A/N: Ok, here's the chapter you've been waiting for. Éowyn finally wakes up and reveals some of her past to Aragorn, the more painful side of it. But you'll have to wait for the prequel for details. Document Manager is finally not screwing up my chapters so here it is, more legible than before.

Updated Elvish, and maybe some more

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. I have not altered any of these characters that I know of. I have tried to keep them as Tolkien himself wrote them.

Chapter 20: Dreams

            Éowyn stared up at the blurred faces surrounding her. As her vision cleared, she was able to make out the figures of her brother, Aragorn and Gandalf, all of whom were thrilled to see her awake, Éomer most of all. His face was shining down as he looked into her eyes.

"Éowyn," he cried, "I was afraid that you would never wake."

She smiled at him, her face still heavy with sorrow and pain.

"I have returned to you, my dear brother," she said, "just as you requested."

But here, Éowyn's eyes moved from Éomer's eyes to rest on Aragorn. He jolted slightly. Did she know? Had she heard his words when he spoke to her as she slept? How much had she heard?

            Éowyn was still dazed, having just woken moments before. She rejoiced at the sight of her brother, beaming broadly at him, however tired she felt. He, too, was overjoyed to see her well.

"Where is Théoden? Where is our dear uncle?" she asked Éomer. "I dreamt that he fell on the battlefield but they were only dreams, weren't they?"

She gazed at her brother in anticipation, and then at Aragorn. Their expressions were sombre. Gandalf was no longer in the room. She suspected that he had gone to see about Théoden.

"He fell, Éowyn," murmured Éomer. "You did not imagine it, much as we all wished you had. He is dead."

Éowyn's face went rigid, both of anger and of shock. The pain in her eyes was clear.

"I risked my life to save him, to avenge him. He can't be dead," she stammered. "It can't be true."

"I am afraid it is, my lady," said Aragorn. He turned to Éomer.

"Éowyn is still not recovered, Éomer," he said. "She needs to rest now, she will be well."

"No," she demanded. "I wish to see my uncle!"

"Now is not the time," said Aragorn, firmly. "You need to rest, you need to recover your strength."

Éowyn turned on him angrily. "I do not need to recover my strength. I am perfectly capable to deal with this."

She got up suddenly and tried to stand on the stone floor, but her legs were still to weak from her experience and they gave way beneath her. Aragorn caught her under the arms just as she fell. Éowyn pulled away fiercely and glared at him, seating herself on the edge of the bed.

He understood that this news wasn't going to be taken well by her; a girl who had lost her parents at such a young age, who had lost her favourite cousin only a while ago, who had nearly lost her own life in trying to avenge her dead uncle and was almost torn away from the only family that remained, her brother.

It didn't surprise him that she was angry, she had every right to be and it may take her time to recover from the shock.

Éowyn was in shock. Her eyes were cloudy and unfocused, she couldn't see clearly. Thoughts, memories flew in front of her eyes. She felt like she was dying. Éomer's voice floated into her head.

"Éowyn, you need to rest," he said. "This news seems overwhelming to you." He turned to Aragorn for support.

"Aragorn, surely you agree."

"I do," said Aragorn. "Éowyn, I insist that you rest. You are unwell."

"I am not!" she screamed.

She struck out at him angrily but in her dazed state she missed him, connecting instead with the bowl on the table, knocking it to the ground. She closed her eyes.

Both men could not bear to see her like this, so helpless and distressed.

"Come, Éomer," said Aragorn. "We should go, Éowyn needs time." He led her brother out of the room.

"No," a strangled choke came from Éowyn's mouth, "don't leave me," she cried after them. Aragorn turned, still directing Éomer forward and out of the room.

"Aragorn, tolo dan, dartho go nin," (Aragorn, come back, stay with me) she whispered. He walked slowly back to Éowyn and helped her back into her bed.

"Éowyn, what is it?"

Éowyn looked into his blue-grey eyes with a frightened expression on her face.

"I do not want to be alone," she said, softly. "You cannot know what I have seen, in my dreams. Terrible things…"

"What things, Éowyn?" he asked, slightly concerned and curious.

"No, I cannot, do not make me relive them," she turned away hastily.

"Éowyn, you must," he pressed. "They will be harder to bear if you have to fight them alone."

Éowyn sighed deeply; a stifled sob could be heard, hidden in it.

"I had dreams, dreams of my past. Memories of pain, loneliness, sorrow and death. Memories from not so long ago." She paused for a moment, head lowered.

"I saw my father fall, my mother's pain after his death, Théodred's darkness. I saw the Nazgûl again, saw him-saw him strike down Snowmane, watched as Théoden fell from his horse. That darkness. Then those of my life at Meduseld, dark times, with Gríma when I was only young. I remember words he spoke to me. I-I remember…" But here she stopped short, her voice shaking; her bottom lip trembled as if preventing herself from crying.

"There is no need to say anything more, Éowyn," said Aragorn, softly.

She looked up at his face, gratefully.

"Please, Aragorn," she implored. "Promise me that you will never leave me, promise me that you will always be there for me."

"You know I will always be here for you," he said reassuringly. "If you look for me, you shall find me. Always."

He held her close, in a warm embrace. Éowyn felt safe in his arms and closed her eyes peacefully.

"Hannon le, Aragorn," (Thank you, Aragorn) she whispered in his ear. He smiled against her cheek and kissed it softly.

"Get some rest now," he said, and walked out of the room.