Eowyn felt the cool breeze as he quickly closed the door. She had to
relent, for maybe eventually she would find a way to escape. She was more
than surprised to have the three girls in her company.
They went straight to work. Alia, a small, sprightly girl with fair hair,
took her hand and led her to the bathing room. Fara was already filling the
tub with warm water and rose petals. She sprinkled them delicately, her
fiery red hair shining in the shimmering vapors. Elise, by far the most
beautiful and exotic of the three, undressed Eowyn. The astonishment of
them stemmed from how young they all looked; they weren't any older than
seventeen. She climbed into the bath, grateful for the warm sensation of
the water against her skin. They washed her hair, rubbed her aching wrists
and hands, and soothed the rope marks with salve.
When she was finished, the girls led her back to the chamber. They dressed her into the glistening gown. She stroked the fabric, the silk sliding through her milky fingers. Never before had she been dressed in such a fashion. Fara brushed her golden hair, then pinned it up into a high crystal hair clasp. Elise smiled slightly, and bid her leave; Eowyn was wanted in the banquet hall.
** The table was spread with all the delicacies one could imagine in a former house of the elves. Mountains of roasted lambs and pork, goblets of sweet wine, cheese and rare fruits. At the head of the table, Grima surveyed the feast laid before him.
"Lord Grima," he looked up, startled at such a formal greeting, "the Lady Eowyn." Elise moved out of the doorway, back into the shadow. Eowyn appeared, and Grima's gasp seemed to fill the room. She looked stunning. The diamonds of the dress sparkled with every step, the deep crimson of the dress made her skin glow, her blond hair radiantly twirled into a crystal clasp. He almost leapt from his seat, but he controlled himself.
"My lady," he half-whispered, "you do look. . . astonishing. The moon in all her glory could never outshine you." He grasped her hand, brought his lips closer. She snatched her hand away before he could kiss it.
He pulled the chair out for her, and she cautiously sat. They were across from each other, but Eowyn noticed he could barely look her in the face. Some servants dressed in deep green filled their plates. They ate very little, as Grima wasn't accustomed to such rich food, and Eowyn was not hungry. He decided to speak to her instead.
"How are your girls?" He sipped at the elderberry wine.
"They suit me well. It is almost as if they've been bewitched into serving me." Grima changed the subject quickly.
"I thought you would like them, they are graceful creatures. But their beauty combined is not comparable to the beauty of thine eyes." The servants cleared away the dishes. "I have something more for you." He got up from his seat, reached into the folds of his black velvet robes, and pulled out a simple box. It was wooden, crafted by a skilled elven hand. He stood behind her, held the box in front of her, and opened it. A diamond necklace glittered within, the pearl drop diamonds the most beautiful she'd ever seen. He carefully lifted the necklace from its case, and clasped it behind her pale, smooth neck. His cold fingers graced her as he worked, the icy hand of death. She pushed her chair back, nearly knocking him over as she stood.
"You think you can win my love with gifts? You are a treacherous fiend, not worthy enough to look me in the eye!" She yanked the lovely jewels from her neck, sending them cascading across the stone floor. Grima's eyes welled with tears at the sight of the diamonds; they fell like rain.
When she was finished, the girls led her back to the chamber. They dressed her into the glistening gown. She stroked the fabric, the silk sliding through her milky fingers. Never before had she been dressed in such a fashion. Fara brushed her golden hair, then pinned it up into a high crystal hair clasp. Elise smiled slightly, and bid her leave; Eowyn was wanted in the banquet hall.
** The table was spread with all the delicacies one could imagine in a former house of the elves. Mountains of roasted lambs and pork, goblets of sweet wine, cheese and rare fruits. At the head of the table, Grima surveyed the feast laid before him.
"Lord Grima," he looked up, startled at such a formal greeting, "the Lady Eowyn." Elise moved out of the doorway, back into the shadow. Eowyn appeared, and Grima's gasp seemed to fill the room. She looked stunning. The diamonds of the dress sparkled with every step, the deep crimson of the dress made her skin glow, her blond hair radiantly twirled into a crystal clasp. He almost leapt from his seat, but he controlled himself.
"My lady," he half-whispered, "you do look. . . astonishing. The moon in all her glory could never outshine you." He grasped her hand, brought his lips closer. She snatched her hand away before he could kiss it.
He pulled the chair out for her, and she cautiously sat. They were across from each other, but Eowyn noticed he could barely look her in the face. Some servants dressed in deep green filled their plates. They ate very little, as Grima wasn't accustomed to such rich food, and Eowyn was not hungry. He decided to speak to her instead.
"How are your girls?" He sipped at the elderberry wine.
"They suit me well. It is almost as if they've been bewitched into serving me." Grima changed the subject quickly.
"I thought you would like them, they are graceful creatures. But their beauty combined is not comparable to the beauty of thine eyes." The servants cleared away the dishes. "I have something more for you." He got up from his seat, reached into the folds of his black velvet robes, and pulled out a simple box. It was wooden, crafted by a skilled elven hand. He stood behind her, held the box in front of her, and opened it. A diamond necklace glittered within, the pearl drop diamonds the most beautiful she'd ever seen. He carefully lifted the necklace from its case, and clasped it behind her pale, smooth neck. His cold fingers graced her as he worked, the icy hand of death. She pushed her chair back, nearly knocking him over as she stood.
"You think you can win my love with gifts? You are a treacherous fiend, not worthy enough to look me in the eye!" She yanked the lovely jewels from her neck, sending them cascading across the stone floor. Grima's eyes welled with tears at the sight of the diamonds; they fell like rain.
