Chapter 6 The third quarter Rohan army assembled

At this moment, all forces began to gather toward the east, preparing for the coming war and the attack of phantoms.Just as Pippin was standing at the gate of the main city, watching King Dol Amros come with a banner, the Hussar King also came out of the mountains. The sun was fading, and the hussars galloped through the last ray of sunlight, their bodies casting long shadows forward.The darkness had engulfed the pine forest at the foot of the mountain, and the Hussar King slowed down at dusk.The trail skirted a rock outcropping and plunged into whispering trees.The hussars lined up in a long line and kept going down.At last they came to the end of the ravine, where night had fallen.The sun disappeared, and the last sunset shone on the waterfall in front of us.

A day's journey down the mountain, a leaping stream ran down the pass, cutting its way between high walls of pine trees, through rocky valleys, and into a wide valley.The hussars followed the creek, and Harlow Valley appeared in front of everyone without warning.Here the Snow River joins its many tributaries, rushing loudly over the rocky bed of the river to Edoras and the green hills and plains below.On the right side of the valley is the towering Lijiao Mountain. Its jagged peaks float on the sea of ​​clouds, covered with eternal snow, overlooking the east with incomparable arrogance, bathed in the scarlet brilliance of the setting sun.

Merry looked at this strange country in amazement. During this long journey, he had heard many legends about it.This is a valley without a sky. In his eyes, he can only see rock walls that are constantly climbing, layer upon layer, without gaps, and countless mountain peaks are surrounded by mist.He sat there half asleep, listening to the sound of the running water, the whisper of the trees, the crash of rocks, and the silence that waited after it all.He likes mountains, perhaps, what he likes is the feeling of walking on the edge of legends.It's just that now he also has to bear the heavy burden of Middle-earth on his shoulders, and he just wants to put it all aside and hide in a small quiet room by the fire.

He felt very, very tired, and although they were not moving fast, there was not much rest in between.During these three days, they climbed up and down without sleep, crossed narrow valleys, and crossed many streams; sometimes, when the road was wider, he would ride shoulder to shoulder with the Hussar King.He didn't notice that many hussars smiled at the sight: The hobbit rode a shaggy gray pony, and the Hussar king rode a tall gray and white horse, and the two formed a very sharp contrast.At these times he would chat with King Theoden, tell stories of his country and people, or hear the legends of the hussars, and the great deeds of their ancestors in ancient times.However, most of the time, especially on the last day, Merry just followed the king, listening to the slow language of the hussars without saying a word.There seemed to be many words in the language he knew, but the way of pronouncing them was more bold and emotional than the way Shire pronounced it.However, although he knew almost every word, he still couldn't put all the words together.Sometimes, there would be hussars who would raise their voices and sing military songs, even though Merry could not understand the lyrics at all, she would still feel his blood boil.

But no matter how the situation changed, he still felt very lonely, and this evening, the situation was even worse. He began to miss Pippin who had wandered into the great world, thinking about Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli. What will happen to her.Then, suddenly, he thought of Frodo and Sam, and shuddered. "I almost forgot about them!" he said ruefully. "However, their mission is actually more important than any of us. I am here to help them. If they are still alive, they are probably hundreds of miles away from here!" chills. "Harlow Valley at last!" Eomer said, "Our journey is almost at the end." The people stopped, the road out of the canyon was very steep, and they could only look at the huge building outside through the narrow gap. valley.The only thing that can be clearly seen is a lonely lamp flickering by the river.

"Perhaps the journey is over," said Theoden, "but I still have a long way to go. The moon was full last night, and I must ride to Edoras early tomorrow morning, gathering all the hussars ""If you listen to my advice," Eomer said in a low voice, "after that you can come back here and watch the changes in this war, whether you win or lose." Theoden laughed up. "No, my son, please let me call you like this, and please don't use soft words to convince me! He puffed out his chest, watching the soldiers under his command form a long line and merge into the night. "It feels like years have passed since I rode my horse west, but I will never lean on any crutches again. If the battle is lost, what's the use of hiding in the mountains? If the battle is won, even I'm exhausted, what regrets about the shroud of horse leather? Let's not talk about it now, let's spend the night in Den Harlow temporarily tonight, at least we can spend the night in peace. Let's go!" In the fading twilight Among them, they entered the valley.Here the Snow River flowed near the west side of the valley, and soon the trail led them to a ford where they could cross the rapids.Those who stayed behind arranged heavy guards at the ferry, and when the king of hussars approached, many men jumped out from the shadow of the rock, and when they found that it was the king in front of them, they shouted joyfully:

"King Theoden! King Theoden! The Hussar King is back!" Then, someone blew a horn, and the sound of the horn echoed in the valley, and other horns responded, and immediately lights were lit on both sides of the river. Suddenly, a majestic trumpet sounded from the high mountain, and it sounded like it came from an empty place. The billowing music sounded like this, and it echoed non-stop between the mountain walls. In this way, the king of hussars returned triumphantly, and returned to Dunharo under the White Mountains.Here he found most of his subjects assembled; and when news of his presence spread, the generals rode to the fords to the king, and brought with them a message from Gandalf that the lord of Harlow came aboard. Hill led the others to come.

"My lord, at dawn three days ago," he said, "Shadowfax came like a wind from the west to Edoras, and Gandalf told us of your victories, and we rejoiced. But he At the same time, I also conveyed your will to let the hussars gather quickly, and then the winged phantom appeared." "Winged phantom?" Theoden said, "We saw it too, but the phantom with wings appeared." It was in the night before Gandalf went." "Perhaps, my lord," said Denhir, "but it could have been the same, or another flying darkness, in the shape of a bird, that had passed over Eyre that morning. Doras, make all men tremble with fear. It hovered over the palace, and as it swooped down, nearly hitting the roof, its piercing shriek nearly stopped our hearts. Then, Gandalf suggested Let us not assemble on the plain, but meet you in the cover of the mountains, and he also asked us to keep the number of lights to a minimum. We did so, and Gandalf's words cannot be questioned, and we believe that if You will do the same. Afterwards, these evil things never appeared in Harlow Valley again." "Well done," said Theoden, "I can now find a place to rest, in the Call all the marshals and generals to my chambers before I go to bed. Don't delay!" The path leads straight across the valley, which is only about half a mile wide, overgrown with weeds, but lit in the gray light of night. It looked a little lifeless.On the other side, Meili noticed a rock wall, which was the foot of Lijiao Mountain, which was cut by the river many years ago.

On all level grounds thronged innumerable peoples, some merely crowding the roadsides indiscriminately, to welcome the king and the triumphant hussars from the west; Stables, a large number of weapons, and long guns like dense forests stand on the ground.Even though so many troops were assembled here, under the night wind blowing, there were still no unnecessary lights here, and the sentries in heavy cloaks patrolled back and forth relentlessly. Meri didn't know how many hussars there were in front of him. In the darkness, he couldn't figure out the exact number. He only knew that there were at least several thousand people judging from the opponent's momentum.While he was looking around at the men, the army led by the king came to the foot of the cliff to the east of the valley, from where the road suddenly began to climb, and Merry looked up in surprise.The road he was on was different from anything he had seen before. It was built by humans long before historical records and songs. Drilling among the rocks.Horses can advance on it, and vehicles can also be dragged up slowly. However, unless the enemy grows wings, they cannot attack this place, because the defense here is built above.At every bend in the road, there is a huge statue depicting thick-limbed humans, each sitting cross-legged, with their arms resting on their fat bellies.Some have been rendered completely unrecognizable by the wear and tear of the years, and can only gaze sadly at the passing travelers through the deep hollows of their eyes.The hussars didn't care about these statues. They called them pukos and ignored them.Merry looked at them with curious eyes, and at the same time felt a trace of sympathy. These statues could only look at the road without moving for eternity.

After a while, he looked back, only to realize that he was hundreds of feet away from the valley below, but he could still see the hussars lining up at the transition point, entering the tent prepared for them in an orderly manner , Only the king and his attendants are ready to enter the high fortress. At last the king's party came to a turning, and entered a narrow road with cliffs on both sides, and after a short slope they came to a wide level place.It was called Ferrian Mesa, and it was a grassy plain a few hundred feet below the deep valley cut by the Snowbound River.This plain abuts the southern tip of the Ribhorn Mountain, and the northern edge of the Eransaga Mountain; mountain.A rough road separated by huge boulders cuts the plateau in half and extends all the way into the night.Anyone who dares to step on this road will come to Dingfu under Mount Dingmo and witness those towering rock pillars and the cursed sealed door.

This is Den Harrow after nightfall, a place left by long-forgotten humans.Their names have long been concealed by history, and no ballad or legend remembers their existence.Now no one knows why they built this place back then, was it to settle down and establish a career?Or worship the gods?Or let the emperor be buried here?They worked silently in the dark ages, when no ships approached the western shores of the mainland, and when Gondor of the Dundanites had not yet been established.Now, these people have mysteriously disappeared, leaving only those ancient Puge people sitting silently by the side of the road, staring at the passers-by. Meili looked at the huge boulders that separated the road. They were all worn out in many places, some were crooked, some were dumped on the ground, and even fell into pieces. They looked like crooked teeth in the mouth of an old man.He fancied where these roads led, and secretly hoped that the King would not follow them into the darkness that lay behind them.Then, he also found that there were many tents on both sides of the road. The strange thing was that none of these tents were set up under the trees. On the contrary, they even deliberately avoided the woods and the cliffs that could shelter from the wind and rain.Most of the tents were set up on the right side, that is, the wider side of the highland. On the left side, there was a small camp, and in the middle was a towering ornate tent. A knight rode from the left side to meet them. As the group approached, Merry realized that the knight was a woman, her long curled hair gleaming in the faint light; however, she was dressed like a warrior from the waist up, with a helmet on her head and a tie around her waist. With a long sword. "Long live the Hussar King!" she cried, "I am so glad to see you back safely." "So am I, EOWIN," replied Theoden. "Is everything all right?" "Everything is fine," she replied, though Merry felt her voice betrayed her emotions.If it weren't for that stern, cold face, he might have thought she had shed tears before. "Everything is going well, people are forced to leave their homes suddenly and embark on a long migration, which is quite tiring for them. The people do complain, because they haven't seen war for a long time, but, it's nothing The situation has happened, and everything is ready as you have seen. Your residence is also ready, and I have heard about your encounter and the time of arrival before." "Then, Aragorn Been here," said Éomer, "is he still there?" "No, he has gone," said Éowyn, looking away at the dark mountains to the southeast. "Where has he gone?" asked Éomer. "I don't know," she replied, "he came late at night, and left yesterday morning before sunrise, and he's gone." "Daughter, you look sad," said Theoden, "what happened? What is the matter? Tell me, did he speak of the way?" He pointed to the dark outline of Mount Dimmer and said, "The way of the dead?" "Yes, my lord," said Eowyn, "he has Into the darkness from which no man has ever lived, I could not persuade him. he's gone. "Then our paths are doomed to part," said Éomer. "He may be dead, and we must go on without him, with much less hope." They walked slowly across the meadow, Talking no more, at last came to the king's tent.Merry found that everything had been prepared, including him.A small tent was set up next to the king's residence, and he lived there alone, watching people come and go, and conferring and discussing with the king.The night was getting darker, and the tops of the mountains in the west were dotted with stars, but the east was still dark.The giant rock that separates the road is slowly engulfed by the night, and merges with the silent Dingmo Mountain. "The Way of the Dead," he said to himself, "the Way of the Dead? Sam and Frodo go to Mordor, Strider and Legolas and Gimli go to the Way of the Dead. I think it will be my turn soon. I don't know what these people are talking about? Hussar King What are you going to do? No matter where he goes, I will go with him." As he was thinking so gloomyly, he remembered absently that he had been hungry for a long time.He just jumped up to see if anyone else thought the same as him.At that very moment, though, the trumpet sounded, and a man came to him and asked the king's retinue to report to the king. In the innermost part of the tent, there is a small space separated by curtains, and there are many animal skins hanging on it.Theoden, Eomer, Eowyn, and Denhill, lord of Harlow, sat at a little table.Merry stood by the king's stool and waited patiently, until the old man turned his head from thought and smiled at him. "Come on, Mr. Meriadoc!" he said. "You don't have to stand. As long as you are in my country, you should sit next to me and tell all kinds of stories to make me relax." There was a place for the hobbit to sit on the king's left, but no one really asked him to tell stories, and no one talked much, and most of the time they just ate and drank in silence.Finally, Merry worked up the courage to ask the question that had been stuck in his throat. "Your Majesty, I have heard you speak of the Way of the Dead twice," he said. "Where is that place? Where is the Strider—I mean Lord Aragorn?" the King of Hussars sighed. but there was no answer for a while, and at last Éomer said, "We don't know, and that's why we feel very worried," he said, "As for the Way of the Dead, you have just stepped on its first step. Bah bah bah bah, I shouldn't have said such unlucky words! The path we walked before will lead to Ding Fu's gate of the dead, but, no one knows what lies behind the door." "No human being knows," Xi said. Utten said: "However, ancient legends that are rarely mentioned today have some inside information. If the history passed down from generation to generation by my royal family of Io is correct, then the gate at the bottom of Dingmer Mountain leads to a secret passage, and the exit at the other end But it has long been forgotten. Since Bardo, the son of Brigo, passed through that door and disappeared from the world, no human being has dared to try that road. Brigo toasted to celebrate the completion of the Golden Palace, and Bardo Drank one more drink, swore an oath to venture, and never came back to inherit his throne." "It is said that the ghosts of the dark age guard the way, and will not let any stranger enter their halls; However, sometimes, people will see them walking back and forth on the stone road like ghosts. At that time, the residents of Harlow Valley will close the doors and windows and hide in fear. However, the undead rarely show up, and only when the world is in trouble Tom, will appear when death is approaching." "But there is another legend in Harlow Valley," whispered Eowyn, "on a moonless night not so long ago, a large group of shadows appeared on that road On the road. No one knows where they came from, only that they disappeared into the mountain wall, as if they came here for an appointment." "Then why did Aragorn take this road?" Merry asked: "You Don't you know any possible reason?" "Unless he has said something to you in private," replied Éomer, "I am afraid that no one who is still in the world can answer your question." "Since my first He seems to have changed a lot since I saw him in the palace once," said Éowyn. He has indeed been called," replied Theoden, "and I thought in my heart that I might never see him again, but he was indeed a king with an extraordinary destiny. Daughter, it seems to me that you are very sorry that this guest has left. Sorry, please listen to a story: It is said that when our Io family came from the north and crossed the Snow Boundary River, we wanted to find a place to take refuge in a crisis. Brigo and his son Bardo climbed to the The ladder of the fortress came to this door. In front of the door sat an old man, he was so old that it was impossible to guess his exact age: perhaps he was once tall and noble, but now he has shrunk and aged like a star Bald Rock. Because he didn't move and didn't make a sound, they did think he was a stone statue at first; when they were about to pass him and enter the door, he spoke. The sound seemed to come from the ground. heTo our surprise, what he used was Western language: I don't understand it! "The group stopped and looked at him, only to realize that he was still alive, but he did not return their glances. The door is closed! His voice spoke again. This was built by the dead, and it was guarded by the dead until The door will not open until the time comes!" "When is that?" Bardo asked, but he could no longer get any answers. The old man fell down at that moment and died without a sound. The past history of the mountain dwellers is no longer known. But, perhaps, the prophesied time has come at last, and Aragorn can pass through this road." "However, if one does not enter the gate, how will one know whether the time has come?" " said Eomer. "Even if I were cornered and had to face the hosts of Mordor, I would not choose this road. What a pity that this noble warrior lost his mind when we needed him most! Isn't there enough evil on the surface, and he needs to go underground to find it? The fire of war is imminent." He stopped because at that moment, there was a sound outside the door, a man called Theoden, and the guard immediately reported Inside. The captain of the guard pushed back the curtain. "My lord, someone is coming!" he said. "It is a message from Gondor. He wishes to see you at once." "Let him in!" said Theoden. A tall man walked in, and Merry gasped; in his eyes, it seemed that Boromir had been reborn again, and then, when he took a closer look, he realized that was not the case.This man is a stranger, but his appearance is very similar to Boromir, the same tall and proud, with a pair of gray eyes.He seemed to have just dismounted from his horse. He was wearing a dark green cloak and a finely crafted chain mail underneath. A small silver star was inlaid on the front of his helmet, and he held a black-feathered steel spiked arrow in his hand. , the tip of the arrow is painted vermilion. Immediately he knelt down on one knee and offered his arrow to Theoden, "King of Rohan, friend of Gondor, I salute you!" He said, "My name is Hogan, and I am the herald of Denethor. , Your Majesty sent me to deliver this token of war to you. Gondor is in crisis, and Rohan has always been a loyal ally of our country, but this time, King Denethor begs you to dispatch your entire army at full speed, otherwise Gondor will fall!" "The Vermilion Arrow!" Theoden held the token tightly, as if he had been looking forward to this call for a long time, but he was extremely unwilling to face this situation. "During my reign, I have never received a scarlet arrow! Has it really reached this point? How strong and fast does King Denethor think my entire army will be?" "Your Majesty, this Only you know," He Gang said, "but Minas Tirith will be surrounded in a short time; unless your forces are strong enough to break through the enemy's tight encirclement, King Denethor still thinks that the hussars We should enter the city at full speed, and not be exposed on the undefended plain." "However, he also knows that we are used to fighting on horseback, not on foot. Our people are usually scattered and assembled. Hussars take time. He Gang, does the King of Minas Tirith know more than the message he sent? Because, as you can see, our army is ready for war, and we are not caught off guard. Gray Robe Gan Dolf has been to us, and we have already mobilized to face the Great War in the West." "I don't know what King Denethor knows or guesses," He Gang replied, "but we do need reinforcements urgently. My king did not appoint me to deliver military orders, he only asks you to remember the old friendship and oath, and for the future of Rohan, please consider carefully. According to our information, many forces have gone to the east to join the demons There are many black flags, from the north to the plains of Dagora, all are in constant conflict, and rumors of war are everywhere. The Haradrin is also mobilizing troops, and all the coasts of our country are facing great threats. Therefore, there are not many reinforcements who can come to our aid. Be quick! The fate of the world will depend on the battle outside Minas Tirith, and if the flood cannot be stopped there, the flood of corruption will overwhelm the beautiful land of Rohan, and even this The strongholds of the mountains will be irresistible." "This is bad news indeed," said Theoden, "but not entirely out of hand. Please reply to King Denethor that even if Rohan himself is not threatened, We will also go to support. However, we were severely injured in the process of dealing with the traitor Saruman. Before everything is clear, we still have to consider the northern and eastern borders of our country. The army assembled by the Dark Lord this time is astonishingly large At this point, he may even open up multiple battlefields at the same time, and divide and assemble with multiple forces." "However, the time for careful discussion has passed, and we will go. The time for departure is tomorrow. After everything is reorganized, We shall go at once. I could have sent ten thousand men to cripple your enemies, but I am afraid it will be much less now, for I dare not leave my own people defenseless to the enemy. But , I will personally lead at least 6,000 troops to help. Tell Denethor that although he may die in battle, the King of Hussars has decided to drive himself to Gondor. However, the distance between the two countries is not close, and the soldiers under my command When you and the horses arrive, you must still have the energy to fight. You will be able to hear the roar of the sons of Io one week after tomorrow morning." "One week!" He Gang said: "If it has to take so long, There is no other way. But, seven days later, you may see only Minas Tirith in ruins;Unless, another reinforcement arrives that we did not expect.But then at least you'll be able to mop up the orcs and wildlings who desecrated our bones. "We can at least do this," said Theoden. "I'm sorry, but I just got back here after a hard fight. I must rest first. You can stay here today, and tomorrow morning." Witnessing the assembly of the entire army of Rohan, and then you can return home with hope, I hope you can arrive before us. The morning is the best time to discuss strategy, and perhaps a night of thinking will change many things." As soon as he finished speaking, the king stood up Get up, and the others follow suit. "Everyone go to sleep," he said, "sleep well! As for you, Mr. Meriadoc, I don't need your help tonight, please be ready at first light tomorrow." "I will, "Merry said: "Even if you let me go with you to the way of the dead, I will not back down." "Don't say such words!" Hussar king replied: "There is not only one way to get such a name, I didn't say I wanted you to go down any road with me. Good night!" "I don't want to be left behind and not think of me until everyone gets back!" Merri said, "I don't want to, I don't want to!" in After repeating it over and over again, he finally fell asleep in his tent. A man shook him awake. "Wake up, wake up, Mr. Habitella! Habitla: According to the research of linguists, the name Hobbit comes from the Rohan language Habitlan (Hobytlan)], which means "the cave dweller" ".Here, the man is referring to Meri in the Rohanian language. The other party shouted; finally, Merry woke up from a deep sleep, and it was still dark outside. "What happened?" he asked. "The Hussar King is looking for you." "But the sun hasn't risen yet!" Merry said. "No, Mr. Habitella, and it doesn't look like it's going to rise today. Under such thick clouds, one would think it might never come. Although the sun is gone, time doesn't." Wait, hurry up!" Mei Li casually put on a few clothes and looked out.The whole world seems to be surrounded by darkness.Even the air looks dark brown, everything is shrouded in gray black, as if everything has stopped.There are no clouds in the sky. Only in the extreme east can we see many clouds spreading like devil's claws, and only a very faint light seeps out from between the clouds.The sky above was surrounded by thick dark clouds, and the light showed no signs of brightening, and even became weaker and weaker. Merry noticed that there were many people pointing to the sky and whispering. Everyone's face looked tired, sad, and some even showed fear.With a heavy heart he went to the king.He Gang, the herald of Gondor, arrived earlier than him, and beside him was another person, who was similar in clothes and appearance, but shorter and fatter.When Merry entered the tent, he happened to be talking to the king. "It came from the direction of Mordor, my lord," said he, "and it began at sunset last night. From the hills of the eastern valley of your borders, I saw it rise slowly and spread across the sky. , I ran all night, and at the same time, I watched it devour the stars one by one. Now, this terrible dark cloud has shrouded the land between the Shadow Mountains and this place in darkness, and it is still going on. The ceaseless growth...the war has begun!" Hussar King sat silently, and finally he spoke: "We have finally met!" He said: "This is the most heroic war of our time , many things will be gone. We need not hide any longer, we will go at full speed by the shortest way. Gather immediately! Can't wait for any delaying troops. Do you have enough supplies in Minas Tirith? ? If we want to go with all our strength, we have to travel lightly, and we can only carry enough food and drinking water to reach the battlefield." "We have already prepared for this moment, and the food reserves are very sufficient." He Gang replied. "Go as fast as you can with as little burden as you can!" "Send the order, Eomer," said Theoden, "all the hussars!" Eomer went out, and the horns sounded in the fortress. , There was a deafening response from the valley below.It's just that, to Meri's ears, these horn sounds were not as clear and majestic as they sounded last night.In the heavy air they seemed dull and ominous. The Hussar King turned to Merry. "Mr. Meriadoc, I am going to war," he said. "I will be on the road in a short time. I will relieve you of your duties, but this does not include our friendship. If you will, you should stay. Here you may serve Eowyn who governs in my place." "But, but, my lord," stammered Merry, "I offer you my loyalty and my sword, King Theoden, and I do not want To be separated from you under such circumstances. All my friends have already gone to war, and if I were left here alone, I would not be able to hold my head up." "However, we must ride tall and fast horses," Xi said. "You can't ride a horse like that, though you have as much courage as anyone else," said Utten. "Then tie me to the horse's back, or let me hang from the stirrups or anything. It’s all good,” Meri said, “Although the distance is long, even if I can’t ride, I still have to run, even if I break my foot, I don’t care!” Theoden laughed. "If that's the case, then I can let you ride Snowmane with me," he said, "but at least you can go to Edoras with me and see the Golden Palace. I'll go in that direction first. At least Staples can also take you: Our hasty march will not begin until we reach the plain. ’ Eowyn stood up. "Come on, Meriadoc!" she said, "I'll show you the gear I've prepared for you." The two walked out together. "It is Aragorn's request to me," said Éowyn, as he passed the tent, "that you should be entitled to fight. I have granted it, and have done as much as I can. For, I think you will need these at last. Yes." She led Merry to where the Praetorians were quartered, and a blacksmith handed her a small helmet, a buckler, and other equipment. "We don't have any armor for you to wear," said Eowyn, "and we haven't had time to build you a special one, but I managed to get a pair of strong leather pants, a belt, and a knife, which you already have I got a sword." Meri bowed deeply, and the princess asked him to look at the shield carefully; it was the same as the shield that Gimli received back then, and it also had the emblem of a white horse on it. "Take them all," she said, "don't disappoint them! Farewell, Mr. Meriadoc! However, perhaps, the two of us will still have the opportunity to meet in the future. "The king of hussars was finally in a hall, ready to lead all the hussars to march eastward. People's hearts were very heavy. Many people became shrinking in the dark, but they were a strong nation. For the king There is incomparable loyalty.Even where the old, the weak, women and children live, there is seldom a sobbing or a whisper. They know that their end is coming, but they still face it in silence. Two hours passed quickly, and the king of hussars was sitting on his white horse, looking into the distance in the faint light.Although the snow-white hair fluttering under the helmet, he looked confident and tall. Many people saw that he was not afraid, and they all felt that someone who is capable is worthy of it. 在淙淙的河流旁聚集了五千五百名全副武装的骠骑，其他还有数百名骑着轻装马匹的男子，一声号角响起，骠骑王举起手，骠骑全军就沉默出发了。最前面是骠骑王家族中十二名武勇过人的先锋，然后是骠骑王，右边则是伊欧墨。他已经在要塞中和伊欧玟道别了，这让他十分难过；不过，此时，他将精神全都专注在眼前的漫漫征途上。梅里骑着史戴巴与刚铎的传令跟在后面，在那之后则是另外十二名骠骑王室的成员。他们经过了一长列神情坚毅的人们，但是，当他们几乎走到队伍的终点时，有一道锐利的眼神射向哈比人；那是一位比一般男子都要矮小的年轻人，梅里打量着他，心中边思索着。他注意到对方拥有一对清澈的灰眸，此时，他不禁打了个寒颤；因为那是一付生亦何欢、慷慨赴死的神情。 他们一路来到了雪界河在岩石间奔流的地方，一路上穿越了下哈洛和上溪两座小村，许多女子哀伤的透过黑暗地门缝往外观看。没有竖琴的伴奏，没有雄壮的歌声，日后传颂无数个世代的洛汗东征就这么开始了。 清晨，自黑暗的登哈洛塞哲尔之子和领主及将官同时出发： 他来到伊多拉斯，古老的厅堂笼罩迷雾中的骠骑皇宫；黄金宫殿在黑暗中失色。 他向子民道别，离开家园和王座，美丽的故乡，在光明消退前，这曾是他生活之处。 骠骑王奋勇向前，恐惧紧追不舍，命运就在前方。忠诚驱策着他，诺言让他不敢松懈，誓要抵抗邪恶。 希优顿王驰向前。五日五夜不停歇伊欧子嗣勇征东穿越佛德、沼境、费理安森林，六千兵马横越森蓝德，通过明都陆安山下的蒙登堡，南国的海王之城遭敌围困，烈火侵攻。 末日驱赶骠骑，黑暗吞没大地，骏马与骑士，蹄声传千里落入沉寂中，歌谣永传颂。 骠骑王的确是在如同黄昏一般的天色中来到伊多拉斯，只是，当时的时间其实已经接近中什了。他只在那里暂停了片刻，让将近百名迟来的骠骑和他们会合。在用过什餐之后，他准备再度出发，同时向他的随扈和蔼地道别。梅里再一次的恳求，希望不要和他分开。 「我之前已经说过了，未来的征途并不适合史戴巴，」希优顿说。「梅里雅达克先生，虽然你人小志气高，但是，在我们于刚铎将面临的血战中，你又能派上什么用场呢？」「谁能够未卜先知呢？」梅里回答：「王上，但是，既然你接受我成为您的随扈，为什么又不让我和你并肩作战？我可不愿意在歌谣和传说中，把我描述成总是被人丢在后面的可怜虫！」「我接受你的效忠是为了你的安全，」希优顿说：「同时也希望你能够服从我的命令。我麾下的骠骑都没办法承载你而又跟上队伍。如果这场战斗是在我的家门口发生，或许你可以名留青史，但这里距离迪耐瑟的王城三百零六哩之遥，不要再跟我争辩了。」梅里深深一鞠躬，闷闷不乐地转身走开，看着眼前的马队。队伍已经准备好要出发了，人们开始系紧腰带、检查马鞍、安抚马匹。有些人不安地看着逐渐降低的天空，一名骑士悄悄来到哈比人的身边，低语道： 「我们的俗谚说，援手往往来自意料之外的地方，」他低语道：「我正准备伸出这样的援手。」梅里抬头一看，发现对方正是他早上所注意到的那名年轻人。「我看得出来，你希望和骠骑同进退。」「是的，」梅里说。 骑士说：「那么你可以跟我走，我可以载你过去，在离开这附近之前，我可以用斗篷遮住你，而这黑暗会是我们最好的掩护。你最好不要拒绝我的好意，不要多说，只管来就对了！」「实在太感谢你了！」梅里说：「大人，多谢你的援手，但我还不知道你的大名。」「喔，是吗？」骑士柔声说：「那就叫我德海姆好了。」因此，当骠骑王出发的时候，哈比人梅里雅达克就坐在德海姆身前。两人胯下高大俊美的温佛拉对这多出的重量并不在乎，因为德海姆比大多数的男子要轻，但他也显得更为结实和敏捷。 众人就这么骑向黑暗，在雪界河汇流入树沐河的树林附近，也就是距离伊多拉斯三十六哩的地方，他们在该地扎营。然后他们紧接着穿越佛德，接下来是沼境，右边则是刚铎边境的巨大橡树林，在他们右边的则是树沐河口的沼泽。在他们不断前进的时候，有关北方战争的流言也跟着传了过来，策马狂奔的人们前来通知东方边境遭到突袭的消息，半兽人趁机攻进了洛汗国境。 「继续！继续前进！」伊欧墨大喊道。「我们现在回头已经太晚了，希望树沐河能够保卫我们的侧翼，我们必须更加快脚步。前进！」希优顿国王就这么离开了自己的国家，一哩又一哩的朝向目标迈进。骠骑们越过了一座又一座的烽火台：加仑汉、明瑞蒙、伊瑞拉斯、那多，但烽火全都熄灭了，大地全都笼罩在灰色的微光中，眼前的魔影越来越深沉，每个人心中怀抱的希望之火也跟着渐渐熄灭。