Part 3:

Becoming a warrior in deed.

Eowyn sat nervously on her horse, eyes wide as she took in the scene before her. Never in all her life had she seen such an assembled force. They had been called by her uncle to help with an unusual amount of orc activity to their north. His main army was battling along the east and southern parts of the kingdom. In the air was a growing sense of menace. Tacatta sat on her horse a few feet from her, still as a statue. But Eowyn had known her long enough to see that she was frightened.

"Nervous, Kittiwake?" Helena asked, using the name that had found Eowyn. Because of her family's status, it was decided that she would go by another name. After their first encounter with the strangers, they thought it best to hide her identity from the outside world. Now, only a few truly remembered who she was. The second in command rode up beside her, calm on the wild horse she always rode.

Eowyn could only nod. She felt as though if she spoke, it would be no more than a squeak, revealing her inexperience.

"It is always thus with ones first battle. Fear quickens the blood and choices are made. It is only when a decision to fight-even against insurmountable odds, that a warrior is born. You need not fear for yourself. You have trained hard and it will kick in once you are there." She caught the disbelieving look that Eowyn sent her. She smiled. "You find that hard to believe? So did I when I was your age."

"You've fought in battles?" She asked, struggling with her long hair. In the confusion of the ride, she had forgotten to pull it back like the others.

Helena nodded. "Here, let me do that." Confident hands took hold of the hair and twisted it firmly before tying it in a knot. "That will hold better than any ribbon. A few were with your mother, but all of us have seen a battle or two." She answered, returning to their former conversation.

"I still find it hard to believe that mother was a part of this." She gestured around, but it was a restrained gesture-barely hiding her fear. "Mother was always so calm, so peaceful."

"Yes, Theodwyn was like a water. But you know what they say, still waters run deep." She turned at a sound and for the first time Eowyn noticed that her ears were not like hers. They were pointed at the top. "Be ready. The battle is about to begin." Nudging her horse forward, she rode up to Idis and they conversed in whispers for a while.

Queen Idis rode to the head of the line and spoke. The sense of urgency in her voice quieted their discussions and they focused on her. "I know how ferocious, how dangerous, they look. They are."

There was some nervous laughter, so she waited patiently for it to die down before she continued to speak. "Do not underestimate them. That will lead to our downfall. On the field, I want you to focus on the battle, to concentrate on yourself. But the thing I want you to remember, the most important thing while out there fighting, is that we are a team. Not one of us will win this battle alone, we must work together. If you are in trouble, do not be afraid to call for help. There is no shame in asking for assistance."

Eowyn shifted nervously, stopping herself almost before she moved. She'd been hoping that Idis' words would quiet the nervous feelings swimming inside. But her stomach only tied itself into tighter knots. The hand that gripped her sword tightened reflexively as the moments ticked by.

A horrible scream suddenly rent the air, sending chills through them.

It was all they could do to keep still. Their tight control over their horses held them in place though the tense energy seemed to transfer to them. Idis turned to face the oncoming horde with deadly calm, her arm raised in the air. They waited, watching as the enemy came closer to them. Horrible faces, a mockery of life, approached their line at an ever quickening pace.

Still, Idis waited as calm as the mountains around them. It was not in them to question her. But the closer the enemy got to them, the faster their blood flowed. Nervous energy built to an almost screaming level. It was all they could do to remain in their saddles so tense were they.

When her gleaming sword dropped, the women rushed forward with battle cries of the own. Energy was released onto the force in a onslaught of sword and spear expertise.

Eowyn was lost in the press of bodies. Everywhere was mass chaos. Blood and pain surrounded her, clouding her vision. Never before had she heard such screams. Fear crept over her, the temptation to flee filled her body. An orc leapt at her from nowhere, startling her. The horse she rode reared back, kicking wildly in the air. Keeping a tight grip on the reigns with one hand, her other lashed out with the sword. The smell of spilt blood hung in the air as the death toll rose.

Helena sought her out once the battle was over. "How are you?"

The pale face turned up towards her, the loss of innocence was in her eyes. There was no need for words, her look said it all.

"The first battle is always the worst." She sat down by Eowyn's side, not caring that she flinched from the contact. "But do not ever let it become just another battle to you." The warning was clear in her voice.

"I don't think I ever could." Her voice was strained. Obviously trying to hold back the tears straining against her control. Death all around, only matches the death inside my body, she thought.

Helena looked her in the eyes. "Yes, you could. Battles have a tendency to swallow people whole."

"Why would anyone want to live this way? I hate it." Raw.

"Do not let that hate eat you." Helena warned. "Who taught you that you could not cry, Kittiwake?"

"No one." She whispered, turning away.

The strong arm of her teacher pulled her close. "Cry, Kittiwake."

"I do not want to be seen as weak." It was said fiercely. But her head rested on Helena's shoulder, seeking the strength that lay there.

"There is no weakness in crying. It is merely a purging of what has poisoned you." She said, running her hand through the blonde hair. "Even I will cry when my work is done, Eowyn."

And though she didn't want to, she did.

Part 4:

Helena:

"How did you get so smart?" Eowyn asked Helena one day as they were washing clothes.

"Life." She answered, glancing at her, curiously. "Life is the greatest teacher. And I listen."

"Hmmm." She murmured.

"Why?"

Eowyn looked at her before wringing out the shirt in her hands and hanging it up. She shrugged.

"I asked you a question, Eowyn." There was a warning note in her voice and she used her proper name.

Picking up some more clothes, she dumped them in the hot water and stirred them with the large, wooden spoon. "No reason. It is just that you are smarter than anyone I've ever known. There's something different about you and it isn't just your physical appearance, though it is unusual."

"Different." She sighed, leaning back. "Yes, I suppose to you I am different."

"I meant no offense. There's nothing wrong with being different." Eowyn quickly said.

Those blue eyes stared at her, studying her through some kind of microscope. She was meet and shocked by the sincerity in the younger girl's eyes. "Then you are wiser than I for it took me years to accept that."

"But you always seem so sure of yourself. I envy that."

"Don't." It was harsh. Then there was another deep sigh. "I'm sorry, Kittiwake. I probably don't make any sense to you. My life has not been pleasant before I came here."

The young woman shrugged adding more soap. "It has made you who you are."

"Yes, but at a terrible price." She was silent, watching her work. "As you know, I trained with Idis and your mother. But…it took me a long time to accept that I was not meant for a quiet life. As an elf, we do not like to engage in warfare. That surprises you, didn't you know what I was?"

"No." Her voice was faint. "I had no idea. Where are you from?"

"I was born among a group of traveling elves. Even then I was different, more comfortable with the boys than the girls. I was adept at hunting rather than singing, hard riding to the study of the world's mysteries. How much do you know about the ways of elves?"

"Not much, I'm afraid. Father always said that elves were mystics and their ways a mystery to us."

She shook her head. "We aren't that much different than man, though we like to pretend that we are. We live longer and have seen more of the world. In some cases, we posses magical abilities. I do not tell you this to frighten you, just to make you aware."

Eowyn nodded. "So, how did you come to be here?"

"I met up with a wizard-no, not Mithrandir." She said with a smile. "He is the most traveled but there are others. She was one of the most fascinating woman I've ever met. I believe she would've been a high priestess but her powers were different. Callie was her name. She joined our group and traveled with us for a while. She saw my struggles to fit in where I thought I belonged, told me I was selling myself short. My talents were needed, and necessary, in this world. I should not be ashamed. It was the same thing my mother had told me, what the Lady Galadriel said when we visited Lothlorien. I was to stubborn to listen, wanting only to be like everyone else."

Eowyn shook her head, trying to hide a smile.

"Go ahead and laugh, but it was true. I didn't want to hear it. The one thing I didn't want to do was stand out. In my mind, there was a stigma attached to those who were different. It wasn't until I met Narvanata that mind set changed."

"You knew her?"

"She was the fourth of our number." Helena said quietly. "Her story is one of pain that I will not tell you for it is not my right. Suffice it to say that I was able to help her out of a dangerous situation she couldn't escape unaided. I helped her, then traveled with her until we stumbled upon I'opia. She was with a group of novices, leading them in a purification ceremony before their final induction into our society. You remember your own?"

Eowyn nodded, thinking back to her own vigil. Since the journey was one of the spirit more than the flesh, I'opia and Rylia sent her out. They had given her the instructions for what she was to do and accomplish. It was a difficult task to go out into the wilderness and survive on her own. But it was something that they all did. The travel would test your spirit, help you see if this was the path you really wanted.

It wasn't that it was terribly harsh, their teachers made sure they knew how to survive. Everything they did was geared for this moment. Even the tiniest, most insignificant thing was designed to help them in their survival hike. If one paid attention, there was nothing that they couldn't overcome. It was being alone that really tested their soul.

When they went out, they avoided all contact with living beings-save the animals. It was enough to drive a person mad with loneliness. And it didn't help that Rangers were free to roam the area-even the land the maidens dwelled upon.

These trained men had made it extremely difficult to avoid meeting them because of their extensive knowledge. There had been this one fellow who had been particularly determined to find out who was sharing the woods with him.

Suddenly, some of Helena's more unorthodox teachings made sense. "So, that's why I was able to avoid that guy. What did you say his name was? Strider-even though he'd been raised by elves."

Helena nodded, a smile on her face. She knew what Eowyn was referring to. And though she knew it was ridiculous, the thought that she had trained someone who could avoid that particular Ranger filled her with a sense of pride. "I often wondered why you never questioned me about that. It never occurred to me that you did not know my heritage."

They folded the clothes in silence for a few minutes, but it was a companionable silence. Then Eowyn spoke to her again. "You saw a purification ceremony even though outside eyes are forbidden to do so?"

"It was like I was supposed to be there. I found a sense of home in her presence. My doubts died away when she looked at me." She was quiet, reflective. "To this day I cannot describe what made me do it but when she invited us to join her, I went. And never looked back."

"Is your hair normal for elves?" She asked.

"No. It was an accident with blueberries." Helena's face was calm.

Her eyes widened in shock and she stared at her teacher, mouth open slightly. "You're kidding."

"Would I do that to you, Kittiwake?" She asked, finishing the clothes in front of her. "You better hurry, it is almost dinnertime."

In the distance, the dinner bell rang. She waited patiently until the younger woman was done. Then the two warriors stood up and, carrying their workload between them, walked home.

~~~~~~~~~

"Wait, you knew Aragorn?" Merry asked, breaking into her story when he felt it was appropriate.

"Aragorn?" She asked him, confused. "No, what does he have to do with anything?"

"Didn't you know? Strider is Aragorn." Merry explained.

Eowyn nodded slowly. "That would explain a few things. No, I never met nor saw Strider. I only knew his name because Helena told me."

"I see." He said slowly. They listened to the birds trill in the distance for a moment. "So, why were you with King Theoden when we came?"

"Can't you guess how that came about, dear Merry?" She asked softly and waited a moment before resuming her tale.

Part 5:

The Call Home:

It was a chilly morn when Eowyn was roused from her slumber by a rapid knock on her door. "Rouse yourself, Kittiwake." Helena called out. "We have visitors approaching the boundary."

"Friend or foe?" She asked, voice muffled slightly by the shirt. Grabbing a knife, she tied it to her thigh after pulling on pants. On her upper arm, she placed three bands that showed her allegiance and rank in the core.

"I believe it to be more kin than kith." Helena said, waiting for her.

The door opened and she stepped out. "Kin?" It was a hopeful note, she hadn't seen her family in years. Even thought they had defeated the orcs about a year ago, they had not gone to the capital to give their report. Silently, they made there way to the waiting horses. Along with Idis and a few chosen warriors, they rode out to meet them.

As they approached the border, they found the men waiting for them. Some were warily watching the guards, who were staring back just as suspiciously. "Eomer, what brings you here?" Queen Idis rode forward, gesturing that the others stay back. I'opia walked up with her.

"Business, Queen Idis." He responded, getting off his horse and bowing before her. The rest of the men followed his lead.

She dismounted as well, bowing before him gracefully. Eowyn stayed mounted, as did the rest of the women. "What business brings you so far from home? When aid is needed, it usually comes by air."

"I realize that, majesty." He hesitated, glancing around. "This is not something that should be spoken of in the open. Is there not someplace we could go to speak?"

Idis exchanged looks with I'opia. The high priestess moved forward, her eyes examining all the men assembled before her. "Those three must stay out here." Her wizened hand pointed to the men who were standing a little behind everyone. "Their hearts are intent on mischief."

Eomer nodded, feeling his skin crawl just a little bit. What the wise woman had said confirmed his suspicions about the three who had joined them at the last minute. Still, it was unnerving to hear the words. His uncle had warned him to be prepared but he had said it only in passing. He wished that he'd been more prepared for what waited for them.

Raising her arms and then moving her hands so quickly that the gesture was hidden to all, the shield protecting them dropped. "You may pass save the three. Do not feel that you can trifle with me just because I am old." She invited, but warned them as well.

When the invited were in, she raised the shields once more. Turning to face them, she bowed and addressed them. "Welcome, you who are dear as brothers." She turned to the women who guarded the entrance. "Watch those three. Though they are out there, they are still dangerous." Then she turned and vanished.

Eomer and the men followed Queen Idis and her company into the heart of their lands. Unlike his men, he was not watching the path or studying the area. He was looking for his sister, would she even remember him? More importantly, would she honor his request?

Helena glanced back at the young captain and saw his dilemma. "Ride back, Kittiwake. Your brother is most anxious to see you."

"Is that allowed?" She asked, looking up at Idis' stern profile. Though she was now acknowledge one of them, she still feared being a disappointment to them all.

"There is nothing written that says you cannot." She answered, nudging the girl's horse. "Go on."

Slowing down, Eowyn waited for Eomer and moved beside him, ignoring the whispers of the men.

Eomer was surprised when one of the warriors joined him and turned to face her. Beside him, on a black horse, was a confident and poised woman. She was tanned and had firm muscles, on her hip was a whip. He had seen a whip like that used in battle, only the most dedicated could use one.

"Hello, Eomer, brother." She spoke in a quiet voice, wearying of his study.

He was startled. This was his sister? He would've doubted but for the blonde hair and the hazel eyes that were their mother's, he didn't think that any one else could have that combination. This was not the slip of a girl he remembered. Eowyn had grown into womanhood. "Eowyn?" Eomer asked quietly, unable to disguise the shock in his voice.

She laughed. "Have I so changed that I am unrecognizable to my own brother?"

"Well, you don't look much like the girl I remembered."

"I grew up, as we all must." She was quiet, nodding to some of the men she recognized. "Uncle is not well, is he?"

"No." Eomer shook his head, but it was a subtle move. "The men do not know how serious it is yet."

"And the three that I'opia didn't let in?" She was prodding gently.

"They are men of one of uncle's new advisors, a man named Grima." His voice was deadened, as though he tried to keep his feelings out of his words.

A shiver of fear ran down her spine. Helena seemed to feel it and glanced back at them, a question in her eyes. She was quick to join them. "I take it he is not a good man." Eowyn said.

Eomer nodded at Helena, remembering her. "I don't want to judge but I feel in my gut that he means uncle harm."

"Who?" Helena asked, her shoulders were tense.

"Grima." They said in unison.

A stone would've shown more emotion than she at that moment. "He is an evil man."

"You have heard of him?" Eomer asked.

"Yes. I have even had the displeasure of meeting him." She answered, turning to Eowyn. "You have seen him, Kittiwake. Do you remember the first night of camp?"

"That man with the creepy eyes who was watching me?" She nodded slowly, trying to stop the cold that was stealing through her soul.

"That would be him. Queen Idis must be warned of this. It would not do for her to be unprepared for your announcement." She left them.

"Don't worry, Eomer. Helena is discreet. No one save the four of us will know until you've spoken."

"What about that wise woman?"

"I'opia. She knew before you set foot on our borders. There is very little that the wind does not take to her ears." Eowyn answered. "I would not fear to much over her."

"Is she always so…startling?"

Eowyn considered his question, then shook her head. "I'm not sure I understand what you mean. If you mean the nature of her appearances and disappearances, then yes."

Eomer chuckled, just a little bit. "No. I mean, she has a way of looking through one that seems rather unnatural."

"It is what she does. As high priestess, one of her jobs is to help us to do better. The first time it happens, it does frighten one. Over time, you get used to it."

"So, she is a spiritual guide." He guessed. "I guess that intimidating people is a good thing then."

Her face when she turned to him was serious. There was respect and awe in her eyes. "She is more than that, Eomer, so much more. I'opia is indeed a spirit guide. But she is also counselor to the queen, healer, prophetess, teller of tales. About the only thing she isn't is a warrior. But don't thing that she can't fight, she can. It just isn't her main duty."

"She sounds like one impressive woman." Eomer quietly said.

"She is." Eowyn was silent, recalling when she'd been sent to study with her for a year. It had been quite an experience in taking leaps of faith. The one thing above all the things she'd learned from her was to rely on her intuition more than what her eyes told her.

Eyes, she was told, can be easily deceived. But you gut never will be as long as you learn to hone it and listen to it. It will sometimes be your only defense in this world.

Eomer tapped her on the shoulder and she looked over at him, curiously. "Where did you go?"

"I was just remembering some things."

"What is with that name Helena called you? Kittiwake?"

"That is what I am known as here. It is a way to protect me." She said, with a smile. "Enough about me, what have you been up to?"

He accepted the change in conversation with good humor. "The usual. I've been training. Did some fighting recently, I hear you were there?" It was a slight question.

"Yes." Her voice was subdued.

"It wasn't anything like we thought battles were, was it?" He was subdued as well.

"No." She waited for a moment, trying to put into words what she'd felt. "It was the most horrible thing I have ever done."

"Felt like you were going to be swallowed up in the dark of the hate surrounding you." He agreed with both her spoken and unspoken words. "I couldn't sleep for days after it was over."

"The faces and voice kept echoing in my mind." She agreed, falling silent.

"War may be hell but it has its place." He commented, then was silent as well.

Queen Idis turned from her talk with Helena and saw them, she raised an eyebrow slightly. Eowyn urged her horse forward, shaking her head at her brother. She was riding by Tacatta and the woman looked at her curiously. "Who was that?"

"My brother, Eomer." She was quiet. "Do you think I made Queen Idis mad?"

"By talking to your brother? No." Tacatta shook her head. "It takes more than that to upset her. I think she's heard something distasteful."

"Hmmm." It was a non-committal sound.

Tacatta's eyes sharpened. "You know something, don't you?" Then she seemed to slap herself. With an apologetic look, she smiled sheepishly at her. "Forget I said anything, Kittiwake. It isn't my business until Queen Idis says something to us."

"Already forgotten." Eowyn murmured. Luckily for her, they rode into camp and Idis signaled for them to dismount.

As he company disbanded, she gave them her orders for the days activities. "Tacatta, Kittiwake, you will go and learn from Narvanata this day. It will be her privilege to chose what your lessons. Eomer, you and your men will come with me now. Helena, as soon as you've cleared a place for the men, join me." There was no doubt that she wanted to get the situation sorted as quickly as possible.

Eowyn watched for a moment before going with Tacatta. Narvanata was waiting for them, two piles of fish at her feet. "These need to be salted for storing." She pointed at one pile, then towards the others. "These are to be gutted for our meal tonight. I honestly don't know what she's thinking bringing those men here." She muttered.

"There doesn't seem to be enough." Tacatta said.

"There isn't. After we have finished these, we will go hunting for more." Brisk, No-nonsense. That was how Narvanata handled everything. She was a brilliant trader and her haggling skills knew no rival, at least among them. Previous to becoming a shield maiden, Narvanata was a sailor. Eowyn knew this because she had asked while learning to fish with her.

Over the feast, Eowyn was called to sit by Queen Idis. "Kittiwake, your brother wants you to go back with him." She spoke in a soft voice, barely above a whisper. Yet Eowyn heard every word clearly.

"Must I?"

"I have told him that it is your choice alone." Idis said. "But I'opia is of the opinion that you should go back. Think on it carefully."

"What is there to think about? My uncle is in danger. I cannot in all good conscience, nor honor, turn him away." She sighed.

"You know this means going right into the heart of a human dragon." Idis warned.

Eowyn nodded. "I know. But what would you do? Could you turn your back on him?"

"Go with the goddess, daughter of my heart."

~~~~~~~~~

"So, knowing what Wormtongue was, your brother wanted you to go home?" Merry asked. "That seems so wrong."

"My brother felt that my presence might help uncle come to his senses. What is wrong in that?"

"Nothing-except he left you no real protection from that beast." Merry stated firmly.

She smiled slightly. "Merry, I was a fully trained warrior. There was no way Wormtongue could've hurt me."

"But you would have done nothing against him for fear that he would harm your uncle." Merry said, watching her. "I know you, Eowyn. I saw the way he was looking at you, the way you would shrivel up when he looked at you. How long was it before he hurt you?"

"It wasn't bad. Not at first, he seemed to be afraid of my reputation. But the longer I stayed silent, the more confidant he grew. It became harder to find places to escape him." Her eyes closed in remembered agony.

"And I bet you still feel him. Feel that touch on you, forcing you to do things that are against your nature." It was said softly, but with some understanding. He knew, to a certain extent, what she felt like.

"Yes." She gasped, wrapping her arms around her. Trying in vain to hold herself together, to not yield to her tears.

"Yet you live every day, you continue to survive what he did." He stood up and approached her. Ever so gently, he rested his hand on her shoulder as he sat down. "You haven't let his memory hold you back, Kittiwake." Her name came easily to his lips. It was like she'd been waiting to hear it because she slipped off the bench and, resting her head in his lap, cried for the second time in as many days.

He waited until he knew she was done crying before speaking. "What you said earlier about being a coward, I don't believe a word of it. You are one of the bravest people I have ever had the privilege to met, Eowyn. I just wish you could see that for yourself."

The sound of a throat clearing broke into their quiet atmosphere. "Gandalf?" Merry questioned, a little doubtfully. "What are you doing here?"

"Merry, would you excuse me and the Lady Eowyn for a moment. I need to speak to her." His face was grave.

He looked at the woman for her permission. She slowly nodded. "I won't be far away."

"Just be far enough away that you do not hear what I have to say." Gandalf said sternly. She stood up slowly and turned to face him. "I need a favor of you, Lady Eowyn. But I need you to hear me out."

"Very well. What is it?"

"It is about Aragorn. He's in danger." He waited, and though she wanted to say something, she held her tongue. With a sad smile, he continued. "Though the ring was destroyed, apparently that was not what was holding Sauron here. Aragorn was captured. You are one of the few people we know who can get in and rescue him. Will you do it?"

Eowyn stared at him, disbelief in her eyes. Her mouth opened, then closed, not a sound escaping it.

"Are you all right?" Gandalf asked, concerned for her.

"Are you mad? You want me to go into Sauron's stronghold to rescue a man who does not care for the fact that I entered the battlefield? A man who probably thinks that I fought only because I couldn't have him. He would balk at the idea of my rescuing him. I doubt he'd leave with me once I've found him for spite."

"Don't you think you're selling him short?"

"Considering that it was his word that stopped my uncle from sending for the Shield Maidens to help in the battle? And stopped me from going with either party? No."

"A man's life is in your hands. How can you turn your back on him?" Gandalf asked, coming to stand before her. "Could you live with yourself if he died, knowing that you could have prevented it?"

"You mentioned others. Let them do it." She was being stubborn, shutting his words out of her mind.

"No one else can."

"That's not what you said before." Eowyn was suspicious.

"I believed that you would agree if you thought there would be some help for you." He explained, sitting down. "They are all dead or missing."

"Obviously, you were wrong about me." She was blunt.

His head shook. "I don't think I was. You're hurt but I know you are as honorable as he. His life is in your hands, Eowyn. Please, save him for all our sakes."