Author's Note
: A short piece which takes place on Éowyn and Faramir's wedding day. It's the result of me thinking far too much and getting a hold of a computer =)Disclaimer
: The characters and events from "the Lord of the Rings" belong to JRR Tolkien, and are used without permission.~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~
Éowyn stared at her face in the mirror and absentmindedly corrected her veil. The face in the mirror seemed like a stranger. It could not be her face, her appearance, clad in a white wedding gown ready to be married. Was she in fact ready? Her face seemed paler than it should.
The cackle and praises from the maids around her did not have the uplifting effect they were meant to. Éowyn only found it annoying, she did not want her ears filled with cackle right now. She was nervous, she had known Faramir for so short a time and now she was going to be married to him. She did not want to be alone right now but she knew she did not want this flock of women around her.
"Leave the room" she ordered. "Send for Master Perian."
The room went silent. Seven maids looked at her with shocked eyes.
"But lady…" one of them said. "Master Perian… he is a man. No man is to see you before the wedding!"
"The groom is not to see me before the wedding" Éowyn said. "And Master Perian is not a man, he is a Hobbit. Send for him and leave me alone with him, I have important things to speak to him about!"
The maids obediently left, and for what seemed like an eternity Éowyn was alone. She could not help pacing about nervously in the room, there was too much going on inside of her for her to be able to be still. Finally there was a knock on the door and she called out for the knocker to enter.
Master Perian, the halfling Meriadoc, entered and closed the door behind him. He looked at her and smiled. She was the image of the perfect bride, and he felt as proud of her as if he were her brother or father. He was glad that her wedding was held before his return to the Shire, he did not want to miss this event. She stopped and looked at him, he bowed before her.
He wondered why she had sent for him. It was strange, they seemed to know each other so well yet they had hardly spoken. They were as strangers yet at the same time as family. They had not seen each other much since they had left the House of Healing and he was a bit unsure of how to act around her. Should he treat her like a servant treats his lady or the way he treated Strider?
"My lady…" he said. "You look as fair as an Elf!"
"Thank you" she said and smiled slightly. "I… I wish to speak with you, Master Perian."
"Meriadoc."
"Meriadoc."
"Actually, call me Merry" he said and smiled.
"Merry" she said and smiled as well. "Merry… I have something to ask you. I feel nervous asking you, I don't know if it is appropriate. But there is something I wish you would do for me."
"I'm at your service" Merry said and bowed again.
"A bride is always accompanied by bridesmaids at her wedding. I have bridesmaids. But I was wondering if you would walk with me as I walk down the aisle. Having you with me would give me great comfort." She paused for a second. "You were there for me when I needed someone the most, I would much like for you to be there for me now, for even though this is a time of joy I need support."
"My most cherished lady" Merry said and bowed once more. "If that is your wish then so shall it be. I shall walk with you, if you see it appropriate. The king I swore fidelity to is gone, but my vow was to all kings and lords of Rohan. I shall serve Éomer king and the lady Éowyn for as long as I live, and if I linger in this world for a thousand years more I shall always stay true to your bloodline! All you need do is call my name, lady, and I shall be there for you."
"Need I call your name?" Éowyn asked. "You came to me on the battlefield without me having called your name. You were there anyway. Out of nowhere you came… And I do not think I have even thanked you!"
"Thank me? There is nothing to thank me for. I hold you dear in my heart and acts sprung from such emotion need no thank yous!" He smiled. "In my heart you have filled the void of the friend and brother who lost his life trying to protect mine! I feel like I could repay his sacrifice for me in aiding you when you needed help in battle. What he did for me I did for you."
"I will never be able to do for him what you did for me" Éowyn said.
"There is no need" Merry said. "You lived. That is enough. For Boromir and for myself." He got a distant look in his eyes. "Indeed you mean to me what he once did, and more even! He left a void in my good friend Pippin's heart as well, a void which was filled by his brother. His brother is held almost as dear by Peregrin as you are by me. It seems to me now that this has all been meant to happen!"
"How do you mean?" Éowyn asked.
"Pippin and I were captured by the uruk-hai, who killed our friend who was trying to protect us. We traveled on, each of us with a void in our hearts, until we each met a person who filled that void. Now the two people who filled those voids are going to be married. Pippin and I have been companions for as long as my cousin has lived, now you and lord Faramir are going to be companions for as long as you live. It all makes sense to me. You and Faramir must be meant to be married, as Pippin and I are meant to be friends."
For the first time that day Éowyn smiled without a trace of nervousness in her face, and Merry thought that smile lit up her face and made her even fairer than an Elf.
"In truth, Merry," she said, "I need never call your name. You come anyway. I have been asking myself time and again today if I am doing the right thing in marrying Faramir. Without knowing this you have just erased all my worries and assured me that this is what is meant to be. I needed you, and you came."
Merry grinned and was just about to reply when they were interrupted by a knock on the door. Merry opened and a maid told them that it was time to begin the ceremony. Éowyn and Merry shared a look and together walked down the hall to the large hall where the wedding was to be held. Merry could see the remaining members of the Fellowship waiting in their seats but he did not join them. He followed Éowyn to the aisle where Éomer waited to walk his sister to the altar. Merry bowed deeply before the king and fell in behind Éomer and Éowyn as they began to walk down the aisle. He could barely see Éowyn's face, still he knew she was smiling. And he knew whom she was smiling at, he could see Faramir smiling back at her. He glanced over at his cousin Pippin, who was sitting in the front row clad in his Gondorian armor. It did indeed seem as if this was all meant to be.
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