Nepenthe [Legolas]

28

Theoden answered Gondor's call for aid.

He had done so in a deliberate manner, his tone not once wavering as he raised it and called for the Rohirrim. He held his head up high as he moved with a grace and presence fit only for a king.

Viridis, at first did not know what do make of it.

During one of the nights that Gandalf had been away, the king must have had a change of heart; thought of something that set his mind.

Viridis wished to know what it was, what thought he had running through his mind that stripped him of any qualms. He suspected it was a brave thought of hefty weight, hard to harbor, and even harder to utilize. But Theoden had done so and confidently took up the front of the path as he guided his soldiers and all able-bodied men to the encampment sight at Dunharrow.

Theoden's men announced his presence as they arrived in the late afternoon."Make way for the king! Make way, the king is here!"

The sun was still light in the sky and it would be another few hours before nightfall. All around, men in armor loitered around, resting and preparing their weapons and horses. There were many of them, a true army for a war, but their numbers were nowhere near enough. They would need more if they wished to win this battle— if they wished to walk away from it with their heads rightly on their shoulders and their hearts less heavy than they were when entering.

"Grinbold, how many?" Theoden asked as they passed through the camp. He spoke to the leaders he had designated to go out to the distant lands to recruit help.

"I bring 500 men from the Westfold, my lord." The first response came, another following closely in its wake.

"We have 300 more from Fenmarch, Theoden King."

"Where are the riders from Snowbourn?" Theoden asked, eyes searching.

"None have come, my lord." Gamling, one of Theoden's men replied.

The king merely nodded, lips tightly pressed together.

He remained stoic in the face, held his head up high upon his shoulders. He relayed no feelings of contempt or fear, commendable given their situation. Viridis watched him closely as their train of men disbanded to get set up for the night, tents rising and food stations being set up.

He cast off his horse as he guided it to the side, hopping down without so much as a sound. Legolas, Gimli, and Aragorn joined him then.

They had left Merry behind at Rohan. The call had been made by Theoden himself and though Viridis and Merry had argued firmly against it, there was no changing his mind.

The Hobbit were to remain within the safe realms of Rohan. He would not fight nor put his life at risk.

In other words, so that he would not be a burden.

Viridis had not seen him since the conversation and long since suspected with a resounding assurance that Merry had managed to find a way to sneak into the ranks of the Rohirrim and had ridden with them to Dunharrow without their knowledge. If he had managed to entice Treebeard and the Ents to matcha against Isengard, he would not let himself sit back while everyone else fought.

"Six thousand spears. Less than half of what I'd hoped for." Theoden said as he approached Aragorn and Viridis when Legolas and Gimli left to gather supplies.

Theoden had grown fond of Viridis since the battle at Helm's Deep, had grown his respect for him despite being all but lectured by the Elf earlier on in battle.

Viridis had wondered on many a night if he had been too harsh, too quick to lash out and call the king out for his failures. He had never held much respect for kings until they gave him reason to. He respected Theoden now, a great deal he would readily admit. He was just glad that Theoden respected him back enough to hold him in council with Aragorn.