The Lord of the Rings 2 - The Two Towers

"Much," said Gandalf. "But first send for Eomer. Do I not guess rightly that you hold him prisoner, by the counsel of Grima, of him that all save you name the Wormtongue?"

"It is true," said Theoden. "He had rebelled against my commands, and threatened death to Grima in my hall."

"A man may love you and yet not love Wormtongue or his counsels' said Gandalf.

"That may be. I will do as you ask. Call Hama to me. Since he proved untrusty as a doorward, let him become an errand-ru

When Hama had been summoned and had gone, Gandalf led Theoden to a stone seat, and then sat himself before the king upon the topmost stair. Aragorn and his companions stood nearby.

"There is no time to tell all that you should hear," said Gandalf. "Yet if my hope is not cheated, a time will come ere long when I can speak more fully. Behold! you are come into a peril greater even than the wit of Wormtongue could weave into your dreams. But see! you dream no longer. You live. Gondor and Rohan do not stand alone. The enemy is strong beyond our reckoning, yet we have a hope at which he has not guessed."

Quickly now Gandalf spoke. His voice was low and secret, and none save the king heard what he said. But ever as he spoke the light shone brighter in Theoden's eye, and at the last he rose from his seat to his full height, and Gandalf beside him, and together they looked out from the high place towards the East.

"Verily," said Gandalf, now in a loud voice, keen and clear,"that way lies our hope, where sits our greatest fear. Doom hangs still on a thread. Yet hope there is still, if we can but stand unconquered for a little while."

The others too now turned their eyes eastward. Over the sundering leagues of land, far away they gazed to the edge of sight, and hope and fear bore their thoughts still on, beyond dark mountains to the Land of Shadow. Where now was the Ring-bearer? How thin indeed was the thread upon which doom still hung! It seemed to Legolas, as he strained his farseeing eyes, that he caught a glint of white: far away perchance the sun twinkled on a pi

Slowly Theoden sat down again, as if weariness still struggled to master him against the will of Gandalf. He turned and looked at his great house. "Alas!" he said,"that these evil days should be mine, and should come in my old age instead of that peace which I have earned. Alas for Boromir the brave! The young perish and the old linger, withering." He clutched his knees with his wrinkled hands.

"Your fingers would remember their old strength better, if they grasped a sword-hilt," said Gandalf.

Theoden rose and put his hand to his side; but no sword hung at his belt. "Where has Grima stowed it?" he muttered under his breath.

"Take this, dear lord!" said a clear voice. "It was ever at your service." Two men had come softly up the stair and stood now a few steps from the top. Eomer was there. No helm was on his head, no mail was on his breast, but in his hand he held a drawn sword; and as he knelt he offered the hilt to his master.

"How comes this?" said Theoden sternly. He turned towards Eomer and the men looked in wonder at him, standing now proud and erect. Where was the old man whom they had left crouching in his chair or leaning on his stick?

"It is my doing, lord," said Hama, trembling. I understood that Eomer was to be set free. Such joy was in my heart that maybe I have erred. Yet, since he was free again, and he a Marshal of the Mark,! brought him his sword as he bade me."

"To lay at your feet, my lord," said Eomer.

For a moment of silence Theoden stood looking down at Eomer as he knelt still before him. Neither moved.

"Will you not take the sword?" said Gandalf.

Slowly Theoden stretched forth his hand. As his fingers took the hilt, it seemed to the watchers that firmness and strength returned to his thin arm. Suddenly he lifted the blade and swung it shimmering and whistling in the air. Then he gave a great cry. His voice rang clear as he chanted in the tongue of Rohan a call to arms.

Arise now, arise, Riders of Theoden!

Dire deeds awake, dark is it eastward.

Let horse be bridled, horn be sounded!

Forth Eorlingas!

The guards, thinking that they were summoned, sprang up the stair. They looked at their lord in amazement, and then as one man they drew their swords and laid them at his feet. "Command us!" they said.

'Westu Theoden hal!' cried Eomer. "It is a joy to us to see you return into your own. Never again shall it be said, Gandalf, that you come only with grief!"

"Take back your sword, Eomer, sister-son!" said the king. "Go, Hama, and seek my own sword! Grima has it in his keeping. Bring him to me also. Now, Gandalf, you said that you had counsel to give, if I would hear it. What is your counsel?"

"You have yourself already taken it," answered Gandalf. "To put your trust in Eomer, rather than in a man of crooked mind. To cast aside regret and fear. To do the deed at hand. Every man that can ride should be sent west at once, as Eomer counselled you: we must first destroy the threat of Saruman, while we have time. If we fail, we fall. If we succeed - then we will face the next task. Meanwhile your people that are left, the women and the children and the old, should stay to the refuges that you have in the mountains. Were they not prepared against just such an evil day as this? Let them take provision, but delay not, nor burden themselves with treasures, great or small. It is their lives that are at stake."

"This counsel seems good to me now," said Theoden. "Let all my folk get ready! But you my guests-truly you said, Gandalf, that the courtesy of my hall is lessened. You have ridden through the night, and the morning wears away. You have had neither sleep nor food. A guest-house shall be made ready: there you shall sleep, when you have eaten."

"Nay, lord," said Aragorn. "There is no rest yet for the weary. The men of Rohan must ride forth today, and we will ride with them, axe, sword, and bow. We did not bring them to rest against your wall, Lord of the Mark. And I promised Eomer that my sword and his should be drawn together."

"Now indeed there is hope of victory!" said Eomer.

"Hope, yes," said Gandalf. "But Isengard is strong. And other perils draw ever nearer. Do not delay, Theoden, when we are gone. Lead your people swiftly to the Hold of Dunharrow in the hills!"

"Nay, Gandalf!" said the king. "You do not know your own skill in healing. It shall not be so. I myself will go to war, to fall in the front of the battle, if it must be. Thus shall I sleep better."