Disclaimer: See chapter 1.
Chapter 3: The Defeat and the Victory
The dust grew denser and it was hard to see anything. Ereg hastily pulled the hauberk over his head and donned his belt. Every man was in feverish hurry, as it was evident that the enemy would strike soon. The messengers ran to the captain, waiting orders. Somehow the company was formed, but in a haphazard fashion, platoons not tightly together and squads mixed. Ereg found to his delight that his squad comrades were all around him, complete with sergeant Gladhir. They heard captain Túrgoth yelling orders:
"Corporal, find the battalion to the left! Officers, to your platoons! Hold fast, men!"
Then he cursed and said to lieutenant Aiwedil:
"This is a complete mess! The Easterlings attack in any minute now. There are no contacts to the other companies, no orders from the colonel, I don't even know where the King is with his guard! This damnable dust! We should have stayed in Ithilien and given the Easterlings a good beating in the narrow roads."
The adjutant answered calmly:
"Captain, it is of no use to speculate in this moment. Shall I send a messenger to rear with orders to ask reinforcements from the colonel?"
"Yes, lieutenant!"
Now the first riding enemies came out of the dust. They were lightly armed with throwing spears and slings. Shouting savagely the Easterlings rode closer and pelted the Gondorians with a hail of missiles. Sergeant Gladhir shouted:
"Raise your shields! Protect your head or you are dead meat!"
At this point ensign Belranc rushed to the place.
"Are you cowards, hiding behind the shields? Get them down, we'll attack!"
Gladhir was horrified.
"You can't be serious, ensign, we have no orders from the captain! Every man would be killed!"
"No objections! Now men, shields down and follow..."
As he shouted the order he drew his sword and ran towards the enemy. His sentence was cut short, however, by a stone. It hit him in the forehead, felling him instantly. Seeing him fall, an Easterling rider let out a cry of triumph. Two men ran from the ranks of Gondorians and managed somehow to stay unharmed when they dragged the unconscious and bleeding ensign to the rear, amidst flying spears and stones. Gladhir cried:
"The platoon is in my command! Everyone stays in his place!"
Ereg paled when he saw Belranc fall. He had been very nervous even before the battle began, but seeing a man, however hated, to become wounded strained his nerves still further. He grasped his spear, knuckles white, as he held the shield above his head. The stones fell against it, making him to sway. An urge to run was almost irresistible. He bit his teeth firmly together and repeated in his mind, over and over:
"Remember the oaths... Remember Riliel... You are not a coward, you are not a coward... just follow the orders..."
Then the hail of stones ceased and they lowered their shields. The Easterling light cavalry had retreated, as the main body of their riders was now at striking distance. The wind favoured the enemy, as the dust was blown directly in the faces of Gondorians. Ereg watched the advancing riders in terror. They seemed to be many times as strong as his company. He heard an order:
"Prepare your spears!"
He raised mechanically the spear in the throwing position. He felt very small and threatened, as the yelling enemies spurred their steeds towards the Gondorians. His limbs worked only because the sergeant commanded, otherwise he would have crumbled to the ground.
"Wait – throw!"
Ereg hurled his weapon towards the mass of horses and men before him. Fortunately a detachment of archers had finally arrived and let a rain of arrows fly from behind the infantry. Many Easterlings fell, but more came, this time accompanied by groups of war-chariots. Ereg drew his sword, though he knew how futile an attempt to fight would be. He remembered his father's words when they had parted.
"Do you want to leave a grieving widow, maybe expecting a child, if you fall in battle?"
Now it seemed foolish that he had complied. At least he could have fulfilled his love. What would his parents do when their only child would be dead? What would Riliel do, when both her brother and Ereg would have been trampled to death? The thought was excruciating. His mind filled with hate, when he looked at the attacking horde. He saw the same fire in the eyes of his comrades. Sergeant Gladhir shouted:
"If we must die, then let us die with honour! To attack, for Gondor!"
They all yelled "For Gondor!" and rushed forwards, jaws clenched and swords ready. The captain saw the assault and tried to shout them to stop, but his voice couldn't anymore be heard over the tumult of battle. As there was nothing more to do, he ordered the assault banner be unfurled and a trumpet signal be winded. The whole company charged forwards.
The horsemen of the enemy were taken by surprise of this onslaught. They hadn't expected a counter-attack and were thrown in confusion for a while. The platoon of Ereg was the foremost among the riders, slashing the bellies of the horses open and hacking at the legs of the horsemen. The attackers did suffer casualties, however. Ereg saw Gladhir trying to stab a rider, but the Easterling evaded the blow and swung his own sword. The sergeant's neck was hit, his head falling to the dust, blood spurting from the wound. Gladhir fell and were lost among the thundering hooves. Infuriated, Ereg picked a spear from the ground and threw it in the chest of the rider. The man toppled from the saddle.
After a while Ereg noticed that the enemy was starting to fight more orderly. He did not see the rest of his squad, only Nárion and Manceleb stood beside him. They looked revolting, gore staining their faces and uniforms. But a defiant expression was on their faces, and Ereg knew he couldn't have better company. Suddenly two dismounted Easterlings appeared from the flying dust, brandishing their swords. Ereg and Manceleb rushed towards them. Ereg slashed the stomach of his opponent open, before the man could react. The Easterling tried to hold his entrails with his hands, but a stab in his chest felled him. Manceleb had a little more difficulty, but soon the other Easterling was dead also.
At first it seemed that the enemy began to waver, but soon they recovered and tried to form again. The remnants of the company realized that they were surrounded and that the enemy was tightening the circle. All seemed to be lost, and a hopeless fury raged within Ereg's mind. So, then all bravery was in vain. He thought again Riliel and his parents. He could almost see them in the clutches of the Easterlings. Rough hands grabbed Riliel, and... The thought was unbearable. He raised his word and prepared to sell his life dearly.
But then came the rescue. Just as the enemy riders began to kill the remaining men-at-arms, a Gondorian cavalry detachment charged their flank. The enemy wheeled away in a confused mass and Ereg had a chance to escape with his friends. Nárion exclaimed:
"Quick! Let's run, now is the only moment!"
Ereg, Nárion and Manceleb charged through a hole in the enemy front, hacking five Easterlings down as they went. They were soon almost clear of the battle, going southwards, as it was the only direction free of enemies. But when they were almost out of bowshot, an arrow flew through the air and struck Nárion in the left knee. He fell with a cry, and the others kneeled by him. Writhing in pain, Nárion moaned:
"Run, just leave me! You can't save yourselves if you are carrying me. Ereg, tell my sister..."
"You can tell it yourself, we don't leave you!"
With that, the two soldiers lifted Nárion up and began to drag him. They were not hindered, and soon they found a deep hollow surrounded by large stones. There they crawled and bandaged Nárion's wound. They drew a few deep breaths and began to discuss their options. Manceleb said:
"We must try and get to the rearguard. Surely the enemy can't have destroyed it. There Nárion can be properly tended, too."
"Yes, you are right. I'll try to see if we can do it," Ereg said, climbing to the brink of the hollow. He peered northwards. The dust had now receded, strong wind blowing it towards west. He saw a low hill maybe three furlongs away, on which a furious battle seemed to be raging. He thought he recognized the great banner of the King, defiantly waving in the wind. But soon the horde of Easterlings seemed to prevail, the banner swayed for a moment, then fell and the brown and black tide of the enemy flowed over the hill. Ereg was horrified and said to his comrades:
"The King has fallen! This is the end of Gondor! Now we can't possibly join the rearguard."
Manceleb paled, but answered nonetheless:
"Do not say so! There's still an army in the south. We must now evade the enemy and find the army. General Eärnil needs to know about this. Let us start at nightfall!"
Ereg was surprised and encouraged by the relentless attitude of the usually lax Manceleb. He and Nárion accepted the plan and they laid down, waiting the sunset. All three were so exhausted that they dropped to a heavy sleep, regardless of the horrors of the day.
--
At nightfall they started on their journey, supporting Nárion, who had to hobble with one leg. They kept close to the Ephel Dúath, seeing nobody in that night. For the next day they sleeped again, not knowing that a rearguard led by Minohtar, the nephew of Ondoher, was being destroyed only miles away. For three days the three comrades travelled southwards, eating almost nothing, as they had only a little food and no hunting gear.
Finally, at dawn, they heard low voices speaking westron in a nearby thicket. They let out a cry, and from the bushes rose two rangers. They were horrified by the haggard appearance of the comrades, even though they already knew about the defeat on Dagorlad. Some horsemen had managed to escape and to bring the news to Eärnil. The rangers had been scouting, and led the three fugitives to the main body of the army. They were took to general Eärnil. Although tired and hungry, they were impressed by the general. He showed true Dúnadan ancestry by his grey eyes and dark hair, and was clearly fit to be a relative to the King. Eärnil questioned them about the last stand of Ondoher and was clearly moved when Ereg told about the falling banner. He said:
"Yes, he was a mighty warrior and a good king. Remember him with respect, men, for he fell with honour."
Ereg bowed.
"Indeed, general! The enemy outnumbered him many times, but his banner rose high until the very end."
Then Eärnil gave them leave to go, ordering a cart to be prepared for their transport. They laid down on soft straw, Nárion in the middle. They were heartened, when the coachman told them about the great victory over Haradrim. With little losses the enemy had been driven back to south, completely defeated. They smiled wearily and were soon asleep.
--
In this manner they went again northwards. Nárion's wound received treatment at last, they had enough to eat and their tattered clothes were repaired. The only worries were that the healer said that Nárion would remain somewhat lame and that if even Eärnil's army was enough to defeat the Easterling hordes.
On the second day, at sunset, a lieutenant approached them, followed by two soldiers carrying their mail and weapons. The lieutenant addressed Ereg and Manceleb:
"The enemy is only two miles away, their camp in disorder because they are drinking and celebrating. Thus a surprise attack is planned. I thought that maybe you would like to join it, to avenge your comrades. That is, if you have rested enough."
The two men didn't need to be asked twice. Eagerly they armed themselves, thirst for revenge burning in their veins. Nárion, who laid in the cart, said to them:
"Boys, make them pay for my knee!"
"Don't worry, the weregild will be paid soon enough, in blood."
Soon they were in a line of soldiers, the army marching quietly through a forest. The men had been ordered to keep quiet, and the only sounds that could be heard were the footsteps of heavy boots. After an hour they came on a hilltop and saw the huge camp of the enemy below them. The army began to spread around the camp in the cover of trees. Laughter and merry songs from around the campfires echoed from the hillsides. The lieutenant beside Ereg muttered to his ear:
"See how they rejoice at the thought of loot and rape! Soon enough we'll stifle their mirth!"
After a while trumpets were blown and the Gondorians attacked from two sides, taking the Easterlings by surprise. Their commander had posted only a few sentries, thinking that Gondor was now at their mercy. The appearance of a new army panicked the Easterlings, some of whom started to run even before the bloodshed had begun. They were the lucky ones, though. The battle was a brief affair, Men of Gondor slaughtering their defenseless enemies without mercy. Ereg and Manceleb were foremost, cleaving heads with their swords as they strode through the mass of the confused Easterlings. As they fought with red rage, they shouted: "For the Company!" Finally most of the enemies were killed and they could rest. Ereg sat heavily down beside Manceleb, his breath panting. Without the word they breathed deeply, pleased by their revenge.
--
In the tenth day of Urimë a corporal with yellow hair and another one with raven-black hair strode down the Oak Street in Osgiliath. The corporal's green eyes spotted a familiar door, and having mounted the steps, he knocked loud. A sturdy, middle-aged man opened, seemingly surprised. The corporal opened his arms.
"Father!" The older man recovered from his surprise, recognition flashing in his eyes, as they were filled with tears.
"Ereg, you are alive!"
Ereg, for he was the corporal, embraced his father, weeping. Corchion was for a long while overcome by his emotion, but then broke the embrace and held his son by shoulders.
"How happy I am! The tidings from the battle told that almost all were killed. I didn't expect to see you in this life."
Ereg laughed, wiping his tears.
"Neither did I have the hope of seeing you again. But look, Nárion survived also!" He drew his friend by sleeve inside. Corchion heartily shook his hand.
"'Tis a wonderful thing! Come, your sister has lived here for some time. You surely want to see her."
But when they turned, Riliel and Ylwen rushed to their arms. They had heard the noise to upstairs and came to see what was it. Ylwen embraced his son, speechless, and Riliel clung to his brother. Little Dilthwen watched them, not knowing if she should be startled or rejoicing. After Ylwen released Ereg, Riliel threw her arms around him.
"Oh, my love!" was the only thing she could utter through her sobs. Ereg clung to her tightly, his heart banging. He couldn't say anything, he was too happy. For a while they embraced silently, not heeding anything else. Meanwhile, Nárion, having received a hug from Ylwen, lifted Dilthwen up and exclaimed:
"So, little princess, did you think I was gone?" Dilthwen answered, laughing:
"They said you were dead, but I didn't believe. See, I was right!"
"Yes, you know, your uncle may sometimes go far, but comes always back."
Now they were somewhat calmed down and Corchion cried:
"Well, it is time to celebrate!" Then he rang a bell and announced to their two servants, who appeared:
"Serve wine in the dinner hall, and prepare some food. No penny-pinching, only the best this time."
With that, he walked towards the hall, followed by the others. Ereg and Riliel came last, and stopped before the door when the others had entered. Without a word, he kissed her for a long time.
--
Ereg and Riliel were married a month later. As her parents weren't alive, Nárion acted in the exchange of the vows as a substitute for their father. The guests were few and all the dresses and decorations simple, but it didn't matter. At the end of the following feast, Corchion toasted to the couple:
"After the rigours of war, my son, you enter the battle of life. And you Riliel, remind Ereg every day what bliss he has gained in you! I drink to your health!"
The cups were drained, and all rose. As the couple headed for their chambers, Nárion drew Ereg aside. He smiled:
"Well, now I must do my duty and make the customary speech of the bride's brother. So, if you harm her..."
"You beat me in a pulp. You said that already."
"Oh, did I?"
The men laughed, but then Riliel interrupted:
"Nárion, there were enough speeches during the feast. If you don't mind, I would like to be with my husband alone now." Despite the stern words, she couldn't help smiling.
"As you wish, I'll go to drain some cups to your health."
With that, Nárion sauntered away. Riliel and Ereg went to their chambers and when there, sighed contentedly. Riliel said:
"Well, alone at last."
Ereg walked to her and helped to open the buttons of her gown.
"Yes, at last."