“I might as well have stayed in bed.”

Pippin kicked the tent stakes. Ithilien beckoned beyond the camp, but he had been confined to bed until that morning.

“I don’t mind serving at the feasts, Merry, and I want to assist the kings, but why are we waiting outside now?”

Merry shrugged.

At last they were ushered in front of the thrones. Aragorn and Éomer stood.

Aragorn addressed the assembled captains of Rohan and Gondor. “It is our opinion that these esquires have proved valiant, skilled, and worthy of the accolade of knighthood. Kneel, Peregrin.”

“Kneel, Meriadoc,” added Éomer, smiling.