return

1266 the return of the king
Tirith, and it was hemmed in upon all sides by the knights
and the soldiers of Gondor and of Rohan, and by the people
of the City and of all parts of the land. A hush fell upon all
as out from the host stepped the Dúnedain in silver and grey;
and before them came walking slow the Lord Aragorn. He
was clad in black mail girt with silver, and he wore a long
mantle of pure white clasped at the throat with a great jewel
of green that shone from afar; but his head was bare save for
a star upon his forehead bound by a slender fillet of silver.
With him were Éomer of Rohan, and the Prince Imrahil, and
Gandalf robed all in white, and four small figures that many
men marvelled to see.
‘Nay, cousin! they are not boys,’ said Ioreth to her kinswoman
from Imloth Melui, who stood beside her. ‘Those are
Periain, out of the far country of the Halflings, where they
are princes of great fame, it is said. I should know, for I had
one to tend in the Houses. They are small, but they are
valiant. Why, cousin, one of them went with only his esquire
into the Black Country and fought with the Dark Lord all by
himself, and set fire to his Tower, if you can believe it. At
least that is the tale in the City. That will be the one that
walks with our Elfstone. They are dear friends, I hear. Now
he is a marvel, the Lord Elfstone: not too soft in his speech,
mind you, but he has a golden heart, as the saying is; and he
has the healing hands. ‘‘The hands of the king are the hands
of a healer’’, I said; and that was how it was all discovered.
And Mithrandir, he said to me: ‘‘Ioreth, men will long
remember your words’’, and——’
But Ioreth was not permitted to continue the instruction
of her kinswoman from the country, for a single trumpet
rang, and a dead silence followed. Then forth from the Gate
went Faramir with Húrin of the Keys, and no others, save
that behind them walked four men in the high helms and
armour of the Citadel, and they bore a great casket of black
lebethron bound with silver.
Faramir met Aragorn in the midst of those there assembled,
and he knelt, and said: ‘The last Steward of Gondor begs