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1050 the return of the king
jerkin of leather, a belt, and a knife. A sword you have.’
Merry bowed, and the lady showed him the shield, which
was like the shield that had been given to Gimli, and it bore
on it the device of the white horse. ‘Take all these things,’
she said, ‘and bear them to good fortune! Farewell now,
Master Meriadoc! Yet maybe we shall meet again, you
and I.’
So it was that amid a gathering gloom the King of the
Mark made ready to lead all his Riders on the eastward road.
Hearts were heavy and many quailed in the shadow. But they
were a stern people, loyal to their lord, and little weeping or
murmuring was heard, even in the camp in the Hold where
the exiles from Edoras were housed, women and children and
old men. Doom hung over them, but they faced it silently.
Two swift hours passed, and now the king sat upon his
white horse, glimmering in the half-light. Proud and tall he
seemed, though the hair that flowed beneath his high helm
was like snow; and many marvelled at him and took heart to
see him unbent and unafraid.
There on the wide flats beside the noisy river were marshalled
in many companies well nigh five and fifty hundreds
of Riders fully armed, and many hundreds of other men with
spare horses lightly burdened. A single trumpet sounded.
The king raised his hand, and then silently the host of the
Mark began to move. Foremost went twelve of the king’s
household-men, Riders of renown. Then the king followed
with Éomer on his right. He had said farewell to Éowyn above
in the Hold, and the memory was grievous; but now he turned
his mind to the road that lay ahead. Behind him Merry rode
on Stybba with the errand riders of Gondor, and behind them
again twelve more of the king’s household. They passed down
the long ranks of waiting men with stern and unmoved faces.
But when they had come almost to the end of the line one
looked up glancing keenly at the hobbit. A young man, Merry
thought as he returned the glance, less in height and girth
than most. He caught the glint of clear grey eyes; and then