Title: In the Midst of Adversity 
Author: Maram68 
Rating: PG 13 still, R to come 
 
Feedback: maram@zuper.net… Please, I need to know if you like it, to 
keep on writing.  So, please, R & R . I have a tough hide, criticism is 
welcome if it helps me to improve.  Disclaimer: I do not own any of 
J.R.R. Tolkien's characters or settings, even if I love them as if they 
were my own.  The idea and Cyrene are mine, only mine.  
******************************
Thank's for all the feedback so far .... those who have taken some time to review, YOU 
ROCK!!!  
 
V. 
It was at the break of dawn that the army of Riders of Rohan, the Rohirrim, stood ready 
to begin the journey at the entrance of the castle of Meduseld. 
 
Eomer helped Theoden up on his horse, and swung himself up on his mount.  Next to him 
Aragorn mounted and Legolas sprang on the horse given to him, helping Gimli up to ride 
with him.  
 
Further back, where the captains of Rohan were also mounting up, Eowyn hugged her 
friend Cyrene, before she got up on her mare.  
 
Eowyn wore a glittering silver chain mail, her golden hair flying in the wind.  She 
resembled a warrior goddess from the ancient legends.  
 
The amazon in her warrior garb blended in with the soldiers around her. Her face was 
covered by the nosepiece of the light helmet all amazons wore; she wore a chain mail that 
reached to her elbows and thighs. Beneath it she wore deerskin leggings and a short tunic, 
wrist guards that went to her elbows and high boots to her knees. On her back she wore 
her quiver and her bow. Her short sword was fastened by her quiver. 
At her waist was her dagger and there also dangled the labrys, the short double bladed 
battle-axe. On her saddle was the pelta, the crescent-moon shaped shield of her people. 
 
Cyrene hugged her friend fiercely, turned back and swung herself on the saddle.  
 
Eomer saw his sister part from the other woman and walk up the steps of the castle.  
There she stood, awaiting the departure of the Rohirrim.  
   
Theoden gave the sign, and the army moved on.  Eowyn stood on the terrace, looking at 
the army until they disappeared from her sight. 
************************************************** 

After a perilous journey through the enemy lines, the Riders of Rohan lead by Theoden 
and Eomer reached the fortress at Helms Deep.  A powerful army of Uruk Hai soon 
surrounded them. 
 
Aragorn held council with Eomer and the king. "We are few compared to the hordes of 
Saruman" 
 
Theoden looked from his nephew's whose face was shadowed by doubt and worry and to 
the serene and composed features of Arathorn's son. 
 
"We will wait for daylight, then we fight"  
   
Once the orders were issued to the captains, Aragorn approached Legolas and Gimli, and 
described the strategy. 
 
 "We are going to wait for sunrise, then we are posting archers on the battlements and the 
infantry is charging. We are going to attack on three fronts, hoping to break the mass of 
orcs.  For our luck, there aren't all Uruk-Hai." 
 
"But they outnumber us four to one, Aragorn. It is foolish to give battle under these 
circumstances," argued Gimli. 
 
"We have to protect the women and children retreating to the caves," said Aragorn.  "We 
are just giving them time and a chance of survival." 
 
Gimli nodded and went silent.  
 
Legolas counted the arrows in his quiver.  "How many other archers are going up there?" 
he asked Aragorn.  
 
"Eomer promised fifty archers on all the length of the wall. And a big supply on arrows." 
 
Just as he finished speaking, fifty archers led by their captain approached them, carrying 
some baskets with arrows.  
 
The captain nodded to Aragorn and instructed the archers to their positions on the 
battlements, then turned to Legolas. "Any position you prefer, Master Elf?" 
 
Legolas noticed something strange about the voice of the warrior standing in front of 
him, but couldn't recognize what it was. "I'll take the center position, captain. Where will 
you post yourself?" 
 
"Also in the middle, Master Elf. And you Master Dwarf?" 
 
Gimli was intently observing the lean warrior talking to them. Tall and light of frame, 
this captain of the archers seemed very young.  "I will stay on the battlements with 
Master Legolas, and then go into battle." 
 
Cyrene smiled broadly beneath her helmet and even if Gimli, Legolas and Aragorn 
couldn't see her smile, they could almost hear it: "We will get into battle soon enough. 
Master Dwarf. May the Gods be with us this day!". After this, she turned and left, going 
up to her position on the fortress' wall. 
 
It was not far from dawn when all archers had assumed their positions, and Cyrene 
walked to her place at the center of the battlements, a couple of feet away from where 
Legolas was leaning against the stone wall and Gimli sat on the ground, sharpening his 
already razor sharp axe. 
 
She walked over to them and set close to Legolas a basket with arrows.  
 
"I hope these arrows hit their targets and give us some advantage against this formidable 
enemy," she said.  
 
An archer close to them walked over to Cyrene and handed her a flask; she nodded, drank 
a bit and then offered the flask over to the elf and the dwarf.  It seemed as if the other 
archer would object, but Cyrene just hissed something and he went away. 
Legolas received the flask, and as he took it, his fingers lightly touched Cyrenes fingers.  
Both looked up at each other, as a feeling like tingling went through their hands from the 
spot where they had touched.  The elf's keen eyes saw the amazed look in the amber eyes 
behind the helmet's nosepiece, but he still didn't recognize Cyrene. She had almost let the 
flask fall … as if it had burned her hand.  Legolas held it and nodded to Cyrene, in 
thanks. He also drank some of the sweet wine with spices and passed it to Gimli. The 
dwarf drank a bit and gave the flask back to Cyrene. 
 
"Thank you captain. You seem to be more generous towards strangers than your fellow 
Rohirrim," said the dwarf. 
 
Cyrene received the flask and put it down, and then she leaned on her bow and looked 
into the distance.  "The Rohirrim are good and brave men. They are wary of what they 
don't know. Most men are" 
 
She didn't say anymore, but for a moment, Gimli and Legolas felt the longing and sorrow 
that was laced in the deep voice of the one they thought a young man in the armor of a 
warrior. 
**************************************************
VI. 
Dawn came gray and dark, charged with the heavy clouds of a thunderstorm.  Saruman's 
army stood its ground, in front of the fewer rows of soldiers of the Mark. 
  
Theoden stood on the battlements of the fortress, overlooking the battlefield 
Eomer and Aragorn were in the field, leading the two wings of Rohirrim infantry. 
 
Gandalf had gone away by midnight, speaking of finding allies for the battle. But the 
fight was about to start and Gandalf wasn't there.  
 
Eomer looked up to the walls of the fortress. He saw Theoden standing on the highest 
vantage point. And then he saw Cyrene, walking through the archers, speaking to them, 
and he almost could hear her, encouraging them, lifting their spirits, smiling brightly at 
those she knew and patting their shoulders.  
 
He smiled briefly himself, wishing she would be at his side like so many times before. 
But she was right when she told him that they needed her archery skills.  She had no 
equal among the soldiers of Rohan.  The skill with the bow of the amazons was 
legendary, and Cyrene excelled at it.  The amazon and the elf on the walls of the 
Hornburg were definitely an asset to the battle. 
 
The thought of Cyrene fighting at the elf's side was bitter to him. He had seen the elf 
looking at her at the dinner in Edoras, and since Eomer himself had seen her as the 
female she was, instead of the comrade in arms and friend, he couldn't get the woman out 
of his mind.  
His last thought before turning his attention to Aragorn and the battle was a silent prayer 
for both to survive the day.  
 
Legolas was already posted and ready with his bow when Cyrene returned from checking 
the other archers.  
She threw her cloak off, and flexed her arms.  Legolas saw the slender arms clad in chain 
mail and leather and wondered how this young warrior, for there was no doubt about the 
battle skill of the captain, was a leader of rank at such an early age. 
And he also recalled the strange feeling that had coursed through him as he had touched 
the archer's hand.  It was like a current flowing through the tiny patches of skin that had 
been in contact. Legolas felt uncomfortable; he had felt something similar many years 
ago, which made the feeling familiar but disconcerting, because the last time he had felt 
it, it had been anticipation, for then it had been the first time he had made love. 
 
Cyrene felt the elf looking at her and tried to ignore him. She had to concentrate on the 
fight ahead of them. She still hadn't understood why she had felt so strange when the 
elf's hand had grazed her own.  As an amazon, she was very wary of men and had earned 
her place and respect among the soldiers due to her sympathy and prowess in fighting. 
The experience from of Eomer's embrace the night before had confused her, and now the 
sensations produced by the elf's brief touch were still branding her senses. She could feel 
his presence, a couple of feet away, radiating awareness and tension.  She shook her 
head, and rubbed her neck.  She saw movement on the field and picked up an arrow, 
tensing it on her bow.  The fight would soon begin. 
  
**************************************************
The army of orcs and Uruk Hai was screaming, thumping on the ground and hitting their 
shields.  The Rohirrim stood still, watching the hellish spawns in front of them, letting the 
rain soak them, but mindful of the fight before them.  Theoden held his sword up high 
and gave the signal for attack.  Aragorn and Eomer stormed into the ranks of Orcs, 
slaying their way through the mass of creatures.  
On the walls of the fortress Cyrene gave the signal and the rain of arrows on the attacking 
army began.  Out of the corner of his eye, Legolas saw that even though the archer's 
captain didn't have his amazing speed, all the shots were accurate and were taking their 
toll on the approaching enemies. But there were so many of them and so few soldiers of 
Rohan, that he had no doubt about the outcome of the battle.  His friends, the Rohirrim, 
the women and children hiding in the caves of Helm's Deep, and the intriguing brave 
young captain to his left weren't going to survive the day. 
 
Cyrene kept her mind focused on the ugly creatures trying to make their way to the 
Hornburg. Everyone she took in her aim went down. But they were running out of 
arrows, and the hordes approaching seemed endless.  She noticed that Legolas shot two 
arrows at once and both hit their targets, and he kept shooting with amazing speed.  Her 
admiration for the elf grew.    
 
 
On the field, Eomer and Aragorn mowed through the bodies of the orcs and Uruk Hai 
mercilessly.  Both were covered in the blood of the slain enemies and waded through the 
corpses followed by the brave men of Rohan.  Around them the battle cries of the Orcs 
and the screaming of the wounded men and orc were deafening.  The falling rain was 
tinted red when it hit the ground, flowing like bloody rivers on the mud.  Both armies 
were sinking in mud, Saruman's hordes intent on reaching the fortress, the Rohirrim 
fighting them back, in an almost hopeless effort to defend the Hornburg. 
 
As the arrows were used up, Cyrene retrieved her shield off the ground, and plucked the 
battle-axe from her waist. She swung it with a flick of her wrist and yelled to the archers 
to join her as she charged down the stairs to the gate and out on the field. The archers 
followed her, and so did Gimli and Legolas, who pulled his two short swords from his 
back and stormed into the front line of the orcs overflowing Eomer's flank.   
 
As soon as the archer's company reached the field, they felt the desperation of fighting 
against a sea of enemies, which threatened to drown their weak defenses in their assault.  
But as they saw the elf, the dwarf and the amazon charge into the orcs as one, the soldiers 
of Rohan stormed, with a war cry in their voices, swearing to keep the attackers at bay or 
die trying. 
 
Gimli, Legolas and Cyrene almost instantly lost sight of each other, even though Legolas 
hair stood out from the dark mass of orcs like a beacon.   
 
Cyrene felt the elation of the battle frenzy, and started cutting down orcs to both sides of 
her way, trying to kill as many of them as possible.  When her axe got stuck in the armor 
of an Uruk Hai, she was defenseless for a second, and an orc hit her helmet with a maze. 
Dazzled for a moment, she staggered but caught herself again and hit him with her shield 
while reaching for the short sword fastened at her back.  She heard metal clashing at her 
back, as another attacker tried to stab her and Gimli crushed him with his axe.  She 
nodded to the dwarf and drew her sword to keep on fighting.  At some point, she felt 
something hit her back and rapidly turned to hit the attacker, only to find herself back to 
back with Legolas. He grinned grimly at her and both kept on fighting, the corpses of 
orcs strewn around them.   
 
It was then that Gimli cried out and they saw that the enemy had reached the walls and 
was tearing a breach into the side of the fortress.  
 
With a desperate scream, Cyrene turned and ran towards the fortress, yelling orders to the 
surviving archers to join her, the elf and the dwarf running by her side. 
  
Cyrene could feel her heart pounding in her chest, and her mouth going dry, as she ran as 
fast as her legs carried her to the breach in the wall of the Hornburg, where the orcs were 
entering like ants. 
 
She tripped, but felt the strong hand of the elf pulling her up as he ran past her.  She 
shook her head, to clear her sight that was blurred for an instant. The blow to her head 
was taking its toll. 
 
The elf hadn't released her arm, and was pulling her with him toward the fortress. He 
seemed to notice she wasn't well and slowed down his pace, but she shook her head 
again and kept on running.  She gathered her wits and focused on the task ahead, 
storming on the orcs and cutting through them as if they were wheat on the field. 
 
Legolas saw the captain stumble and helped the comrade in arms up, while returning to 
the Hornburg.  He had seen how an orc had given an awful blow to the head of the young 
man, but the captain had stood his ground and continued fighting. It seemed that the 
effort of running to the walls was taking all from the archer, but the young man had 
gathered himself and stormed into fight.  
 
 
Meanwhile, even if her swordstrokes weren't as accurate and deadly as before, Cyrene 
was still slaying orcs, but letting her defenses down. Legolas fought at her side, admiring 
her courage and spunk, doing his best efforts to defend her from the enemy's attacks.  
 
 
Eomer had almost lost sight of Aragorn in the battlefield, but one look around was 
enough to recognize that the battle was going to be lost to the army of darkness. 
He had also lost sight of Cyrene and the elf, and Eomer saw the breach in the walls of the 
fortress. He prayed to the Gods that the orcs would never get to the women and children 
hiding in the caves. 
 
It was in that moment that the sound of a horn echoed through the valley of Helms Deep. 
The answer of a hundred horns came back, as the first rays of sunlight broke through the 
dark sky, flooding the hills around the Hornburg. 
On the hills stood trees, strange trees that hadn't been there before, reaching tall to the 
sky and hovering darkness beneath their branches.  
 
Suddenly, on the top of the hill across the fortress appeared a rider, dressed in white, 
shining brightly in the light of the rising sun. The horns were blown again, as a thousand 
soldiers marched behind the white rider, lead by a tall warrior with a blood-red shield. 
The Rohirrim yelled in joy: Gandalf the white and the army of Erkenbrand had come to 
the rescue, setting upon their sole presence the army of Saruman on the run.