The next few weeks were busy for Éomer the King and his sister as they
began the long process of righting the wrongs of their nation. From north
to south, many of Rohan's crops had been burned, and for those that
remained too few men had returned from the war to help raise them. What
food had been stored away in Meduseld was divided up among the needy of
Rohan, but more still came. Every evening, brother and sister would
discuss the issues of the day. Éomer felt consumed by the troubles of his
people, and worked late into every night to try and find some way to thwart
to the famine that seemed inevitable.
Though he was exhausted and sick with worry for his people, Éomer still watched over his sister and could not help but noticing that her spirits had sunk once again, for she rarely smiled any more. He thought back to Gandalf's words to him in the Houses of Healing: "But who knows what she spoke to the darkness, alone, in the bitter watches of the night, when all her life seemed shrinking, and the walls of her bower closing in about her, a hutch to trammel some wild thing in?" Éomer heard these words over and over in his mind, and feared that he was again suffocating his sister, keeping her around only to stand in the shadows to help him, again simply a crutch to a King unable to rule on his own. He knew she deserved more, but Éomer was unsure how best to honor his sister and her dedication to their people.
As spring came to an end, the Lady Arwen and her escort passed through Edoras on their way to Minas Tirith and her impending marriage to King Aragorn. Éowyn had once convinced herself that she was in love with Aragorn, and the mere thought of this elvish princess, his mystical love from afar, had made her mad with jealousy. Now, however, Éowyn found that she had nothing but kind wishes for this woman and her betrothed. What she had thought to be true love was, in the end, a reflection of the fear and loneliness that she had felt at the time. For the first time in a long time, a man had given her respect and admiration and the light of hope that it had lit within her seemed like love. It was not, however, until Éowyn heard Faramir profess his own love for her that she could see through her feelings for Aragorn. It was Faramir that held her heart. As Arwen prepared to depart, Éowyn met her outside of the great hall and asked if there was anything else she needed for her journey."
"Nay, Lady Éowyn. I thank you and your brother for your consideration during our stay. Forgive me if I have not spoken much, but I suppose my thoughts are already in Gondor." Arwen smiled softly.
"Of course, my lady, I understand," said Éowyn, wanting to express her similar feelings on the matter, though she remained silent.
"You will find your way back, Éowyn," Arwen replied, a strange knowing smile upon her lips.
"What do you mean, my lady?" Surely elves could not read people's thoughts. Éowyn suddenly felt flustered. She tried to feign innocence, but felt nonetheless as though the words 'I love Faramir' were written on her forehead. She reflexively felt the pocket where Faramir's letters were kept, in fear that one had fallen out for others to find.
"Very well, then. We will see each other again soon, though, and we will talk then." With that, Arwen departed, though Éowyn still stood in front of Meduseld, unable to speak.
Though he was exhausted and sick with worry for his people, Éomer still watched over his sister and could not help but noticing that her spirits had sunk once again, for she rarely smiled any more. He thought back to Gandalf's words to him in the Houses of Healing: "But who knows what she spoke to the darkness, alone, in the bitter watches of the night, when all her life seemed shrinking, and the walls of her bower closing in about her, a hutch to trammel some wild thing in?" Éomer heard these words over and over in his mind, and feared that he was again suffocating his sister, keeping her around only to stand in the shadows to help him, again simply a crutch to a King unable to rule on his own. He knew she deserved more, but Éomer was unsure how best to honor his sister and her dedication to their people.
As spring came to an end, the Lady Arwen and her escort passed through Edoras on their way to Minas Tirith and her impending marriage to King Aragorn. Éowyn had once convinced herself that she was in love with Aragorn, and the mere thought of this elvish princess, his mystical love from afar, had made her mad with jealousy. Now, however, Éowyn found that she had nothing but kind wishes for this woman and her betrothed. What she had thought to be true love was, in the end, a reflection of the fear and loneliness that she had felt at the time. For the first time in a long time, a man had given her respect and admiration and the light of hope that it had lit within her seemed like love. It was not, however, until Éowyn heard Faramir profess his own love for her that she could see through her feelings for Aragorn. It was Faramir that held her heart. As Arwen prepared to depart, Éowyn met her outside of the great hall and asked if there was anything else she needed for her journey."
"Nay, Lady Éowyn. I thank you and your brother for your consideration during our stay. Forgive me if I have not spoken much, but I suppose my thoughts are already in Gondor." Arwen smiled softly.
"Of course, my lady, I understand," said Éowyn, wanting to express her similar feelings on the matter, though she remained silent.
"You will find your way back, Éowyn," Arwen replied, a strange knowing smile upon her lips.
"What do you mean, my lady?" Surely elves could not read people's thoughts. Éowyn suddenly felt flustered. She tried to feign innocence, but felt nonetheless as though the words 'I love Faramir' were written on her forehead. She reflexively felt the pocket where Faramir's letters were kept, in fear that one had fallen out for others to find.
"Very well, then. We will see each other again soon, though, and we will talk then." With that, Arwen departed, though Éowyn still stood in front of Meduseld, unable to speak.
