Before the battle had even begun, Gandalf had been in Meduseld in Rohan, relying on the reputation he had built and words that struck straight to the heart.
"My lady, surely you wish Lord Thengel to return to Rohan as soon as possible."
With that single sentence, he had persuaded Thengel's wife, Lady Morwen, to help him speak with Éowlos, who was stationed in Edoras, and borrow a force of elite soldiers.
Éowlos was the lord of Aldburg and the Third Marshal of the Riddermark.
He was a tall, powerfully built Rohirrim with golden hair, a keen gaze, and exceptional prowess in mounted combat.
It was worth noting that he was a descendant of the House of Éorl, and it was he who had led the Rohirrim of East Emnet in their migration to the vicinity of Edoras.
Under normal circumstances, Rohan's military was led by three marshals: the First Marshal, the Second Marshal, and the Third Marshal, who commanded all the military forces of Rohan.
Each marshal also had his own Éored, a unit of personal guards.
At this time, the First Marshal of the Riddermark was still Fengel, who often had to remain in bed.
In name, he was responsible for defending the royal city of Edoras, while also commanding the Royal City Imperial Guard and controlling the surrounding royal lands, including Folde Vale.
Fengel also had the authority to command every army throughout Rohan.
The Second Marshal of the Riddermark was Thengel, who was away on campaign. However, he had taken all the soldiers from the royal lands and the West-mark with him, amounting to more than two-thirds of Rohan's cavalry.
As Third Marshal, Éowlos commanded the armies of the East-mark.
The East-mark and West-mark were military divisions of West Emnet, Rohan's most important region. The Snowbourn