THE FALL OF EDORAS
June 8, 3019
Khamul: *Shortly before dawn on June 8,
3019, a fell beast is held by its handler in preparation for use
by its master*
Khamul: *In Khamul's tent, he says to Madurz* It is time. We leave
now
Madurz: *she looks up when she hears his voice and nods* yes love
Madurz: *she stands and goes to meet his side*
Khamul: are you ready?
Madurz: yes i am ready
Khamul: *he takes her arm and escorts her to the doorway of the
tent, past the guards, then to the beast*
Madurz: *she is armed and walks with her arm in his hand*
Khamul: *The beast is irritable this morning, impatient to go*
Khamul: I will help you on, my lady
Madurz: *she looks over the magnificent beast*
Khamul: Let me lift you on
Madurz: *she steadies herself as she is helped by Khamul...she
pulls herself fully on*
Madurz: *straddles high up on the beast's neck*
Khamul: *he takes the reins from the handler in one hand and is
soon behind her upon the beast*
Madurz: *feels his torso like a wall against her back*
Khamul: *he puts one arm around her waist and signals to the large
creature to be up*
Khamul: *it pounds its great wings up and down until it catches
the air and then it is up*
Madurz: *a thick loose strand of hair ties the rest of her hair
behind her loosely*
Khamul: Only 30 miles to Edoras, a quick journey
Khamul: *The sky is dark from the clouds from Mordor*
Khamul: *But somewhere, far down below, they hear a rooster crowing.
He knows it is time for dawn, whether the rest of his world knows
it or not*
Madurz: *her legs grip the beast more as they are in flight and
she smiles lightly always loving to ride high above*
Madurz: *the wonderful feeling comes to her again after long of
the rush of wind against her face*
Khamul: *Khamul sees a dark spot marking Edoras below him*
Khamul: *He signals the beast to fly low and he searches for a
place for it to come down*
Khamul: *Somewhere far away to the East, they hear the cadence
of drums as they beat time for the marchers below*
Madurz: *the journey was ending too soon for her liking but it
was to be...to be in flight calmed her greatly*
Khamul: *Horns sound and they know that this part of the army
is not far away*
Khamul: my love, the city is below us
Khamul: *He commands the beast to continue circling the city*
Madurz: *she squints in darkness*
Khamul: *He whispers in her ear* When the beast is low enough,
he will have the bearings about him to signal me a safe place
to land
Khamul: I can see the city through the darkness
Khamul: but he is a bit more hampered than I
Madurz: *she squeezed the hand that is around her waist gently
and smiles*
Khamul: *The beast then begins his descent and Khamul's grip upon
her waist tightens*
Khamul: *It lands in the terraced area below the steps of Medsuled*
Madurz: *she leans against him more and lets her eyes close for
a brief moment and then they land*
Khamul: *Khamul gets off and then helps her down*
Khamul: He knows to wait for us
Madurz: *she dismounts and is beside him*
Khamul: *Now what is dawn has come, but it is nothing more than
a brownish haze more resembling dusk than anything*
Khamul: *He takes her arm* I must guide you, for you can see little,
I know
Madurz: *she seems a little bit more clearly...but not enough...she
holds onto him and looks around*
Khamul: There will be some steps to go up. Be careful. Hold to
me
Madurz: *she feels with her foot the first step*
Khamul: Be careful you do not trip. There are objects they have
left on the stairs, things hastily cast aside in their flight
Khamul: *She hears as he kicks something down the steps*
Madurz: *she steps with caution.moving things with her foot out
of the way*
Khamul: We are almost to the landing now
Khamul: One more step and we will be there
Madurz: *she makes it with him to the top*
Khamul: *he leads her to the door of the Golden Hall*
Khamul: It is barricaded!
Madurz: *she sighs in frustration*
Khamul: Locked and bolted
Khamul: Curse the horse lords!
Khamul: Stand here and do not come near the door. I must remove
it
Khamul: Go back!
Madurz: *object near her foot and she kicks it hard over the steps
as it crashes down each one*
Madurz: *she moves away*
Khamul: *He looks at the door, then pounds on it but it resists*
Khamul: *he pounds again, and the door holds firm, as though it
were locked in some kind of contest with him*
Khamul: *He curses*
Madurz: *she concentrates on him as he becomes aggrivated at this
obstacle*
Khamul: *Frustrated, he touches his ring.....* In the name of
Mordor, I command you to open!
Khamul: *he pounds again and this time the door splinters and
falls down*
Madurz: *her grin widens at his success*
Khamul: *He goes over to her, takes her by the arm*
Khamul: Now be careful. You will have to walk over parts of the
door
Khamul: *He leads her into the golden hall*
Madurz: *steps over large and small pieces of the door, holding
onto him tightly*
Khamul: They have taken everything from here. There is not a torch,
there is nothing
Khamul: Not a chair, not a stool, not a table
Madurz: *shakes her head in disgust*
Khamul: I will give you light. *He steps away from her, and releases
his hand from her arm*
Khamul: *He draws his sword with his right hand and holds it high,
and flames go up and down the blade*
Khamul: Can you see?
Madurz: *she nods as she marvels then looks around*
Khamul: *The horns and drums that were heard distantly now seem
much nearer*
Khamul: Furlin will be here soon
Khamul: *he walks ahead of her with his sword still blazing*
Madurz: *the sounds coming closer are menacing and she smiles
and walks in step with him*
Khamul: There is not one accursed thing here for you to sit upon!
Khamul: Let us see more of this place, and see if they left anything
Madurz: worry not about me sitting my love...however i do despise
the them...i can see them scurrying with all their furniture and
tapestries
Khamul: *He sees a door near the end of the great hall*
Khamul: We will go there *the sword stil lights their way*
Khamul: Walk near me
Madurz: *nods as the blade gives her light enough to make her
way...she keeps close to him*
Khamul: *He goes up to the door*
Khamul: *He tries the door latch, but it is locked*
Khamul: Curses upon Eomer and his house forever!
Khamul: *he puts the sword to it and the wooden door bursts into
flames*
Madurz: *takes a couple of steps backwards*
Khamul: *a foul smell of burning wood wafts through the hall*
Madurz: *covers her nose and mouth*
Khamul: The fire is quick burning. It will not catch the hall
on fire
Khamul: *The fire sputters out, but not before it burns an opening*
Khamul: My lady, I think every door in this place is locked!
Madurz: i imagine so
Khamul: I will wait for my troops before going further
Madurz: *nods*
Khamul: *He turns from the door and motions for her to follow
him*
Khamul: *He walks over to where the throne once was. He can see
its markings in the floor*
Madurz: *she joins him and thinks she is glad that he took her
with him*
Khamul: Here once sat every king of Rohan, all the way back to
Eorl the Young
Khamul: It is my hall now!
Khamul: I claim it in the name of Mordor *the flames on the sword
grow brighter*
Madurz: *her hand slides up his arm as a big smile plays cross
her face*
Madurz: *her stance becomes more straight..her head a little higer*
Khamul: *He touches his ring* Edoras will now be another city
of the wraiths, and in time, it will be much like Minas Morgul,
a place of fear and dread to our enemies
Khamul: But now we will wait here until my generals arrive
Madurz: *at his mention of Minas Morgul she begins to think back
but stops thoughts*
Khamul: We will add battlements later, towers, fortifications
Khamul: Garrisoned with orcs and men
Madurz: it will be grand my love
Khamul: *Through the windows to the east, the faint light of day
begins to appear, but the light is brownish*
Khamul: Since there is no throne upon which to sit upon, would
you like my cape?
Madurz: *nods* alright
Khamul: *He unclasps his cloak and takes it off and then spreads
it over where Theoden's throne once sat*
Khamul: *He allows the light in his sword to slowly die down and
the room goes into darkness*
Madurz: *she kneels down on his cape and looks out over the hall*
Madurz: *then all is in dakness*
Khamul: *she can feel his presence standing nearby*
Madurz: *she smiles up to the towering figure she feels so near*
Khamul: my love, you cannot see, but there are columns to the
side of the hall
Khamul: The ceilings are high and arched
Khamul: there is a hole in the middle of the ceiling where the
smoke of their hearth goes through
Khamul: They are a backward people
Khamul: Primative in their ways, illterate
Madurz: *she sits and folds her legs to the side of her as she
closes her eyes and pictures all he describes*
Khamul: Other than the workmanship of the columns and the ceiling,
there is little here of note
Madurz: it shall be made into something spectacular
Khamul: there are high windows near the top
Khamul: upon the walls, there are many bare spaces now, fainter
than the rest of the wall
Khamul: Once, their tapestries hung there
Khamul: Their swords, their shields, their emblems too, and ever
the color of green and white
Khamul: the pillars are in colors. I see the colors, only faintly
Khamul: with gold guilding
Khamul: This then is Medsuled
Khamul: I passed it scarcely a year ago on my way to the Shire
Madurz: *her mind thinks of the shield maiden whom she despised
and grits her teeth as she now occupies spaces she has in the
past*
Khamul: all this, then, we have been given by default, almost
a gift
Madurz: yes a gift
Khamul: Then our forces shall move and take Helm's Deep
Khamul: And the One Whose Name is Not Known..... yes, he will
have Orthnac
Khamul: The Mouth, as they call him
Khamul: *He sits down beside her on his cloak*
Khamul: And you have come with me all this way from Lugburz and
Minas Morgul, through miles of travel, battles, sorrows
Madurz: *she feels his body move closer and his voice nearing
closer to her ears*
Madurz: yes my love
Madurz: and i would do it all again
Madurz: and shall do so forever
Khamul: *He reaches over and takes her hand*
Khamul: Now we must decide, soon, anyway
Khamul: Whether you will stay here in comparative safety or go
on with the army and me
Madurz: Khamul you know i cant be without you..in the shadows...that
is how i compare it
Madurz: shadows...emptiness
Khamul: but you would be safe. It will be garrisoned when we leave,
under a trusted commander of my own
Khamul: you would be guarded by both orcs and men
Khamul: and have your own quarters
Madurz: it makes me feel helpless
Madurz: and moreso i would be in the dark about what was happening
Khamul: Behind Edoras to the south is Dunharrow
Khamul: My feelings are that there is nothing there of any challenge,
nothing but civilians, the women and children of Edoras and Rohan
Khamul: In a few days, a company of orcs will go that way
Khamul: they might find.... booty there
Madurz: *her hand rests in his* i am sure your feelings are correct
love.....and i know you wish me to stay here
Madurz: but do you understand at all my feelings of wanting to
go with you?
Khamul: It is over 100 miles from here to the fords
Khamul: at least a five day journey
Madurz: distance means nothing to me my love
Khamul: it will be very dangerous for you, especially so now
Madurz: i have always found it hard to sit idle
Khamul: wherever he is, Eomer will fight
Khamul: all this area now to the fords of Isen will be patrolled
by the Rohirrim
Khamul: but we will drive them before us
Khamul: But still, sooner or later they will fight
Madurz: *a very brief sinking in her heart is felt*
Madurz: *then it passes*
Khamul: We will stay here today
Khamul: Until the rest of the army rejoins us
Khamul: Then perhaps we march at night
Madurz: do you think i will be safe if i go with you?
Khamul: It will take my men some time to get here. I am sure they
face barricades on their paths now and the gate to the city will
be bolted and locked shut... from inside, no doubt
Khamul: Safe, my love? There is no safety upon a battlefield
Khamul: not for you, but for me yes
Khamul: There is no one here who can best any of the Nine
Madurz: *she sighs heavily* many night i was without you in Minas
Morgul
Madurz: they seemed endless
Khamul: What if you should fall victim to a dart meant for me?
Madurz: while you were away it was so difficult
Madurz: *lowers her head*
Khamul: I do not want to lose you now
Madurz: a simple scouting mission almost took you away from me
Khamul: Yes, but, now there are no more of the accursed blades
of the West
Madurz: i know
Khamul: they are all guarded by..... those of Angmar in the barrows
Madurz: *her eyes strain in darkness as she faces him*
Madurz: my love...you know my dillema
Khamul: Stay here, my lady. I will come to you when I can
Madurz: i know the better choice is to remain here
Madurz: i fear a fatal wound
Madurz: and you know why
Madurz: dont you love?
Khamul: Yes, my lady, well do I know that
Khamul: the fighting will be fierce when we finally meet resistance
Madurz: i do not want a chance at enternity with you hindered
Madurz: i have this fear...
Madurz: it plays like a mnightmare...
Madurz: close to death and you are nowhere in sight
Madurz: i fade to death slowly and lose your love forever
Khamul: *she can hear him sigh*
Khamul: this will not happen, but should you go near the battle,
it well might
Khamul: I will not let that be!
Khamul: Our enemies would show you no more mercy than they would
show an orc
Khamul: stay behind the battle where it is safe
Madurz: *her chest feels heavy...she swallows hard*
Madurz: love i have not felt worried as much as i do now
Madurz: *she inhales and exhales deeply*
Khamul: There is cause to worry always before great battles. There
is much worry
Madurz: but all shall be fine
Madurz: *tries to convince herself*
Madurz: i will stay here then
Khamul: No harm will come to you, and should things go amiss,
I will return for you and take you back to Minas Morgul
Madurz: how many will stay here?
Khamul: Tor, 1000
Khamul: Surely, 1000 is enough
Khamul: they are needed, though
Khamul: This will be our rear base
Madurz: oh?
Madurz: that is a good idea
Khamul: why should we need more?
Khamul: They are all dead to the south. None survived the plagues
....None that we know of anyway
Khamul: There is no hope for Rohan
Madurz: i hope you return to me often
Khamul: Every night while they march, I will be here
Khamul: I will be in constant contact with our commanders, our
scouts will bring messages
Khamul: But when there is battle, we must be there, all Nine
Madurz: *smiling once again* that is comforting love
Madurz: ...i know that
Madurz: and my heart will be with you all
Khamul: There is naught to fear
Madurz: poor helpless woman i am
Madurz: perhaps i should have taken the blade by now
Madurz: *looks down*
Khamul: Be glad we are the first to conquer Edoras since Wulf,
a Dunlending
Madurz: of course i am glad
Khamul: This has been my thoughts for long to take this city
Madurz: it is your now
Khamul: And think of this
Khamul: The fine horses of Rohan are closer now
Khamul: *he laughs*
Madurz: *his laugh fills her ears and she takes his other hand*
Khamul: *In the distance, the drums grow ever louder*
Khamul: When the troops get here, they must take down the gate
Khamul: They will have to use the ram. I cannot take down such
a gate
Khamul: Angmar, yes, but I cannot
Khamul: but first they must clear any impediments and barricades
that must lie in their paths
Khamul: Angmar is with the other part of the army
Khamul: but he, too, will make his headquarters in Edoras when
he gets here
Khamul: They are 30 miles from this place
Khamul: He waits for a message from Lugburz and cannot leave at
this time
Khamul: *The drums now are very loud outside below the city*
Khamul: My lady, soon they will be here
Madurz: yes...and there will be much to do
Khamul: *The drums fall silent*
Madurz: why have they stopped?
Khamul: *Through the battered and rent jeweled doors to the hall,
they hear the sound of many voices down below.*
Khamul: They prepare now the ram
Madurz: good
Khamul: *After an interval of a half hour, they can hear the sounds
of the ram as it strikes the door for the first time*
Khamul: *then silence*
Khamul: *Then the sound of the ram is heard again*
Khamul: My lady, the accursed thing resists!
Madurz: *her hand rests on his shulder and she stiffens in frustration*
Khamul: *Again and again, they can hear the pounding noise*
Khamul: My lady, if it does not go down soon, I will have to go
out and aid them
Madurz: this is ridiculous!
Khamul: *After six strikes, it goes down on the seventh*
Khamul: My lady, they are but men. They must use what they have
Madurz: *more and more her hatred for the people of Rohan grow*
Khamul: *Soon they can see the torches as the advance party makes
its way up the steps*
Khamul: Arise, my lady, I must have my cloak
Khamul: I do not want them to see me like this
Madurz: *she stands and moves off of it*
Khamul: It brings horror to our enemies. I do not wish the same
for our friends
Khamul: *He reaches down and picks the cloak up and puts it on*
Khamul: *he reaches back and pulls the hood over his head*
Khamul: *When they see him in the torchlight, they bow down upon
the floor*
Madurz: *she smiles as she sees now more than before from the
light of their torches and she smiles due to their actions*
Khamul: *Maugoth Furlin arrises* Shakh, the city is yours!
Khamul: *Khamul says* Zark, Furlin
Khamul: Now order your men to furnish this place and bring food
for my lady!
Khamul: Clear out the rubble the cowardly Rohirrim left in their
wild flight!
Khamul: And take down every door in this place!
Khamul: Set them back on their hinges
Khamul: Edoras is ours!
Madurz: *her hand is placed firmly on his back as the pervious
worries and fear dissipates and she regains her proud stance*