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Originally Posted by Aiwendil
But Theoden does not release him from service, and Theoden commands him to stay at Edoras. Merry violates that command. When you swear fealty to a lord, you are swearing to do as that lord commands - not to do whatever you think would be of the most use to him.
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But Theoden does release him from his service - I had to check this because It surprised me in the light of this thread:
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The King turned to Merry. 'I am going to war, Master Meriadoc,' he said. 'In a little while I shall take the road. I release you from my service, but not from my friendship You shall abide here, & if you will, you shall serve the Lady Eowyn, who will govern the folk in my stead.'
The Muster of Rohan (RotK )p 833
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So Merry from that point is no longer in Theoden's service - from Theoden's point of view, but as I said, we're talking about a 'covenant', which cannot be broken unilaterally.
I think its a case of the oath still being binding on Merry, so in a way he has taken charge of it, & continues on with fulfilling it. Theoden, by 'releasing' Merry has kind of 'opted' out of having a say. But the oath, not being in Theoden's command any longer is still in action, & therefore must be seen through. Theoden, by unillaterally declaring it void, has broken faith with Merry, but Merry keeps faith with him.
What strikes me most strongly is the way ones who recieve the oaths - Theoden, Denethor & Frodo are the ones who attempt to annul them unilaterally. Theoden leaves Merry, Denethor sends Pippin away, Frodo attempts to leave Sam at Parth Galen. The ones who offer service are prepared to keep it, even if it means their death, the ones who recieve the service seem to hold it at less value. And we can't bring in the excuse that it was done out of love or concern, because an oath is 'for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness & in health, till death us do part'. Its more than friendship, & the ones who offer service seem to know that, while the ones who recieve it don't. Admittedly, the oath Pippin swears to Denethor contains the condition: 'Till my Lord release me or death take me', but this brings in another question - does Pippin understand that - if Pippin has sworn, in his own mind undying service is that the 'oath' he is actually serving, & the one he's held by. Aragorn clearly doesn't accept Denethor's annulment of the oath, as he considers Pippin still to be a knight of Gondor. I would tend to understand that part of the oath of service to Gondor to actually mean 'Till my Lord release me (at my request)'.
Incidentally, isn't Frodo an oath breaker - he breaks his oath to the council when he offers the Ring to Galadriel?
Finally, what does it say about Aragorn that he swears an oath of service to Frodo : ' I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn; & if by life or death I can save you, I will' when he's only just met him?