Author's note: seems like I'm always apologizing for being late…well, hopefully updates will come more promptly now that school is over and I think I got through my writer's block. Thanx to all of you for being such faithful readers and reviewers. I love all of you!!!
Disclaimer: my plans for world domination are in the making…but since they have not happened yet—I own nothing.
Face of the Monster
By eck
Éowyn bent and planted a kiss on the brow of her small baby and gently smoothed back the feathery brown hair from the smooth brow. "Sleep in peace, little one."
"Mama?"
She dropped her gaze down to view her daughter.
"Why does that pretty elf make you cry all the time, he didn't seem so mean to me." Lina gazed up at her with all the deep wisdom of a child. One hand came up to play with Éowyn's long blonde hair.
Sighing, Éowyn bent down and scooped the child into her lap. "He's not mean, Lina. In fact, he is one of the kindest people I know." She glanced back at her son. "Come let us go to the kitchen and talk. Claron needs his rest."
Lina nodded and tucked her small hand into her mother's, following her down the kitchen; while Éowyn tried to figure out how to explain such a complicated manner to a two year old.
At the kitchen, Éowyn fixed both of them a small glass of milk. "I met Legolas during the War of the Ring. Do you remember Papa telling you about that?"
Wide eyes looked back at her. "You were there with Papa during all of that?"
Éowyn laughed. "No, in fact, I met your papa about eight months after I met Legolas. See, he was from Gondor and I was from Rohan and even though we were allies we didn't have much dealings with each other because…" she glanced at her daughter's lost expression. "Never mind. I met Legolas at Rohan when he and King Aragorn arrived to talk with the king of Rohan."
"Uncle Eomer?"
"No, the king then was Theoden, my uncle. Legolas and I became…" she hesitated. "Very good friends. He left soon after Helm's Deep to travel Middle Earth. I was sad because I missed him so much."
Lina nodded. She could understand missing someone, every time her father went away on trips she cried. "So why do you cry now that he is back?"
Éowyn opened her mouth to respond to the question when one of the three guards that Faramir employed to protect the household came rushing in with an anxious look in his eye.
"Mi'lady! There is a fire in the house! You must get out quickly before it becomes bigger!" He quickly scanned her as if looking for signs of the fire on her person.
She gasped and started to rise, hugging Lina close to her. "What about Claron?"
"I sent his nurse to get him. They will be coming shortly. Now follow me!" the guard grabbed her wrist and dragged her from the kitchen.
Lina buried her face in her mother's neck.
"What about Abigal?" Éowyn looked around frantically for the cook/housekeeper.
"She is out at the market. Everyone is out of the house except you!"
Smoke was filling the hallway and Éowyn thought she could feel the heat from the flames on her skin.
"How did the fire start?"
"We're not sure."
Then they were outside. True to the guards word, the few servants were milling around outside the house, staring up at the flames.
"Lady Éowyn!" Abigal called running to her lady's side. "Are you alright? I feared when I saw the house burning!"
"I am fine. Could you please take Lina?"
"Surely!" The matronly woman took the scared girl and cuddled her in her own arms, cooing comforting words.
Éowyn quickly surveyed the scene. "Has anyone sent for help?"
The guard that had dragged her out stepped forward. "I sent Ehud to the castle. Lord Faramir was supposed to be there."
Éowyn nodded as she mentally counted the servants making sure that none had been left in the now blazing house. Then alarm gripped her. "Where are Claron and Gluba?" panic laced her voice.
There was silence.
Finally a brave soul spoke up. "They must be still in there."
Éowyn went white. "I have to go in there." And before anyone could stop her, she went running into the house.
Coughing against the smoke, she ran up the steps leading to Claron's nursery. By the time she had reached the second story, her lungs were clamoring for oxygen that wouldn't come and the air had grown oppressively hot.
"Claron!" she screamed through the smoke and then broke down into a fit of coughing. "Where are you?"
"So you are the elusive Shieldmaiden."
At the cruel voice, Éowyn jerked to full attention, her hand going to the dagger she always kept at her side. "Who are you?" she gasped, trying to see through the thick smoke and the darkness.
The figure stepped closer. "I think you know. I am the one who has been haunting Legolas' steps all these years. I am the one who drove him finally home to you. I am the one who started this fire."
Éowyn stood taller. "Are you here to kill me?" she finally whispered.
The man laughed. "No, I am here to kill some very dear to you."
Her eyes widened and she looked over the man's shoulder towards the nursery door. "Claron."
"Ah, yes, that was his name."
Éowyn didn't miss the past tense that the man used referring to her son. "You wouldn't be that cruel."
His mocking smile was her only answer.
"You won't get away with this. I have guards that will be come behind me any moment. You may be able to kill a defenseless woman and a babe but not armed soldiers," Éowyn lifted her chin in defiance.
Another laugh. "Defenseless? Éowyn, Éowyn, I know by now that you are no weakling, even when your only weapon may be a dagger. And the guards? There are men posted downstairs with orders to kill everyone who enters, except you. You see? We are alone."
Éowyn backed up a step, trying to find away to get around the man and into the nursery. "Why are you doing this?"
"To hurt Legolas. Quite simple really." He glanced at the thickening smoke. "But I'm afraid I really must end this charade now. A pity. I wish a I had more time to play with you, I can see why Legolas' was so taken with you." He gave her body an approving glance.
She hissed slightly and spat in his direction. "Snake."
Then he lunged and it was all she could do to bring her dagger up and block the much larger sword from relieving her shoulders of her head.
He sidestepped and spun back around, swing the sword gracefully towards her middle.
The force of the blow knocked the dagger from her hands and sent it spinning across the room. She gasped in surprise and fear.
He advanced on her with a lecherous grin. "No so brave now, Shieldmaiden?" Then he swung the sword towards her heart.
She ducked to the side but not fast enough. The sword bit deeply across right side and through her arm. Pain swamped her senses as she staggered to stay on feet that no longer wanted to support her.
The man lunged again and she barely managed to dodge it.
She gasped deeply through the pain but only managed to inhale more noxious smoke.
A wail cut through the air.
Éowyn's head jerked up in the direction of Claron, her eyes leaving her adversary and going to the nursery door.
The distraction was all the big man needed. With a smooth blow, he cut through her stomach with a vicious slash. Then with a wrench he pulled it back out.
She sunk slowly to the floor in a puddle of her own blood, staring at him with huge, uncomprehending eyes. "Monster," she managed to gasp, her voice full of hatred, before collapsing fully.
He laughed and prepared to finish her off when he heard footsteps on the stairs. Swearing softly, he ran to a window nearby and slipped from the burning house and disappeared in the confusion surround the fire.
((ooo…it's another cliffhanger. I'm going good! Hehe…there's probably gonna be two or three more chapters after this one plus an epilogue…so hang tight!))
