*AUTHOR'S NOTE*
~*~ The majority of the dialogue in this chapter in directly from "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers", book 3, chapter 6, "The King of the Golden Hall". However some has been changed added or left out. Other notes will be made as needed. ~*~
March 2, 3019
Today has been wonderful! And amazing thing has taken place! I hope my heart is ever full of the joy that has filled it today.
It started this morning. A wizard, an elf, and dwarf, and a man arrived. When news reached of their arrival, Wormtongue, through my uncle, ordered the door guards take all their weapons away from them. He also specifically noted the take the wizard's staff. The wizard arrived with his staff anyway. I stood behind my uncle's throne as they approached. Silence fell across the hall. After a time, the wizard spoke.
"Hail Theoden son of Thengel!" He cried, "I have returned. For behold! the storm comes, and now all friends should gather together, lest each singly be destroyed."
Return? Storm? I had little time to wonder at the meaning of his words for then my uncle rose, leaning on his own staff. I gasped. The elf heard and looked my way.
"I greet you, and maybe you look for welcome," My uncle said. Even his voice is tired and aged beyond his years. "But truth to tell your welcome is doubtful here, Master Gandalf. You have ever been a herald of woe. Troubles follow you like crows, and ever the oftener the worse. I will not deceive you: when I heard that Shadowfax had come back riderless, I rejoiced at the return of the horse, but still more at the lack of the rider; and when Eomer brought the tidings that you had gone at last to your long home, I did not mourn. But news from afar is seldom sooth. Here you come again! And with you come evils worse than before, as might be expected. Why should I welcome you, Gandalf Stormcrow? Tell me that."
Confusion reeled through my mind. What all did I not know?
My uncle sat back down.
The wizard spoke again. "The courtesy of your hall is somewhat lessened of late, Theoden son of Thengel. Has not the messenger from your gate reported the names of my companions? Seldom has any lord of Rohan received three such guests. Weapons they have laid at your door that are worth many a mortal man, even the mightiest. Grey is their raiment, for the Elves clad them, and thus they have passed through the shadow of great perils into your hall."
I wondered at who these strangers could be. I had not seen any of them before, nor heard of them, save the wizard. I then remembered the events of the previous September. Around the end of the month Gandalf the Gray had arrived. My uncle did not appreciate it very much and had sent him away with the words "Take any horse, only be gone ere tomorrow is old!" [1] My uncle had become even angrier when he discovered the wizard had taken Shadowfax, the best of our horses.
Then the wizard suddenly changed. He took off his tattered gray cloak and cast it aside. Underneath he wore a garment of a dazzling white, a white unlike any I had ever seen, almost blinding to behold. He leaned no longer upon his staff, but held it high over his head. When he spoke his voice became clear and cold.
"Grima son of Galmod," He said to Wormtongue, "A witless worm you have become therefore be silent, and keep your forked tongue behind your teeth."
He raised his staff higher and a clap of thunder rolled. I've often heard the wrath of a wizard is not something to be aroused, but I never imagined this. The sunlight left, and a midnight fell over the hall. The fire in the hearth became naught but a dim glow. I looked around in amazement Suddenly out of the dark came Wormtongue's voice, sounding weak, worried, and scared, "Did I not counsel you to take the wizard's staff? That fool, Hama, has betrayed us!"
A flash of light came and in the flash I could see the face of the guard Hama, looking as if he wasn't sure whether or not he should have taken the staff from the wizard. A dead silence fell over the hall.
"Now Theoden son of Thengel, will you hearken to me? Do you ask for help?" The wizard's voice rang through out the hall. He raised his staff toward a window and through the window a patch of light shone. "Not all is dark. Take courage, Lord of the Mark; for better help you will not find. No counsel have I to give to those that despair. Yet counsel I could give, and worse I could speak to you. Will you hear them? They are not for all ears. I bid you come out before your doors and look abroad. Too long have you sat in the shadows and trusted to twisted tales and crooked promptings."
Slowly my uncle now rose to stand. Slowly light once again grew in the hall. I reached out to take my uncle's elbow and help him to stand and walk across the room. The strangers walked with us. When we reached the doors the wizard knocked on them with his staff. "Open!" He cried, "The Lord of the Mark comes forth!"
Tears filled my eyes as the doors opened and he stood in the fresh air, a cool, clear, wind blowing. He began to look younger.
"Send your guards down to the stair's foot," the wizard said, and then turned to me, "And you, lady, leave him a while with me. I will care for him."
I smiled at him in gratitude and then turned to my uncle.
"Go, Eowyn, sister-daughter!" My uncle said, the first words he had said to me in a long time. "The time for fear is past."
A kind smile crept across his face. I felt the tears run down my cheeks and I smiled back.
As I walked back into the hall I turned for one quick look. At that time I fully noticed the man. Gondorian. As I looked at him, he turned and our eyes met. I felt a great power was in him and I paused, standing still for a second or two. I also felt a great wisdom in him. Then quickly I turned and walked away.
As I turned I caught a look at Wormtongue. A look of great fear was on his face. If such a look in on Wormtongue's face, a wonderful thing will soon take place.
As I walked to my room my thoughts were once again on the man. Could it finally be him? Could he be the one I have been dreaming about? I am unable to keep up with the thoughts and questions that race through my mind.
Eomer ahs also returned with the Rohirrim today. He hugged me and greeted me briefly before meeting with our uncle and the strangers.
Today has been long, yet such a day as I wouldn't have dreamed of. Perhaps tomorrow holds great things as well.
Eowyn
[1] "The Lord of the Rings", Appendix B, September 20, 3018
*ANOTHER AUTHOR'S NOTE*
~*~ I know that this is not all that happened to Eowyn on this day, but the chapter was already quite long and I needed to go ahead and end it. The rest of this day will be incorporated into the next day's entry. Thanks for reading this. ~*~
