Horn is sitting outside The Merry Swan pub on the third circle of Minas Tirith listening to the celebration from within. Even after coming so far into the city to find someplace to drink he can't bring himself to dull his mind while he has something to think about. The idea of celebrating death turns his stomach, he stands and walks away.
The first place his mind turns to is Nona telling him she was pregnant and begging him to run from the war. He can almost hear her voice even now and is still surprised by the fear he heard. They had fought orcs and Dunlending side by side without even the smallest hint of fear on her face but when she asked him to leave the Rohirrim it was obvious.
Next, he thinks of his sister, told before his father marched to war about the death of the man she loved. How was she doing, had she surrendered to her sorrow or used it to make herself stronger as Nona had.
His father's face surfaces in his mind and he starts to wonder what he will say about Horn sheathing his sword during battle. Horn wonders if he will ever be able to make his father understand why he couldn't bring himself to kill anymore. Most of all he thinks about the reaction his father will have when he's told that his son not only loves a Dunlending woman but will have a child with her soon.
His thoughts drift back to Nona and their baby. What kind of father would he be, he has slain many orcs and even Dunlendings during their travels. Can he really leave what he found on the battlefield behind him, and if he can't is he willing to bring it into the child's life. Nona had seen more than he had but she was so much stronger than he was and he had no doubt she would make a great mother.
What about a place for the child to live, he had visited Woodhurst and seen the way the Rohirrim treated the Dunlendings in the best of towns. He remembered Nona's reaction to his people when she first entered Stangard and couldn't imagine his presence in her land would be met any differently. So what hope could a child born to both people have in either of them?
Walking through town he hears about the Rohirrim and Gondorian planning an attack on the black gate of Mordor but it doesn't really hit him what it means. Horn ignores the horns and calls as he wanders the streets and finds himself in the Houses of Healing.
Inside the building Horn finds Lady Eowyn sitting in her bed talking with Lord Faramir, both look weak but happy. Horn looks at his princess and sees in her eyes the same light that filled Nona's the last time they held one another. In that moment Horn made his decision and started to form his plan.
The first place his mind turns to is Nona telling him she was pregnant and begging him to run from the war. He can almost hear her voice even now and is still surprised by the fear he heard. They had fought orcs and Dunlending side by side without even the smallest hint of fear on her face but when she asked him to leave the Rohirrim it was obvious.
Next, he thinks of his sister, told before his father marched to war about the death of the man she loved. How was she doing, had she surrendered to her sorrow or used it to make herself stronger as Nona had.
His father's face surfaces in his mind and he starts to wonder what he will say about Horn sheathing his sword during battle. Horn wonders if he will ever be able to make his father understand why he couldn't bring himself to kill anymore. Most of all he thinks about the reaction his father will have when he's told that his son not only loves a Dunlending woman but will have a child with her soon.
His thoughts drift back to Nona and their baby. What kind of father would he be, he has slain many orcs and even Dunlendings during their travels. Can he really leave what he found on the battlefield behind him, and if he can't is he willing to bring it into the child's life. Nona had seen more than he had but she was so much stronger than he was and he had no doubt she would make a great mother.
What about a place for the child to live, he had visited Woodhurst and seen the way the Rohirrim treated the Dunlendings in the best of towns. He remembered Nona's reaction to his people when she first entered Stangard and couldn't imagine his presence in her land would be met any differently. So what hope could a child born to both people have in either of them?
Walking through town he hears about the Rohirrim and Gondorian planning an attack on the black gate of Mordor but it doesn't really hit him what it means. Horn ignores the horns and calls as he wanders the streets and finds himself in the Houses of Healing.
Inside the building Horn finds Lady Eowyn sitting in her bed talking with Lord Faramir, both look weak but happy. Horn looks at his princess and sees in her eyes the same light that filled Nona's the last time they held one another. In that moment Horn made his decision and started to form his plan.
