We Ents have not troubled about the wars of men and wizards for a very long time. But now something is about to happen that has not happened for an age... Ent Moot.
MERRY:
What’s that?
TREEBEARD:
'Tis a gathering.
MERRY:
A gathering of what?
[Merry and Pippin turns round as they hear movement from the forest around them. They see many more Ents like Treebeard gathering.]
TREEBEARD:
Beech, oak, chestnut, ash... Good, good, good. Many have come. Now we must decide if the Ents will go to war.
[Merry licks his lips in anticipation.] [Back at Helm’s Deep, the women and children are being led into the caves.] SOLDIER 1 Move back! Move to the caves!
SOLDIER 2 Keep moving!
SOLDIER 3 Quickly now!
[Old men and young lads are being drafted for war. The women and children say their tearful and reluctant farewells as their fathers, husbands and sons are led away by soldiers. In the armoury, weapons are being distributed. Aragorn picks up a battered sword, looks at it and tosses it back.]
ARAGORN:
Farmer, farriers, stable boys. These are no soldiers.
GIMLI:
Most have seen too many winters.
LEGOLAS:
Or too few. Look at them. They’re frightened.
I can see it in their eyes. [The men around them fell silent. Legolas speaks to Aragorn.] Boe a hûn: neled herain dan caer menig! (And they should be... Three hundred against ten thousand!)
ARAGORN:
Si beriathar hýn. Amar nâ ned Edoras.
(They have more hope of defending themselves here than at Edoras.)
LEGOLAS:
Aragorn, men i ndagor. Hýn ú-... ortheri.
Natha daged aen! (Aragorn, we are warriors.
They cannot win this fight. They are all going to die!)
ARAGORN:
Then I shall die as one them! [He pauses and then walks away. Legolas makes as if to go after him.]
GIMLI:
[Puts a hand on Legolas] Let him go, lad. Let him be.
[In the hall]
GAMLING:
Every villager able to wield a sword has been sent to the armory. My lord?