Author's Note: Whew! Sorry it took awhile to get this chapter up, if
anybody's keeping track. My muse has been a little slow. As always: I own
none of these characters, I am making no money off of them, etc. Thanks for
the reviews, guys!! More, more! :)
*~*~*~*~*~*
The next day Eowyn carefully carried the dress to Arwen's chamber. Balancing the box on one hip, she knocked lightly on the richly carved door.
"Enter!" The Queen's voice was muffled by the thick mahogany. Still awkwardly toting the dress, Eowyn nudged open the door and walked in to the most beautifully appointed room she had ever seen. Arwen's sitting room was large, with a row of floor-to-ceiling windows letting in light from the West. Shades of leaf-green, yellow, and pale blue brought the same Elvish touch that Eowyn had felt in the Queen's garden indoors. Arwen herself was standing in front of the windows, hands clasped in front of her, staring out over the mountains. Eowyn saw her quickly wipe away a single tear as she turned around.
"Arwen . . . is everything all right? Have I come at a bad time?"
Arwen smiled, and the slight look of sadness left her face. "Of course not, Eowyn. I was only wishing . . .well, no matter. I'm fine now." She reached to take the box from Eowyn's arms. "Here, let's set this down." She set the box on a curved sofa and whipped the top off. Reaching in, Arwen lifted up the gown and held it out to Eowyn.
"Put it on!"
Eowyn took a step backwards. She glanced nervously at the open windows, at the Queen of Gondor, and back at the windows.
"Uh. . . are you sure that's necessary?" She bit her lip.
"Oh, don't worry about the windows. The view is lovely, but Aragorn assured me that no one can see in from any point in the city. Something about the angle reflecting the sun . . . to tell the truth I wasn't paying much attention!" Arwen's eyes crinkled with laughter.
Reluctantly, Eowyn took the dress from her. She looked around for something to step behind. She still didn't quite trust the windows . . .
Arwen spoke again. "Let me just step into the bedroom to get my sewing basket while you change." She disappeared through a doorway to Eowyn's left, disguised by the clever placement of a potted tree. As soon as Arwen left, Eowyn undid the buttons on her worn work-dress and slipped it off. She stepped quickly into the embroidered under-dress and tied the silk ribbon fastenings on the sides. Looking around the room, she noticed a full-length mirror tucked into one corner and walked over to it.
Eowyn peered into the mirror and gasped in shock. Blushing, she threw her hands over the gaping neckline of her dress—or lack thereof! She spun around as she heard Arwen's laughter.
"Oh dear! It is a little big in the bust, isn't it? Don't worry, we'll soon have that repaired. It shouldn't take long. Now come over here and stand in the light."
*~*~*~*~*~*
Well, she certainly seems to know what she's doing! Eowyn thought an hour later, as she stood with her arms outstretched. The Queen of Gondor was busily tucking and pinning bits of material, and Eowyn had long ago lost track of what was going on. Her position was becoming uncomfortable; she had never been one to sit still for long.
"How much longer will this take, Arwen?" Eowyn asked, trying to sound patient and gracious. The reply was muffled by the pins stuck in Arwen's mouth.
"Only a few more. Just hold still!"
Eowyn managed to contain her sigh. At least, she reflected I have a nice view! The window revealed busy streets on all the levels of the city, as well as the plains and mountains beyond. She could just make out a band of riders approaching Minas Tirith, and wondered briefly if Faramir was one of them. She had heard him mention something about visiting the nearer outlying villages with the King that day, but, as usual, hadn't had the opportunity to ask him about it. Eomer had apparently enlisted help in keeping them apart: every time she was granted a chance to approach her betrothed Eowyn found herself waylaid by "an urgent decision" concerning the wedding. The order of feast courses had never seemed so important to the servants, nor the flower arrangements or dress embroidery or seating of guests. At times she wanted to scream I don't care! All I want is to be married, to start my life with Faramir. Why can't we just get it all over with?. Yet Eowyn knew how much tradition and formality meant to the people, and even to their friends and what family they had.
"There! All done with this first fitting!" Arwen stood, beaming. Eowyn's face, at first bursting into smile at the thought of freedom, fell. "First? How many more will there be?"
"Oh, we'll have to make sure the fit is still right after we finish sewing every day, but that won't take as long as this first time." Arwen carefully laid the dress out on the sofa and sat beside it. "Well? What are you waiting for? The banquet is in five days, Eowyn, let'' get started!"
The work, which the Shieldmaiden would normally have found beyond dull, was livened by the presence of her friend. As Arwen taught Eowyn the finer points of sewing, she dropped bits of advice and gossip into the conversation. The time passed quickly, but before she left for the evening Eowyn summoned her nerve to ask the Queen a question.
Arwen saw her to the door, and as she stepped out, Eowyn turned to hesitantly ask, "Arwen . . . what was it? The thought that caused you such pain before I came? I would know, that I might help you."
Arwen's face grew grave. "I do not wish to give you the wrong idea—to make you think I am anything less than deliriously happy with Aragorn. Yet I have one regret—only one. I wish that my parting with my father had been less bitter, that I had said kinder words to him. His pain was great, yet I saw only my own happiness." Eowyn's heart went out to her friend as she saw her pain.
"Oh, Arwen . . ."
Arwen smiled gently. "Do not weep for my heartache, Eowyn. I thank you for lending an ear, it is good to have that guilt off of my shoulders. Shall we meet tomorrow at the same time?"
Recognizing that Arwen did not want to talk about her grief, Eowyn let her drop the subject.
"Certainly! I will look forward to it, though not to the fittings!" Laughing, the two parted. Arwen to change for dinner, Eowyn to her rooms to think up a way to escape her brother's eagle-eyed watch.
*~*~*~*~*~*
The next day Eowyn carefully carried the dress to Arwen's chamber. Balancing the box on one hip, she knocked lightly on the richly carved door.
"Enter!" The Queen's voice was muffled by the thick mahogany. Still awkwardly toting the dress, Eowyn nudged open the door and walked in to the most beautifully appointed room she had ever seen. Arwen's sitting room was large, with a row of floor-to-ceiling windows letting in light from the West. Shades of leaf-green, yellow, and pale blue brought the same Elvish touch that Eowyn had felt in the Queen's garden indoors. Arwen herself was standing in front of the windows, hands clasped in front of her, staring out over the mountains. Eowyn saw her quickly wipe away a single tear as she turned around.
"Arwen . . . is everything all right? Have I come at a bad time?"
Arwen smiled, and the slight look of sadness left her face. "Of course not, Eowyn. I was only wishing . . .well, no matter. I'm fine now." She reached to take the box from Eowyn's arms. "Here, let's set this down." She set the box on a curved sofa and whipped the top off. Reaching in, Arwen lifted up the gown and held it out to Eowyn.
"Put it on!"
Eowyn took a step backwards. She glanced nervously at the open windows, at the Queen of Gondor, and back at the windows.
"Uh. . . are you sure that's necessary?" She bit her lip.
"Oh, don't worry about the windows. The view is lovely, but Aragorn assured me that no one can see in from any point in the city. Something about the angle reflecting the sun . . . to tell the truth I wasn't paying much attention!" Arwen's eyes crinkled with laughter.
Reluctantly, Eowyn took the dress from her. She looked around for something to step behind. She still didn't quite trust the windows . . .
Arwen spoke again. "Let me just step into the bedroom to get my sewing basket while you change." She disappeared through a doorway to Eowyn's left, disguised by the clever placement of a potted tree. As soon as Arwen left, Eowyn undid the buttons on her worn work-dress and slipped it off. She stepped quickly into the embroidered under-dress and tied the silk ribbon fastenings on the sides. Looking around the room, she noticed a full-length mirror tucked into one corner and walked over to it.
Eowyn peered into the mirror and gasped in shock. Blushing, she threw her hands over the gaping neckline of her dress—or lack thereof! She spun around as she heard Arwen's laughter.
"Oh dear! It is a little big in the bust, isn't it? Don't worry, we'll soon have that repaired. It shouldn't take long. Now come over here and stand in the light."
*~*~*~*~*~*
Well, she certainly seems to know what she's doing! Eowyn thought an hour later, as she stood with her arms outstretched. The Queen of Gondor was busily tucking and pinning bits of material, and Eowyn had long ago lost track of what was going on. Her position was becoming uncomfortable; she had never been one to sit still for long.
"How much longer will this take, Arwen?" Eowyn asked, trying to sound patient and gracious. The reply was muffled by the pins stuck in Arwen's mouth.
"Only a few more. Just hold still!"
Eowyn managed to contain her sigh. At least, she reflected I have a nice view! The window revealed busy streets on all the levels of the city, as well as the plains and mountains beyond. She could just make out a band of riders approaching Minas Tirith, and wondered briefly if Faramir was one of them. She had heard him mention something about visiting the nearer outlying villages with the King that day, but, as usual, hadn't had the opportunity to ask him about it. Eomer had apparently enlisted help in keeping them apart: every time she was granted a chance to approach her betrothed Eowyn found herself waylaid by "an urgent decision" concerning the wedding. The order of feast courses had never seemed so important to the servants, nor the flower arrangements or dress embroidery or seating of guests. At times she wanted to scream I don't care! All I want is to be married, to start my life with Faramir. Why can't we just get it all over with?. Yet Eowyn knew how much tradition and formality meant to the people, and even to their friends and what family they had.
"There! All done with this first fitting!" Arwen stood, beaming. Eowyn's face, at first bursting into smile at the thought of freedom, fell. "First? How many more will there be?"
"Oh, we'll have to make sure the fit is still right after we finish sewing every day, but that won't take as long as this first time." Arwen carefully laid the dress out on the sofa and sat beside it. "Well? What are you waiting for? The banquet is in five days, Eowyn, let'' get started!"
The work, which the Shieldmaiden would normally have found beyond dull, was livened by the presence of her friend. As Arwen taught Eowyn the finer points of sewing, she dropped bits of advice and gossip into the conversation. The time passed quickly, but before she left for the evening Eowyn summoned her nerve to ask the Queen a question.
Arwen saw her to the door, and as she stepped out, Eowyn turned to hesitantly ask, "Arwen . . . what was it? The thought that caused you such pain before I came? I would know, that I might help you."
Arwen's face grew grave. "I do not wish to give you the wrong idea—to make you think I am anything less than deliriously happy with Aragorn. Yet I have one regret—only one. I wish that my parting with my father had been less bitter, that I had said kinder words to him. His pain was great, yet I saw only my own happiness." Eowyn's heart went out to her friend as she saw her pain.
"Oh, Arwen . . ."
Arwen smiled gently. "Do not weep for my heartache, Eowyn. I thank you for lending an ear, it is good to have that guilt off of my shoulders. Shall we meet tomorrow at the same time?"
Recognizing that Arwen did not want to talk about her grief, Eowyn let her drop the subject.
"Certainly! I will look forward to it, though not to the fittings!" Laughing, the two parted. Arwen to change for dinner, Eowyn to her rooms to think up a way to escape her brother's eagle-eyed watch.