A ray of sunlight shone through the great halls, lighting up the beautiful
carved-stone pillars, and making the silence and emptiness seem fuller. The
once full Hall of Edoras was now empty and sad; no one entered. The sun
caught the outline of a man pacing up and down the chamber, a man whose
face was handsome but tired. His tiredness was the result of many sleepless
nights, and the worry of the rumours facing him. He continued to pace up
and down, pondering his mind for just a little patch of lightness in a sea
of darkness. The young King of Rohan was troubled. Finally, he retreated to
sit upon his high throne, and remember the laws of his fathers and the
loyalty to his subjects. But, somehow, he didn't doubt that his love would
overthrow his duty as King.
At that very moment, the grand oak doors at the end of the chamber spread open, and in walked a tall, fair-haired man, with grey eyes, and a grey cloak. His head was held high, and his face was kind.
"Faramir!" the king called. And for the first time in weeks, he smiled.
"My dear brother, how long it has been since you have seen me." He walked over and laid his hands on Faramir's shoulders. Faramir knelt down and bowed deeply.
"Eomer." He murmured, and then he got to his feet and beamed at his friend.
"Alas, it has been a time too long since I last saw you. But, then I had brought good tidings. The Lady Aowen is with child, no greater joy has passed me since the day I met her, but that is the only good tidings I bring." He paused, his face growing grave.
"Evil stirs once again in Gondor. King Ellesar does not seem himself, he rides alone and far into the night but returns by dawn. He will not speak to anyone. His queen, Arwen, seems distant - "
"Arwen?" Eomer shot suddenly. Just the sound of her name soothed his heart. He remembered that summer eve not so long ago where they had declared they're love for each other without words. How he longed to see her once more, to touch her, to be with her. But she was Aragorn's love, he couldn't possibly be with her. Aragorn. Where there had once been brotherly love and respect, there was that but with envy and jealousy too. He was snapped out of his thoughts by Faramir's voice.
"She bids well, and sends message to you: Do not forget." He paused for a moment and then went on.
"I hope that is sufficient. Now I must ask you to come to Gondor and take council with King Ellesar, for I have hope that he will speak with you." Eomer studied the young face, and realised with a jolt of surprise how much this man cared for and admired his king.
"That I shall." He said, smiling weakly. Faramir's face showed his relief.
"Will you ride with me?" he asked the king.
"No, I must prepare myself. You go on, warn the king of my coming." Faramir saluted and then walked quickly from the king. Arwen, thought Eomer. O my darling Arwen.
*
The men from the village said they found the body on the plains. A young man, they said, looked western. Sad it was, they said, three arrows in the chest, must have been mighty quick.
They brought the body up to the healer's house and he was laid there. The king went down to pay his respects and comfort the family. But there was no family, they told him, he was foreign. Eomer walked through the door and into the small room where a body lay on a table. He felt as though an iron fist had just clenched his heart, he lost his balance and had to lean on the table for support. There was no doubting this handsome young face. It was Faramir.
At that very moment, the grand oak doors at the end of the chamber spread open, and in walked a tall, fair-haired man, with grey eyes, and a grey cloak. His head was held high, and his face was kind.
"Faramir!" the king called. And for the first time in weeks, he smiled.
"My dear brother, how long it has been since you have seen me." He walked over and laid his hands on Faramir's shoulders. Faramir knelt down and bowed deeply.
"Eomer." He murmured, and then he got to his feet and beamed at his friend.
"Alas, it has been a time too long since I last saw you. But, then I had brought good tidings. The Lady Aowen is with child, no greater joy has passed me since the day I met her, but that is the only good tidings I bring." He paused, his face growing grave.
"Evil stirs once again in Gondor. King Ellesar does not seem himself, he rides alone and far into the night but returns by dawn. He will not speak to anyone. His queen, Arwen, seems distant - "
"Arwen?" Eomer shot suddenly. Just the sound of her name soothed his heart. He remembered that summer eve not so long ago where they had declared they're love for each other without words. How he longed to see her once more, to touch her, to be with her. But she was Aragorn's love, he couldn't possibly be with her. Aragorn. Where there had once been brotherly love and respect, there was that but with envy and jealousy too. He was snapped out of his thoughts by Faramir's voice.
"She bids well, and sends message to you: Do not forget." He paused for a moment and then went on.
"I hope that is sufficient. Now I must ask you to come to Gondor and take council with King Ellesar, for I have hope that he will speak with you." Eomer studied the young face, and realised with a jolt of surprise how much this man cared for and admired his king.
"That I shall." He said, smiling weakly. Faramir's face showed his relief.
"Will you ride with me?" he asked the king.
"No, I must prepare myself. You go on, warn the king of my coming." Faramir saluted and then walked quickly from the king. Arwen, thought Eomer. O my darling Arwen.
*
The men from the village said they found the body on the plains. A young man, they said, looked western. Sad it was, they said, three arrows in the chest, must have been mighty quick.
They brought the body up to the healer's house and he was laid there. The king went down to pay his respects and comfort the family. But there was no family, they told him, he was foreign. Eomer walked through the door and into the small room where a body lay on a table. He felt as though an iron fist had just clenched his heart, he lost his balance and had to lean on the table for support. There was no doubting this handsome young face. It was Faramir.