Chapter Six~
As everyone else raises their weapons, I lower mine knowing that it would only be Gandalf and as the figure comes closer Legolas fires an arrow, only to have it deflected. Gimli's axe shatters and Aragon's sword becomes hot in his hands and he has to drop it. As the white light grows we all shield our eyes from the burning before a voice calls out,
"You track the footsteps of two young Hobbits."
"Where are they?" Aragon demands having dropped his weapon and thinking he is defenseless.
"They have passed day before last, meeting someone they did not expect. Does this comfort you?" the voice asks and wanting this to be over came closer only to have Legolas hold me back, his face warning me not to move closer.
"Who are you? Show yourself!" he cries turning back to face the light. As the light fades and his face is revealed everyone falls to their knees in wonder,
"But you fell," Aragon says and me being me stepped forward to hug him first. He laughed at this returning the hug as everyone else sat dumbfounded. As I retract my hug Gandalf says,
"I have seen so much of you Anna Wynn, you are truly a mystery to the fates." then turning to the rest said,
"I fell through fire and water," then proceeds to tell his tale with me by his side, one of his hands holding his staff the other onto my shoulder.
"Gandalf?" mutters Aragon and he stops recalling the name.
"Yes, that is what I was called, Gandalf the Gray. I am Gandalf the White and have come to turn the tide." as Legolas hands over his old gray robes to cover his pristine white ones, Gandalf explains that we ride to Edoras. As Gimli complains some more I roll my eyes and laugh but Legolas stops me with a question,
"You knew he would return?" looking at him I slowly nod gauging his anger, but it seems there is none only amazement. Slowly we head out of the forest, Gimli making sure to keep his now repaired axe as low as possible. When we step out into the light of midmorning Gandalf whistles so loud I think my ears might bleed. Our horses do not react, having stayed where they were left but we can see a figure emerging on the horizon. When it comes closer we can see it's a pure white horse.
"That is one of the Mearas, unless my eyes are cheated by some spell." Legolas says his face a mixture of awe and surprise. When the horse stops before Gandalf he says his name,
"Shadowfax." before bowing to the horse who to my amusement returns it. We return to our horses and mount, heading off to Edoras capital of Rohan. Once more the days pass quickly and before we know it we are stopped before the mountain that is Edoras, atop it the Golden Hall.
"Edoras and the Golden Hall of Meduseld. There dwells Theoden, King of Rohan whose mind is overthrown. Saruman's hold over him is strong now." Gandalf says as we slowly ride into the city me noticing a figure standing by the Golden Hall. That must be Eowyn I thought silently thought when I looked back up she was gone. It was deathly silent within the city and Gimli said something along the lines of,
"You'd fine more happiness in a graveyard." after dismounting from our horses we made our way over to the Hall people staring opening at me along with the rest. Apparently they never have seen a woman in drag before. As the amazingly large doors swing open men came out dressed much like Eomer and the leader speaks he says we cannot come in so armed. We all look to each other before releasing our weapons but Gandalf doesn't remove himself from his staff.
"Your staff." the leader says but Gandalf plays it cool saying,
"You would not part an old man from his walking stick?" I had to smile at that and conceal a chuckle within a cough, hiding my smile within my hands. As the leader nods us in we slowly enter with everyone staring at us once more. Apparently visitors don't come so often anymore, and I can see why. The Hall is dimly lit, dark and gloomy with the feeling as if someone has died, but then I remembered the King's son has. As I look around I notice the slim ball known as Grima Wormtongue talking to Theoden. He stares openly at me with curiosity in his black eyes and I just stare back just as openly silently challenging him to bring it. Theoden looks more decrepit and ancient then in the movies, as if he would snap at any moment in two.
"The courtesy of your hall is somewhat lessened of late, Théoden King." Gandalf says leaning heavily on his staff pretending to use it as just a walking stick, nothing more.
"Why are you here, Gandalf Stormcrow?" Théoden says looking to Grima dressed all in black.
"A just question my liege." Grima says before starting his little speech, coming ever closer towards us as he talks. But Gandalf cuts him off speaking loudly in a sharp tone moving his staff towards the now very close man.
"The staff!" he cries shrinking back, before all hell breaks loose.
"I told you to take the wizards staff!" he whines as we all start fist-fighting with Grima's men. Without my weapon I feel a bit useless but am able to hold them off despite this fact. Legolas, Aragon and Gimli are much better off as I struggle to keep them back from hitting me. I notice out of the corner of my eye Gandalf come to stand before Theoden, staff pointed at him and talking even more loudly. Grima is under the foot of Gimli who threatens him with his fists.
"Hearken to me!" cries Gandalf and everyone notices what I do, that he is standing right before the King. As everyone stops their quarrel, a sinister voice that shakes me says,
"You have no power here!" and in a flash Gandalf has removed his gray robes to show his glowing white ones, a white light emanating from him. Theoden is thrown back against the throne as Gandalf says,
"I draw you like poison from a wound." and thrusts his staff towards the King, forcing Theoden backwards still into the throne. Out of the corner of my eye I notice a young woman who must be Eowyn come out and trying to run towards her uncle is stopped by Aragon who says softly,
"Wait and see." then a voice dark and twisted fills the hall, Theoden bathed in a dark aura. The whole Hall is filled with the dark presence of Saruman as he says,
"If I go, Theoden dies!" but Gandalf pushes him back harder, his power literally fighting against the dark aura filling the room.
"You will not kill me, you will not kill him!" and giving a last thrust of his staff forcing his power so hard into the body of Théoden causes him to fall backwards from his throne. The dark aura dissipates from the Hall replaced by the soft glow of Gandalf who stands proudly over the fallen King. As he slowly sits up his face returns to its natural self and Eowyn is released to help her uncle. As the King looks around confused he finds the woman's face saying,
"I know you face, Eowyn." she instantly begins to weep for joy, hugging her uncle who slowly stands upright. Noticing Gandalf he says,
"Dark have been my dreams of late." as he looks down at his trembling hands, Aragon brings forth his sword saying he might know himself better should he hold it. After he takes out the sword from its sheath he looks around to the group assembled and asks,
"Where is my son?" there was a pause, an awkward silence that fell over the Hall as the King kept asking for his son. When at last the news came to him that he had died he fell to his knees, crying openly. Later on that day the funeral was held, two lines of soldiers to form a pathway within a throng of people. Everyone's heads are bowed low as pall-bearers carry the body of Théodred between them. Upon the prince's chest is a small bundle of white flowers, the same that will cover his grave. Théoden follows his son, with Aragorn, myself, Legolas, Gimli, and Gandalf following behind him. The people of Edoras stand closely by leaving only a small pathway through the center of the city for the pall-bearers to carry Théodred as cries and moans pierce the air. After the funeral as the night falls two children were lead into the Hall weary and hungry, a message to the King of the plight of his people. They ate greedily as I and Ewoyn try and sooth there scared minds.
"Where's mama?" asks the girl turning to look at me.
"She's coming honey." I reply looking up at the others who speak with Théoden. I can barely hear them talking but know by the scene in the movie it is about Helms Deep. Suddenly a thought pops into my head and I ask the kids,
"What to hear a song?" the instantly nod and I begin to sing, a song Roger loved.
"Little child, be not afraid though rain pounds harsh against the glass like an unwanted stranger, there is no danger I am here tonight." and as I sing the children smile, there frightful memories forgotten for now. I feel for them, losing their parents and only having each other left….kind of like me and Roger. As I sing I feel tears falling but continue singing despite this, having to finish the song for them, for Roger.
"And now I am grown, and these years have shown, that rains apart of how life goes but it's dark and its late so I'll hold you and wait till your frightened eyes do close." and once the song is finish the girl, Fedra asks,
"Why are you crying?" looking away, I can't bring myself to say why but instead stand and leave the Hall out the front doors. Once outside I cry, cry as hard as I ever have feeling the tugging pain that Roger isn't here with me. Sinking to my knees, I hang my head and put my face in my hands unable to cope with the fact he was going to die if I didn't reach him first. The sound of the doors opening cause me to turn around to see Legolas standing there looking concerned.
"What is the matter?" he asks coming to sit by me, his arm instantly coming to wrap around me.
"I don't want to talk about it." I said looking away from him out into the open plain. His arm tightens around me as he says,
"You can always tell me Anna." nodding briefly I am too busy looking at something coming on the horizon, something moving sluggishly. I stand to try and get a better look but it's Legolas who can see better who says,
"It's a boy, a boy in tattered clothes." for some reason my heart surges in my chest, hope, real hope and I break into a run towards the figure. Legolas follows quick on my heels as we scream for the gates of the city to open. As they slowly do, I can see the figure has fallen and the hope retreats back into fear. Picking up the pace, I run to the figure calling out,
"ROGER!" the figure sits up looking at me and from the short distance away I can see that it is Roger. My brother, my dear brother is alive! New tears form in my eyes as I reach him, falling to my knees before him and hugging him close.
"Glad to see you too." he mutters out and I have to laugh at that. Legolas having caught up looks him over saying,
"He will need rest, and healing." Roger looks up to Legolas and looks amazed before I help him upright.
"Come on boy-oh, let's get you into Edoras." I say smiling so much my face hurt as I lead him into the city. As I lead him towards the Hall he asks,
"Are we really in Lord of the Rings?" I laugh hard at that and nod telling him about my journey with the Fellowship. We final reach the Hall and I proudly show him in saying to the guards,
"He's with me." and when he walks in he instantly faints, the walking and running finally getting to him. As several women rush over I hover shooing them away before picking him up into my own arms.
"He's my brother." I say glaring daggers at them even know that they want to help.
"Come, this way then." says Eowyn leading me past the group and into deeper into the Hall. We come to a bedroom where I lay Roger down on the bed finally letting the women attend to him.
"He is your brother?" ask Eowyn looking amazed at me and all I can do is nod. It's then I notice Aragon, Gandalf, Legolas and Gimli coming down the hall towards us and knew they expected answers for their questions. So I explained to them as one woman shut the door to the bedroom about how I came to be in this world, the short version.
"So that's why you were in the Golden Woods." Gimli says and I nod sheepishly.
"Told you I wasn't an Elf." I had to comment getting a laugh from everyone. It was Gandalf who spoke next saying,
"He went through much to get here." at that I couldn't help but wonder what he had seen, he was only ten and yet he'd probably been through hell. Looking to the shut door Aragon put his hand on my shoulder saying,
"Go to him." thanking him, I knocked on the door before realizing, hey, it's MY brother in there and so just opened it without waiting for an answer. He was sleeping with Eowyn beside him who told me he only had minor wounds.
"Thanks, a lot." I said giving her a great hug receiving a laugh from her. It was nice to hear her laugh, she had been so heartbroken before at the funeral that it was such a contrast to now. As I let her go she said,
"I'll have a maid set up a bed for you in here." again I thanked her but this time without a hug, only a smile. That night I couldn't sleep though, I couldn't help but wonder how my brother had escaped or whether or not he had actually escaped.