Part 200 of the Elfwine Chronicles. The Elfwine Chronicles are a series of one-shots built around the family group of Eomer, Lothiriel and Elfwine. The total number will depend on how many ideas I get for new vignettes.
A/N: Yes, Chronicle number 200, by the hardest, though technically it is only 199 since that annoying 106 just won't cooperate with getting completed. I still hold out hope that one day it will be finished and posted!
Guardians
(late Jun, 3020 III)
"Stop your fretting, Eothain, I shall be perfectly safe. Aragorn will have guards enough to protect us. For me to take more would suggest I do not think them capable of the job," Eomer said with a grin at his friend, as he straightened his tunic before departing.
"Where the safety of my king is concerned, I am not sure that I do think them capable!" Eothain retorted.
Eomer laughed aloud. "Perhaps not, old friend, but even if they are not, Aragorn and I have sufficient skill to defend ourselves at need!"
"There is that," Eothain conceded reluctantly, "but I would still prefer you taking your guards rather than Aragorn taking his."
The king laid a hand on the other man's shoulder. "Yes, but it is his city, not ours. We must be diplomatic about such things. Rest easy, I will stay alert in case I need to act. I promise to return safe and sound."
"See that you do!" Eothain sniffed. "I am not going to explain to the queen why you did not!"
Eomer snickered as he opened the door to his room. "I should like to see you avoid doing so! She will hunt you down for an explanation if I am not returned to her! There will be no escape possible for you."
"True that," Eothain said with a sigh, following Eomer into the hall. "Keep it in mind – we are friends, after all. Do not make me have to face her alone!"
Eomer laughed again, gave him a farewell wave and strode off to join Aragorn for their outing.
A short time later, Aragorn glanced at Eomer from the corner of his eye before asking, "What has you so amused? You have been restraining a grin since we left the Citadel."
Lowering his voice to reply, Eomer answered with evident amusement, "Eothain is not persuaded your guards are adequate for our protection!"
"Indeed!" Aragorn chuckled. "Likely he is not entirely wrong in that." At Eomer's questioning look, he added, "Not that I have concerns for our safety, though some of this particular group are rather young and inexperienced, but capable. Still, how will they gain experience without the opportunity?"
Eomer nodded. He had noted the youth of the guard, but it had not worried him either. He was sure they must have some skill to have made it into the king's guard in the first place. The two friends lapsed into an easy silence as they continued on their way, nothing further needing to be said on the matter.
The new king of Gondor had begun this monthly walk about the city shortly after taking the throne, feeling the need to let all his people see and become acquainted with him, not just the nobility or those brought before him. Gondor had been so long without a king that he hoped to make them more comfortable with the great change from the governance by stewards. Usually Faramir accompanied him, but as Eomer was visiting on this occasion, and curious to witness the practice, he was along instead of the Steward.
Aragorn tried to stop in different shops each time, to give all the chance to meet him. When Faramir was with him, often he could provide information about the shopkeeper and make an introduction.
"How long does this usually take?" Eomer asked as they left the third shop.
"Several hours, when I have the time. Sometimes it is less lengthy, but I try not to curtail it if I can. I prefer devoting the entire morning to it," Aragorn explained.
"And are your people pleased to make the acquaintance of their king?" Eomer inquired, raising a curious eyebrow.
Aragorn chuckled. "Would your people be pleased with such an honor?" he queried in return, then smiled and added, "But I forget, it is not the same in Rohan. You are more likely to find favor with the populace."
"Sometimes, yes; perhaps even most of the time," Eomer admitted with a shrug. Then he grinned, "At the very least, they are wise enough not to make their displeasure known in Eothain's presence!"
The two men laughed together, appreciating the meaning behind the statement. After a moment, Aragorn said, "If my people are not pleased, they do not say so, but I am sure not all fully welcome me. It will take time to win their approval after so long under the leadership of the stewards. A king is a new idea to them. They may not think the having so pleasing as the wanting."
Their attention was caught just then by some jostling behind them, though they only paid scant attention to it, thinking it nothing more than too many people in a small space. This side path led to a few out-of-the-way shops and was rather narrow where it emptied onto the main road, causing some difficulty for people passing one another. A shout, however, brought them to a halt and they turned as one to find eight men running toward them with drawn swords. Instantly, Aragorn's half dozen guards placed themselves between the attackers and their king, but the suddenness of the approach had caught them unprepared.
Instinctively, Eomer and Aragorn moved closer together, knowing the other would complement their efforts in staving off the attackers should they make it past their escort. Eomer restrained a groan of frustration that he was unarmed; he hated feeling so exposed and vulnerable, and Aragorn's guards were not the seasoned men he would have hoped to have defending him in such a situation. Assuring Eothain he was safe without his own Rohirric guard was one thing; facing an enemy with only young Gondorian soldiers at hand was another!
As the men began to battle, Eomer quickly assessed the danger and the response to it. To his eyes, their guard might easily be matched, perhaps overly so. A glance at Aragorn showed his friend was just as uneasy standing in idleness, relying on others to defend them.
Eomer reached a decision – time to take matters into his own capable hands. A nearby assailant, seeing a path to the kings, came in their direction and Eomer went to meet him, feinting right at the last moment. His fist smashed into the man's temple, causing his knees to buckle. As he fell to the ground, he dropped his sword. Ignoring the stinging of his knuckles colliding with bone, Eomer backhanded the man to lay him out, barely conscious, and then snatched up the sword.
Another look around to reassess the situation showed he had been right in thinking their guards overmatched, but Aragorn had similarly acquired a sword and was moving in to take on the assailants. With two men already downed, the remaining attackers sensed that the tide had turned against them, but by now Eomer and Aragorn had positioned themselves to keep any from bolting away back to the street– they wanted this lot captured and answering questions!
In short order, the assailants had surrendered their weapons. Three of Aragorn's guards had suffered minor injuries, but all were still on their feet and able to do their duty, though clearly rather embarrassed that they had needed the help of the men they were protecting. The six attackers were lined up against a wall, while someone watched over the two still on the ground.
Aragorn looked to the man who appeared to be the leader of the group, and at a signal, a guard jerked him forward, away from the others. "Why have you done this? Why do you assault your king?"
The man struggled briefly against the hands holding him, before spatting defiantly, "Not everyone is pleased a king sits upon the throne! We were well enough off with the Stewards!"
Sternly Aragorn replied, "Perhaps, but an attack on the king is an act of treason. An attack on the King of Rohan" – he gestured toward Eomer – "is an act of war."
The man's gaze skittered to Eomer and back, before he replied with less assuredness, "We have no quarrel with Rohan."
"That may be," Eomer interjected firmly, "but Rohan has a quarrel with any who attacks an ally…and a friend."
"We mean Rohan no ill will!" the man exclaimed. "We did not know you would be with the King. It is him who idles away in rich palaces while his people struggle to survive and rebuild their lives! No one comes to our aid!"
"Did it never occur to you to petition the crown with your grievances?" Aragorn asked quietly. "Possibly relief would have been given without violence."
The man continued to glare at him, though a tiny glimmer of uncertainty had appeared in his eyes. With a sigh, Aragorn motioned for the guards to see the attackers up the hill to a prison cell until they could be further questioned and judged. Some men of the city who had been attracted by the altercation, stepped in to assist getting the wounded prisoners on their feet and moving also. Aragorn and Eomer silently fell in behind the guards, each still holding a captured sword and watching for any further difficulty. Only when they reached the gate to the seventh circle did they relinquish the weapons and continue on to the Citadel.
As they climbed the steps, Eomer solemnly said, "Very interesting, this practice you have of going among your people." Then, grinning broadly, he added, "You will forgive me if I do not follow your example? I fear that it would overtax Eothain's nerves!"
The tension eased, Aragorn laughed aloud as they entered the hall with a hand on his friend's shoulder.
THE END
11/28/12 – 12/1/12
A/N2: In one of my Eomer/Lothiriel stories, someone commented on how capable Aragorn and Eomer were, and that likely they would rescue their guards if attacked. Lindahoyland thought that would make a good tale, and I've finally managed to write it.
End note: It is best that you read the Elfwine Chronicles in the order they were written. The more of them that I wrote, the more likely I was to make reference to one of the previous ones and something that happened there. If you want to read them in order, go to the top of this page and click on my name (Deandra). That will take you to my profile page. Scroll down and you will find all the stories I have written. The Elfwine Chronicles are in order from bottom to top since ffn shows them in the order they were posted. A few were posted out of number order, but you can read them in posting order or number order since those few won't be affected in the story content.
Eomer accompanies Aragorn walking about Minas Tirith. ONE-SHOT. Part 200 of the Elfwine Chronicles.