Hope ↠ LOTR

V. Aid

Athena was sat beside Aragorn, perched outside one of the houses in Edoras with a bowl of stew in both of their hands. The bowls were now empty and cold and they had lost count of how long they'd been sitting there and conversing with one another about all that was to come and all that had already happened.

"Gandalf believes that they are alive, and so do I," Aragorn continued their conversation which was currently on the topic of Frodo and Sam.

"Then I will believe the same," she responded, mindlessly twirling her spoon around in the emptied bowl.

"Merry told us all what happened last night."

"Of course he did," she sighed out, her spoon halting its movement while she looked over at Aragorn who was still staring out into the distance.

"Do you wish to talk about it?" He asked her, not wanting to pry and cause her to feel uncomfortable.

"There is nothing to talk about. You already know that it cannot be. It is a trivial matter anyway and I find myself feeling foolish for dwelling on such things in the middle of a raging war," she bitterly responded, turning her gaze outwards to look out at the landscapes of Rohan.

"I disagree. In fact I find it is one of the most important things to dwell on during these trying times. Love is what keeps us fighting," he opposed her thoughts.

Athena noticed how his hand absentmindedly moved upwards to gently graze against the glowing Evenstar that hung around his neck at his last words. She was about to respond to him and check in on his own mental state but something else had caught her attention and caused her to abruptly stand up.

"Aragorn."

He looked up at her with confusion before his eyes trailed over to what she was seeing, his own widening at what he saw before he stood up just as quickly as she had done. In the distance was a glowing fire, roaring upwards with the wind. It was the beacon of Amon Anwar and it was blazing with light. Gondor was calling for Rohan.

Without another word the two of them took off running, forcing their legs to go as fast as they possibly could do as they ran through the city of Edoras and up the hill towards the Golden Hall. When they reached it they burst open the doors and ignored the startled gaze of everybody within, trying not to trip over their own feet in their haste to reach the king.

"The beacons of Minas Tirith are lit! The beacons are lit! Gondor calls for aid!" Aragorn cried out, stopping in front of King Théoden who appeared to have previously been busy consulting his advisors about something of importance.

Athena stood beside Aragorn, their eyes wide and desperate to hear his answer. They were both breathless from how fast that they had run there and the trepidation that coursed through them while they awaited his decision. A deathly silence overcame the Golden Hall, everybody staring at their king while he milled over the information that had been relayed to him before he spoke.

"And Rohan will answer. Muster the Rohirrim!"

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The armies were preparing to go to Dunharrow, the Rohirrim mounting their trusted horses with the king ordering them on where to go and what they should be doing. On the third day they were to ride for war in Gondor from their position at Dunharrow and aid Gondor in fighting back the armies of Mordor that threatened to take Minas Tirith away from Men.

"Horsemen! I wish I could muster a legion of Dwarves, fully armed and filthy!" Gimli voiced out, behind Legolas and riding atop Arod.

"Your kinsmen may have no need to ride to war. I fear war already marches on their own lands," Legolas responded.