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Hearpwine turned to his newfound friends at the announcement by Aylwen saying, “Ah! ‘Tis a pity that I have sung myself out for the moment, as there is many a song I could give of those deeds and days! But perhaps it is for the best that I can not, for the lay that I mean to sing for the King tomorrow tells the tale of the War in full and I do not want to weary my remembrance of the song overmuch tonight?”
From where she sat on the other side of the room, Bęthberry could not resist tossing a gentle barb at the young man. “A song that tells the tale of the War in full, you say? That must be a very long and remarkable song indeed, to encapsulate so much!”
Hearpwine smiled at the woman and inclined his head. “Quite right, my lady! Quite right. Perhaps I have misspoken again. I should say that the lay contains the full story of Theoden’s ride to War and his fall in battle before the Fell Beast of the Witch King.”
Now it was Osric’s turn to taunt the younger man. “Even that is a tale much longer in the telling than you will have tomorrow, my friend. For those who speak of were products of very long stories of their own!”
Hearpwine through up his hands and cried out, “I admit defeat my friends! I admit it – there is no lay that I can sing which will tell that story in full. But at the very least I can hope that I will be able to bring to mind the full meaning of that day for each who hear it!” Without waiting for a reply he rushed ahead. “Mistress Aylwen has asked for songs and stories. As I have forbidden myself the former, and I am no use at the latter, I appeal to the others here to give her as she wishes. I have already told the tale of my part in the War, small though it was – but what of the rest of you? Liornung, surely you could sing a song of what you saw in those great days of doom. And good Osric, I can tell by looking at you and at the glitter of memory in your eye that your role in those great events was far from a small one. Let us all hear and tell of what we did in the War, so that the memory of those days will be all the sweeter for having been renewed, and we shall favour the light more greatly in defiance of the darkness that is conquered!”
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