~@-/Pains in the Heart\-@~
I don't own the characters, just the plot.
This is a short-ish chapter. I never realised how difficult these scenes are! Note to budding authors: reunions are HARD!
Mousie2: 2AM!? Where do YOU live? Go to sleep! Lol - wait, are you writing the sequel to Hope in the Darkness? Keep writing, keep writing!
The Dark Wanderer: I agree.
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--+-- The Walls of Minas Anor --+--
Éowyn had seen him riding through the city; he had begun to gallop and her heart rose again. And then... nothing. He had disappeared into the Houses of Healing and disappeared. Maybe the gallop - maybe it had been pain, not love, which drove him to speed. Even as she thought this, she heard a small noise, like the rattle of a spoon set on the ground. She turned; and there he stood.
His face was relaxed; he was pale from blood loss and his mail had a curiously lopsided quality, for his side was padded out with bandages. But his hair gleamed in the sun and the light seemed to shine brighter upon him than anything else. Éowyn drew a quick breath.
She turned her whole body towards Aragorn, skirts swishing, heart pounding painfully. The step came automatically, each quicker than the last. Her brain seemed to have seized up and vacated her body in a puff of smoke. Had it remained, Éowyn would have realised that Aragorn was coming towards her.
And suddenly they were before one another. Aragorn, pain forgotten, took Éowyn in his arms and twirled her about like a child. Their lips met at the same moment as Éowyn's feet hit the ground. A wind swirled around the city and reached them on the battlement; their hair rushed out over the gardens, mingled black and gold.
They parted, and the wind fell. "You are healed," smiled Aragorn.
"Your side-" began Éowyn; "You are not."
"It will mend," said Aragorn. "It pains me less with every second that passes."
There was a brief pause; the cheers of the crowd could be heard from below, rejoicing in the love story that was being played out above them.
"You shall be King," said Éowyn. "They love you. They would have no- one else, if another were to arise."
"And you shall be Queen," said Aragorn, "if that is your will."
Éowyn smiled, at a loss for words. "It is my will," she said softly.
"So be it!" cried Aragorn, so that the masses below could hear; but his eyes never left Éowyn. "Lady Éowyn of Rohan, wilt thou be my wife?"
"Yea," she laughed, "I will."
The crowd screamed their congratulation; the royal couple-to-be kissed gently before returning indoors, walking along the wall hand-in-hand.
--+-- The Houses of Healing --+--
There was but one person within earshot of this exchange who did not celebrate. Faramir son of Denethor stood felt his heart shatter when Éowyn spoke; though he had known for two days her answer to such a question. He admired Aragorn, but he loved Éowyn; one of the two would have to be greater.
Faramir returned silently to his chamber and awaited the sunset.
===================
I don't own the characters, just the plot.
This is a short-ish chapter. I never realised how difficult these scenes are! Note to budding authors: reunions are HARD!
Mousie2: 2AM!? Where do YOU live? Go to sleep! Lol - wait, are you writing the sequel to Hope in the Darkness? Keep writing, keep writing!
The Dark Wanderer: I agree.
===================
--+-- The Walls of Minas Anor --+--
Éowyn had seen him riding through the city; he had begun to gallop and her heart rose again. And then... nothing. He had disappeared into the Houses of Healing and disappeared. Maybe the gallop - maybe it had been pain, not love, which drove him to speed. Even as she thought this, she heard a small noise, like the rattle of a spoon set on the ground. She turned; and there he stood.
His face was relaxed; he was pale from blood loss and his mail had a curiously lopsided quality, for his side was padded out with bandages. But his hair gleamed in the sun and the light seemed to shine brighter upon him than anything else. Éowyn drew a quick breath.
She turned her whole body towards Aragorn, skirts swishing, heart pounding painfully. The step came automatically, each quicker than the last. Her brain seemed to have seized up and vacated her body in a puff of smoke. Had it remained, Éowyn would have realised that Aragorn was coming towards her.
And suddenly they were before one another. Aragorn, pain forgotten, took Éowyn in his arms and twirled her about like a child. Their lips met at the same moment as Éowyn's feet hit the ground. A wind swirled around the city and reached them on the battlement; their hair rushed out over the gardens, mingled black and gold.
They parted, and the wind fell. "You are healed," smiled Aragorn.
"Your side-" began Éowyn; "You are not."
"It will mend," said Aragorn. "It pains me less with every second that passes."
There was a brief pause; the cheers of the crowd could be heard from below, rejoicing in the love story that was being played out above them.
"You shall be King," said Éowyn. "They love you. They would have no- one else, if another were to arise."
"And you shall be Queen," said Aragorn, "if that is your will."
Éowyn smiled, at a loss for words. "It is my will," she said softly.
"So be it!" cried Aragorn, so that the masses below could hear; but his eyes never left Éowyn. "Lady Éowyn of Rohan, wilt thou be my wife?"
"Yea," she laughed, "I will."
The crowd screamed their congratulation; the royal couple-to-be kissed gently before returning indoors, walking along the wall hand-in-hand.
--+-- The Houses of Healing --+--
There was but one person within earshot of this exchange who did not celebrate. Faramir son of Denethor stood felt his heart shatter when Éowyn spoke; though he had known for two days her answer to such a question. He admired Aragorn, but he loved Éowyn; one of the two would have to be greater.
Faramir returned silently to his chamber and awaited the sunset.
===================