The heir of Théodred
Epilogue
As Éomer led his riders into Edoras he was half expecting to find the village burning to the ground and a massacre underway, but everything appeared oddly normal. As they rode up the lane to the Golden Hall he heard murmurs of 'Maydir' and he grew so anxious he could have sworn his stomach was turning itself into knots. Before the king reached the steps leading up to his palace a flurry of activity caught his eyes and he caught sight of his wife and sister pushing through the crowds and running towards him. He dismounted and rushed to meet them.
"Mayda?" he uttered taking his wife's hand in his firmly. Eowyn and Lothiriel exchanged a dark look and they led Éomer into the palace. His heart was racing as they led him through the corridors until finally they stopped outside a room Éomer had once frequented often: Théodred's old chambers. He took a deep breath and pushed the door open. A cold burst of air hit him straight in the face and he blinked despite himself. He rubbed his eyes and walked in to find the shutters banging in the fresh wind. The room appeared empty and he ambled over to the window and looked out to find a chain of sheets hanging out. He let out a deep sigh and shook his head.
"Where is she?" Lothiriel asked frantically, searching under furniture. Eowyn looked in and closed her eyes in a similar reaction to Éomer's.
"What happened?" Éomer asked looking to his sister. "Where is the child?" Eowyn looked to her sister-in-law for an explanation. She of course had heard the story, but it was Lothiriel's to tell.
"As you must know Maydir remained behind after you went out to find him," Lothiriel explained sitting down on the bed that once belonged to Théodred. Éomer nodded, looking out the window on to the plains of Rohan. " He followed Mayda and I to the kitchens where he tried to assault her. I distracted him with a blow to the head, and he turned to...kill me." At this Éomer turned around in horror and he rushed to his wife cupping her face with a large hand.
"How do you fair?" he asked. Lothiriel smiled graciously.
"I fair well my love," she said with a smile. "It was our niece who saved me, she...stuck that monster with a carving blade. He...died." Éomer's jaw dropped slightly.
"And Mayda, is she unhurt?" he asked hurriedly. Lothiriel nodded, her worried expression returning.
"She was very shaken and Eowyn and I calmed her and left her here to await your return, for we felt that only you could still her fears," she explained. "It would appear she was more distraught than she appeared to us."
"We have to find her brother," Eowyn said calmly. "Your wife and I do not know her haunts and boltholes, only you can find her." Éomer thought hard and looked once more to the window, his mind wandering to the woods that loomed to the south where the affluent swimming pool lay. It was a place he had found much solace as a child. Many a time Théodred had been sent to find his young cousin and it would always be his first and only place to look as Éomer would always be there.
"I will find her and bring her home..."
X X X
After a quick discussion with the guards manning the city gates it transpired that a small person had indeed left the village on horseback and had headed south in a hurry. Confidant in his suspicions, Éomer set off at a leisurely pace. He was tired from the day's events and would be happy for a chance to relax in the pool himself.
Trotting slightly behind Lothiriel followed. She was joining her husband for two reasons. She desperately wanted to find Mayda and see the child was well, but the prevailing reason was her fear. She no longer felt perfectly safe in Meduseld and would not leave her strong husband's protection.
They rode on for an hour, until they breeched the tree line and left their steeds grazing in the tall grass. Éomer walked ahead slightly and slowly crept out from behind the trees as the swimming pool came into sight. His eyes instantly fell on the small solitary figure sitting on the makeshift swing, swaying slightly from side to side. Mayda had evidently found a pair of Théodred's britches, which she had tied tightly with a belt, though it did look slightly ludicrous. She had left her shift on to cover her battered form and looked completely at ease with herself and the surroundings. Éomer approached slowly and sat down on a smooth boulder a few feet from his niece.
"How did you know how to find me?" Mayda asked curiously. She did not seem distressed and this puzzled Éomer.
"I thought about where I would have gone if I were you," he said softly and he looked behind him and indicated for Lothiriel to reveal herself. Mayda looked up as her aunt walked out from the trees and she grinned.
"Am I in trouble for running away?" she asked and for the first time she seemed slightly worried. Éomer laughed out loud and shook his head.
"Never!" he chuckled and Lothiriel joined him on the boulder, having removed her gown revealing her shift and bare feet. She wiggled her toes on the cold boulder, which made both Éomer and Mayda smile fondly.
"How do you feel my darling?" Lothiriel asked. Mayda shrugged her shoulders and started swinging to and fro.
"I feel wicked," Mayda finally answered. "Though had I not done what I did, then I would have lost my aunt and I could not bare that!" Lothiriel and Éomer smiled at each other and in a moment of complete folly and jest Éomer reached over and nudged his wife. She managed a shocked little utterance before she toppled into the cool pool spluttering and splashing. Mayda joined her uncle in his laughter and she climbed to her feet on the swing.
"Husband!" Lothiriel cried in feigned-outrage. "I demand that you come and rescue me. What should you do if I were to tell you I cannot swim?" Éomer laughed even louder.
"Then I should call you a liar darling, for you take to the water as a bird takes to the air," he said and he backed away from her splashing. Lothiriel waded over to the boulders and climbed out dripping wet. Éomer smiled lovingly at her.
"Oh I would not seem so pleased with myself if I were you my lord," the dripping wet queen said with a wicked smile. "You forget, I grew up in the presence of three brothers. I can win any such match!" Éomer laughed bowed dramatically. Lothiriel instantly took her chance and she dived at him taking him around the shoulders and throwing him over her knee into the water. She dived in after him and a dunking competition developed. All the while Mayda watched from above, until finally both king and queen surfaced laughing merrily. They called a truce, but it was not long lived as the little girl now dived down from her swing and dragged her uncle and aunt under the water.
Their game continued for a long time until all were giddy with mirth and swam over to the shallows where comfortably smooth boulders formed lounging shapes, enabling the small family to relax in the glorious pool. Now it would seem it was time for questions.
"How did you find out Maydir remained behind?" Mayda asked after a long silence. Éomer smiled dryly and explained of their chase with the scoundrel Eradan, who had since been found out as a companion of Maydir's; one of three men that had come out of Pelargir, a town of Gondor, shortly after Maydir's return and were a frightful bunch. It would seem that Maydir had paid Eradan to distract the king and his men and he would pay dearly for his treachery.
"May I ask you a question in return Mayda?" Éomer asked softly once he had finished his explanation. Mayda nodded soberly. "Do you think you will be content to remain in Meduseld with Lothiriel and I, as our..." The king paused and looked slightly bashful.
"As our daughter," Lothiriel finished, casting her husband a loving smile. Mayda's eyes went wide and she looked from one anxious face to the next. Eventually her face split into a wide grin and she nodded vigorously.
"Of course!" she cheered and then looked thoughtful. "As long as I do not have to be taught by Master Stupidson!" Éomer and Lothiriel laughed out loud and held out their arms to the girl, who threw herself into them, embracing her foster-parents firmly despite her aches and pains. As the afternoon wore on a feeling of peace and tranquillity emanated from the pool as the little family enjoyed the waning summer in complete joy and happiness, pushing each other under the water, blissfully enjoying family life.
X X X
The End
Fluffy chapter, but hey. I'm thinking of doing maybe a mini series about Mayda, Éomer, Lothiriel, Eowyn...etc. What do you think? Good or bad idea?
Epilogue
As Éomer led his riders into Edoras he was half expecting to find the village burning to the ground and a massacre underway, but everything appeared oddly normal. As they rode up the lane to the Golden Hall he heard murmurs of 'Maydir' and he grew so anxious he could have sworn his stomach was turning itself into knots. Before the king reached the steps leading up to his palace a flurry of activity caught his eyes and he caught sight of his wife and sister pushing through the crowds and running towards him. He dismounted and rushed to meet them.
"Mayda?" he uttered taking his wife's hand in his firmly. Eowyn and Lothiriel exchanged a dark look and they led Éomer into the palace. His heart was racing as they led him through the corridors until finally they stopped outside a room Éomer had once frequented often: Théodred's old chambers. He took a deep breath and pushed the door open. A cold burst of air hit him straight in the face and he blinked despite himself. He rubbed his eyes and walked in to find the shutters banging in the fresh wind. The room appeared empty and he ambled over to the window and looked out to find a chain of sheets hanging out. He let out a deep sigh and shook his head.
"Where is she?" Lothiriel asked frantically, searching under furniture. Eowyn looked in and closed her eyes in a similar reaction to Éomer's.
"What happened?" Éomer asked looking to his sister. "Where is the child?" Eowyn looked to her sister-in-law for an explanation. She of course had heard the story, but it was Lothiriel's to tell.
"As you must know Maydir remained behind after you went out to find him," Lothiriel explained sitting down on the bed that once belonged to Théodred. Éomer nodded, looking out the window on to the plains of Rohan. " He followed Mayda and I to the kitchens where he tried to assault her. I distracted him with a blow to the head, and he turned to...kill me." At this Éomer turned around in horror and he rushed to his wife cupping her face with a large hand.
"How do you fair?" he asked. Lothiriel smiled graciously.
"I fair well my love," she said with a smile. "It was our niece who saved me, she...stuck that monster with a carving blade. He...died." Éomer's jaw dropped slightly.
"And Mayda, is she unhurt?" he asked hurriedly. Lothiriel nodded, her worried expression returning.
"She was very shaken and Eowyn and I calmed her and left her here to await your return, for we felt that only you could still her fears," she explained. "It would appear she was more distraught than she appeared to us."
"We have to find her brother," Eowyn said calmly. "Your wife and I do not know her haunts and boltholes, only you can find her." Éomer thought hard and looked once more to the window, his mind wandering to the woods that loomed to the south where the affluent swimming pool lay. It was a place he had found much solace as a child. Many a time Théodred had been sent to find his young cousin and it would always be his first and only place to look as Éomer would always be there.
"I will find her and bring her home..."
X X X
After a quick discussion with the guards manning the city gates it transpired that a small person had indeed left the village on horseback and had headed south in a hurry. Confidant in his suspicions, Éomer set off at a leisurely pace. He was tired from the day's events and would be happy for a chance to relax in the pool himself.
Trotting slightly behind Lothiriel followed. She was joining her husband for two reasons. She desperately wanted to find Mayda and see the child was well, but the prevailing reason was her fear. She no longer felt perfectly safe in Meduseld and would not leave her strong husband's protection.
They rode on for an hour, until they breeched the tree line and left their steeds grazing in the tall grass. Éomer walked ahead slightly and slowly crept out from behind the trees as the swimming pool came into sight. His eyes instantly fell on the small solitary figure sitting on the makeshift swing, swaying slightly from side to side. Mayda had evidently found a pair of Théodred's britches, which she had tied tightly with a belt, though it did look slightly ludicrous. She had left her shift on to cover her battered form and looked completely at ease with herself and the surroundings. Éomer approached slowly and sat down on a smooth boulder a few feet from his niece.
"How did you know how to find me?" Mayda asked curiously. She did not seem distressed and this puzzled Éomer.
"I thought about where I would have gone if I were you," he said softly and he looked behind him and indicated for Lothiriel to reveal herself. Mayda looked up as her aunt walked out from the trees and she grinned.
"Am I in trouble for running away?" she asked and for the first time she seemed slightly worried. Éomer laughed out loud and shook his head.
"Never!" he chuckled and Lothiriel joined him on the boulder, having removed her gown revealing her shift and bare feet. She wiggled her toes on the cold boulder, which made both Éomer and Mayda smile fondly.
"How do you feel my darling?" Lothiriel asked. Mayda shrugged her shoulders and started swinging to and fro.
"I feel wicked," Mayda finally answered. "Though had I not done what I did, then I would have lost my aunt and I could not bare that!" Lothiriel and Éomer smiled at each other and in a moment of complete folly and jest Éomer reached over and nudged his wife. She managed a shocked little utterance before she toppled into the cool pool spluttering and splashing. Mayda joined her uncle in his laughter and she climbed to her feet on the swing.
"Husband!" Lothiriel cried in feigned-outrage. "I demand that you come and rescue me. What should you do if I were to tell you I cannot swim?" Éomer laughed even louder.
"Then I should call you a liar darling, for you take to the water as a bird takes to the air," he said and he backed away from her splashing. Lothiriel waded over to the boulders and climbed out dripping wet. Éomer smiled lovingly at her.
"Oh I would not seem so pleased with myself if I were you my lord," the dripping wet queen said with a wicked smile. "You forget, I grew up in the presence of three brothers. I can win any such match!" Éomer laughed bowed dramatically. Lothiriel instantly took her chance and she dived at him taking him around the shoulders and throwing him over her knee into the water. She dived in after him and a dunking competition developed. All the while Mayda watched from above, until finally both king and queen surfaced laughing merrily. They called a truce, but it was not long lived as the little girl now dived down from her swing and dragged her uncle and aunt under the water.
Their game continued for a long time until all were giddy with mirth and swam over to the shallows where comfortably smooth boulders formed lounging shapes, enabling the small family to relax in the glorious pool. Now it would seem it was time for questions.
"How did you find out Maydir remained behind?" Mayda asked after a long silence. Éomer smiled dryly and explained of their chase with the scoundrel Eradan, who had since been found out as a companion of Maydir's; one of three men that had come out of Pelargir, a town of Gondor, shortly after Maydir's return and were a frightful bunch. It would seem that Maydir had paid Eradan to distract the king and his men and he would pay dearly for his treachery.
"May I ask you a question in return Mayda?" Éomer asked softly once he had finished his explanation. Mayda nodded soberly. "Do you think you will be content to remain in Meduseld with Lothiriel and I, as our..." The king paused and looked slightly bashful.
"As our daughter," Lothiriel finished, casting her husband a loving smile. Mayda's eyes went wide and she looked from one anxious face to the next. Eventually her face split into a wide grin and she nodded vigorously.
"Of course!" she cheered and then looked thoughtful. "As long as I do not have to be taught by Master Stupidson!" Éomer and Lothiriel laughed out loud and held out their arms to the girl, who threw herself into them, embracing her foster-parents firmly despite her aches and pains. As the afternoon wore on a feeling of peace and tranquillity emanated from the pool as the little family enjoyed the waning summer in complete joy and happiness, pushing each other under the water, blissfully enjoying family life.
X X X
The End
Fluffy chapter, but hey. I'm thinking of doing maybe a mini series about Mayda, Éomer, Lothiriel, Eowyn...etc. What do you think? Good or bad idea?