A Winter Lady For A King.
Chapter XXV: Under The Skin Of Pain.
The ninth day arrived and there were still no news from the Rohirrim. Queen Eihhlin sat in the library as she tried, in vain, to concentrate on her studies. Being kept in ignorance was something she did not enjoy and the present war was no exception. She couldn't understand why Éomer hadn't sent any news from the battlefield. Wouldn't it be wise to let the queen know Edoras was safe? Why would he hide the happenings of the war from her? Their farewell was a constant image in her mind, but she tried to ignore it as the prelude of a tragedy. Éomer had promised to return home soon and he was a man of his word.
A knock on the door caught Eihhlin's attention and she immediately stood up and walked to the door to open it. Háma was standing outside the room and his eyes told the queen the awaited news had arrived.
-What is it? –she asked, feeling the blood freeze in her veins.
-The Rohirrim are back, my lady. –he answered and she waited for him to continue, knowing there was something more. –It seems the king is seriously wounded.
-Wounded? –Eihhlin repeated and her intense blue eyes showed Háma a clear disturbance. Then, she exited the room to witness the warriors' arrival.
She walked fast through the halls of Meduseld as the information tried to corrupt her mind. In a short, yet eternal moment she forgot she was a queen and a respectable wife. When she reached the main entrance of the house, she stopped abruptly and walked with slow steps until she was right outside the door. She saw the Rohirrim entering the gates of the city with their horses except for two men who were carrying the king on a modest stretcher. Everyone in the streets stopped to see their brave warriors and injured king's arrival.
The two men carefully climbed the stairs leading to Meduseld followed by Elfhelm, Marshal of the East-mark. They stopped when they reached the door of the king's house and waited for the queen's instructions. Eihhlin didn't know how to react or what to think as she saw Éomer with a thick veil of sweat covering his face and his eyes closed, apparently asleep.
-What happened? –she managed to ask but her voice was but a mere whisper.
-The barbarians unexpectedly attacked out camp and a poisoned arrow hit the king in the heat of the fight. –Elfhelm answered, showing her the two halves of the arrow wrapped in a small piece of cloth. –Apparently, this poison acts slowly but it has a strong effect.
-Take the king to his chambers. –Eihhlin told the two men and, once they were gone, she spoke to the Marshal again. –Take the arrow to our healers. See if they can find the antidote.
-Yes, my lady. –Elfhelm replied and walked away to follow the queen's orders.
-Háma. –she called the doorward, who was standing beside her, waiting for instructions.
-Yes, my queen?
-Send someone to visit the families of the injured and the fallen warriors. Provide them everything they might need, especially everything concerning the children. Some of those men might not be able to return to work for a while. Then, go to the healing houses and bring me the antidote when it's ready. –she ordered and the doorward bowed, leaving to carry out his duty.
She went inside and, as she walked back to the royal chambers, she noticed the halls were empty. There was no one to help her or tell her what she should do. The feeling of insecurity was silently crawling inside of her; she had never taken care of a wounded man. Now, her husband was lying on their conjugal bed as a high fever slowly consumed his body. She remembered the time she used to take care of Mero and Paro when they were ill and realized it was rather easy compared to what she had to do with Éomer now.
Finally reaching the bedroom door, she quietly opened it and entered the room, closing the door behind her. She hesitantly walked to the bed, where the king was lying down, still unconscious. A basin with hot water and towels had been placed on a small table near the window and Eihhlin immediately knew what she had to do. She started by taking off his boots and then undressed him carefully, knowing those clothes would not see better days again. Walking to the small table, she picked up the basin and some towels and placed them on the floor next to the bed. Then, the queen carefully started washing Éomer's body with her soft hands, trying not to hurt him.
Eihhlin could feel his life slowly leaving his skin as her hands travelled up and down his body to wash away the remains of the war. She had never thought a brave warrior and reasonable king like Éomer could fall in such state of vulnerability, but the man lying down on her bed, on their bed, showed her he was just mortal like any other human. She didn't know him; she was beginning the process of healing the body of a stranger. That's what they would always be to each other: strangers.
Throwing the last blood soaked towel inside the basin, she stood up from the floor and pulled the covers over his body to keep him warm. She looked up at his face and saw he was peacefully sleeping, but the fatigue of the war on his features was still evident; it would take a long time for him to fully recover. Sighing, Eihhlin picked up the basin and, as she looked through the window, she realized many hours had passed since the arrival of the Rohirrim. The concept of time had lost its meaning the moment she had entered the room to take care of king Éomer.
She left the bedroom in silence, knowing her task was far from being finished. Walking down the hall, she saw Háma walking towards her and his face told her he was not the bearer of good news at the moment.
-Have you got it? –the queen asked, although she could see the answer in the doorward's eyes.
-Not yet, my lady. –Háma answered, suddenly intimidated by her cold stare. –They need a plant they do not have at the moment and it only grows in the south.
-Then give them out fastest horses. –she ordered. –I want that antidote in my hands by sunrise.
-But, my lady… –he tried to make her see the task was physically impossible to accomplish, but Eihhlin would not allow any objections.
-The king's life depends on it, Háma. –she stated and the man knew he could not question her decisions; to all intents and purposes, she was the ruler of Rohan now.
-I'll send them right away, my queen. –Háma said and, after the usual bow, walked away, following her instructions.
-Take this. –Eihhlin said to a young servant who was passing by, handing him the basin. –Bring me fresh water and clean towels.
-Yes, my lady. –the boy replied and soon disappeared from her sight.
The hours passed as the day slowly died, trying to take Éomer to the depths of darkness. Eihhlin had lit a few candles and was sitting on a chair next to the bed while he remained in the lair of fever. She hadn't left his side and had no intention of doing so until the king had drunk the antidote. Nothing was more important than his life at the moment. Eihhlin couldn't understand if she was doing it for herself, to keep her title and the safety it provided her, or if she was doing it for him. She didn't want to believe she was selfish to the point of saving a man's life and healing his body for her own interest.
Suddenly, Eihhlin heard him breathing heavily as he tried to speak. His eyes were still closed but he was awake. She stood up to touch his forehead, realizing he was burning with fever.
-Eihhlin… –he muttered and she could see his delirious despair.
-I'm here. –she said, unsure of what to do. Hesitantly, she touched his hand to tranquilize him and he instantly grabbed hers with all the strength his weak body had, like his survival depended on it. –I'm here. –the queen repeated, knowing he could hear her.
Eihhlin realized she had never wished for the dawn of a new day like she did that night. Éomer's life was fading and his salvation depended on the thing the people of Rohan loved the most: their horses. She knew a normal journey from Edoras to the south of the country would last, at least, four days. But she didn't have that time; Éomer didn't have that time. The barbarian poison was killing him, stealing him from his people and the land he loved. His queen, the woman who had once wished to forget him and be forgotten by him, was now fighting the battle against death, trying to save and free something she didn't realize she had.