Ride with Me
Disclaimer: As always no money is made from this or any other story on this site and the characters of middle Earth do not belong to me but the wonderful imagination of Tolkien.
Summary: As the riders of Rohan leave their encampment Merry stands forlorn watching his friends leave after Théoden told he was not allowed to go with them.
A/N: Another one shot, this one might be quite small or large. It will depend on how the words flow and my thoughts on it as I type, as always if you like the story please review and if you don't then please no flames. I will put them out with a cyber-fire extinguisher.
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The sound of the pounding of the horses hooves as the riders of Rohan left their encampment following their King and Eomer seemed to go on and on as Merry stood and watched with a forlorn look on his face, upset that he was being left behind.
Théoden the king had forbid his inclusion in the three day ride to Minas Tirith stating that none of his riders would be able to bear Merry's weight on their horses, his own horse too small like himself to be able to cover the miles and time it would take for the entire Rohan army to make the journey.
Three days of hard riding and a battle at the end awaited them, a battle that would see many of them fall and not return to their homes and loved ones.
Merry felt a deep shame taking him over as he watched those he classed as friends riding away without him; he remembered when the call had come to muster the Rohirran how he had felt, the fear but yet pride that he too would be going to war just like his friends had done but now that pride was shattered, tossed aside by the words of a man who could not look past Merry's small stature and see the fighter he was.
The number of horses that passed him began to dwindle as the great army rode out of the camp and across the valley, he stood heavy hearted with tears of shame that glistened in his eyes but yet did not fall watching the army ride away without him.
As the last of the riders passed him, he felt a hand grasp his tunic and raise him up off the ground planting him in front of them on the neck of the horse and heard the softly spoken words of its rider.
"Ride with me."
Grinning at the sound the voice he recognised straight away belonging to the one other person that the king had also refused to allow to ride with the army, the Lady Eowyn, shield maiden of Rohan.
"Yes my lady," whispered Merry.
Together the two rode the three day ride to Minas Tirith and a place into the history books of Middle Earth.
A/N: This is a reposting as my first reviewer pointed out it was Merry who stayed in Rohan not Pippin and so I have corrected the mistake. I could not beleive I got these two mixed up, doh what a twit.