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Chapter 7

"My lady, you must not think so rashly," Beornwyn said as she ran behind Éowyn near the entrance to the caves. Their journey to Helms Deep did not go as well as planned, they had been attacked and while the riders and King fought off their assailants Éowyn led the people to Helms Deep. However, news was brought that a great host was making its way to Helms Deep and Théoden ordered the women and children to the caves, but Éowyn was not happy with being ordered to the caves as well.

"I will not sit idly, Beornwyn," Éowyn said as she rushed through the crowd.

"You will not be sitting idly," Beornwyn reasoned. "We will have many to tend to in the caves." Éowyn just shook her head and the golden haired woman saw who she was looking for.

"My lord! Aragorn!" she shouted before she rushed over to the tall man. Beornwyn sighed quietly, but followed and came to a stop behind Éowyn as she looked up at Aragorn. Beornwyn pushed her light brown hair from her face and offered a forced smile to the other man. "I'm to be sent with the women into the caves."

"That is an honorable charge," Aragorn said.

"To mind the children, to find food and bedding when the men return; what renown is there in that?" Éowyn asked and Beornwyn crossed her arms over her chest.

"My lady, a time may come for valor without renown. Who then will your people look to in the last defense?" Aragorn asked. "Who will your friends look to when they need unfounded strength?" Beornwyn uncrossed her arms and looked at Aragorn curiously. Éowyn sighed and looked down before she looked at Aragorn once more.

"Let me stand at your side," Éowyn said suddenly and Beornwyn looked at her with a frown.

"It is not in my power to command it," he said before he turned and started to step away when Éowyn called out.

"You do not command the others to stay!" Éowyn shouted and Aragorn stopped and turned to look at her.

"My lady," Beornwyn said worried her friend was going to say something she was going to later regret. "Come," Beornwyn said as she gently touched Éowyn's arm but the other woman shook her arm free of Beornwyn's hand and stepped closer to Aragorn.

"They fight beside you because they would not be parted from you," Éowyn said and Aragorn looked down at her, a frown set upon his face as Éowyn took a deep breath. "Because they love you," she exclaimed quietly and Beornwyn bit her lip as Aragorn and Éowyn stared at each other. Éowyn looked down and shook her head. "I'm sorry," Éowyn said quietly before she quickly walked away and shoved her way into the caves. Aragorn sighed and looked down at the ground.

"Forgive her, my lord," Beornwyn said softly and he looked at her as did the elf, Legolas, and the dwarf, Gimli. "We have lost much these last few months, and she sees hope for our people in you." The three of them looked at her, slightly surprised at her words, but she only gave them a small smile. "Good luck," she whispered before she rushed after Éowyn.


The battle raged on, and Beornwyn held onto one of the small children of a woman whose husband and oldest son's fate were unknown as they fought in the battle outside. The other woman held onto her other daughter, gently rocking her as tears ran down her cheeks. "There is a chance that they are well," Beornwyn assured her and the woman nodded silently.

"Make for the mountain pass!" a deep voice shouted and the women stood and looked towards the rattling door. "The keep has been breached! Make for the pass!" Beornwyn stood and the woman next to her only looked at her.

"Take your children and go, hurry, I must help the others," she said and the woman nodded as she lowered the slightly bigger girl to the ground and quickly led her children through the hoards of women and children that made their way to the pass. "Lady Éowyn!" Beornwyn exclaimed as she moved to the other woman who was busy hurrying the women and children on.

"Beornwyn, you should be moving on with the others," Éowyn told her and Beornwyn shook her head.

"I am staying with you," Beornwyn said and Éowyn looked at her. "You are my friend." The large wooden doors that locked the women and children safely away from the battle were shaking as the enemy hit at it with a battering ram. Beornwyn and Éowyn looked to the doors as they shook again before they looked at each other.

"If we must, we will fight together," Éowyn said and Beornwyn nodded as she swallowed hard. She hadn't the slightest clue how to wield a sword, and she hoped that it wouldn't come to that.


They had done it. Théoden King, the Rohirrim, and the elves that came to their aid; had done it, they defeated Saruman's army. How, Beornwyn wasn't exactly certain, but many, far too many, lives were lost that night. Beornwyn walked down the steps of the keep, just behind Éowyn when her lady stopped and embraced a wet and tired looking Aragorn. Beornwyn smiled sadly as she turned her eyes from them and looked at the riders and men that trudged up into the keep for aid and rest.

"Beornwyn," a tired and very familiar voice said and she turned her eyes to the right and gasped when she saw Éomer standing there. "I told you I was too stubborn," he teased at her surprised expression and Beornwyn felt a smile spread across her face before she threw her arms around him and embraced him tightly.

"How did you know to come?" she whispered as she embraced him. "How did you know we needed you?" Éomer was surprised when she embraced him, but he gladly let her as he wrapped his arms around in her return.

"Gandalf came in search of us," Éomer said as they parted and Beornwyn raised her hands up to his sweat and dirt covered face.

"And I am so glad that he found you," Beornwyn said and Éomer smiled down at her. Realizing just how forward she was being, Beornwyn quickly lowered her hands and cleared her throat quietly. "Your sister was heartbroken at your departure," she said as she looked down at her hands. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest and she cursed herself for being so forward. When she touched him, Éomer looked at her in such a way that only one other man had ever looked at her, and she was unsettled.

"It was not my choice to leave her," Éomer said sadly and he hoped she would turn her light eyes to his once more. "Beornwyn," he began and she looked up at him, but he did not get to finished.

"Éomer," Théoden said as he trudged up the stairs. "Come, there is much to be done." Éomer gave his uncle a curt nod as he passed them before he looked at Beornwyn once more. She still looked up at him with an expression that he could not read. Beornwyn forced a small smile as she nodded her head.

"The King requires your attention, Lord Éomer," Beornwyn said, "and I should help with the wounded." Beornwyn moved away from him so quickly that Éomer barely had time to stop her. Sighing, Éomer glanced at Éowyn who now stood alone and looking at him with an expression that showed she was just as confused as he was.

Beornwyn quickly set to work helping tend the wounded as much as her limited skills allowed. It was then that she realized she needed to distance herself from Éomer. She would be his downfall of that she was certain.


Four days later, the people of Edoras were safe and sound in their homes once more. The King and the others returned that morning from Isengard and Théoden arranged celebration in honor of the fallen and the victory. The hall was full of chatter, laughter, music, and pure joy; however, Beornwyn roamed around the room watching the various exchanges of the people as they celebrated the victory at Helms Deep.

"No pauses, no spills," Éomer said as she passed him and his men as they stood around two barrels of ale. Beornwyn smiled when she found Legolas and Gimli standing and sitting at the table in front of Éomer.

"And no regurgitation," Gimli said as he took a tankard from Éomer. Beornwyn shook her head as she wrapped her shawl around her tightly and continued her way through the hall, leaving them to their drinking game. She walked outside and settled herself upon the steps of the Golden Hall. Many of the villagers were celebrating in their homes while the riders and their families were celebrating in the hall.

She didn't know how long she sat out there, just looking up at the sky and off towards the mountains. So many lives were lost during the battle, lives that would have never seen such a battle. She sighed and rested her elbow on her knee before she rested her chin on her palm. So much had happened the last few weeks, her heart and her mind still raced and ached for what it once was. A soft laugh drew her attention from the mountains and she looked down in time to see a young woman, no older than her, rushing down the path with a young man following her.

As she watched the couple disappear down the hill, she thought of when Theodred returned to Edoras and the many times he would steal small moments with her. Like the time a year earlier when Theodred and Beornaed had finished having dinner and after Beornwyn talked with her beloved brother and he wished her goodnight; Theodred whisked her to the stable, where they sat for hours hidden away in the hayloft talking endlessly about everything and anything. However, Theodred did not fail in his attempts to steal several kisses during their conversation.

Sighing, Beornwyn raised her head from her hand and wrapped her arms around her waist. In her grief about Theodred, she failed to honorably grieve for her brother. Beornaed protected her and loved her deeply as any brother would and ensured that she was safe and in good hands before he went off to battle. She missed him and his laugh and the way he would endlessly tease her about Theodred and how someday she would be a princess that acted nothing like a lady of the Court. She smiled a sad smile as she once again turned her eyes to the mountains again.

"I was beginning to think you retired for the night," came Éomer's deep voice from behind her and she stood quickly and turned around on the step she stood upon and looked up at him. She walked up the steps and smiled softly at him as the moonlight shined down on them.

"Not yet I'm afraid," Beornwyn said. "The night air was far too inviting, but tiring. Goodnight, my lord." She made to walk passed him and back inside, but he stopped her.

"Beornwyn, wait," he said and he gently grasped her arm. She looked up at him and he took a step closer to her. "How are you?" he asked her. "Since our brief meeting at Helms Deep, I have not spoken to you."

"I am fine, my lord," Beornwyn said slowly. Éomer removed his hand from her arm and sighed quietly.

"Éowyn says that since our return to the city, you have withdrawn from even her," Éomer said. "You are isolating yourself even now with a hall full of people."

"I do not wish to celebrate," Beornwyn told him. "I have no cause to." She turned to walk away but Éomer grabbed her arm again, but much firmer than the last time.

"You are letting the pain and the grief consume you, making you blind to all that is before you," Éomer told her heatedly.

"You are telling me to forget?" Beornwyn asked with her eyes narrowed. "To forget my brother, to forget Theodred?"

"I am not telling you to forget them," Éomer said as he grabbed her other arm and held her tight. "I am telling you to let go of the pain and remember their lives not their deaths."

"I do remember their lives, Éomer," she said firmly, her anger rising. His grip loosened at her using his name, she never spoke without titles unless it was Theodred; even with Éowyn she remained proper. "I remember everything. That is what is so painful."

"Beornwyn," he said gently, "what is so painful about remembering them?"

"Knowing that they will never return to Edoras, knowing that I will never see them again, and knowing that my future is now uncertain," she said quietly as she looked up at him. He slid his hands up her arms and held her face, whipping the tears that had escaped from her eyes with his thumbs.

"You're future is not uncertain," he whispered. "At least, it does not have to be." Beornwyn felt her heart race as he looked down at her the same way he had when she held his face on the steps of the keep in Helms Deep. It was not right, the feelings that rushed through her. It was wrong. Beornwyn shook her head and pulled his hands from her face as she stepped away from him.

"Please, my lord," she said shakingly. She turned and rushed into the still crowded hall. Éomer sighed and turned around as the calm wind rushed around him and faded away. He moved too quickly and now he stood upon the porch of the Golden Hall alone and worried that he lost any chance he may have had to show Beornwyn that life must continue, even when it feels as though it is coming to an end.