Disclaimer: I have no creative rights over the characters and places you can identify in this story and have no way profited from this work.
29/09/2013
Thanks readers for your patience in waiting for this chapter over the last month. At times, life does really get in the way of living.
Arekanderu: Even with the growing powers of the Avengers, the Free Peoples shouldn't count on Sauron being vanquished just yet.
elmoryakhan: Chapters 36 and 37 were longer than the average for this crossover. I'm confident future chapters won't be as long.
Bernard Karp: Whatever the barrier's shape, I'm sure Sauron would have designed it to block all of Hulk's possible escape routes.
Chapter 39 – Letting Go
The eradication of the Hosts of Mordor besieging Minas Tirith was finally over by noon.
Aragorn ordered the soldiers from Pelargir towards Osgiliath to prevent the enemy from trying to retake it over the next few days. But he was confident that Sauron was unlikely to order a counterattack over this period.
At battle's end, the only survivors from the vast force Sauron sent to assault Minas Tirith were the eight surviving Nazgul. The Oathbreakers killed the rest while Thor and Hulk had been destroying the Gundabad mercenaries. Not one Easterling, Haradrim, Orc, Troll, Mumakil or Warg had survived the battle. The Oathbreakers now stood as a group facing Aragorn outside the walls of Minas Tirith. The King of the Oathbreakers stood just ahead of his fellows.
"Release us," the King reminded Aragorn of his earlier promise.
The Oathbreakers accepting Aragorn as the Heir of Isildur still didn't mean they completely trusted him. The Oathbreakers knew better than any one about the nature of betrayal. As Men of the Mountains, they swore to Isildur to help defend Gondor not destroy Sauron. The King made Aragorn promise the Oathbreakers would be released from their oath once Minas Tirith was saved. Given Gondor's dire situation, Aragorn wasn't really in a position to haggle over this. Standing close by to Aragorn, Gimli thought otherwise.
"Bad idea," Gimli argued with a barely concealed whisper.
After the battle was over, Legolas opted to remain with Merry and Eowyn waiting on Thor's return. But Gimli went to seek out Aragorn before judgment was passed on the Army of the Dead. As far as Gimli was concerned, the Oathbreakers were a major military advantage that shouldn't be lightly thrown away.
"Very handy in a tight spot these lads," Gimli argued against the Oathbreakers' release. "Despite the fact they're dead."
"You gave us your word!" the King angrily pointed out to Aragorn.
The Oathbreakers had fulfilled the oath they made to Isildur by saving Minas Tirith. Consequently, they were no longer bound to follow the commands of his heir. But Aragorn still needed to say the right words for the Oathbreakers to be free of their curse. Who was this Dwarf to deny them their freedom?
Gimli wasn't afraid to further put his case. "Why should they be released when Sau-OOF!"
Gimli released an involuntary cry as he tumbled to the ground. He'd been caught off guard by the lightest of back handed slaps from Hulk. The Other Guy had leapt his way back to Pelennor Fields in quick time after the Gundabad mercenaries were defeated. The Avenger gave Gimli a subtle snarl of warning to be quiet. After this, Hulk then locked gazes with the King of the Oathbreakers and a silent understanding passed between them.
Despite their testy introduction, the Oathbreakers and Hulk had each come to privately realise they had a bit in common than just colour. They were both seemingly invincible and destructive powers, feared by nearly everyone including nominal allies. But at the same time, both still craved acceptance and understanding from the wider world they respectively resided in. Hulk had gotten some measure of these through the Avengers Initiative. The Oathbreakers now deserved to receive their measure. His action against Gimli was as much a reminder to Aragorn. The Other Guy needn't have worried in this regard.
At one level, Aragorn could see where Gimli was coming from. A force that contained the Oathbreakers and the Avengers would make short work of any of Sauron's armies. Perhaps even if the Dark Lord regained the One Ring. Aragorn, though, was a man of his word. The King of the Oathbreakers was a graphic illustration of what could happen to rulers who choose break solemn vows. If Aragorn were to try and keep the Oathbreakers bound to him, it would arguably be worse than when Isildur kept the One Ring. Unlike his ancestor, an evil device wasn't presently corrupting Aragorn's judgment. He would not defeat Sauron the Deceiver by lies and empty promises no matter the cost.
"I hold your oath fulfilled," Aragorn quietly told the King with humble magnanimity. "Go, be at peace."
The King and the rest of the Oathbreakers immediately felt Isildur's curse lifting from them. They closed their eyes and smiled in relief and joy for the first time in millennia. Their ghostly forms were quickly dissipated by an unnatural wind to whatever waited for them after death. Hulk noted this with a tiny snort as Gimli stood back up again.
"Bruce would've at least asked nicely," Gimli grumbled about Hulk silencing him.
Hulk ignored Gimli's complaint. He had joined Aragorn in noticing that Gandalf had now joined them. Pippin stood to the wizard's left. Gandalf silently acknowledged Aragorn's heritage and destiny with a short bow of his head. Pippin gave a far more exuberant display to seeing his friends again. He ran and wrapped his arms around Hulk's left leg. The Took's head barely came over the Avenger's knee.
"It's good to see you again, Hulk!" Pippin happily told him.
No one was more stunned by Pippin's greeting than Hulk himself. No one had given him such a welcome before. A small smile formed on Hulk's face as he petted Pippin's head as gently as possible.
"Pippin understands," Hulk softly remarked.
Boromir and Rogers were assessing the state of Minas Tirith while Gandalf and Pippin had gone to reunite with the rest of the Fellowship.
Fortunately, the fires that had blazed throughout the first and second levels had finally burned out. Thor's dispelling of Sauron's fume also allowed for a better battle damage assessment. In some ways, Rogers thought Sauron's fume had provided one advantage. The morale of the defenders would've been much worse during the battle if they knew the true extent of death and destruction.
It appeared just about every building in the first and second level had suffered damage. Varying piles of rubble was all that was left of many buildings. Many other buildings had been guttered by flames. Other buildings, such as the city barracks, had suffered both types of damage. The Othram appeared to be the only structure on these levels that had remained relatively intact. To Rogers's mind, the damage thwas no less than what many ancient cities of Europe had suffered during World War Two. Just like then, the damage to Minas Tirith wasn't just structural.
Countless Gondorian and enemy dead were scattered throughout the first two levels. The corpses of Men, Orcs and Trolls were sometimes in an ugly mix of red and black blood. Severed limbs from the three races were everywhere as well. The fact the first two levels had no survivors was an excellent indication the siege's ferocity.
Boromir had roughly estimated that just under half of the Gondorian regulars at the start of the battle had survived it. The volunteers had suffered a similar level of casualties. Like at Helm's Deep, many surviving regulars and volunteers required medical attention. The Houses of Healing were already close to being overwhelmed and this would soon be worsened. Many volunteers had gone out onto Pelennor Fields with stretches to fetch any wounded Rohirrim. Rogers admired how these volunteers, despite the trauma they'd been through, were as desperate to aid the wounded of Rohan as they had for Gondor.
Rogers's current concern was not with the living. Now unmasked, he'd walked with an unhelmeted Boromir to where Denethor had fallen. Rogers gave a tiny sigh of relief that Denethor's body didn't seem to have defiled. He stood opposite Boromir who knelt to the ground and began closely cradling his father's corpse. Boromir found it impossible to keep his emotions in check despite his best efforts. Nonetheless, he was desperate to know what exactly happened to his father.
"How?" Boromir asked with a croaked gasp.
Rogers knew what Boromir was trying to ask. The Avenger described what happened after the rescue sortie embarked to when the Witch-king departed Minas Tirith for the last time.
"You wouldn't have been more proud of your father, Boromir," Rogers concluded his narrative. "The fact is, I owe him my life. His last action was crawling over to Faramir and say he was proud of him."
Boromir wasn't able to speak through trembling lips as he looked at Rogers. Captain America read the question Boromir was asking with his watering eyes.
"Yes, Boromir," Rogers sympathetically confirmed. "Faramir was conscious when Denethor told him that."
At this, Boromir began openly sobbing while clutching his deceased father. He was mourning the death of the man he'd always loved and looked up to. But Boromir's tears also were slightly tinged with joy. Even if no one else did, he'd always believed that Denethor would show Faramir love before the end.
Rogers stood behind Boromir and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Captain America hoped he'd given some of the same comfort that Boromir gave him in the aftermath of Helm's Deep.
The scenes of devastation on Pelennor Fields were, in many cases, worse than within Minas Tirith. A much greater number of corpses covered it for a start. The corpses of warriors and their mounts were everywhere along its blood stained length. Fallen banners and discarded weapons from both sides were also everywhere.
Eomer, Gamling and the surviving Royal Guard soon came to where Theoden had fallen. The grief Eomer felt for Theoden was quickly replaced by horror on seeing Eowyn clinging to life. Explanations could wait on how his sister came to be the God of Thunder's squire. Thor placed Eowyn on Firefoot to the front of her brother. Eomer held Eowyn tightly before urging Firefoot to head to the Houses of Healing with all haste.
Legolas, Thor and Merry eventually caught up with Gandalf, Aragorn, Gimli, Pippin and Hulk outside of Minas Tirith. Thor carried Merry the distance given the Hobbit was still feeling some of the effects from stabbing the Witch-king. Pippin didn't hide his concern upon seeing the cloak still wrapped around his cousin's right arm.
"Merry!" Pippin anxiously exclaimed as he rushed up to him and Thor.
Merry tried putting on a brave face.
"Try not to worry, Pip," Merry shakily assured. "I'm feeling better than when I first stabbed the Witch-king."
Gimli was shocked that Merry had been able to hurt an enemy believed through the ages to be indestructible.
"Durin's Beard!" the Dwarf gasped. "How did you manage such a feat, Master Meriadoc?"
"I only could after Eowyn and Thor had fought him first," Merry humbly explained. "Of the three of us, I guess I came out second-best."
Gandalf quietly noted how Glorfindel's prophecy had been fulfilled before soberly remarking, "It seems you did, Merry."
Gandalf, Aragorn, Gimli, Pippin and Hulk all saw Eomer and Eowyn's passage into Minas Tirith. The eight Fellowship members now observed the escort for Theoden's body approaching the White City. Beregond met Theoden's escort on behalf of Gondor. The Captain of the Tower Guard told Gamling that Theoden's body could lie in state in an honoured location within the Citadel. As Beregond led the escort through Minas Tirith, Gondorians on levels bowed their heads when it passed by them. It was acknowledgment of the selfless sacrifice Theoden and all fallen Rohirrim had made on their behalf. Aragorn resumed the Fellowship's conversation.
"No injury from the Nazgul should be ignored, Merry," Aragorn observed as Thor passed Merry into his outstretched arms. "I'll take you to the Houses of Healing and see what I can do."
"Hulk and I can take you quicker," Thor offered.
"The rest of you go on ahead," Gandalf intervened. "There are some matters I need to discuss with Thor and Hulk before joining you later."
After the other Fellowship members had left, Gandalf began speaking to the two Avengers.
"Let not Bruce or yourself be troubled, Hulk," Gandalf assured him upon noticing the confused and worried expression on the Other Guy's face. "Merry will be fine."
"What do you need to speak of, Gandalf?" Thor enquired to the wizard's subject.
"Like the pair of you, I'd prefer to accompany the rest of our Fellowship," Gandalf started. "But we cannot neglect that practical matters requiring our attention.
"Even with the battle over, the threat of death is still present to our mortal friends. Boromir asked if I could oversee the clearing of Pelennor Fields. I'd be very grateful if the pair of you could lend me your assistance."
Thor looked at Hulk who gave a short nod. The Other Guy figured that if Banner's medical services were needed, Gandalf would've said so.
"Very well, Gandalf," Thor relayed his and Hulk's consent. "But on condition you help me on related matter…"
Hulk disposed of the final troll corpse by sunset. He threw it down the sinkhole Thor created against the mumakil. The sinkhole offered convenient disposal for the remains of the larger creatures that had been part of the Hosts of Mordor. Apart from trolls, Hulk had also dropped in it the slain mumakil, the Witch-king's fell-beast and Grond's beasts of burden. He also deposited what remained of Grond and any other of Mordor's siege engines.
Just behind Hulk was a pile of large tusks. Gandalf had asked him to remove them from the mumakil corpses before disposal. Gandalf reasoned the ivory in these tusks would be worth a considerable fortune. The tusks could help rebuild the war ravaged economies of both Gondor and Rohan. Assuming, of course, both countries survived the War of the Ring in the first place.
Hulk looked around for Thor. The Asgardian had been using Mjolnir to dispose of the countless corpses of Orcs, Haradrim and Easterlings. Where these corpses weren't mixed with fallen Rohirrim, Thor had summoned winds to stack them into piles. Like at Helm's Deep, Thor cast lightning to ignite them into pyres. On spotting Thor, Hulk moved towards him to point out the remains in the sinkhole needed to be ignited as well. The conscious part of Banner grimaced thinking how this would add to the already appalling stench of burning bodies.
While the two Avengers had been tending to the enemy's remains, the Gondorians and Rohirrim had been dealing with their own dead. Theoden and Denethor were the only ones who would receive the honour of a private burial. Work had already commenced on a series of burial mounds between Minas Tirith and the Anduin. These mounds would be later known as the 'Mounds of Mundburg' which was the name the Rohirrim gave to them. These mounds would be the final resting-places for all Gondorians and Rohirrim killed in the battle. Irolas and Hirgon would lie alongside Grimbold and Dunhere similar to countrymen of other ranks.
Reflecting their fallen riders, Snowmane was the only Rohirrim horse given a private burial on the battlefield. The rest would be placed in burial mounds separate to those of the fallen warriors of Gondor and Rohan. Thor thought Graegwind would prefer to lie among his own kind. The Asgardian first wanted to properly honour his fallen steed before final burial. The favour Thor spoke of earlier to Gandalf was for his company during this time. Even the God of Thunder needed emotional support on occasion.
The pair walked to where the Riders Three had fought the Witch-king. Thor picked up his discarded Galadhrim helmet from the ground. It was too damaged to use again and Thor didn't even want it as a keepsake. The Elven brooch still proudly pinned to his cloak was the only material reminder of Galadriel that Thor required. But the Avenger did have one final use for the Lady's gift.
Thor and Gandalf walked over to Graegwind's body. The grey steed still lied in the exact same spot he had fallen. Thor bent down and tied Graegwind's reins through the Galadhrim helm's leather loop. Thor wanted a part of him to remain with Graegwind as a mark of respect. The Asgardian then pulled off one of Graegwind's horseshoes to be a permanent reminder of the steed he'd grown to love.
"Until I ride you again in the Fields of Valhalla," Thor whispered into Graegwind's ear, "run proud and swiftly with your forebears there."
Thor slowly stood up again. Gandalf gave him a compassionate gaze. A short while before, Thor confessed to Gandalf about his bloodlust following Graegwind's death. Gandalf privately recalled Thor confiding to him about something else during the feast held in the Golden Hall.
"Theoden and Graegwind weren't yours to save, Thor." Gandalf gently assured him before adding, "Nor was your friend that Loki killed in front of you."
"I know you're right, Gandalf," Thor conceded with a sigh. "But I still find it strange I grieve for Graegwind no less than for Theoden or Coulson."
"Graegwind may have been a horse," Gandalf began answering. "But he was also courageous, noble and strong. There's no shame in equally mourning any man or beast who possessed such qualities."
A misty-eyed Thor simply nodded in understanding. He then felt a strong hand of support on his shoulder from behind.
A grateful Thor simply said to the hand's owner, "Thank you, Hulk."
Thor's dispelling of Sauron's fume allowed the residents of Minas Tirith to see the stars for the first time in many nights. Recovery operations still continued within the bounds of the city by torchlight and moonlight.
Gimli was aiding these efforts by assessing the structural damage done to Minas Tirith. He noted the damage done to the Great Gate in particular. If the Free Peoples emerged victorious from this war, he would try to convince his kin to help rebuild the White City. If only so he could repay Aragorn and Boromir for all they'd done for the Fellowship.
Gandalf and Thor took a short break from the clearing of Pelennor Fields to check on Merry and Eowyn in the Houses of Healing. Merry would be fine as Gandalf promised Hulk. Eowyn's life though currently hanged in the balance. After finding the pair, Legolas asked if they could attend the other patient suffering from Black Breath. As the trio walked to the room where Faramir was, Thor need clarity from Gandalf about the matter.
"I'm still confused about the Witch-king's sorcery, Gandalf," Thor stated. "Merry and I also engaged him in close combat. Neither of us were affected like Eowyn or Faramir."
"The daggers that Lady Galadriel gave Merry and Pippin are of Noldor make, Thor," Gandalf answered.
"Noldor?" Thor asked.
"An Eldar clan whose origins date back to the First Age," Legolas explained in a reverent tone. "They are accounted the most skilled of all peoples in crafting."
"If such a dagger stabbed one of the Nine," Gandalf continued, "it would've absorbed much of the evil its wielder would be exposed to. As for yourself…"
The trio were by the door to Faramir's room when Gandalf finished answering.
"Well, you are the God of Thunder after all," Gandalf wryly advised Thor.
Legolas and Thor softly smiled at this before the former knocked on the door and opened it.
A small fireplace illuminated Faramir's room. The head of the bed that Faramir lay in rested against a wall. Even in the dim light, the signs of the Black Breath could be seen on Faramir. Faramir murmured in a restless sleep while a number of his veins were black in colour.
A worried Boromir sat in a chair close to his brother's right holding his hand. Aragorn and Rogers stood at the foot of the bed. Rogers and Thor firmly gripped arms having not spoken to each other for nearly two weeks. Their voices were hushed out of respect to the Sons of Denethor.
"It goes without saying I was glad seeing you in action today," Rogers greeted his fellow Avenger.
"I'm grateful you are also well, my friend," Thor graciously replied.
"Where's Bruce?" Rogers asked as a follow up. He hadn't caught up with his fellow American yet.
"Hulk continues assisting with clearing Pelennor Fields." Gandalf informed before asking what was most important, "How fares Faramir?"
"He's been badly affected by the Black Breath," Aragorn reported. "His will is strong. But it will claim him if it's not treated soon."
Boromir overheard this and he shot a desperate and helpless look in Aragorn's direction.
"Hmm," Gandalf quietly noted. Inwardly, the White Wizard was almost as upset as Boromir about Faramir's current state. "Thor and I just checked on the Lady Eowyn. She will suffer a similar fate even more quickly."
This was the first time that Rogers had heard that Eowyn was present at Minas Tirith. Such was his shock he couldn't help but raise his voice.
"What do you mean Eowyn's here?!" he asked appalled.
"I'll explain later," Thor contritely offered Captain America. "We should focus on saving our friends."
Rogers knew Thor was right. Putting aside personal feelings, he came up with what he thought to be the best course of action.
"Want me to check the Other Guy's willing to release Bruce?" Rogers asked Gandalf.
"Bruce cannot heal Faramir and Eowyn in this case, Steve," Gandalf told him. "I cannot heal them either."
The rest of the Fellowship reeled from what Gandalf had just said. Boromir thought that if Gandalf and Banner, arguably the Fellowship's most skilled healers, couldn't treat Faramir and Eowyn then who could? Gandalf himself answered this question. The White Wizard recited a line of ancient Gondorian lore with his eyes firmly fixed on Faramir.
"The hands of the king are the hands of a healer, and so shall the rightful king be known," Gandalf whispered.
With the exception of Gandalf and Faramir, every pair of eyes in the room shot in Aragorn's direction. The thought of his little brother succumbing to such cruel evil almost overwhelmed the Acting Steward.
"Please save him, Aragorn!" Boromir pleaded in relation to Faramir.
Aragorn recalled when Frodo had been wounded on Weathertop. He was able to stem the advance of the Morgul Blade's sorcery. Aragorn told Sam, Merry and Pippin at the time that Frodo's wound was beyond his skill to heal though. But Elrond wasn't present to save Faramir like he did with Frodo.
Elrond had taught Aragorn the healing arts from a young age. As far as the Lord of Rivendell was concerned, it was appropriate a ruler should possess such knowledge. How could a ruler heal the wounds of his realm when he didn't know how to heal a wound suffered by one of his subjects? Aragorn knew Gandalf was partially hinting at this and more besides.
Aragorn had emphatically proven he was Isildur's heir via the Oathbreakers. But if he was to be truly accepted as King of Gondor, he needed more than the deaths of Gondor's enemies. He also needed to show he could bring life to Gondor and its people.
"I need all your aid first," Aragorn told the group. "We must find a healing herb called 'athelas'. Otherwise known as 'kingsfoil'."
After advising what properties athelas contained, Aragorn privately reflected that Sam would've been a great help right now.
It was early morning the second day after the Battle of Pelennor Fields had ended.
Hulk transformed back into Banner the previous evening. After getting a few hours sleep, Banner caught up with Merry and Pippin over breakfast. The trio related to each other their experiences since separating. Banner promised Pippin that the Other Guy wouldn't forget to say "Hulk Smash!" next time in a fight. Banner was also glad that Merry seemed close to be making a full recovery from the Witch-king's sorcery.
The other member of the Riders Three that had been affected by Black Breath rested in a private room within the Houses of Healing. The early morning light that streamed through the sole window in the room caused Eowyn to stir. It was the second time she had regained consciousness since entering Minas Tirith. The first time was yesterday. She had woken to find herself lying on a litter still wearing her armour. She briefly saw the relieved faces of Eomer and Aragorn looking at her. Now Eowyn noticed she was resting in a comfortable bed wearing a simple, white cotton nightdress. She was also aware of a different person sitting on a chair to her right.
"Steve?" she murmured.
"Welcome back," Rogers gently replied.
"Water," Eowyn simply requested through parched lips.
Rogers poured her a cup from a pitcher that was on Eowyn's bedside table. He helped the Shield-maiden sit up so she could drink it.
After taking her fill, Eowyn asked, "What happened to me?"
"Your arm's still not fully healed," Rogers started. "Fortunately, you're free of the Black Breath. It took some doing. But we found the herbs Aragorn needed to cure you and Faramir."
Following Aragorn's request, the Fellowship was briefly thrown asunder when the Houses of Healing contained no athelas supplies. Boromir stopped Thor who wanted to turn the Houses of Healing upside down just to be sure.
A reward was offered instead for any citizen of Minas Tirith who could deliver a supply of athelas. The reward, which Boromir paid for out of his own pocket, was the equivalent of ten times the annual income earned by the average Gondorian. A widow and her young grandson claimed the reward by handing over half a dozen dry athelas leaves (Underling the Avengers' cross-world appeal, the boy asked his grandmother if she could buy him a shield like Captain America's with the money). Apparently a few of Minas Tirith's senior citizens kept athelas to treat headaches. Rogers privately mused the widow's athelas was the most expensive supply of aspirin he'd encountered.
"Eowyn, I'm so sorry about Theoden," Rogers continued sympathetically.
Eowyn gave a gentle nod in response. She'd exhausted herself of tears for her fallen uncle for now. There was another issue she wanted Rogers' reassurance on.
"Steve," she began. "Please don't blame Thor for my being here."
Eowyn was surprised with the smile that Rogers gave in response to this.
"Thor told Eomer and I what happened," Rogers began. "Your brother said the power to control your will is beyond even the God of Thunder!"
Eowyn gave a tiny smile before saying, "Part of me now thinks I shouldn't have disguised myself in the first place. That I should've returned to the Golden Hall as my uncle asked."
"A famous Earth author wrote that all warfare's based on deception," Rogers told her. "Your deception probably saved Thor's life and certainly helped defeat the Witch-king."
Rogers sensed that Eowyn wanted to rest again. He got up out of his chair and excused himself after kissing Eowyn's hand. Before leaving Eowyn for now, Rogers turned and spoke to her.
"Eowyn, words can't described how proud I am of you and what you did out there." Rogers started before advising her partly in jest, "But please don't do anything like this ever again."
"If I engage in any further deception," Eowyn replied. "I assure you it won't be on the battlefield."
Rogers exited Eowyn's room into a small outdoor courtyard. Much to his surprise and delight, another patient he was familiar with stood there.
"Faramir!" he gently called out. The pair shared a quick hug of relief before Rogers said, "I'm glad you're back on your feet again."
"Aragorn said I still need no less than ten days rest to fully recover." Faramir cautioned before asking Rogers in a whisper, "Is it true about Aragorn? About his heritage?"
It was obvious to Rogers what Faramir wanted to know about the Ranger.
"Well, when you woke up," Rogers started, "your first words were along the lines of 'What does the king command?' I'll let you judge the meaning of that."
Faramir smiled at this. It was true that he was still mourning his father's death. But Faramir's grief was lightened somewhat with the realisation that he'd been healed by no less than Isildur's Heir.
"I do not ask you to breach any confidences between my brother and yourself," Faramir prefaced. "But I thank you for all you've done for him. Including persuading him that Gondor should have a king once more."
Rogers remembered something the Ring-bearer told him once.
"To paraphrase something Gandalf once said to Frodo," Rogers replied "I was barely involved. All I did was give Boromir a nudge out the door." After sharing a knowing laugh with Faramir, Rogers excused himself. "I've got to see Eomer. I'll check up on you later."
After Rogers left him alone in the courtyard, Faramir noticed the pair's conversation hadn't gone unobserved. Eowyn was staring in his direction from her room window.
Faramir had never met Eowyn before and took a short breath at the sight of her. The Shield-maiden was indeed as fair as Boromir had described. Much to Faramir's delight, Eowyn returned his smile to her. For the first time in weeks, the foremost thought in Eowyn's mind was neither war nor Aragorn.
The hill that Minas Tirith was built on had a narrow shoulder that connected it with the White Mountains. The shoulder only rose to the fifth level and was crowned by the Hallows, a completely walled area that held the massive tombs of the Kings and the Stewards of Gondor. It was the Hallows where Theoden's body currently lay in state.
The only access to the Hallows was by the 'Silent Street'. The Silent Street was a walled pathway that wound down from an entrance in the sixth level known as the 'Closed Door'. The Silent Street was an appropriate name for the quiet procession that currently walked along that evening.
Denethor's body was borne on a funeral bier by six Tower Guards. His body was carried into one of the many grand mausoleums that made up the Hallows. The Steward had been clothed in his robes of office. His dead hands gripped the pommel of his sword that was placed downwards along his body.
Behind the bier, Boromir and Faramir led the other mourners at the funeral. The mourners included the surviving members of the Council of Gondor; other Gondorian nobles; Eomer and the Fellowship. Gandalf silently hoped that Denethor and Theoden had reconciled their differences in the Halls of Mandos. If only to mutually sympathise about their respective demises at the hands of the Witch-king.
Denethor's body was placed in a marble sarcophagus close to his father's. Before the lid was placed on Denethor's sarcophagus, Boromir turned to speak to his fellow mourners.
"Funerary tradition in Gondor dictates I should tell of all my father's deeds throughout his life," Boromir began. "But if he could speak, my father would not want me to do this. He'd argue we're presently wasting time when we should be concentrating on defeating Mordor."
There were a few sad laughs that recognised the truth contained in Boromir's remark.
"Much could be said about my father's legacy," Boromir continued. "But I think he'd want to be remembered by how he lived his final moments. He bravely met his end as a great warrior defending the city, the people and the family he loved more than his own life. May we all be prepared to follow his example in the days that lie ahead of us."
Boromir noted that a number of mourners, including Faramir and Pippin, had tears spilling down their faces. He knew he would be shortly joining them. Boromir then turned to Denethor's sarcophagus that was directly behind him. Before ordering the sarcophagus to be sealed, Boromir directly spoke to his father for the last time. All the mourners heard the Acting Steward's dignified words.
"Be at peace, Son of Gondor."
I thought Aragorn's final respects to Boromir in canon would be appropriate for the latter to use for Denethor.
As I'm a member of the RSPCA my thoughts on the global ivory trade should be fairly obvious.
Archaeologists have found horse remains at a number of Viking funeral sites. There have been many theories why the Vikings did this. I share the view put by some the Vikings were partly reflecting a common human view about death. If the afterlife exists, it would somehow be diminished if our favourite animals and pets weren't part of it.