~@-/Pains in the Heart\-@~
I don't own the characters, just the plot. This partially based on Egleriel's excellent 'Éowyn Nimbeinaith' so kudos Egleriel!
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He had given her healing in body, and that was a greater gift than he knew; for to a woman such as Éowyn, the body is the only part of the self worth healing.
Éowyn had been wounded by the Lord of the Nazgûl - almost to the death - but she would have preferred death to this anguished purgatory of patience. Seven days had now passed since the departure of the Lords of the West; the King was returned and immediately left for war. Éowyn remembered it well...
--+-- F L A S H B A C K --+--
"Lady," he said, the night ere he left Minas Tirith, "I come to you in gravest sincerity, for no longer can I lie to my heart."
"My lord?" Éowyn was uncertain. This could lead to her rejection or - or what? Aragorn paced around the room.
"As I stand here, I am betrothed to an elf," Éowyn's heart began to disintegrate, "but within the day my messenger will reach Rivendell. I will turn her down."
Éowyn could barely find anything to say except, "My lord, I do not understand."
Aragorn stopped pacing. With a deep breath, he said, "I am not Beren. I see that when I am near you, it gives you hope and happiness... when I am with her I bring a quiet sadness; she would give up her immortality for me and I cannot let her do that. Her father fostered me, and would not have her marry any Man less than the King of the Reunited Kingdoms. That now looks doubtful. Your brother has spoken of this?"
"Yes," said Éowyn. "A last stand against the forces of the Dark Lord; a distraction of some sort, but he would not say why a distraction was needed."
"That is as it should be," nodded Aragorn solemnly. "But I will tell you this: we have an advantage; an ace in the hole that will win or cost us this war. It is at its most critical stage. You will know in time."
"Why is it that you visit me?" she said, growing slightly annoyed. Why had he come to speak of his elf-woman? Was Éowyn a second choice of some sort? "Why now?"
Aragorn turned away. He looked out of the window, towards the Land of Shadow. "Tomorrow I leave, perhaps to my death - and perhaps to the death of many others, without whom the world will be a darker place. I speak of your brother Éomer when I say this. I cannot leave you here, alone if my designs go astray. Surely you know that I care for you?"
Éowyn could scarcely believe her ears. "I - I did not, my lord."
"I wish to know that when I - if I return, you will wait for me."
"Of course I will wait," said Éowyn softly. "I have always been waiting."
Then Aragorn stooped and kissed her as she lay. She kissed back, soft and lingering. Aragorn broke the kiss at last and said, "Farewell." Then he was gone.
--+-- E N D . F L A S H B A C K --+--
The door opened. "The Lord Faramir wishes to see you, my lady," said the healer.
"I am coming," sighed Éowyn after a pause. "Tell him I am coming."
===================
So? What did you think? I'll only continue this if it gets a good response, so please read and review! You can even flame if you like*! But be kind - this is my first LOTR story.
*It would be much appreciated if you didn't
I don't own the characters, just the plot. This partially based on Egleriel's excellent 'Éowyn Nimbeinaith' so kudos Egleriel!
===================
He had given her healing in body, and that was a greater gift than he knew; for to a woman such as Éowyn, the body is the only part of the self worth healing.
Éowyn had been wounded by the Lord of the Nazgûl - almost to the death - but she would have preferred death to this anguished purgatory of patience. Seven days had now passed since the departure of the Lords of the West; the King was returned and immediately left for war. Éowyn remembered it well...
--+-- F L A S H B A C K --+--
"Lady," he said, the night ere he left Minas Tirith, "I come to you in gravest sincerity, for no longer can I lie to my heart."
"My lord?" Éowyn was uncertain. This could lead to her rejection or - or what? Aragorn paced around the room.
"As I stand here, I am betrothed to an elf," Éowyn's heart began to disintegrate, "but within the day my messenger will reach Rivendell. I will turn her down."
Éowyn could barely find anything to say except, "My lord, I do not understand."
Aragorn stopped pacing. With a deep breath, he said, "I am not Beren. I see that when I am near you, it gives you hope and happiness... when I am with her I bring a quiet sadness; she would give up her immortality for me and I cannot let her do that. Her father fostered me, and would not have her marry any Man less than the King of the Reunited Kingdoms. That now looks doubtful. Your brother has spoken of this?"
"Yes," said Éowyn. "A last stand against the forces of the Dark Lord; a distraction of some sort, but he would not say why a distraction was needed."
"That is as it should be," nodded Aragorn solemnly. "But I will tell you this: we have an advantage; an ace in the hole that will win or cost us this war. It is at its most critical stage. You will know in time."
"Why is it that you visit me?" she said, growing slightly annoyed. Why had he come to speak of his elf-woman? Was Éowyn a second choice of some sort? "Why now?"
Aragorn turned away. He looked out of the window, towards the Land of Shadow. "Tomorrow I leave, perhaps to my death - and perhaps to the death of many others, without whom the world will be a darker place. I speak of your brother Éomer when I say this. I cannot leave you here, alone if my designs go astray. Surely you know that I care for you?"
Éowyn could scarcely believe her ears. "I - I did not, my lord."
"I wish to know that when I - if I return, you will wait for me."
"Of course I will wait," said Éowyn softly. "I have always been waiting."
Then Aragorn stooped and kissed her as she lay. She kissed back, soft and lingering. Aragorn broke the kiss at last and said, "Farewell." Then he was gone.
--+-- E N D . F L A S H B A C K --+--
The door opened. "The Lord Faramir wishes to see you, my lady," said the healer.
"I am coming," sighed Éowyn after a pause. "Tell him I am coming."
===================
So? What did you think? I'll only continue this if it gets a good response, so please read and review! You can even flame if you like*! But be kind - this is my first LOTR story.
*It would be much appreciated if you didn't