The Daughter of the Moon Volume III

Chapter 5 : Where despair turns to hope

Éomer's men burned the carcass of the horrible mount. They prepared a funeral pyre for the fallen riders. But for Nivacrin, a great and noble steed, there was no pyre. They dug a pit where they laid the horse's remains. On top of the mound they placed this engraved stone:

Faithful servant and yet of his master the ill-fated, Son of Piedléger, the swift Nivacrin

They laid the body of King Theoden on a stretcher and carried it to the white city.

The prince of the place, Faramir, son of Denethor, who had just escaped the flames of the funeral pyre thanks to the intervention of Gandalf and Pippin, walked towards the funeral procession.

-What burden do you bear, Men of Rohan?

-Theoden King, they answered. He is dead. But Eomer King now rode into battle: the white crested one in the wind.

The prince then dismounted and knelt by the stretcher in honour of the king and his great assault, and wept. As he rose to his feet, he looked at Eowyn and was amazed.

-Surely this is a woman? Have the very women of Rohirrim come to war in our need?

-No! Only one, they answered. It is the Lady Eowyn, sister of Éomer, we knew nothing of her coming until this hour, and we regret it bitterly.

For they had not understood that she still lived.

Then the prince, seeing her beauty, though her face was pale and cold, touched her hand as he stooped to look at her more closely. He felt his heart beat a little faster.

-Men of Rohan!" he cried. She is wounded, perhaps fatally, but I believe she still lives.

And- he held the brightly polished forearm of his armour to his cold lips, and there a little mist, scarcely visible, settled on it.

-Haste is now necessary. He said, and dispatched a rider to the City to bring help.

But he bowed low to the dead, bade them farewell, and re-mounted and rode off to join the battle.

Elladan and Elrohir soon arrived at their sister's side.

Elrohir leaned towards her and shook her shoulder, saying:

-Elenwë! Elenwë! Wake up!

But Elenwë remained unconscious. Elladan and Elrohir began to fear that Elenwë's spirit had begun its journey to the caves of Mandos.

Suddenly, from the water of the river, an imposing figure emerged. A man with grey hair and deep blue eyes. He looked very wise. His bluish-silver aura, like the ocean floor, spread around him.

The twins realised that they were dealing with one of the Valar. They bowed, kneeling on the ground.

The great lord approached the figure of Elenwë lying on the ground.

-Your power exceeds our expectations. You are much stronger than we thought.

With gravity, he passed his hand over her face and said:

-Be released from your fetters, in the name of Ulmo, Master of the Oceans and Waters, I release you. Awake!

Elenwë sat up suddenly, surrounded by the same, slightly muted aura as Ulmo's.

-Go! You have our support.

Elenwë looked at him, bowed her head, and the Valar turned on her heels, joining the river and disappearing beneath the surface of the water.

Elenwë turned her head and saw her brothers. Without difficulty, she stood up and joined them.

They hugged her.

-You gave us such a fright. Elrohir whispered.

-Don't ever do that again. added Elladan.

Elenwë smiled and replied:

-I am far too busy to die now!

Around them, well... further out on the plain, the men of Gondor and Rohan were struggling and defeat seemed near. Men were running away, trying in vain to save their skins. A few of the braver ones blindly followed Éomer and Faramir.

The Oliphants were doing terrible damage to their camp. Men died crushed under the weight of the huge creatures, and the southern men, hoisted on their behemoths, fired arrows in all directions that mercilessly hit men and horses alike.

Elenwë looked at them and said:

-Let's go back!

They nodded and Elenwë, for the sake of form, raised the waters of the Anduin again. Several tons of water rose into the air, surrounding Elenwë. The wrecks of the boats at the bottom of the great river rose to the surface. She hurled the water at their enemies, clearing a path for them.

-War awaits us! she suddenly said to them

-War awaits us! she said suddenly.

And, filled with new energy, she rushed towards the enemies with ardour, putting particular emphasis on exterminating them.

Her model of courage and strength encouraged the men around her. She gathered them together and gave them brief, clear instructions. Rushing into battle first, they all followed her.

Suddenly, just as things were getting a little better, an alarm horn sounded in the city.

-The Pirates of Umbar!" the men shouted. The Pirates of Umbar! Look! The Pirates of Umbar are coming! So the Belfalas is taken, and the Ethir, and the Lebennin is gone. The Pirates are upon us! It is the last blow of fate!

And some, without order, for there was no one in the City to command them, ran to the bells and sounded the alarm, and others sounded the retreat with trumpets.

-Come back to the walls! they shouted. Come back to the walls! Come back to the City before all are submerged!

But the wind that activated the ships washed away all their clamour.

Elenwë raised Ant Estel and urged the men to stay and fight.

-Fight!

She rushed at a new wave of attackers.

But then astonishment seized them, along with great joy.

There on the leading ship a great standard was unfurled, and the wind blew it down, as the ship turned towards Harlond.

On it bloomed a White Tree, and that was for Gondor, but it was surrounded by Seven Stars and surmounted by a high crown, the mark of Elendil that no lord had worn for countless years.

And the stars blazed in the sun, for they had been worked in gems by Arwen daughter of Elrond, and the crown shone in the morning, for it was made of mithril and gold.

So came Aragorn son of Arathorn, Elessar, heir of Isildur, from the Paths of the Dead, borne by a wind from the Sea to the realm of Gondor, and the joy of the Rohirrim burst forth in a torrent of laughter and great flashes of swords, and the gladness and amazement of the City was manifested in trumpet fanfares and bell-ringing.

But the armies of Mordor were stunned: it seemed to them great sorcery that their own ships were filled with their enemies. A great fear overcame them, knowing that the tide of fate had turned and that their ruin was near.

Elenwë felt her heart leap with joy. Filled with new hope, she rushed headlong into battle.