Chapter five. I will remind you once again that I do not claim any of this
but the way in which it is written. The key events, the people, and the
setting all belong to Tolkien who have given us so much to ponder. Bless
him. Not that I am religious or anything like that. It just sounded right
at the time. I hope my stories do not get deleted off fanfiction because I
deleted all of the chapter copies off my computer. I don't think that they
would unless I did something bad. Anyway, shall I continue this magnificent
tale for you? Now where was I? Ah yes. I remember now!
***
The chef who helped Eomer and I throw the Snake into the pig slop also journeyed with us to Gondor. We were heading to Minas Tirith which was one of the few places left where I was sure we would be welcomed. Wormtongue didn't leave many options open to us. Seeing that it was in the Winter months we could not go to our second home, the cottage on the Entwine river, because no one lives there at that time of year while the roads are treacherous with ice and trade is closed. Therefore we were to go to the only other place where we were familiar. We were to go live with the family of Denethor.
The house of Denethor is a happy one, loud, but happy nontheless. I was alway comfortable there. Faramir, Boromir, and their host of younger pesky siblings always kept me occupied. The last time I had been there I was eleven. Faramir and I would hunt in the woods and Boromir would stealthily sneak up on us dressed like an orc and then holler a deathening war hoot, or he would sometimes sneak up all the way and pull my hair from behind and disappear again. Boromir and Faramir had always been excellent swordsmen. Boromir the better of the two and Faramir was the more charismatic one. Faramir was my best friend and confident. How nice it would be to see the two of them again.
What evil pranks there were to be played! Faramir two years ago at the cottage had snuck off with my clothes while I was bathing and I had chased him around the woods tracking him in just a towel until I ran into Eomer. He just laughed at me and stole the towel right off me! I didn't sneak back into the house until the moon had been up a long while and the candles were blown out. I tried to quietly sneak back into the house knowing that everyone had gone to sleep so that no one would see me dirty and naked scurrying about with leaves and twigs in my hair. Graceful me then proceeded to trip over Boromir's pet hound, Fox. It nipped at me, snareling, chased me to my room, and proceeded to bark until the entire house was roused. Need I say it was embarassing? Faramir never let me live it down. Oh, revenge will be ever so satisfyingly sweet.
Now at sixteen years old, it was time to see my old friends again. Maybe they will help me sort out the Wormtongue problems. Something needs to be done. This cannot be allowed to continue. Father must be helped. I wonder if there is any help for him? Oh I hope that something can be done. I cannot stand to see him in such a dilapitated state as he is in now.
***
There was a breeze outside the gates of Minas Tirith. The white flags flew in the wind showing the majesty and power of Gondor that I found enviable. The city is such a live one.
Deep horns errupted from within the white brick walls of the fortress as the gates were opened and a troop of seven tall blonde and brown haired men rode out on well built, majestic horses to greet my brother, the chef Monte, and I. Two men with long hair under their ornate helms of gold I reconized almost immediately. How they have changed! They've even got facial hair! I rode, galloping forward to meet them half-way, smiling like the damned fool I was. The other five horse men stayed where they were while Boromir and Faramir advanced. The five men were guards. It was customary tradition to greet honored guests in this way. It did not take them long to come to greet us. Either they knew we were coming or they were already attending buisness at the gates.
Faramir practically jumped off his horse in an unrestrained enthusiasm and bounded over to my horse to help me down. Unfortunately for him I was already easily hopping off on the other side and his courtesty went unnoticed. No matter. He came over to greet me and bowed. Oh my. How he had changed! Now it was all the more evident. His girth was wider than it had been two years past and his height was considerably more. If he was to get much larger I would not have been able to reconize him. No more a boy but a man. His bearings were strong but as benign as those of a child.
"Lady Eowyn, lord Eomer, how wonderful it is to see you after such a time! No hard feelings about that towel thing, Eowyn?" He nudged me playfully but hard enough to knock my breath out. "Eomer! My have you grown. The ladies must sway on their heels everytime you pass. Look at you both. You look weary. Shall we proceed inside? I am sure you have many adventures and exploits to tell us about, we'll hear them at dinner. Come now. Lets go because a storm is approaching and Lady Eowyn is wearing a white tunic. Not that is such a bad thing is it?" He smiled in a friendly facitious fashion as if they had never been apart.
"Brother." A deeper voice that had to be an older Boromir spoke in mild alarm, "Where are your manners you filthy scoundrel!" He ruffled his younger brother's hair. "How nice it is to see the two of you again however I hear bad tidings from Rohan. I hope you are to tell me that what I have heard is not true. Has old Theoden really been under an evil spell? It is that slimy tounge of a worm, isn't it? Your being here must be of ill fate also. I have worried for you much."
"How serious you sound." Eomer spoke softly with a harsh unnatural smile disturbing his normally gentle features. "There is much we need to speak of. Let us go inside then. We cannot allow it to storm on dear little Eowyn's white tunic, can we?"
I had nothing to say to this bantering. It was all intended to miff me and I would not allow them the satisfaction of doing so. "Yes, let us go then."
Faramir burst out laughing at my stoic response. I think he anticipated it. "Yes, shall we?" He linked his arm in mine and we all walked the horses back to the gates of Minas Tirith.
***
The chef who helped Eomer and I throw the Snake into the pig slop also journeyed with us to Gondor. We were heading to Minas Tirith which was one of the few places left where I was sure we would be welcomed. Wormtongue didn't leave many options open to us. Seeing that it was in the Winter months we could not go to our second home, the cottage on the Entwine river, because no one lives there at that time of year while the roads are treacherous with ice and trade is closed. Therefore we were to go to the only other place where we were familiar. We were to go live with the family of Denethor.
The house of Denethor is a happy one, loud, but happy nontheless. I was alway comfortable there. Faramir, Boromir, and their host of younger pesky siblings always kept me occupied. The last time I had been there I was eleven. Faramir and I would hunt in the woods and Boromir would stealthily sneak up on us dressed like an orc and then holler a deathening war hoot, or he would sometimes sneak up all the way and pull my hair from behind and disappear again. Boromir and Faramir had always been excellent swordsmen. Boromir the better of the two and Faramir was the more charismatic one. Faramir was my best friend and confident. How nice it would be to see the two of them again.
What evil pranks there were to be played! Faramir two years ago at the cottage had snuck off with my clothes while I was bathing and I had chased him around the woods tracking him in just a towel until I ran into Eomer. He just laughed at me and stole the towel right off me! I didn't sneak back into the house until the moon had been up a long while and the candles were blown out. I tried to quietly sneak back into the house knowing that everyone had gone to sleep so that no one would see me dirty and naked scurrying about with leaves and twigs in my hair. Graceful me then proceeded to trip over Boromir's pet hound, Fox. It nipped at me, snareling, chased me to my room, and proceeded to bark until the entire house was roused. Need I say it was embarassing? Faramir never let me live it down. Oh, revenge will be ever so satisfyingly sweet.
Now at sixteen years old, it was time to see my old friends again. Maybe they will help me sort out the Wormtongue problems. Something needs to be done. This cannot be allowed to continue. Father must be helped. I wonder if there is any help for him? Oh I hope that something can be done. I cannot stand to see him in such a dilapitated state as he is in now.
***
There was a breeze outside the gates of Minas Tirith. The white flags flew in the wind showing the majesty and power of Gondor that I found enviable. The city is such a live one.
Deep horns errupted from within the white brick walls of the fortress as the gates were opened and a troop of seven tall blonde and brown haired men rode out on well built, majestic horses to greet my brother, the chef Monte, and I. Two men with long hair under their ornate helms of gold I reconized almost immediately. How they have changed! They've even got facial hair! I rode, galloping forward to meet them half-way, smiling like the damned fool I was. The other five horse men stayed where they were while Boromir and Faramir advanced. The five men were guards. It was customary tradition to greet honored guests in this way. It did not take them long to come to greet us. Either they knew we were coming or they were already attending buisness at the gates.
Faramir practically jumped off his horse in an unrestrained enthusiasm and bounded over to my horse to help me down. Unfortunately for him I was already easily hopping off on the other side and his courtesty went unnoticed. No matter. He came over to greet me and bowed. Oh my. How he had changed! Now it was all the more evident. His girth was wider than it had been two years past and his height was considerably more. If he was to get much larger I would not have been able to reconize him. No more a boy but a man. His bearings were strong but as benign as those of a child.
"Lady Eowyn, lord Eomer, how wonderful it is to see you after such a time! No hard feelings about that towel thing, Eowyn?" He nudged me playfully but hard enough to knock my breath out. "Eomer! My have you grown. The ladies must sway on their heels everytime you pass. Look at you both. You look weary. Shall we proceed inside? I am sure you have many adventures and exploits to tell us about, we'll hear them at dinner. Come now. Lets go because a storm is approaching and Lady Eowyn is wearing a white tunic. Not that is such a bad thing is it?" He smiled in a friendly facitious fashion as if they had never been apart.
"Brother." A deeper voice that had to be an older Boromir spoke in mild alarm, "Where are your manners you filthy scoundrel!" He ruffled his younger brother's hair. "How nice it is to see the two of you again however I hear bad tidings from Rohan. I hope you are to tell me that what I have heard is not true. Has old Theoden really been under an evil spell? It is that slimy tounge of a worm, isn't it? Your being here must be of ill fate also. I have worried for you much."
"How serious you sound." Eomer spoke softly with a harsh unnatural smile disturbing his normally gentle features. "There is much we need to speak of. Let us go inside then. We cannot allow it to storm on dear little Eowyn's white tunic, can we?"
I had nothing to say to this bantering. It was all intended to miff me and I would not allow them the satisfaction of doing so. "Yes, let us go then."
Faramir burst out laughing at my stoic response. I think he anticipated it. "Yes, shall we?" He linked his arm in mine and we all walked the horses back to the gates of Minas Tirith.
