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Chapter Thirteen: The Field of Cormallen
----------------
Éomer was delighted to see Éowyn's arrival. "Why did you not respond?" he asked.
"I wanted to surprise you!" she said. Éomer smiled. The frost had melted from his sister. She was the happy young woman he remembered, not the cold maiden everyone else saw. He knew quite well that Aragorn's message had been the deciding factor, but was aware she had wanted to see him, too.
"Where, pray tell, is the Lord Aragorn?" she asked, after much talk on other matters.
"He is still with the Hobbits," said Éomer. "They needed much care."
"Indeed he is putting forth all of his power to save them," added Gandalf, "for they are near to death."
And Éowyn was worried, but it was at that moment that she saw him emerging wearily from the beech-grove where Frodo and Sam lay. He beckoned to Gandalf.
"They were near death," he said, "But they will make it. I marvel still at their strength."
"As do I," smiled Gandalf, "for without them, the Quest would have failed: indeed the war would have been lost, if not for the Halflings. Pippin saved Faramir and slew a grown troll; Merry helped slay the Witch-King; Frodo and Sam - they threw down Sauron!"
"I begrudge not the Dúnedain's watch over their land, though they be unaware of it," said Aragorn, smiling also. "Now I must rest, for I shall sleep standing up if I must!"
*****
Four blissful days later, on the eighth of April in the reckoning of the Shire, Samwise Gamgee and Frodo Baggins awoke. That afternoon there was a ceremony held in their honour. "Long live the Halflings!" sang the people.
Éomer requested a seat of honour for his sister. Seven seats were set behind the High Table. Three were under the flag of Elendil, for Aragorn, Frodo and Sam. At his right hand sat Éomer and Éowyn under the banner of Rohan, and on the left were Prince Imrahil and Gandalf under the Swan of Dol Amroth. A great feast took place in the evening. Aragorn was shown in his full majesty, as was Éomer, but even the great son of Éomund looked like a schoolboy in Aragorn's shadow.
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Chapter Fourteen: Tents on Cormallen
----------------
That evening Aragorn visited Éowyn in her tent. "Good evening, King Aragorn," she said with a gracious smile.
"Good evening, Lady Éowyn," he replied. "You know, I summoned you here for a reason."
"A reason, majesty?" she asked. Her voice trembled.
"Yes, Lady. I have come to ask you for your hand in marriage."
If Éowyn had been happy before, just to sit in converse with him in the company of others, her heart was ready to burst now. A broad and beautiful smile spread across her face. She was barely able to answer.
"Lady?" he asked, for it had been some time before she answered.
"Yes, I shall marry you!" she said, in a whisper of pleasure. With a tender kiss, he took her hand and they strode outside. He walked straight into a party of Captains, being entertained by Pippin with a tale from the Shire.
"Gentlemen," he said happily, "The Lady Éowyn has agreed to marry me!" Éowyn blushed deeply, but two of the Elves looked as if they liked not what was said.
*****
LATER, IN ARAGORN'S TENT
The sons of Elrond were shocked. Aragorn had spurned their sister, and was to marry a Rohirric woman, of no noble blood that they knew of.
"Aragorn," said Elladan, "we wish to speak with you in private."
Aragorn frowned, but sent his esquire out. "Of what?"
"Of Arwen," replied Elrohir.
"But she must understand I must follow my heart!" cried Aragorn. "Though I had not thought of how to tell her."
"We shall send no messages," declared Elrohir. "This is your choice, but we shall not attend the wedding."
"Arwen shall be heartbroken indeed," added Elladan. "She it was that made the banner under which you march."
"But remember the words of Galadriel," pointed out Aragorn. "I'Elfstone, Elfstone, bearer of my green stone, in the south under snow a green stone thou shalt see. Look well, Elfstone! In the shadow of the dark throne, then the hour is at hand that long hath awaited thee.'I Éowyn stood in the shadow of Théoden's throne; he bore a green stone upon his brow. Éowyn is my destiny."
"But Aragorn-"
"But nothing," Aragorn interrupted. "Leave me!"
Chapter Thirteen: The Field of Cormallen
----------------
Éomer was delighted to see Éowyn's arrival. "Why did you not respond?" he asked.
"I wanted to surprise you!" she said. Éomer smiled. The frost had melted from his sister. She was the happy young woman he remembered, not the cold maiden everyone else saw. He knew quite well that Aragorn's message had been the deciding factor, but was aware she had wanted to see him, too.
"Where, pray tell, is the Lord Aragorn?" she asked, after much talk on other matters.
"He is still with the Hobbits," said Éomer. "They needed much care."
"Indeed he is putting forth all of his power to save them," added Gandalf, "for they are near to death."
And Éowyn was worried, but it was at that moment that she saw him emerging wearily from the beech-grove where Frodo and Sam lay. He beckoned to Gandalf.
"They were near death," he said, "But they will make it. I marvel still at their strength."
"As do I," smiled Gandalf, "for without them, the Quest would have failed: indeed the war would have been lost, if not for the Halflings. Pippin saved Faramir and slew a grown troll; Merry helped slay the Witch-King; Frodo and Sam - they threw down Sauron!"
"I begrudge not the Dúnedain's watch over their land, though they be unaware of it," said Aragorn, smiling also. "Now I must rest, for I shall sleep standing up if I must!"
*****
Four blissful days later, on the eighth of April in the reckoning of the Shire, Samwise Gamgee and Frodo Baggins awoke. That afternoon there was a ceremony held in their honour. "Long live the Halflings!" sang the people.
Éomer requested a seat of honour for his sister. Seven seats were set behind the High Table. Three were under the flag of Elendil, for Aragorn, Frodo and Sam. At his right hand sat Éomer and Éowyn under the banner of Rohan, and on the left were Prince Imrahil and Gandalf under the Swan of Dol Amroth. A great feast took place in the evening. Aragorn was shown in his full majesty, as was Éomer, but even the great son of Éomund looked like a schoolboy in Aragorn's shadow.
----------------
Chapter Fourteen: Tents on Cormallen
----------------
That evening Aragorn visited Éowyn in her tent. "Good evening, King Aragorn," she said with a gracious smile.
"Good evening, Lady Éowyn," he replied. "You know, I summoned you here for a reason."
"A reason, majesty?" she asked. Her voice trembled.
"Yes, Lady. I have come to ask you for your hand in marriage."
If Éowyn had been happy before, just to sit in converse with him in the company of others, her heart was ready to burst now. A broad and beautiful smile spread across her face. She was barely able to answer.
"Lady?" he asked, for it had been some time before she answered.
"Yes, I shall marry you!" she said, in a whisper of pleasure. With a tender kiss, he took her hand and they strode outside. He walked straight into a party of Captains, being entertained by Pippin with a tale from the Shire.
"Gentlemen," he said happily, "The Lady Éowyn has agreed to marry me!" Éowyn blushed deeply, but two of the Elves looked as if they liked not what was said.
*****
LATER, IN ARAGORN'S TENT
The sons of Elrond were shocked. Aragorn had spurned their sister, and was to marry a Rohirric woman, of no noble blood that they knew of.
"Aragorn," said Elladan, "we wish to speak with you in private."
Aragorn frowned, but sent his esquire out. "Of what?"
"Of Arwen," replied Elrohir.
"But she must understand I must follow my heart!" cried Aragorn. "Though I had not thought of how to tell her."
"We shall send no messages," declared Elrohir. "This is your choice, but we shall not attend the wedding."
"Arwen shall be heartbroken indeed," added Elladan. "She it was that made the banner under which you march."
"But remember the words of Galadriel," pointed out Aragorn. "I'Elfstone, Elfstone, bearer of my green stone, in the south under snow a green stone thou shalt see. Look well, Elfstone! In the shadow of the dark throne, then the hour is at hand that long hath awaited thee.'I Éowyn stood in the shadow of Théoden's throne; he bore a green stone upon his brow. Éowyn is my destiny."
"But Aragorn-"
"But nothing," Aragorn interrupted. "Leave me!"