Their Names Be remembered
By Nerwen Calaelen
Disclaimer: This story is based on 'The Lord of the Rings' by J.R.R. Tolkien and the film of the same book. It is fanfiction and I therefore don't own anything.
A/N: This story was beta read for me by Lasse-lanta1. Thank you very much. Any remaining mistakes are totally my fault.
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The feast to celebrate twenty five years of Elessar's reign had been going on for many hours, all but the Hobbits had finished eating. It was the time for musicians and on this occasion a young harper of the court had composed a song of celebration for the event. As he plucked the opening chord the hall quieted to hear his song.
I sing of the War of the Ring
Of the deeds of glorious heroes
Of the return of the king to Gondor
And how he wrought Sauron's fall
The song wove through events, many nodding or speaking to those near them as they heard particular lines or noticed inaccuracies in the song – the young harper had not been there and he seemed to have changed parts of the story. The song wound on as the night did,
From the north came the horns of Rohan
King Theoden leading the Eored to fight
To fight and die on the fields of Pelennor
With him rode his sister daughter Eowyn
Forth came the Nazgul king indestructible
Flying to towards his fate unknowingly
To bring down the king through fear
He fell crushed to the ground defeated
Yet forth stood Eowyn unflinching,
Challenging the dwimmerlaik bravely,
The Nazgul taunted her, laughing
With his prophesised indestructibility
Yet forth she spoke to the wraith
"No living man am I!Eowyn am I
Daughter of Eomund of Rohan"
And struck the Witch King down
And thus the Nazgul was destroyed,
Fair Eowyn fell wounded to the ground
In the midst of the battle to die,
The battle swirling on around her
Eomer glanced at his sister as her role was lauded, 'here in Gondor she is indeed a hero and will be remembered as such until the end of the world, it seems.'
Charging out of the Corsairs' ships
King Elessar bringing needed hope
Leading the dead of Erech to fight,
To win back honour and peace.
Bringing an invincible force,
Willing to fight killing for honour,
Destroying the armies of Mordor,
Before returning to their peace.
Out rode the men of the West,
Through ruined Osgiliath,
And onward to Morannon,
To challenge the Dark lord,
To fight and die there for hope,
To stare despair in the face,
But return with victory,
With the destruction of the Ring.
'He tells the story well – but is that how it happened? He tells of the glory of Gondor and of the quest of the Halflings in passing. Yet it seems that he has forgotten Rohan, save in the battle on the Pelennor fields. However, this is Gondor and they honour their own for the most part, but that is to be expected. Eowyn they laud as they seem to have taken her into their hearts. I am glad that it is so, let her be remembered well. But what of those who died, what of Theodred? What of the battles we fought, enabling us to march to Gondor's aid? We are already forgotten here in Gondor, it seems. Will our names be forgotten in the future or only remembered among our own people in our sagas. But will they be remembered truly or change over time? There are records of our people here in the libraries and apparently their versions do not always agree with our tales. Does the truth hide in those dusty parchments? And what will people remember in times to come? Will these songs of Gondor, recorded in written form survive to the future as the truth? Does it matter which version survives? Should I grieve that my role in the war may be forgotten?'
He shook his head, 'this wine is too strong – tonight is a time of celebration, not for brooding over the future. The dead are dust, and the living can know not what matters to them. Let death concern only the dead.'
All hail the heroes of the war
Those who died in honour
And those who live in glory
Their names be remembered.
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A/N: Comments please!