The Dare

The day had dawned clear and crisp like it had all the other mornings. The air was clean was the faint scent of growing things. And we had to fight this day. I thought. The camp was alive with activity. Scouts had returned with more precise news. The column of Haradrim was indeed coming up the Harad Road to the Black Gate. I stood by Halan stroking his muzzle waiting for Elred. He came up and started to put on Beleg’s bridle. “Those of us who are gifted riders are to be held in reserve. The others would attack the column. Then at the sound of the horn we attack from the rear and mow them down.” He said with a martial light in his eyes.

I saddled up Halan. I saw Artamir and Arasuil also mount up. There were a few others I didn’t recognize but they all seemed to know their business. I sat on Halan in the cover of the woods. Sunlight filtered through the trees. I saw the Haradrim troops coming up the road in ragged rows. I heard the noise of the fight begin. I began to realize that this was no game. It was real and I was in it. I could not run or hide. A cold ripple of fear went down my spine. “What was I thinking? Can I really do this?” I thought to myself. “Well, it’s too late to turn back now.” Visions of the wide plains of Rohan, my mother’s hair in the breeze, my father’s smile and the White City passed before my eyes. I then saw the land barren and the light of the White City extinguished. That was what would happen if the Enemy had it’s way. My spine stiffened and I found my courage in the midst of my fear. “That must not happen.” And I was going to do my part in preventing it. I heard the horn call, pressed my knees to Halan’s sides and entered the fray.

I notched my green fletched arrows and fired automatically. Halan and I had done this as a drill many times with straw men as targets. But the sound of arrow entering a man’s flesh is different from an arrow hitting a hapless straw man. And the straw men do not scream. Sounds and images impressed themselves in my memory. The loud voices of Faramir’s men mingled with the guttural yells of the Haradrim. The bright red spurt of blood as a sword cuts and thrusts. The sickening crunch of bones being broken beneath my horse’s hooves. I fired at anything that was crimson. How many hit their targets I could not tell. One of the enemy soldiers tried to attack me with his sword. I parried the blow as Halan sidled away. The tang of blood and bowel began to fill the air.

Suddenly, in the midst of the chaos, I saw clearly one of our number, Dior, surrounded by three Haradrim. He looked like he was getting the worse end of the fight. He had become separated from the main action. And there was no one near by to come to his aid. I had spent my arrows. I pressed Halan’s sides and rode toward the group. I hacked at the arm of one of the three. I felt my blade bite into his bone. I yanked it back. He screamed as Halan’s back hooves kicked him. Halan made a sharp turn and headed back to the group. “We have to get him, Halan. You must carry us both.” He snorted a reply. As we came upon the group, I shouted, “Dior grab hold!” He looked up, jumped, grabbed my hand and I hauled him up on Halan. One of the two remaining fighters tried to slash at Dior but hit Halan instead. He kept going in spite of it. Dior hung over Halan’s neck. A few others tried to hit us but I was able to parry the blows.

The Haradrim began fleeing and soon the call came to fall back into the woods. We rode hard back to our camp. As Dior and I dismounted, he looked at me and said in a shocked voice. “You’re a woman!”

“What do you mean?” I replied not looking at him as I tried to check Halan’s wound.

“Your voice gives you away.” He pulled me to face him and my cloak’s hood fell back.

“By the Valar! Eolindė! What are you doing here?”

“Saving your life apparently!” I looked at him blazing with anger and fear that I had been unmasked.

“My lady. I meant no disrespect. Indeed, I am grateful for what you did. Are all the women of Rohan so brave?” he said quietly. His grey eyes were full of admiration. As I was looking at Dior, he fell forward. I rushed over to him and noticed a spreading red stain along his left side. Throwing caution to the wind, I called out. “Eored! Someone, anyone!” I took my dagger and slit his tunic and shirt. One the Haradrim had run his sword under Dior’s hauberk and stabbed at him below the ribs. The ragged cut was not large but it ran deep.

“What is it, Eolindė?” I looked up and saw Faramir. He knew! By the White Tower what was I going to do?

“Captain, sir, I can explain…” I looked into his concerned eyes.

“Explanations can wait. Right now you need to be a healer.” He said earnestly. Dior moaned and my attention was drawn back to him.

“I need my box of medicinals and some hot water. And find Elred please. Halan has been hurt also. He will know what to do.” I took off my cloak and pressed it to the wound to staunch the bleeding.

As I held pressure against Dior’s side, I looked him over for any other wounds. His raven black hair was stark against his pale face. He grimaced with pain but did not speak. Faramir reappeared with my kit and some water. Elred and Penedir accompanied him. “Elred, see to Halan please.” Elred nodded and led Halan away. “Penedir, please hold here while I prepare the poultice.” He nodded and placed his hands on the cloak to maintain the pressure.

I opened my box and drew out some dried horsetail leaves. I tossed them in the water. I drew out small bottles of finely ground lavender and comfrey. The horsetail leaves formed a mash, which I then molded, into a pad. “Penedir, release your hands, slowly and be ready to hold if he is bleeding heavily.” As the cloak was pulled gently away, it was still oozing blood though not as much. I quickly sprinkled the ground herbs in the wound and covered it with the poultice. He moaned with pain as I pressed the pad into the hole in his side. I covered the poultice with a square of unbleached linen and secured it with strips around his torso. I took a small flask from the kit. “Penedir, hold him up so he can swallow.” Dior’s eyes fluttered open revealing his dark gray irises. I poured a small cap full of the clear liquid. “Dior, drink this, it will ease your pain for a little while.” As he took a swallow, he coughed. I gave him one more. Then his eyes closed and Penedir helped me lay him on his cloak. I washed my hands in the basin. I looked up and saw a dozen faces staring back at me. “What are there others hurt? I can come now.” Their faces blanched and I realized too late that I hadn’t disguised my voice. The game was really up this time. Faramir broke through the circle of stunned men. “What are all you doing standing around here? We have fought a battle and you stand around like courtiers.” At that, the men scattered. Faramir turned to me. “Will he be alright?”

“I do not know my lord. He has lost much blood. He is strong and has a chance to recover if the wound does not fester. I do not know how deep it was.” A sigh escaped him and he seemed to look at something far away.

“Are there others that need to be tended, sir?”

“Oh yes. I was coming to get you.” I accompanied him to see to the others. Most of the wounds were slight. There were a few who were beyond my aid and I closed their eyes to this life. Mourning them would come later.