Chapter 92. Fighting the Darkness

'Will you not follow the way of the periain, my love?' Faramir asked Eowyn softly. Eowyn stared straight before her, then shook her head, finally meeting her husband's eyes.

'I do not wish to frighten the children,' she said in an undertone.

Young Boromir stepped forward to take his mother's hand. 'It was more frightening, when I was little, for you and my father to go away from us for two days every year, when I was used to spending every day in your company, especially when Father looked so...'

'So... what?' Faramir asked.

'For days beforehand, you kept beside Mother, you hardly let go of her hand, as if you were afraid to lose her,' Boromir said simply. 'It made me afraid of losing her as well, and then the two of you would disappear... and then two days later, all would be as if nothing had happened, until the next year.'

'Wouldn't it be more frightening for the little ones to watch the Darkness take me?' Eowyn said softly.

'No,' Boromir said urgently. 'We'd feel less helpless if you would let us help you fight. Now that I know what we are facing, I am not so afraid as I was.'

Eowyn closed her eyes, and Faramir put a staying hand on their son's arm. They waited in silence until she straightened in her chair, opening her eyes. 'Very well,' she said. 'We will try the halfling's way of fighting the Shadow. But if any harm comes to the little ones...'

'No harm will come to them, Mother,' Boromir said. 'I have already explained to them, what Father explained to me, and we are all in agreement.'

'You have already explained to them?' Eowyn demanded.

Boromir nodded. 'Of course. I was not sure you'd agree to try the halflings' way, and so we were all going to cajole you until you let us.'

'Faramir, we are raising a brood of vipers,' Eowyn said.

'Let us call them "warriors", rather,' the Prince of Ithilien smiled. 'It seems they are already learning strategy.'

***

The battle took place in the great room of Brandy Hall. Merry was apprehensive about the relative lack of privacy, but Merimas assured him that the rest of the Brandybucks understood, and would keep away so as not to distract the combatants.

Samwise had reproached Merry for keeping his battle with Shadow private all these years. 'I knew that Mr Frodo fought against the Darkness,' he said. 'I tried to tell myself that he would conquer, but after he left, I had to admit I would have lost him anyhow, had he stayed. Had he not gone with the elves...' he shook his head. 'But why did you never tell me?' he asked.

'I didn't want to distress you, Sam,' Merry said. 'You went through enough in the land of Shadow; I didn't want you to have to be reminded of it every year, in this way. It was bad enough that I had to fight it myself, and put my family through it.'

Usually, Merry closeted himself in the Master's study with Estella, Berilac and Merimas, and their wives, from morning until evening of the Fifteenth of March, the anniversary of his encounter with the Witch King. There was always a bright fire on the hearth, blankets and warmed bricks wrapped in flannel, warm drinks, laughter, song and storytelling as they fought off the onset of Shadow, together.

Usually, Faramir rode away with Eowyn on the Fourteenth of March, returning two days later. Where they went, no others in Ithilien knew, save perhaps some of the Fair Folk who might have seen them in a clearing in the wood, and recognising the battle for what it was, kept silent watch so that the twain would not be disturbed. Faramir kept a fire burning brightly, prepared warming drinks, and held Eowyn tightly, talking and singing to her, until the fit passed.

This time, Merry's family and Eowyn's prepared to join the battle together. A great fire was laid in the massive fireplace, herbs were laid ready to be brewed into warming drinks, kettles and bricks began warming, blankets were wrapped around the twain who sat near the fireside, and candles lighted the room as if it were the Yuletide celebration.

'Are we ready?' Merimas asked quietly. Elessar nodded. All that could be done, had been done. He fingered the bag of athelas that hung from his neck. They had fought Shadow for years without its help, and he would use it only if he saw the battle going against them.

The first chills hit, and more blankets were tucked around, with hot bricks for good measure.

'It is almost like a party,' Merry said faintly. 'Such a crowd. Why have we kept this to ourselves all these years?'

Eowyn smiled at him, and took his cold right hand in her warm left one. 'We fight together once more,' she said, then closed her eyes as a shudder passed over her. 'Hold fast, Knight of the Mark. We will see this through, as we did once before.' She dropped his hand, and Faramir wrapped another blanket around her.

'My lady,' Merry said.

'Drink,' Estella urged, holding a cup to his lips. Merimas began a song, and the rest of the hobbits picked it up. It was a cheerful melody, with simple words of hope, and it did not take the Big Folk long to start to hum, and then to sing along on the chorus.

Pippin started the next song, one he'd learned in Gondor, and the Big Folk joined immediately.

Together, with warmth, song, laughter and love, they fought the Shadow through the day and into the night, and by dawn of the next day, the Shadow departed, having been unable once again to drag any victims down into its clutches.

The combatants sang a last song of victory and joy, and all departed to their beds. King Elessar sighed as he relaxed. Arwen snuggled close to him and said, 'It is a unique way of fighting the Shadow, but I think the hobbits are wise.'

Elessar nodded. 'They didn't even need any athelas,' he said. 'We could have gone back to Gondor on the ships after all.'

'But we did not know,' Arwen said. 'And Meriadoc was, in fact, nearly lost to Shadow in October, even with all his family could do.'

'Yes,' the King said soberly. 'It will be a battle he'll have to fight for the rest of his life. And Estella is his sword, and shield... should he lose her...'

Arwen wrapped her arms about her husband. 'Then we will just have to insist that Peregrin bring him to Gondor, to be near the healing hands of the King,' she said. 'Besides,' she mused, 'there is a terrible dearth of hobbits in Gondor. I think we should see if we can somehow persuade them to visit more often.'

'Do you think it possible?' Elessar murmured.

'Well,' she considered. 'If not, then we shall have to come to Lake Evendim oftener, ourselves.'

'I think I can arrange that,' the King said sleepily, and then began to snore.