return

1110 the return of the king
dread fell on them, knowing that the tides of fate had turned
against them and their doom was at hand.
East rode the knights of Dol Amroth driving the enemy
before them: troll-men and Variags and orcs that hated the
sunlight. South strode Éomer and men fled before his face,
and they were caught between the hammer and the anvil. For
now men leaped from the ships to the quays of the Harlond
and swept north like a storm. There came Legolas, and Gimli
wielding his axe, and Halbarad with the standard, and Elladan
and Elrohir with stars on their brow, and the dour-handed
Dúnedain, Rangers of the North, leading a great valour of
the folk of Lebennin and Lamedon and the fiefs of the South.
But before all went Aragorn with the Flame of the West,
Andúril like a new fire kindled, Narsil re-forged as deadly as
of old; and upon his brow was the Star of Elendil.
And so at length Éomer and Aragorn met in the midst of
the battle, and they leaned on their swords and looked on
one another and were glad.
‘Thus we meet again, though all the hosts of Mordor lay
between us,’ said Aragorn. ‘Did I not say so at the Hornburg?’
‘So you spoke,’ said Éomer, ‘but hope oft deceives, and I
knew not then that you were a man foresighted. Yet twice
blessed is help unlooked for, and never was a meeting of
friends more joyful.’ And they clasped hand in hand. ‘Nor
indeed more timely,’ said Éomer. ‘You come none too soon,
my friend. Much loss and sorrow has befallen us.’
‘Then let us avenge it, ere we speak of it!’ said Aragorn,
and they rode back to battle together.
Hard fighting and long labour they had still; for the
Southrons were bold men and grim, and fierce in despair;
and the Easterlings were strong and war-hardened and asked
for no quarter. And so in this place and that, by burned
homestead or barn, upon hillock or mound, under wall or on
field, still they gathered and rallied and fought until the day
wore away.
Then the Sun went at last behind Mindolluin and filled