Chapter 3
The Rohan Soldiers
Madai entered her home and delivered the message to her mother. Eowyn cried and hugged Madai, but then walked out the door silently to gather the women and children. Madai sat at her table and wept, and her father, unsuccessfully trying to comfort her, told her: "With great power, comes great responsibility, with responsibility comes grief and sorrow. You have to learn to deal with them. It will be all right. We will get through this." She stifled her tears and hugged her father. "I love you." she said, thinking it could be the last time they saw each other. Back at the palace, Aragorn was preparing horses for Eowyn and Arwen. He gave them each a knife, in case of danger, and lent them a map of Losanarch Mountain. Warning them of all the possible dangers they faced, he hugged them and kissed Arwen on the cheek. Then they were off. All the women and children were leaving with the Queen and Stewardess at the head and in command. Madai watched from her bedroom window as it started to rain, and let her tears fall freely, and not for the first time that day. ******************** A few minutes after Madai had fallen asleep by the window, she was awakened out of her troubled reverie by the loud trumpet of horns. She bolted down the stairs, thinking that it was for certain the Harads, and rushed to Aragorn. "Who is it? Those aren't Harad's; they're men! It's the Rohirrim!" She said. "Yes, it is, and your uncle Eomer, Lord of Mark, and King of the House of Eorl has come. He brings many spare horses. I am curious why?" Aragorn looked out at the approaching army. "I bade Arwen to ask for many horses, for I presumed that we would need them." She answered, looking at him, as he smiled with approval. "If only I had thought of it myself." said Aragorn. "You are doing a splendid job of ruler already. Here, take this sword. This is Elsletha, an Elven sword. Use it only when it is necessary. You are not trained for such a weapon." He said, and ran to great Eomer. Madai followed close behind, and stopped with Aragon in front of a great man upon a tall horse. "Where is Arwen, King Elesser? And who is this young dame, who stands tall and proud beside you?" the man asked. "This is you sister-daughter, Madai. She is Eowyn's child, and heir to the throne of Gondor. Soon, you shall be working beside her to rule the nations of the East. You are to bow to her, as she is to you." Madai willingly curtsied to him, but he reluctantly bowed. Madai glared at him under her eye-lids. "Now, we must go to every house in the city, prepare every man and horse." said Aragorn. "The Harads will come soon, and no one really knows when. We must be hasty. We must be ready." He said, and with Madai at one side and Eomer at his other, they walked all through the village and prepared every man for the battle. All of them looked at wonder at the princess, the only young woman left in the entire city, apart from the healers. But at half past sundown, they were all ready and had gathered about the great walls of Minis Tirith, prepared for the coming of the Enemy. Aragorn had ushered Madai into a safe haven near the battle grounds, where he tried to reassure himself that she was safe there. Elsletha was safely sheathed by her side, and she was positioned by the window, in case if she was called out of need. Very soon they heard drum rolls. They were of no drum of Gondor, or of Rohan. They were dark rumbles, and positively unpleasant to the ears. The Harads were coming. All in Minis Tirith was still. All fires, torches and other lights had been put out. It was black, except the occasional flare sent up by the Harad army. It was quiet, except the drums of the Haradian army, and everyone was waiting fretfully. Suddenly a great blast of fire was directed at the wall, and many men screamed, and the horn of Gondor and Rohan bleated together. The war had begun.
The Rohan Soldiers
Madai entered her home and delivered the message to her mother. Eowyn cried and hugged Madai, but then walked out the door silently to gather the women and children. Madai sat at her table and wept, and her father, unsuccessfully trying to comfort her, told her: "With great power, comes great responsibility, with responsibility comes grief and sorrow. You have to learn to deal with them. It will be all right. We will get through this." She stifled her tears and hugged her father. "I love you." she said, thinking it could be the last time they saw each other. Back at the palace, Aragorn was preparing horses for Eowyn and Arwen. He gave them each a knife, in case of danger, and lent them a map of Losanarch Mountain. Warning them of all the possible dangers they faced, he hugged them and kissed Arwen on the cheek. Then they were off. All the women and children were leaving with the Queen and Stewardess at the head and in command. Madai watched from her bedroom window as it started to rain, and let her tears fall freely, and not for the first time that day. ******************** A few minutes after Madai had fallen asleep by the window, she was awakened out of her troubled reverie by the loud trumpet of horns. She bolted down the stairs, thinking that it was for certain the Harads, and rushed to Aragorn. "Who is it? Those aren't Harad's; they're men! It's the Rohirrim!" She said. "Yes, it is, and your uncle Eomer, Lord of Mark, and King of the House of Eorl has come. He brings many spare horses. I am curious why?" Aragorn looked out at the approaching army. "I bade Arwen to ask for many horses, for I presumed that we would need them." She answered, looking at him, as he smiled with approval. "If only I had thought of it myself." said Aragorn. "You are doing a splendid job of ruler already. Here, take this sword. This is Elsletha, an Elven sword. Use it only when it is necessary. You are not trained for such a weapon." He said, and ran to great Eomer. Madai followed close behind, and stopped with Aragon in front of a great man upon a tall horse. "Where is Arwen, King Elesser? And who is this young dame, who stands tall and proud beside you?" the man asked. "This is you sister-daughter, Madai. She is Eowyn's child, and heir to the throne of Gondor. Soon, you shall be working beside her to rule the nations of the East. You are to bow to her, as she is to you." Madai willingly curtsied to him, but he reluctantly bowed. Madai glared at him under her eye-lids. "Now, we must go to every house in the city, prepare every man and horse." said Aragorn. "The Harads will come soon, and no one really knows when. We must be hasty. We must be ready." He said, and with Madai at one side and Eomer at his other, they walked all through the village and prepared every man for the battle. All of them looked at wonder at the princess, the only young woman left in the entire city, apart from the healers. But at half past sundown, they were all ready and had gathered about the great walls of Minis Tirith, prepared for the coming of the Enemy. Aragorn had ushered Madai into a safe haven near the battle grounds, where he tried to reassure himself that she was safe there. Elsletha was safely sheathed by her side, and she was positioned by the window, in case if she was called out of need. Very soon they heard drum rolls. They were of no drum of Gondor, or of Rohan. They were dark rumbles, and positively unpleasant to the ears. The Harads were coming. All in Minis Tirith was still. All fires, torches and other lights had been put out. It was black, except the occasional flare sent up by the Harad army. It was quiet, except the drums of the Haradian army, and everyone was waiting fretfully. Suddenly a great blast of fire was directed at the wall, and many men screamed, and the horn of Gondor and Rohan bleated together. The war had begun.