Minis Tirith

Pippin awoke in the early hours to the sound of voices. Gandalf was talking with some guards, led by Ingold. They had reached Minis Tirith. It was grey and foggy but the sound of building could be heard as men were repairing the wall that guarded the Pelennor. The guards knew Gandalf but were suspicious of Pippin. Pippin entered the conversation declaring himself a hobbit. Gandal clarified he was a Halfling, a name the Gondorians would know, but also said Pippin was not the Halfling. Pippin began to tell that he had travelled alongside the one Gandalf spoke and also with Boromir of Gondor until he was killed. "'Peace!' said Gandalf. 'The news of that grief should have been told first to the father'" (p. 21, The Return of the King). Ingold let Gandalf and Pippin enter the Pelennor (rich fertile lands and towns before Minis Tirith). The Wizard felt they were too late in their repairs of the wall but the men assured him it would be completed ere night set in.

As they rode Pippin was taken aback by the beauty of the City in the dawning sun. Men cried out when they saw Gandalf fearing he brought the coming storm with him. They entered Minis Tirith, built into a mountain. The city had seven levels, each higher than the last, with seven gates, arranged so that one would have to travel from one end of the city to the other before reaching the next gate. A great rock protruded from the second level of the city on up so that it appeared as a mighty ship with a battlement on the topmost level of the city. It was a 700 foot drop from the peak down below. "At last they came out of shadow to the seventh gate, and the warm sun that shone down beyond the river, as Frodo walked in the glades of Ithilien..." (p. 24-25, The Return of the King). They met the Guards clad in black with a white tree and silver crown embroidered in their coats. They were helmets of mithril with white wings of seabirds. "This was the livery of the heirs of Elendil, and none wore it no in all Gondor, save the Guards of the Citadel before the Court of the Fountain where the White Tree had once had grown.

As they walked to the Citadel Gandalf began to instruct Pippin. He told the hobbit to be careful of his words for Denethor, the Steward, would seek to learn all he could from Pippin about Boromir and more. He strictly warned Pippin not to mention the purpose of Frodo's Quest or Aragorn. This confused Pippin because Aragorn had said many times he would come to Gondor. Gandalf offered his final instructions at the door: "'Do as I bid! It is scarcely wise when bringing the news of the death of his heir to a mighty lord to speak over much of the coming of one who will, if he comes, claim the kingship. Is that enough?' 'Kingship?' said Pippin amazed. 'Yes,' said Gandalf. 'If you have walked all these days with closed ears and mind asleep, wake up now!'" (p. 26, The Return of the King). They entered the Citadel into a long empty hall. At the far end was a great throne upon steps. Beside it at the bottom of the dais was a plain black chair with a man sitting in it staring into his lap.

Middle-earth timeline: Third Age, 3019, March 9th
Today's reading comes from: The Return of the King, pages 20-26