Naima skittered past the main hall, down a corridor, and into the
chamber of Eomer. She woke him, urgent and tearful. His eyes were puffy as
though from lack of sleep.
"Sir Eomer," she began, "My mother!" Naima couldn't proceed, her tears were coming too fast.
Eomer surged out of his bed. The girl looked up at him in all his god- like beauty, but she continued to cry. He grasped her firmly by the hand and brought her to her feet.
"What is wrong, girl? Tell, or do I have to shake it out of you?"
"My mother and father went, they gathered wood in the village. Orcs are there, sir! They captured them!"
Eomer struggled to clear his mind. Orcs attacking.the troops were less than prepared. He rushed to the armory, forgetting about the girl for the moment, and donned his golden armor.
Grima awoke to the sounds of frantic cries. Women and men rushed to and fro, gathering their things. His plan had obviously worked. Taking his time, Grima dressed. He left his chamber, and went to the King's room. There, Eomer and Eowyn were finalizing the escape. They looked up as Grima entered the room.
"What is all this?" He asked slyly. "The orcs have finally attacked?"
Eomer nodded grimly. "Yes, they have captured two of our servants. How many others, we do not know." Eowyn placed her hand upon her brother's. Grima longed for the day when her hand would rest upon his own.
"Then, we must get the women and children to safety." Grima's face showed none of his inner lying excitement. Eowyn looked surprised at this comment, for she would not have thought such a creature could think of anyone but himself. "I will lead them.for it's true that I have no talent for battle. But, I'm keen on the lay of the land, and could get them safely to.Helm's Deep? It seems a feasible distance, and it's still sturdy and strong."
Eomer, with a newfound sense of respect for the Wormtongue, thanked him. "I wish you a safe journey. My sister will go with you, and may you lead them safely together." Eowyn's eyes lowered, she still did not fully trust this man. But, he was right.
The villagers huddled into one great mass: men on one side, women and children the other. The snow fell rapidly, the path to Helm's Deep would be perilous. Vouging to walk instead of ride, Grima took a stand in front of the mass. "I speak on behalf of your ill King. The orcs who have been camped out on the hillside have found it necessary to attack." There were a few gasps from the crowd. Grima went on, though he wasn't used to shouting. "The men will have to stay here and hold them off, while myself and the Lady Eowyn lead the others to Helm's Deep."
An angry man spat on the ground. He hated the advisor, "Why will you not stay and fight like the rest of us? You're a coward." Another man piped up. "No, he's a woman! Why not let him lead the women?" Eowyn, upset by their harsh words, said, "No. This man will lead us there. He cares for nothing else but the safety of your wives and children. Can you not see?" Ashamed, the men pulled back. They filed into a line, and began to prepare for the battle at hand.
Horses were packed with food and supplies. Women bundled up their children for the long, hard march to the fortress. Naima was there, her parents were not. Of course, she had been orphaned since a tiny child, had lived with complete strangers her whole life. She wasn't important to anyone. But, the advisor had come to her, begging for her help. Her of all people! A little girl. The way he had spoken to her, such compassion and fear. She had no choice but to obey his asking.
They marched. Grima knew it would be days before they reached the pass. An orcan army would be much faster than they, and would meet them there easily. Little did the men of Rohan know, the orcs had already withdrawn, save but a hundred or so stragglers. The "battle" would be short, and by the time it was finished, most of Rohan would be slaughtered. All but his prize. She would be spared.
"Sir Eomer," she began, "My mother!" Naima couldn't proceed, her tears were coming too fast.
Eomer surged out of his bed. The girl looked up at him in all his god- like beauty, but she continued to cry. He grasped her firmly by the hand and brought her to her feet.
"What is wrong, girl? Tell, or do I have to shake it out of you?"
"My mother and father went, they gathered wood in the village. Orcs are there, sir! They captured them!"
Eomer struggled to clear his mind. Orcs attacking.the troops were less than prepared. He rushed to the armory, forgetting about the girl for the moment, and donned his golden armor.
Grima awoke to the sounds of frantic cries. Women and men rushed to and fro, gathering their things. His plan had obviously worked. Taking his time, Grima dressed. He left his chamber, and went to the King's room. There, Eomer and Eowyn were finalizing the escape. They looked up as Grima entered the room.
"What is all this?" He asked slyly. "The orcs have finally attacked?"
Eomer nodded grimly. "Yes, they have captured two of our servants. How many others, we do not know." Eowyn placed her hand upon her brother's. Grima longed for the day when her hand would rest upon his own.
"Then, we must get the women and children to safety." Grima's face showed none of his inner lying excitement. Eowyn looked surprised at this comment, for she would not have thought such a creature could think of anyone but himself. "I will lead them.for it's true that I have no talent for battle. But, I'm keen on the lay of the land, and could get them safely to.Helm's Deep? It seems a feasible distance, and it's still sturdy and strong."
Eomer, with a newfound sense of respect for the Wormtongue, thanked him. "I wish you a safe journey. My sister will go with you, and may you lead them safely together." Eowyn's eyes lowered, she still did not fully trust this man. But, he was right.
The villagers huddled into one great mass: men on one side, women and children the other. The snow fell rapidly, the path to Helm's Deep would be perilous. Vouging to walk instead of ride, Grima took a stand in front of the mass. "I speak on behalf of your ill King. The orcs who have been camped out on the hillside have found it necessary to attack." There were a few gasps from the crowd. Grima went on, though he wasn't used to shouting. "The men will have to stay here and hold them off, while myself and the Lady Eowyn lead the others to Helm's Deep."
An angry man spat on the ground. He hated the advisor, "Why will you not stay and fight like the rest of us? You're a coward." Another man piped up. "No, he's a woman! Why not let him lead the women?" Eowyn, upset by their harsh words, said, "No. This man will lead us there. He cares for nothing else but the safety of your wives and children. Can you not see?" Ashamed, the men pulled back. They filed into a line, and began to prepare for the battle at hand.
Horses were packed with food and supplies. Women bundled up their children for the long, hard march to the fortress. Naima was there, her parents were not. Of course, she had been orphaned since a tiny child, had lived with complete strangers her whole life. She wasn't important to anyone. But, the advisor had come to her, begging for her help. Her of all people! A little girl. The way he had spoken to her, such compassion and fear. She had no choice but to obey his asking.
They marched. Grima knew it would be days before they reached the pass. An orcan army would be much faster than they, and would meet them there easily. Little did the men of Rohan know, the orcs had already withdrawn, save but a hundred or so stragglers. The "battle" would be short, and by the time it was finished, most of Rohan would be slaughtered. All but his prize. She would be spared.