It was nearing evening when they finally reached Helm's Deep. Like in the movie, the fortress sat in a great bay in the mountains, out of which a gorge opened in the hills. Ever steeper the hills became as they held the structure within the narrows; the crow-haunted cliffs rose high at the back, shutting out the light.

A long ramp wound up to Helm's Gate; the refugees Éowyn led still clogged it as they entered the gate. Within the high walls of ancient stone, a lofty tower looked over the entire ravine. The Hornburg. A mile-long wall reached from the Hornburg to the southern cliff, baring entry into the gorge. In the middle, a stream passed through a wide culvert.

The Deeping Wall was twenty feet high, and so thick four men could walk shoulder-to-shoulder on top, sheltered by a parapet which only a tall man could look over. Here and there were clefts in the stone so men could shoot. A stair running down from a door in the outer court of the Hornburg could reach the battlement; if the structure was built as seen in the movie and read in the book, three flights of steps led also up to the wall from the Deep behind. But its front was smooth, and the great stones of it were set with such skill no foothold could be found.

The massive structure carved out of black rock was impressive. Rowan knew the refuge could withstand swarms of armies—it did in the book and the movie—but she was glad it wouldn't be tested. All of Edoras would rest peacefully, safe behind the walls.

Refugees stopped at their approach; families drew near, looking for loved ones. There were smiles, exuberant calls of names, and Rohirrim dismounting to hug their relatives, but there were also some cries of grief and wails when groups were informed of a death. They waited for a large enough gap behind the others before riding up.

The calls of 'Make way for the king!' preceded them as they rode up into Helm's Deep. Refugees crowded the causeway but got out of the way of the horses when they came through.

The central courtyard of the Hornburg seized Rowan's attention. It was much bigger than it appeared on the screen—she guessed half a football field could've fit. One damaged statue of Helm Hammerhand overlooked the stairs leading up into the Great Hall. Even though the stone held cracks, chips, and had been smoothened under multiple feet, hooves, and the passage of time, Helm's Deep was old but still stood. It remained sturdy.

Coming onto the Hornburg, the scene played out just like the movie, with Éowyn coming down the steps to greet them and King Théoden helping an injured soldier dismount. Only this time, Aragorn and Éomer were present—both received a hug from the niece of the king. Gimli joked about him not receiving such a greeting, so the fair lady hugged him too with a laugh. Legolas nodded to her for greeting when she looked at a loss on whether or not to hug the elf. Rowan received a smile since she was still on Nárind, waiting for Boromir to dismount. Even though she didn't need help, Rowan didn't make a scene when the Gondorian captain grabbed her waist to help her down.

"This is more to my liking," Gimli said while stamping on the stone. "Ever my heart rises as we draw near the mountains. There is good rock here. This country has tough bones."

Legolas had a frown on his face as he looked around. "I do not like this place. There are no trees; no life—only stone. But you are a dwarf, and dwarves are strange folk to appreciate such surroundings."

"We won't linger here long, Legolas," Rowan began. "A night at most, I think, to make sure the refugees are settled, and we will ride out for Isengard come morning."

Expressions changed then: the elf's lightened and the dwarf's dropped.

"My King, allow me to introduce Haldir, captain of the Galadhrim."

At the name, Rowan looked toward the stairs to see a Rohan captain standing beside three elves fully decked-out in their gorgeous golden armor—only one wore a helm, Rúmil and Haldir did not. The elf-captain bowed in the tradition of the elves with a hand over his heart. They drastically stood out against the backdrop of cracked, aged stone.

"You shouldn't be here," she blurted.

Everyone turned her way; her hands trembled, and she knew she had paled. Seeing Haldir here meant what she had tried to avoid.

"Why not, lass?" Gimli asked.

"Wormtongue's dead... How did Saruman—?" She looked at Haldir. "They're coming, aren't they?"

The elf didn't need to nod; the answer lay in his eyes.

King Théoden took a step toward her. "What do you know?" he demanded.

Rowan was shaking so badly she couldn't respond.

Aragorn came to her aid. "Perhaps we should discuss this behind closed doors..."

"This does not appear to be pleasant news," Boromir began. Standing behind her, he had grabbed her arms to steady her. "Not all ears should be privy."

***

Except for Éowyn, they went into a chamber so they could talk freely behind the closed door. Haldir informed them what he knew because of Lady Galadriel and Lord Elrond. Rowan added in details about how many Uruk-hai were coming and when they should be arriving.

"Ten thousand?" King Théoden repeated in disbelief. Háma and Gamling exchanged worried glances.

She reluctantly nodded. "In my vision, it is dark and stormy, so I assume they will be here by nightfall."

At least, it was like that in the book and movie.

"You knew, and still you led us here?" Háma asked.

"No! I mean..." Rowan hurried to think of a plausible explanation. "I foresaw this battle, but I believed with Wormtongue's death, it would not occur. I do not know how Saruman knew we would come here without Gríma to report to him."

Éomer stepped forward. "Rowan does not deserve blame, Háma. I do not see this scenario we find ourselves in as a lack of foresight on her part, but one of wisdom. Edoras would not have outlasted such an army; here, we have a chance. If we fail, there are paths our people can take to escape."

The king nodded. "Here, we can outlast them." He turned to Haldir. "How many have you brought?"

"Four hundred bows, my lord. We are marksmen, as well as swordsmen."

Next to look at were Háma and Gamling. They understood the look.

"Five hundred-and-forty spears rode out from Edoras, my lord. Nineteen we lost in the Warg attack," Háma added in quietly.

Gamling finished. "And twenty-four of Erkenbrand's men from the Westfold."

After a while, King Théoden shook his head. "Less than a thousand." He looked at her. "What do you see before us?"

Rowan went over what she 'saw'—what she knew happened in the book and the movie: ladders, grappling hooks, the bombs exploding a hole in the Deeping Wall, and a battering ram. On where the defenders were positioned, she stuck predominately to what was shown in the movie, since the elves aren't present at Helm's Deep in the book.

Everyone took her advice—since they believed her foresight was what actually happened—and left to evacuate the elderly, women, and children to the caves, and arrange their men. Haldir, Rúmil, and the nameless elf left as well, leaving the five hunters.

"I've killed us," Rowan whispered.

"We're not dead yet, lass," Gimli said.

"No, but we're stuck in a gorge with ten thousand Uruk-hai hemming us in. Gandalf won't be saving us like he does in the movie or the book. How can we possibly survive now? I've hammered the last nail in our coffins!"

Aragorn said, "No, you haven't, Rowan. Even if Gandalf would be saving us, we would fight as if he wasn't because you wouldn't have told us. You know you wouldn't have for us knowing the outcome would've reduced the danger—the risk. Our fate has not been written yet."

"The Rohirrim are strong, but the addition of the Galadhrim increases our odds substantially," Legolas said.

Boromir turned to her. "You did not know of the battle at Edoras, but still we achieved victory. We won through our strength and will to overcome the Enemy. One must enter every battle with such determination, for there is never the absolute guarantee of victory."

"But this battle..." She drifted off, not being able to finish her sentence. They would be fighting a losing battle. Rowan looked at Boromir with tears in her eyes. "Many will die."

A soft look passed over his face before he headed to her. He wrapped his arms around her for a hug. "Warriors will fall. That is all that is guaranteed in a battle. But as long as the survivors continue on, their deaths will not be in vain."

She ducked her head against his chest. "So valiant. Do you believe in those words?"

"Yes. If we feared the risks, we would not be here. There are things you must fight for—things we love and won't survive if no one does anything."