towers

the white rider 653
journey is marked by your given word. You must go to
Edoras and seek out Théoden in his hall. For you are needed.
The light of Andúril must now be uncovered in the battle for
which it has so long waited. There is war in Rohan, and
worse evil: it goes ill with Théoden.’
‘Then are we not to see the merry young hobbits again?’
said Legolas.
‘I did not say so,’ said Gandalf. ‘Who knows? Have
patience. Go where you must go, and hope! To Edoras! I go
thither also.’
‘It is a long way for a man to walk, young or old,’ said
Aragorn. ‘I fear the battle will be over long ere I come there.’
‘We shall see, we shall see,’ said Gandalf. ‘Will you come
now with me?’
‘Yes, we will set out together,’ said Aragorn. ‘But I do not
doubt that you will come there before me, if you wish.’ He
rose and looked long at Gandalf. The others gazed at them
in silence as they stood there facing one another. The grey
figure of the Man, Aragorn son of Arathorn, was tall, and
stern as stone, his hand upon the hilt of his sword; he looked
as if some king out of the mists of the sea had stepped upon
the shores of lesser men. Before him stooped the old figure,
white, shining now as if with some light kindled within, bent,
laden with years, but holding a power beyond the strength of
kings.
‘Do I not say truly, Gandalf,’ said Aragorn at last, ‘that
you could go whithersoever you wished quicker than I? And
this I also say: you are our captain and our banner. The Dark
Lord has Nine. But we have One, mightier than they: the
White Rider. He has passed through the fire and the abyss,
and they shall fear him. We will go where he leads.’
‘Yes, together we will follow you,’ said Legolas. ‘But first,
it would ease my heart, Gandalf, to hear what befell you in
Moria. Will you not tell us? Can you not stay even to tell
your friends how you were delivered?’
‘I have stayed already too long,’ answered Gandalf. ‘Time