A/N: Tolkien writes very little about day-to-day life in Rohan.  Therefore, I have taken a few liberties.  For the sake of this story, there are two elements that can be considered as slightly AU.  Appendix B in TLOTR says that from sometime between 2957 and 2980 T.A., Aragorn served in Gondor and Rohan under the alias of Thorongil.  I have extended this so that he is still in Rohan during the time of this story.  Also, the Appendix is not clear as to when Gríma Wormtongue became a traitor, but I have assumed that this happened a short while before the beginning of this story.

Chapter Two: The Picnic

Edoras, Rohan; June 27, 2990, T.A.

Silvawyn awoke to the sweet singing of a canary outside her window.  She dressed quickly and opened the window, smiling at the bird as she did so.  "Good morning, little one," she said.  "A beautiful morning, isn't it?"  Singing herself, she went downstairs.  "Good morning, Mother."

"Good morning, Silvawyn," replied Fréolda.  "Are you hungry yet?  I just made breakfast."

"To be honest, I'm starving," the twenty-five-year-old replied with a smile, as she grabbed a plate and began dishing out food.

"Do not eat too much!" Fréolda exclaimed.  "You will not have an appetite for the picnic later today."

Silvawyn smiled.  "I'm very much looking forward to it."

"I know you are.  This will be your tenth year going with the young ladies, will it not?"

Silvawyn groaned.  "Don't remind me.  You are only saying that I am far too old to be still unmarried."

"Not necessarily.  Your friend Princess Théodwyn married only recently, did she not?  And she is about your age.  The right man will come along at the right time.  Do not worry, daughter."

Silvawyn nodded.  "So," she said, "what will you and Father be doing today?"

"Well, I have been hoping to spend some time on that quilt while you and your brother were gone," said Fréolda. 

"But Mother, it's still summertime!"

"I know that.  But come autumn, I will be too busy to work on it much.  I want to finish it as soon as I can."  Fréolda sat down and ate a few bites of porridge.  "And your father, I believe, will be working."

"Not today, surely!  This is a national holiday."

"He has told me that he has a good deal of paperwork to catch up on.  Today would be an ideal time to work on it, while the young people are away.  In fact, he already left for work, just a few minutes before you awoke."

Silvawyn shook her head.  "Honestly, when will he learn to let go and relax?"

"I know, dearest," Fréolda replied with a sigh.  "But what can we do?"

"So where is Silvoden?" she asked.

Right on cue, her brother bounded down the stairs.  "Morning, Mother!  Morning, sis."  He gave them both a quick peck on the cheek, as they greeted him.  Grabbing a few pieces of bacon and bread with jam, he said, "I've got to run.  I wanted to meet with Grimbold and Helmwine to discuss a few things before the outing today."

"Not you too!" Fréolda exclaimed.  "You are turning into your father, that's for certain."

"Thank you," Silvoden responded with a grin.  "Well, I've got to go."  He dashed away, biting into a piece of bacon as he did so.

Silvawyn and her mother looked at each other and, as one, sighed and shook their heads.  Men.

Silvawyn's father was a trusted official in the king's court, and as such her family was fairly well off.  He had been very renowned during the reign of the late King Thengel; but his future serving King Théoden, who had only been crowned a few months ago, remained to be seen.  Silvawyn's brother, only a few years older than she, was already beginning to win fame as well.  He was a strong warrior and a cunning strategist, and had been made a captain of the guard in Edoras, despite his youth.  Courageous, steadfast, and responsible, he was respected by all, as was his father.  If Silvawyn had known it, she was regarded in high esteem as well; for she was a gentle, kind young woman, and only Princess Théodwyn surpassed her in loveliness.

But this morning Silvawyn was not given to mulling over any of this.  She was far too excited about the day's events.  Every year, the young men and young women of Edoras took the day off and left the city, going to the beautiful countryside that surrounded it.  The men usually went hunting in the forest, and the women picked flowers in the meadow, talked, and did the sorts of things that were generally referred to as "May-ing" (though it was June and not May).  Afterwards, both groups gathered together as one and enjoyed a picnic lunch.  It was a festive event, made all the more lighthearted and merry because only the youth of the city participated.  Many of these were still unmarried; but despite Silvawyn's complaint, many married women went as well.  In fact, her friend Princess Théodwyn, now married for nearly six months to Éomund, would be going with her.

As the event did not begin for a few hours, Silvawyn had some time to herself.  She cleaned up after breakfast and practiced her singing, thinking as she did so of how grateful she was for the opportunity.  As a member of the upper class, she had been educated in the humanities, though not in mathematics or science (being a woman).  She could not imagine what it would be like to not be able to read and draw and sing and dance.  Though she and those around her normally spoke in the native Rohirric of her people, she was fairly good at Westron, if not quite fluent.  Her favorite subject was music, and she loved singing above all.  She smiled as she began a beautiful melody.

Meanwhile, Silvoden was meeting with Grimbold and Helmwine, fellow captains, to discuss some plans for training new troops.  "What do you think of this one?" he asked the two.

Helmwine, the eldest, shook his head.  "Far too expensive.  And there's no guarantee it will work.  Do you have any ideas, Grimbold?"

Grimbold laid out his plan, but Helmwine shook his head at that as well.  "It won't work," he said.

Grimbold frowned.  "What did you have in mind?"

Helmwine hesitated.  "I'm not really sure."  They were still mulling over this when they heard another voice break in.  "Mind if I join you, gentlemen?"

Three heads looked up to see who was speaking.  Silvoden gasped.  "Captain Thorongil!  Of course you can join us, sir."

Thorongil smiled cryptically as he sat down across the table.  "What seems to be the problem?"

Helmwine explained what they were doing; and within a few minutes, Thorongil had an idea mapped out that pleased everyone.

Thorongil was a much esteemed captain, and was held somewhat in awe by most of the soldiers and officers, Silvoden included.  Very little was known about the mysterious man.  He apparently had served Ecthelion of Gondor before coming to Rohan, but it was said that he was not truly Gondorian.  No one knew what his origins were, or even how old he was; and he said very little about himself.  Many women had expressed an interest in him, yet he remained politely aloof.  He spent most of his time abroad on different missions for the king, but had been serving with the guard in Edoras since the coronation of King Théoden.

The three young captains thanked Thorongil profusely as he left.  "I shall see you later today at the picnic," said Thorongil as he made to leave.

"Oh," exclaimed Silvoden, "are you going to that?"

"I wouldn't miss it."  Saluting them, which they returned, Thorongil left.

Their problem now solved, the three turned their conversation to lighter things.  "So, how is the wife, Helmwine?" asked Grimbold, and Helmwine blushed.  Silvoden and Grimbold laughed heartily.  Helmwine had only recently been married, and he had just come back from his honeymoon one week ago. 

"I don't see why you're laughing about it," Helmwine said with a good-natured scowl.  "Pretty soon, it will be your turn as well."

"Yes, Grimbold," said Silvoden, amused.  "Do you have your eyes on anyone yet?"

"Well…" he began, but stopped.  The other two pressed him to say more, and finally he admitted, "I've been thinking about speaking to your father Silmund about seeing Silvawyn, to be honest."

Silvoden was surprised at this, but glad for it.  "Does Silvawyn know?"

"I don't think she has any idea."


"Well, good luck, old fellow!  I can think of worse brothers-in-law to have than you… I think," Silvoden teased, and Grimbold punched him playfully.

"What about you, Sil?" asked Helmwine.  "Do you have any prospects?"

Silvoden shrugged.  "I haven't really thought about it much.  I guess I'm just not ready yet." 

Helmwine groaned.  "Neither am I!" he said, and the other two laughed.

Her morning lessons finished, Silvawyn went to meet her friend.  She and Théodwyn were to be going together to the town square, where all the young people participating would gather together before setting out.  Standing at the entrance to the magnificent Golden Hall of Meduseld, Silvawyn announced herself to a guard.  He let her in, and she made her way to Éomund's and Théodwyn's chambers.

"Oh, Silvawyn!  I didn't hear you enter.  Hello."  Théodwyn walked into the parlor, and Silvawyn looked at her in mild alarm.  Her face was pale, and her damp hair clung to her skull.  She looked exhausted.


"Théodwyn, are you all right?" asked Silvawyn.

Théodwyn waved aside her friend's concerns.  "It's just the morning sickness," she explained.  "I've been having an awful time with it.  The midwife says that's to be expected with a first pregnancy.  But I don't think I'm feeling up to going to the picnic today."

"What a shame!" Silvawyn exclaimed.  "I'm so sorry."

"It's all right.  I'll be able to go next year, I'm sure."  Pulling out a couple of chairs, she sat down in one.  "Do you have a few minutes to chat before you go to the town square?"

"Certainly."  Silvawyn sat down as well.  "So, what do you think?  Boy or girl?"

Théodwyn smiled.  "Well, Éomund has his heart set on a girl, but I think that it's a boy.  When he asks me how I can be so sure, I say, 'I just know.'"

"Have you thought about names yet?"

"We've thought about it a good deal, but we haven't decided anything for certain yet."  She laughed suddenly.  "We were both a little surprised to discover that I was pregnant already—for some reason, we thought it would take longer.  But I'm very, very glad to be having a child.  Maybe my firstborn will be some comfort to my brother," she added, a shadow clouding her face.

Silvawyn frowned slightly.  "How is the king?"

"He says he's all right, but I don't know.  It can be so hard to tell with him sometimes.  He just shuts things away inside himself.  He still hasn't really recovered from losing his wife when she gave birth to Théodred two years ago.  And now to have lost Father and be given the responsibility of king—it's quite a load.  I myself don't know what I would have done if I hadn't had Éomund to comfort me."  She looked at Silvawyn and smiled.  "And you, of course."  Silvawyn smiled back.

Théodwyn fell silent and her face darkened.  "Théodwyn, what's wrong?" asked Silvawyn.

She sighed.  "I don't know exactly.  But something has been troubling me.  It has to do with Gríma."  She said nothing more for a minute.  "I don't know.  I can't really explain it, but I just have a funny feeling.  Théoden spends so much time in counsel with him.  Isn't that a little odd?"

Silvawyn shrugged.  "Well, Gríma was a friend of his since childhood.  Many of the people believe that was one of the main reasons King Théoden appointed him as his chief minister after your father died, because he wanted someone he was familiar with and felt comfortable with."

Théodwyn nodded slowly.  "Yes, I know."  She shook herself out of her reverie.  "Oh, well.  It's nothing to worry about, I suppose."  Glancing up at the grandfather clock, she gasped.  "Look at the time!  I mustn't keep you any longer.  Go on, Silvawyn, and have a good time.  You must tell me all about it later."

"I will, I promise," said Silvawyn, smiling.  "Goodbye!"

The town square was crowded with many of the young men and women of the city.  There was no specific age limit, though most of the ones who came were between sixteen and thirty.  The excitement was almost tangible, as people chatted gaily with one another.  After all were gathered, they set out.

Later, Silvawyn stood on a beautiful hillside, watching as the other young women laughed and talked and did each other's hair and played games.  Her spirit soared in elation, and she thanked the gods for her wonderful life.  Truly, this was a perfect day.