Ai! Jellylady! You get your wish for the next few chapters, Legolas is going to come back! I promise not to skew his character like I did in Arin Elen. I just read that today and Oh Valar what did I do to Legolas in that story? I feel bad for him¼ and I wrote it! It was so horrible! I hope you all forgive me for killing Legolas' character in Arin Elen it won't happen again.

White Angel

Chapter Nine

Fear Beyond Words

Eowyn spent the next two days with Meldahin and Eldarion. Eldarion was the only one who seemed to know what was going on. Meldahin simply smiled and cooed, laughing as if nothing had happened.

They took long walks in the gardens and Eldarion climbed the trees while Meldahin tried to touch butterflies that flew around her. Eowyn had sent for Legolas right after Eldarion had stopped bugging her the other day. No one knew these days where he was staying, but Eowyn knew that Aragorn could use a friend when he came back.

With every minute that passed Eowyn relived Eodwyn's capture in her head. She kept wishing she could go back and do it again just so she could tear the orcs apart. She blinked back tears and forced herself back into the present, waiting for Aragorn to return. She would have to face it if he came back alone without Eodwyn¼ or even worse, a dead Eodwyn.

She had been trying to prove something to herself. She just wanted to prove that just because she was a mother it didn't mean she was weak.

She found out the hard way what a mother's only weakness is her own child.

Suddenly the silver trumpets sounded and voices cried, "King Ellessar returns!"

Eowyn jumped up and took a deep breath, her heart pounding in her chest. She reached down and grabbed Meldahin. Eldarion had already jumped ahead crying, "Daddy!"

Eowyn walked in long swift strides out to greet Aragorn. She walked up the steps into the entrance hall and through the throne room. She walked hastily through the large chamber and out the door. Eowyn pushed through the crowd of maids and nurses and guards that were all standing outside in neat rows.

She finally came to the front where Eldarion was jumping up and down and clapping his hands. If Eowyn wasn't so nervous she would've laughed at this simple gesture of innocence.

She looked down the road and saw Aragorn cantering back on his horse, Araukadel. He was cradling a child to his chest. She could see from a distance that she was white as a ghost and was wrapped in a green blanket. Her heart skipped a beat and she absentmindedly cried out, running down the road (with Meldahin still on her hip.)

"Eodwyn!"

Aragorn looked up and upon seeing Eowyn put a finger to his lips and looked back down at the small figure in his arms.

Eowyn stopped short, confused. When Aragorn reached her he didn't bother to stop, he just urged his horse forward.

Eowyn caught a good look at Eodwyn and gasped. Her hair was a tangled mess, filled with small knots of blood and mud. She had three or four deep knife wounds on each arm and a line of blood on her chest. She couldn't see much else but what she did see made her want to vomit.

She walked slowly back to her home and watched as Aragorn carefully dismounted and carried Eodwyn up the steps and into the large stone doors. Before he disappeared though, he looked down and met Eowyn's eyes, shook his head, and walked inside.

Eowyn handed Meldahin to a nurse and told her to watch the children until she came to get them. The nurse nodded and took Eldarion by the hand, also disappearing into the doors. Eowyn took a deep breath and followed.

She walked up the winding steps until she reached the floor where Eodwyn's room was. She walked down the long corridor to the end and opened the closed door, slipping in without a sound.

Aragorn was sitting by the bed where Eodwyn had been placed. He hummed softly as he pushed the blonde hair out of her face lovingly. The pain in his eyes made Eowyn turn away, but the sudden movement drew his attention to her.

"She is not dead." He said, resting his hand over Eodwyn's heart. "She has been tortured and violated though¼ She will not soon forget it."

"Will she blame me?"

Aragorn looked back down at Eodwyn and took her tiny hand in his. "No, I do not think so. She is too young to hold a grudge against her own mother. She is too young to understand what happened."

For some reason Eowyn flinched at this comment. She was afraid to move forward and touch her because of the deep wounds and large bruises all over her body.

"When will she wake?"

"Soon" Aragorn said.

There was a long moment of silence in which Aragorn began stroking Eodwyn's pale cheek with his forefinger and Eowyn stared into space, lost in thought. It was a tense silence and Eowyn longed to break it.

"I sent for Legolas two days ago." She said.

Aragorn nodded but did not speak.

Eodwyn began to stir and moaned softly in her sleep. Eowyn could see Aragorn tense with worry as he squeezed Eodwyn's hand gently.

Eowyn walked over and stood silently next to him. Eodwyn began to moan louder and she shook slightly. Her brow became wet with cold sweat and she began to flail from side to side.

Eowyn began to tremble and cry softly.

"Will *you* blame me, Aragorn?"

"She's dreaming." Aragorn muttered, taking Eodwyn off the bed and gathering her into his arms. He ignored Eowyn. "Hush, aier (little one)." He whispered softly, holding her tightly to his chest.

Eowyn began sobbing and ran out of the room. She shut the door behind her and slid down the wall, sobbing into her hands.

*****

Aragorn flinched when he heard Eowyn's sobs outside the door. He closed his eyes and a tear fell onto the cheek of his daughter. He didn't even realize he was crying.

This was Eowyn's fault right?

He reached down and gently wiped the tear off of Eodwyn's cheek. Her eyes fluttered and opened, but for a few moments she stared into space.

Aragorn watched her intently, hastily wiping his eyes and blinking back tears. She blinked a few times and looked up at Aragorn. He smiled down at her and lifted her back into the bed. She just looked at him, blinking every few moments.

"How do you feel, Eodwyn?" He asked. She blinked once more but said nothing.

"Can you speak?" Eodwyn blinked and slowly nodded once.

"Say something then." Eodwyn's eyes went wide and she shook her head.

"Why?" Eodwyn pointed slowly to her leg and arm slashes, then brought her finger over the scratch on her chest.

"Eodwyn he won't bother you anymore! I made sure of that¼ " When Eodwyn shook her head again Aragorn sighed. He felt a tear fall from his eye but didn't bother to wipe it away.

Eodwyn reached out and gently wiped it away. Aragorn looked back up at her and tried to smile slightly. She shook her head and Aragorn nodded.

"Do you want to see your mother?" Eodwyn gave a small smile and Aragorn stood up to walk to the door. "I'll be right back."

Aragorn opened the door and threw one last glance at Eodwyn before closing the door behind him. He looked down at Eowyn. She was sitting against the wall with her head bent and her hair falling into her face. Aragorn sank down next to her.

"She wants to see you." He said. Eowyn made no movement or noise. Aragorn gently reached out and brushed Eowyn's hair away from her face. Her eyes were red and her cheeks damp.

"Eowyn¼ "

"Is she all right?"

"She isn't speaking¼ " Eowyn looked up questioningly. "She is afraid she will get punished if she talks. I shudder to think what those orcs did to her."

"Do you blame me, Aragorn?"

Aragorn opened his mouth to answer but closed it and creased his brow, looking down. Eowyn looked to him desperately.

"Aragorn I need you to say that you don't blame me."

"Why Eowyn?" Aragorn said, sharper than he intended. His head remained bent and he avoided her eyes.

"Because I¼ I blame myself. I need someone to think that it isn't my fault! I need someone to¼ I need someone to forgive me." She began to sob again. "I need you to forgive me."

Aragorn stood up without a glance to Eowyn. As he walked away he said, just loud enough for Eowyn to hear it, "She'll forgive you."

Eowyn was in shock. She just sat there with her eyes open wide, tears spilling out of them and falling down her red cheeks in small salty streams. She breathed deeply and grabbed for something, anything.

Her hand suddenly closed around the locket that Eomer had given her on her wedding day. She opened it and looked at the tiny picture of her mother and father. She missed them so much. She lightly brushed her finger over the face of her mother and smiled through her tears slightly.

She wiped away her tears as best she could and stood up, opening the door to her daughter's room. She stopped for a moment at the tiny pale figure on the bed. Her eyes wandered over the bruises and cuts that covered her body.

She walked over to the bed and knelt down next to Eodwyn, putting on a seemingly calm front. Eodwyn smiled broadly at Eowyn, and Eowyn couldn't help but smile back.

She marveled for a moment at how much her daughter looked like her. There was nothing in her whole physical appearance that didn't suggest she could've been Eowyn's exact twin when she was younger. She smiled even wider and then leaned down to kiss Eodwyn on the forehead. Eodwyn continued to smile and reached up, kissing Eowyn softly on the cheek.

"Are you all right?" Eowyn asked.

Eodwyn simply nodded.

"Why don't you speak?" She asked, tilting her head to the side slightly.

Just as before, Eodwyn widened her eyes in fear and shook her head vigorously. Eowyn gently reached up and grabbed Eodwyn's head, stopping it from shaking.

"Why?"

Eodwyn pointed to her cuts and bruises.

"You are safe now, Eodwyn. The orcs are all gone, they can't hurt you anymore."

Eodwyn shook her head again and tears formed in her eyes. She shut her eyes tight and suddenly threw her whole body at Eowyn.

Eowyn steadied herself and put her arms protectively around Eodwyn, hugging her close.

The door opened and a familiar long blonde haired someone stuck his head in. His body followed and Eowyn looked at him with a small smile.

Eowyn shook her head against Eodwyn's shoulder and Legolas nodded, turned and walked out the door.

Eowyn held her now shaking daughter, trying to comfort her the best she could.

She tried not to think about the fact that this was all her fault.

*****

Thanks to all of my reviewers first of all. Keep on reading and giving me help and tips. It helps a whole lot you know. I should be getting chapters up every other week or every 3 weeks. In the weeks between I am working on a Legomance that I won't post until after this story is over.

Song elf & GHS- Put yourself in Aragorn's shoes. Would you care why your wife (even if you are a female) went into battle if your daughter was missing? I sure as hell wouldn't care about anything except for my missing daughter. But I do see your point. Thanks for the review.

Jellylady- I added him back just for you! Don't worry he will have a larger role in chapters to come but this was just to show he is here. Daft makes me laugh too *hehehe* but I was looking for a good word for stupid because stupid is too modern of a word for LOTR.

Nemiwea- My name is Cerasi dearest! Don't call me my real name on ff.net *tisks at Nemi*

Elbereth- my always faithful reviewer! You are gonna make a sequel? NO WAY that's so cool! Hey thanks for the tips. I have to have them make up soon though yanno¼

Emily- Write as long reviews as you'd like. The longer the better. Oh and I originally planned on Eodwyn dying, actually wrote it too. But I got writers block halfway through the chapter and realized killing Eodwyn off would ruin the plot I have.

Thanks to Annie Took, budgiebee, and nihtfyr too.