over the men with a determined face. They roared, then fell silent as the uruk approached even closer. Deep inside, a flitting throughout ran through Lona's head. What kind of impression was she making?

(I love how the women are taking control )

Caran looked along the wall. Faces of fear, of sorrow and of complete hopelessness met her eyes. It was only then that there was no words she could say that would comfort them. They were an army of five hundred against ten thousand. They needed a miracle. Just then a horn sounded. Caran's eyes flashed to the horizon. It couldn't be the Uruk's. They were too far away. To the left there was an army marching towards them. That was no orc horn. It was the elves. They were coming, like angels, to save them. "Open the gate! Let them through!" Caran demanded, running down to meet them. The army made their way into Helm's Deep taking their place along the wall. Again, there was no words. Caran looked along the wall again, now she was faced with hope, strength and determination.

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Lona stared at the elves, then raised her fist in the air. "Rhere is hop!" she whispered, her eyes glinting with images tears. There was aid. They were getting help. It was a miracle. It seemed that fate favored them.

(hehe me too! Power to the females!)

Seconds moved into minutes. The minutes dragged on and on. Caran good now see the beady eyes that belonged to Sauruman's Uruk Hai. They stared back, only pure hatred in their eyes. Caran glared down at them as they came to a halt outside the wall of her sanctum. Again seconds turned to minutes and there was only silence. Each side staring and measuring their enemy. A strange idea occured to Caran. Had no one tried to negotiate with the Uruk's? Had no one attempted to show them another way?
Her line of thought was stopped dead at that very moment, when one of her own army shot without command. The Uruk's screamed in anger as they watched one of their own fall to the ground. Caran looked along her line frantically. An elderly man, who in Caran's opinion, had no place in battle, grimaced at her. Caran shook her head irritatedly. Then again, they could not stare at eachother forever. Caran's fist shot into the air. "Fire!" she yelled, watching as the Uruk prepared to do the same.
Arrows rained down either side and were met by cries of agony. Caran had no time to see who of her army was gone. Had no time to grieve for their loss. That would have to wait till later. That is, if later ever came. Caran knocked an arrow into her black willow bow. Her green eyes stared down the line of her arrow to an Uruk's exposed neck. She fired and by the time the Uruk fell, another arrow was in place to destroy his neighbour.

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Lona screamed at her men to fire, and volleys of arrows shot into the enemy lines, breaking their formation. "Ladders!" she cried, glancing in Caran's direction. "Cut the cords!"

Caran shuddered at Lona's cries, her eyes widening with shock as ropes were flung up the height of the wall. Caran ran along the wall, slashing the ropes down. "Do not let them breach this wall!" Caran screamed as she ran back, cutting down the ropes again. Her eyes shot to the archers. "Fire at will!" She glared down at the Uruk Hai, sending her own volley of arrows into their midsts.

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