LORDS OF GONDOR
By
ELENDIL OF ARNOR
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, places, or names. They belong solely to the Tolkien Estate and New Line Cinema.
Author's note: It might be helpful to read the chapters, "Minas Tirith" and "The Battle of the Pelennor Fields" in "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King." Also, this is book-based and spoilers for "The Return of the King" movie lie within. Review please.
Chapter 1: The End of the Siege
Hirluin the Fair of the Green Hills of Pinnath Gelin awoke with a start. There was a deep, thundering boom and foul yells of triumph. He leapt up and ran to the edge of the fourth circle of the walls of Minas Tirith. And there he saw a sickening sight: Orcs by the thousands aligning in front of the gate of Gondor and in front of them all, a company of 50 orcs, hauling a huge battering ram thrust it into the gate of the city a second time.
The gate broke. Hirluin's hand flew to his sword, but he stopped and saw a sight that amazed him for the rest of his life: Mithrandir, the Grey Pilgrim on his grey horse rode up in front of the gate and challenged the Captain of the Host of Morgul. Hirluin and the men of Gondor stood agape as a red flame ran down the Morgul King's sword.
All of a sudden a new sound: horns, not the foul horns of the orcs, but the sweet melodious sound of the horns of the Riddermark. Then cries went up through the city: "Rohan is here!" "To arms!" "Form your men into columns!"
Hirluin turned and grabbed the reins of his horse, Lightfoot, which had been with him since the long siege began." But now it will finish today, for better or for worse, it will finish on the Fields of Pelennor!" he thought.
He gathered up his men, clad in green and met his fellow lords, Forlong and Imrahil of Dol Amroth at the ruined gate with their men.
"Are you old men ready for battle?" yelled the young lord.
"You insult me, Hirluin," said the Prince, "I am not yet 50!"
Forlong merely grunted. "Are we ready to ride to the aid of Rohan yet?" said the fat old man on his horse.
"We will be in a- where is he going?" said Imrahil, "I shall check."
Hirluin turned and saw Mithrandir and the Halfling warrior turn away back into the city rather than out of it. Imrahil briefly talked to him then turned back to his fellow lords "Well, where is he off to?" asked Hirluin.
"An errand to the Lord Denethor", said Imrahil.
"Are we going to ride forward or not?" said Forlong, "I didn't come here to sit idly by and let the horse lords fight for me."
"Right you are, Forlong," said Hirluin, "Imrahil, are we ready to ride or not?"
Imrahil nodded. "It is time," he said. He then turned to his men.
"Men of Gondor!" he cried, "Rohan's blood flows on the Pelennor! Shall it flow unmingled with our own?"
"Never!" came the cry from the ranks.
"Shall we return to this city with nothing less than victory?"
"May we die first!" yelled Derufin of Morthond and the cry went up among the troops.
"Then forward, forward for the White Tower, for Gondor! Victory or death!" And with that, Imrahil drew his sword and thundered out of the city on his great brown charger, followed by Hirluin and Forlong.
By
ELENDIL OF ARNOR
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, places, or names. They belong solely to the Tolkien Estate and New Line Cinema.
Author's note: It might be helpful to read the chapters, "Minas Tirith" and "The Battle of the Pelennor Fields" in "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King." Also, this is book-based and spoilers for "The Return of the King" movie lie within. Review please.
Chapter 1: The End of the Siege
Hirluin the Fair of the Green Hills of Pinnath Gelin awoke with a start. There was a deep, thundering boom and foul yells of triumph. He leapt up and ran to the edge of the fourth circle of the walls of Minas Tirith. And there he saw a sickening sight: Orcs by the thousands aligning in front of the gate of Gondor and in front of them all, a company of 50 orcs, hauling a huge battering ram thrust it into the gate of the city a second time.
The gate broke. Hirluin's hand flew to his sword, but he stopped and saw a sight that amazed him for the rest of his life: Mithrandir, the Grey Pilgrim on his grey horse rode up in front of the gate and challenged the Captain of the Host of Morgul. Hirluin and the men of Gondor stood agape as a red flame ran down the Morgul King's sword.
All of a sudden a new sound: horns, not the foul horns of the orcs, but the sweet melodious sound of the horns of the Riddermark. Then cries went up through the city: "Rohan is here!" "To arms!" "Form your men into columns!"
Hirluin turned and grabbed the reins of his horse, Lightfoot, which had been with him since the long siege began." But now it will finish today, for better or for worse, it will finish on the Fields of Pelennor!" he thought.
He gathered up his men, clad in green and met his fellow lords, Forlong and Imrahil of Dol Amroth at the ruined gate with their men.
"Are you old men ready for battle?" yelled the young lord.
"You insult me, Hirluin," said the Prince, "I am not yet 50!"
Forlong merely grunted. "Are we ready to ride to the aid of Rohan yet?" said the fat old man on his horse.
"We will be in a- where is he going?" said Imrahil, "I shall check."
Hirluin turned and saw Mithrandir and the Halfling warrior turn away back into the city rather than out of it. Imrahil briefly talked to him then turned back to his fellow lords "Well, where is he off to?" asked Hirluin.
"An errand to the Lord Denethor", said Imrahil.
"Are we going to ride forward or not?" said Forlong, "I didn't come here to sit idly by and let the horse lords fight for me."
"Right you are, Forlong," said Hirluin, "Imrahil, are we ready to ride or not?"
Imrahil nodded. "It is time," he said. He then turned to his men.
"Men of Gondor!" he cried, "Rohan's blood flows on the Pelennor! Shall it flow unmingled with our own?"
"Never!" came the cry from the ranks.
"Shall we return to this city with nothing less than victory?"
"May we die first!" yelled Derufin of Morthond and the cry went up among the troops.
"Then forward, forward for the White Tower, for Gondor! Victory or death!" And with that, Imrahil drew his sword and thundered out of the city on his great brown charger, followed by Hirluin and Forlong.