Eomer would never have thought that silence could be deafening. He'd heard the expression before, "deafening silence", but he wrote it off as some archaic saying that had existed for so long before Eomer, and would die far after him. He shuffled up towards the crest of the hill before him with his kinsman beside. As he and Ingwaz crept over the hill, their bellies to the ground like serpents, their eyes broke the horizon to just reveal the golden city before them.
It wasn't quite golden anymore. The buildings seemed intact, yes, the walls surrounding the settlement had kept their integrity, but there seemed an air about it that would sicken even the hardiest of Rohirrim. Once golden and shining, the clouds now shrouded the proud city from any light that dared to touch it. It almost seemed cloaked in shadow in a way, a darkness the depth of which could not be determined eminated from the walls of the Golden Hall, standing strong atop the hill. The other thing Eomer noticed was how quiet it seemed. There were no fires, there was no movement, and no sound. One would think the city was abandoned... and perhaps it was.
"What should we do, Eomer?" Ing looked at him expectantly. Eomer turned his gaze towards his cousin, sighed, and turned back to face the city.
Eomer stared for a very long time at the darkened keep. What would they do, indeed. They could play tactics, and distract the front guard while coming around the back side to raid. But, the problem was, there was no guarantee Grima or his Goblin Army were even still there. If they werent, surrounding the area would be a waste of precious time and effort, and would spread his men out ripe for the taking of a possible ambush. The safer bet would be to stick together. If the stuck together, by spreading out a bit there was the chance to appear much larger. Grima would have no way of knowing how large his army was, and if they were to fight the evil that lay in wait in Edoras, then Eomer would have himself meet an end to rival the glory of his sister and uncle.
"We're going to take the company forward. Warn the men to stand at the ready. We'll ride out within the hour." Eomer clasped Ing on the shoulder and shimmied back to a large stone nearby so he could stand upright.
Ingwaz laughed nervously at his brother-in-arms. "Very funny, but seriously, whats your plan?"
Eomer leaned against the hard, grey stone and cocked and eybrow toward Ingwaz, insinuating he was definitely not joking.
Ing flipped over to his back and sighed deeply at the heavens. "You're going to just march right up to the front gates with no idea what lies within? Is that what you'd call a tactic?"
Eomer crossed his arms and his eyes narrowed. "Are you challenging me? Questioning me? I know what I'm doing, Ing, and you are still my subordinate."
Ingwaz crawled over to Eomer and rose to look the older man right in the eye. "These goblin armies are no joke, not with the size of our army. Just because you're in a pit of despair about his Majesty and Lady Eowyn doesnt mean you can charge headlong into death. And if you think-" Ing was cut short by the icy feeling of concrete rock behind him, his body now sandwiched between his comerade and the boulder behind him. Eomers forearm had pinned him there, and Ingwaz felt a great pressure on his lungs.
"Say that again." Eomer snapped but he was not looking at Ing. His eyes were cast downward and Ingwaz could not see his face.
"Careful!" A voice from above called and startled both men from the tension between them. Atop the rock, a face peeked out from the crooked edge, dark skin and big, wide eyes peered down at the two men. "Better be quiet or the enemy will know you're here!" the voice laughed, and they recognized it was a woman.
"Y-you there!" Eomer called up in suprise but hid the start the woman gave him. "What business do you have in this land?"
"No business thats any of your business." she chimed. "But, watching you scramble for a plan is entertaining, considering you barely have one." a hand came up to prop up her head and she cocked an eyebrow at the two Rohirrim.
Ingwaz rolled his eyes again, Eomer was getting nowhere. "Woman," he called up to the stone top. "Who are you?"
Whites of eyes narrowed to slits mischievously against dark skin. "He wants to see you, oh Eomer, illustrious leader of the Rohirrim." she mocked the blonde man that stared in bafflement up at her. He assumed she meant Grima, but was left to wonder as she slid back into hiding with a soft rustle. He bolted to the opposite side of the stone, where he now stood between it and the village. The rustle he had heard was grass, and knew without a doubt it was so. You cant live youre entire life on a tallgrass prairie and not know the sound of grass. As his eyes searched the ground beneath the stone, he thought he'd seen a tunnel. As he took a step toward the void in the ground he heard a sharp wwwhhhhrrrr move past his right ear, and the clink! of the projectile hitting the stone behind him. An arrow, he thought, and ran back to the cover of the boulder and his kinsman.
"What are our options? Hm?" Ingwaz waited for the next command with baited breath.
Eomer leaned his back against the unforgiving surface of the rock behind him and thought hard for the second time in 20 minutes. "We raise the white flag and go see Grima, I suppose."
Ingwaz rolled his eyes again. "There you go with another one of your brilliant plans."
"He already knows were here, Ing. You think he's going to let us leave without a fight before he gets what he wants from us?" Eomer shook his head. "No Ing, we don't have much of a choice. Besides, Grimas not much of a fighter, hell likely try to work out a deal before resorting to violence, this time, we are reasonsbly safe. Let us leave this place now."
O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~
"Careful, asshole!" Grima swatted at the bow in the hands of the orc beside him. "I said fire it past his nose, not through it!" he growled. He was distracted by the soft pit pat of feet that did not belong to any man or orc. He turned to see Arya, her hair dusted lightly with dirt from the tunnel dug by men generations ago. "How'd it go?" Grima asked, a hand brought up to touch her arm lightly.
"Alright, I suppose." she gazed out toward the horizon. "But I still don't understand why you made me go out there, why me?" she looked at her comerade expectantly.
The corners of his mouth pulled up in a wide, toothy grin. "Simple mind games, my dear. Can you imagine how terribly confusing it must be for those simple-minded fellows to come across a human woman in this place that hasnt yet been broken apart and half eaten raw." He turned to Arya, whose face had twisted into disgust, and thought about what he had just said. "Erm, that was a bit uncouth, wasnt it?"
Her disgust twisted into a small smile. "Come now, a king chooses his words wisely."
Grima scoffed payfully as he brushed the dirt out of her hair with his hands and wrapped an arm around Arya's shoulders. "Well, let us get to the main hall so I may choose some more wise kingly words."
Arya laughed, a real laugh that Grima had only heard one other time since she arrived with that rat-bastard Uruk-hai months ago. What was his name?
Didn't matter.
"You seem in a better mood, your majesty." she jeered.
"It's a good day!" Grima smiled wickedly at the young woman. "I am lording over Edoras, I have power, and Gandalf and Eomer, thorns in my side, lay naked before me, at my mercy." he chuckled gleefully, and led his counterpart down the stairs of the look out post he'd had built last week.
~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~
If seeing Edoras from the outside, overrun by orc and goblin and darkness was heartbreaking, being within the walls was shattering. As the other two men he was allowed to to take with him gazed about, Eomer, too, took in the scenery. The houses no longer had grass about them. Now, only dark, thick, damp earth lent itself underfoot. Beady, small eyes watched suspiciously from every corner. Raspy whispers of who they were, why they were there, who they were, why did they have a wizard??? echoed about the village. The journey to the once-golden hall was an uphill battle, in more than one way. Weary in his body, and weary in his mind, Eomer slowly led Gandalf and Ingwaz up the stairs to the entrance, guarded by a few larger-framed goblin men, as rain began to fall a few drops at a time. Picking up to a drizzle, weapons crossed before the doors and the goblins commanded,
"Your weapons, now!" The taller, darker goblin to the right growled at them, motioning with his spear to the ground. Scoffing and grumbling, the small company of men laid sword and knife to the cobblestone below. Another goblin came to clasp Gandalf on the arm, holding a hand out open-palmed.
"Even the staff. Especially the staff, wizard."
Gandalf eyed the goblin's hand with great disgust and distrust. His lips smiled but his eyes were steely cold, and showed only hatred at the monster who demanded so liberally of him to give up his very livelihood. Magic could be preformed without staff of charm, yes, but if this situation went sideways, and magic was called for, he could not amplify it enough by hand alone to defeat all these creatures. "I shall lay it down, yes, for if I give it to you freely, there is great likelihood your accursed body may burst into flames."
The goblin bared his hideous teeth, a horrible tch escaping his maw as he backed up and allowed the old wizard the room to lay down his pride and joy. Pleased with the weaponless adversaries, the doors swung wide open with a loud creak to reveal a dark hall, lit dimly by torch, leading up to a barely discernible, light skinned creature who sat upon the throne of Theoden, late king of Rohan. As the group stepped into the threshold, their boots echoed in the hall, full of the bodies of guards but seeming so terribly empty.
"Welcome, noble travelers." a voice drawled from the darkness. "Do come in, leave your troubles at the door of my great hall. I've known of your coming from my scouts for quite some time. I hope the hall is to your... liking." the voice mocked.
Eomers pace quickened, now all but jogging toward the throne. "Listen to me, you snivelling little-" he was cut off by five bows and crude arrows pointed right at his face, stopping his warpath in its tracks. a pregnant pause hung in the air, and the tension was palpable.
"By all means, go on." Grima called out to him, shifting from his lounging position to lean forward and rest his elbows on his knees. Eomer was now closer, and could see that the young woman from earlier sat on the steps before the throne at Grimas feet, her head rested against the arm of the chair. She smiled impishly at him, and wiggled her fingers. After Eomer said nothing, Grima spoke again. "I assume you have come to confront me." No fear or apprehensoon was present in his voice. He almost seemed bored.
"You," Eomer spat the word as if it was poison. "Have no claim to Edoras, this is not your hall." Grima cocked an eyebrow but said nothing, allowing Eomer to continue. "You betrayed your king, betrayed your kinsmen, and it is your fault Eowyn is gone!" As Eomers voice raised, so did the pace of the rain, pit patting against the roof off the hall, echoing through the great stone chamber.
"But you're forgetting that they aren't-" Grima stood suddenly from the throne letting his voice raise slightly in turn "my kinsmen. And they never were. They were your kinsmen. And it is not my fault you were too weak to protect your sister, she is not my responsibility." Grima regretted the words as soon as he spoke them. They dropped like dead weight in the dim air. The atmosphere grew stale, as all who were surrounding stood or sat in shock.
Ing took a deep breathe in, and began to march toward Grima, deciding to step in for Eomer, who still seemed floored at the remark. Grima had always seemed rather meek and cowardly, from the limited interaction Ingwaz had experienced with him, much preferring to insult someone underhandeedly rather call some one a failure right to their face. Funny, how a respectably sized army of monsters could put balls on a man. "You'll pay for that, Worm, you lived with us, you were our brother, before you drank Sarumans poison!"
As more goblins rushed to Grima's protection, a door to the hall slammed open wide, letting in a rush of electric air, the heavy rain blown in by a gust of wind that scattered the stale air. Distracted by the sudden outburst, all turned to look at the door as the image of a woman was turned to a silhouette as a crack of lightning lit the sky. As it cleared, and the form and figure of this new intruder became more easily discernible, the shadow gave way to reveal dark skin, bloostained clothing and long, pointed ears.
"Kaali?!" Suprise crossed Grima's face for a split second before he huffed a soft laugh. "You're late..." he jeered.
Kaali, who gave no indication she heard him, continued leaning on the wooden door like it was all she had to stand on. Her eyes slowly lifted, turning up to glare at Eomer from behind soaked strands of white hair. She tightened her grip on the staff she held loosley in her other hand.
"You should have stayed to make sure I was dead, you two." She deadpanned. "You aren't the only one who gets a second chance." she spat at Gandalf, her voice gaining hostility. She had a similair sound although something was different about her voice now, but Grima couldn't put his finger on it.
"Eomer, what did you do to my sister?!" Grima demanded, his hand rushing to the hilt of his sword at his right.
"I-"
"How important was it to you that Grima felt your same pain, your loss?" Kaali called throughout the hall. Every eye was on her, waiting to see what power had been rumored of the Mountain elves from Dunland. Eomer turned to her and puffed up his chest.
"It was rather important, once I knew you'd rushed to the aid of this," He motioned toward Grima, stepping away from the semicircle of arrows trained on him.
"Don't!" Kaali yelled, her hand motioning as Eomer's body lifted as if it was light as a feather before swinging away to hit hard against a pillar. Eomer gasped as the stone of the pillar pushed out all the air in his lungs , and a numbing sensation spread from his heart. As he gasped for air, he saw through blurred vision the skin around her eyes and lips darken, almost black, almost like rot. "Don't you make this my fault." Her teeth bared at him.
"Kaali!" Gandalf bellowed."You will release him!" He outstretched a hand as if calling for his staff to come. Kaali didn't turn around, her face didnt change. She ignored the demands of the wizard entirley.
In Grima's eyes flashed fear for a moment as he watched Eomers eyes turn red with bloodshot veins, a purple black sludge creeping up his neck and face through arteries, and lesions appearing on the skin. No, Eomer could not die like this. He would be the one to kill Eomer, he couldn't let Kaali have this. And, yes, his sister was powerful, and he loved her dearly, but there was no denying that as soon as Gandalf Stormcrow got ahold of his staff his sister was going to get her ass beat.
"Kaali," Grima called, and she ignored him. He came closer, shouting louder and louder each time. Not wanting to touch her in this state, he waved his hand until she finally looked away from her prey, the onslaught of plague letting up ever so slightly on the man. He held her eyes, trained not on him, but on his lips instead. "Can you hear me?" he mouthed, motioning to his ear, narrowly missing Arya's face with his elbow, who had come to peek from behind Grima for a closer look at the earlier assault.
"Long story." Kaali retorted.
"Let him go." Grima commanded, straigtening to stand at his, slightly taller, full height.
Kaali eyed Grima for a long while, her eyes narrowed and all at once she threw Eomers now clear, but weakened body towards Gandalf. The Wizard caught the young man and his staff almost simultaneously. Eomer, now gasping, slowly stood with Gandalfs help.
"You have some gall, to come here with an army as pitiful as yours, to tell me youll be taking back Edoras." Grima heaved. "I dont know where you planned on taking it with your tired army and sickening hubris. You'll camp outside the walls, where I can keep an eye on you." Grima commanded, motioning to his guards to seize the three men. "Now, get out of my sight!"
The orcs and goblins drug the three men, struggling out of the hall, and shut the door behind them, leaving Grima and the two women in the torch-lit hall. Arya came from behind him to approach Kaali. Taking her by the hands and ensuring the she-elf was looking at her, she asked,
"So you are Grima's sister?"
Kaali's eyes flicked to Grima, then back to the young woman before her, and smiled uncomfortably. "That I am."
Arya smiled at the elf, "Come, lets get you cleaned up, and fed, when was the last time you ate?"
Kaali laughed and responded, but Grima didn't hear it, the sounds of their chatter dying off in the hall, as he thought to himself where to go from here. He desperately wanted to just kill Eomer for killing his sister, but, he had greater things to worry about. Eventually, Saruman would be hurting for thise few leagues of soldiers, and would come for him next to steal the survivors, he was sure. They needed to be ready.
~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~
Well, I actually had more planned for this chapter but it's getting a bit long-winded so I will probably just end it here and put the rest of the chapter in next time! Read, review, do whatever, be ready for the next chapter!Tune in next time to check in with our good old faves Merry, Pip, and even better, Aragorn and his elfy friends!