The Family Line Part 18 – A Burden Lifted

Part 18 – A Burden Lifted

A bitter gust of cold air blew from the east. It was the dead of night, cold, harsh, unforgiving. The bleak sky gave nothing but drops of light speckled upon the empty black background. It was the darkest of darkness as the survivors of the orc camp came at last to the ruined outpost of Flodgeheld, west of the accursed orc camp. The survivors, the little girl’s mother, Keymel’s brother Kemal, Eashae, and Theomin stood around the ruined remains of the outpost, not sure what to do next. The sounds of the horns east of them were blasting out louder and closer. Kemel wandered around, not knowing what to do. His brother had just died. He was helpless without a sword. He did not know how to defend the group.

Eashae walked to the nearest ruined structure and sobbed. Her body shook with the force of her weeping more tears than Theomin had ever seen. Her sobbing sounded uncontrollable as she dropped her crossbow and collapsed on her knees. The sounds of the horns grew louder, sounding just over the hill east of them.

The little girl’s mother looked at the two others, lost in her looks. She did not know what Keymel meant to them, but her eyes started to tear. She placed a hand over her dirt covered mouth, unsure of what to say or do and started to cry but not wanting to. The horns were the closest they ever were.

Theomin looked at the small band of lost souls. He knew they had not the slightest will to draw weapons together and fight. Kemel and the little girl’s mother were lost. Eashae was grieving terribly. Theomin knew this was it. He had to break his promise to himself. If not for himself, then for the group and the promise he had made to the little girl. It was his utmost need to take up his staff, draw on his knowledge and defend his friends. He had to fight.

He drew his staff and calmly walked to the entrance of outpost. He could see warg riders riding around the tall Stonedean grasses. Searching. Sniffing. Growling around at the ground. Tracing the path back to Flodgeheld. Uruks and orcs were searching the grounds too. Ready to pounce on any Rohirrim. Keymel’s sacrifice was in vain. They tracked the band of survivors.

Theomin, with a clear sense of will, clarity, and boldness yelled toward the wargs riders, orcs, and uruks. “Hey!” From there he could see them stop and turn their gaze toward the small ruined outpost. They turned toward Thoemin and quickly closed in on him like a rushing river. He gathered all his power and called upon the heavens to send down a lightning bolt. One came too close and a bolt was loosed from behind him. Eashae, who had regained her wits, loosed it.

As the enemy came within only yards from Theomin, he slammed his staff down to the earth. With a giant blinding flash, the skies let loose a sudden series of bolts of lightning flashes on the advancing wargs, uruks, and orcs all felling them one by one until they were not but corpses of burning flesh lying on the Rohan ground.

Other searchers turned their gaze upon the small band of survivors in Flodgeheld. They too turned and ran toward them. Theomin summoned a terrible tornado. Flashes of lightning spilled out of the tornado as each of the enemies fell to the wrath of Theomin. Before long, the enemy, that had taken all the survivors, had been dispatched to a fiery death.

Theomin turned. A stunned audience looked at Theomin. Their awe told Theomin one thing. They had never seen the like before. “We need to leave. The whole of the orc camp will gather to this place like moths to a flame.”

The stunned group snapped out of their gaze and turned to horses. Kemel mounted his brother’s horse. The little girl’s mother mounted up with Eashae. Theomin mounted Bragga. Soon, and with all haste, they galloped south, away from Flodgeheld, the orc camp, and Keymel.

Through the dark night and incoming morning, Theomin could not help but remember when he first met Keymel while having dinner in Helm’s Deep. How he helped Eashae with her anger at the guards, and how he was the closest thing to a friend he had since he departed from his farm. As he rode on south he wiped away tears for the time he spent with Keymel looking for the mother of the little girl, the bond he had with his brother, and the promise he made to have that last drink with him. His eyes watered with the thought of not having his friend come back with him to Helm’s Deep. The friend who, by all accounts, should not have fallen to such a simple wound that Theomin could not cure. If he had the knowledge, could he have helped Keymel? Could he have spared his life and have him riding beside him?

The group found a river. Instead of fording it, they followed along the river southeast until they found a path south. It was a small trail heading southward across the plane of the Westfold. The sun was starting to rise over the planes of the east. The cruel night was ending and a bitter morning was beginning. Then Theomin saw it. Off to the east, across grassy planes and small stony hills he saw the hill of Edoras and the Golden Hall of Meduseld before the great rising of the sun. It was as Keymel said. The beauty of the great golden in the silhouette of the sun’s rising morning rays was truly a sight to behold. Theomin remembered thinking he was never going to see such a sight. He was wrong. But Keymel, poor Keymel, would never see that sight again.

Soon, and as morning dragged on, they turned west toward the ruined city of Marton. The bleak sight of the rising smoke continued to devastate Theomin. His eyes looked toward the still billowing pitch black smoke that was rising from the city. Soon, they forded the river leading to the ruined city.

Amongst the darkness and death, a single horse ran from the ruined city. In a stunning turn of events, the lady who was the mother of the little girl, only had to approach one the horse place a loving palm on the horse and it slowed and calmed. What skill she must have had to tame such a beast. She looked at the horse with kindness in her eyes and the horse did the same. “She was scared and nervous. The love of a woman from Rohan can tame even the wildest of beasts. She just needed a loving palm to be touched with.”

Indeed that was what the horse needed. She mounted the horse and away the four road toward Helm’s Dike.

Following Theomin on the path the deer had showed him as they made their way around the ruined city of Marton and rode to the last river to ford before reaching Helm’s Deep. The group forded it as Theomin looked back toward where the orc camp lay. With regret in his heart he just said, “I am sorry Keymel.” He forded the river and rode the rest of the way to the gates of Helm’s Dike, through the Deeping-Coomb, up the causeway and through the gatehouse of Helm’s Deep. The survivors were safe. They made it to safety but at the cost of such an important figure for Rohan.

Theomin dismounted from his horse. On the left Theomin could see the man and the little girl running toward her mother. Her father was not far behind with tears of joy spilling through their eyes. They were so happy to see her they could not contain such strong and boisterous cries of joy.

To the right, Theomin saw Kemel and Eashae watching the family reunited. Their quiet demeanor told everything of what they were feeling. They had wished they could celebrate the reunion of the newly reunited family but alas, they could not. They could not smile at the joy that was produced by the family. They just watched. Cold. Unmoving.

Theomin felt that way too. His actions led to such great joy but such horrible sorrow. He turned to sit on the steps leading up to the wall of the Hornburg. It led him to start grieving too, thinking of Keymel, Kemel, and Eashae. His heart grieved and was somehow compounded by the joy of the family. If only Kemel could feel glad for the family who almost lost their mother. If only Eashae could share in the joy of the other family. Neither Kemel nor Eashae could and that hurt Theomin because it was his plan to go out in the first place.

As he stood he saw a man approaching Kemel. He looked familiar as he had seen the man before out in the field near Stoke. It was the man who rescued Theomin from the awful Dunlanding riders. It was Eomir, the king’s nephew. Kemel pointed toward Theomin as Eomir turned and walked toward him. What was Eomir going to say? How was he going to react to losing his lieutenant?

“I hear what you did out on the planes of Rohan.” The great man said to Theomin. “It was a great deed you did. A great deed beyond any measure.”

Theomin looked up at Eomir with shock. “You cannot mean me. My actions allowed a man to die. A great man.”

“Keymel was a great man.” Eomir acknowledged. “He was a dear friend and he was also loyal, to the last. Much must be risked. My actions and decisions have led to many deaths. What keeps me from grieving too great for their loss is the notion that some measure of good has come from their sacrifice. Keymel knew that.” Eomir looked over at the beautiful sight of the reunited family. “I would say Keymel’s sacrifice was well worth the good that came from it.”

Tears streamed from Theomin’s eyes. A sudden weight lifted from Theomin’s shoulders. His burden of Keymel’s death subsided from him as Eomir and Theomin joined Eashae and Kemel as they watched the reunited family continue to embrace in unity and love.

For our comrade

Our brother our friend

Our company our family

Of you thought won’t end.

 

For your going away

We’ve given our tears

Our heart and our soul

Now for many years.

 

Your life was lived

Your life was given

Your life was taken

Your greatness has risen.

 

My burden was raised

My heart was mended

But I miss you now

Your memory defended.

 

We leave you Keymel

In peace and in love

We leave you now

To the stars above.