At dusk, Edoras was clearly visible.
After six long months on the road, the journey had finally come to an end.
The five-thousand-strong group erupted into cheers, their tired faces breaking into long-awaited smiles.
The group moved forward slowly.
Unlike the others, Ino had noticed Edoras' fully armed soldiers early on.
To avoid misunderstanding and conflict, he drew his wand while on horseback and pointed it to the sky.
"Incendio!"
Countless orange flames burst forth, and within a few seconds, a huge fireball with a diameter of more than ten meters appeared in the sky.
Under the revealing magic of the flames, the fire gradually dispersed and gathered, forming words in the sky composed of burning flames—
"We are the people of Rohan."
The large letters eased the tension among the soldiers guarding Edoras, but they remained at their posts, awaiting orders from the king.
"They mean no harm!" Gandalf, holding his staff, gazed at the burning flames in the sky.
As a servant of the Secret Fire and the bearer of the Elven ring Narya, the Ring of Fire, Gandalf saw much within the flames.
Hope, redemption, longing, love, and being loved…
These flames were beyond the control of dark powers; they were inherently opposed to darkness.
As Gandalf spoke, a dozen light cavalry suddenly charged out from the large group.
Within minutes, everyone could see the faces of the riders.
"Théodred! My son!"
From the moment he was freed from Saruman's control, King Théoden had remained expressionless all day, but now his true emotions surfaced.
---
Spring of the Third Age, 3019.
The nearly desolate and decaying capital of Rohan finally saw a glimmer of hope.
In a single day, not only had King Théoden regained his former wisdom, but their prince and second marshal of Rohan, Théodred, had also returned to the capital.
Along with them came thousands of the people of Rohan.
In the spacious council hall.
Countless torches were lit, providing ample light.
Unlike the previous somber atmosphere, everyone now wore faint smiles.
After greeting familiar faces, Ino quietly sat in a corner of the council hall, listening to the discussions and decisions.
Unlike in the original story, where Théoden fell into despair after the loss of his son, now he was full of confidence.
It seemed that while everything remained the same, everything had changed.
---
"Why are you sitting here alone?"
A clear voice sounded in his ear, and Ino turned to see golden hair and a beautiful face.
"My name is Éowyn, niece of King Théoden," Éowyn said again.
Through arranging for the accompanying women and children and briefly listening to the discussions, Éowyn had understood the entire situation.
A man had entered Rohan alone from the west bank of the Isen River, crossed half the grasslands in six months, not only killing countless dark minions but also rescuing thousands of Rohan citizens, including her cousin Éothain.
And without any supplies, he had managed to bring over five thousand people safely to Edoras.
This miraculous feat satisfied all her fantasies about heroic deeds.
But at this moment, Éowyn noticed that this legendary hero was not participating in the king's council but was sitting quietly in a corner.
Meanwhile.
When Ino heard the young lady say her name, memories of her story surfaced in his mind—a warrior woman who did not let men outshine her.
But when she asked her question, he shared his thoughts:
"I am merely a passerby. It is not appropriate for me to participate in decisions that determine Rohan's fate. Besides, I have known your uncle Théoden for fifty years, so I should not say anything that might influence his decisions."
"Fifty years?" Éowyn's eyes widened.
She had thought he was around her age, but it turned out to be another case of someone whose appearance did not match their age.
"Yes, fifty years," Ino nodded gently.
"I am a painter. Back then, I painted a portrait of Théoden. You can also choose to let me paint for you, for the cost of one gold coin."
---
Time always flies by during conversations.
As he and Éowyn were talking about a young king who once stole toffee, a majestic voice suddenly interrupted.
"I didn't steal your candy; I left an IOU! I've been waiting fifty years to repay it!"
"Have you finished your discussions?" Ino looked around.
He found that Théoden had already been standing nearby, along with Gandalf and Legolas, all familiar faces.
"Yes, we have! We will set off tomorrow to retreat to Helm's Deep!" Théoden sighed.
"Defending the city is wise; it avoids unnecessary sacrifices."
Ino genuinely agreed with Théoden's decision.
Rohan's cavalry was formidable, but with a fortress to defend, there was no need to take the initiative on the plains.
At this point, Gandalf spoke up: "In just a hundred years, your growth amazes me, and your actions even more so. Thank you for everything you have done for Middle-earth."
"You are too kind. I merely followed my heart and did what I wanted to do."
Ino calmly looked at Gandalf. Once, he couldn't see through the old man in the grey robe, but now, seeing Gandalf in his white robe, he vaguely saw a radiant figure.
Although the brilliant light was somewhat dazzling, it was not unbearable.
Considering that this gaze might be somewhat disrespectful, Ino quickly shifted his eyes to the elf prince Legolas.
Their conversation intrigued Éowyn, standing nearby.
She had thought fifty years was a long time, but now things seemed to stretch back a hundred years.
---
Time flowed like water, the night short and peaceful.
When dawn's light once again shone upon Edoras and the vast plains of Rohan, all dark creatures except Saruman's Uruk-hai chose to retreat.
The bells of Rohan's capital rang again, this time not as an alarm, but as a call to gather.
Under the bell's toll, everyone packed their belongings and silently left their homes.
They all knew the purpose of this journey: to retreat to Rohan's last stronghold—Helm's Deep.
Five hundred cavalry, led by Théodred, had already set out as scouts to clear obstacles along the way.
Ino also followed on his flying broomstick.
After all, the journey in the story was not smooth, and Saruman had sent many Warg riders to attack.
---
Random Fact from Author:
Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration
This is a fundamental law of transfiguration in the wizarding world, allowing wizards to transform objects or create some things.
It is important to note that food is the first of the five exceptions to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration—it is impossible to conjure delicious food out of thin air.
But if you know where the food is, you can summon it; if you already have some, you can transform or increase it.