towers

564 the two towers
as he grasped it, and the bright blade of Andúril shone like a
sudden flame as he swept it out. ‘Elendil!’ he cried. ‘I am
Aragorn son of Arathorn, and am called Elessar, the Elfstone,
Dúnadan, the heir of Isildur Elendil’s son of Gondor. Here
is the Sword that was Broken and is forged again! Will you
aid me or thwart me? Choose swiftly!’
Gimli and Legolas looked at their companion in amazement,
for they had not seen him in this mood before. He
seemed to have grown in stature while Éomer had shrunk;
and in his living face they caught a brief vision of the power
and majesty of the kings of stone. For a moment it seemed
to the eyes of Legolas that a white flame flickered on the
brows of Aragorn like a shining crown.
Éomer stepped back and a look of awe was in his face. He
cast down his proud eyes. ‘These are indeed strange days,’
he muttered. ‘Dreams and legends spring to life out of the
grass.
‘Tell me, lord,’ he said, ‘what brings you here? And what
was the meaning of the dark words? Long has Boromir son
of Denethor been gone seeking an answer, and the horse that
we lent him came back riderless. What doom do you bring
out of the North?’
‘The doom of choice,’ said Aragorn. ‘You may say this to
Théoden son of Thengel: open war lies before him, with
Sauron or against him. None may live now as they have lived,
and few shall keep what they call their own. But of these great
matters we will speak later. If chance allows, I will come
myself to the king. Now I am in great need, and I ask for
help, or at least for tidings. You heard that we are pursuing
an orc-host that carried off our friends. What can you tell
us?’
‘That you need not pursue them further,’ said Éomer. ‘The
Orcs are destroyed.’
‘And our friends?’
‘We found none but Orcs.’
‘But that is strange indeed,’ said Aragorn. ‘Did you search
the slain? Were there no bodies other than those of orc-kind?