In the distance, a horse came wearily walking to the hill and stopped. Upon the back of the horse sat two children. A small girl was at the front of the saddle, and a young boy at the back. At the moment of the horse stopping, the young boy lingered to the side, and then fell from the horse.
* * * * * * * *
Inside the Golden Hall, Theoden sat upon his throne in deep though, looking at the two children that came to them this afternoon. The young boy, Eothain, hurriedly ate his food as he sat quietly beside his younger sister, Freya, who looked quite frightened. Eowyn bent to them, offering more food and filling their hearts with a warmness. But, she rose quickly, a grim expression upon her face.
"They had no warning." Eowyn said aloud, looking to her uncle with a desperate look on her face. "They were unarmed. Now the wildmen are moving through westfold, burning as they go, every rick and cot."
Eowyn looked down at the two children and suddenly the little girl spoke.
"Where's momma?" she asked, her voice quivering and tears coming to her eyes.
Eowyn quietly hushed her and waited for a reply from Theoden.
"This is but a taste of the terror Sauruman will unleash." Gandalf said, concentrating his eyes upon Theoden who sat unmoved. "All the more potent he is driven mad by the fear of Sauron. Ride out and meet him head on. Draw him away from the women and children." At that moment, Gandalf grabbed the arm of Theoden's throne-chair hard, and continued grimly. "You must fight."
"You have two thousand good men riding north as we speak." Aragorn interrupted. "Eomer is loyal to you. His men will return and fight for their king."
"They will be three hundred leagues from here." Theoden replied wearily. "Eomer cannot help us. I know what it is you want of me. But I would not bring further death to my people." He rose from his chair walking to the door. He stopped for a moment and began again. "I will not risk open war."
"Open war is upon you," Aragorn said, breaking from his smoking pipe, "whether would risk it or not."
"When last I looked," Theoden said, a slight anger in his voice, "Theoden, not Aragorn, was king of Rohan."
Aragorn met the angered glare of Theoden and did not turn away; it was Theoden who first broke it. Legolas stood against the wall, many thought circling round in his head.
"No," he said do quietly that even the ranger couldn't hear. "Aragorn is not king of Rohan. He is king of Gondor: a much important city."
"Then what is the king's decision?" Gandalf asked, now rising to his feet.
* * * * * * * *
Outside in the kingdom of Edoras, Hama is heard shouting to the people.
"By the order of the king, the city must empty! We make for the refuge of Helm's Deep! Do not burden yourself with treasures! Take only what provisions you need!"
The people began to panic but were quickly calmed and did what their king said. Aragorn, Gandalf, Gimli, and Legolas walked together to where their horses were kept.
"Helm's Deep!" Gimli shouted. "They flee to the mountains when they should stand and fight! Who will defend them if not their king?"
"He is only doing what he thinks is best for his people." Aragorn replied quickly. "Helm's Deep has saved them in the past."
"There is no way out of that ravine." Gandalf interrupted grimly. "Theoden is walking into a trap. He thinks he is leading them to safety, but what he'll get is a massacre. Theoden has a strong hold but I fear for him. I fear for the survival of Rohan." Gandalf now directed all his thoughts to Aragorn. He pulled him aside and began again.
"He will need you before the end there, Aragorn. The people of Rohan will need you. The defenses have to hold." He looked deep into Aragorn's eyes.
Aragorn nodded his head and replied.
"They will hold."
"The Grey Pilgrim." Gandlaf said, now coming to Shadowfax in its stable. "That is what they used to call me. Three hundred lives of men have walked this earth and now, I have no time." he paused for a moment as he mounted his horse. "Good luck. My search will not be in vain. Look for my coming. At the first light of the fifth day at dawn, look to the East."
Aragorn nodded his head and opened the gate for Gandalf's leave.
"Go." his last words to the Grey Pilgrim before he and Shadowfax shot through the stable to th gate of Edoras.
* * * * * * * *
In the Golden Hall, Eowyn packed her provisions for Helm's Deep. Opening a chest, she cmes upon a sword. Taking it in her hands, she paused for a moment. Then, swiftly did a few quick movements with it. She held herself for moments. As she swings it around, her blow is parried by Aragorn's knife. Her eyes widened and her breath quickens as she lowers it.
"You have some skill with a blade." he says, looking at her intensly.
"Women of this country learned long ago that those without swords may still die upon them. I fear neither death nor pain." Eowyn replied, now turning away from Aragorn, continuing with the packing.
"What do you fear, my lady?" he asked softly.
She met his eyes and replied quickly.
"A cage. To stay behind bars until use and old age accept them. And all chance of valor has gone beyond recall or desire."
"You are a daugter of kings." Aragorn said, stepping closer to her, still staring into her bright eyes. "A shieldmaiden of Rohan. I do not think that will be your fate."
I am going to end "Not Idly do the Leaves of Loiren Fall" at this chapter. If you would like to find out about what happens after they all leave Eodoras and the Battle of Helm's Deep, I have another fiction named "The Becoming of a King" and even though it is more from the point of view of Aragorn, it still goes through the battle and afterwords. So, if you want to check out what happens after Edoras is emptied, read "The Becoming of a King": my first Lord of the Rings fiction! Thank you everyone who has read and reviewed my story! Look for more of my stories coming soon! ^_^
* * * * * * * *
Inside the Golden Hall, Theoden sat upon his throne in deep though, looking at the two children that came to them this afternoon. The young boy, Eothain, hurriedly ate his food as he sat quietly beside his younger sister, Freya, who looked quite frightened. Eowyn bent to them, offering more food and filling their hearts with a warmness. But, she rose quickly, a grim expression upon her face.
"They had no warning." Eowyn said aloud, looking to her uncle with a desperate look on her face. "They were unarmed. Now the wildmen are moving through westfold, burning as they go, every rick and cot."
Eowyn looked down at the two children and suddenly the little girl spoke.
"Where's momma?" she asked, her voice quivering and tears coming to her eyes.
Eowyn quietly hushed her and waited for a reply from Theoden.
"This is but a taste of the terror Sauruman will unleash." Gandalf said, concentrating his eyes upon Theoden who sat unmoved. "All the more potent he is driven mad by the fear of Sauron. Ride out and meet him head on. Draw him away from the women and children." At that moment, Gandalf grabbed the arm of Theoden's throne-chair hard, and continued grimly. "You must fight."
"You have two thousand good men riding north as we speak." Aragorn interrupted. "Eomer is loyal to you. His men will return and fight for their king."
"They will be three hundred leagues from here." Theoden replied wearily. "Eomer cannot help us. I know what it is you want of me. But I would not bring further death to my people." He rose from his chair walking to the door. He stopped for a moment and began again. "I will not risk open war."
"Open war is upon you," Aragorn said, breaking from his smoking pipe, "whether would risk it or not."
"When last I looked," Theoden said, a slight anger in his voice, "Theoden, not Aragorn, was king of Rohan."
Aragorn met the angered glare of Theoden and did not turn away; it was Theoden who first broke it. Legolas stood against the wall, many thought circling round in his head.
"No," he said do quietly that even the ranger couldn't hear. "Aragorn is not king of Rohan. He is king of Gondor: a much important city."
"Then what is the king's decision?" Gandalf asked, now rising to his feet.
* * * * * * * *
Outside in the kingdom of Edoras, Hama is heard shouting to the people.
"By the order of the king, the city must empty! We make for the refuge of Helm's Deep! Do not burden yourself with treasures! Take only what provisions you need!"
The people began to panic but were quickly calmed and did what their king said. Aragorn, Gandalf, Gimli, and Legolas walked together to where their horses were kept.
"Helm's Deep!" Gimli shouted. "They flee to the mountains when they should stand and fight! Who will defend them if not their king?"
"He is only doing what he thinks is best for his people." Aragorn replied quickly. "Helm's Deep has saved them in the past."
"There is no way out of that ravine." Gandalf interrupted grimly. "Theoden is walking into a trap. He thinks he is leading them to safety, but what he'll get is a massacre. Theoden has a strong hold but I fear for him. I fear for the survival of Rohan." Gandalf now directed all his thoughts to Aragorn. He pulled him aside and began again.
"He will need you before the end there, Aragorn. The people of Rohan will need you. The defenses have to hold." He looked deep into Aragorn's eyes.
Aragorn nodded his head and replied.
"They will hold."
"The Grey Pilgrim." Gandlaf said, now coming to Shadowfax in its stable. "That is what they used to call me. Three hundred lives of men have walked this earth and now, I have no time." he paused for a moment as he mounted his horse. "Good luck. My search will not be in vain. Look for my coming. At the first light of the fifth day at dawn, look to the East."
Aragorn nodded his head and opened the gate for Gandalf's leave.
"Go." his last words to the Grey Pilgrim before he and Shadowfax shot through the stable to th gate of Edoras.
* * * * * * * *
In the Golden Hall, Eowyn packed her provisions for Helm's Deep. Opening a chest, she cmes upon a sword. Taking it in her hands, she paused for a moment. Then, swiftly did a few quick movements with it. She held herself for moments. As she swings it around, her blow is parried by Aragorn's knife. Her eyes widened and her breath quickens as she lowers it.
"You have some skill with a blade." he says, looking at her intensly.
"Women of this country learned long ago that those without swords may still die upon them. I fear neither death nor pain." Eowyn replied, now turning away from Aragorn, continuing with the packing.
"What do you fear, my lady?" he asked softly.
She met his eyes and replied quickly.
"A cage. To stay behind bars until use and old age accept them. And all chance of valor has gone beyond recall or desire."
"You are a daugter of kings." Aragorn said, stepping closer to her, still staring into her bright eyes. "A shieldmaiden of Rohan. I do not think that will be your fate."
I am going to end "Not Idly do the Leaves of Loiren Fall" at this chapter. If you would like to find out about what happens after they all leave Eodoras and the Battle of Helm's Deep, I have another fiction named "The Becoming of a King" and even though it is more from the point of view of Aragorn, it still goes through the battle and afterwords. So, if you want to check out what happens after Edoras is emptied, read "The Becoming of a King": my first Lord of the Rings fiction! Thank you everyone who has read and reviewed my story! Look for more of my stories coming soon! ^_^