It had been three days since Gandalf left with Pippin. Aragorn had been doing everything he could to try and convince Theoden to aid
Gondor. But it was to no avail. Mariell was worried about him. A dark shadow was in his eyes. She saw him fighting a battle inside
himself and no matter how she tried to help him he was determined to fight alone. She decided that if her uncle would not listen to
Aragorn, she would have to make him listen to her.
"Gondor needs our help uncle," she implored him.
"Your husband was unsuccessful and so he sends you to appeal to me?" Theoden snapped at her. His words stung but she was
determined not to back down.
"I am here of my own accord," she said. "Uncle why are you being so stubborn"
"Why should I send my troops to aid a city that would not aid us"
"Don't make the same error they did. Don't abandon those in need"
"Do you really think that Rohan could possibly stop Sauron's army? No, my dear, we would only be going to our deaths"
"If Sauron's army takes control of Gondor he will send us to our deaths anyway. Every victory for Sauron is a defeat for all Middle
Earth"
"I will not order my men to their deaths," Theoden said.
"You were more than willing to send children to fight when the threat was on you!" Mariell snapped. She knew she was being
disrespectful but her uncle's attitude was enraging her.
"Cousin!" Eomer snapped at her. "You are out of line." Mariell shook her head and turned to leave. She reached the door and turned
back staring at the king defiantly.
"If this is the courage of the Eorlingas, then I am ashamed to call myself one." She slammed the door behind her and stormed out of the
hall.
"Mariell," Eowyn called running up from behind her. "I heard what you said." Mariell immediately regretted her harsh words.
"I spoke in anger and frustration," she said. "I will apologize to our uncle later but right now I'm too furious"
"You spoke with so much passion in there," Eowyn said thoughtfully. "I sense this battle is personal for you"
"If Sauron takes control, it will affect everyone," Mariell said.
"Especially you?" Eowyn asked raising a brow.
"What do you mean?" Mariell asked.
"Perhaps you are so determined to overcome the evil in your blood that you will do anything in your power to fight against it." Mariell
stopped walking and turned to face her cousin. She saw no contempt in the older woman's eyes, only concern.
"It is true," Mariell confessed. "Ever since I learned of my heritage I have been trying to overcome it; to prove to myself that I am not
evil. But that is not the reason why Gondor's welfare is so important to me"
"Why then?" Eowyn asked.
"This," she said holding up her left hand; the hand that held Aragorn's ring. "Aragorn is the rightful king of Gondor, and so in making my
vows to him I have also pledged my life to Gondor. I cannot turn my back on them"
"You are very brave, cousin," Eowyn said with admiration in her voice. "I admit I envy you for being allowed to defend your country.
All I am permitted to do is tend to the wounded"
"That too is an honorable task," Mariell said quickly. "There are other ways to serve your people other than picking up a sword."
Mariell knew that Eowyn wanted to be a soldier. She knew that it was only by physical force that Theoden had managed to keep her
from joining the battle for Helm's Deep.
"But it is so frustrating!" Eowyn snapped. "I can wield a sword just as well as Eomer, yet he is allowed to fight while I must stay in a
cage"
"When I turned fifteen, Gandalf brought me this sword for my birthday," Mariell said resting her hand on Navia, which hung at her hip.
"I was very surprised at the gift. I couldn't imagine ever having to use it against another being. But since leaving the Shire, I have used it
more on more foes than I care to count. Eowyn," she paused to put a hand on her cousin's shoulder. "Don't be in a hurry to rush into
battle." Eowyn nodded and they parted company. Mariell wondered around the village for a while looking for Aragorn. It was dusk
when she found him sitting against a hut staring out to the mountains. Heaving a large sigh she plopped down next to him. "I take it you
were unable to persuade your uncle," he said. "His pride is stronger than I thought," she muttered.
"You tried your best my love. I could not ask for more than that"
"But it is not enough," she said. "You know what Pippin saw. Gondor will fall if we do not stop it"
"We?" he asked her looking down at her.
"Of course," she said. "You're Gondor's king, Aragorn. As your wife, that makes me Gondor's queen. And a queen's duty is to look
after her people." Aragorn chuckled.
"What's so funny?" Mariell asked.
"We've been married less that a month, and all ready you have assumed the responsibilities of a queen. I have been heir to the throne all
my life, and in my entire twenty-eight- years I have never once wanted to accept my birthright." Mariell craned her neck to look at him.
"Twenty-eight?" she said. He chuckled again.
"You never did ask me my age," he said.
"I never thought much about it," she admitted. She ran her hands over his and gently touched the smooth leather on his wrists. Boromir's
vambraces. Her heart felt heavy as she remembered the man's dying plea.
"Do not let the White City fall." When she'd stood before the king and begged him to help Gondor it was not only for her husband. It
was also for a man who had saved her life. Of course, she knew now, that that Urak would not have been able to kill her, but she
hadn't known that at the time and neither had Boromir. "You still think about him don't you?" Aragorn asked her. "Yes," she said.
"Don't you"
"There has not been a day I have not thought of him and the promise I made him." She sat up and looked at him.
"Why do you fear your birthright?" He sighed and looked away.
"The blood that flows in my veins is the same as the one who allowed the ring to survive. If not for him we would live in peace now
without this dark shadow hanging over our heads"
"But you are not Isildur," Mariell said. Aragorn sighed. Then he looked off into the distance for a moment and sprang to his feet.
"Aragorn?" Mariell said, in surprise. Aragorn didn't answer but turned and broke into a run. Confused she ran after him. She followed
him toward the steps and up to the grand parlor. Aragorn pushed the doors open and ran to the throne where Theoden sat. Mariell
stumbled in after him, out of breath.
"The watch towers are lit!" he shouted. "Gondor is calling for aid." Mariell, Aragorn, Eomer, Eowyn, Merry, Gamling, and everyone
else in the room were silent as they watched the king. Theoden met her eyes and then looked at Aragorn.
"And Rohan will answer!" A huge grin spread across Mariell's face. Theoden wasted no time and began giving his orders. Within the
hour, Theoden had dispatched riders in all directions to rally all the men able to fight to Dunharrow. Mariell felt a sense of renewed
determination as the troops made ready to depart. "Mariell," Eothain called running after her, his mother and Freda not far behind.
Mariell's heart softened as she looked at the boy.
"You ride to Dunharrow?" he asked her.
"Yes," she said. Eothain looked as though he were going to cry.
"Will I ever see you again?" Mariell went to her knees, and embraced the boy. "I don't know Eothain," she said. "But I want you to
promise me, that no matter what, you will be brave"
"I will be brave," he said. She embraced him one more time. He let go and Freda ran into her arms.
"Freda," she said to the little girl. "I want you to be good and listen to your older brother. Will you do that for me?" The little girl
nodded. Enola took Mariell's hand.
"My lady," she said. "I cannot ever thank you enough for bringing my son back to me alive. May the Valar go with you"
"And also with you," Mariell said.
"Mariell!" She turned and saw Eowyn coming toward her leading her mare as well as a large black stallion, with a white diamond on his
nose.
"This is Alkiar," she said. "Eomer thinks he will do for you. Although he was very impressed with how you handled Hasufel." Mariell
studied the horse and carefully approached him. She reached out her hand and smiled when he nuzzled her hand.
"I think he and I will get along fine," she said. She noticed her cousin saddling her own horse.
"Are you coming with us, cousin"
"Just to the encampment. It is tradition for ladies of the court to see the men off. Or join them, in your case." Mariell smiled as the two
of them saddle their horses. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed the hilt of a sword sticking out from under Eowyn's saddle blanket.
She raised an eyebrow as Eowyn covered the sword. There was no doubt in Mariell's mind what her cousin had in mind. She kept her
mouth shut, however. It was not her place to tell the older woman what to do. "You will not tell?" Eowyn asked her. Mariell gave her a
look and lifted herself onto Alkiar's back.
"Tell what?" She said looking down at her. She gave the horse a nudge, and rode to join her husband.