The White Lady
" Theoden king! They have started the assault. What should we do, O wise king? " Asked the Marshall. His golden hair stood out against the gray walls of the Golden Hall.
" Pull the Eorlingas forward. They mustn't break the forward barricade! " The King of the Mark answered wearily. He turned away as the Marshall left. Eowyn looked up at her uncle. She was as golden as the sun, even as young as she was at the present.
" Uncle, what is happening? Can I help?" She asked in her stern but timid voice. She looked hopefully up at at him. His eyes were sorrowful and pitiful. He had always cared for his kingdom, and Eowyn even more. He knew she could help, but did not want to let her.
" No, Eowyn, you must stay. Eomer may come," He said firmly. Eomer trotted up, a little boy no older than thirteen. Still, he was allowed to fight. Eowyn did not understand.
" Why can't I fight, O Uncle? I can fight as any Eorling-man. I can handle a sword!" Eowyn said proudly and stubbornly. Why could she never help? She was brave and valiant, and could wield a sword and shield. She could maneuver a horse better than any man, or so she thought.
"Because, dear Eowyn, you are a young woman. We cannot risk having you lost," Theoden said even more firmly.
"But Eomer may come! Are you not afraid for his life?" She asked. She had felt so rejected in these times of war. She despised being a woman.
"Yes, but you must understand .." He trailed off.
"But I do not! I wish to come---" She was cut off.
" No, I will not permit you. Stay behind this once, little lady of Gold. Your time may come," He said.
Tears welled up in Eowyn's eyes, but they did not spill. She knew that no man would cry in front of Theoden King, so neither would she. She pulled up her white dress and left the Golden Hall.
She did not understand at all. She wasn't like the other woman of Rohan, either. She had always desired to cleave enemies, while other girls helped with chores. Boys of Rohan did not take Eowyn seriously, and when Eowyn walked by they would stare not because of her shield and sword, but because of her golden beauty.
Eowyn ran to her room. She lay upon her bed, which was covered in pure silk white. She could not bare it anymore. Why? Why must she be taken from her brother at times of death? Her golden head lay there thinking. She heard her uncle's voice in her head. Your time will come.
Well, Eowyn was going to make it come quicker. She wiped her face on a fine handkerchief. She would find her place, and prove herself to everyone. She stood up and went to her fine wood dressers. She picked up a cloth skirt of red and silver, and a mantel of pure white. Out of a box she picked up an emerald clasp.
In the corner, she took out her sheath, which held her long wrought sword. She packed a numerous bit of other assortments, and placed it in a large leather pack. Her round large, beautiful shield was on a mantle. She took it down.
She set all these in a chest, for now. She locked it and slipped the key in a pocket. She left the room to see if the company had left already. There were many women outside waving farewell to the men, and as she stood on the wall she decided to do the same. Theoden was in the lead of a large troop, and beside him was Eomer, young and brave.
When they had left across the field, Eowyn stared for a moment. Then she went to Eomer's room, which was next to hers.
She looked into his dressers, and took what fit her and was not needed. If Eomer ever came back, he would never miss them .. She packed these in her leather pack, and headed back to her own room.
"Eowyn! Eowyn!" A voice startled her as she lay on her bed. It was Iorethe, a friend of hers. She had but a few friends, and since she lived in the palace she rarely ever had a chance to make friends. Besides, not many liked her because of her boyish actions. Iroethe was not at all like Eowyn, but did everything with her.
" What is it, Iorethe?" Eowyn asked, and sat up on her silky sheets.
"Eowyn, they left, and I didn't see you in the crowd .." Iorethe said.
" Oh, I know they have left Iorethe! I was there as was every maiden in this village! I would not be surprised if it was all of Rohan!" Eowyn said truthfully.
" Yes .. Okay ... Eowyn ... Well, I just wanted to know . Oh well. I've got to go to my home for preparations. Do you ever do that?" Iorethe asked. Her family was not wealthy, but living in this village everyone was considered that.
" Oh, no .... Most of the other maidens do that .. After all .." Eowyn trailed off.
" Well, goodbye Eowyn! I must leave now," Iorethe said, and turned to leave.
" Goodbye, Iorethe," Eowyn mumbled as she got up and followed her. Iorethe went West, but Eowyn turned East, toward the horse fields.
" Elebreth! Elebreth!" She called. A golden and white horse rode up to her. She was a beautiful mare, and Eowyn had named her after the Elves.
She rode Elebreth to the stables, where many other mares were, and a couple people. Eowyn put Elebreth in the last stall and started to comb her.
"Eowyn! Looking for a ride?" Asked a boy from another stall.
"No, I am doing more than that, alas .." She trailed off. She knew boys didn't take her seriously, so she didn't make conversation with them.
" What is it?" He inferred closely.
"Nothing that would concern you," She said, and put a white bridle on her horse.
" Oh, okay..." He said.
"Yes," Eowyn said and took out a large white saddle out from a brown box. She put it on Elebreth.
Once Eowyn was done with Elebreth, she whispered in her ear.
"I will be back at dusk, fair Elebreth," She said, and locked the stable door. She knew none would choose to try and steal Elebreth, for Elebreth rarely trusted anyone but Eowyn. Elebreth shook her long white mane, and watched Eowyn leave.
Eowyn went back to her room once again. She wondered how people would react once she ....
At last, dusk came. Eowyn picked up her leather pack, her shield, and buckled the sheathed sword around her waist.
She walked into the largest kitchen in the palace, and wrapped a few loaves of bread in cloth. She stuck those in her pack, and chose a very large water bottle to fill at the well.
Her heart was set, as well as her jaw as she went into the stables. Elebreth was there, Golden as the setting sun.
She walked up to Elebreth, mounted her, and she was out onto the fields. None saw her, save the boy she had encountered before. And even he thought she was just out for an evening ride across the vast plains of Rohan.
Nay, that was not her purpose. Eowyn went East, toward the marching men of Rohan's path.
****************** Have you guessed yet what Eowyn is doing? Do you like it? Hate it? Please tell me, I love to hear what you think, flames or not.******************
" Theoden king! They have started the assault. What should we do, O wise king? " Asked the Marshall. His golden hair stood out against the gray walls of the Golden Hall.
" Pull the Eorlingas forward. They mustn't break the forward barricade! " The King of the Mark answered wearily. He turned away as the Marshall left. Eowyn looked up at her uncle. She was as golden as the sun, even as young as she was at the present.
" Uncle, what is happening? Can I help?" She asked in her stern but timid voice. She looked hopefully up at at him. His eyes were sorrowful and pitiful. He had always cared for his kingdom, and Eowyn even more. He knew she could help, but did not want to let her.
" No, Eowyn, you must stay. Eomer may come," He said firmly. Eomer trotted up, a little boy no older than thirteen. Still, he was allowed to fight. Eowyn did not understand.
" Why can't I fight, O Uncle? I can fight as any Eorling-man. I can handle a sword!" Eowyn said proudly and stubbornly. Why could she never help? She was brave and valiant, and could wield a sword and shield. She could maneuver a horse better than any man, or so she thought.
"Because, dear Eowyn, you are a young woman. We cannot risk having you lost," Theoden said even more firmly.
"But Eomer may come! Are you not afraid for his life?" She asked. She had felt so rejected in these times of war. She despised being a woman.
"Yes, but you must understand .." He trailed off.
"But I do not! I wish to come---" She was cut off.
" No, I will not permit you. Stay behind this once, little lady of Gold. Your time may come," He said.
Tears welled up in Eowyn's eyes, but they did not spill. She knew that no man would cry in front of Theoden King, so neither would she. She pulled up her white dress and left the Golden Hall.
She did not understand at all. She wasn't like the other woman of Rohan, either. She had always desired to cleave enemies, while other girls helped with chores. Boys of Rohan did not take Eowyn seriously, and when Eowyn walked by they would stare not because of her shield and sword, but because of her golden beauty.
Eowyn ran to her room. She lay upon her bed, which was covered in pure silk white. She could not bare it anymore. Why? Why must she be taken from her brother at times of death? Her golden head lay there thinking. She heard her uncle's voice in her head. Your time will come.
Well, Eowyn was going to make it come quicker. She wiped her face on a fine handkerchief. She would find her place, and prove herself to everyone. She stood up and went to her fine wood dressers. She picked up a cloth skirt of red and silver, and a mantel of pure white. Out of a box she picked up an emerald clasp.
In the corner, she took out her sheath, which held her long wrought sword. She packed a numerous bit of other assortments, and placed it in a large leather pack. Her round large, beautiful shield was on a mantle. She took it down.
She set all these in a chest, for now. She locked it and slipped the key in a pocket. She left the room to see if the company had left already. There were many women outside waving farewell to the men, and as she stood on the wall she decided to do the same. Theoden was in the lead of a large troop, and beside him was Eomer, young and brave.
When they had left across the field, Eowyn stared for a moment. Then she went to Eomer's room, which was next to hers.
She looked into his dressers, and took what fit her and was not needed. If Eomer ever came back, he would never miss them .. She packed these in her leather pack, and headed back to her own room.
"Eowyn! Eowyn!" A voice startled her as she lay on her bed. It was Iorethe, a friend of hers. She had but a few friends, and since she lived in the palace she rarely ever had a chance to make friends. Besides, not many liked her because of her boyish actions. Iroethe was not at all like Eowyn, but did everything with her.
" What is it, Iorethe?" Eowyn asked, and sat up on her silky sheets.
"Eowyn, they left, and I didn't see you in the crowd .." Iorethe said.
" Oh, I know they have left Iorethe! I was there as was every maiden in this village! I would not be surprised if it was all of Rohan!" Eowyn said truthfully.
" Yes .. Okay ... Eowyn ... Well, I just wanted to know . Oh well. I've got to go to my home for preparations. Do you ever do that?" Iorethe asked. Her family was not wealthy, but living in this village everyone was considered that.
" Oh, no .... Most of the other maidens do that .. After all .." Eowyn trailed off.
" Well, goodbye Eowyn! I must leave now," Iorethe said, and turned to leave.
" Goodbye, Iorethe," Eowyn mumbled as she got up and followed her. Iorethe went West, but Eowyn turned East, toward the horse fields.
" Elebreth! Elebreth!" She called. A golden and white horse rode up to her. She was a beautiful mare, and Eowyn had named her after the Elves.
She rode Elebreth to the stables, where many other mares were, and a couple people. Eowyn put Elebreth in the last stall and started to comb her.
"Eowyn! Looking for a ride?" Asked a boy from another stall.
"No, I am doing more than that, alas .." She trailed off. She knew boys didn't take her seriously, so she didn't make conversation with them.
" What is it?" He inferred closely.
"Nothing that would concern you," She said, and put a white bridle on her horse.
" Oh, okay..." He said.
"Yes," Eowyn said and took out a large white saddle out from a brown box. She put it on Elebreth.
Once Eowyn was done with Elebreth, she whispered in her ear.
"I will be back at dusk, fair Elebreth," She said, and locked the stable door. She knew none would choose to try and steal Elebreth, for Elebreth rarely trusted anyone but Eowyn. Elebreth shook her long white mane, and watched Eowyn leave.
Eowyn went back to her room once again. She wondered how people would react once she ....
At last, dusk came. Eowyn picked up her leather pack, her shield, and buckled the sheathed sword around her waist.
She walked into the largest kitchen in the palace, and wrapped a few loaves of bread in cloth. She stuck those in her pack, and chose a very large water bottle to fill at the well.
Her heart was set, as well as her jaw as she went into the stables. Elebreth was there, Golden as the setting sun.
She walked up to Elebreth, mounted her, and she was out onto the fields. None saw her, save the boy she had encountered before. And even he thought she was just out for an evening ride across the vast plains of Rohan.
Nay, that was not her purpose. Eowyn went East, toward the marching men of Rohan's path.
****************** Have you guessed yet what Eowyn is doing? Do you like it? Hate it? Please tell me, I love to hear what you think, flames or not.******************