I closed my eyes but did not sleep. The warm wine and hot food made me
drowsy.
The wound on my head throbbed. But I did not fall asleep. I was too afraid that the
man might come back and take off my cap and reveal my secret. I had thought of
traveling as a boy because then I would be left alone. That had been true to an
extent. They did not try to touch me as a man would a woman traveling alone. They
had beaten and robbed me and left me in the snow to die. Then these men had found
me. I was on guard. I did not trust men. And very few woman. I felt inside my shirt to
make sure that the wraps covering my breasts were still in place. I looked up at the
bed where the man with the pretty blonde hair lay and knew that he too did not sleep.
Eomer. King of Rohan. Men of rank and nobility were even more dangerous then common
folk. And handsome nobility were the death of any girl traveling alone. I turned to the
wall and let the fire warm my back. The warmth felt good after lying in the snow for so
long. I thought about the offer of Eomer. Going with him to Rohan. I had heard of the
place in legend at my home. They were the great horse people. We had heard of
nearly everything that had happened in this land. The elves that traveled to the west
were filled with stories. I decided to go and see what I could of the people of Middle
earth.
I rode behind one man into the small city and admired its simplistic beauty. The
homes were all made of wood and at the top of the hill was the palace also made of
wood. It was beautiful. I smelled woodsmoke and smoked meats and animals. I saw
beautiful blonde woman and handsome blonde men. So different from the dark people
of my kingdom. I smiled as I watched children fill the streets and cheer their kings
return. Eomer turned to me.
"They welcome us back as if we had gone to war." He said smiling. I nodded and
looked at the children and saw that they were staring at me as if I were crazy.
"They are all staring at me." I said selfconciously. Eomer laughed.
"You are new to them. They have never seen so skinny a lad before." He said the
men around him laughed. I snorted and stared at the the back of the man before me. I
turned and saw a young girl staring at me intently. Eomer noticed it as well.
"You already have young maidens vying for your attention." He laughed. I blushed and
turned away from the girl. Poor thing. I willed her to find another man. For I could not
love her in return. Not when I wasn't what she thought I was.
I followed Eomer into his mighty hall and saw young men all around practicing with
swords and staffs.
"You may train with the men if you like or you may go and find out the name of the
pretty girl that watched you as we entered." I growled.
"I am not interested in girls." I said through clenched teeth. Eomer turned and gave
me a quizzical look. "Or boys." I shouted. He shrugged and continued walking. He
sat down on his throne and slumped his shoulders. I stood before him for several
minutes before he took notice of me. He was rubbing his shoulders with one hand.
when he looked up at me.
"Are you just going to stand there all day?" He asked. I shrugged and rubbed my
hands together nervously. All the men around made me nervous. Eomer sighed and
leaned forward.
"Marcus. Get this boy a room or something." He called to a man at his left. The man
came forward and lead me from the huge room back outside to a long low building
outside. It smelled of men and leather and the only light came from holes in the
ceiling.
"This is where you'll be staying for now." The man Marcus said. I nodded and he left. I
looked the room over again then I walked to the back and claimed the last bed.
"Hey you." I heard behind me. I turned. There stood a soldier.
"Your new here." He said. I nodded. "I'm Kiel." He walked to me and stretched out his
hand. I stood and wrapped my hand around his arm just below the wrist. He did the
same.
"Covren." I said.
"Welcome to Rohan Covren." He released my arm. "I'm trainer myself and I thought
that maybe I should get to know the new body." I smiled and nodded. He looked at
me strangely for a moment then he turned his head.
"King Eomer found me in the snow and brought me back here with him." I said in way
of explanation. He nodded and slowly back out of the room.
"Well I have to go train now but I'll be back to show you around later." He said. He
tripped over a bed and fell but he was back up immediately.
"Bye." He said giving a short wave. I waved back and then he was gone. I sat down
on my bed and thought about the way he had looked at me. Did he know my secret?
I shivered in fear. That would be costly to my life if he did.
I sat in the throne into the late night just sitting there. I had dealt with all the
problems that had arisen in my absence and now I was left alone in the dark and the
cold to think. What is it about that boy that has me so intrigued? I thought. I shook
my head. Nothing. He was just to quiet. Keeping his secrets close to his heart like a
man might a lover. I shook to rid myself of the thoughts that plagues. With
all the thinking about the boy I had done that day some one might think that I
preferred boys rather then Covren. I thought about his name. It had a strange ring to
it. Almost feminine. I heard a sound on my left and turned to look. Covren walked out
of the shadows.
"Is there something wrong?" I asked. He jumped and looked at me nervously.
"No. Nothing." He said. "Just a little hungry that's all." I laughed.
" Growing boys always are hungry." I said standing and stretching.
"Come on. I'll show you the kitchens." I said motioning for him to follow. He walked
behind me wringing his hand nervously.
We both ate. Cold chicken sand beef filled our platers and warm wine our heads.
"Tell me Covren where did Marcus put you?" I asked. He looked at me through
hooded yet drunk eyes.
"The barracks" He told me. I stiffened.
"I always hated that place." I said. I relaxed and took another swig of wine.
"Your right of course." I said."She went off and got married right after the war ended.
To some prince that isn't even a prince any more." He laughed.
"My sister did that too." He said. "Said she couldn't take it anymore so she ran off
with a disgraced knight. Put the whole burden of ruling the kingdom on me. Well I
didn't want it either. People always coming and asking for my hand and all that horse
shit." I stared at him for a moment then I laughed.
" Your right. Every one keeps pressuring me to marry. Have heirs. They say." I told
him. The small, sober voice in the back of my mind asking me why I was telling this
boy anything. "Well you know what. I want to marry for love. Not heirs." I shouted
slamming my goblet of wine down on the table. Covren sobered.
"Yeah me too." He said. I stared at him for a minute.
"I need to go to bed." He said standing and walking out of the room.
"Wait. Covren." I called after him." Tomorrow you and me. We train together." He
nodded and then he left. I drank a little more wine then I let my head fall forward onto
the table and I fell asleep.
I stumbled into the barracks and to my bed. The snores of the other men filling the
place. I laid down and held my aching head.
"Hey Covren." I heard. I looked up and saw Kiel peeking over the side of my bed. I
groaned and layed my head back down.
"What were you doing?" He asked. I looked at him.
"What was I doing?" I hissed. "What are you doing?" He grinned conspirationaly.
"I just wanted to talk." He said. I sat up and looked at him.
"What?" I asked. My headache worsening. Kiel looked around and then, seeing, that
no one was awake he got up and sat on my bed next to me.
"Why are you hiding?" He asked. I looked at him.
"I don't know what your talking about." I said. Fear racing through me. He looked at
me with raised eyebrows as if to say 'Yeah right. What are you trying to prove?'
"You look just like my sister." He said. I gasped.
"I look like your sister." I repeated. I scoffed. "how could I look like your sister when I
don't even know your sister." I said. He looked at me then he reached up and grabbed
the cap off my head. I gasped again and grabbed for it but it was too late my long hair
braided around my head was revealed.
"You have met my sister" he said. I stared at him for a moment.
"How have I met your sister?" I ripped the cap away from him and placed it back on
my head before someone woke up and saw.
"Because you are my sister." He said. My eyes widened. I looked him over closely.
He did have a resemblance to the man I once knew. But the had left when I was a
little girl.
"Kielear?" I asked. He smiled and nodded.
"You look so much like our mother when you smile I knew immediately" he said. I
smiled.
"How are they?" he asked. I looked down at the floor sadly.
"They aren't alive anymore." I said. He saddened and looked down at the floor as
well.
"I never made it right with father." He said. I smiled and looked at him.
"He searched for you till his last breath was drawn." I said. He looked at me
hopefully. "He wanted so much to tell you he loved you."
"Thank you Covren." He said using my new name. "Covren. I like it."
"Its half of my name backwards." I told him." I like it too." Fear gripped me again.
"You won't tell any one will you?" I begged grabbing his sleeve. He looked at me
reassuringly.
"I won't tell if you don't want me to tell." He said. I sighed and placed my head on his
arm. I vaguely heard him commenting on my breath but I was asleep before I could
reply.
The wound on my head throbbed. But I did not fall asleep. I was too afraid that the
man might come back and take off my cap and reveal my secret. I had thought of
traveling as a boy because then I would be left alone. That had been true to an
extent. They did not try to touch me as a man would a woman traveling alone. They
had beaten and robbed me and left me in the snow to die. Then these men had found
me. I was on guard. I did not trust men. And very few woman. I felt inside my shirt to
make sure that the wraps covering my breasts were still in place. I looked up at the
bed where the man with the pretty blonde hair lay and knew that he too did not sleep.
Eomer. King of Rohan. Men of rank and nobility were even more dangerous then common
folk. And handsome nobility were the death of any girl traveling alone. I turned to the
wall and let the fire warm my back. The warmth felt good after lying in the snow for so
long. I thought about the offer of Eomer. Going with him to Rohan. I had heard of the
place in legend at my home. They were the great horse people. We had heard of
nearly everything that had happened in this land. The elves that traveled to the west
were filled with stories. I decided to go and see what I could of the people of Middle
earth.
I rode behind one man into the small city and admired its simplistic beauty. The
homes were all made of wood and at the top of the hill was the palace also made of
wood. It was beautiful. I smelled woodsmoke and smoked meats and animals. I saw
beautiful blonde woman and handsome blonde men. So different from the dark people
of my kingdom. I smiled as I watched children fill the streets and cheer their kings
return. Eomer turned to me.
"They welcome us back as if we had gone to war." He said smiling. I nodded and
looked at the children and saw that they were staring at me as if I were crazy.
"They are all staring at me." I said selfconciously. Eomer laughed.
"You are new to them. They have never seen so skinny a lad before." He said the
men around him laughed. I snorted and stared at the the back of the man before me. I
turned and saw a young girl staring at me intently. Eomer noticed it as well.
"You already have young maidens vying for your attention." He laughed. I blushed and
turned away from the girl. Poor thing. I willed her to find another man. For I could not
love her in return. Not when I wasn't what she thought I was.
I followed Eomer into his mighty hall and saw young men all around practicing with
swords and staffs.
"You may train with the men if you like or you may go and find out the name of the
pretty girl that watched you as we entered." I growled.
"I am not interested in girls." I said through clenched teeth. Eomer turned and gave
me a quizzical look. "Or boys." I shouted. He shrugged and continued walking. He
sat down on his throne and slumped his shoulders. I stood before him for several
minutes before he took notice of me. He was rubbing his shoulders with one hand.
when he looked up at me.
"Are you just going to stand there all day?" He asked. I shrugged and rubbed my
hands together nervously. All the men around made me nervous. Eomer sighed and
leaned forward.
"Marcus. Get this boy a room or something." He called to a man at his left. The man
came forward and lead me from the huge room back outside to a long low building
outside. It smelled of men and leather and the only light came from holes in the
ceiling.
"This is where you'll be staying for now." The man Marcus said. I nodded and he left. I
looked the room over again then I walked to the back and claimed the last bed.
"Hey you." I heard behind me. I turned. There stood a soldier.
"Your new here." He said. I nodded. "I'm Kiel." He walked to me and stretched out his
hand. I stood and wrapped my hand around his arm just below the wrist. He did the
same.
"Covren." I said.
"Welcome to Rohan Covren." He released my arm. "I'm trainer myself and I thought
that maybe I should get to know the new body." I smiled and nodded. He looked at
me strangely for a moment then he turned his head.
"King Eomer found me in the snow and brought me back here with him." I said in way
of explanation. He nodded and slowly back out of the room.
"Well I have to go train now but I'll be back to show you around later." He said. He
tripped over a bed and fell but he was back up immediately.
"Bye." He said giving a short wave. I waved back and then he was gone. I sat down
on my bed and thought about the way he had looked at me. Did he know my secret?
I shivered in fear. That would be costly to my life if he did.
I sat in the throne into the late night just sitting there. I had dealt with all the
problems that had arisen in my absence and now I was left alone in the dark and the
cold to think. What is it about that boy that has me so intrigued? I thought. I shook
my head. Nothing. He was just to quiet. Keeping his secrets close to his heart like a
man might a lover. I shook to rid myself of the thoughts that plagues. With
all the thinking about the boy I had done that day some one might think that I
preferred boys rather then Covren. I thought about his name. It had a strange ring to
it. Almost feminine. I heard a sound on my left and turned to look. Covren walked out
of the shadows.
"Is there something wrong?" I asked. He jumped and looked at me nervously.
"No. Nothing." He said. "Just a little hungry that's all." I laughed.
" Growing boys always are hungry." I said standing and stretching.
"Come on. I'll show you the kitchens." I said motioning for him to follow. He walked
behind me wringing his hand nervously.
We both ate. Cold chicken sand beef filled our platers and warm wine our heads.
"Tell me Covren where did Marcus put you?" I asked. He looked at me through
hooded yet drunk eyes.
"The barracks" He told me. I stiffened.
"I always hated that place." I said. I relaxed and took another swig of wine.
"Your right of course." I said."She went off and got married right after the war ended.
To some prince that isn't even a prince any more." He laughed.
"My sister did that too." He said. "Said she couldn't take it anymore so she ran off
with a disgraced knight. Put the whole burden of ruling the kingdom on me. Well I
didn't want it either. People always coming and asking for my hand and all that horse
shit." I stared at him for a moment then I laughed.
" Your right. Every one keeps pressuring me to marry. Have heirs. They say." I told
him. The small, sober voice in the back of my mind asking me why I was telling this
boy anything. "Well you know what. I want to marry for love. Not heirs." I shouted
slamming my goblet of wine down on the table. Covren sobered.
"Yeah me too." He said. I stared at him for a minute.
"I need to go to bed." He said standing and walking out of the room.
"Wait. Covren." I called after him." Tomorrow you and me. We train together." He
nodded and then he left. I drank a little more wine then I let my head fall forward onto
the table and I fell asleep.
I stumbled into the barracks and to my bed. The snores of the other men filling the
place. I laid down and held my aching head.
"Hey Covren." I heard. I looked up and saw Kiel peeking over the side of my bed. I
groaned and layed my head back down.
"What were you doing?" He asked. I looked at him.
"What was I doing?" I hissed. "What are you doing?" He grinned conspirationaly.
"I just wanted to talk." He said. I sat up and looked at him.
"What?" I asked. My headache worsening. Kiel looked around and then, seeing, that
no one was awake he got up and sat on my bed next to me.
"Why are you hiding?" He asked. I looked at him.
"I don't know what your talking about." I said. Fear racing through me. He looked at
me with raised eyebrows as if to say 'Yeah right. What are you trying to prove?'
"You look just like my sister." He said. I gasped.
"I look like your sister." I repeated. I scoffed. "how could I look like your sister when I
don't even know your sister." I said. He looked at me then he reached up and grabbed
the cap off my head. I gasped again and grabbed for it but it was too late my long hair
braided around my head was revealed.
"You have met my sister" he said. I stared at him for a moment.
"How have I met your sister?" I ripped the cap away from him and placed it back on
my head before someone woke up and saw.
"Because you are my sister." He said. My eyes widened. I looked him over closely.
He did have a resemblance to the man I once knew. But the had left when I was a
little girl.
"Kielear?" I asked. He smiled and nodded.
"You look so much like our mother when you smile I knew immediately" he said. I
smiled.
"How are they?" he asked. I looked down at the floor sadly.
"They aren't alive anymore." I said. He saddened and looked down at the floor as
well.
"I never made it right with father." He said. I smiled and looked at him.
"He searched for you till his last breath was drawn." I said. He looked at me
hopefully. "He wanted so much to tell you he loved you."
"Thank you Covren." He said using my new name. "Covren. I like it."
"Its half of my name backwards." I told him." I like it too." Fear gripped me again.
"You won't tell any one will you?" I begged grabbing his sleeve. He looked at me
reassuringly.
"I won't tell if you don't want me to tell." He said. I sighed and placed my head on his
arm. I vaguely heard him commenting on my breath but I was asleep before I could
reply.