The Captain of Gondor (A LoTR/Aragorn fan-fiction)

Chapter 12-The Exodus from Edoras (Edited)

Bealocwealm hafad fréone frecan forth onsended (An evil death has set forth the noble warrior)

Giedd sculon singan gléomenn sorgiende on Meduselde (A song shall sing the sorrowing minstrels in Meduseld)

Pat heo mano arer his pruc ne d'ores (That noble cousin who always held me dear)

On meagorinc deorcas, belt (Now is held in darkness, enclosed)

The chanting rung clear through the air as Eowyn, and many others, mourned the death of Theodred. It was a dark time and the chill wind stung the tears that fell to the ground. The body of Theodred was laid to rest and the entrance of the tomb was sealed shut, never to see the light again.

~~~~~

Aragorn found Salandiel standing high on a wall, overlooking the plains. In the distance they could see the figures of Gandalf and King Theoden standing by the tomb. With thoughts of war and death so heavy on their minds, a silence fell on Salandiel and Aragorn as they watched on.

After a while Salandiel broke the silence.

"Why did you let him go?"

Aragorn frowned.

Salandiel continued, explaining further. 

"Why did you let Grima go?" she asked, "Surely he deserved to die?"

"No one deserves to die, Salandiel," replied Aragorn, "He was merely a pawn in a much larger plan."

Aragorn turned to face Salandiel and spoke quietly. 

"Also, your duty as a soldier, as well as my duty, is to protect all the free folk of Middle-Earth and to fight evil, not to play judge and decide who deserves life and who deserves death."

Salandiel turned to face Aragorn with a strange look in her eyes, as if she were seeing him for the first time. Everyday that she spent in the presence of Aragorn, the more she began to understand who he was as a person.

Salandiel opened her mouth to speak but her attention was drawn away by an unusual figure in the distance.

"What is that?" she wondered aloud. 

They both turned their heads to see the figure in the distance. As the figure drew closer, Aragorn and Salandiel could make out two young children on horseback riding towards them, but just as they reached the top of the hill the older child fell off the horse, exhausted and wounded.

"Call the healers," ordered Aragorn.

~~~~~

"They had no warning. They were unarmed," said Eowyn, "Now the wild men are moving through the Westfold, burning as they go. Rick, cot and tree."

Aragorn, Salandiel, Gimli, Legolas, Gandalf, Eowyn and King Theoden were all gathered inside the Golden Hall. Eowyn attended to the young children whilst the others spoke of what their next decision would be.

"This is but a taste of the terror that Saruman will unleash," said Gandalf, who was now sitting on the right hand side of the king's throne, "All the more potent he is, driven now by fear of Sauron. Ride out and meet him head on. Draw him away from your home and children. You must fight!"

Aragorn was sitting by a table, smoking a pipe, surveying this whole scene."

You have two thousand good men riding north as we speak," spoke up Aragorn, "Eomer is loyal to you. He will return and fight for his king."