Hello readers, Nuin here again with another chapter of Daughter of Mordor to ease my conscious, the guilt of leaving it as a cliffhanger is killing me.
Arindil: No it isn't, don't listen to him he lies, he wanted to wait longer to update, but we ganged up on him, filling his dreams with ideas so that he couldn't resist writing more.
Me: Shut up Arindil, No one asked you
Durhil: Well too bad Nuin, we are bringing it up
Elladan: You are a asshole you know that right
Me: Damn skippy I am, and proud of it,
All characters *slaps foreheads*
Me:What, it's no use If I am not honest. So here is the next chapter of the Daughter of Mordor. But first a Disclaimer, since I haven't done one in a while Elrohir go.
Elrohir: You know you really are an Asshole
Me: Why don't you just shut up and do the disclaimer pal
Elrohir: Sigh, Nuincalion Griffondor Does not own Lord of the rings
Me: Excellent
Elladan and Gimli put themselves in front of me as the riders advanced, Boromir, Durhil, and Aragorn were yelling at Eomer, Elrohir, Tauriel, Legolas and Arzaroth seemed conflicted, Demos was growling and saying he knew it, he knew we were going to die.
"ENOUGH," I shout, and everyone stops, I walk past Elladan.
"Just take me where you need to take me, I'll come willingly," I say, and Elladan whispers behind me for me to stop. To which I hand him my weapons, and calmly walk to the leader, Eomer
"Well, murderess, I am pleased to see that you are coming in quietly," Eomer says, his eyes showing a sort of respect.
"My Friend, I can assure you, Arindil is not your murderer, I doubt that she has even been here for this, I will come with you, and speak on her behalf." Boromir says, and I send him a look of thanks.
"Fine, its not like you'll need many people, the Uruks were slaughtered," Eomer says
"But there were two hobbits, did you see two hobbits with them?" Gimli asked desperately
"They would be small, only children in your eyes," Aragorn told him, as several of the men of Rohan lifted me up, and set me down on a horse none to gently.
"We left none alive," Eomer tells him, and a mixture of sorrow, shock and shame shot through me, Sorrow and shock over their deaths, and shame, because I promised them I would protect them, and I failed to do that.
"Haslfet, Darrow, Arol," Eomer calls, and three of the riderless horses come out from the crowd.
"Take these horses, my they bear you more fortune than their former masters," Eomer says, giving the horses to my companions still on the ground, Durhil comes over to the horse I am on, and mounts right behind me, Boromir mounts another riderless horse, and I watch as Aragorn, Elladan, Elrohir, Arzaroth, Legolas, Tauriel, and Gimli rode off to where a large plume of smoke was starting to rise Demos following them under my orders. Boromir, Durhil and Me, were taken south by Eomer and the rest of the riders. Durhil and I spent that time in conversation.
"Arindil, what do you believe will happen to you when we reach Edoras," She asked me
"Optimistically, we'll be able to convince the king that I am not an enemy and we will just have to wait for the others to come, Pessimistically I will be dragged into the main square to be executed, Realistically I see myself getting thrown in prison, or confined to the palace, with myself being revealed by spies in the capital of Rohan, and my brother coming to destroy what I wish to protect, and killing everyone easily." I tell her nonchalantly, trying to keep the fear I was feeling out of my voice.
"Why, why would you let yourself get taken, there is a very low chance of you surviving this."
"Well, there is the chance that Boromir could pull my ass out of the fire,"
"Even if he does, your brother will still come,"
"Then, we'll improvise, create a new plan, probably throw it out, then come up with a brilliant escape plan."
Durhil shook her head, and I was just as frustrated with the situation as she was, but I couldn't let the Rohirrim kill the others just to get to me, I didn't want any of them to die for me, even though I knew that they would, well, not so much Arzaroth, Tauriel, Elrohir, and Legolas, but the others definitely would.
We rode in silence for the rest of the trip, every once in a while I would look back and see Durhil stealing looks at Boromir, which gave me some insight into Durhil, at least into her love interest. Mentally noteing to torment her mercilessly about it later, I looked forward, and in the distance, still many leagues off, I could see the city of Edoras. The last hour of riding I spent preparing myself for what was coming to be, and getting ready, for I knew that my reception would be less than stellar. As we came upon the foot of the walled hill the way ran under the shadow of many mounds, high and green. Upon their western sides the grass was white as with a drifted snow: small flowers sprang there like countless stars amid the turf, reminding me that many lives of many have passed since this was built.
When we arrived through the gates, most of the men that were riding with us went to their respective barracks, except for about thirty of them, the still rode around Boromir, Eomer, Durhil and I. Many of the citizens stared at me, i didn't think anything of it, until a piece of rotten fruit planted itself in my face. I wiped it off of my face, as the citizens grew into a mob of sorts, all attempting to get to me through the soldiers. Durhil tried to hand me a dagger just in case I needed it, but I pushed it back, knowing that I would not, this crowd terrified me surely, but not so much that I would actually need a weapon.
But despite the fear I was feeling, I sat up tall upon my horse, with such regal poise, fixing the crowd with such a gaze, a gaze that would make orcs step back nervously, one that struck fear into the hearts of men. I am Arindil Calanare, wielder of the Dawnbringer, Half Elven, Half Maia, Adopted Daughter of the Lord Elrond, Lady of Imladris, Orc-bane, No matter what they think of me, I am still all of these. Many in the crowd seemed to back away, and a path was cleared for us all the way to the palace.
When we arrived, I dismounted my horse, and Eomer made to grab my arm, I stepped out of his reach, "Be wary Eomer, son of Eomund, I am not someone you can just push around, I will walk of my own free will to meet your king."
"I would not be this disrespectful what you meet with King Theoden," Eomer says to me, to which Boromir chuckled
"My friend, Arindil could be face to face with the Lord of the Black Lands, and still not be respectful of him, even if her only other choice was death."
I smiled at Boromir, heartened by his praise of me, at least I think it was praise, whatever I will take it as such. We walked up the stone stairs which lead to a green terrance which sat the Golden halls of Meduseld. Long has it been since I have seen this hall, and I have only seen it twice. The first time many hundreds of years, while I was still young and traveling with Gandalf, and the second time after that, when I came down south with Father, before the war with Angmar, when we went out to fight the Witch King and his armies after they sacked Fornost Erain.
When we reached the front doors, the guards stopped us, forcing everyone, including the men of rohan, to leave their weapons at the door. Eomer protested it, telling the man guarding the door, I believe his name is Hama but I might have heard it wrong, that he was a marshal of the riddermark and that he should be allowed to carry his weaponry into the halls of the king.
"It is by order of Grima Wormtongue," Hama says, his voice holding distaste for the name of the man he just spoke of. Eomer's face morphed from a face of misunderstanding, to one of disgust.
"I do not take orders from that snake," Eomer says, and walked past Hama, Leading the rest of the men guarding me, as well as Boromir and Durhil into the Golden Hall. We went forward, past the clear wood-fire burning upon the long hearth in the midst of the hall. Then we halted, and the men around me went forward, and knelt. For, at the far end of the house, beyond the hearth and facing north towards the doors, was a dais with three steps; and in the middle of the dais was a great gilded chair. Upon it sat a man so bent with age that he seemed almost a dwarf; but his white hair was long and thick and fell in great braids from beneath a thin golden circlet set upon his brow. In the centre upon his forehead shone a single white diamond. His beard was laid like snow upon his knees; but his eyes still burned with a bright light, glinting as he gazed at Boromir, Durhil and Me, his gaze settling on each of us for several seconds. Behind his chair stood a woman clad in white, her face clouded with sorrow. At his feet upon the steps sat a wizened figure of a man, with a pale wise face and heavy-lidded eyes.
"Who have you brought before us, Eomer, third Marshal of the Riddermark," The aforementioned man asked, standing up, as Eomer rose.
"Standing here is Boromir of Gondor, Durhil of the golden wood, and the last woman is whom we believe is the culprit of the massacres of the villages across the westfold," Eomer says, pointing towards me.
"I am not your culprit, Lord Theoden, I am here as a messenger for both the princes of Imladris, and the heir of Elendil whom I have been traveling with, and behold I am no mere messenger," I say throwing my cloak back, revealing my armor, which caught the light of the flickering flames, "I am Arindil Calanare, wielder of Aramancil, the Dawnbringer, Half Elven, Half Maia, Adopted Daughter of the Lord Elrond, Lady of Imladris, Orc-bane, Foe of the shadow in the East, Vice captain of the Dunedain. I come not as your enemy but as your allie. The culprit you seek is my brother, Son of Sauron the Deceiver, whom I have met but once, and found himas mine enemy."
As I spoke, what light was in the room seemed to grow brighter for seconds, and darkness was banished, but as soon as it flew it returned, plunging the room in the low light that it was in before. Boromir came forward, and spoke eloquently on my behalf to the king, though throughout the entire time I noticed that Theoden never spoke loud enough for any of us to hear, all conversation passed directly through this Grima Wormtongue, which is where the first seeds of suspicion were planted. From what I had heard, Theoden was not the kind of man to allow others to speak for him, he was a man of action, not of passiveness.
Eventually, the agreement was made for me to be allowed to stay in the Golden Hall, under close supervision, which is more than I had allowed myself to hope for. Durhil and I were given a room for the two of us to share, while Boromir got the room next to us, but he decided to stay and converse with the men of Rohan that he knew. I expected for us to go undisturbed for the next several days, but I was surprisingly mistaken, a knock came at our door, and I went to open it. Standing there was the woman form the throne room, her fair face contorted with grief, but determination.
"Lady Arindil, is it true that you are from Rivendell?" She asks, to which I nod
"In the south we have heard tales of the wondrous healing that occurs in the elf realm of Rivendell, and the king's son lies gravely wounded," She begins, and I understand what she was asking for.
"You are wondering if I can save him?" I ask kindly
"Yes, I am," She replies.
"I might be able to, depending on how serious the wound," I say, remembering the war with Angmar, the many elven and human warriors I had been unable to save in that dreadful conflict.
"Please, you have to try," She says, and I closed my eyes, and breathed in and out.
"I will try to save him, but there are things beyond my power to heal." I tell her, and she nods, moving away, beckoning for me to follow her, as I follow her, the two guard posted in front of my door begin following me closely.
"I didn't quite catch your name," I inquire, as she led us through the corridors of the House of Eorl.
"I am Eowyn, daughter of Eomund, Shieldmaiden of Rohan" She says, and I observe her closely, and see the resemblance to her brother.
When we finally stopped, we were in front of a door, ornately covered, the stench of decay filled the air. Eowyn opened the door, and led my to the side of the King's son, who's wounds were covered with cloth of some kind, Durhil stood behind me, watching as I stretched my hand out to remove the cloth, to see the extent of the injuries. I was not optimistic about his chances before I removed the cloth, but when I did remove the cloth, I knew the injury he had received well, something beyond my power to heal. A fearsome wound to his side, a fatal wound. During the war against Angmar, I had found men dying in the field with similar wounds, I would try desperately to save them, but the wounds proved to be to great. Those warriors had died within hours of receiving the wound.
"How long ago did he receive this wound?" I asked Eowyn, to which she responded, "Several days ago."
"The people of the House of Eorl are indeed strong, most men would have succumb to this injury within hours, unfortunately, he doesn't have much time left, I give him only hours left to live, and this wound in beyond my power to heal, I am sorry, m'lady, The only thing I can suggest is that you make him comfortable, because there is nothing that can be done." I told her, and tears began to flow from her eyes, I reached out my arms to console her as the tears flowed from her eyes, Durhil also came over, and we waited in a silent vigil for the price of Rohan.
We waited deep into the night, Boromir came into the room, red faced, but then seeing what was occuring, joined our vigil. As it was becoming late, the young man's breathing became shallower and shallower, until it finally stopped coming. Thus Theodred, the prince of Rohan, took his last breath amongst the living men, and went to the halls forefathers in whose company he would not feel shame.
Here you go, the next chapter, and boy was that one depressing, don't worry the next chapter will have some lightness to it, Arindil is going to be so pissed when you know who arrives.
Peace out for now Nuin.