An- Just tidying up spelling/grammar/tenses up. Nothing has been changed. New chapter soon!

Shock From The King

Éowyn stormed through her uncle's castle towards her bedroom chambers not in the greatest of moods because of the argument that usually went on for hours before she left, annoyed.

Even though she was only fifteen, she wasn't simple minded and she could look after herself as she had been doing rather well at it for many years. Éowyn ran upstairs into her private chambers to sit down and scowl in privacy. Even though she loves her uncle so it was infuriating when he refused to let her learn how to use swords in combat. What does Uncle Théoden suppose she do if she happened upon a fight? Pray that they would spare her because she was a girl? That would not happen on battle terms they would simply slay her and she would have to take it in cowardice or have some man rescue her like she was injured.

Éowyn perhaps would have stayed in her room for the night, and waited until someone brought her dinner up, if her brother hadn't come up to snap her out of her usual moods. Éomer strolled casually into her chambers, without knocking as usual, to tell her that she was wanted downstairs. Otherwise ignoring her elder brother she followed him downstairs curiously wondering why she was being called. Hurrying downstairs they soon ended up in the hall where the King mostly resided.

They entered the handsome chambers of the King's working station and Éomer left while Éowyn waited patiently as he finished writing down signatures. Signalling for his niece to sit down, which she did in due haste, he took a deep breath and his features contorted almost like a reliever of bad news would. Éowyn automatically knew that she was about to be told something that she wont want to hear and dislike but waited for the storm nonetheless.

"Éowyn you do know that I have your best interests are heart, correct?" He asked hesitantly to his niece.

"Yes uncle." Éowyn replied instantly whilst nodding.

"In Rohan there is a specific law for adolescent woman, such as you, to be married within a certain age to suited partners..." He began before Éowyn interrupted forgetting herself.

"But I thought they had finished that law claiming that none of the couples would be happy in marriage when forced together?"

"That was once the case." He agreed nodding towards her. "However that law has once again been renewed and you have been coupled with a likely candidate that I know for certain you will soon love and cherish."

Éowyn sat staring incredulously at their uncle as though he had just told her the meaning of life. Then simultaneously they looked away from each other as though the other is telling untruths. Éowyn sighed loudly for she knew that uncle's mind had been made up and they couldn't change an official law even though he was King. She decided to satisfy her curiosity before blowing up... Yet. There is a time for that but not when she would like to know who will be her husband, one day.

"Who will I be wed to, Uncle?"

"Faramir, son of Denethor who is Steward of the Realm of Gondor. I've heard very good responses from people who know him personally. He's very unlike his elder brother Boromir but they are both alike in looks and future loyal leaders. Denethor and I will soon meet, as I am your legal guardian, to discuss terms. But you are invited also to meet Faramir, his family and their way of life."

Éowyn looked at him unhappily... She was to be betrothed to a man that she had not met. It sure was going to be an awkward first meeting them both knowing they were going to be forced together in holy matrimony without having a say. A wedding should be about love, commitment, but instead they would be just joining together in union but nothing else. What about children and would they have to... Consummate the marriage? Forcing down the blush she knew had already appeared on her pale face.

"But uncle... What if I do not get on with this Faramir yet we will have to get married on simple like or joining of royals terms?" She asked him sadly. "It wont be love just convenience."

King Théoden sighed and ran a hand over his beard before putting his hand on her shoulder to comfort her in some way though he knew she couldn't. Even to him, though he had no choice, it sounded terrible not being in love but get married. But they had six months yet until she would have to go through with the law so perhaps something between them would happen within them months? He hoped very much so because it's worse going through the stage such as growing into a young woman but to be unhappily married too is awful.

"Éowyn... You will have to get married in six months..." He paused when she coughed out of shock to the news but continued when she composed herself. "But perhaps you will get to know Faramir during the long months and he does sound like a respectable, polite young man so I'm sure you would get on with hopefully very well."

Éowyn doubted that very much so but she did not say aloud as her uncle already looked stressed and not ecstatic with the situation. Maybe Faramir would probably treat her like she is a common housewife that only cooks, cleans and gives birth to children. Éowyn would have to stay, like all the other housewives in the kingdom, behind bars until use and old age accept them, and all chance of great deeds is gone beyond recall or desire. She shivered to herself and looked at her uncle with no expression other than upset.

"He's probably like the other men here. Only wanting woman to seen and not heard. Never having their chance to shine or have their voice heard clearly or have any meaning at all." She told him tonelessly.

"Please do think about it. We are to meet with them in two short days and you will be able to meet Faramir on your own terms. But you can either meet and get to know him now or meet him as a stranger at the alter on your wedding day. Think about it Éowyn, I hope you choose the right decision as I didn't want this to become of you but I cannot change anything."

Éowyn nodded and stood up dislodging her uncle's comforting touch before leaving the chambers to fled upstairs to the safety of her room. Just when she had sat at the window and really began to think seriously about the fact she is to be married at only sixteen to a man she does not, and probably will not, love. A quiet knock came at the door and Éowyn suspected Uncle had sent up one of the maids to speak to her when the door opened with not a maid but Éomer behind it. Sighing once again she turned back to the window and watched a bird fly free in the open sky.

"If you have come to mock me, Éomer, I wouldn't bother because nothing will affect me right now when my mind is otherwise engaged much like I."

Éomer instead said nothing in reply but shuffled up next to her at the window to sit and joined her watching out the window. They sat in silence and unsaid words spoke louder than any said word would. Unusually he was showing his support instead of mocking her. Éowyn sniffed then turned to her brother who did the same at the same time which they both laughed at then clasped pinkies together before Éowyn leaned her head against the window.

"I am to be married Éomer." She started unsure why she was confiding in her brother. "Married to a man I do not know never mind love. I have six months to get to know this stranger then I will have to give him my undying commitment."

Éomer thought carefully before nudging his sister and smiling crookedly. Éowyn laughed, though she wasn't sure why, then he indicted to look out the window where a big crow had landed next to the dainty jay bird. She watched them interact unsure but then they flew off, together, even though they were different birds.

"Maybe like the crow and the jay bird you will find something in Faramir that you will fall in love with maybe soon."

"You know him?" Éowyn asked quickly.

"No. But I know of his brother and he always speaks fondly of his younger sibling."

Éowyn considered that but the noted that it always seemed to be just other people speaking of him nobody has actually corresponded personally with him. It made her slightly nervous but they had spoke highly of him and they wouldn't lie to her, right? As there is no use of being faulty with the truth if they are to be married regardless anyway.

"That is why you have to meet him Éowyn. Meet Faramir before it's too late and you cannot change the clock back that is why you should see him for yourself before the wedding day. It will be hard enough knowing you are bound forever to one man in the space of days but if you have not met him before then, it will be unbearable."

Éowyn looked at her brother shocked that him of all people would be the one who made the most sense. Éomer pretended to mock offended before he smiled widely and patted her shoulder in a boy like way before standing up.

"You have at least two days to think about it. That's something better than nothing." He noted.

"Yes, that's true brother. Thanks for you help, for once." She added laughing.

Éomer just grinned and nodded in response before walking out the room to do whatever he was going to spend his time with. Éowyn then decided that if even Éomer can be serious in a situation like this then she should have to be as well. She did have at least six months to get to know Faramir and it wouldn't be too terrible at the wedding. Not that she is happy about that fact of being married without choosing the man she wanted to be with. Not that anyone has caught her interest but it would have been nice having time to meet and fall in love with a man she got to knew slowly.

Éowyn made a quick decision like always. It wouldn't do harm if she met her future beloved and got to know what he really was like. She felt slightly better when she thought of becoming friends with someone who wasn't female or from Rohan. It sounded like a different adventure and maybe Faramir could teach her sword work during the six months. Cheered up by that thought she departed from her room to go downstairs to have dinner with her family.

Entering the grand hall she hurried over to sit aside her Uncle who looked surprised by the change of the mood but he smiled happily at her and pulled out the seat beside his. He watched her whilst she and Éomer talked about recent events during home school. He did not see the sadness that had been visible before so he relaxed and tucked into his potato's with a lighter heart.

The topic of conversation soon changed between the siblings and their tone's lowered slightly as though afraid of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Théoden instantly paid attention to what they are saying but he noticed that Éowyn seemed a bit hesitant about saying what is currently in her mind, which is unusual, so he decided to ask her upfront which she often responded to better than her brother's laid back approach.

"Have you thought more about the arrangement Éowyn?" He asked casually.

"Yes Uncle." She replied thoughtfully. "I cannot say that I am thrilled with what is currently happening but I cannot run from who I am or who I will be betrothed with. I will meet Faramir in three days just so to make it less awkward in the future or to listen about others who have met him are saying. I would be cowardly if I did not face my fear."

Théoden nodded enthusiastically he knew that she would see the lighter side and the easier side. If she did not face her future husband now then it would plague on the mind until the big day came. Glancing at Éomer he wondered if it had been he who had changed his sister's mind. He wasn't sure but he is delighted nonetheless as Théoden did not particularly want to admit Denethor or Faramir that Éowyn did not even want to see them before the wedding. It felt like a weight had been taken off his chest and the companionable three soon changed the subject to happier times.

Éowyn smiled at the consideration of her family changing the subject but then a shot of nerves went through her when she realised that less than two days she would be meeting with her in-laws and husband... Well future but what if they don't get on?

It's something that Éowyn couldn't bare. Not getting on with her second family...