abnormal tragedy

Chapter 46: attack

At dawn, Éowyn is approached by her uncle.  "I have left instructions. The people are to follow your rule in my stead." Théoden started. "Take up my seat in the Golden Hall. Long may you defend Edoras if the battle goes ill." Éowyn questioned, "What other duty would you have me do, my lord?" Théoden looked at his niece confused,  "Duty? No. I would have you smile again. Not grieve for those whose time has come. You shall live to see these days renewed. No more despair."

Morning falls on Dunharrow. The Rohirrim prepared to depart.  "We must ride light and swift. It's a long road ahead. The men and beast must reach the end with a strength to fight." Théoden ordered. Théoden looked down on Merry and his pony. "Little hobbits do not belong in war, Master Meriadoc."

"All my friends have gone to battle. I will be ashamed to be left behind!" Merry persisted and Rowan looked at the King. "You promised him, you allowed his service." She pointed at Merry.  "It is a three day gallop to Minas Tirith and none of my riders can bear you as a burden." The King replied. "I want to fight!" Merry declared as he rode his pony nearer to Rowan and the King. "I will say no more." Rowan sighed and she looked around making eye contact with Éomer who shook his head. Théoden rode away, leaving a disappointed Merry to stand and watch riders stream past him. One of the riders snatches Merry up onto his horse. The rider is Éowyn, disguised as a male Rohirrim.  "Ride with me." She ordered. Rowan smiled and sped of next to Éowyn as soon as she found out it was her friend.

"My lady!" Merry smiled.  "Form up! Move out!" Éomer shouted as he patrolled the troops. "Ride! Ride now for Gondor!" King Théoden shouted and a column of riders flowed out of the encampment.

Meanwhile a  large army of orcs walks towards Minas Tirith. Trolls beat drums as the orcs march, pushing large siege towers. As the orc army nears Minas Tirith, a horse drags a wounded Faramir to its gates. "Open the gates! Quick!" A soldier shouted and as the horse walked through the open gates. Faramir's foot is caught in the stirrup. Arrows protrude from his armour.

Gothmog rides a snarling warg though the orc army towards the front. Faramir is taken, on a litter, to the citadel's courtyard.  "Quick! Hurry!" Irolas shouted. Gothmog dismounts and stumbles, but shoves off help from another orc. Denethor runs out to Faramir. The soldiers set down the litter near the white tree. "Faramir? Say not that he has fallen." Denethor whispered hurriedly.  "They were outnumbered. None survived." Irolas answered. Orcs approach the city. Gothmog sniffs contemptuously. "Fear. The city is rank with it." He sneered. "Let us ease their pain. Release the prisoners!"

An orc lieutenant with a skull impaled on top of his helmet relays the order. "Catapults! Ha!" Skully laughed. The orc catapults throw debris over the walls. "Shields up!" A Soldier yelled to his fellow soldiers. The soldiers duck behind their shields as the heads of their fellow soldiers fall.  "My sons are spent." Denethor cried. Denethor steps away from Faramir. Pippin approaches.  "My line has ended." He continued to cry. "He's alive!" Pippin protested as he looked at Faramir. "The house of Stewards has failed." Denethor cried louder over Pippin. "He needs medicine my lord!"

"My line has ended!" Denethor mewled. He wandered to the edge of the courtyard. He looked down to see the orc army.  "My lord!" Pippin screeched. "Rohan has deserted us." Denethor whimpered to himself. Orc catapults fling boulders at the city. People cry and run. "Théoden has betrayed me." More boulders fall.

 "Abandon your posts! Flee! Flee for you lives!" Gandalf smacked Denethor with his staff, knocking him out.  "Prepare for battle." Gandalf commanded. Gandalf rode down to rally the soldiers. "Pull them in! To the wall! Defend the wall! Return to your posts!" He directed as the soldiers returned to their posts. Gandalf looked out at the opposing army.  "Send these foul beasts into the abyss!" He ordered. Soldiers use trebuchets to launch large rocks at the orc army. The masonry squashes some of the orcs. The orcs around Gothmog shift fearfully.  "Stay where you are." Gothmog adjured to the Orcs.  The catapults and trebuchets fire at each other.

"Watch out!"

 "Down to the lower level. Quick!"

Pippin runs down into the city with his fellow guardsmen.  A large rock arcs out from the city towards Gothmog. Nearby orcs scramble out of the way. Gothmog sidesteps the boulder as it falls. Lucky to not get squashed. A troll looked on with a confused stare. Gothmog spat on the boulder. A Nazgûl shrieked and flew in over the city and began to tear down the trebuchets. "Hold them back. Do not give in to fear! Stay at your posts!" Gandalf commanded. Trolls pushed the siege towers to the walls of Minas Tirith. Pipplin lost his helmet. "Don't aim for the towers. Aim for the trolls. Kill the trolls! Fight them back!" Gandalf shouted.

Battering rams assault the main gates. Pippin arrives at the walls, looking dazed. Gandalf saw him.  "Peregrin Took! Go back to the citadel! Now!" Gandalf shouted. "They called us out to fight." Pippin shouted back subdued. Orcs pour out of one of the siege towers. Gandalf fights them off. "This is no place for a hobbit!" An orc moves to strike Gandalf. Pippin stabs the orc, killing it. Pippin stares at his bloodstained sword. "Guard of the Citadel indeed! Now back up the hill! Quick! Quick!" Gandalf shouted. Orcs made several failed attempts to batter down the city gates. Gondorians quickly rain arrows down on them.  "What are you doing, you useless scum?" Gothmog sneered at the Orc Captain. "The door won't give. It's too strong." The Captain replied. "Get back there and smash it down." Gothmog ordered, "But nothing can breach it." The Captain replied as more Orcs fell at the gate.

"Grond will breach it." Gothmog laughed.  "Bring up the wolf's head." Orcs chanted as a great battering ram was pulled and pushed towards the city gates.  "Grond! Grond! Grond! Grond! Grond! Grond!" They chanted.