Return of the King

Pippin rides with Gandalf on Shadowfax toward Gondor. For much of the journey, Pippin is sleepy and disoriented, paying little attention to Gandalf’s explanations about Gondor. He notices fires burning in the landscape around them, and Gandalf tells him that these are beacons that Gondor uses to call for aid from its allies.

Pippin and Gandalf arrive at Minas Tirith, a beautiful stone city with seven tiers and a central white tower. The guards let them in, and Pippin accidentally mentions Boromir’s death. Gandalf scolds him and tells him that this should only be told to Boromir’s father. However, the guards at the gate seem to have already suspected that Boromir has died. As they are led up the highest tier of the city, Gandalf warns Pippin that the steward of Gondor, Denethor, is a powerful and cunning ruler. He urges Pippin not to mention Frodo’s quest to destroy the Ring or Aragorn’s heritage. As they are led through a courtyard to see Denethor, Pippin sees a dead tree beside a fountain.

Denethor greets Gandalf and Pippin coldly, showing them that he has recovered Boromir’s horn, broken into two. He interrogates Pippin about how Boromir died, and Pippin pledges his service to Denethor to repay the debt he owes Boromir for protecting him.