"Obey the principles without being bound by them." - Bruce Lee

Chapter 18

"Eomer, what was that thing?" He had dragged me back to my room. Vanesse had agreed to take the little ones as she had departed the feast much earlier than I. Lia and Fion were the only ones behind the door, and there was no way they were less than fast asleep.

"For the morning, love. I must change out of these clothes and wake my uncle."

"No, now. Gandalf said you have two hours."

He sighed and leaned against the wall, rubbing his eyes. "Aragorn called it a palantir. Uncle knew it as a seeing stone."

"What does it do? What happened to that Hobbit?"

"From what I understand, it is a device used for communication. As for what happened to the Hobbit, I can only guess."

"Then guess."

"Mallory-"

"I'm not asking, Eomer!" I said, raising my voice only slightly so as to not wake others on this hall.

He sighed again. "It would seem Pippin made contact with the Dark Lord Sauron, our greatest enemy in this war." I honestly didn't know what to say. It's not that I didn't believe Boromir and his tales of rings and all powerful dark lords, but it still seemed fanatical to me. So far out of the concept of my own space and time that nothing but actual proof would suffice as truth. It seemed I was starting to get that proof. "Go to bed," Eomer continued. "We will talk in the morning, min breostcea. I promise."

I smiled. "I thought you were done making me promises."

He leaned in closer. "Only ones I cannot keep." And he kissed me, opened the door and closed me in, leaving me alone with these thoughts of the impossible.

Fion and Lia were indeed inside, curled up underneath blankets in their own comfortable cots brought up by the maids of the hall. I definitely hadn't intended to be out as late as I was. Eomer's blanket had been unpacked by the maids and draped over the bedi reached into the pocket of my dress and pulled out the corner Eomer had cut off in the Hornburg. On the vanity was a small sewing kit. I wasn't an expert sewer by far, but I could stitch things, that was simple enough. I grabbed my supplies and sat by the window, listening as the sounds of the crickets turned into the chirping of birds. The orange sun pulling out from underneath the grassy plains. Spring would be here soon. The weather was already growing warmer.

"Mal?" A small voice whispered.

I turned around. Fion was sitting up in his cot, his face flushed and sweaty. "What's wrong, squirt?" I said, putting down my blanket and sitting beside him. "Are you sick?"

"My head hurts."

"That, my friend, is what happens when you mix alcohol and a twelve-year-olds tolerance."

"Huh?"

"You're hungover, Fion. How much ale did you have?"

"Only the one pint. That is all the Riders would let me have."

"One pint too many."

"Where were you all night?" he asked, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

I closed my own eyes as they started to fuzz over, my body finally asking for sleep now that Eomer was away from my sights. "Out."

"With Lord Eomer?"

I nodded.

Fion picked at his thumb nail, not looking into my face as he spoke. "You said you were going to stay in Rohan."

"Mm-hm," I muttered, eyes growing heavier.

"Are you going to leave us for Lord Eomer?"

That did it. The sleepiness left me once more as I focused on this kid who needed me. "It's not like that, Fion."

"But if you are with Lord Eomer, you won't have time for us anymore."

"That's not how this works, kid. I won't replace you all with Eomer. I'll just make more room for him to fit. I told you it wouldn't be easy to get away from me. I meant it."

"Alright," he said with a yawn.

"Get some more sleep, squirt. I'll be here when you wake up."

Fion never did need much convincing to go to sleep. And you certainly didn't need to tell me twice. Within minutes, I had wrapped myself in Eomer's blanket, snuggled into the down-stuffed mattress, and drifted away.

In what seemed like mere seconds, a knock sounded at the door, jolting me awake. I knew I had to have gotten some sleep, though, as dawn was only just beginning to peak over the plains as I fell asleep. Now the bright sun fought to get through the curtains that hung in front of the windows. Fion and Lia were not here. I assumed they had let me sleep and had gone to the adjacent room with Vanesse and the little ones.

I stretched and rubbed my eyes, grateful I had fallen asleep in my clothes from last night, and walked the length of the room to open the door.

"Miss Mallory?" It was Aragorn, the black-cladden Ranger.

"What time is it?"

"Mid-morning. The Hall has already broken its fast, I'm afraid, but Lord Eomer said you would rather sleep than eat.

"And you came to get me because you...worried he was wrong?" I had no idea why he, of all people, would come here to wake me up for the day.

He chuckled at my joke. "Alas, I did not come of my own fruition. Gandalf sent me to fetch you."

"'Fetch' me?"

"Yes. He has spoken to Theoden King of something of importance-"

"You mean the seeing stone thing?"

His eyebrow furled. "You know of the palantir?"

"I was there when the Hobbit was...holding it."

"Yes...well, I think I should let Gandalf speak of the rest to you, for I am not so sure I understand it myself."

I agreed, throwing on some boots and following him back to the throne room of the Golden Hall. Inside, Theoden sat on his seat, surrounded by advisors. Legolas and Gimli stood not far away in a corner of the room, another Hobbit, not Pippin, was with them. Eomer and Eowyn were there also, amongst their uncle's advisors. In another corner, however, were faces I did not recognizeThey were clad in clothes similar to Aragorn's, with harsh looks on their faces. Two amongst the party were different, however. Through their beauty and sheer aura that surrounded them, gave the identical twins away as Elves. This was a strange sight to me, as Legolas had been the only Elf I ever imagined to encounter.

Gandalf and Pippin stood in the center of the group, facing the king in his seat. "Mallory, " Gandalf said, greeting me as Aragorn led me into the room. At the sound of my name, everyone's eyes landed on my face, and not one of them were looks of pleasure. Eomer looked downright pained. Eowyn looked rather smug. Curiously, Pippin looked...well guilty was the only word I had for it. "Come in closer, child," Gandalf beckoned me to stand beside him, but I didn't move.

"What's going on?" I asked, scared to be the center of attention, yet again.

"Just do as he asks," whispered Eowyn, who had moved closer to me and Aragorn.

I walked over to Gandalf and Pippin. The King, with eyes the same color as Eomer's, was staring me down, hard. "I believe it is time," he said slowly, "For you to tell us your tale, young one. In your own words, not behind my nephew's obviously biased speech."

"That is not fair, Uncle," Eomer said, moving between Gandalf and me, creating a barrier. "You speak as if you suspect me of lies."

"I suspect no lies from you, sister-son. Nor do I from the girl. However, she has presented this story to everyone in this hall except for me, it seems. And I am done hearing it second hand."

"Why now?" I asked, meeting the king's harsh stare. "What has changed? You have had a dozen opportunities since I came to Edoras."

"And since you have traveled to Edoras, does it seem like I have had the time to address magical and mysterious happenings beyond the possession of Saruman himself, the appearance of Orcs in my lands, and the Battle of the Hornburg which took the lives of too many of my countrymen?"

"I didn't say the opportunities to speak with me were convenient, only that they were there. I ask you again, my lord; why now? What has changed?"

"Pippin," Gandalf said, grabbing the Hobbit gently and pulling him around Eomer and into my view. "Chose to foolishly look into the palantir we took from Orthanc upon or visit to Saruman. In doing so, he heard the Dark Lord Sauron speak something he did not expect."

"And what was that?" I asked, smugly.

"Your name," Pippin muttered, his face flushed and sweaty. "He said, 'Where is Mallory Gilmore?'"

Well that did it. The smugness left me completely as the words left Pippin's mouth, sending my stomach into a churn. I swallowed a mouthful of air, but it did nothing to quench the nauseousness that had overcome me. I didn't know what to say.

The king cleared his throat. "And so, Mallory Gilmore, I ask you again; tell me your story."

I looked back into his eyes, now as smug as mine had been moments ago. "What do you want to know?" And I told him. There was nothing new. Everything he asked I had told Eomer. I could only assume he was crosschecking my story with what his nephew had told him. The entire time, Eomer did not leave my side. This was the little assurance I had that whatever Sauron speaking my name meant, it wasn't bad enough for Eomer to abandon me.

When I finished and the King was satisfied, his attention moved to Gandalf. "What now, my friend?"

The old Wizard gripped his staff tighter. "I will ride to Gondor. Mallory was not the only thing of concern in Pippin's brief communication. Sauron plans to attack Minas Tirith. Lord Denathor will need our aid."

"Our aid?" Theoden said. "What do we owe Gondor? They were nowhere to be seen when Rohan was of need. When the Westfold fell. When our enemies closed in around us. Where was Gondor, Gandalf?"

"This is not about repaying a debt," Aragorn said, speaking for the first time. "The Men of the West must stand together against the darkness if we are going to win this war."

"And what do you propose we do, Lord Aragorn?"

"Ride to Dunharrow. Make haste in gathering troops and lead them to the White City. Eomer will not disappoint you when tasked with this."

"And you mean to help him?" the king asked.

Aragorn and Gandalf exchanged a look. "No, my lord. I will not ride with you to Dunharrow. The Grey Company and I will take a different path to Gondor and meet you there at the fight."

"And what path is this?"

"The Path of the Dead."

Almost everything that had been said since the attention had left me was utter nonsense, at least to me. But the reaction that answer from Aragorn got from the small crowd of Rohirric advisors made it clear that whatever this Path of the Dead was...well, it probably sounded as bad as the name insinuated.

The King took a deep breath. "We will gather our forces at Dunharrow and make for Minas Tirith after. Aragron and his party will travel the Path of the Dead. Gandalf will ride to Minas Tirith ahead and make preparations with the Steward for our coming. Is all of this agreed upon?"

"All but one detail, my lord," Gandalf said. "I will not be going alone."

"Who will accompany you?"

"Pippin and Mallory will ride with me."

"What?" I demanded, probably louder than I should have.

"You and Pippin will accompany me to Gondor with haste. There is no point in arguing, my dear. If Sauron means to use whatever magic you possess, you are best left near me. Pippin will be with us as Sauron is now under the impression he has the Ring. It is only with me, behind the wall of Minas Tirith you will be safe."

"Sauron means to attack Minas Tirith in mere days," Eomer said, the growl of anger in his voice. "And you would bring Mallory nearer that battle then have her stay in Aldburg where his forces have already been driven out? Where she is certain to be safe?"

"If this is what Gandalf deems best," Theoden said. "Then we will listen, sister-son. Do not forget he is the reason we did not all perish at the Hornburg. Mayhaps we will all survive Minas Tirith as well." He stood up and addressed the room. "We all know our orders. Make haste and adjourn."