Remains of the Banished | Aragorn || Lord of the Rings

XVIII

Eadrid pulled her horse to a stop as she saw Edoras in front of her.

"Edoras and the Golden Hall of Meduseld." She whispered.

"There dwells Theoden, King of Rohan...whose mind is overthrown. Saruman's hold over King Theoden is now very strong." Gandalf said. "Eadrid, pull over your hood."

Eadrid did as he said.

"Be careful what you say. Do not look for welcome here."

As they began towards the gates, the flag of Rohan fluttered on the ground next to her, frayed and grey.

Eadrid, though she could only see her horse through her hood, could feel the stares of everyone on them as they came into the village.

"You'll find more cheer in a graveyard." Gimli muttered. 

They dismounted and walked up the steps to the hall, but were stopped by who Eadrid recognized to be Hama.

"I cannot allow you before Theoden King so armed, Gandalf Greyhame. By order of Grima Wormtongue."

His name made Eadrid want to snarl, but she forced her head down.

Gandalf nodded to the others and they handed over their weapons.

"Your staff." Hama said.

"Hmmm." Gandalf looked at his staff. "You would not part an old man from his walking stick."

Hama allowed it but turned to Eadrid. "Allow her to take off her hood, please."

"I am sorry, she is feeling unwell at the moment. I promise you she is unarmed, she is simply feeling rather weak."

Hama grudgingly accepted and led them into the hall.

Eadrid knew every turn before it happened, until finally they arrived in the Golden Hall.

"The courtesy of your hall is somewhat lessened of late...Theoden King." Gandalf led them to the throne.

"He's not welcome." Grima whispered, and Eadrid moved to take a step forward, but Gandalf stuck his arm in front of her. 

"Why should I welcome you......Gandalf Stormcrow?" Theoden, her father, said. It took everything in her not to fall at his feet and weep right then from the sound of his frail voice alone.

"A just question, my liege." Grima walked to Gandalf. "Late is the hour...in which this conjurer chooses to appear. Lathspell, I name him. Ill news is an ill guest."

"Be silent. Keep your forked tongue behind your teeth." Gandalf spat. "I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a witless worm."

Gandalf lifted his staff.

"His staff." Grima yelled. "I told you to take the wizard's staff!"

The five moved quickly as Theodens guards attempted to capture them. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli moved to fight them off as Gandalf moved to Theoden. 

Eadrid quickly walked up behind Grima and kicked him in the back of the knees so that he fell to the ground. Eadrid rolled him over with a kick and slammed her boot on his throat. 

As he looked up at her he could see through her hood, and his eyes widened. His mouth moved to yell for guards but Eadrid pushed her boot just a bit harder so that no words could come out.

Eadrid smiled as he grabbed her ankle to try and get out of her grasp, but she unsheathed her sword and pointed it to his throat. 

His hands raised and his eyes widened as he saw the sword and the details etched into it. 

"Theoden...son of Thengel...too long have you sat in the Shadows." Gandalf took steps toward the throne. "Hearken to me! I release you from the spell." Gandalf held up his hands and closed his eyes.

Theoden laughed deeply. "You have no power here...Gandalf the Grey."

Gandalf threw off his cloak and Theoden was thrown back from the bright light that emanated from Gandalf. "I will draw you, Saruman, as poison is drawn from a wound." He thrust forward his staff.

A voice came from Theoden that was not his own. "If I go, Theoden dies."

Gandalf moved closer. "You did not kill me......you will not kill him."

"Rohan is mine."

"Be gone!"

Theoden suddenly lunged from his throne at Gandalf, but was thrust back into the seat. He slumped forward and a young woman rushed forward to catch him.

Theoden took a few moments, studying his surroundings as he regained himself.

"I know your face." Theoden said slowly. "Eowyn. Eowyn." He finally looked up. "Gandalf?"

"Breathe the free air again, my friend." Gandalf smiled.

Theoden stood up shakily. "Dark have been my dreams of late." He looked around for a moment. "Where is my daughter? Where is Eadrid?"

Eadrid released her boot from Grima's throat and Gimli moved to keep him on the ground. She stepped before the throne and pulled away her cloak once more.

She stood in front of her father, looking at him with tears streaming down her face.

Theoden gasped as he saw his daughter. "My daughter..." He took stumbling steps towards her. "You look older."

Eadrid stood still before him.

"Eadrid... I have failed you." Theoden's eyes glistened with tears. "I sent you away. I sent my own daughter away." A soft sob broke his voice as her reached for her hands. "Forgive me, my daughter."

Eadrid yanked her hands away and instead threw them around her father, letting go the sob that she had held for so many years. 

Theoden pulled away and wiped her tears. "You look just like your mother." He smiled down at her.

"Father, please forgive me, I did not stop the evil that grew here. All I did was flee-"

"Enough. There is no fault that is yours." Thedoen grasped her face. "My daughter has returned!"

He turned her to face the rest standing before them.

"Your fingers would remember their old strength better..." Gandalf said. "if they grasped your sword."

Hama stepped forward and offered Theoden his sword. He took it and lifted it in front of him, gazing at it.

Eadrid lowered herself to a knee and bowed her head, along with the rest of the hall.

Then, Theoden looked to Grima on the ground, writhing under Gimli

Grima was thrown down the steps of Edoras by two soldiers, Theoden and Eadrid close behind them.

"I've only ever served you, my lord." Grima said, scrambling away from him on the ground.

Theoden stood over him. "Your leechcraft would have had me crawling on all fours like a beast!"

"Send me not from your sight."

Eadrid stepped back as the King rose his sword above his head to strike. Before he could let it fall, Aragorn rushed forward.

"No, my lord! No, my lord. Let him go." Aragorn said. "Enough blood has been spilt on his account." Aragorn offered Grima a hand, much to Eadrid's dismay, as she would have liked to be the one to kill him, but Grima only spit on his hand and scrambled away and out of sight.

As the people looked to whom stood before them, they whispered.

"Is that Eadrid?"

"She has returned!"

"Our King remains."

"Hail the Princess of Rohan, and Theoden King!" Hama yelled.

The people in the city kneeled before them, along with the rest who had followed Eadrid and Theoden out of the hall.

"Where is Theodred?" Eadrid asked her father.

Theoden looked away from his people. "Where is Theodred? Where is my son?"