So...we're taking a slight break from our main characters to go back to the 'present' in Minas Tirith. This chapter is dedicated to booklover1498 who gave me the idea. I think I said before that italics are either Sindarin or Rohiric, but if I didn't now you know! Gah I want to see The Hobbit again! As always, let me know if there are any mistakes that bug you and I'll fix them as soon as possible. Anyway, thanks to everyone who had read, reviewed, and added this fic to their alerts! I don't own The Hobbit. Enjoy!
Chapter Three
Éomer woke the next morning, expecting his wife to be asleep beside him, but she wasn't. He assumed she was already up, in the children's bedroom, so he wandered into that room just next door. Éadlin was sitting up, crying. She held one of her dolls to her chest and Éodred had a pillow over his ears, trying to drown out the sounds of his sister crying.
"What is wrong?" Éomer inquired and sat down on the edge of his daughter's bed.
"I had a bad dream that mama was fighting a big dog and she was hurt," Éadlin cried and hugged her father.
"You didn't see her this morning?" Éomer wondered and Éadlin shook her head.
Éodred sat up in his bed and looked around.
"Mama usually wakes us in the morning," he recalled and Éomer stood, unsure of Rowan's whereabouts.
"I'll look for her. I assume she is with Vivian," Éomer said, assuring himself. He walked out of the room and knocked on the door that was Legolas and Vivian's room.
Legolas opened the door and met Éomer's gaze.
"Have you seen Vivian?" Legolas wondered and Éomer shook his head. Both of them were missing.
"Perhaps she is with Rowan in the hall," Éomer suggested and they both walked to the throne room. Aragorn was standing there, looking at something on the floor.
"Are you well, Aragorn?" Legolas wondered and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. He looked down and his eyes narrowed. Éomer joined them and noticed the palantir. Vivian's cloak laid by it.
"The palantir should have been destroyed," Aragorn stated and looked to Legolas.
"Were there any guards in this room last night?" Éomer wondered, but Aragorn shook his head. Why did the King of Gondor not post guards inside the throne room?
"They were outside. Why, what is wrong?" Aragorn noticed the concerned look on both of his friend's faces. Éomer wasn't pleased at all.
"Vivian and Rowan are missing," Legolas replied.
"Are you sure?" Aragorn wondered and both the elf and the man nodded gravely.
"That is Vivian's cloak," Legolas pointed out, "she came back into this room to retrieve it last night."
"Rowan was going riding last night," Éomer spoke up and Aragorn pondered the situation.
"Perhaps they are in the stables. Éomer, it would be an idea to check there first," Aragorn suggested and the horse lord went to the stables to see if his wife or Vivian were there.
Lærwen wandered out into the hall with Éadlin, both in their nightclothes. The girls were in great distress.
"I want mama," Lærwen cried.
"She came into my room like this," Éadlin said and the younger girl ran to her father. The elf picked her up and hugged her.
"We will find your mother, I promise," Legolas assured her and kissed her forehead. Éadlin wiped the tears from her eyes and Mirél came into the room.
"Where is Lady Rowan?" Mirél wondered and Éadlin started crying again. Her dream must have come true. She was eaten by wolves!
"We cannot find Vivian either," Legolas mentioned and the maid frowned. She pulled Éadlin into a hug to soothe her.
Éomer returned soon, but he wasn't happy. The girls weren't in the stables and the young stable hand hadn't seen either of them at all.
"Mama is dead," Éadlin cried and Mirél soothed her.
"The palantir must have been cursed. Vivian and Rowan must have- they can't be dead," Éomer said, taking a seat. He was devastated. His wife couldn't be dead.
"No, the palantir is the cause of this, I am sure. They are strong and smart. I am sure they will find their way back to us. In any case, I will send word to our allies and ask them to keep an eye out," Aragorn decided and walked toward one of his servants.
Lærwen had fallen asleep in Legolas' arms, so he carried her back to their room. Mirél let Éadlin go and she walked over to her father, her eyes full of tears.
"You will see her again, I promise," Éomer assured his daughter and pulled her onto his lap.
"Perhaps there is a way to contact Mithrandir," Mirél suggested, but Éomer shook his head.
"I want mama," Éadlin said softly and Éomer kissed the top of her head.
"I do too," Éomer agreed.
Éodred ran into the hall, realizing that something had happened. He saw Éadlin crying and approached his father.
"Did you find mama?" Éodred wondered, but his father shook his head. Éadlin looked up and held out a hand for her older brother and he joined in on the hug.
"We'll find your mother, I swear to you," Éomer promised his children, speaking in Rohiric. Both Éadlin and Éodred were proficient in the language of Rohan and the hug was tighter.
Legolas put Lærwen back to bed and Thandien sat up. He looked to his father with a confused expression.
"Where is mama, ada?" Thandien wondered.
"I am unsure," Legolas admitted honestly as he pulled the covers over Lærwen. The girl had Vivian's face and it made Legolas smile.
"Is she dead?" Thandien wondered, tilting his head to the side.
"If she were dead, I would feel it," Legolas said optimistically.
"What if she is dead?" Thandien wondered and Legolas sighed. He worried like Vivian.
"Do you feel that she is dead?" Legolas wondered, sitting on the side of Thandien's bed.
"No," Thandien said softly.
"Then she is alive and with Rowan. I have no doubt they are perfectly safe," Legolas assured his son and hugged him.
We'll get back to Rowan and Vivian in the next chapter! If you want more of this 'looking back' let me know. I wasn't going to put it in originally, but if everyone likes it, I'll keep it up! Next chapter will definitely have the dwarves in it! I promise! Until next time!