Before we get into the chapter, I'm going to give an important notice. While this was originally only going to be a standalone story, I've decided, after a lot of thought on the subject, to turn it into the first in a series. The second story in the series, 'The Doctor: War of The Force' has already been written and completed, you can find it on my profile if you wish to read it.
TW: Thank you.
Wormtongue was tossed from the Golden Hall, falling down the steps before landing on his back painfully. He howled in pain as Théoden strode down the steps, enraged. As Wormtongue saw the sword in Théoden's hand, he began backing up fearfully.
"I've only...ever served you, my lord," Wormtongue pleaded.
"Your leechcraft would have had me crawling on all fours like a beast!" Théoden snarled as he towered over him.
"Send me not from your side!" Wormtongue pleaded but his pleas fell on deaf ears.
Théoden raised his sword to deliver the killing blow before, to his shock, an arm reached out, grabbing his forearm and preventing him from doing so. It was The Doctor.
"Do not sully yourself for him. You are better than this," The Doctor said gently.
Théoden looked into The Doctor's eyes for a few moments before, with a nod, lowering his sword.
"As for you," The Doctor said, his eyes darkening as they turned towards Wormtongue. "Do not confuse my unwillingness to harm you for an inability to. I want you to run back to your master and deliver a message: his reign of cruelty and evil ends now. Sauron will not rule this world. And soon, he will fail and join his master in exile and ruin."
With a sneer, Wormtongue spat, his spit landing in The Doctor's cheek before he turned and ran. No one made a move to stop him as he burst through the crowd that had gathered, grabbing a horse and riding towards the gates. The Doctor, with a look of disgust, wiped the spit off his cheek as they all watched him go for a moment.
"Hail, Théoden King!"
The crowd all bowed to Théoden and The Doctor, Aragorn, Rory, River, Boromir, Gandalf, Eowyn, Legolas, Gimli and Gandalf all followed suit. Théoden looked around and noticed something missing for the first time. Or rather, someone.
"Where is Theodred? Where is my son?"
A few hours later, a funeral was held for Prince Theodred, who had died from the attack that Eomer had mentioned to the Fellowship. Théoden wore an emotionless mask as he watched his son's body be marched towards the funerary mound. The Doctor, Aragorn, Rory, River, Gandalf, Boromir, Legolas and Gimli were right behind him.
It felt like all of Rohan was here. Some people were openly weeping. Theodred had clearly been beloved by the people.
As Theodred's body was put inside the mound, Eowyn began a grief filled lament. Some of the people joined in as the body was placed inside.
Later, after the funeral, Théoden stood, staring at Theodred's grave before dropping white flowers on it.
"Simbelmyn."
Gandalf and The Doctor, who had stayed while the others had returned to Edoras, stood close as Théoden spoke.
"Ever has it grown on the tombs of my forebearers. Now it shall cover the grave of my son. Alas that these evil days should be mine. The young perish and the old linger. That I should live...to see the last days of my house," Théoden lamented.
The Doctor remained silent, feeling Théoden's pain all too well. He still felt the losses of Jenny and his children on Gallifrey as keenly as the day he had lost them.
"Theodred's death was not of your making," Gandalf said kindly.
"No parent should have to bury their child," Théoden said, his grief plain as he began to sob bitterly.
"No, they should not," The Doctor said softly as Théoden sobbed. "I'm sorry, I'm sure your son was an honorable and noble man. But your people are still here, and they need you."
"I fear you may be more right than you know, my dear Doctor," Gandalf said, looking off into the distance.
The Doctor followed his gaze, seeing a horse being ridden by two children, a boy and a girl. The Doctor became alarmed when the boy fell from the horse.
Not long after, Rory and River were sitting in the Golden Hall with the rest of the Fellowship, in silence with the rest of them.
"Rory, are you all right?" River asked as she looked over, seeing her father deep in thought.
"Yeah, just…couldn't imagine a child like that. I saw it all the time, as a nurse, guarding the Pandorica…but it never gets easier," Rory said with a sigh. "Could never imagine losing my child that way."
River kept her face blank, knowing her father had no way of knowing how deeply his words had wounded her. Before she could think of a response, the doors to the hall burst open. The Fellowship moved their gaze towards the doors, stunned to see The Doctor and Gandalf enter the room, The Doctor holding a boy in his arms while Gandalf held the hand of the girl.
Later, the boy, Eothain, and the girl Freda were eating a hot bowl of soup the cooks had prepared after telling their story.
"They had no warning. They were unarmed," Eowyn, who had been the only ones the children would talk to, stood up to address her uncle, who now sat at his throne, Gandalf by his side. "Now the Wild Men are moving through the Westfold, burning as they go. Rick, cot and tree."
"They would. They're as bad as the Daleks," The Doctor said darkly from where he sat next to the rest of the Fellowship, remembering many such incidents.
"Where is Mama?" Freda asked.
Eowyn placed a blanket on her shoulders, shushing her as Rory stood up, walking over to her.
"I'm sure your mother is very proud of you," Rory said gently, placing a hand on Freda's shoulder.
"This is but a taste of the terror that Saruman will unleash. All the more potent for he is driven now by fear of Sauron," Gandalf warned Théoden. "Ride out and meet him head on. Draw him away from your women and children. You must fight!"
"You have 2000 good men riding north as we speak. Eomer is loyal to you. His men will return and fight for their king," Aragorn added.
"They will be 300 leagues from here by now," Théoden said as he got to his feet, walking from his throne. "Eomer cannot help us. I know what it is you want from me. But I will not bring further death to my people. I will not risk open war."
"War is already upon you. If Sauron is anything like the Daleks – and I'm beginning to think he's even worse - he will not stop until he controls Rohan," The Doctor said, reaching over and taking Gimli's drink from him. "That's enough."
"The Doctor is right. Open war is upon you, whether you wish it or not," Aragorn spelled it out for Théoden.
"When last I looked, Théoden, not Aragorn was king of Rohan," Théoden said gruffly.
Looking down at his finger, The Doctor saw the ring he had received from Galadriel was still there. He had ever believed in magic, but what could it hurt?
The Doctor pointed his fist towards Théoden and felt…nothing. Nothing seemed to happen, to his annoyance.
"Then what is the King's decision?" Gandalf asked as he walked over to Théoden.
"We make for Helm's Deep," Théoden said after a few moments of thought.
The next morning, as the guards announced Théoden's plans to the people, Gandalf led the Fellowship to the stables.
"Helm's Deep. They flee to the mountains when they should stand and fight! Who will defend them if not their King?" Gimli grumbled.
"What exactly is Helm's Deep?" River inquired.
"It's the great fortress of Rohan. Built into the side of a mountain, its deepening wall has said to never have been breached by an enemy so long as men defend it," Gandalf explained.
"This is suicide. We can't stay up there for long," Rory said, horrified at Théoden's foolhardy plan.
"Théoden is only doing what he thinks is best for his people. And as Gandalf said, it has never been breached," Boromir defended Théoden.
"He has taken leave of his senses rather than accept the truth. You know it Boromir," The Doctor said matter of fact and Boromir grimaced, not able to deny it.
"There is no way out of that ravine. Théoden is walking into a trap," Gandalf agreed. "He thinks he's leading them to safety. What they will get is a massacre."
At this point, they had reached Shadowfax. Gandalf stopped, turning to Aragorn.
"Théoden has a strong will, but I fear for him. I fear for the survival of Rohan," Gandalf paused before looking between Aragorn and The Doctor. "He will need the two of before the end, Aragorn, Doctor. The people of Rohan will need the pair of you. The defenses have to hold."
"They will hold," Aragorn said after a beat and Gandalf nodded before turning to The Doctor.
"Doctor, it did not work because you do not believe," Gandalf said and The Doctor was taken aback. "You refuse to accept that there are things about this world that you do not understand. Until you do, the ring will not work for you."
The Doctor said nothing, not knowing what to say before Gandalf got on Shadowfax.
"The Grey Pilgrim. That's what they used to call me. Three hundred lives of Men I've walked this earth, and now I have no time," Gandalf noted. "With luck, my search will not be in vain. Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the East."
"We'll see you then," Rory promised and Gandalf nodded as Aragorn opened the gates.
"Go," Aragorn said and Gandalf nodded before ridding off.
Later, Aragorn and The Doctor were walking out of the stables, gathering supplies when they noticed some guards trying to control an out of control horse.
"That horse is half mad. There's nothing you can do. Leave him," a guard said.
Ignoring this, The Doctor walked up to the horse, who stared at him as the guards backed up fearfully. The Doctor and horse stared at each before The Doctor smiled. To the disbelief as the guards, Eowyn and even Aragorn, The Doctor placed a hand on the horse's head, removing the ropes as he did so.
"You're sad, aren't you? You miss your rider. That's all right. There are friends I've had to say goodbye to that I miss as well," The Doctor noted as the horse snorted at him. "But we all have to keep going."
"His name is Brego. He was my cousin's horse," Eowyn said as she approached.
"Brego. A fine name. I think I'd like to ride him during the journey, if that is all right," The Doctor said with a smile and Eowyn nodded.
"I think my uncle would like that, to know a part of his son is still here," Eowyn said, looking at The Doctor oddly. "Did you use magic on him?"
"No, not magic. Animals are as wise as we are, sometimes wiser. You just have to know how to talk to them," The Doctor said with a smile.
Later, Eowyn was packing some items when she found a sword. Picking it up, she examined it before smiling. Running her hand down the side, Eowyn began swinging it around when a voice spoke up behind her.
"Impressive, especially for a woman in a society such as this," Eowyn turned around to see Rory watching with a keen eye.
"Women of this country learned long ago: Those without swords can still die upon them. I fear neither death nor pain," Eowyn explained.
"What do you fear?" Rory inquired and she looked at him with a haunted look.
"A cage. To stay behind bars until use and old age accept them. And all chance of valor has gone beyond recall or desire," Eowyn said and a strange look crossed Rory's face. "Is something wrong, my lord?"
"No, you just…reminded me of someone," Rory said with a tight smile. "She thought no one really saw her, or saw something else when they saw her. So she made them see her as she wanted them to see her."
"You loved her," Eowyn realized and Rory nodded.
"With everything I am."
"I'm sorry for your loss. What happened to her?" Eowyn asked kindly.
"She's not dead; she's just…lost to me for the moment. Somewhere beyond my reach. But I have to believe that, when this is over, I will see her again," Rory said and a beat passed. "Where I am from, woman can be queens, soldiers, teachers, leaders, just about anything. Don't give up so easily."
Rory then bowed, walking off as Eowyn frowned, considering his words.
Later that day, the ride to Helm's Deep began. Théoden looked back at his people, assembled and ready to follow him, to salvation or death. Even the two children who had arrived scarcely a day ago. Théoden banished all doubts from his face and mind before leading his people on towards Helm's Deep.
More or less a filler chapter, but I hope you all enjoyed it anyway.