It was almost noon when they awoke the next day. Slowly Sayowyn rose from
the bed, along with Legolas, who watched her carefully to see any signs of
weakness. They went down to the Golden Hall, where Theoden and Aragorn sat
eating. Gandalf and Pippin had left early that morning, to travel to Minas
Tirith. Sayowyn sensed a war was coming.
Three days of rest saw Sayowyn feeling slightly better, and both she and Legolas were together in the Golden Hall with Theoden when Aragorn rushed in with news. "The beacons are lit. Gondor calls for aid!" he said.
They waited for a response from the king. "And Rohan will answer." he said finally.
Legolas smiled, excited for battle.
Within two hours, the Rohirrim were ready to set out. Horses were saddled, weapons packed, and riders mounted. There were at least three thousand strong riders ready to help those of Minas Tirith. It was a three day ride for them, and on the eve of battle they stopped to rest and camp. The horses were restless, and Legolas looked at them with curiousity that day.
"The Dwimorberg is near. They can sense it." Sayowyn informed him.
Legolas shuddered at the thought of ghosts with malice and returned to his horse. Those of importance were camped high, on a cliff side. That night, a strange rider on a horse galloped up to see Theoden. Sayowyn left her tent to check on Naro, who was cribbing on his hitching post. "Naro!" she said with disapproval.
She was on her way to return to her tent when out of darkness came Elrond. "Uncle!" she said, hugging him.
Elrond took her hands in his. "Your hands are cold. Like Arwens'. It's as I feared." he said with sorrow.
Changing the subject, Sayowyn asked him, "Why are you here?"
"I gave the sword to Aragorn." Sayowyn nodded, understanding. "He is the king of Gondor now. I also told him about Arwen, she is fading fast."
Sayowyn was surprised. "Arwen is not in Valinor?" she asked.
"She would not leave. She thinks there is still hope." Elrond replied.
"There is still hope. Though, I cannot see it right now." Sayowyn admitted.
"There is always hope. Now, I must go. Namarie." he said, before disappearing.
Sayowyn wished she could speak more to her beloved Uncle, but understood he needed to leave with haste. She went to find Aragorn, who was with Legolas and Gimli. Their horses were saddled. "Where are you going?" she asked them.
"We must break the will of the King of the Dead, Sayowyn. We may not return." Aragorn told her.
Sayowyn nodded. "The living cannot defend the Minas Tirith, without the fury of those long dead." The three men nodded. "Why can I not come?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.
The others let Legolas reply. "It is too dangerous. If we do not accomplish our goal, we will die."
Sayowyn was taken aback. "We need you to guide Rohan in assisting Gondor. I fear that Theoden does not have the skill to lead his people to victory. This is your test." Aragorn explained to the elf.
Sayowyn nodded. "We must go now. Look to our coming, tomorrow, when the sun is at its highest point in the sky. Meet us on the shores of Gondors' sea." Legolas kissed her good bye.
"I shall pray for you." she told the three companions, who bid her farewell and then set out.
The other men questioned their departure. "Why do they leave on the eve of battle?" one asked.
"Because they know there is no hope." another answered. Sayowyn went to them.
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Hope will always endure." she said to them, before going to her tent to have a lonely, sleepless night.
Three days of rest saw Sayowyn feeling slightly better, and both she and Legolas were together in the Golden Hall with Theoden when Aragorn rushed in with news. "The beacons are lit. Gondor calls for aid!" he said.
They waited for a response from the king. "And Rohan will answer." he said finally.
Legolas smiled, excited for battle.
Within two hours, the Rohirrim were ready to set out. Horses were saddled, weapons packed, and riders mounted. There were at least three thousand strong riders ready to help those of Minas Tirith. It was a three day ride for them, and on the eve of battle they stopped to rest and camp. The horses were restless, and Legolas looked at them with curiousity that day.
"The Dwimorberg is near. They can sense it." Sayowyn informed him.
Legolas shuddered at the thought of ghosts with malice and returned to his horse. Those of importance were camped high, on a cliff side. That night, a strange rider on a horse galloped up to see Theoden. Sayowyn left her tent to check on Naro, who was cribbing on his hitching post. "Naro!" she said with disapproval.
She was on her way to return to her tent when out of darkness came Elrond. "Uncle!" she said, hugging him.
Elrond took her hands in his. "Your hands are cold. Like Arwens'. It's as I feared." he said with sorrow.
Changing the subject, Sayowyn asked him, "Why are you here?"
"I gave the sword to Aragorn." Sayowyn nodded, understanding. "He is the king of Gondor now. I also told him about Arwen, she is fading fast."
Sayowyn was surprised. "Arwen is not in Valinor?" she asked.
"She would not leave. She thinks there is still hope." Elrond replied.
"There is still hope. Though, I cannot see it right now." Sayowyn admitted.
"There is always hope. Now, I must go. Namarie." he said, before disappearing.
Sayowyn wished she could speak more to her beloved Uncle, but understood he needed to leave with haste. She went to find Aragorn, who was with Legolas and Gimli. Their horses were saddled. "Where are you going?" she asked them.
"We must break the will of the King of the Dead, Sayowyn. We may not return." Aragorn told her.
Sayowyn nodded. "The living cannot defend the Minas Tirith, without the fury of those long dead." The three men nodded. "Why can I not come?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.
The others let Legolas reply. "It is too dangerous. If we do not accomplish our goal, we will die."
Sayowyn was taken aback. "We need you to guide Rohan in assisting Gondor. I fear that Theoden does not have the skill to lead his people to victory. This is your test." Aragorn explained to the elf.
Sayowyn nodded. "We must go now. Look to our coming, tomorrow, when the sun is at its highest point in the sky. Meet us on the shores of Gondors' sea." Legolas kissed her good bye.
"I shall pray for you." she told the three companions, who bid her farewell and then set out.
The other men questioned their departure. "Why do they leave on the eve of battle?" one asked.
"Because they know there is no hope." another answered. Sayowyn went to them.
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Hope will always endure." she said to them, before going to her tent to have a lonely, sleepless night.