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Chapter VIII: Late Adolescence
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'Please, allow me to assist you,' he requested.
Lilyn smiled and left the basket of clothes on the floor in front of her. Eomer quickly stooped to pick them up.
'Where to?' he asked her, and she led the way.
Today he had "accidentally" found her in Eowyn's chamber. He had been "accidentally" finding her nearly every day for the past several, and every time there had been some chore with which he could help her. His studies had slowed and scheduled training had been postponed due to the rainy month, so the young man had discovered himself to be quite available recently.
'Thank you for all you have done for me, my lord. You should not burden yourself with such meaningless errands,' Lilyn insisted, talking to him over her shoulder.
Her long, golden braid ended in the small of her back, and Eomer tried to keep his eyes on her face.
'Meaningless? Without you, I would run about naked!' he said cheerily. She giggled. He felt the color drain from his face. 'Not that I- not to say-.'
'Thank you, sire. I will take my tasks more seriously in future so that we may all remain clothed,' she said, cutting off his bumbling. He thought she was smirking, but he couldn't tell from the back of her head.
What a fool!
They carried on in silence until she came to a stop outside of the Hall.
'Are we not to go all the way to the river?' he asked concernedly.
She smiled and nodded. 'Of course, but first would you leave it over here?'
He obliged, placing the basket near her feet where she had indicated. He noticed as he bent over that a dandelion was poking out of the grass. Thinking himself clever, he picked it and turned to face her. He dropped the flower.
She had slipped off her overdress and was now wrapping an apron around her middle. He had never seen a woman in only her shift. He looked away quickly, certain that she had made some sort of mistake.
'My lord?' Her voice sang out to him. He turned slowly back to her.
'I didn't see anything,' he lied, glancing around nervously.
'Of course you did,' she said smoothly, touching his hand. Her skin was warm and soft. His spine tingled.
'No, I-,' he started but he could not finish. She had stepped a hand's width from his chest. He had to angle his head considerably to see the woman. Her eyes shone and her cheeks blushed. He knew what she meant to do, and he had longed to do it himself. In one flowing movement, he switched his hand to her lower back, pulled her closer, and touched his lips to hers.
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'Watch your footing there, tall one,' Yar quipped as his wooden blade landed on Eomer's shin.
'Let not your guard down, left-handed,' Eomer returned, slashing so that Yar had to block across his body. They had been sparring for several minutes, each landing a few blows on each other. Lorwine cheered Yar on, while Broca and Heren supported Eomer.
Yar lunged suddenly, trying to catch Eomer off guard. Unfortunately for him, Eomer had already discovered the man's tell- he leaned back on his left leg before pushing forward. Eomer slid easily out of reach and whipped his sword up to Yar's exposed neck. Broca and Heren cheered, laughing at their friend's defeat. Lorwine reluctantly handed over several coins to each of them.
'I taught him that trick long ago, Yar son of Harah,' another voice sounded from behind the three onlookers. 'On which leg did he lean, cousin?'
'His left,' Eomer grinned, looking at Yar. His friend grimaced in return, then bowed his head to the prince.
'Of course,' yet another voice offered. 'Did you notice he is left-handed?' the girl asked, stepping out from behind her cousin.
''Wyn! This is a happy surprise. What brings you here?' Eomer inquired.
'Theodred told me he was coming to see you spar, and I thought I ought to come as well,' she answered in her matter-of-fact tone.
'Come to learn a few tricks, eh?' he teased her. He noticed the men outside of the ring shift. He supposed they were unaware of his sister's abilities.
'Perhaps,' she said loftily.
'You could learn directly,' Eomer offered, gesturing at the weapons rack.
Lorwine snickered loudly. Theodred's eyes widened in shock and Eomer tried to hide a grin. So it begins.
'Something amusing, soldier?' the tall teenage girl demanded.
'Was he not simply jesting?' Lorwine asked Broca.
'I believe it was I that addressed you,' Eowyn snarled.
Lorwine started at her abrupt tone. 'You cannot be serious, my lady,' he said slowly, still befuddled by the circumstances. Eomer edged closer to the fence; he sensed an oncoming brawl.
'I could best you, swine,' she threatened in a low voice.
'Come now, Eowyn, let us not frighten the young men,' Theodred said lazily.
Lorwine looked back and forth between Eowyn and the prince, still unsure of whether he was being conned.
'Name the time,' she growled at her prey.
Lorwine looked with slight terror at Eomer for instructions. Eomer shook his head, still grinning.
'I think, my lady, it would best if I did not,' he said finally.
'What sort of men are you recruiting these days, Theodred?' she whined in disappointment.
'Smart men, Eowyn. He has made a wise choice, rather than a prideful one,' her cousin answered, nodding to Lorwine approvingly. The thin soldier visibly relaxed.
'I will spar with you, my lady,' Broca offered. Eomer whipped his head around so fast, he thought his neck might snap.
'Not out of pride,' he continued, glancing at Theodred, 'but out of curiosity. I have never fought a woman.'
Eowyn beamed. 'You shall have your fight, soldier,' she accepted gleefully.
'Broca, son of Brec, your highness,' he said, bowing his head respectfully.
Eowyn's expression changed to concern as she looked to Eomer. He nodded in understanding.
'Accept, sweostor. He may offer you a challenge.'
She nodded hesitantly, then snapped, 'Name your time, Broca son of Brec.'
'An hour before the evening meal, tomorrow.'
'I accept.'
'Excellent!' Yar exclaimed. 'Now, who will challenge our champion?' he asked, pointing the tip of his blade at Eomer.
'I will,' Theodred said unexpectedly. Eomer narrowed his eyes. He had not sparred with his cousin in years.
'Now this is a match I would pay to see,' Lorwine announced.
'How much?' Heren muttered.
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Eomer focused on his breathing. After nearly half an hour, he was sweaty and out of breath. His opponents generally did not last beyond now, but he knew Theodred was not to be discounted. Eomer may have the strength of youth on his side, but the prince was vastly more experienced. The two had not spoken much in the long fight, each determined to win. The younger had landed more blows, but Theodred had aimed better. Eomer's ribs smarted and his sword-arm throbbed painfully. How could he best him?
Eomer decided to test his cousin's reaction time. He feigned right, intending to twirl the blade above his head and back around to hit his opponent's open side, but the prince was too quick. He ducked under Eomer's swinging arm, sliced across the young man's belly, and grabbed the now-flailing limb. With one hand he forced Eomer's arm backward until he fell to his knees, and with the other, he placed the tip of his sword at the base of his cousin's skull. Eomer was finished.
The watchers applauded enthusiastically, someone even whistling. The prince released his captive and helped him to his feet.
'You have learned some new moves, little cousin,' he said cheerily.
'Not enough,' Eomer replied, still winded.
'Marvelous swordplay!' Yar shouted, hopping the fence. 'Just marvelous, Your Highness.'
Theodred offered his forearm and the young soldier took it animatedly. Eomer did not mind his friend being enamored of Theodred's skill. He had rarely felt envious of his cousin, for reasons he did not know. He tended to consider the prince's successes to be his own.
'Unfortunate, mate,' Lorwine said to Eomer, clapping him on the back but grinning all the same. A flair of annoyance rose in Eomer's mind. As if any of them could have done better.
'Why don't you give it an effort, Lorwine?' he challenged.
'No, no, I haven't the stomach for that,' he replied in a sarcastic tone.
'Aye, so keep your trap shut,' Eomer snapped back. The thin soldier threw up his hands in mock surrender, his eyes still flashing with mirth.
'You need to build your stamina, brother,' Eowyn said lightly, offering constructive criticism as always. Heren snickered behind her.
'Indeed!' he chuckled mischievously, elbowing Broca in the ribs. The latter looked embarrassed, but Eomer knew that in the company of soldiers, he would have doubled over in laughter. Eowyn cocked her head to the side, perplexed, but thankfully did not pursue the meaning of the comment. Eomer was not ready for that conversation.
'Indeed what?' Yar asked, having finished his discussion with the prince.
'I'll explain later,' Heren told him, winking. Eomer rolled his eyes, but noticed Theodred was smirking. He must find it amusing to be around such youngsters. Eomer felt a twinge of embarrassment for his friends.
'Shut it, you two. Are you ready for a hot meal, 'Wyn?' he asked his sister. She nodded, taking his hand. The three men bowed properly to her, then to their prince.
'Thanks for the show, lads. I suppose we will see each other again one day hence,' Theodred said, referencing Eowyn and Broca's appointment.
Broca nodded curtly and Yar said, ''Til the morrow!'
The three cousins marched back up the hill to their home. Eomer was ready for a fine meal and some much-needed rest.
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The following afternoon, though he was looking for Lilyn, Eomer found his sister practicing basic sword motions in her bedchamber.
'Keep your wrists firm,' he said lazily, dropping himself onto her neat bed. Eowyn obeyed, finishing the movement with a flourish.
'Am I mistaken to think that this is the same Broca as you-?' she began, but he cut her short.
'Aye, the very same. Try not to hold that against him, though. He has apologized and been a loyal friend this past year,' Eomer informed her. She did not seem completely convinced.
'I will do my best. But I will not go easy on him,' she warned, taking up her stance again.
'Of course not,' he grinned. 'Do not underestimate him, though. He may not ease up on you either. I do not know why he challenged you, but I doubt it is his intention to lose.'
The almost-sixteen-year-old flipped her braid over her shoulder.
'I must win, mustn't I?' she said, focusing her eyes on her sword.
'What is your meaning?' he asked curiously.
'If I do not,' she started, taking a swing, 'they will never respect me.'
The older brother frowned. 'I do not find that necessarily true. As long as you put up a better fight than they are expecting, you will not be scorned. Your opponent is five years your senior, not to mention a hand taller than you. I think there would be no shame in losing, ultimately.'
The girl sighed heavily. 'And if I do fail, at least I know that my brother can pummel him into an early grave for me,' she grinned, quickly dancing out of reach.
Eomer swiped at her, missing her arm, but yanking her hair. Her face turned from mirth to anger in an instant. Her wooden blade came crashing down on his wrist, causing him to bellow in pain. He rushed after her, chasing the brat down the corridor. His sister was quick, but not quick enough. He tumbled into her and the two wrestled on the floor until he had her in a hold. She strained and struggled against him, but his arms were twice the size of hers. She tried to kick backwards, but to no avail.
'Alright!' she lamented at last. He released her and stood.
'Need a hand?' he asked, offering her one. She pushed it away and brought herself up, dusting off her skirts.
'One day I will best you,' she vowed, not looking directly at him. He smiled generously.
'No doubt you will, sweostor.'
'Is this how you treat a lady?' a sweet voice behind him asked accusingly.
'Lilyn!' he cried, wheeling about to face her. He switched to Westron and began to explain, 'I- we were just-.'
'Yes, is he not awful to me?' Eowyn whimpered, pretending to limp towards the other woman. Lilyn unfolded her arms and embraced the girl like a mother.
'You poor dear. Shall I return you to your quarters?' Lilyn asked mockingly, stroking Eowyn's head. The girl nodded and turned back the way they had come.
'Now you, sire, can stay right there. I will deal with you when I return,' Lilyn instructed him sternly. Eomer was not sure if she was serious, but he followed her orders. She holds some strange power over me, he realized while he waited for her return. Though he could not deny a certain appreciation of it.
Lilyn did return- alone. He kept still as she circled around behind him. He got the distinct impression that he was being inspected, not unlike a pig is assessed for the slaughter.
'My, my, what am I to do with you?' the woman said mockingly, tutting her tongue at him.
'Let me go?' he suggested hopefully. Lilyn laughed.
'Come with me, young man,' she admonished him. He followed her through the halls until she led him to an unfamiliar room. It was small, unadorned, and contained only two chairs and a small table. On the table lay parchment and drawing utensils. As he entered, he noticed that several cartons sat on the opposite side of the room. He supposed it must be some kind of storage chamber. She closed the door behind her and bid him to sit in one of the chairs.
He obeyed.
'Where are we?' he asked curiously.
'Somewhere no one will hear you scream,' Lilyn said menacingly. Then she laughed. 'I almost really frightened you, didn't I?'
His heart rate reaching normal levels once again, Eomer shook his head.
'No, of course not. I could easily overpower you,' he replied, still slightly uneasy.
'Oh, I do not doubt that,' she chuckled again. 'This here is my special place. I thought I would share it with you,' she said softly, looking a bit embarrassed.
Eomer relaxed instantly, giving her a warm smile. 'It is lovely.'
'It will do,' she sighed, falling into the chair beside him.
'Do you have many visitors here?' he asked in consideration of the extra chair.
'Wouldn't you like to know?' she countered vaguely. He did not answer, but looked around at the drawings on the table.
'Did you do these? They are beautiful.'
'I did. I found the supplies in one of those crates. There is also a blanket and cushion, for nights that I spend here.'
Eomer raised his brows. 'You sleep here?'
'Occasionally. When I want to be alone, or when I do not need to wake early,' she said casually. He was shocked that she could roam the Hall by herself, but did not want to sound accusatory.
'Would you draw something for me?' he asked without thinking. She bristled slightly, but grinned.
'Certainly, my lord. What would you have me draw?'
'Anything you wished,' he said eagerly. She tilted her head, looking deep into his eyes.
'I know just the thing. I will have it for you tomorrow- that is, if I see you tomorrow,' she amended.
'Yes, you will. You are too beautiful to miss,' he rushed. A voice in the back of his head told him to stop talking. He listened, though he knew not why.
'A beautiful serving girl, what a sight that must be to you,' she giggled. He frowned in confusion.
'Never you mind, sire. May I be so bold as to ask you a question?'
'Certainly,' he answered swiftly.
'Why were you, well, hurting your sister?' she asked haltingly.
He grinned widely. 'The brat. I hurt her no more than she hurt me. I would wager that she told you some great story, hm?'
'She didn't! I saw you,' Lilyn said reprovingly.
'Have you no siblings, Lilyn?'
'No. My mother died at my birth,' she said solemnly.
Eomer touched her hand. 'I am sorry.'
She smiled softly and covered his hand with her other one.
'Worry not. So this is normal for brothers and sisters?'
'I think so. The neighbors I grew up with used to tease each other so, though I have not seen them for a great many years.'
'Have you not always lived here in Edoras?' she asked. Eomer explained his childhood, speaking of the move to Aldburg and the deaths of his parents. She returned with her own story, which he found fascinating. He never thought a servant's life could have been so interesting.
All too soon, he heard the bell ring for six o'clock. He jumped out of his seat, realizing what he was missing.
'What is wrong?' he heard Lilyn ask sharply.
'Eowyn! She's meant to spar with Broca.' He turned back to face the woman. 'I wish I could stay.'
'As do I,' she replied wistfully. Then her eyes brightened. 'Meet me back here tonight.'
'Tonight? Here?' He didn't know what to say.
'No, you wouldn't want to, of course. I should never have suggested it,' she rushed apologetically.
Eomer bent down and caressed her cheek. 'I will see you. Here, at mid-night.'
She looked at him with delight and he kissed her softly.
'Until then, my lord,' she whispered.
He winked, then hurried out of the room and down to the herefeld.
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I know, I know- a cliffhanger! Worry not reader, the next chapter is coming soon... In the meantime, why not leave a review? ;)