Chapter 13: Grace from the Grave
Eowyn's face has a slight smirk on it. The day is clear and sunny, but Eowyn is far from feeling cheerful with the weather. Many things are the cause of the dark cloud over her. She has been kept in bed to make sure she has mended from her wound. It has been a week since she finally woke and a month since the battle…
The smirk disappears as Eowyn sighs. She has finally been given permission to get out of bed - only for short periods of time and she is not to tire herself. She has felt caged in her bed and room and longs to go for a simple walk around the fortress. But Théoden has forbidden her to leave her room without an escort. Eowyn sighs again and stares up at the stone ceiling.
Someone softly knocks on the door.
"Come in," Eowyn calls out.
The door slowly opens to reveal –
"Tralede!" Eowyn exclaims, her face lighting up.
The girl comes in the room and drops a curtsy. She regards the shieldmaiden with concern. "How are you?" she asks.
"I am eager to breathe in the fresh air again. I am all better, I believe. So the healers have said. I can now go out but not for long and unattended," Eowyn answers, also examining the woman. Her face becomes concerned. "How are you? And how are the others?"
Tralede approaches the bed and sits on the edge at Eowyn's beckoning.
"We are mostly fine, I think. All our bruises and small wounds have healed. But nearly all of us lost someone close to us who fought in the battle," Tralede blinks back tears.
Eowyn watches her closely and wonders how she and the others are dealing with what they had done that night. Some of them had never fought before. And some of them had never seen death as they did in the caves. Eowyn worries about how they are holding up.
Tralede breaks into Eowyn's thoughts. "But I have had many nightmares about the night. I dream sometimes that we all died," her voice trembles. "Other times we all survive, but we go on into the mountains."
Eowyn rests a hand on the girl's shoulder. Tralede meets her gaze.
"But I believe I will eventually find peace. It is when I think of you that I consider myself to be well off. I cannot imagine what you must have felt, defending the women against the surprise attack. Deciding what we were to do." Tralede shakes her head in amazement. "I could not be so calm through it all. I would have broken under the pressure and racing emotions."
"I-I-I thank you," Eowyn says, at a lost for words. Inside she is tortured with thoughts and emotions that go against the praise she has been just given.
A long silence passes between them. They silently support and offer comfort to the other.
"What of Neisa and Larewen?" Eowyn speaks of their fallen companions.
Tralede gives a broken sigh. "They were nearly buried with all the others that died. The king commanded all those that had died – both men and women – be put in a great pile since there was not time or room to give each one his own grave. Then dirt was used to cover the bodies. We all begged for Neisa and Larewen to be given their own burials, not to be included in the pile. The men refused and nearly took the bodies from us by force. The Lord Aragorn and his companions, the Elf and Dwarf, tried to help us by reasoning with the men. But it was to no avail.
"We were in despair and reluctantly were about to give up our cause when the king himself came to see what the commotion was about. We pleaded our case about how we wanted to bury them ourselves, and that they were among those who fought against the orcs in the caves. The king was silent for a long moment and then granted us leave to give Neisa and Larewen their own graves." Tralede pauses and wipes a few tears of both gladness and sadness from her eyes. "Never had I been so thankful for anything in my life before. He then assigned several men to help carry and bury the…" Tralede pushes down the unwanted words about to escape from her lips, "…Neisa and Larewen. We thanked the king before he went off. We were surprised when the Lord Aragorn and his companions, the Elf and Dwarf, said they wished to accompany us if we allowed them.
"We discussed where would be an appropriate place to lay Neisa and Larewen and then decided to bury them outside the fortress. So we went out the refuge and walked along the walls to where the mountain and wall met. There we buried them, close to the place where they gave up their lives. As soon as the men had finished putting the dirt back in place, they returned inside the fortress. We, however, stayed at the graves for a while and held our own service for them. The Lord Aragorn and his friends also paid their respects. They asked us to tell the tale of Neisa and Larewen's part in the battle. So we told them everything."
Eowyn tenses. How was the story told? she wonders. Tralede rests her fears.
"We told them what had happened, and also what we all had done in the attack."
Eowyn relaxes and allows a ghost of a smile to cross her face. She is extremely grateful that at least Tralede and the others understand how she feels and do not make her seem as though she alone won the battle.
"Take me there," Eowyn says suddenly.
There is puzzlement in Tralede's eyes, not understanding.
"Take me to Neisa's and Larewen's graves. I desire to see them," Eowyn explains.
"Are you certain you are up for going out? It is a bit of a walk. And will not someone worry…?" Tralede asks uncertainly.
Eowyn waves her hand. "I have been caged in here for too long and need to get out for a while. As for others worrying… I desire to visit the graves and have some privacy. I do not want for someone to stand right behind me while I pay my respects."
Tralede still looks unsure but is silent. Eowyn slowly rises from the bed and gets a cloak from the chest against the wall. She wraps it around her and brings the hood low, putting her face in shadow and her gold hair of sight. She turns to Tralede. "Please, lead the way."
Silently the women slip out the door and move through the hallways like shadows. When they merge into the sun and the sounds of the people drift up to them, they pause. Eowyn slowly takes in the sight. It does not look all that much different from four weeks ago. Eowyn breathes in the air and follows Tralede down the stairs and out the gate of the fortress. They go past many piles of things that are black and burnt.
"The orcs were all burned," Tralede says in answer to Eowyn's unspoken question.
Eowyn pauses and picks some wild flowers that grow by the wall before she resumes following Tralede. She shivers. The wind whistles and whips about the two women. The mountain towers high above them as they stop at the foot of it.
"Here," Tralede says softly. She motions to two mounds of dirt right where the stone and wall meet. "We also buried the daggers they had used…"
"No better way of laying them aside," Eowyn says in approval.
She walks closer to the graves and kneels before them. How could I possibly stand before their graves? They have achieved valor by the ultimate price. They have proven their honor and allegiance to their king and people.
Eowyn turns toward Tralede. "Please, leave me." Tralede does not move, clearly uncertain at leaving the king's niece alone… Eowyn silently holds up the dagger that she had tucked under the girdle of her dress. Tralede's face relaxes, and she nods before turning to leave. Eowyn's voice stops her. "Please do not tell anyone of my whereabouts. I wish to be alone." Tralede silently nods once more before again turning and walking away. This time nothing stops her.
Eowyn holds the flowers over the graves and slowly opens her hands, letting them tumble from her fingers to the dirt where they softly land without a bruise to their delicate petals, but are now sparkled with flecks of dust.
Eowyn lowers her head, and tears blur her vision before cascading down her cheeks. She draws a shaky breath. How long has it been since I cried over something like this? I have cried because of the loss of Father and Mother. I have cried because of the loss of Theodred. I have cried because of Grima and his hold over Uncle and Rohan. I have cried tears of joy when Uncle was finally free… Never have I cried because of what some women – about my age and much lower of my status – did one night for others, for me. Eowyn stares at the graves, digesting her thoughts. Then with thoughtfulness in her eyes, she starts to sing softly:
"Rivers of red and brown,
eyes of green and blue.
Huddling together in
fear and worry,
wondering about those
who fought above them.
Would they ever see their
loved ones again?
Both girls uncertain,
but willing to help when
the time came to flee.
They offered to stand
against the enemy
when the way was blocked.
They may have never held
a weapon before in their
hands.
They may have been uncertain
of what exactly to do,
but they knew they would do all
in their power to protect those
who could only stay back and wait.
They ran to meet the enemy
despite their fear,
looking it in the face.
Orcs rushing by,
they did not hesitate to follow,
driven by the helpless screams.
They did not show mercy to the
creatures.
They achieved valor with the
ultimate price,
they fell among those who had
fallen by their hands.
Never to know that their loved
ones who had fought above
had won and were alive.
Their eyes closed,
not knowing what fate befell
those they were trying to
protect,
and those who fought with
them.
They fell in the darkness,
but maybe they knew the dawn
was near.
Many do not know what a sacrifice
they paid.
They are not treated with the honor
they deserve for what they did.
Many will never know what they
did during those hours of darkness;
instead praises are lavished on others.
But those who fought with them
will not let their memory die;
they will tell of their brave deeds.
Rivers of red and brown,
eyes of green and blue,
shall be seen no more.
Buried in the cold earth,
their faces are now only a
memory.
But I shall always remember
them and what they did."
Eowyn lifts her head and feels some of the guilt she has carried slip off her shoulders. She smiles, a true smile, as a gentle wind plays through her hair. She sits quietly at Neisa and Larewen's graves for some minutes before she rises to her feet.
"Thank you," she whispers simply.
She turns and walks away, preparing herself for the scolding she will get from her brother and uncle; they have probably been searching for her by now. But she does not care. She feels freer now.
Author's Note: Whew, sorry for taking so long to update. This chapter was a little hard for me, especially writing the song. Thank you all for your reviews, I deeply appreciate them. Please continue letting me know what you think.