After half a day on horseback the group stalled. A small settlement came into view.
Gandalf sighed, "Edoras and the Golden Hall of Meduseld. There dwells Théoden, King of Rohan, whose mind is overthrown. Saruman's hold over King Théoden is now very strong."
Link looked at the village, "I see."
"Be careful what you say. Do not look for welcome here," The white wizard pushed his heels in flanks of his horse.
Link stayed behind for a while. "Let's go girl," he spoke to the mare, giving her a few pats.
Epona picked up some speed and followed the three horses before her.

As the group got near,Aragorn and Link watched as a flag dropped out of the sky. The emblem of Rohan was on it.
"An omen? Or something else?" the green-clad warrior muttered, the others didn't hear him.
Edoras was silent and somber. the people were dressed in black and stared at them in wary silence. Link felt the feeling of an oppressed village. The same feeling had been among the refugees of Hyrule castle village, after Ganondorf had taken over.
"You'll find more cheer in a graveyard," Gimli muttered. Link silently agreed.
Boromir looked around in wonder, "What has happened to this place?"
The group got off their horses. Epona walked out of the city. Link didn't seem to mind, much to the surprise of the others.

The group walked to the entrance of the hall. They were stopped by guards. "I cannot allow you before Théoden-King so armed, Gandalf Greyhame. By order of Gríma Wormtongue," one of them spoke.
Gandalf nodded in understanding and motioned for the others to surrender their weapons.
Link's eyebrows rose, this was a problem. He couldn't surrender the master-sword, nor the four-sword as both swords were bonded to him. That left only the two-hander given to him by Biggoron.
The fellowship looked as the boy gave the guard a HUGE sword.
The guards looked at Link, but the small shaft was empty and the tunic didn't have room for any other weapons.
The guard turned to the wizard, "Your staff."
Gandalf glanced at the item in question, "Oh. You would not part an old man from his walking stick?"

The guard looked at Gandalf, but eventually turned and told them to follow.
The hall itself was beautiful but two men seemed off, in Link's eyes. One was the man sitting on the throne, second was the man whispering to the first.
"...is a herald of woe." Link heard. Legolas and Gandalf appeared to have heard also.
"The courtesy of your hall is somewhat lessened of late, Théoden King," Gandalf called out.
He approached the figure in the chair.
Link followed, while the other four stayed behind. Link watched the men surrounding the fellowship.

The second person whispered to the man in the trone.
"He's not welcome," Link heard the man say.
"Why should I… welcome you, Gandalf… Stormcrow?" The king croaked, while looking at his right-hand man.
"A just question, my liege," the man whispered before he turned to the duo, "Late is the hour in which this conjurer chooses to appear. Lathspell I name him. Ill news is an ill guest."

Link assumed that the man was Grima Wormtongue.
"Be silent!" Gandalf thundered, "Keep your forked tongue behind you teeth. I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a witless worm!" He pointed his staff to the man.
Grima stepped back in fear, "His staff!" He said to the guards,"I told you to take the wizard's staff!"

Several of the guards tried to intercept the wizard, but were countered by Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas and Gimli.
"Théoden, son of Thengel, too long have you sat in the shadows," Gandalf proclaimed, "Hearken to me! I release you from the spell." Gandalf pointed his hand at the king.
Théoden laughed, "You have no power here, Gandalf the Grey!"
"You're a little behind times," Link said, "Take a look at his staff"
The king's eyes widened as he realized the thruth.
Gandalf dropped his grey cloak, he bathed in blinding white light. Théoden was thrown back against his seat. Grunts were heard as he tried to move against the powerful magic.
"I will draw you, Saruman, as poison is drawn from a wound," Gandalf stated
"If I go. . . Théoden dies," the king spoke in another voice.
The staff was pushed forward, the man was forced back in the chair
"You did not kill me, you will not kill him!"
"Rohan is mine!" the voice said, the body attempted to move to attack Gandalf.
"Be gone!!" Gandalf shouted, the body hit the chair again
Théoden let out a moan and fell forward in the chair. A woman and Link prevented that the king from falling. Théoden's head rose again and his face and body changed. Nothing was there to recognize the 'thing' that had sat in the throne moments ago.

The man looked at the woman. Link stepped back, seeing that the king wouldn't fall, "I know your face. Éowyn… Éowyn."
Tears of happiness fell from her face. Gandalf was second to be recognized,"Gandalf?"
"Breathe the free air again, my friend," the wise wizard said.
Théoden stood up, " Dark have been my dreams of late."
He looked down at his hands. They trembled
"Your fingers would remember their old strength better... if they grasped your sword," Gandalf said softly.
A guard brought the king's sword.
Théoden reached for it with his trembling hands. He wrapped his fingers around it and then drew it, gazing at the steel blade. Suddenly, Théoden's gaze turned to his advisor.
"THROW HIM OUT!!" he roared.

Two guards grabbed the shivering man, "Grima Wormtongue, you are hereby banished from the lands of Rohan," And not too gently threw him out of the hall and down the stairs.
"I've only ever served you, my lord!" The man cried.
Théoden walked towards Gríma, holding the sword firmly in his hand, "Your leechcraft would have had me crawling on all fours like a beast!"
"Send me not from your side!"
Théoden raised his sword to kill Grima. Aragorn held him back.
"No, my lord! No, my lord. Let him go. Enough blood has been spilled on his account," the ranger said.
Gríma scrambled to his feet and pushed through the crowd that had formed
"Get out of my way!" he growled.
The crowd watched their king.
"Hail, Théoden king!" one of the guards yelled.
Link watched as almost everybody dropped to there knees, the exeptions being himself, Gandalf, Gimli and Legolas.
Théoden looked up suddenly, "Where is Théodred? Where is my son?"
Link stepped back as the weeping noises of Éowyn gave the first sign of the young warrior's fate.