Disclaimer: The fictional world of LotR belongs to Tolkien and I make no money from this. I own Andromeda and any subsequent original characters. The Greek world presented in this story is a fictionalised version and myths and gods mentioned are real. Please leave reviews if you like, that's what keeps us writers motivated to continue ^^
It did not take long for sleep to come for Andromeda, she had been awake for three days now and exhaustion had finally settled in.
Éomer knew how bad of an idea it was for her to stay asleep, he secured her on his back as best as he could and slowed down Firefoot as he thought up a solution. He could not tie her down, that would be far too dangerous and he doubted she would let him either.
That would be a fun conversation, he thought.
Motioning his éored to stop, he called for his second his command Léofred to help him get her off the horse without waking her up. "She's gonna break her neck or worse take me with her."
Léofred laughed as he took the girl down and carried her "Leaving her on the side of the road?"
"Crossed my mind but I fear she may yell at me again" Éomer looked at the sleeping girl as he allowed himself to laugh.
In her native language she mumbled something as she tried to rub sleep off her eyes. Once she managed to open them she realised she was being carried by a strange man. "Getting rid of me that soon huh?"
Léofred gently put her down "You fell asleep and we feared you would fall."
Andromeda turned her eyes from him to the commander "Breaking my neck trying to sleep does sound like a thing I would do but stopping for me doesn't seem like a thing you would do." Her mouth had parted into a large, sheepish smile and she talked to him as if they were old friends.
Éomer removed his helmet and run his hand over his hair "I was going to let you fall but I thought about our earlier conversation and figured that would be a dick move." He actually returned her smile, his tone teasing.
Her body at the brink of exhaustion screamed at her for some rest, so she told him she was going to find a corner and he should wake her up when he got bored of waiting around. Éomer watched her leave, still smiling when he turned to Léofred to give his orders. They were to take a few hours of break, have some food and tend to the horses before they left.
Éomer found a sport for himself and Firefoot so that he could tend to him. His people took pride in their horses and they shared a close bond with them, he was not different. Firefoot had been with him a long time, he had trained him, took care of him, and was rewarded with his loyalty and companionship in return.
He was talking to him in a soft voice, telling him about the day and the strange woman he met. He had an interesting feeling about her. In a way he reminded him of Éowyn but they were different to their core he could tell. His sister wanted to help her people, wanted the glory of her forefathers but she knew nothing of war or death the way he did. Andromeda seemed youthful when she smiled but Éomer could see there was more than just spirit to her and he did not doubt that she had some stories of her own. He had noticed the faint scar on her throat and that was not the kind of scar one got through an accident, there was also the matter of the scar on her thigh but he did not get a good look on that. He did not want to step out of a boundary.
His mind changed from the woman to her companions. He did not trust the dwarf but if an elf risked his life to protect him then he must've been something. The ranger was the one he felt strange kinship too, he spoke in a calm voice, a leader of his people, and Éomer hope that he would find his hobbit friends and he had heard him talk to Andromeda so he knew Aragorn planned to help Théoden. He prayed that he would succeed.
His men had left with him but many had families still waiting. Wives needed their husbands, children missed their fathers. He was honoured by their loyalty and he was going to find a way to bring them back home.
Éomer finished with Firefoot and went to join his people by the fire. They were in a merry mood which put a smile on his face. To see them happy in times like these was what allowed him to hope. Hope was all he had yet he was afraid to hope too much.
"Join us Éomer, we were just discussing the spirited lady over there." He pointed towards the rocks where she was resting, she seemed youthful while sleeping "What you make of her? She isn't like anything from back home."
He sat down next to the small group of his friends, his eyes lingering on the woman for a little while longer but he looked away before his men noticed. "Bad mouth and horrible temper." He was amused above all else and thought that she was a strange thing to find in the middle of this.
"Horses like her" It was the same man whose horse she had been playing with "Good sense of humour too. Don't mind keeping her."
Éothain shifted his gaze to the girl playing warrior "Her effectiveness remains to be seen. Didn't like the way she spoke to you and surely we all agree that war is for men."
"How is a girl to sleep with all this noise huh?" Andromeda shifted in her half asleep state, yelling at the men as if they were bunch of unruly children, knowing she could not sleep further she decided to join them. "Best sleep in a while." Her arms were raised as she stretched herself, then she dropped down and squeezed next to two people she did not know.
"Rested well then?" Éomer raised his brow curiosity, it had only been an hour, hour and a half the most.
Her finger started to comb her hair as she spoke, her head tilted to the side and a serene expression on her face "I don't sleep much and these past few days has been stressful. Uruk-hai killed one of our friends and as you know took the remaining two. I wish to go back if I can, eventually. I left things there." The last bit she was mostly talking to herself.
Léofred chuckled softly to himself. The men were looking at her strangely as if none had ever seen a woman this close. He tapped on Éomer's leg with the back of his hand to draw his attention "She makes fast friends."
Éomer had noticed it too but unless they did something more forward than just looking he could not do anything. Andromeda did not seemed bothered by it either, nor did she looked like she aware of it.
Unlike what he thought, Andromeda had always been aware of her effect on men and she knew she looked particularly feminine as she braided her hair, a smile on her lips. Turning her attention to Léofred she acknowledged his previous words "It'll pass. It's my thighs and I don't blame them. It's not every day one gets this close to maker's handiwork." Finishing her braid she stood up "We should leave now, you want to camp somewhere less exposed and possibly near a stream…" A dreamy grin appeared on her lips "hopefully a stream, I have orc blood in places no orc blood should get. I need a bath." He patted Éomer on the shoulder and started to walk towards Firefoot.
Éothain spat on the floor before standing up, his eyes on his commander "Disrespectful and arrogant."
Léofred who found her both amusing and peculiar looked at his friend with a large grin "Was she wrong though?"
The rest of them stood up as well, putting out the small fire they used to make lunch. "No and all of you watch your step." Éomer gave a general warning, knowing how some of his men could talk or act around pretty things. "Come on, I want to make camp before night fall."
On the saddle once more they made their way up north. This time she was fully awake and alert, mostly humming songs in his ear. He enjoyed the sound of her softly singing in a language he did not understand, it had been a while since he heard anyone sing. Éowyn had stopped singing a while ago, and he had missed it.
He missed his sister more than he allowed himself to acknowledge. He worried about leaving her with that worm but this was not a place for women, especially one as innocent as his sister. It was strange to think of Éowyn and all the reasons he always resisted against her desire to fight. He had no problems with Andromeda being with them but she looked as though she belonged to the grounds. It felt natural to have her there in a way, the way she calmly moved around, how she handled his men as if she too was one of them. Éomer was not used to anyone talking over him due to his high position both as a commander and as a citizen of Rohan but she did not seem to care. He was thankful that Éowyn wasn't like her, he would go mad thinking all the dangers she would put herself into. Éowyn belonged to Edoras, she deserved safety, and someday great love and great family.
Andromeda felt him tense which cause her to wrap her arms around him slightly tighter than before, it was an automatic respond and she was not sure why she cared. Especially after his previous comment but she found herself unable to stay mad at him for longer than a period of five minutes. He and his people reminded her of Spartans with their long hair and spears. They seemed honourable and proud men. Had more to learn but it was not her place. The only reason she had been a dick was because she had heard of that man complain about her, and she wanted to play with him some more.
Those kinds of men was familiar to her and he would eventually start a fight and give her the perfect excuse to make him an example to establish herself as a warrior amongst them. None seemed to have a problem with her but she knew they would hesitate to fight side by side with her and that could get someone killed. If she wanted a place amongst them she had to earn it, and she had promised Aragorn that she would bring them to Edoras or wherever he called her. This was important.
Being around them also reminded her of the days where she would sit by the fire with the other soldiers, they often treated her with respect. It was not so at first but she had been sixteen when she had left and she was no mercenary. At that time Andromeda just wanted to travel and find a war that was calling for her all her life. Mostly she was helping people, free them from the control of tyrants or cults. Help retrieve stolen goods. Capture a men or two for bounty but she always went after bad people. Eventually she was hired as extra sword for wars. Men were sceptical but Sparta's military training was highly regarded which helped her a lot. Overtime she had proven herself as a warrior and some even said that having her guaranteed a winning for she was blessed by Ares. None knowing how true and equally wrong that was.
Once she made friends with her fellow mercenaries and soldiers in the troops she worked for, they accepted her. They invited her to drink with them and she would sing, and dance, and fuck. Before she was married she rather enjoyed that part and after her loss she had changed. There were no more songs, no more dances, and all she wanted was blood like some sort of wounded animal.
Being in Middle Earth helped in a very strange way, she felt more like herself than she had in such long years. She found herself yearning for that kind of camaraderie once more, missing the touch of a men on her skin, she sang once more, and she had danced with the elves. Haldir had even convinced her to teach them dances from home.
Perhaps if she played her hand correctly she could find a home in this place again. Prophecies could not touch her here so perhaps she was safe from her gods for once.
The éored decided to camp near a clearing. This way the horses had some room and during the night no one would be able to sneak up on them without being seen by the watchers. Andromeda helped them set things up and carried her weight without complaint, her only disappointment was the lack of a steam nearby but she would survive.
She made a spot for herself near Éomer's tent but she kept some distance. Taking off her armour she was left with a simple red tunic. Spartan red. The tunic was a gift given to her by her father, and she only brought it out for special occasions. She was glad to have been wearing this when she died.
"Do all your women dress that way?" Andromeda turned to look at the voice, and saw Léofred "Come join us by the fire" He motioned towards a group of them "Never before we had a woman amongst us, we are a bit curious."
Andromeda grinned from ear to ear in delight and patted him on the shoulder "I have answers but might cause more question than they worth it."
He motioned for her to go ahead and walked with her to their group. They were all by the fire, and some sort of experimental stew was cooking on the pot. Their chatting stopped when she arrived, two of them made a room which she squeezed in between, crossing her feet under her. "So your women?"
Andromeda remembered his earlier question and smiled as she explained "Yes. The women of my people need mobility and where we live is by the sea but rather hot especially during summer. We need comfort and practicality above all else. Our men dress the same, though theirs are military issue."
Éomer turned his eyes on her in interest, they all had "And where is this land where women dress as men?"
"I am of Sparta not of your world." Her eyes focused on the fire as if she could see something in them, and in a way she did see her home in the flames but she did not elaborate.
One of the men whose name she did not know asked another question "Why do your women need to dress in such garments, you said practicality but what for?" He had never met a women that would wear something like this.
Her eyes lifted from the fire to look at him, a smile spread over her face "How else are we supposed to exercise, ride, dance, or fight." Her hands move expressively as she spoke in an excited voice "Granted we do all that naked when in the mood too."
"You just walk around naked?" Éothain was in disbelief "Liar."
Her eyebrow was raised in a mocking manner "Spartan's don't see their bodies anything more than a weapon and why a weapon should cover up when it functions better otherwise. Modesty has no place in my world. All of our men belong to the military and all women are trained and educated to be their equals. I never let anything get in the way of me protecting my people and neither do they. Especially something as silly as men's fear of women in power."
Éomer changed the subject to prevent a fight from brewing "All of your men are military men?"
"From a young age they are taken from their families to be raised as soldiers and up until the age of thirty they live with their fellow men in the barracks. Women are educated as well but we get to stay with our families because our focus isn't just military power but we are still expected to take arms when the need is there. There is no such thing as retiring from military, our men have no other profession. We are bred to be warriors both men and women."
The same man from before (whose name was Wildred) hesitantly asked a follow up question "Were you in the military then?"
Andromeda's body convulsed as she laughed, her shoulders violently shaking as she tried to calm herself down "Oh gods no, I would make the worst soldier. I have hard time listening to people telling me what to do and all those rules. I am not particularly fond of rules. I was a mercenary, I fought in wars for coin and occasionally I went after people for bounty."
"So you had no loyalty." Éothain's tone was a spat to the face.
Her jaw tensed very slightly but other than that there was no trace of anger on her body "I never took jobs against my own people. I often worked with them when the need was there. Didn't take their money either before you accuse me of that. Most those soldiers I knew either personally or by name and reputation. I slit the throat of one Sparta soldier in my life and that was out of mercy."
Léofred kicked his friend and offered her an apologetic look "He forgot his manners back home my lady but promise he grows on you."
"Who cares honestly, you men have food?" Placing her hand on her stomach and licked her lips "I am famished, haven't eaten in three days and I gave last of my apple to Wildred's horse. A worthy sacrifice."
Wildred smiled appreciatively "Her name's Wildfire and she appreciated the gesture."
"Reminds me of Fish." Andromeda sighed longingly "My mother bred horses and occasionally I would assist her with births. Fish had a tough birth, but I raised him, fed him, and trained him. He loved to swim so I called him a Fish, and the name stuck. I do wonder though does he still awaits for my return or does he know I will never come back. Not sure which I would prefer."
Éomer reached out to place his hands on hers, which surprised them both but she didn't pull back, she squeezed his hand back and offered him a smile. "Horses are incredibly loyal creatures…" He was going to say something else but decided not to "Come on boys, let's get the lady some food."
Her joy seemed to return due to his efforts and the warm food offered to her. Andromeda rarely allowed herself to mourn longer than couple of minute, anything longer would have killed her. Often she would let her sadness go but it wasn't really letting go. It was burying it, but she did not judge herself for it after all dead did need to be buried.
"This is delicious" Andromeda moaned in pleasure, then turned a dark shade of red "It has been a while since I had hot food." Éomer and his men were all delighted by the sound, and she noticed some of them had a bit of pink on their cheek as well. "I suppose it has been a while for you guys too."
Léofred enjoyed her cheek, and her ability to keep up with the men even though they were behaving as best as they could "Some of them have wives to go back to but not all of us are lucky enough to earn the love of a woman."
One of the men smiled to himself thinking of his wife, her blonde hair, her hips, her beautiful round hips, and the thought brought warmness back into his heart. He prayed for the days he would return home to her. They all would follow Éomer to the ends of the middle-earth but they also missed their wives and children. They had faith in him and they had hope.
Andromeda ate her food in relative silence and allowed the men to ask her questions and chat with each other as they normally did. Her attention was focused on Éomer, trying to understand what kind of a man and a leader he was. The others followed him without a question so she wondered, when they first met he was cold and short with Gimli and had accused Aragorn of being a spy. However, he had been kind to her and seemed to enjoy her wit and other charming qualities. He had been tough with his men but he looked like a fair man, he laughed with them and drank with them. Andromeda judged him to be an honourable man and if Aragorn did not think she would be safe with around two-hundred of his men he would not have let her go.
Someone passed her some wine and she drank with enthusiasm, it had been a while since she had the opportunity. "Dionysus" she invoked his name in a whisper "thank you." She slightly raised her cup and let some of the wine spill to the ground.
Éomer observed her with curiosity, "Dionysus? Is he your husband?"
The assumption was understandable but to have one of her favourite gods as a husband seemed bit much "Dionysus is the god of wine, and madness too. I favour him and he favours our lands, not once my mother's winery had bad crops. Gods are capricious though and they demand sacrifice, blood, remembrance, and I have been neglecting my gods with the exception of Ares."
They seemed interested in the idea of gods "Ares?"
Andromeda knew a story would be told now "We have many gods for many things, but Ares is our god, he is my god. He favours Sparta over all else, and he is known to favour his warrior daughters. He is the god of war, destruction, insatiable is his appetite and he demands a great deal. If you ask the right priest he'll say he is my father, but some other thinks he simply blessed my birth and there are those who thought I was cursed. They were never clear on that one, mother says this was one of the rare times she's seen the elders argue for months. Some wanted to kill me but the general consensus was that on the off chance that I am of his seed, he would leave Sparta to a terrible fate."
"They thought you were the child of a war god?" Léofred was leaning forward from the rock he was seating, fully engaged.
Andromeda stood up from her seat and walked near by the fire, where they all could see and hear her as she set up the scene "Sparta had never fully known time of peace, always a war to be fought and in that particular summer night my mother who was dining with the kings learned a plot to ambush our troops. It was her duty as the fastest rider in the city to deliver a warning to their commander, Heitor.
Heitor was an established commander though still young and in his prime. He was honourable, proud, and a Spartan through and through. Unknowingly he was leading his men to an ambush, but he saw the most beautiful women ride into the fields with no fear, delivering her message and allowing them to turn the tides of the battle.
So impressed he asked her to stay, invited her to share a cup of wine with him and his men. Xiomara knew better and she looked around the battlefield still wet with the blood of their enemies. Blessed by Ares himself.
There she took my father and his men. Unhinged, howling like a demon from the depths of Tartarus, she was taken by gods as she tells. The moon rising over the mountains shining over her naked breasts, her body covered in blood and mud. Hunger in her womb, hunger to have more so she takes them all. The greatest heroes of Sparta were made undone by a woman's touch.
That night she was made of hunger, she says she felt it clawing at her throat, rising from her veins, the lust and desire to have more.
Her hunger never satisfied. Till dawn they fucked her on the unholy grounds of war yet she needed more but knew that the men could not go on. She stood there over them and watched the men at her feet, naked and no longer bathing in the moonlight. Back to the town she rode with a cum filled belly and nine months later there I was.
She says the hunger never left her, not until I was born. I was born under a moon covered in blood, and I almost killed my mother. Heitor married my mother so that I would be a legitimate child. Because of the circumstances I was conceived and born some theories were being thrown around. One of them Ares being my father and the other was him rewarding my mother with a child of war, a child that would bring honour to Sparta."
Her tale was a bit unusual she knew, and she had not told this to the others because she had never felt like sharing before. Each tale had a place and she had decided that this moment would be dedicated to this one. Not one she particularly liked for it put her in a position where everyone treated her like a weapon and raised her with one particular goal in mind. To honour Sparta and she had for a long time.
The men were both captivated and horrified by the story for no women would ever dare to do or openly admit to such a thing and no child would brag about it as such.
"War loved Aphrodite over all others. Goddess of beauty, love, and passion. Spartans honour them both and a Spartan women's appetite has always been thrice her men's." Andromeda looked pleased with herself because she felt like over these past months her story telling abilities were improving, perhaps she could make a decent bard yet.
Éomer was fascinated by the story but most of all the way she had told it so. It was a bold and colourful tale and he did not question a word of it. He stared at her for a while, she was sharing a drink with Léofred and the others. Laughing as if she had been with them for years. He had an intense urge to get to know her but there were too many people around and he had a suspicion that who she was with them would not be exactly the same person in private.
His attention snapped into focus when he realised she was dancing for the men. Her hips swayed from side to side, her bare feet stomping the ground, and her arms were raised to havens. Her hair was no longer in a braid and Éomer realised her long hair looked wild when she danced. He was transfixed and he noticed some of his men was too.
Andromeda had agreed to dance for them when Wildred practically begged her for it. Knowing that they had recently lost two of their men and armed with couple of cups of wine, she had agreed to do so to cheer them up. It had been a long time since she danced, she remembered the nights she would dance for her husband who would sneak out of the barracks to be with her. She would dance for him naked which was how he liked her the most.
Tired and slightly tipsy, she told the men she was going to the call it the night. She waved at them and walked back towards her things. They had given her a sleeping cot, one that belonged to one of their fallen men she assumed. Laying on top of it she started to watch the stars.
Andromeda could still hear the men by the fire, not just them but she could hear the others as well. All two hundred men laughing and drinking. Some distant singing and those who would keep watch tonight were resting. It did remind her all the times she had shared a living space with other troops. It felt good to be back but she could not forget how the last one had ended. She doubted she would get a second 'second chance' even gods weren't that giving.
Éomer could tell that she was not sleeping and he wanted to talk to her so he took advantage of his people's drunkenness to sneak out and go to her. She was watching the stars with a sour expression on her face. It was as if she was having a fight with them.
Propping herself up via her elbows she turned to Éomer "Your stars," she looked at the offending constellations "they mock me."
Éomer chuckled softly as he lowered himself to the ground next to her, she looked so serious and angry at the stars "And how do the stars mock you my lady?"
Andromeda turned on her side so that she could see his face better "They know I am not from here. They know I play pretend in these lands. Back home I could look at the stars and name each one, each star had their stories you see, put there by the gods. Your stars are strangers to me and they mock me for they know I cannot find my way back home."
Éomer gently tucked a wild hair behind her ear, and offered her a smile "I know these stars like the back of my hand, they guided me back to home many times. In time they will do the same for you."
"Can you teach them to me?" Her voice full of hope, "Can't go back home I know and I don't want to either. I left only graves behind, my own self included but still I wish to know your stars. I shall not be mocked by them."
Without think he reached out to trace his thumb over the cut on her throat "They killed you."
Andromeda confirmed with a sad smile upon her lips "A soldier, a friend. He let the enemy in after he got us drunk on wine and merriment. He cut my throat himself as I slept in his bed. Burned the whole compound to the ground. I doubt any lived."
He laid down on his back and told her to do the same, then he pointed to a bright constellation "That one is called Menelmacar…" He told her the brief story behind, then paused to look at her. Éomer smiled upon realising how intently she was listening to him, her eyes shifting between the stars and him. "I will teach you all the stars in my world, I promise." And he had meant it too.
8 | Page
