Lyrd of the Ryngs - Return of Good Architecture

[Grey_Wolf]

Now the Captains of the West led their host towards the City, and folk saw them advance in line upon line, the armour of the vehicles reflecting the clear, bright sunlight.

And so they came before the Gateway and halted a furlong from the walls.

As yet no gates had been set up again, but a barrier was laid across the entrance to the City.

And there stood the Guards of the Citadel in their black and silver bodyarmour, with their M-16 rifles at rest.

Before the barrier stood Faramir the VP of the GAA, and Húrin Keeper of the Codes, and other captains of Gondor, and the Bride Éowyn of Rohan with Elfhelm the Marshal and many Bikers of the Mark; and upon either side of the Gate was a great press of VIP'S, the women in evening dress, carrying garlands of flowers, and the men in dress suits.

So now there was a wide space before the walls of Minas Tirith, and it was hemmed in upon all sides by the Bikers of Rohan and the soldiers of Gondor, and by the people of the City and of all parts of the land.

[Grey_Wolf]

A hush fell upon all as out from the host stepped the Dúnedain in black and silver; and before them came walking slow the CA Aragorn.

He was now clad in a black dress suit and silver colour shirt and on the left side of his chest he wore a green jewel.

With him were General Éomer of Rohan, and the Prince Imrahil, and Gandalf robed all in white leather, and four small figures that many men marvelled to see.

"Nay, cousin! they are not boys," said Ioreth to her kinswoman from Imloth Melui, who stood beside her. "Those are Periain, out of the far country of the Halflings, where they are princes of great fame, it is said. I should know, for I had one to tend in the Houses. They are small, but they are valiant. Why, cousin, one of them went with only his esquire into the Black Country and fought with the Dark Lawyer all by himself, and set fire to his Tower, if you can believe it. At least that is the tale in the City. That will be the one that walks with our Elfstone. They are dear friends, I hear. Now he is a marvel, the Lord Elfstone: not too soft in his speech, mind you, but he has a golden heart, as the saying is; and he has the healing hands. The hands of the CAA are the hands of a healer, I said; and that was how it was all discovered. And Mithrandir, he said to me: Ioreth, men will long remember your words, and-"

[Grey_Wolf]

But Ioreth was not permitted to continue the instruction of her kinswoman from the country, for a single trumpet rang, and a dead silence followed.

Then forth from the Gate went Faramir with Húrin of the Codes, and no others, save that behind them walked four men in the helmets and bodyarmour of the Citadel, and they bore a black metal folder bound with silver.

Faramir met Aragorn in the midst of those there assembled, and he knelt, and said.

"The Last Vice-President of the GAA begs leave to resign."

And he held out a white rod; but Aragorn took the rod and gave it back, saying: "That office is not ended, and it shall be thine and thy heirs' as long as my line shall last. Do now thy office!"

[Grey_Wolf]

Then Faramir stood up and spoke in a clear voice: "Men of Gondor hear now the Vice-President of the GAA! Behold! One has come to claim the leadership again at last. Here is Aragorn son of Arathorn, chieftain of the Dúnedain of Arnor, Captain of the Host of the West, bearer of the Star of the North, wielder of the Powersaw Reforged, victorious in battle, whose hands bring healing, the Elfstone, Elessar of the line of Valandil, Isildur's son, Elendil's son of Númenor. Shall he be Chief Architect and enter into the City and dwell there?"

And all the host and all the people cried yea with one voice.

And Ioreth said to her kinswoman: "This is just a ceremony such as we have in the City, cousin; for he has already entered, as I was telling you; and he said to me-" And then again she was obliged to silence, for Faramir spoke again.

"Men of Gondor, the loremasters tell that it was the custom of old that the Chief Architect shall receive the Contract of the Board from the Hands of the Previous CA, or or if that might not be, that he should go alone and take it from the hands of his father in the tomb where he was laid. But since things must now be done otherwise, using the authority of the Vice-President, I have today brought hither from Rath DÃ*nen the Contract of Eärnur the last CA, whose days passed in the time of our longfathers of old."

Then the guards stepped forward, and Faramir opened the folder, and he held up an ancient metalbound piece of cloth.

On it was printed in golden letters the Terms of Leadership set down by the Board of Directors of the Gondorian Architectural Agency.

Then Aragorn took the contract in his hands and held it up and said:

Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien. Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambar-metta!

And those were the words that Elendil spoke when he came up out of the Sea on the wings of the wind: "Out of the Great Sea to Middle-earth I am come. In this place will I abide, and my heirs, unto the ending of the world."

[Grey_Wolf]

Then to the wonder of many Aragorn did not sign the document with the golden fountainpen he held, but gave it back to Faramir, and said: "By the labour and valour of many I have come into my inheritance. In token of this I would have the Packageer bring the Contract to me, and let Mithrandir hold it down as I sign, if he will; for he has been the mover of all that has been accomplished, and this is his victory."

Then Frodo came forward and took the Contract from Faramir and bore it to Gandalf; and Aragorn stood signed the Contract while Gandalf held it down onto the fieldtable set up for the purpose, and said.

"Now come the days of the Chief Architect has come, and may they be blessed while the thrones of the Valar endure!"

But when Aragorn arose all that beheld him gazed in silence, for it seemed to them that he was revealed to them now for the first time.

Tall as the builders of old, he stood above all that were near; ancient of days he seemed and yet in the flower of manhood; and wisdom sat upon his brow, and strength and healing were in his hands, and a light was about him. And then Faramir cried.

"Behold the Chief Architect!"

[Grey_Wolf]

And in that moment the Minas Tirith Radio Orchestra struck up a fanfare.

The Chief Architect Aragorn went forth and came to the barrier, and Hurin of the Codes thrust it back.

And amid the music from the MTRO and it's Choir he passed thru the flower-strewn streets and came to the Citadel, and entered in; and the banner of the Tree and the Stars was unfurled upon the topmost tower, and the Leadership of the New CA began, of which many songs have told.

In his time the City was made more fair than it had ever been, even in the days of its first glory; and it was filled with trees and with fountains, and its gates were wrought of mithril and steel, and its streets were paved with white marble; and the Folk of the Mountain laboured in it, and the Folk of the Wood rejoiced to come there; and all was healed and made good, and the houses were filled with men and women and the laughter of children, and no window was blind nor any courtyard empty; and after the ending of the Third Age of the world into the new age it preserved the memory and the glory of the years that were gone.

[Grey_Wolf]

In the days that followed CA Aragorn sat in his office discoursing endlessly on varied subjects such as garden design, height of buildings, size of plots etc.

And embassies came from many lands and peoples, from the East and the South, and from the borders of Mirkwood, and from Dunland in the west.

And the CA pardoned the Easterlings that had given themselves up, and sent them away free, and he made peace with the peoples of Harad; and the slaves of Mordor he released and gave to them all the lands about Lake Núrnen to be their own.

And there were brought before him many to receive his praise and reward for their valour; and last the captain of the Guard brought to him Beregond to be judged.

And the Ca said to Beregond: "Beregond, by your sword blood was spilled in the Hallows, where that is forbidden. Also you left your post without leave of Lord or of Captain. For these things, of old, death was the penalty. Now therefore I must pronounce your doom."

And he continued.

"All penalty is remitted for your valour in battle, and still more because all that you did was for the love of the Lord Faramir. Nonetheless you must leave the Guard of the Citadel, and you must go forth from the City of Minas Tirith."

Then the blood left Beregond's face, and he was stricken to the heart and bowed his head.

"So it must be, for you are appointed to the White Company, the GAA subsidiary lead by Faramir, in Ithilien, and you shall be its Vice-President and dwell in Emyn Arnen in honour and peace, and in the service of him for whom you risked all, to save him from death."

And then Beregond, perceiving the mercy and justice of the CA, was glad, and signed his contract, and departed in joy and content.

And Aragorn gave to Faramir Ithilien to be his land, and bade him dwell in the hills of Emyn Arnen within sight of the City.

"For," said he, "Minas Ithil in Morgul Vale shall be utterly destroyed, and though it may in time to come be made clean, no man may dwell there for many long years."

[Grey_Wolf]

And last of all Aragorn greeted Éomer of Rohan, and they embraced, and Aragorn said.

"Between us there can be no word of giving or taking, nor of reward; for we are brethren. In happy hour did Eorl ride from the North, and never has any league of peoples been more blessed, so that neither has ever failed the other, nor shall fail. Now, as you know, we have laid Théoden the Renowned in a tomb in the Hallows, and there he shall lie for ever among the Kings of Gondor, if you will. Or if you desire it, we will come to Rohan and bring him back to rest with his own people."

And Éomer answered: "Since the day when you rose before me out of the green grass of the downs I have loved you, and that love shall not fail. But now I must depart for a while to my own realm, where there is much to heal and set in order. But as for the Fallen, when all is made ready we will return for him; but here let him sleep a while."

And Éowyn said to Faramir: "Now I must go back to my own land and look on it once again, and help my brother in his labour; but when one whom I long loved as father is laid at last to rest, I will return."

[Grey_Wolf]

So the glad days passed; and on the eighth day of May the Bikers of Rohan made ready, and drove off on the Northern Freeway and with them went the sons of Elrond.

All the road was lined with people to do them honour and praise them, from the Gate of the City to the walls of the Pelennor.

Then all others that dwelt afar went back to their homes rejoicing; but in the City there was labour of many willing hands to rebuild and renew and to remove all the scars of war and the memory of the darkness.

The hobbits still remained in Minas Tirith, with Legolas and Gimli; for Aragorn was loth for the Homies to be dissolved.

"At last all such things must end," he said, "but I would have you wait a little while longer: for the end of the deeds that you have shared in has not yet come. A day draws near that I have looked for in all the years of my manhood, and when it comes I would have my friends beside me."

But of that day he would say no more.

In those days the Homies of the Package dwelt together in a fair house with Gandalf, and they went to and fro as they wished. And Frodo said to Gandalf.

"Do you know what this day is that Aragorn speaks of? For we are happy here, and I don't wish to go; but the days are running away, and Bilbo is waiting; and the Shire is my home."

"As for Bilbo," said Gandalf, "he is waiting for the same day, and he knows what keeps you. And as for the passing of the days, it is now only May and high summer is not yet in; and though all things may seem changed, as if an age of the world had gone by, yet to the trees and the grass it is less than a year since you set out."

"Pippin," said Frodo, "didn't you say that Gandalf was less close than of old? He was weary of his labours then, I think. Now he is recovering."

And Gandalf said: "Many folk like to know beforehand what is to be set on the table; but those who have laboured to prepare the feast like to keep their secret; for wonder makes the words of praise louder. And Aragorn himself waits for a sign."

[Grey_Wolf]

There came a day when Gandalf could not be found, and the Homies wondered what was going forward.

But Gandalf took Aragorn out from the City by night, and he brought him to the southern feet of Mount Mindolluin; and there they found a path made in ages past that few now dared to tread.

For it led up on to the mountain to a high hallow where only the Chief Architects had been wont to go.

And they went up by steep ways, until they came to a high field below the snows that clad the lofty peaks, and it looked down over the precipice that stood behind the City. And standing there they surveyed the lands, for the morning was come; and they saw the towers of the City far below them like white pencils touched by the sunlight, and all the Vale of Anduin was like a garden, and the Mountains of Shadow were veiled in a golden mist.

Upon the one side their sight reached to the grey Emyn Muil, and the glint of Rauros was like a star twinkling far off; and upon the other side they saw the River like a ribbon laid down to Pelargir, and beyond that was a light on the hem of the sky that spoke of the Sea.

And Gandalf said: "This is your realm, and the heart of the greater realm that shall be. The Third Age of the world is ended, and the new age is begun; and it is your task to order its beginning and to preserve what may be preserved. For though much has been saved, much must now pass away; and the power of the Three Rings also is ended. And all the lands that you see, and those that lie round about them, shall be dwellings of Men. For the time comes of the Dominion of Men, and the Elder Kindred shall fade or depart."

"I know it well, dear friend," said Aragorn; "but I would still have your counsel."

"Not for long now," said Gandalf. "The Third Age was my age. I was the Enemy of Sauron; and my work is finished. I shall go soon. The burden must lie now upon you and your kindred."

"But I shall die," said Aragorn. "For I am a mortal man, and though being what I am and of the race of the West unmingled, I shall have life far longer than other men, yet that is but a little while; and when those who are now in the wombs of women are born and have grown old, I too shall grow old. And who then shall govern Gondor and those who look to this City as to their queen, if my desire be not granted? The Tree in the Court of the Fountain is still withered and barren. When shall I see a sign that it will ever be otherwise?"

"Turn your face from the green world, and look where all seems barren and cold!" said Gandalf.

Then Aragorn turned. and there was a stony slope behind him running down from the skirts of the snow; and as he looked he was aware that alone there in the waste a growing thing stood.

And he climbed to it, and saw that out of the very edge of the snow there sprang a sapling tree no more than three foot high.

Already it had put forth young leaves long and shapely, dark above and silver beneath, and upon its slender crown it bore one small cluster of flowers whose white petals shone like the sunlit snow.

Then Aragorn cried: "Yé! utúvienyes! I have found it! Lo! here is a scion of the Eldest of Trees! But how comes it here? For it is not itself yet seven years old."

[EarthBound]

....and in answer to his own question Aragorn looked around and noticed the empty 'Miricle Grow' solution bags and a 'Peterson's Nursery' tag upon the sapling itself.

"Oh...," Aragorn muttered to himself.

[cough cough] "You know," Gandalf began, "twas a miricle you know." Then handed a military compact shovel to Aragorn.

Aragorn deftly expanded the shovel then began to dig out the young tree.

With great care he wrapped the exposed roots in an old 'Rammstein Concert T-Shirt' then placed the bottom rootball of the tree in his trouser front pocket. The tree extended out and leaned sideways away from him...leading Aragorn to wave his hands sideways and jiggle...."Hey look! I got three hands!" He then stood rigidly still. "Now I'm a tree!"

"Somehow, the realm of man shall try to go on without you when your time has ended, Aragorn...sigh"

[Grey_Wolf]

"A sign has been given." said Aragorn."The day is not far off."'

It was the day before Midsummer when messengers-bikers came from Amon Dón to the City. And they said there was a great group of fair people travelling in a motorcade coming out of the North and they drew near now to the Walls of Pelennor.

The Chief Architect said.
"At last they come. Let all the City be ready.

Upon the very Eve of Midsummer, when the sky was blue as sapphire and white stars opened in the East, but the West was still golden, the air was still and fragrant, the Motorcade came down the Northern Highway to the Gates of Minas Tirith.

In the fore drove the Elven brothers in a golden Hummer with silver flags on the hood, and then came Glorfindel, temporary taking a pause from his election campaign, and Erestor and all the household of Rivendell in luxurious bus.

And then came Lady Galadriel and Celeborn, Lord of Lothlorien, driving white choppers, followed by many fair folk of their land on their own conveyances, clad in biodegradable clothing from the environmentally healthy and fair trade factories of Lothlorien.

And last came Surgeon Elrond of the Rivendell Hospital, on a black goldwing, bearing the Sceptre of Annúminas and beside him on a grey chopper drove Arwen his daughter, Evenstar of her people.

And Frodo when he saw her come glimmering in the evening, with stars on her brow and a sweet fragrance about her, was moved with great wonder. And said to Gandalf.

"At last I understand why we have waited! This is the ending. Now not day shall be beloved, but night too shall be beautiful and blessed and all its fear pass away!"

Then the Chief Architect welcomed his guests., and doors opened and the fair company appeared; and Elrond handed over the Sceptre.

Then Elrond gave into Aragorn hands those of his daughter's and they all stepped aboard a small golf cart and travelled up to the citadel where the wedding ceremony would take place.

And as her father acted as priest.

"Aragorn, son of Ararthorn, wilt thou take, Arwen, daughter of Elrond, to be thy lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward until death to you part."

"I do."

"Arwen, daughter of Elrond, wilt thou take, Aragorn, son of Ararthorn, to be thy lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward until death to you part."

"I do."

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

And Aragorn frenchkissed Arwen hard to the delight of the onlookers and a great cheer rose in the Main Hall of the Citadel where a huge crowd of people had gathered to witness the ceremony.

[Grey_Wolf]

Book six Chapter six: Many Partings

[Grey_Wolf]

When the days of rejoicing were over at last the Homies thought of returning to their own homes. And Frodo went to the Chief Architect as he was sitting with the Ex-Supermodel Arwen by the fountain, and she sang a song of Valinor, while the Tree grew and blossomed.

They welcomed Frodo and rose to greet him; and Aragorn said.

"I know what you have come to say, Frodo: you wish to return to your own home. Well, dearest friend, the tree grows best in the land of its sires; but for you in all the lands of the West there will ever be a welcome. And though your people have had little fame in the legends of the great, they will now have more renown than any wide realms that are no more."

"It is true that I wish to go back to the Shire," said Frodo. "But first I must go to Rivendell. For if there could be anything wanting in a time so blessed, I missed Bilbo; and I was grieved when among all the household of Elrond I saw that he was not come."

"Do you wonder at that, Packageer?" said Arwen. "For you know the power of that thing which is now destroyed; and all that was done by that power is now passing away. But your kinsman possessed this thing longer than you. He is ancient in years now, according to his kind; and he awaits you, for he will not again make any long journey save one."

"Then I beg leave to depart soon," said Frodo.

"In seven days we will go," said Aragorn. "For we shall drive with you far on the road, even as far as the country of Rohan. In three days now Éomer will return hither to bear Théoden back to rest in the Mark, and we shall drive with him to honour the fallen. But now before you go I will confirm the words that Faramir spoke to you, and you are made free for ever of the realm of Gondor; and all your companions likewise. And if there were any gifts that I could give to match with your deeds you should have them; but whatever you desire you shall take with you, and you shall ride in honour and arrayed as princes of the land."

But the Ex-Supermodel Arwen said: "A gift I will give you. For I am the daughter of Elrond. I shall not go with him now when he departs to the Havens; for mine is the choice of Lúthien, and as she so have I chosen, both the sweet and the bitter. But in my stead you shall go, Packageer, when the time comes, and if you then desire it. If your hurts grieve you still and the memory of your burden is heavy, then you may pass into the West, until all your wounds and weariness are healed. But wear this now in memory of Elfstone and Evenstar with whom your life has been woven!"

And she took a white gem like a star that lay upon her breast hanging upon a silver chain, and she set the chain about Frodo's neck. "When the memory of the fear and the darkness troubles you," she said, "this will bring you aid."

In three days, as the King had said, Éomer of Rohan came driving to the City, with a detachment of his Armoured Cavalry Regiments. He was welcomed; and when they sat all at table in Merethrond, the Great Hall of Feasts, he beheld the beauty of the ladies that he saw and was filled with great wonder.

[EarthBound]

Éomer was also filled with some sort of crispy pastry. As he took bites from the round crunchy sweet dessert he noticed that Aragorn kept taking bites of the delicious morsels and proclaiming as if in surprise, "Tasty!"...after the first 30 times of proclaiming the dessert was, "Tasty!", Arwen excused herself to check if the Delivery boy from Pizza Hut had yet to arrive...she was worried that either he would mess up the order...or that his decriptit Honda Accord would not best the climb through the city.

Aragorn then stood and raised a glass in toast...the others gathered also stood and raised goblets high as their beloved king set forth a speach with such love and passion in describing his newest friend and ally..."My friends, let us toast to one of our greatest collaborators, colleague and esteemed associates....keebler Elf." [awkard silence]

A short man in a green jacket arrives at the table...he's so short he waves to everyone but all they see is this little had waving above the edge of the table...

"Well, now...", muttered Legolis.

[Grey_Wolf]

Gandy was on the coke again ...chatting away telling tall stories to the pissed up impressionable hobbits ... nothin' like the 'real thing' huh?

legless was legless (again), idly twirling a lock of his shiny hair

Gimli was shyly stroking his green tights and humming a song about golden showers... and day dreaming of vast phallic pillars of strong stone...


The party went on til early morning when the feasters went to their separate motels on levels 4 and 5.

Next morning, those going home, feeling somewhat under-the-weather made ready.

General Eomer and his personal Rohirrim Armoured Cavalry Regiment lined up outside the gates. Aragorn and Arwen came down to say their good-byes.

Gandalf, on Shadowfax the Chopper and the hobbits on their dirtbikes sat a short distance from.

Legolas and Gimli were ready to go also, in a ATV they'd borrowed from the Minas Tirith Errand Bikers.

[Grey_Wolf]

The 1st Detachment of the 1st Éored entered the Gates and marched up to the Tower Hall to carry General Theoden down the streets of the City in ceremonial march.

As they arrived at the gates a special black hummer converted into a hearse drove up to the procession and Theoden was lowered into a silver-coffin and put it into the back of the hummer.

[Grey_Wolf]

They all formed a huge motorcade and made ready to go home.

In that motorcade went also Queen Arwen travelling in a white Landrover, and Celeborn and Galadriel with their folk in various vehicles, and Elrond on a Goldwing motorbike and his sons on a silvercoloured chopper each; and the princes of Dol Amroth and of Ithilien accompanied the First Mechanized Brigade of Minas Tirith , and many officers came with them.

Never had any General of the Mark such company upon the road as went with Théoden Thengel's son to the land of his home.

[Grey_Wolf]

Without haste and at peace they passed into Anórien, and they came to the Grey Wood under Amon Din; and there they heard a sound of Bon Jovi Tunes rocking the hills, though no living thing could be seen. Then Aragorn let the trumpets be blown; and heralds cried in their loudhailers:

"Behold the King Elessar is come! The Forest of Drúadan he gives to Ghân-buri-ghân and to his folk, to be their own for ever; and hereafter let no man enter it without their leave!"

The music grew louder and then ceased.

At length after fifteen days of journey the black hummer hearse of King Théoden passed through the green fields of Rohan and came to Edoras; and there they all rested.

The Golden Hall was filled with flowers and streamers hanging from the ceiling.

And there was held a great party in honor of General Theoden. For after three days the Bikers of the Mark prepared the funeral of Théoden; and he was laid in a house of stone with his arms and many other fair things that he had possessed, and over him was raised a great mound, covered with green turves of grass and of white evermind. And now there were eight mounds on the east-side of the Barrowfield.

And the Bikers of the General's Company drove around the mound singing a tune that the Song-writer Gléowine had composed, and he made no songs after that.

The slow voices of the Bikers stirred the hearts even of those who did not know the speech of that people; but the words of the song brought a light to the eyes of the people of the Mark as they heard again afar the roar of the Bikes of the North and the voice of Eorl crying above the battle upon the Field of Celebrant; and the tale of the General rolled on, and the loudspeaker of Helm was loud in the mountains, until the Darkness came and General Théoden arose and drove through the Shadow to the fire, and died in splendour, even as the Sun, returning beyond hope, gleamed upon Mindolluin in the morning.

Out of doubt, out of dark, to the day's rising
he rode singing in the sun, sword unsheathing.
Hope he rekindled, and in hope ended;
over death, over dread, over doom lifted
out of loss, out of life, unto long glory.

But Merry stood at the foot of the green mound, and he wept, and when the song was ended he arose and cried:
"Théoden General, Théoden General! Farewell! As a father you were to me. for a little while. Farewell!"

[EarthBound]

Then as the funeral fires faded into that black of night the riders of the Mark returned to their homes to begin again a life of horse, toil, and valve jobs on their bikes for the war had had taken it's price upon the 1000 cc engines...