The three and Gandalf are riding towards Edoras. They stop as they go over a hill and see Edoras.)
Gandalf: Edoras, and the Golden Hall of Meduseld. There dwells Théoden, King of
Rohan, whose mind is over thrown. Saruman’s hold over King Théoden is now very strong.
(In the throne room, Éowyn kneels at Théoden’s side.)
Éowyn: My lord, your son, he’s dead. My lord? Uncle? Will you not go to him? Will
you do nothing?
Gandalf: Be careful what you say. Do not look for welcome here.
(They ride towards the gate. Éowyn is in the chamber with Théodred’s body, weeping.
Grima enters the room.)
Grima: Oh, he must have died sometime in the night. What a tragedy for the King to
lose his only son and heir. I understand his passing is hard to except especially now that
your brother has deserted you
. (He sits on the bed and puts his hand on her shoulder. She quickly gets up and backs
away from him.)
Éowyn: Leave me alone, snake!
Grima: Oh but you are alone. (Circling her) Who knows what you’ve spoken to
the darkness in the bitter watches of the night, when all your life seems to shrink. The
walls of your bower closing in about you. A hutch to trammel some wild thing. So fair and
so cold (he puts his hand on her face) like a
morning of pale spring still clinging to winter’s chill.
(Éowyn closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. He moves his hand down to her throat.
She looks at him.)
Éowyn: Your words are poison.
(She leaves the room and goes outside, she sees the riders approaching. A flag rips off
a pole and goes flying in the wind, landing just outside the gate as the riders go through
the gate. Aragorn hesitates as he rides through the gates, looking at the flag and then up
from where it came. They ride through Edoras. The people watch them in silence. Aragorn
looks up and sees Eowyn. He looks back down at the townspeople.)
Gimli: You’d find more cheer in a graveyard.
(Aragorn looks back up at where Eowyn was standing and finds that she is gone. The
guards come out of the hall as the three and Gandalf get to the top of the
stairs.)
