Disclaimers: I do not have any claim to any of Tolkien's creations, his characters, world, or events.

Author's Notes: This story was inspired by the Middle Earth Express prompt #14: Silence. It was largely written as a Memorial Day story, as today is Memorial Day in the US. I did not even make an attempt to keep this to the 500 word limit.

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Silence. That was what struck Pippin as he glanced around the expanse of the Pelennor fields, the utter silence. Not so long ago, a great battle had raged here. The sounds then had been loud and chaotic; the sounds of metal clashing on metal, the shouted commands and defiance in the face of the enemy, the screams of the dying. But now there was only silence. The dead and injured had long been removed, to either be healed or laid to rest. Only some battle debris still remained as a testament to those who had died here.

King Elessar had declared today to be a day of remembrance, a day to reflect and honor those who had not lived to see this day. A formal ceremony was planned for later that evening in the great hall. That ceremony was for all in the kingdom, a time in which a list of all those who had died in the recent war would be read so that all the fallen could be honored. Pippin knew how long that list would be. He had helped accumulate that list, visiting each captain and taking his list to Aragorn to be added to all the other names that Aragorn had gathered; all those of Gondor, Rohan, and Dol Amroth. But for now, the members of the Fellowship, along with Faramir and Éomer, who had returned to retrieve the body of the fallen King Theoden, had gathered upon the field for a private ceremony. In this ceremony, they could speak of those friends and kin who had fallen, and if a few tears were shed, none would think the less of them.

The procession out onto the fields had been made in utter silence, marking the somberness of the event. At Aragorn's signal, they stopped and gathered around in a circle. Legolas' voice broke the silence as he began to sing a lament. The utter sorrow and loss in the song brought tears to the eyes of all who heard it, though most present could not even understand the words. As the last notes of the song faded away, Aragorn began speaking of the courage and bravery of all those who had fought and died so that they might have the victory over the darkness of Sauron and his minions. After a moment, however, he began to speak of Halbarad and Boromir and the other friends he had lost. As each new person was mentioned, all who knew him were invited to share memories of him.

Pippin glanced up at Faramir as Boromir was mentioned. The young Steward's face seemed carved from stone at first. He had heard of Boromir's moment of weakness when he had tried to take the ring from Frodo, and must have feared what the others would say about him. His expression softened, however as he heard them all speak of Boromir with praise and fond memories. He even felt comfortable enough among these friends of his brother to share some memories of their childhood.

They went around the circle, each mentioning those they had known who had fallen. Theoden was mentioned, and Éomer and Merry had shed tears as they remembered him. Each of them had lost someone in this battle, and they each had a chance to reminisce and share their memories of the fallen.

When it came time for Pippin to speak, he mentioned several of the men he had come to know on the journey to the Black Gates, men with families, wives and children that they would not be returning to. Pippin's breath hitched as he spoke.

"I do not have the words to praise their great deeds and sacrifices," he said softly. "I know they gave their lives willingly and that through their sacrifice, a great victory was won, but…" Pippin took a deep breath before continuing. "I can't help but wish that none of this had had to happen, that all this had not been necessary. When I think of all those whose loved ones will never return to them, my heart breaks." After another pause, he continued, saying all he could think of, and feeling it was too little. "They will be greatly missed."

The others were all silent for a moment, thinking that in Pippin's youth and simple phrases, he had said what all of them felt in this moment. Though they well understood the necessity of those battles, they all wished it had not been so, that all those who had fought and died had been able to return to their families and loved ones.

Gimli laid a hand on Pippin's shoulder and surreptitiously wiped a tear from his eye. "Aye, lad. That they will."

Once they had all had a chance to speak, Legolas and Aragorn sang another elvish lament as they made their way back to the city. Later that night, after the formal ceremony, they once again gathered together to spend the remainder of the night sharing memories of those they had lost. The room was filled with both laughter and tears as they remembered the fallen.