Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Not a bloody thing.
Author's Notes: Sorry purists, but I have to take Faramir out of this one. But how else am I going to get my two favorite characters together without adultery? Actually, there's an idea.... But anyway, we'll just assume that in this story, Faramir died with his daddy, or something like that. Oh, and if you haven't read all three books DO NOT READ THIS!!!! Because a) you will have no clue what is going on, and b) it will spoil the 3rd book for you.
Hope Unlooked For
Prologue: The Dream
I stand upon some dreadful brink, and it is utterly dark in the abyss before my feet, but whether there is any light behind me I cannot tell. For I cannot turn yet. I wait for some stroke of doom.
-Éowyn, the White Lady of Rohan
Everything was black. There was no sound; no smells, no tastes. Then a blood red sun slowly rose, to shine its rays on a horrible scene: Orcs streamed across Rohan, killing anything in their path and making the ground scream beneath their feet. The Entwash and the Anduin ran red with blood. Riders of Rohan fought and were killed, their bodies desecrated and tortured. Hama, the guard stood with a yell and charged the orcs. They ran him through and decapitated him.
Éowyn screamed, and looked around frantically for her sword. But to her horror, she was not in Meduseld, but trapped, trapped in a domestic hut, where a withered husband and children layed about inside, calling for their supper. Instead of armor she wore a dress; instead of a sword she carried a cooking pan.
The hobbits Merry and Pippin were surrounded by orcs. They fought back with their short swords, but the orcs only laughed as they slew them.
As she watched, transfixed with horror and fear, Aragorn raced forward, flanked on either side by the dwarf and the elf. The dwarf was beheaded with his own axe; the elf run through by three different swords. The Lord Aragorn fought hard, but he stumbled, and was lost underneath the orcs that leapt upon him. Éowyn sobbed, but how could she help him? She was trapped, trapped in this cage of domesticality; she had no weapons; she was helpless to defend him or herself.
Then the most horrible sight of all: Éomer, riding hard against the orcs, a fell warrior with a fell cry, but he could not stand against the orcs. They pulled him from his horse and fell upon his body.
Éowyn gave an anguished cry and ran forward, forgetting that she had no weapons to defend herself. For there, on that hill, stood the one whom she had cared for and looked up to as a father all her life: Théoden king. She must stand by him, even if it lead to her death!
But even as she ran forward, Théoden's horse, Snowmane, reeled and threw its rider to the ground; and Éowyn heard his dying cries.
She fell to her knees, unable to stand. she cried in anguish. Theoden king! Eomer, dearest of all brothers! Aragorn!
Then the orcs surrounded her, and she felt her heart clench like an iron fist. But she staggered to her feet, determined to face them at least standing; and then He came. It was Him, the foul king of the Nazgül! Éowyn saw her death in its malicious form, and she quailed, and fell to the ground; but it seemed then that some far off voice called to her: Éowyn, Emund's daughter, awake! For your enemy has passed away! and the fell Nazgül's shape wavered, like it were an illusion; but Éowyn could not follow the voice, and it disappeared, and she was left still in this nightmarish world. But then the voice came again, stronger this time: Awake, Éowyn, Lady of Rohan! Awake! The shadow is gone and all darkness is washed clean! And it seemed then that a hand was stretched out to her, and that she must grasp it; but her fingers seemed cold and numb, and she could not. Then, of all wonders, her brother's face appeared, and called to her: Éowyn, Éowyn! And the look on his face was so sad and desperate, that Éowyn reached out her hand to brush his tears away; and then, at last, she awoke.
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Well? What do you think? Keep in mind, this is only the prologue. Please, please review!