▌𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲-𝐄𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ━︎━︎ 𝐑𝐨𝐡𝐚𝐧 ▌

━︎━︎━︎━︎𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐅 Rohan were there before them. They came to a stop, staring at the city that was placed on a hill. "Edoras and the Golden Hall of Meduseld," Gandalf said. "There dwells Theoden, King of Rohan, whose mind is overthrown. Saruman's hold over King Theoden is now very strong. Be careful what you say. Do not look for welcome here."

     Ellaria softly scoffed. "Well, let's see how much criticism I'll get here." She pushed her horse forwards as they approached the gates. They entered the city, glancing at the towns people who were all staring at them. The town was quiet, solemn, hopeless. Ellaria swallowed and forced her attention forwards. As they grew closer to the King's living quarters, they removed themselves off their horses and walked up the stairs. The doors flew open and out walked three men.

     "I cannot allow you before Theoden King so armed, Gandalf Greyhame." The man warned. "By order of Grima Wormtongue." Gandalf sent them a nod and they all began to unarm themselves. Ellaria handed them her sword, followed by her bow and arrows, then she pulled out a dagger from her waist, one from her thigh, another from her boot, and one more hidden under her sleeve. She turned her head to see Aragorn looking at her with a raised brow. She shrugged. You could never be too cautious.

     "Your staff." The man ordered.

     Gandalf leaned against his staff. "Oh. You would not part an old man from his walking stick." The man rolled his eyes and turned, walking inside. They followed after him, Gandalf using Legolas's arm as a crutch to keep up the act.

The doors were closed shut behind them and Ellaria looked over her shoulder, her eyes watching the men that were attempting to subtly follow them from the side. She turned her head to look at Theoden and noticed how sickly he looked. She then looked to the black haired man standing at the king's side. She decided he reminded her of Alfrid from years ago at Laketown. A greasy looking man who clearly had wrongful intentions.

     Gandalf spoke as they continued their slow approach. "The courtesy of your hall is somewhat lessened of late, Theoden King." Legolas and Gimli stood on one side of Gandalf as Ellaria and Aragorn stood on his other side.

     "Why should I welcome you Gandalf Stormcrow?" Theoden asked, his words slow.

     Grima stood away from the king, looking at them with disgust. "Late is the hour in which this conjurer chooses to appear. Lathspell I name him." He walked towards them. "Ill news is an ill guest."

     "Be silent." Gandalf ordered, stopping right in front of him. "Keep your forked tongue behind your teeth. I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a witless worm." He held out his staff and Grima stumbled back.

     "His staff." Grima's eyes widened. "I told you to take the wizard's staff."

     Men began running at them and Aragorn, Ellaria, Legolas, and Gimli were quick to fight them off, keeping a straight path to the king for Gandalf. Ellaria punched one hard in the jaw, stepping over his body as it fell to the ground. "Theoden, son of Thengel, too long have you sat in the shadows." Gandalf said, growing closer to the King. Ellaria watched as a man approached her and she took a step back, holding out her foot and letting him trip over it. She threw her head back as one approached her from behind, turning to face him and sending a punch to his nose.

     Gimli knocked down Grima, placing a foot on his chest. "I would stay still if I were you."

     The other men stayed back and watched the interaction between Gandalf and Theoden. "Hearken to me!" Gandalf demanded. "I release you from the spell." He held out his hand, closing his eyes.

     Theoden began to loudly laugh, slow and maliciously. "You have no power here, Gandalf the Grey."

     Gandalf, who had placed a grey cloak on his body before they had entered, quickly threw his cloak off revealing the pure white dressing beneath. Theoden let out a yell. "I will draw you, Saruman, as poison is drawn from a wound." He thrusted his staff forwards and Theoden was pushed back against his chair. Ellaria turned her head as a girl with long blonde hair ran forward. Aragorn quickly grabbed her, telling her to wait.

     Theoden smiled, but when he spoke his voice wasn't his own. "If I go, Theoden dies."

     Gandalf pushed his staff forwards again. "You did not kill me, you will not kill him."

     Theoden grunted, his teeth grinding together. "Rohan is mine."

     Once more, Gandalf pushed forwards his staff. "Be gone." Theoden writhed in his seat before shooting forwards. Gandalf lightly hit the top of his staff to Theoden's head and he fell backwards. Theoden began moaning and keeled over. Eowyn was quick to rip herself from Aragorn and run to her uncle, grabbing onto him before he could fall to the ground.

     Slowly, life began to crawl back into Theoden's face. He became twenty years younger, his white hair turning golden, his smoky eyes turning a brilliant shade of blue. He turned his head to look at Eowyn, softly whispering, "I know your face. Eowyn." He then turned to Gandalf, his brows furrowing. "Gandalf?"

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

     Theoden stood with the help of his niece. "Dark have been my dreams of late." He looked down at his hands, slightly rubbing them together.

     "Your fingers would remember their old strength better if they grasped your sword," Gandalf assured. One of his men stepped forwards, handing Theoden his sword. The king stared at it before pulling it out of its sheath.

     Theoden held the sword before him, holding it upright an examining it. His eyes this turned to Grima who Gimli had a tight hold of. Two of his men were quickly ordered to toss Grima out and they did so, grabbing the man and tossing him down the front steps with Theoden following after them. Grima rolled on his back, looking at Theoden who was slowly approaching him. "I've only. . . ever. . . served you, my lord." He kept crawling backwards.

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

     "Send me not from your sight!" Grima begged. Theoden quickly held his sword above him, ready to kill Grima, but Aragorn ran forwards and quickly stopped him.

     "No, my lord!" Theoden struggled against Aragorn's grip. "No, my lord. Let him go. Enough blood has been spilt on his account." Aragorn held out a hand towards Grima, but Grima stood, spitting at him and quickly turned and ran through the crowd.

     "Hail, Theoden King!" One of his men shouted and Theoden's people all kneeled before him, including Aragorn.

     Theoden turned, his eyes searching for someone. "Where is Theodred? Where is my son?"

Theodred, who had been killed by Orcs, was buried. Once the funeral was over, the people all left, leaving Theoden and Gandalf to themselves. Ellaria stood at the front of the Golden Hall, staring at the land before her. While the people were mourning the loss of their prince, they were healing from the revival of their king. Ellaria softly sighed before entering the hall, going in search for Eowyn. She found the woman by herself, tears still falling from her eyes.

     "How are you fairing?" Ellaria softly asked. Eowyn snapped her head, looking at her. "I don't mean to intrude. But, one should not be alone when facing a grief as big as this." She carefully entered the room, taking a seat beside the woman. "I understand if you do not want to talk. But at least let me sit with you so that you are not alone." Eowyn only nodded before she softly began to sob. Ellaria placed a hand over Eowyn's before the woman leaned into her and she wrapped an arm around Eowyn's shoulders.

     When Eowyn swore she was alright, the two of them walked out into the main hall, watching as two young kids were led in and immediately given food and water. They looked like they'd been through hell, and in fact they had. Their entire town had been burned down and invaded by men. Eowyn, who was kneeled beside the young boy, turned to her Uncle who was sitting on his throne with Gandalf at his side. "They had no warning. They were unarmed. Now the Wild Men are moving through the Westfold, burning as they go. Rick, cot and tree."

     Ellaria stood there beside Legolas, watching with amusement as Gimli greedily gobbled down his food. She turned her head when the little girl asked, "Where is mama?" Eowyn quietly hushed her, placing a blanket over the girl's shoulders.

     "Ellaria," Aragorn quietly said, making the elf turn to him. He held out a piece of food towards her, but she waved him off. He gave her a look. "You haven't eaten in days." She sighed before taking the food and eating it.

     "Happy?" She asked.

     "Very," Aragorn nodded. Ellaria rolled her eyes but a small smile pulled at the corner of her lips.

     Gandalf held out a hand towards Eowyn, looking at Theoden. "This is but a taste of the terror that Saruman will unleash. All the more potent for he is driven now by fear of Sauron. Ride out and meet him head-on. Draw him away from your women and children. You must fight."

     "You have 2000 good men riding North as we speak," Aragorn added. "Eomer is loyal to you. His men will return and fight for their king."

     Theoden shot up from his seat, removing himself from the dais. "They will be 300 leagues from here by now. Eomer cannot help us. I know what it is you want of me, but I will not bring further death to my people. I will not risk open war."

     "Open war is upon you, whether you would risk it or not," Aragorn replied.

     Theoden turned to him. "When last I looked, Theoden, not Aragorn, was king of Rohan."

     Ellaria cocked her head, not liking his tone. "Then be a king. Fight for your people."

     Theoden looked at her. "I will not base my decision on the thoughts from a Princess." In an instant, Legolas and Aragorn both straightened, their faces hardening, and Gimli paused his eating to send a warning glare to the king. Ellaria stood there unbothered.

     Gandalf, sensing the tension, walked towards the king. "Then what is the king's decision?"

     Theoden decided to clear out his people and send them to Helm's Deep. Gandalf made his way outside as the people were gathering their necessities. Legolas, Ellaria, Aragorn and Gimli were following after him and Gimli scoffed. "Helm's Deep. They flee to the mountains when they should stand and fight." They entered the horse stables. "Who will defend them if not their king?"

     "He is only doing what he thinks is best for his people." Aragorn answered. "Helm's Deep has saved them in the past."

     "There is no way out of that ravine," Gandalf said. "Theoden is walking into a trap." Aragorn opened the small gate that contained Gandalf's horse. "He thinks he's leading them to safety. What they will get is a massacre. Theoden has a strong will, but I fear for him. I fear for the survival of Rohan. He will need you before the end, Aragorn. The people of Rohan will need you. The defenses have to hold."

     Aragorn nodded. "They will hold."

     Gandalf walked to his horse, rubbing his mane. "The Grey Pilgrim. That's what they used to call me. Three hundred lives of Men I have walked this earth, and now I have no time." He climbed onto his horse. "With luck, my search will not be in vain. Look to my coming at first light on the fifth day. At dawn, look to the east." Then, he rode out of the stables.

     Ellaria watched him go with her arms crossed over her chest. "You know, I've noticed he has a knack for doing that."

     Aragorn looked at her. "Doing what?"

     "Leaving." Ellaria mumbled. "He did it many times on our adventure to the Lonely Mountain. Usually bad things happen when he leaves."

     Gimli looked at her in surprise. "You were the one that helped my kin?" Ellaria glanced at him and nodded. "They always told stories of this she-elf warrior that helped them, never told me her name."

     "My name is not important, Gimli." Ellaria gently replied. "It's my actions that matter." She turned on her heel and walked out, helping the townspeople prepare their leave.