50: Prelude to War

Théodgiefu’s birth brought a much needed sense of rightness to the world for everyone at the refugee camp. In spite of the miserable weather — a sudden mountain storm that inundated them with three days of rain, sleet and even a brief spat of snow — people wandered through Dunharrow with smiles on their faces and usually a song on their lips. Every female over the age of fifteen wanted to ‘help’ the queen with the baby and not a few of the warriors — fathers themselves — offered to hold the ‘wee one’ and sing her a lullaby (always about horses) whenever she proved fractious.

Thengel and Morwen looked upon it all with some bemusement. Morwen was still feeling weak and listless but she refused to give her newborn daughter to a wet nurse, though several women volunteered for the role.

As predicted, Théoden was very disappointed when he woke to find he had another sister. He was definitely not happy, though his sisters both squealed with delight at the sight of the lýtling.

"Oh Ada," the little boy groaned, "not another girl. They’re so useless."

Both Théodfrid and Théodhild sniffed in disdain. Thengel looked upon his children with fond amusement. He gathered the boy into his warm embrace and kissed him. "Trust me, iôn nîn, it’s not as bad as all that. Now come and greet your new sister properly."

Théoden sighed and allowed his father to lead him into the bedroom where Morwen was nursing. She smiled sympathetically at the pouting boy. "I’m sorry I couldn’t give you a brother, Théoden," she said, "but I’m sure once you get to know your new sister you will like her well enough."

Théoden did not look convinced but dutifully took a look at his new sister. She was still nursing but her eyes were wide open and staring directly at him. He found it somewhat unnerving yet he couldn’t look away, captivated by her regard before he realized it. She reached out with a pudgy hand and the boy offered a finger. He was amazed and delighted at her strength, for she refused to give his finger back when he attempted to extricate it from her grasp.

He looked up at his father with a wondering expression. "She’s so strong."

Thengel chuckled. "So does she meet with your approval?"

Théoden nodded and with an indulgent smile to his wife, Thengel left his ‘sunu ond ierfa’ sitting on the edge of the bed happily making funny faces at his little sister.

****

Aragorn and his brothers stopped by later in the morning to see how mother and daughter were doing. Morwen smiled tiredly up at them as Aragorn gave the baby a quick but thorough examination. "Thank you, all of you, for your help."

"It was our honor, Lady Morwen," Elladan spoke for himself and his brother, smiling warmly. "To bring new life into the world is one of our greatest joys. Too long have we been warriors, dealing out Death. It is a pleasure to be instruments of Life every once in a while."

Elrohir nodded. "Our adar was a warrior but after the Last Alliance brought Sauron down, he put aside his sword and vowed never to take it up again. Instead, he has devoted himself to the healing arts, teaching us how to heal even as he recognized our need to learn how to kill."

"A difficult path to tread," Morwen said soberly. "Yet I think your adar must be very proud of you, and your naneth as well."

At Morwen’s reference to their naneth, the twins’ expressions became shuttered and their manner coldly distant. Morwen instantly noticed and started to apologize, remembering too late that their naneth had sailed to the Undying Lands. Elrohir was the first to respond, stilling her words with a slight gesture.

"You have no need to apologize, lady," he said quietly. "It was a long time ago and we have made our peace with what happened."

Morwen’s expression was sorrowful. "I am so sorry. I hope someday you and she will be reunited again."

Elladan shrugged. "It will be as Ilúvatar wills." His tone was noncommital and Morwen wisely did not say anything more.

Aragorn had remained quiet during this exchange, but now came forward with Théodgiefu. "Would you like to hold her?" he asked his brothers. "That is, if her naneth doesn’t mind," he gave Morwen a grin.

Morwen smiled back and nodded. "Oh yes. It’s only meet that the lýtling’s ‘uncles’ hold her."

Elladan and Elrohir gave her shy grins at that and gladly took turns holding the infant, cooing at her, making funny faces and singing little songs in their lilting voices while Morwen and Aragorn looked on with amusement.

****

With Rethe well underway, the preparations for the upcoming siege went apace. There was a frenzy of planning and everyone — young and old, warrior and maid — became involved. Only the five Elves remained aloof from it all. Elladan and Elrohir spoke almost daily of leaving but they did nothing about it. Thandir kept his own counsel, while Celegrýn and Gilgirion spent most of their time in the mountains hunting, biding their time until their captain deemed it meet for them to leave. Aragorn wisely did not press them either way, his own feelings about their presence ambivalent. Gilhael, too, kept silent, knowing that his counsel would be unwelcome to all parties concerned. Still, he thought the Elves would leave sooner rather than later; it was just a matter of when, not if.

Thengel held daily meetings with his captains, including Aragorn, constantly refining their plans as new information came to light from Thengel’s scouts or new ideas were broached. No idea was dismissed, for even the most outlandish thought could contain the key to their success.

"Wídfara and Ragnawulf should have reached Helm’s Deep by now if they did not encounter anything untoward," Thengel said during a council meeting. It was a week after Théodgiefu’s birth and the king was gently rocking his new daughter in his arms while she slept in contentment. The others in the room tried to keep the amused looks from their faces. It seemed rather incongruous to see their king speaking of warfare while holding the babe. "Her mother needs some rest," was his only explanation when he entered the main hall where the planning was taking place carrying Théodgiefu. His other children were also attending the meetings. "They need to understand what is at stake," he said when one of the older men questioned the need for children, even royal children, to be there. "It is their inheritance, and more importantly, the inheritance of my son, for which we are fighting."

After that there were no further objections and soon the warriors became used to seeing Thengel with his infant daughter as he wandered through Dunharrow or the refugee camp in the valley below, seeing to the preparations. Indeed, the common folk smiled and cheered when they saw their king with all his children in attendance. Aragorn noted with approval that Thengel always took the time to explain to his older children why something was being done the way it was and why certain preparations were being made but not others. Théoden was years away from experiencing war firsthand but already he was asking intelligent questions and learning what it meant to be not just a king but a good king. While his sisters were less enthusiastic, they, too, were learning the price of being responsible for the welfare of others from the way their father interacted with all whom they met.

"Do you think Hilderic will be able to join us in time?" Aragorn asked, worried for his two friends, hoping that they had indeed reached Helm’s Deep safely.

"My son will not allow anything to prevent him from fulfilling his oath to lord and land," Hildebrand answered before Thengel could speak. His tone suggested that perhaps Aragorn had insulted his son.

Aragorn held up a conciliatory hand. "I meant not to impugn your son, my lord Hildebrand. I only ask because so far we have planned for the possibility of going to war alone but as yet we have not planned for others joining us. Where will Hilderic be placed? What troops will he bring? What arms? And what about other allies? How will we incorporate them into the mix?"

"These are weighty questions," Thengel said, "and I have not forgotten the possibility of allies joining us, so let us now think upon these things. Let us begin by assuming that Hilderic reaches us before we begin our assault on Upbourn." He reached across the table to pull a map showing Harrowdale and pointed at a spot north of Upbourn, close to the river. "Now I was thinking that perhaps we can best employ his éored here...."

****

So the plans continued as the weather vacillated between cold and warm but finally, the skies began to clear and the sun warmed the land. Mountain flowers began to bloom and trees put out young leaves. The snows receded from the valleys and children were seen playing amongst the standing stones lining the route to the keep.

Thengel reviewed his troops one last time on the Twenty-second of Rethe, for he had decided to take Upbourn two days later when the moon would be nearly full. They would come upon Upbourn at sunrise so that the light would be at their backs. The moon was due to rise near sunset and remain in the sky all night, setting at the next dawn. Thus they would have all the light they would need to do what was necessary.

"Now all we need is Hilderic to come and we will be set," Thengel said once he was satisfied with the final preparations. It was an hour after sunset and he was gathered with his captains in the main hall to give them their final instructions, though all knew what their roles would be in the upcoming battles. He was about to say more when the doors leading to the outside burst open and one of Alric’s sentries rushed in, forgetting to bow to his king in his excitement.

"My lord, riders approach!" he exclaimed as he reached the trestle where Thengel and the captains were gathered.

"How many?" Thengel demanded.

"I do not know, lord," the sentry admitted, panting as he tried to catch his breath. Aragorn pushed a goblet of watered wine into the young man’s hand. He gave the Dúnadan a grateful smile before quaffing the drink. Then he turned to Thengel. "One of the scouts came ahead and said that a large band is making its way stealthily down the vale, riding within the eaves of the forest to the east. He could not see who they were for he was too far away to make identification and dared not reveal himself in case they were unfriendly."

Thengel nodded. "Where is the scout now?"

The young man shrugged. "As soon as he delivered his news he went off again to keep track of the riders. I think he is hoping to identify them before they reach the encampment."

"Good," Thengel said. "You have my thanks, Harding. You may return to your post."

The sentry bowed and rushed back out of the hall.

"Do you suppose it could be Hilderic?" Hildebrand asked hopefully.

"We will learn soon enough," Thengel said, looking thoughtful. "Alric, Thorongil, see to it that the women and children are brought up to the hold in good time. If it be an enemy approaching I do not want them to become victims. Hildebrand, you and Hildered check the perimeter. Make sure it is fully manned. The rest of you, arm yourselves and join me at the head of the Stairs in five minutes and pray to Lord Béma that it is indeed Hilderic with his troops from Helm’s Deep."

With that, Thengel dismissed them all and headed towards the royal apartments to inform the queen of this latest development.

None of them, not even Aragorn, noticed the Elf standing in the shadows as all rushed to fulfill the king’s orders.

****

Lýtling: Infant.

Sunu ond ierfa: Son and heir.