To The Halls of Mandos
Chapter 6

There was a splash, and water filled her nostrils. She coughed as the fetid water entered her nose and gasping and sputtering, she forced herself up. She looked around her to see that she had landed at the corpses of an orc and elf, which cushioned her landing. She struggled up and soon an arm helped her up.

"On your feet, boy!" Aragorn said as he pulled her, "Fight! Fight with me!"

"Yes, my Lord!" Il-ya said as she raised her sword again as Aragorn shouted at the elves behind him, "Hado i philinn! Herio!"

Aragorn raised his sword and charged, and Il-ya followed his lead, hacking at the orcs. The elves behind them charged, and they continued to battle.

After slaying perhaps the fiftieth orc near her, she fell to her knees. Above them, she heard a man scream. "The castle is overrun! Aragorn, get your men out of there! To the Keep!"

She forced herself up, slashing at on-coming orcs as Aragorn mentioned to her, "To the Keep, man! The castle is overrun! Hurry!" She nodded and was about to run when Aragorn shouted, "Nan Barad! Nan Barad! Haldir! Nan Barad!"

"Haldir!" Il-ya said as she looked up, and sure enough, there was Haldir still fighting atop the battlements. He nodded and mentioned to his men, not noticing Il-ya. She started running behind Aragorn when she saw an orc charge at Haldir. He attacked it, slashing it's stomach, just as another orc came. Haldir turned around to attack it... but the orc sword embedded into the elf's belly.

"HALDIR!" Aragorn shouted, and he began running towards him. Il-ya immediately followed him, her voice failing her. An orc blocked her way and she parried it's attack, sparing Aragorn and making the Ranger run to Haldir. She pushed the orc sword up, exposing it's belly, and she thrust the sword up the creature's chest. She pushed the carcass away, just as Aragorn pushed himself away from Haldir's corpse, believing him dead.

She ran to him and kneeled, raising his head, "Haldir!" She shook him, "HALDIR!"

Haldir's seemingly dead eyes blinked, and he saw her. With some difficulty, he raised his hand. Il-ya removed her helm, and took his hand to her face. His blood stained her cheek, and his fingers entwined some of her blond hair.

"Le..." Haldir started, "Le melon... Il-ya..."

She smiled as she leaned over, "Gerich meleth nîn... Haldir."

She bent down and kissed his lips, and for a moment, it seemed that time stopped. She tasted his lips, his blood, and he tasted her sweetness. His eyes grow dark, but his lips remained with hers. His skin grew cold but hers was warm, and it warmed him. She drew back, slowly, her eyes wet with tears. "Haldir..."

There was a flash of steel, and a sword plunged into Il-ya's back. Her eyes widened in surprise as she looked down her chest, seeing the tip of an orc blade. Blood bubbled up her lips, but she growled and stood, pulling her knife from her boot and pushing up the orc's chest. It fell down dead at Haldir's feet, as Il-ya collapsed beside him.

"No..." Haldir muttered, "Not... you..."

It was hard, but Haldir was able to pull Il-ya's body beside his. Blood was pouring from them both, and they both are turning cold as death came to claim them, but Il-ya smiled, "Hebo estel... Haldir meleth nin." She whispered, "We... will be together... at the hall of... Mandos..."

Her smile fell, and her gaze became blank, as her breath finally stilled. Haldir could feel his breath slowing, and his eyes darkened, but he could still see her earthen eyes, piercing the darkness that claimed him. He grasped her hand, and brought to his lips. He squeezed it as it turned cold. He smiled a bit, "Hall of... Mandos...". And he was still.