A/N: This chapter has a span of about ten years and was written listening
to the lyrics to the "Phantom of the Opera" (Broadway). The movie
version of FOTR's soundtrack is magnificent, but not inspirational.
Disclaimer: Guess what? This all belongs to Tolkien; I'm just filling in the gaps.
"The chief obstacles to an easy conquest of Rohan by Saruman
were Theodred and Eomer: they were vigorous men, devoted to the
King, and high in his affections, as his only son and his sister-
son; and they did all that they could to thwart the influence
over him that Grima gained when the King's health began to fail.
This occurred early in the year 3014, when Thèoden was 66; his
malady may thus have been due to natural causes, though the
Rohirrim commonly lived till near or beyond their 80th year.
But it may well have been induced or increased by subtle
poisons, administered by Grima. In any case Thèoden's sense of
weakness and dependence on Grima was largely due to the cunning
and skill of this evil counselor's suggestions. It was his
policy to bring his chief opponents into discredit with Thèoden,
and if possible to get rid of them. It proved impossible to set
them at odds with one another: Thèoden before his "sickness" had
been much loved by all his kind and people, and the loyalty of
Theodred and Eomer remained steadfast, even in his apparent
dotage. Eomer also was not an ambitious man, and his love and
respect for Theodred (thirteen years older than he) was only
second to his love of his foster-father. Grima therefore tried
to play them one against the other in the mind of Theoden,
representing Eomer as ever eager to increase his own authority
and to act without consulting the King or his heir." (The
Battles of the Fords of Isen, Unfinished Tales, J.R.R. Tolkien)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I watched as Eowyn, Eomer and Thèoden's son grew close to adulthood. For all that Eomer and Theodred saw through the mask I had erected around myself. I made sure to discredit their counsel, showing Thèoden of young men's impatience, impetuosity, ambition and ability to deceive themselves. I do not know if Eowyn saw through me, for she is habitually silent. I do know that she fulfilled what I saw in her when she was a child. Eowyn grew older, and perilously fair. As she grew older, I watched her. It was as though she had bewitched me, leaving me unable to truly concentrate on anything other than her.
Over time I came to realize that Eowyn would never love a man old enough to be a father to her willingly. Eowyn would rather have a swordsman than a scholar. I am no scholar, yet I would rather read than wield a sword. The only way Eowyn would ever accept myself, as her husband would be if I broke her. I set myself to the task. Eowyn, although trained as a shield- maiden was not allowed on raids, yes, this was my doing. How else could I be able to touch her, see her, and watch her daily? I am mere flesh and blood, no automaton; for all that I easily play the part.
All the same, I continued to concentrate what I could of my attentions on Thèoden. I could afford no missteps now. Saruman would not take kindly to such. He held a key position in the defense of Rohan; if he were to leave the gap of Isen open, a veritable army could come through and take Rohan.
I do not know if I alienated all the Rohirrim from me. I do know that Hâma and the other wardens were ever wary of me, and rightly so! Wormtongue they named me, well, they saw the truth, if not the truth they should have seen and never cared to look for.
Within my fifth year in Thèoden's service, I was able to come and go as I pleased. I quickly began to rediscover my spy network. I quickly discovered that for all I had slipped Thèoden into dotage, Eomer and Theodred were hunting down my spies with frenzy. I was forced to dismantle my network and gather information myself. Yet, in my eighth year of service to Thèoden, I was able to reconstruct my spy network. Eomer and Theodred, believing the network dismantled, left it in peace. They were ever-simpleminded fools. This time I took precautions with my network. I could now dismantle it and reconstruct it in utter secrecy and with merely one or two choice words. What was now to be done was to discredit Gandalf the Grey.I fell to pondering. However, in my tenth year of my "service" I was soon provided with an opportunity I had not dared to dream of!
A/N: In chapter five...the "lending" of Shadowfax. All bookverse!
Disclaimer: Guess what? This all belongs to Tolkien; I'm just filling in the gaps.
"The chief obstacles to an easy conquest of Rohan by Saruman
were Theodred and Eomer: they were vigorous men, devoted to the
King, and high in his affections, as his only son and his sister-
son; and they did all that they could to thwart the influence
over him that Grima gained when the King's health began to fail.
This occurred early in the year 3014, when Thèoden was 66; his
malady may thus have been due to natural causes, though the
Rohirrim commonly lived till near or beyond their 80th year.
But it may well have been induced or increased by subtle
poisons, administered by Grima. In any case Thèoden's sense of
weakness and dependence on Grima was largely due to the cunning
and skill of this evil counselor's suggestions. It was his
policy to bring his chief opponents into discredit with Thèoden,
and if possible to get rid of them. It proved impossible to set
them at odds with one another: Thèoden before his "sickness" had
been much loved by all his kind and people, and the loyalty of
Theodred and Eomer remained steadfast, even in his apparent
dotage. Eomer also was not an ambitious man, and his love and
respect for Theodred (thirteen years older than he) was only
second to his love of his foster-father. Grima therefore tried
to play them one against the other in the mind of Theoden,
representing Eomer as ever eager to increase his own authority
and to act without consulting the King or his heir." (The
Battles of the Fords of Isen, Unfinished Tales, J.R.R. Tolkien)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I watched as Eowyn, Eomer and Thèoden's son grew close to adulthood. For all that Eomer and Theodred saw through the mask I had erected around myself. I made sure to discredit their counsel, showing Thèoden of young men's impatience, impetuosity, ambition and ability to deceive themselves. I do not know if Eowyn saw through me, for she is habitually silent. I do know that she fulfilled what I saw in her when she was a child. Eowyn grew older, and perilously fair. As she grew older, I watched her. It was as though she had bewitched me, leaving me unable to truly concentrate on anything other than her.
Over time I came to realize that Eowyn would never love a man old enough to be a father to her willingly. Eowyn would rather have a swordsman than a scholar. I am no scholar, yet I would rather read than wield a sword. The only way Eowyn would ever accept myself, as her husband would be if I broke her. I set myself to the task. Eowyn, although trained as a shield- maiden was not allowed on raids, yes, this was my doing. How else could I be able to touch her, see her, and watch her daily? I am mere flesh and blood, no automaton; for all that I easily play the part.
All the same, I continued to concentrate what I could of my attentions on Thèoden. I could afford no missteps now. Saruman would not take kindly to such. He held a key position in the defense of Rohan; if he were to leave the gap of Isen open, a veritable army could come through and take Rohan.
I do not know if I alienated all the Rohirrim from me. I do know that Hâma and the other wardens were ever wary of me, and rightly so! Wormtongue they named me, well, they saw the truth, if not the truth they should have seen and never cared to look for.
Within my fifth year in Thèoden's service, I was able to come and go as I pleased. I quickly began to rediscover my spy network. I quickly discovered that for all I had slipped Thèoden into dotage, Eomer and Theodred were hunting down my spies with frenzy. I was forced to dismantle my network and gather information myself. Yet, in my eighth year of service to Thèoden, I was able to reconstruct my spy network. Eomer and Theodred, believing the network dismantled, left it in peace. They were ever-simpleminded fools. This time I took precautions with my network. I could now dismantle it and reconstruct it in utter secrecy and with merely one or two choice words. What was now to be done was to discredit Gandalf the Grey.I fell to pondering. However, in my tenth year of my "service" I was soon provided with an opportunity I had not dared to dream of!
A/N: In chapter five...the "lending" of Shadowfax. All bookverse!
