The Grey Company

Gandalf was gone, and the thudding hoofs of Shadowfax were lost in the night, when Merry came back to Aragorn and Boromir also left with his mixed escort of Dornishmen and Rohirrim to ensure that he came to Minas Tirith without anything happening on to road, since the Steward was the leader of Gondor with no King upon its throne. Merry had only a light bundle, for he had lost his pack at Parth Galen, and all he had was a few useful things he had picked up among the wreckage of Isengard. Hasufel was already saddled. Legolas and Gimli with their shared horse stood close by.

"So four of the Company still remain," said Aragorn when seeing them, "We will ride on together. But we shall not go alone, as I thought. Théoden is now determined to set out at once. Since the coming of the winged shadow, he desires to return to the hills under cover of night."

"And then whither?" wondered Legolas.

"I cannot say yet," Aragorn answered, "As for the former king, he will go to the muster that he commanded at Edoras, four nights from now, since his son is in no state of leading his people into war because of the injury he suffered. And there, I think, Théoden will hear tidings of war, and the Riders of Rohan will go down to Minas Tirith. But for myself, and any that will go with me . . ."

"I for one!" cried Legolas, with Gimli adding on:

"And Gimli with him!"

"Well, for myself," Aragorn admitted, "it is dark before me. I must also go down to Minas Tirith, but I do not yet see the road. An hour, long prepared, approaches."

"Please don't leave me behind!" Merry begged in worry. "I admit that I have not been of much use yet; but I don't want to be laid aside, like baggage to be called for when all is over. I don't think the Riders will want to be bothered with me now. Though, of course, Lord Théoden did say that I was to sit by him when he came to his house and tell him all about the Shire."

"Yes," said Aragorn, "and your road lies with him, I think, Merry. But do not look for mirth at the ending. It will be long, I fear, ere Théoden sits at ease again in Meduseld with his family. Many hopes will wither in this bitter Spring."

Soon all were ready to depart: twenty-four horses, with Gimli behind Legolas, and Merry in front of Aragorn. Presently they were riding swiftly through the night. They had not long passed the mounds at the Fords of Isen, when a Rider galloped up from the rear of their line.

"My lord," he said to Théoden, "there are horsemen behind us. As we crossed the fords I thought that I heard them. Now we are sure. They are overtaking us, riding hard."

Théoden at once called a halt. The Riders turned about and seized their spears. Aragorn dismounted and set Merry on the ground, and drawing his sword he stood by the former king's stirrup. Éomer and his esquire rode back to the rear. Merry felt more like unneeded baggage than ever, and he wondered, if there was a fight, what he should do. Supposing Théoden's small escort was trapped and overcome, but he escaped into the darkness alone in the wild fields of Rohan with no idea of where he was in all the endless miles?

"No good!" he thought, and thus drew his small sword and tightened his belt.

The sinking moon was obscured by a great sailing cloud, but suddenly it rode out clear again. Then they all heard the sound of hoofs, and at the same moment they saw dark shapes coming swiftly on the path from the fords. The moonlight glinted here and there on the points of spears. The number of the pursuers could not be told, but they seemed no fewer than the royal escort, at the least.

When they were some fifty paces off, Éomer cried in a loud voice:

"Halt! Halt! Who rides in Rohan?"

The pursuers brought their steeds to a sudden stand. A silence followed: and then in the moonlight, a horseman could be seen dismounting and walking slowly forward. His hand showed white as he held it up, palm outward, in token of peace; but the king's men gripped their weapons. At ten paces the man stopped. He was tall, a dark standing shadow. Then his clear voice rang out.

"Rohan? Rohan, did you say? That is a much welcomed word. We seek that land in haste from long afar."

"You have found it," said Éomer, "When you crossed the fords yonder you entered it. But it is the realm of Théodred the King. None ride here save by his leave. Who are you? And what is your haste?"

"Halbarad Dunadan, Ranger of the North I am," cried the man, "We seek one Aragorn son of Arathorn, and we heard that he was in Rohan."

"And you have found him also!" cried Aragorn in a manner that revealed that he must know the speaker. Giving his reins to Merry, he ran forward and embraced the newcomer.

"Halbarad!" he said in joy, "Of all joys this is the least expected!"

Merry breathed a sigh of relief. He had thought that this was some last trick of Saruman's, to waylay Théoden while he had only a few men about him; but it seemed that there would be no need to die in Théoden's defense, not yet at any rate. He sheathed his sword.

"All is well," said Aragorn, turning back, "Here are some of my own kin from the far land where I dwelt. But why they come, and how many they be, Halbarad shall tell us."

"I have thirty with me," Halbarad spoke with a light bow on his head, "That is all of our kindred that could be gathered in haste; but the brethren Elladan and Elrohir have ridden with us, desiring to go to the war. We rode as swiftly as we might when your summons came."

"But I did not summon you," Aragorn mentioned, "save only in wish. My thoughts have often turned to you, and seldom more than tonight; yet I have sent no word. But come! All such matters must wait. You find us riding in haste and danger. Ride with us now, if the father of the current King will give his leave."

Théoden was indeed glad of the news.

"It is well!" he said, "If these kinsmen be in any way like to yourself, my lord Aragorn, thirty such knights will be a strength that cannot be counted by heads."

Then the Riders set out again, and Aragorn for a while rode with the Dunedain; and when they had spoken of tidings in the North and in the South, Elrohir said to him:

"I bring word to you from my father: The days are short. If thou art in haste, remember the Paths of the Dead."

"Always my days have seemed to me too short to achieve my desire," answered Aragorn, realizing why Elrond must have sent those words to him, "But great indeed will be my haste ere I take that road."

"That will soon be seen," Elrohir agreed with the former foster son of his father, "But let us speak no more of these things upon the open road!"

And then Aragorn said to Halbarad:

"What is that that you bear, kinsman?"

For he saw that instead of a spear Halbarad bore a tall staff, as it were a standard, but it was close-furled in a black cloth bound about with many thongs.

"It is a gift that I bring you from the Lady of Rivendell," answered Halbarad, "She wrought it in secret, and long was the making. But she also sends words to you: The days now are short. Either our hope cometh, or all hopes end. Therefore I send thee what I have made for thee. Fare well, Elfstone!"

And Aragorn said:

"Now I know what you bear. Bear it still for me a while!'"

And he turned and looked away to the North under the great stars, and then he fell silent and spoke no more while the night's journey lasted. But Elladan and Elrohir did not doubt that Aragorn must be thinking of their sister, for they all three knew what sacrifice that Arwen had to do if she became the bride of Aragorn:

By choosing to become a mortal, she would forsake her own immortality as an Elf, never seeing her family again once they left the shores of Middle-earth to live in Valinor, for the times of the Elves was coming to an end and their existing numbers sinking more and more for every Elf that chose to sail to Valinor. Even with the defeat of Sauron, the world had already changed so much that the Elves' way of living only made them further isolated from the rest of the world.

The night was old and the East grey when they rode up at last from Deeping-coomb and came back to the Hornburg. There they were to lie and rest for a brief while and take counsel.

~X~X~X~X~X~X

Pippin slowly awoke from his restless sleep, trying to recall what time it was on the journey towards Gondor. This was the second, no, the third night since he had looked in the Stone. And with that hideous memory he woke fully, and shivered, and the noise of the wind became filled with menacing voices.

A light kindled in the sky, a blaze of yellow fire behind dark barriers Pippin cowered back, afraid for a moment, wondering into what dreadful country Gandalf was bearing him. He rubbed his eyes, and then he saw that it was the moon rising above the eastern shadows, now almost at full. So the night was not yet old and for hours the dark journey would go on. He stirred and spoke.

"Where are we, Gandalf?" he asked, not seeing much difference in the landscape due to the night darkness.

"In the realm of Gondor," the wizard answered, "The land of Anorien is still passing by."

There was silence again for a while. Then, Pippin noticed something in the corner of his eye.

"What is that?" cried Pippin suddenly, clutching at Gandalf's cloak, "Look! Fire, red fire! Are there dragons in this land? Look, there is another!"

For answer Gandalf cried aloud to his horse:

"On, Shadowfax! We must hasten. Time is short. See! The beacons of Gondor are alight, calling for aid. War is kindled. See, there is the fire on Amon Dîn, and flame on Eilenach; and there they go speeding west: Nardol, Erelas, Min-Rimmon, Calenhad, and the Halifirien on the borders of Rohan."

But Shadowfax paused in his stride, slowing to a walk, and then he lifted up his head and neighed. And out of the darkness the answering neigh of other horses came; and presently the thudding of hoofs was heard, and three riders swept up and passed like flying ghosts in the moon and vanished into the West. Then Shadowfax gathered himself together and sprang away, and the night flowed over him like a roaring wind.

Pippin became drowsy again and paid little attention to Gandalf telling him of the customs of Gondor, and how the Lord of the City had beacons built on the tops of outlying hills along both borders of the great range, and maintained posts at these points where fresh horses were always in readiness to bear his errand-riders to Rohan in the North, or to Belfalas in the South.

"It is long since the beacons of the North were lit," he said, "and in the ancient days of Gondor they were not needed, for they had the Seven Stones."

Pippin stirred uneasily, not wanting to think of the Stone.

"Sleep again, and do not be afraid!" said Gandalf in a soothing voice, "For you are not going like Frodo to Mordor, but to Minas Tirith, and there you will be as safe as you can be anywhere in these days. If Gondor falls, or the Ring is taken, then the Shire will be no refuge."

"You do not exactly comfort me with such talk," Pippin muttered, but nonetheless sleep crept over him. The last thing that he remembered before he fell into deep dream was a glimpse of high white peaks, glimmering like floating isles above the clouds as they caught the light of the westering moon. He wondered where Frodo was, and if he was already in Mordor, or if he was dead; and he did not know that Frodo from far away looked on that same moon as it set beyond Gondor ere the coming of the day.

Pippin woke to the sound of voices. Another day of hiding and a night of journey had fleeted by. It was twilight: the cold dawn was at hand again, and chill grey mists were about them. Shadowfax stood steaming with sweat, but he held his neck proudly and showed no sign of weariness. Many tall men heavily cloaked stood beside him, and behind them in the mist loomed a wall of stone. Partly ruinous it seemed, but already before the night was passed the sound of hurried labor could be heard: beat of hammers, clink of trowels, and the creak of wheels. Torches and flares glowed dully here and there in the fog. Gandalf was speaking to the men that barred his way, and as he listened Pippin became aware that he himself was being discussed.

"Yea truly, we know you, Mithrandir," said the leader of the men, "and you know the pass-words of the Seven Gates and are free to go forward. But we do not know your companion. What is he? A dwarf out of the mountains in the North? We wish for no strangers in the land at this time, unless they be mighty men of arms in whose faith and help we can trust."

"I will vouch for him before the seat of Denethor where Lord Faramir now holds for his brother until the return of Boromir," Gandalf answered, "And as for valour, that cannot be computed by stature. He has passed through more battles and perils than you have, Ingold, though you be twice his height; and he comes now from the storming of Isengard, of which we bear tidings, and great weariness is on him, or I would wake him. His name is Peregrin, a very valiant man."

"Man?" said Ingold dubiously; and the others laughed.

"Man!" cried Pippin, now thoroughly roused, "Man! Indeed not! I am a hobbit and no more valiant than I am a man, save perhaps now and again by necessity. Do not let Gandalf deceive you!"

"Many a doer of great deeds might say no more," said Ingold now when Pippin showed himself in better light from the touches, "But what is a hobbit?"

"A Halfling," answered Gandalf, sounding almost like a classroom teacher trying to make his student sit down and listen for a full lesson with full attention.

"Nay, not the one that was spoken of," he added, seeing the wonder in the men's faces, "Not he, yet one of his kindred."

"Yes, and one who journeyed with him," Pippin spoke up, "And Boromir of your City was with us, and he saved me in the snows of the North, but he was wounded when defending me from many foes, and is needing time to come here due to his injuries. But coming closer to home, he is!"

"Yes, and he has learned about the unfortunate passing of Lord Denethor from the House of Eorl," Gandalf hurried to explain before someone wondered if Boromir even knew that he now was the ruling Steward.

"Lord Faramir hoped that the royal family of Rohan could tell his brother those news, if he returned the same way as he traveled north," said Ingold, "Then pass on now quickly! For the acting Lord of Minas Tirith will be eager to see any that bear words from his brother, be he man or-"

"Hobbit," said Pippin, "Little service can I offer to your lord, but what I can do, I would do, remembering Boromir and his brave deed."

"Fare you well!" Ingold spoke; and the men made way for Shadowfax, and he passed through a narrow gate in the wall.

"May you bring good counsel to both Faramir and Boromir in their need, and to us all, Mithrandir!" Ingold cried as Shadowfax began to gallop again, "But you come with tidings of grief and danger, as is your wont, they say."

"Because I come seldom but when my help is needed. And as for counsel, to you I would say that you are over-late in repairing the wall of the Pelennor. Courage will now be your best defense against the storm that is at hand and such hope as I bring. For not all the tidings that I bring are evil. But leave your trowels and sharpen your swords!" answered Gandalf over his shoulder.

"The work will be finished ere evening. This is the last portion of the wall to be put in defense: the least open to attack, for it looks towards our friends of Rohan. Do you know any of them? Will they answer the summons, think you?"

'Yes, they will come, and the warriors from the homeland of their Queen consort Elia Martell. But they have fought many battles at your back. This road and no road looks towards safety any longer. Be vigilant! But for Gandalf Stormcrow you would have seen a host of foes coming out of Anorien and no Riders of Rohan. And you may yet. Fare you well, and sleep not!"

Gandalf passed now into the wide land beyond the Rammas Echor. So the men of Gondor called the out wall that they had built with great labor, after Ithilien fell under the shadow of their Enemy. For ten leagues or more it ran from the mountains' feet and so back again, enclosing in its fence the fields of the Pelennor: fair and fertile townlands on the long slopes and terraces falling to the deep levels of the Anduin. At its furthest point from the Great Gate of the City, north-eastward, the wall was four leagues distant, and there from a frowning bank it overlooked the long flats beside the river, and men had made it high and strong; for at that point, upon a walled causeway, the road came in from the fords and bridges of Osgiliath and passed through a guarded gate between embattled towers. At its nearest point the wall was little more than one league from the City, and that was south-eastward. There Anduin, going in a wide knee about the hills of Emyn Arnen in South Ithilien, bent sharply west, and the out-wall rose upon its very brink; and beneath it lay the quays and landings of the Harlond for craft that came upstream from the southern fiefs.

The townlands were rich, with wide tilth and many orchards, and homesteads there were with oast and garner, fold and byre, and many rills rippling through the green from the highlands down to Anduin. Yet the herdsmen and husbandmen that dwelt there were not many, and the most part of the people of Gondor lived in the seven circles of the City, or in the high vales of the mountain-borders, in Lossarnach, or further south in fair Lebennin with its five swift streams. There dwelt a hardy folk between the mountains and the sea. They were reckoned men of Gondor, yet their blood was mingled, and there were short and swarthy folk among them whose sires came more from the forgotten men who housed in the shadow of the hills in the Dark Years ere the coming of the kings. But beyond, in the great fief of Belfalas, dwelt Prince Imrahil in his castle of Dol Amroth by the sea, and he was of high blood, and his folk also, tall men and proud with sea-grey eyes.