Chapter 29: Eowyn, Warrior Princess of Rohan
The Nazgul left to greet Rohan on his dragon-steed. Gandalf galloped onto the battlefield and hacked any Orc that came his way.
Théoden was rallying his troops, but his horse began to whinny with fear and toppled on top of its master. Gandalf ran to help the fallen king, when a young soldier took his place in front of Théoden.
"Be gone, foul dwimmerlaik, lord of carrion! Leave the dead in peace!"
"Come not between the Nazgul and his prey! Or he will not slay in they turn. He will bear away to the houses of lamentation, beyond all darkness, where thy flesh shall be devoured, and thy shriveled mind be left naked the Lidless Eye."
The soldier drew his sword. "Do what you will; but I will hinder it, if I may."
"Hinder me? Thou fool. No living man can hinder me!"
The soldier laughed, but it was not the sound that a man would laugh like. It was too feminine. "But no living man am I! You look upon a woman. Eowyn I am, Eomund's daughter. You stand between me and my kin. Be gone, if you be not deathless! For living or dark undead, I will smite you, if you touch him."
With that, Eowyn brought her sword down upon the creature, slicing its head off. The Ringwraith screeched and attacked her, she blocked his blows with her shield, but she fell back, and Gandalf could see the crystal tears that threatened to fall, as she cradled her arm.
"You have misjudged your strength, Warrior Princess," The Witch King sneered. "Here is where you meet your end."
Eowyn, in a desperate attempt to keep her life long enough to see more of the battle and get through it alive, took up her sword, stood and dodged the Nazgul. In a moment of confusion, Merry had snuck behind the foul creature drove his sword into the Nazgul's back, sheathed it from it's body and sliced off it's head before falling to the ground again.
Merry helped Eowyn crawl to Théoden, but Eowyn had already seemed to have fallen into tremor and sleep.
Merry looked up and saw Gandalf. A blue light emitting his staff.
Merry turned back to the King of the Rohirrim, unaware that Gandalf was approaching them.
"Farewell, Master Holbytla! My body is broken. I go to my fathers. And even in their company I shall not now be ashamed. I felled against a black serpent. A grim morn, and a glad day, and a golden sunset!"
"Forgive me, lord, if I broke your command, and have done no more in your service than to weep at our parting."
"Grieve not! It is forgiven. Great heart will not be denied. Live now in blessedness; and when you sit in peace with your pipe, think of me! For never now shall I sit with you in Meduseld, as I promised, or listen to your herb-lore." Theoden closed his eyes and his breath rattled. "Where is Eomer? For my eyes darken, and would see him ere I go. He must be king after me. And I would send word for Eowyn. She, she would not have me leave her, and now I shall not see her again, dearer than daughter."
"Lord, lord, she is—."
"Merry," Gandalf spoke. "Let him be."
Merry looked at Gandalf, blankly as if he wasn't processing the image of the wizard. "Why didn't you save him?"
"I am not a cleric, Merry. Even if I could have gotten him to one, I wouldn't have gotten him there in time."
"And Eowyn! She collapsed!"
"No. I put a spell on her so that she would not be harmed by the soldiers on the battle."
"But why?"
"My King! Uncle!" Eomer shouted, shocked and dismayed. A group of soldiers were there as well. Théoden opened his eyes and motioned at a soldier to give Eomer the banner he held in his hand.
"Hail, King of the Mark! Ride now to victory! Bid Eowyn farewell!" With that, Théoden died.
Those around wept, but Eomer gulped and stood tall. "Morn not overmuch! Might was the fallen, meet was his ending. When his mound is raised, women then shall weep. War now calls us! Let his knights remain here, and bear his body in honor form the field, lest the battle ride over it! Yea, and all these other of the king's men that lie here." Eomer began to recall the names of those who fell, then he stopped and he screamed and ran to the soldier whose name he was about to call. He cradled his sister in his arms. "Eowyn, Eowyn how come you here? What madness or devilry is this? Death, death, death! Death take us all!" Anger and fury took him and Eomer raced past Gandalf shouting: "Death! Ride, ride to the ruin and the world's ending!"
The battle raged on through the days and the nights. Gandalf had never seen one man lead such a campaign with so much passion in his heart. But he knew what grief was present in Eomer's heart.
A flock of ships mounted the docks and Gandalf paled. That is until he saw three figures jump out of the boats.
There's alot of actual quotes from the book in this chapter. It actually helped me get it like it was in the book and not the movie. Helped alot! Hope it's better than the other chapters...not that I haven't been getting any bad reviews. Or very many reviews. Ever. Only a small amount review...grumbling noises Review pwetty pwease!
