The riding formation was set up so that the only three ladies were protected by the vanguard, Celeborn and Elrond keeping flanks by wife and daughter respectively with Éowyn at center. The journey to Edoras would last them three weeks, their pace being somber and the road being frequently lined with mourners, especially one they crossed into Rohan.

After the first week's riding Éowyn's endurance began to fail. She had started out being held upright mostly by angry pride, then anger faded to simple pride. By their tenth night out pride too had failed her and she wept the night, cold, alone, and afraid in her tent.

These events had not gone unmarked by her two female riding companions. On the 13th night when they made camp for the night near the beacon at Halifirien before the Firien Wood, Galadhriel went to Éowyn. At first Éowyn was very reticent and would say nothing to the White Lady of Lorien, who she had only heard tales about and rather feared. Galadhriel shared with her a few bits of lembas before she was able to catch and hold Éowyn's eye contact and to speak to her wordlessly. What she found in Éowyn's thoughts only confirmed her suspicions.

As Éowyn realized that this Elven Lady knew her the full extent of awful secret she wept. Galadhriel put arms around her and comforted the mortal child. "Weep not, Éowyn," she said calmingly, her voice like the songs of woodland birds. "You bear a daughter who shall be as gentle and beautiful as a misty spring sunrise."

Still Éowyn's tears remained. "Faramir refuses me, though i thought surely he would understand when no other did. He was so gentle. And now i can no longer remain at Edoras or my brother will know. I know i should tell them what happened, but i can not, Lady. I can not say it!"

Then did Arwen also enter, having heard Éowyn's lamentation. She took Éowyn's hand in hers sympathetically. "Faramir does not refuse you. In truth he cares for you, but remember that he is only a man and these things terrify them more than any shadow of Mordor ever had power to."

Galadhriel smiled at her granddaughter's grasp of the truth of the matter. "Such is true for the males of all races. When i was pregnant with your mother i felt sure that Celeborn was going to run away and live up a tree in Mirkwood for the rest of his days. Éowyn, by the time you return to Minas Tirith to him he will have made the right decision. I have seen this."

Éowyn shook her head doubtfully. "I had not planned to return to Minas Tirith, nor to stay in Edoras."

"What would you do?" Arwen asked gently.

"I had thought i could make my own dwelling somewhere. Perhaps in the realm of Dale. I care not as long as it is far from men of Gondor," she said. "There none shall know me and may believe that my husband died in the war."

The Elven women disagreed that this would be the wisest course though. "If you should do that, lady Éowyn, my husband's son will never forgive himself, and that will bring Aragorn much anguish. That is one thing i can not bear," Arwen said. "Please, as a favor to the Queen of Gondor, give Faramir another chance. Do you not know from where his withdrawal stems?" Arwen went on to explain to Éowyn the years of hatred and utter rejection that Faramir had suffered.

As Galadhriel and Arwen rose to leave Éowyn to her much needed rest, Arwen again took her hand and looked into her eyes. "Tell your brother what happened to you. It will take more pride to go to him for help than to keep your secret. Do not tell him of Faramir just yet, though, for he is a impulsive man in these matters, as you know. Fear not to tell Faramir. Aragorn's son has a gift of the Valar, Éowyn. He may have seen it in a vision by the time of your return. He will support you."

---

A very short chapter, yes. The she-elves know something that we do not yet. There is another depth to Eowyn's secret, something causing her a lot more grief than just being pregnant. Faramir will find out about this next chapter (31 is likely to be pretty short too, actually.) Anyway, i hope this helps to put out a few fires i might have started :)