The Eastern Woman

Ashes

The Uruk-Hai had slaughtered all the poor villagers.

Degarre had found a sword forged in Isengard by the Orcs, and a shield with the imprint of a white hand. The symbol of Saruman's armies.

They had therefore gone so far, those horrible beings, on the road to Rohan. In their unstoppable black march, they had found the tiny village of Bannock, populated by families of peasants and fishermen, along the way. A few dozen units, who had chosen to live outside the protected boundaries of Edoras, while remaining subjects of King Théoden.

"Ah ... the newborns, too ..." Hammon commented, disgusted. He was looking at a small body lying face down in the water. Nearby, the corpse of his mother, who had tried to defend him without success. "What a terrible thing."

"Degarre, Hammon! Come here!" Lassalle shouted. He was a very young soldier. "Look at this man!"

The two captains approached, walking in the water mixed with blood. There was a male body lying there. A man in armor; the three had also noticed some dead soldiers, a small garrison sent by King Theoden. They had miserably fallen in the ambush.
"This must be an important one!" exclaimed Lassalle. "On his armor there are symbols of Rohan."

Degarre scrutinized the white face of the corpse. "Of course he's important. This is the son of the King."

"What ?! The Prince of Rohan? Are you sure?" Hammon asked.

"I never forget a face. I met this young man ten years ago. He was just fourteen at that time. We came here to offer Théoden our ... services. He refused. His son was all the time listening to us, standing by the throne. Théodred was his name." the forty-year-old captain explained. "Théodred of Rohan. Poor boy. What a sad end."

Hammon and Lassalle listened in silence. It would have been terrible for King Theoden to learn that his only son had been killed. There was also a tremendous smell in that air, the smell of burnt flesh mixed with smoke, the smell of congealed blood. Degarre pressed a piece of cloth to his face.

The Uruks had set fire to the poor wooden dwellings, even to the carcasses of farm animals, and had probably been ordered to exterminate all the humans they had encountered. Degarre wondered if someone had managed to escape, perhaps with the horses. There were very few horses around, a sign that part of the population was likely to have fled. Better for them, he thought.

"What should we do with all these bodies, should we set them on fire, or bury them? And what do we do with the corpse of the prince? Should we bring him back to his father?" Lassalle asked, still shocked by the spectacle.

"No. It is not our concern. Theoden, not seeing his boy, will send a second garrison to look for him. Let them take care of this matter." replied Degarre. "I just want to get away from here. This smell is unbearable."

"We must inform our General. She has to know. She has to decide what to do." objected Hammon.

"I believe that Goneril will be angry because we have lingered here. The tragedy of these people is not our business. We should continue with the patrol." replied Degarre. "Let's go back."

"Wait ..." said young Lassalle. He had a sudden idea. "... why don't we inspect those houses? Who knows, perhaps these peasants had golden coins, which they kept hidden in some of their drawers. Maybe jewels." He proposed.

Degarre spat on the ground. "Such a disgusting little thief you are. Would you dare steal from dead people? And then, you are right. These were peasants, beggars, and they probably had nothing but rags at home. I said we are leaving now." Degarre ordered "You fill me with indignation, boy." He added with a laughter. All three laughed.