Book V, Chapter 3: A Taste Of How It Feels
Éomer: "We've had it."
(Merry is CONFUSED about why everyone is so UPSET, ASKS about the Paths of the Dead and FINALLY gets a TASTE of how it FEELS not to get a STRAIGHT ANSWER.)
* * *
(Théoden RECIEVES
the Red Arrow from Gondor and TELLS the messenger
(Hirgon) that it will take a WEEK for the Riders
of Rohan to come Gondor's RESCUE.)
Hirgon: "We're all going to be
dead by then - still you might give the Orcs and
Southerners a nasty shock."
Théoden: "True, true."
* * *
(Merry is ANNOYED
at the idea of being left BEHIND, falls ASLEEP
and wakes up to FIND that DARKNESS has FLOWED out
of MORDOR [don't ask]. Théoden ORDERS the Muster
of Rohan; Merry gets some ARMOUR and the Riders
of Rohan SING. Merry is ORDERED to stay with
Éowyn, but a Rider (Dernhelm) has a PROVERB to
SHARE and OFFERS to HIDE him under his CLOAK
[don't ask] and take him to war.)
Merry: "Yippee!"
(Dernhelm's horse isn't too BOTHERED about
the extra WEIGHT because Dernhelm is SMALLER than
MOST. As they get CLOSER to Gondor, everyone gets
DEPRESSED.)