He is a fan favorite among tertiary characters in The Lord of the Rings.
After taking Peregrin Took under his wing, he would find his love for his captain and
duty to his lord at odds with one another - yielding deadly results…
Today, on Nerd of the Rings we cover Beregond, Guard of the Citadel.
Beregond comes into the story of The Lord of the Rings, after Pippin has volunteered
his service to Steward Denethor of Gondor.
Through his talks with Pippin, we learn a bit about his background.
We find that his ancestors come from the vales of the White Mountains, and prior to that
time, they were of the lands of Ithilien.
As for Beregond, he dwells in Minas Tirith, where he serves in the Third Company of the
Citadel.
These soldiers of Gondor, also known as the Guards of the Citadel, are tasked with protecting
this highest and most important tier of the city.
As Guard of the Citadel, Beregond is familiar with the captain of Gondor Faramir, whom he
greatly admires.
As the threat of Mordor looms, Beregond is given a new assignment on the morning of March
9, 3019, when he is tasked with helping Peregrin Took, who was to be stationed within the company.
Beregond is amazed at Pippin, who he says looks as if he could be a 9 year-old among
the children of Gondor, though acknowledging that the halfling had endured perils and seen
marvels that few of the greybeards could boast of.
One of the first things Pippin sees in his time with Beregond is that Shadowfax allows
Beregond to handle him.
After getting some food for the well-traveled hobbit, they are looking over the Pelennor
below when they hear a high faint cry…
‘What was that?’ asked Beregond.
‘You also felt something?’
‘Yes,’ muttered Pippin.
‘It is the sign of our fall, and the shadow of doom, a Fell Rider of the air.’
‘Yes, the shadow of doom,’ said Beregond.
‘I fear that Minas Tirith shall fall.
Night comes.
The very warmth of my blood seems stolen away.’
For a time they sat together with bowed heads and did not speak.
Then suddenly Pippin looked up and saw that the sun was still shining and the banners
still streaming in the breeze.
He shook himself.
‘It is passed,’ he said.
‘No, my heart will not yet despair.
Gandalf fell and has returned and is with us.
We may stand, if only on one leg, or at least be left still upon our knees.’
‘Rightly said!’
cried Beregond, rising and striding to and fro.
‘Nay, though all things must come utterly to an end in time, Gondor shall not perish
yet.
Not though the walls be taken by a reckless foe that will build a hill of carrion before
them.
There are still other fastnesses, and secret ways of escape into the mountains.
Hope and memory shall live still in some hidden valley where the grass is green.’
Beregond and Pippin talk long about the looming threat of Mordor, with Beregond calling the
seeming calm “the deep breath before the plunge.”
Like Beregond, Pippin would be dressed in the standard attire of the Guards of the Citadel
known as the livery of Elendil, bearing a field of black with a White Tree with seven
stars and a silver crown.
These guards also wore helmets made of mithril, bearing carved wings of sea-birds.
Pippin’s appearance in this royal armor would give further credence to the rumor within
the city that he was Ernil i Pheriannath - the Prince of the Halflings.
During times when Beregond had to be on duty, Pippin would spend time with Beregond’s
son Bergil.
He is around 10 years old at the time and would accompany Pippin to the Great Gate of
Minas Tirith, where they witness soldiers from the various fiefs of Gondor answering
Denethor’s call for aid for the impending siege.
The siege would indeed come, and during the Battle of Pelennor Fields, Beregond is stationed
at the gate of the Citadel, when he sees a familiar face…
The sentinel hailed him as he went by, and he recognized the voice of Beregond.
‘Whither do you run, Master Peregrin?’ he cried.
‘To find Mithrandir,’ Pippin answered.
‘The Lord’s errands are urgent and should not be hindered by me,’ said Beregond; ‘but
tell me quickly, if you may: what goes forward?
Whither has my Lord gone?
I have just come on duty, but I heard that he passed towards the Closed Door, and men
were bearing Faramir before him.’
‘Yes,’ said Pippin, ‘to the Silent Street.’
Beregond bowed his head to hide his tears.
‘They said that he was dying,’ he sighed, ‘and now he is dead.’
‘No,’ said Pippin, ‘not yet.
And even now his death might be prevented, I think.
But the Lord of the City, Beregond, has fallen before his city is taken.
He is fey and dangerous.’
Quickly he told of Denethor’s strange words and deeds.
‘I must find Gandalf at once.’
‘Then you must go down to the battle.’
‘I know.
The Lord has given me leave.
But, Beregond, if you can, do something to stop any dreadful thing happening.’
‘The Lord does not permit those who wear the black and silver to leave their post for
any cause, save at his own command.’
‘Well, you must choose between orders and the life of Faramir,’ said Pippin.
‘And as for orders, I think you have a madman to deal with, not a lord.
I must run.
I will return if I can.’
Here we find Beregond’s love for his captain and his duty as a guard of the citadel at
odds.
Ultimately, protecting Faramir from being slain is more important than his post and
he rushes to the Silent Street.
The guard of the street refuses to let Beregond pass, and draws his sword upon him.
In the haste of the situation, and having no other recourse, Beregond slays the guard.
Two further servants of Denethor’s guard are killed as they attempt to light the funeral
pyre and when Gandalf and Pippin arrive, Beregond is standing at the doorway, sword drawn, to
ward off any others who would seek to obey Denethor’s madness.
Gandalf says to Denethor…‘And at the least you shall not rob your son of his choice while
his death is still in doubt.’
At those words Denethor’s eyes flamed again, and taking the Stone under his arm he drew
a knife and strode towards the bier.
But Beregond sprang forward and set himself before Faramir.
‘So!’
cried Denethor.
‘Thou hadst already stolen half my son’s love.
Now thou stealest the hearts of my knights also, so that they rob me wholly of my son
at the last.
But in this at least thou shalt not defy my will: to rule my own end.’
Denethor takes matters into his own hands, lighting the pyre and casting himself upon
it.
Gandalf in grief and horror turned his face away and closed the door.
For a while he stood in thought, silent upon the threshold, while those outside heard the
greedy roaring of the fire within.
And then Denethor gave a great cry....
'So passes Denethor, son of Ecthelion,' said Gandalf: Then he turned to Beregond and the
Lord's servants that stood there aghast.
'And so pass also the days of Gondor that you have known; for good or evil they are
ended.
Ill deeds have been done here; but let now all enmity that lies between you be put away,
for it was contrived by the Enemy and works his will.
You have been caught in a net of warring duties that you did not weave.
But think, you servants of the Lord, blind in your obedience, that but for the treason
of Beregond Faramir, Captain of the White Tower, would now also be burned.
Beregond would assist in carrying Faramir to the Houses of Healing.
There he would stand guard over the new Steward of the city in his injured state.
Later, Pippin would run into Bergil once more, who was running errands for the healers.
Beregond and Bergil would be present when Aragorn comes to heal Faramir and the others
in the Houses of Healing, confirming that the King, who possessed the hands of a healer,
had returned.
Yet, there was another battle to be fought, and Beregond would make the journey with the
Men of the West to the Morannon to draw the attention of Sauron.
This battle, which could have so easily been futile, would see Pippin and Beregond serve
side by side under the command of Prince Imrahil of Dol Amroth.
During a charge by the enemy, a great troll-chief knocks Beregond to the ground and as it stoops
to bite the Gondorian’s throat, Pippin stabs upward with his blade of Westernesse, killing
the troll, which falls on top of him and knocks out the halfling.
After the great victory over Sauron, Beregond would return to Minas Tirith, yet there was
an important matter to deal with - Beregond’s actions during the siege of Gondor.
After Aragorn is crowned king on May 1, 3019, Beregond is brought before him to receive
his judgment for leaving his post and killing Denethor’s guards.
Indeed, Beregond had saved the life of Faramir, yet in doing so he had slain his fellow guards
and abandoned his post - and justice must be upheld.
The penalty for these things was, by rights, death.
However, knowing these deeds to be the right choice, and done out of love for Faramir,
Aragorn instead tells Beregond he must leave Minas Tirith.
Then the blood left Beregond’s face, and he was stricken to the heart and bowed his
head.
But the King said: ‘So it must be, for you are appointed to
the White Company, the Guard of Faramir, Prince of Ithilien, and you shall be its captain
and dwell in Emyn Arnen in honour and peace, and in the service of him for whom you risked
all, to save him from death.’
And then Beregond, perceiving the mercy and justice of the King, was glad, and kneeling
kissed his hand, and departed in joy and content.
We are told no more of Beregond or Bergil, yet, in Tolkien’s abandoned sequel to the
Lord of the Rings, we find that Beregond had a second son, likely after the War of the
Ring, named Borlas.
We find this character when he is an old man living in Gondor during a time when darkness
begins to creep back into the world of men, and there are signs of a New Shadow rising,
much to the dismay of the son of Beregond.
While Tolkien would abandon the story of Borlas, we know that his father Beregond would live
out his days in Ithilien, serving Faramir, now Prince of the realm where Beregond’s
own ancestors once lived.
And there he would live out his days in joy and content.
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