Fated to Love

Chapter One: Awaking before the battle

Cassie awoke with a headache. She sat up and looked at her surroundings. She was on a stone ramp that led up to a heavy wooden gate with iron hinges. She slowly stood and looked around. 'What the hell. This place looks familiar' she thought. She looked up at the massive fortress before her. The fortress was built into the crevice of the mountain and a field lay behind her surrounded by walls of rocks on either side. She gasped as she realized where she was.

"Holy Shit! I must be in some kind of nightmare," she said aloud to herself, “This looks just like..." She stopped herself. She knew that was not a part of the program for the fair. "Helm's Deep. But how?" She was dumbfounded.

Up on the battlement two guards took notice of her and shouted," You there! Do not move!"

'Oh, shit. I am in deep now. What to do? What to do?' she thought to herself. She looked down at herself and realized she was still wearing her costume and cloak. 'At least I will not stick out like a sore thumb' she thought. She stood and watched as the massive gates opened with a loud rumble.

Two guards came through the gates on horses. As they approached she could tell that they were heavily armed. She held up her hands to show them that she did not have any weapons. One of them hopped off the horse and strode over to her stopping in front of her.

She looked at the man, who she recognized as a man of Rohan. He was straggly looking with a beard and messy hair the color of dirty dish water blonde. He looked at her with a critical eye and said, “My lady, are you a friend or foe?”

She quickly searched her mind as to what to say. "I am a friend. I am unarmed and lost, good sir. Can you help me?"

"An elf maiden, who is lost? I always believed that the fair ones never let their females travel unattended," he said eyeing her assessing if she was telling the truth.

"No," she laughed and then said," I am not really an elf. I assure you. See?" She started tugging on the ears. They refused to budge. She struggled and realized that they hurt every time she did it. 'Oh, my fucking God. They are real!!' she thought.

The man looked at her and became angry. “What kind of devilry are you trying to pull, lady?" he said with almost a growl and grabbed her arm hard and pulled her towards the horse.

"I assure that I am playing no game," she said feeling the fear rise up in her.

"Tell it to the King," he spat back at her as he put her on the horse.

Cassie decided then that it was best to keep quiet and not argue. From the movie and the books King Théoden seemed fair. So she would plead with him. They made their way back through the gates and stopped at the stone steps leading up to the keep. Everyone on the roadway stopped and stared at them. She saw the curious looks on their faces. The guard, who guided the horse she rode, quickly jerked her off the horse and pulled her up the stairs. The hold he had on her and the gash on her head both was starting to hurt.

Cassie began to cry. She was feeling dazed and little woozy from the pulling hold he had on her. They arrived at the keeps entrance. The guards standing at the doors stopped my captor. "What is it that you seek of our king?" one of them said.

"I bring an intruder that was lurking outside the gates," her captor replied. Cassie watched as the other guard walked into the keep. Her hair was being pulled and she started to feel a little dizzier. After a few minutes the guard at the door returned and allowed them to go in. Cassie was being pulled and was dragged into the main hall of the keep. She started to sob as the pain intensified.

They came to a sudden stop at the foot of the throne. Cassie was able to see who was standing in the room. Through her dazed and confused vision, she saw King Théoden who was talking to man with shoulder length brown hair and the start of a beard. His eyes were grey. She recognized him, Aragorn. Beside him stood a tall and lithe looking man with long blonde hair and pointy ears with a bow and arrows strapped to his shoulders. A dwarf stood next to him. It had to be Legolas and Gimli. The King looked up from the maps and eyed his guard. Cassie still sobbed quietly. The guard thrust her forward until she hit the stone cold floor.

"What is the meaning of this?" King Théoden said with a displeased look. Cassie's vision was beginning to blur. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli stared at the guard with shocked faces. Legolas clinched his mouth in anger and left Aragorn’s side to walk over to kneel beside her. He looked at her. His eyes lit up as if he saw something familiar. He gently pushed her hair from her face and placed it behind her ear exposing the point.

"Sire," began the guard, "we found her lurking outside the gate."

"She is elf kind, King Théoden, an elleth. She is injured and scared. He did not have to treat her as poorly." Legolas spoke up kindly while stroking Cassie's hair.

"Sire, she said she was no elf. And proceeded to try and pull her own ears off. She also said she was lost. I know this not to be true. The fair ones do not allow their females to roam about without escorts," the guard said.

King Théoden stood over Cassie and looked down at her curiously. "My lady, how did you come to be outside the gates of my fortress?" he asked her.

"Your majesty, honestly, I do not know. One minute I was in my car driving in the rain and the next I woke up on the roadway outside the fortress wall. Your majesty, I am not a threat to you or anyone. I promise. I am lost,” she said pleading with tears in her eyes.

Legolas and Aragorn both looked at the king and then looked down at the girl. Legolas spoke to the king, “Your majesty, I feel she is telling the truth. I sense she is not from this time."

"I sensed this too, Master Elf," the king said looking down at the sobbing girl, “Child, what is your name?"

"Cassandra but most that know me call me Cassie for short," she said looking up at him and then to the elf that was embracing her.

"Cassie? That proves our theory. You are in need of a healer," the king said looking behind to speak to a blonde lady, “Éowyn, my sister daughter, take her to a chamber. I will see to it personally and get a healer to see to her wounds." The fair girl stood waiting as Legolas helped the girl to her feet.

"Thank you, sire." Cassie said looking at the king. He nodded and turned to the guard. As Legolas and Aragorn helped her to the bedchamber Cassie could hear the king scolding the guard.

Cassie walked as long as she could. She felt her knees start to give out. She succumbed to the dizziness and felt strong arms lift her off the ground and carry her. She wrapped her arms around his neck. They arrived at the chamber and were soon met by a healer. Legolas, Aragorn, and Gimli waited outside the door to hear news of her condition.

The door came open and Éowyn stepped out into the hall. "She is fine. Just a little bump on the head. She should be okay in a little while. The healer said once she takes a little rest, she should be better." All three males breathed a sigh of relief. Éowyn eyed Aragorn and smiled. "My lords, I must not tarry here much longer, the battle will be soon upon us and I must help prepare for the wounded." She turned to leave.

**********

A few hours later, Cassie awoke feeling refreshed. She sat up in bed and looked about the room. It was musty smelling and there was a slight chill in the air. The room looked like something out of a medieval horror movie. A chill ran down her spine. She threw the covers off and sat up on the side of the bed. She noticed that the dizziness was no longer with her. She stood up and slipped on her slippers.

She made her way over to the window and peered out. It was about mid afternoon. The sun will set in only a few hours, this she knew. Questions rose in her mind that needed answered, but there was no one that could answer them. At least not here at the Helm. She replayed the movie in her mind and recalled the books. This reality could go one of two ways. A-It could follow the books and the Elves would not get involved or B-It could follow the movie and the elves would come and he would die. She hoped the second would not happen. Next thing she thought on was whether to tell anyone of what she knew. Could it change the course of the outcome or will it make no difference? She also thought of her purpose of being in this situation. Why am I here? Did I make a wish and it was granted? What am I supposed to do? Can I ever go back home? She stared out over the field that in a few hours would be covered in orcs. Her thoughts we broken when a knock on the door came.

"Come in," she said loudly.

"Ah, I see that you have awaken, how do you feel?" Aragorn said walking up to her, Legolas, Éowyn, and Gimli were following. Éowyn carried a tray with food.

"I feel much better, thank you, Lord Aragorn," Cassie said quickly covering her mouth realizing that he had not introduced himself. Aragorn looked at her strangely.

"My lady, I do not recall giving you my name. How do you know me?" he said eyeing her confused.

"I know that you didn't. I told the king the truth. I am not from this time and yes I know who each of you are," she said, "I know everything that is about to happen and the outcome of it."

Legolas’ eyes looked shocked. He looked at Cassie intrigued. "Tell us who we are?" Legolas said. His voice was as melodious as she had thought.

"I fear I cannot tell all that I know. I do not know whether it will change the outcome or not," she said.

"My lady, that makes sense. But if you were not meant to be here, would the outcome not have change already?" Aragorn said.

"I suppose. Gandalf will be here tomorrow morning and hopefully he can help me get home.” Cassie said sitting on the bed. They all found seats near her.

"Out with the tale, Lassie" Gimli said in a gruff voice. Cassie decided that she liked him, he was kind behind that rough looking exterior.

**********

Cassie told them of her time and about the books they were all based from. She even mentioned the movie. She left out all the things that have not come to pass yet. She feared that if she did tell them, the outcomes may change. She told each of them of what she knew about them from the books and the movie. All sat quietly taking in her words.

"You see there is one thing, I do not know if this reality is following the book or the movie. There is an event that will happen that will tell me which one of them is happening now," she said hoping that they understood.

Legolas looked like he understood better and spoke aloud, "So you are not sure which is taking place, right? And that there is a certain detail that if it happens then you will know?"

"Exactly. You see in both the movie and in the books the endings are the same. Victory will be had. Aragorn you will take your rightful place in the court of Gondor, this much I will tell you." Cassie said looking at him. Éowyn looked at him confused. Cassie knew that she did not know of his destiny. How could she? She barely knew him.

"So when does this take place?" Aragorn asked curiously.

"Before the battle. Although I hope that this reality follows the book and not the movie," she said gulping down a lump in her throat and looking toward the window. She turned back to the tray which sat before her. She picked up the fork and began to eat.

Cassie stopped eating when Legolas’ voice sounded. "My lady, why is that?"

A lump formed in her throat. 'Oh boy, how to answer' she thought. She looked at his intense blue eyes and then to the others. They all sat waiting for her to answer. “That is one of things, I cannot answer you. What I can say is that how it goes will make me choose what needs to be done."

"Make you choose what’s to be done? We do not follow, Lady Cassie." Aragorn said looking at Legolas whose eyes were clearing fixed upon the girl.

"If the reality follows the movie, I must fight. If it follows the book, I will go into the caves with the other women," she said swallowing hard.

"That is an easy answer, lass," Gimli said roughly, "you will go into the caves anyway. Battle is not for females."

"Gimli, on the contrary, I will fight. I have to," she said insisting.

"I have to agree with Master Gimli," Legolas said looking at Gimili and smiling.

"Why do males feel that us women are incapable to fight? I believe that if she feels that she can, she should be able to prove it," Éowyn said in her defense.

"Thank you, Lady Éowyn. Let us just say that if I do not, something bad will happen," Cassie said holding up her hand.

"The king will not allow it. He has ordered that all women, elders, and children into the caves. He will force you," Legolas said.

"I am not under his rule. I respect him, but I am not one of his subjects. I must fight if it goes that way. If it does not, I will comply with his demand," Cassie said assuring them of her intentions.

"That may be so, but you are under his protection. He is king and must not be taken so defiantly. You will go to the cave,” Aragorn said insistently.

"Okay, I will make a compromise. Let me see how this turns out then we make the decision. I will speak to the King privately if he will. Éowyn, do you think he will do that?" she asked.

"I believe that he would listen to reason and make a decision. He is fair and understanding," she said to Cassie.

"There that settles that. I am feeling a little cooped up. Can we go out for some air?" Cassie asked.

They all sat and spoke for a little longer and then decided to go out side for some fresh air. Éowyn had excused herself to help prepare the women to go into the cave.