Chapter 4.
"How many times shall I be in your debt master dwarf?" Éomer asked taking a swig of water from a flask.
"I shall count your debt repaid if you would wash and bind this scratch on my head," Gimli said, pointing to a bleeding wound on his forehead and setting his helmet on a rock beside them.
"Indeed, though I cannot say it would be enough to repay you. You must have dragged me several yards into the caves. The dwarves are indeed a sturdy and strong race," Éomer replied sending another soldier to retrieve a linen bandage.
"I only pulled you a few yards before your men took you further on, and the old stodgy one…"
"Gamling?"
"Yes, he took over and made sure you were made comfortable. An orc had come behind you and hit you with the butt of his sword and left you there," Gimli finished observing the rock around him appraisingly, the flames in the fire burned deeply in his dark eyes.
The caves glittered slightly as their small fire sent shadows on the crags and into the crevices. The sound of combat was heard as a muffled roar. Here and there, the soldiers who had been wounded or were taking a moment to rest sat and communicated quietly. The small mouth of the caves was easy to defend by a small number of men because of its design. Also, the orcs and wild men wanted to defeat the main force and sent only a small contingent to dislodge the men who had been swept into the caves.
It was fortunate that they had not sent more and concentrated their force on this place instead. Éomer and many other Rohirrim, knew that a smaller tunnel towards the back led in a winding way to the innermost Glittering Caves where the women and children were, and another passage to the innermost places of the Deep where the king and his guard were stationed.
The young soldier came back and handed Éomer the bandage. Éomer used a little of the water he had to clean out the grit from the cut. Gimli bit his lip as Éomer wiped it with a wet cloth. It was not a serious wound, but was still bleeding. Éomer wrapped the linen around it tightly and tied it in the back.
"I'm not sure if your helmet will fit quite as well now, but there is no need of soldiers at the mouth of the cave at this moment anyway."
Gimli gave him a playful scowl and laughed, "I only have a count of thirty-nine at the moment and must continue if I'm to beat Legolas."
Suddenly, a great sound interrupted their speech. A loud horn blared throughout the whole deep and the echoes gathered upon themselves sounding louder than they had originally. They could hear the senseless screaming of the Uruks and the more intelligent sounds of the wild men yelling. Then a great clatter and clash reverberated into the caves and both Gimli and Éomer rose and armed themselves. They joined a river of wounded soldiers rushing toward the entrance from where the sound seemed to be coming.
Éomer spoke in gasps as they ran, "Tis the horn of Helm hammerhand!" was all he said before they reached the opening, and found themselves fighting to keep wild orcs from overrunning the line.
The attack was violent and frenzied as the orcs and men kept screaming. It seemed almost as if they were seeking escape from the noise and they swung left and right without organization. A crazed wild man struck Éomer on the arm brutally and then dropped his sword and knelt at Éomer's feet.
"Not kill me, not kill me," he said in a breaking voice and Éomer was stupefied, he had never known this surrender from his enemy, the orc fought until he died, but this was a man like himself.
The fighting ceased abruptly, though they could still hear the faint sound of battle outside. Many men like the one at Éomer's feet surrendered their weapons. Gamling approached Éomer and looked at the cowering specimen before him.
Éomer turned to Gamling, "Gamling, you know the speech of the Dunlending, please tell this man that I am not going to kill him, tell them all to group over there and then assign one of the troops to watch over them until the king tells us what to do."
Gamling nodded and related the marshal's orders to the man; the man in turn rose and bowed humbly with disbelief in his eyes. The wild men had been taught that the Rohirrim burned their enemies alive and were cruel at heart; this could be proven by the look of fear still in their eyes as they gathered in a small circle.
Éomer and Gimli exited the caves and saw many who were dead lying in the fields. The host of the Rohirrim had almost doubled since Éomer had seen them last, and he saw moving among them, Erkenbrand, and Gandalf, and saw also the most extraordinary thing of all, a moving forest in the valley. The company turned to see them and the king called out to him.
"Welcome Éomer! Now that I see you safe, I am glad indeed."
"Hail, lord of the Mark, the dark night has passed and day has come, though it brings strange tidings." Éomer answered still staring at the dark trees, "Gandalf, you come once again unlooked for, and you bring strange wizardry," he said, passing a hand over his eyebrows to look more clearly at the forest. They were standing on the wide field before the Deep but now dangerous looking trees, which seemed to be shifting, fenced it in.
"The trees? Nay that is no deed of mine; it is a thing beyond the counsel of the wise. It is not wizardry but a power far older, Ere iron was found or tree was hewn, When young was mountain under moon; Ere ring was made, or wrought was woe, It walked the forests long ago." Gandalf quoted the rhyme with a glint in his eye, and it seemed to make little sense to anyone but him, "If you would the answer to the riddle then you must come with me to Isengard."
"To Isengard?" the king asked mystified. Should they defeat this enemy by a slim chance and then march on the impenetrable stronghold from whence the enemy had come?
"Yes," Gandalf replied, "I shall return to Isengard, and those who will may come with me. There we may see strange things," he finished glancing at each of them with a gleam in his eye.
"But there are not enough men in the Mark to assault the stronghold of Saruman," Théoden asked with a weary voice.
"Nevertheless, my way is to Isengard, look for me in Edoras, ere the waning of the moon."
"In the dark hour I doubted," Théoden said looking towards his nephew with a meaningful glance, "We will not part now, I will come with you if that is your counsel."
"I wish to speak to Saruman, and since he has done you great injury it would be fitting if you were there. How soon will you ride?"
"My men are weary, and I am weary also. My old age is not due only to the whisperings of Wormtongue. We will all rest now, and eat, since it is a parley we ride to and not war I will choose uninjured men to come with us and send the rest to gather the men of Rohan at Edoras," Théoden said.
So Éomer and the twenty men to go with the king along with Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, returned to the inner chambers of the Hornburg and ate while their horses were prepared. The messengers to be sent across Rohan ate with them also and to his surprise Éomer found himself sitting next to Dengal. The young man smiled at him without any explanation and patted his back as he sat down to eat.
"Why are you not in the Folde tending to your beautiful, new wife?" Éomer asked as he filled his wooden plate.
"Erkenbrand and Gandalf gathered many soldiers from the Folde. Your uncle had to stay in Aldburg, but the rest of the fighting men came with them when we were told of your need. I would have felt guilty to hide behind the skirts of my wife, and I am glad to be on a horse and out of the city again!" he said chewing his poor portion with the cheerfulness of one eating a feast.
"And where do you ride now, will you serve as the messenger to the Folde?"
"Yes, I will tell the Lord of Aldburg of the need for men. The king wishes him among those that come to Edoras. Hild will not be pleased that we will leave again so soon after I return."
"That is why I, my dear friend will never marry until forced to. Marriage turns the most respectable bachelors into obedient lap dogs."
"But I was never a respectable bachelor," Dengal said with a rakish smile, "I do remember a time when I was determined to seduce the niece of the king."
"Did you indeed?" Éomer answered with feigned incredulousness, "I cannot imagine such a thing," he said pushing a piece of meat into his mouth.
"Yes, I was quite a womanizer in my time. In fact her brother, the king's own nephew threatened me, it was then that I realized that the only women to be had were women without brothers."
"Very wise of you."
Note: If you haven't realized already I have taken down all the song lyrics that were previously in this story. The new rule upsets me, and I will still be having song lyrics for each chapter, so if you would like the chapter with the lyrics intact please email me and I will send them to you.