A Bond stronger than Blood

Disclaimer: Everyone you know from LOTR is not mine. Everyone else is.

A/N: -

Chapter 3

Eowyn was standing outside Meduseld, enjoying the view over the country. The wind was playing with her golden hair, blowing it into her face.

"I wish he would come back," she sighed.

"Are you waiting for your cousin, my lady?" Eowyn turned around as she heard that familiar voice.

"Master Wormtongue," she said, not able to hold disgust out of her voice.

"The Prince will come back soon, I am sure." With that he turned and left.

Theodred returned half an hour later and immediately told her about his plans. Eowyn could hardly believe what she heard.

"You mean to tell me that you will marry a girl you do not love because you are afraid you might be reluctant to go into battle if you leave a beloved one behind?! Are you insane?! You are leaving your father and me behind whenever you go! Your whole 'problem' seems so ... hard to understand."

"It's not! It's just logical! If I had a beautiful, lovely wife like you I couldn't leave her behind because I'd love her so much. Elwyn is the next best thing. Beautiful, but I wouldn't mind making her a widow at all." Eowyn glared at him and slapped him across the face.

"You brat! You spoiled brat!" She turned away from her cousin and ran to her room.

She had meant to ask him to talk to the King about Grima, but she certainly wouldn't ask a man for help who did such a thing. King Theoden was more than pleased when he learned that his son had finally chosen a wife, even more so when he heard that Lord Galetta wanted her as well; Theoden had known the Lord's wife and he was furious, because he did not have evidence that she had died through Galetta's hand.

One month had passed since that day and Eowyn and Theodred had forgiven each other; now they were waiting for the future Queen of Rohan to arrive at the Golden Hall. Finally they heard loud voices and Lady Elwyn of Tared, her father's estate, entered the Golden Hall. She ignored the voices of the people of Rohan who had never seen features as dark as hers before.
"My King." She sank to her knees in front of the throne. She knew that she had to wait until the King helped her back up and she looked down at the floor. Finally she felt a warm hand in her own and lips touch the pale skin of her hand. It was not the King, though, it was Theodred. He was smiling and she returned it, although she felt like killing him
"Sit down, my lady," the King said; a servant had brought a chair and placed it in the middle of the hall while she had been down on the floor. Everyone could see her from where she was. Elwyn sat down and placed her hands on her lap.
"Well, my lady, how old are you?", the King asked, friendly. Elwyn felt that he was not her enemy here.
"I'm seventeen years old, my King," she replied as politely as she had practiced with her father.
"Young ... but so is my son." The noble people of Rohan laughed which caused Theodred to blush. "Who are your parents, child?"
"Lord Emhal of Tared, my lord. My mother, Lady Alin of Gondor died when I was a child." That last remark was a polite way to remind the King that she was not a child anymore. Theoden chuckled; he liked the girl's temper.
"Which languages do you speak, Elwyn?"
"The ancient tongues of Rohan and Gondor as well as the common speach, my lord." The King thought for a moment and then suddenly asked: "Who was the second King of Rohan?"
"Brego, of course!" Elwyn blushed; she was not supposed to act like this, but then again, she had not travelled to Edoras for a history lesson. "My lord," she added. Theoden chuckled.

"You will be a good Queen, my Lady. Welcome to my family!"

Eowyn led her to her new chambers, before the noble people of Rohan could get too close to her; the lady of Rohan had sensed Elwyn's distress.

"They are not always here. They just came here to see who Theodred has chosen over their daughters."
"I honestly wonder why ...," Elwyn murmured.
"Have you said something?"
"No, no, my lady."
"Have you just called me 'lady'? My name is Eowyn. I hope we will be friends." Elwyn could not reply and she felt tears well up in her eyes; no one had ever 'hoped' to be friends with her, especially not this beautiful, graceful woman.
"Thank you, Eowyn."
"That's all right."

Elwyn's servant had just left the room when she heard a knock on the door.
"Yes?" Theodred entered the room, a small box in his hands.

"My lady?"

"Yes, what is it?"

"Elwyn ... I have a present for you." Theodred blushed; suddenly he didn't feel that great anymore and the whole idea seemed cruel and wrong to him. "We never really got engaged and so I thought I'd give you this ..." Elwyn took the box and opened it. She stared at a silver ring, plain, but beautiful and certainly more worth than everything in her father's estate.

"Thank you, my Prince, but I do not wish to have a present from you." She tried to remember what her father had said. I If you have to come back here no one will ever marry you and I will throw you off my land! /I But then she couldn't hold herself back anymore and threw the ring to the ground.

"Are you completely insane, Theodred?! Why did you choose ME?"

"I needed a wife who would not mourn for me when I fall in battle and who I don't love. You're perfect for this. That was my mother's wedding ring," he whispered.

Elwyn remembered that he had never known his mother. She wanted to pick up the ring, but Theodred pushed her away.

"Do not touch this!" He stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind him. p

Later that evening Eowyn visited Theodred's fiance. Elwyn was sitting on a chair in front of the mirror and tried to comb her hair.

"Why didn't you ask for a servant?", Eowyn called out as she saw how hard it was for Elwyn. She took the comb away from the younger girl and took up a strand of the black hair, trying to sooth it.

"Usually I don't like it when people touch me, but since it is you, it's all right."

"Thank you," Eowyn said. "Theodred was upset when he left your room today. I wanted to visit you, but when I saw him I decided to leave you alone."

Elwyn told her new friend everything and the lady sighed.

"That ring means a lot to him. It's the only thing left of his mother, but don't feel guilty. You couldn't know and I never liked Theodred's idea much." The blonde woman looked at the darkhaired girl. "He's a good man. I hope you will see that some day."

With that Eowyn left.

She had almost arrived at her own chambers, when she ran into someone. br
"Sorry, I haven't seen you," she apologized, when she noticed that she had run into Grima Wormtongue.
"Oh, that is all right, Lady Eowyn," the pale man replied.

"Well, fine then." She wanted to leave, when Grima grabbed her by the wrist.

"Your hair looks especially nice tonight, my lady. Like gold under the stars," Grima said.

"That's too kind of you." Eowyn pulled her arm back and walked to her room as fast as she could, without looking unpolite.