Growing Under Shadow

Chapter Two

Éowyn and Théodred cleared the steps and found their way to a well-hidden hole in the side of the hill. Théodred moved the leaves, stones and mud and Éowyn climbed in. Théodred followed and covered the hole again.

Éowyn lighted the torches.

"Do you think he will find us?" Asked Éowyn, smoothing her dress out.

"Nobody can find us in here cousin. We are safe - for now." Said Théodred. Éowyn smiled and picked up a golden box. She opened it and took out a piece of food that looked like bread.

"Cram." She said, biting a bit off. "It does not taste good. How long has it been in here?"

"I think it has been in here for a couple of years." Said Théodred, taking out a stick as Éowyn spit the bread out. "This is my staff. My father told me stories of the Grey Pilgrim and the White Wizard of Orthanc, so I made a staff so I can be an Istari."

"I want to be one." Said Éowyn, trying to take the staff away from him. "So I can smite Grima into the Earth once and for all." She clutched her wrist remembering the grip he had bestowed her with.

"You can't be one, girls aren't Istari. You can be one of the Valar." Advised Théodred.

"I will be an elf, like the enchantress who lives in the golden wood. My brother tells me tales of her and I want to be like her." Said Éowyn with a dreamy gaze in her eyes.

"You cannot be her, she is evil." Argued Théodred.

"I can be whoever I wish to be Théodred and the Lady of the Wood is not evil, people only never return when they go into Lorien because it is so beautiful they do not wish to." Retorted Éowyn.

"My father says she is evil so she must be. You have to be someone else." Said Théodred. "As the prince of Rohan and future king, I command you to be!"

"Fine. I will be." Éowyn paused and thought of the different beings in Middle Earth and who she could possibly be. "I will be the head of the black riders. Éomer tells me scary stories of them and I can scare Grima away!"

"You can't be a black rider." Sighed a frustrated prince.

"Why not?" Asked Éowyn bluntly.

"Not only are they evil and servants of the one whom we cannot name, but they are also all ancient kings of men. They cannot be women." Théodred informed her.

"Well then I have to be someone silly. I'll just be me." Sulked Éowyn.

"Ok, you can be the Lady of the Wood." Théodred hated people sulking and had too good a heart to hold an argument if someone sulked.

"Thank you cousin!" Smiled Éowyn.

"Keep your voice down." Hushed Théodred. "He might hear us."

Éowyn put a finger over her lips as if to say 'not another word.' Théodred grinned.

"Let us tell stories." Said Éowyn eagerly. "I am keen to know about our ancestors and the line of kings as well as stories of the first and second age of our Middle Earth."

"Alright. I will start." Said Théodred.

"Who are you going to tell about?" Asked Éowyn.

"I am going to tell about.the rings." Said Théodred proudly. It was a story seldom told by men, but Théodred loved to read books and this was his favourite story in one.

"I love this story!" Said Éowyn.

"It began when Sauron, servant of Morgoth, created 20 rings of power. Three for the Elven-kings under the sky."he began

"Seven for the Dwarf lords in their halls of stone." Éowyn continued. Théodred scowled at her.

"As I was saying.nine for mortal men doomed to die. One for the dark lord on his dark throne in the land of Mordor where the shadows lie. One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all and in the darkness." He continued.

"Bind them." They said together in unison.

"In the land of Mordor where the shadows lie." Finished Théodred. "Now, if you are going to keep interrupting then I shall not continue."

"I will be good. I promise." Gasped Éowyn, even more terrified of the prospect of not hearing this story again.

"Now, the ring was created in the fire of mount doom. A master ring to govern all others. All Sauron wanted to do was absorb the world in darkness. One by one the free peoples of middle earth fell to the power of the ring. But some people, like out great, great, great, great grandfathers, decided to fight Sauron, because nobody but orcs liked him. So a last alliance of men and elves went to Ithilien, the mountains of shadow and the ash mountains to fight Sauron. Lots of people died, even Elendil, Isildur's father, so Isildur took up Narsil, his father's sword, and Sauron broke it, and so it is now the shards of Narsil. Anyway, Isildur cut the ring from Sauron's hand - killing him! Then Isildur threw the ring into Mount Doom's flame and men, the ones doomed to die, became the strongest people in Middle Earth." Smiled Théodred, quite pleased with his story telling.

"So Sauron is dead?" Stuttered Éowyn. She loved the story but was always frightened of it.

"Of course he is." Snapped Théodred.

"I don't think he is." Replied Éowyn.

"Think what you will, I know he is." Théodred stuck his tongue out at Éowyn.

"The wind will change and your face will be stuck like that. It might actually be an improvement." Joked Éowyn.

"You speak from experience I see." Théodred joked back. They both gave in. "Do you think father is back?"

"No. Eomer will know where we are. He will come and get us when they return. I dropped a piece of cloth with our special language on it." Answered Eowyn.

"What if the wind has stolen it?" Questioned Theodred.

"Then the wind will find Eomer or will find us." Eowyn sighed. "I wish your father would see Wormtongue for what he is."

"He will one day I am sure. But when I am king, I will kill him for hurting you!" Said Theodred in a powerful voice.

"Thank you cousin." Eowyn hugged Theodred.

The entrance to the hole began to move and Eomer's tanned face peered in.

"What are you two doing in there?" Said Eomer, looking at the two of them squashed up like rabbits in a warren.

"Oh brother!" Eowyn sobbed crawling out and hugging him. "He did it again, he hurt me again - three times!"

"What?" Growled Eomer, angry at someone hurting his sister, who he swore to protect. "I will never leave you alone again. I promise. Not even if they throw me out of Rohan."

Eowyn's tears fell into her brothers hair. He pushed her away. "Where did he hurt you?"

"He kicked my ribs, pulled my hair and squeezed very hard on my wrist." She showed him the red hand print that still remained on the pale skins.

Eomer hugged her again as Theodred crawled out of the hiding hole. "He said Father would not believe us."

"He will not, I agree." Said Eomer. "But I swear I will protect you to my very own death, both of you."

"I swear to protect both of you to my very own death." Agreed Theodred.

"I swear to protect both of you to my very own death." Joined Eowyn. They all hugged together and swore never to leave each other alone again.

For the remainder of that year that is what they did. Never would they go out as a two, or a one and they wouldn't leave anyone behind.