abnormal tragedy

Chapter 49: tend

Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli fight alongside the ghosts against the orcs. Killing any Orcs or Haradrim that they came into contact with.  "Fifteen, sixteen." Legolas shouted.  "Seventeen." He counted again as he decapitated another orc. "Twenty-nine." Gimli grumbled. Aragorn looked around the battle field for his sister, she couldn't be dead. As Aragorn's party fight towards the city, a wounded Rowan crawls away from a snarling Gothmog.

 "Merry!" Rowan shouted as she looked around for him, still holding onto her back were she was hit. Aragorn and Gimli approached Rowan. Gothmog raised his mace to strike her and she felt tears shower down her face. Rowan  reached for a sword, but it sliped from her grasp. This was it, she thought to herself. Just before Gothmog strikes, Gimli and Aragorn cut him down. "Legolas!" Aragorn shouted and Legolas turned to see a Mûmakil running towards him. He leapt on it, and climbed towards the the top, shooting off enemies as he went.  "Thirty-three, thirty-four." He shouted in hope of a certain Dwarf hearing. Legolas cut the saddle rope. The platform slides off the Mûmakil. He walked to the head of the creature and shot into its skull.

As the slain beast falls, Legolas gracefully slid off its trunk. He landed softly on the ground, with a smirk, right in front of Gimli.  "It still only counts as one!" Gimli grumbled. The dead army began to swarm through and up the city, destroying the orcs. Rowan was still on the floor unable to move due to the extreme pain in her back. Elsewhere on the battlefield, Théoden laid under his dead horse. Blood flowed from his mouth as Éowyn crawled to his side. Théoden touched her cheek gently. "I know your face. Éowyn. My eyes darken." He drawled out.  "No. No, I am going to save you." Éowyn protested. "You already did. Éowyn, my body is broken. You have to let me go. I go to my fathers in whose mighty company I shall not now feel ashamed." Éowyn cried.  "Éowyn." Théoden died in Éowyn's arms.

All is quiet.

The King of the Dead stood before Aragorn.  "Release us." King of the Dead demanded.  "Bad idea." Gimli muttered.   "Very handy in a tight spot, these lads, despite the fact they're dead." The King of the Dead turned back to face Aragorn, "You gave us your word!" Aragorn looked into the other King's eye.  "I hold your oath fulfilled. Go, be at peace." The dead army dissipates into the wind and Gandalf bowed to the new king. Not too soon after survivors survey the scene of the battle and tend to the wounded. Pippin finds an Elvish cloak and brooch. "Merry." He whispered to himself.

Éomer spots his wounded sister and ran towards her.  "No!" He screamed which could make any grown man cry at the sound. Aragorn saw the two. "No!" Éomer screamed again which reminded Aragorn that his own sister was somewhere on the Battle field alone. Aragorn then ran off in search of Rowan, closely followed by Gimli and then Legolas. Aragorn too then screamed. Rowan was laying in pools of her own blood, the blood coming from her back. Her eyes looked like they could close at any moment as Aragorn held them open. "I-I'm so soorrryyy.." Rowan slurred as her gaze grew foggy. "I'm not leaving you here.." Aragorn cried and Rowan slowly brought her hand to her brothers cheek. "My time has come.." She whispered as she then looked up at Legolas, guilt in her eyes, before she turned her gaze back to her brother. He continued to cry which set of both Gimli, who continuously claimed that he had never cried, and Legolas. 

"Don't close your eyes.." Aragorn whispered as he sat his sister upwards so her head was resting on his chest. Legolas brushed a straight of hair out of her face before Gimli spoke up. "We need to get her to the castle, she needs to get treated as soon as possible. Aragorn nodded and lifted Rowan up despite her comments of leaving her there. On the way Rowan closed her eyes.

Later at night, Rowan was treated at the Houses of Healing along with her best friend. Éowyn was put in a bed on the other side of the room, nearest to the door where Éomer looked on with worried glances as a healer treated the wound from the Witch-King's touch. Éowyn awoke suddenly and a  melody played as Éowyn regained her strength. 

"With a sigh you turn away
With a deepening heart
No more words to say
You will find that the world has changed
Forever."

Éowyn rose from her bed. She saw Faramir, also wounded but healing, who smiled at her.

The song continued:

"And the trees are now
Turning from green to gold
And the sun is now fading
I wish I could hold you
Closer."

In the night, at the side of a dead Mûmakil, Pippin finds an injured Merry. "Merry! Merry, it's me. It's Pippin." Pippin cried as he shaked the body of his friend. "I knew you'd find me." Merry whispered back.  "Yes." Pippin smiled. "Are you going to leave me?" Merry asked,  "No, Merry. I'm going to look after you." Pippin grabbed a cloak and covered Merry with it.