Third Age 3019: The Battle of the Pelennor Fields
—In the early hours the Witch-king breaks the Gates of the City.
—The horns of the Rohirrim are heard at Minas Tirith at cockcrow.
—Denethor, imagining that Faramir is dead, not merely wounded, burns himself on a pyre with the palantír of Minas Tirith in his hands. The palantír survives but forever has images of Denethor’s hand burned into it.
—King Théoden of Rohan is slain by the Witch-king. Éowyn disguised as the warrior Dernhelm confronts the Witch-king and defeats him but is wounded in the process.
'Éowyn and the Nazgûl' by John Howe
“‘Begone, foul dwimmerlaik, lord of carrion! Leave the dead in peace!’
A cold voice answered: ‘Come not between the Nazgûl and his prey! Or he will not slay thee in thy turn. He will bear thee away to the houses of lamentation, beyond all darkness, where thy flesh shall be devoured, and thy shrivelled mind be left naked to the Lidless Eye.’
A sword rang as it was drawn. ‘Do what you will; but I will hinder it, if I may.’
‘Hinder me? Thou fool. No living man may hinder me!’
Then Merry heard of all sounds in that hour the strangest. It seemed that Dernhelm laughed, and the clear voice was like the ring of steel. ‘But no living man am I! You look upon a woman. Éowyn I am, Éomund’s daughter. You stand between me and my lord and kin. Begone, if you be not deathless! For living or dark undead, I will smite you, if you touch him.’”
[The Return of the King, LotR Book 5, Ch 6, The Battle of the Pelennor Fields]
—Aragorn and his company arrive on the Corsair ships. He raises the standard of Arwen.
'Thus Came Aragorn' by Ted Nasmith
“And then wonder took [Éomer], and a great joy; and he cast his sword up in the sunlight and sang as he caught it. And all eyes followed his gaze, and behold! upon the foremost ship a great standard broke, and the wind displayed it as she turned towards the Harlond. There flowered a White Tree, and that was for Gondor; but Seven Stars were about it, and a high crown above it, the signs of Elendil that no lord had borne for years beyond count. And the stars flamed in the sunlight, for they were wrought of gems by Arwen daughter of Elrond; and the crown was bright in the morning, for it was wrought of mithril and gold.
Thus came Aragorn son of Arathorn, Elessar, Isildur’s heir, out of the Paths of the Dead, borne upon a wind from the Sea to the kingdom of Gondor; and the mirth of the Rohirrim was a torrent of laughter and a flashing of swords, and the joy and wonder of the City was a music of trumpets and a ringing of bells. But the hosts of Mordor were seized with bewilderment, and a great wizardry it seemed to them that their own ships should be filled with their foes; and a black dread fell on them, knowing that the tides of fate had turned against them and their doom was at hand.”
[The Return of the King, LoTR Book 5, Ch 6, The Battle of the Pelennor Fields]
—Sauron’s forces attack both Mirkwood and Lórien. Thranduil repels the forces of Dol Guldur. Second assault on Lórien.
—Frodo and Samwise escape the orcs and begin their journey north along the Morgai.
—Aragorn goes to the Houses of Healing and heals Faramir, Éowyn, and Merry.
‘The hands of the king are the hands of a healer, and so shall the rightful king be known.’
[The Return of the King, LotR Book 5, Ch 8, The Houses of Healing]
'Healing of Eowyn' by The Brothers Hildebrandt
