18

The doors silently swung open and the guard on duty announced, “Peregrin son of Paladin, Knight of Gondor and Guardsman of the Citadel.”

“Enter,” came the reply from deep within the throne room.

As he walked slowly toward where the king sat on his throne, Pippin couldn’t help but think back to a day twenty years earlier when he had made this same walk with Gandalf beside him. Little would he have dreamed that those step would eventually lead to these steps.

At last he reached the steps that ascended to the high seat of the King of Gondor and Arnor. Here Pippin knelt. “Peregrin son of Paladin answers your summons, my Lord.”

“Welcome and well met,” answered the king. “You may rise.”

Pippin stood but was hoping that he wasn’t forgetting anything he was supposed to do. Hobbits never were adept at the pomp and ceremony of the high court.

Aragorn arose from his seat and quickly descended the long flight of steps to where Pippin waited.

“All right then” he said, reaching the bottom. “Now that the formality is out of the way, we can have a grand meal tonight, with a few friends and sundry, and then prepare for the new year that is to come. I only wish this twentieth year of the new age could have been celebrated with all the remaining Fellowship but with the clouds of war hanging over us once again, I deemed it unwise to bring everyone together where we would present a tempting target to our enemies.”

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Dinner that evening was held in the king’s private dining room and the guests were limited to his special friends. Prince Faramir was there with his wife Eowyn along with Beregond, the captain of the prince’s guard. Legolas and Gimli were also present as was, of course, Queen Arwen. There was one person present whom Pippin did not immediately recognize. It wasn’t until the conversation turned to the man and his family that Pippin finally realized who it was. It was none other than Bergil, now having achieved the rank of Captain in the Guard of the Citadel.

As dinner progressed and all the family updates had been given and Pippin was congratulated on the doubling of his household: after the plans for the New Year Observance thoroughly discussed, the serious business that had caused them all to gather became the focus.

“As most of you know,” began Arargorn, “the last few years have been fairly quiet for us. We have managed to make treaties with most of the nations to our south and, those that are not on good terms with us, have been behaving themselves. Unfortunately, it does not appear to be the same to our east. Our scouts report that armies are rising and Easterling scouts have been observed on our borders. It would seem that after nearly 20 years of relative peace, an invasion from the east may be imminent.

“I’m contemplating sending out a small force of our own to attempt to observe the mustering of these forces and gather as much information about them as possible. I would want this to be a small patrol with special emphasis on stealth. The purpose would be to watch and learn and bring back that knowledge so that we could plan a defense and prepare an offense if necessary.”

The day after the New Year celebrations, Aragorn met with a small group of his military leaders, Bergil, Prince Faramir, Legolas, Gimli and Peregrin. 

“I have decided that I want to send a party of ten to our eastern border to assess the situation,” said the King. “Faramir, I would like you and Beregond to find four Rangers of Ithilien to join the expedition. They need to be experienced tracker and I would be especially pleased if they had knowledge of the Easterlings. 

“General Andorn,” he said, turning to he military commander, “I need one of your strategists to go as well. We need to know what the enemy’s movements and numbers may portend. If you have an Easterling expert within your ranks, I would like him included as well”

Aragorn now looked at Bergil. “Captain,” he addressed the younger man, “I would like you to find two members of the Guards of the Citadel, not including yourself or Peregrin, to go as well. I intend to send the two of you along with them.”

“But There will be no room for us,” said Gimli. “Surely you do not meet to keep a silent tracker like Legolas from participating in this reconnaissance mission.”

“I need the two of you to work on further fortifications of Ithilien in case the defense of that region becomes necessary.”

Gimli subsided with a hurmp but did not look at all pleased with this arrangement. 

“Departure will be one week from today,” said Aragorn. “You’re all dismissed except for Peregrin and Bergil. I need a quick word with the two of you.”

When everyone had left, Aragorn turned to the hobbit and asked, “So, have you kept up your sword practice, old friend?”

“As often as possible,” Pippin answered. “I do the practice figures as often as I can but it’s the actual hand-to-hand work that is less easy to do. I only have Merry at the moment for a practice partner and we do not have as much time for it since our civic and domestic responsibilities have increased.”

“I want you training with Bergil here for the next week,” said the King. Turning to his Captain of the Tower Guard, he added. “I want him as close to the form he had accomplished at the end of the war as possible. Do both of you understand?

“Yes, Sir,” they both replied with sharp nods. 

“Then get to it. You are dismissed.”