Eomer reluctantly faces another change in his life.
Eomer Chronicles 12. The total number will depend on how many ideas I get for new vignettes.
A/N: Reread the Eomer Chronicles recently, trying to get inspired to write (sound familiar?), and this came to me. I've alluded to this idea a couple of times in different stories, but never outright addressed it before.
New Domain
(late June, 3019)
This was wrong. The throne was one thing, but this? He just stared at the familiar door. He should leave now. Tell them he had changed his mind. But still he stood there and stared.
Suddenly it was opened from within, leaving him feeling like a naughty boy caught at some mischief.
Durucwen's face reflected that she was as startled as he felt. "Oh! My lord! My apologies. I was just making a final check that all was in readiness for you."
Now he had no choice – he must enter the room. "Thank you, Durucwen," he murmured so as to dismiss her. She bobbed a curtsy to him and went off down the hall.
He scowled. This was Eowyn's fault. He had been fine in his old room, until earlier when he discovered it had been torn apart. His clothes, his armor, his weapons – all were missing when he entered there after the noon meal. He had summoned his presumptuous sister, recognizing her hand in it, only to have her stand her ground.
"You need to do this, Eomer. It is time. When our guests come for Theoden's funeral they should see the King of the Mark acting the part, in full. You would not have anyone think you hesitant or reluctant to take your place, would you?"
"Of course not," he spat, turning away from her. He paced around the familiar space a moment and then charged out the door, without another word or backward glance.
With a sigh, Eowyn folded her arms and watched him go. She had hoped taking the initiative would make the decision easier for him, but his stubbornness would not yield lightly. It wasn't that she did not understand his feelings in the matter, and sympathize, but she knew this was an important step for him to take.
Eomer had avoided the subject, returning to the Hall and occupying himself with other tasks. But, eventually, he was forced to consider what Eowyn had said. And so he found himself standing here.
Heaving a sigh, he took a step forward, then another, until he stood just inside the door. He had expected it to look just the same as it always had when he had occasion to visit Theoden's chamber. Instead, it was transformed. The bed was still the large King's bed, but the linens were fresh and and the coverlet from his own bed lay across the foot of it. It was threadbare and worn with age, and much too small for the size of the bed, but he had brought it from Aldburg as a boy. It had sentimental value to him – one of the few things that did.
His armor was situated in the same corner as it had been in his old room, and the furniture had been rearranged to a similar configuration as he'd had before. He almost thought that if he closed his eyes he could walk the space of this room with utter safety, so like were they laid out.
The tension in his shoulders eased, and he allowed a small smile to twitch at his lips. He should have given his sister more credit. She might press him to make certain changes, but she well knew how best to make those changes palatable to him if it must be done.
Tentatively he eased down on the side of the bed. Firm, but comfortable. He stretched out, letting the last of his reservations slide away.
THE END
8/31-16 – 8/31/16
In case you are interested, here is something of a chronology for the Eomer Chronicles thus far, along with the location. I have to keep track of things like this so I know ages at any given time and other pertinent details (and it helps for putting new Chronicles into place).
3002 – ec2 – Theodwyn dies and children go to live with Theoden (Aldburg) (Eom-11; Eow-7)
[I had Theodwyn die the same year as Eomund]
3002 - ec1 – Eomer and Eothain first meet (Edoras) (Eom-11; Eow-7)
early May 3003 – ec8 – Eomer flees back to Aldburg (Edoras, Aldburg) (Eom-12; Eow-8)
late May 3003 – ec7 – Theoden gives Eomer horse to train (Tungol) (Edoras) (Eom-12; Eow-8)
Jun 3003 – ec4 has Eomer working with a young colt (Tungol) (Edoras) (Eom-12; Eow-8)
Jun 3005 – ec9 – boys get drunk (Edoras) (Eom-14; Eow-10)
Oct 3007 – ec5 – Eomer's first time in battle (battlefield) (Eom-16; Eow-12)
May 3011 – ec10 – Eothain and Eomer patrol at the Hornburg (Hornburg) (Eom-20; Eow-16; Eoth-19)
Feb 3013 – ec6 – battle in which Tungol dies, sword broken (battlefield) (Eom-22; Eow-18)
3014 Theoden begins to fall under the influence of Grima Wormtongue. (Eomer-23; Eowyn-19)
3017 Eomer becomes Third Marshal of the Mark (Thd persuades father to do it) (Eom-26; Thd-39; Eow-22)
3013-3017 – ec11 – Eomer seeks to replace his sword that was broken (Aldburg, Edoras) (Eomer-22-26)
May 3019 - ec3 – Eomer returning to Edoras as King (Edoras) (Eomer-28; Eowyn-24)
late June 3019 – ec12 – Eomer reluctantly faces another change in his life (Eomer-28; Eowyn-24)