Spoil of Rohan
TKF: To answer some questions that you asked and I don't know if they will all be properly answered in the story! Why does Eomer recognise Ciara? Well here we go!
Ciara hasn't changed in appearance, that is correct! Eomer has changed in appearance, bet you guessed that one! The last time Eomer saw Ciara he was 4 years old. Though it seemed at the time in the story that Ciara made a profound impact on little Eomer and that little Eomer made a profound impact on Ciara they in fact didn't. The two spent only a few days together and though they seemed to really get along very well a 4 year old boy will barely remember a few days time playmate, like wise for Ciara. Ciara does not remember Eomer because, as I've mentioned and you well know, he has grown into a man. Yes, Ciara should remember him she is an elf after all but there's more to that. Which I cannot address right here because that will be part of the story!
I hope that answers your questions! Any more? Ask me!
Ciara tried to speak but the rope was still tied in her mouth and she couldn't get our any more than a strange sounding moan that could barely be heard over the thumping of the horses hooves. Ciara looked in front of her, the only way she could look, to see three riders paying no attention to her but talking to each other as they rode at a steady canter.
"Did they come back?" Boromir asked as he pushed aside branches and entered the camp.
"No. No sign of them." Faramir shook his head sadly and had no need to ask if they had had any better luck.
"We found Ciara's hair clip but that's all. They crossed the stream and their was a very fresh camp on the other side. We think they were Rohirrim." Boromir sat down and put his head in his hands, "I can't believe this. It is all my fault. I led us al out here and let them wonder off."
"Boromir, my brother, it is not your fault. You can't blame yourself for this. We will camp here to night in case they do come back and tomorrow we ride hard for home where we can gather guards to look for the two." Faramir put a comforting hand on Boromir's shoulder.
"You're right." Boromir nodded and went to his bed to lie down.
No one spoke to him or really much to each other that night but no one slept. They waited.
"We'll stop for the night." Theodred called to the rest after riding well into the night.
Ciara had never felt so uncomfortable in her life and was praying that they would let her off the horse.
The group dismounted and prepared their camp like they usually did, not bothering to check on either of their prisoners. Finally Deor came over to Ciara and loosened the rope holding her to the horse. Ciara slid to the ground and the horse seemed as relieved as Ciara that she was off of him.
Ciara was set down against a tree and her hands untied so she could eat and drink the small portion of food allowed to her. Elfhelm was propped up similarly against a tree all the way across the camp so the two couldn't talk.
"How many days ride until Edoras?" Aerin asked the group.
"Only a two days ride. We rode farther than normal today and we can ride hard again tomorrow and the next and be there." Eomer replied to Aerin.
Ciara's heart nearly fell when she found she had to endure two more days of what she went through today. Elfhelm seemed to have the same expression on his face but it was hard to tell all the way across the fire-lit camp.
"It's five possibly six days until we can make it back home. We have to ride hard, by the time we return wherever Ciara and Elfhelm are now, they certainly will be farther away." Boromir was talking to Faramir the next morning as Ivorwen and Estelmo packed up the camp.
"We must hurry." Faramir shook his head and they all hurried to finish packing up their camp.
Both parties rode hard in the direction they were trying desperately to reach in the shortest amount of time.
Ciara and Elfhelm were forced again to ride in discomfort while the rest urged their horses hurriedly towards their destinations.
"Welcome back men, you have been gone long. Are those prisoners?" The captain was in the stable as the Rohirrim returned.
"Yes, we found them in the Firien Wood, on our border. They are Gondorian." Theodred answered for the group.
"Have you questioned them?" The captain looked at both Ciara and Elfhelm.
The group went quiet, it hadn't occurred to any of them to question their prisoners.
"No?" The captain rolled his eyes and untied the rope from Ciara and Elfhelm's mouths. "Are you Gondorians?" The captain asked. Neither answered, "I'm taking that as a yes. I can tell you are, you are dresses as so and you look like one." The captain pointed to Elfhelm. "Who are you?"
"Elfhelm, a servant in the Steward's household." Elfhelm answered, and it was the truth.
"He reminds me of the Steward's son. Do you not think so?" Theodred asked of the captain.
"I have never seen the Stewart's son. We will take him to your father." The captain replied looking at Elfhelm, "What about you?" the captain turned towards Ciara.
"I am Moriana, also a servant of the Stewart." Ciara used her old friend's name for her own.
"Hmm, what we you doing out in the woods?" The captain asked. Both were caught off guard with that question, it was a good one. Neither could think of a good and believable response to it. "That is what I thought. The King will decide what he wants to do with you intruders and we'll find out who you really are." The captain motioned for the Rohirrim to led the prisoners to the King.
"Father, we have prisoners." Theodred called to his father as the group led the two prisoners into the King's hall.
"Let me see them." Theodred looked at the two prisoners, one stood out to him immediately, "You there, are you the Stewart's son?" Theoden looked at Elfhelm.
"No, I am Elfhelm. A servant of the Stewart." Elfhelm answered, suddenly feeling very nauseous.
"What were you doing on out borders?" Theoden asked the same question as the captain.
"We were with a hunting party and we strayed to far from the camp." Elfhelm guessed the less lying he did the better off both he and Ciara would be.
"There were others?" The king looked to the Rohirrim.
"None on our borders." Eomer answered.
"Who is the girl?" Theoden nodded towards Ciara.
"Another servant." Theodred answered.
"Take her to the hold. I want to speak with this one." Theoden narrowed his eyes at Elfhelm. Eomer grabbed Ciara's arm and dragged her towards the hold. Ciara looked back at Elfhelm and felt a tear roll down her face, his face was stern and determined but she detected a hint of sadness.
"Here, take care of her." Eomer handed Ciara to a guard of the hold. The guard led Ciara to an airy, open cell that had a fresh straw bed and one tiny window that allowed only a strip of sunlight in. The rest of the hold was nearly empty except for one old woman sleeping in a cell much like Ciara's.
"Don't make to much racket and you can stay up here where it is nice. If you do then you'll be thrown in the dark hold where the crazy man is kept. Trust me, you don't want that." The guard warned Ciara gently and removed the ropes binding her before he left and locked the barred door behind him.
The cell was only walled on three sides with just iron bars keeping her from the outside world, the same on the small window though it wasn't big enough for even a child to fit through. Ciara sat on the surprisingly soft bed and waited, for what she did not know.
"Tell me who you really are." Theoden walked towards the prisoner.
"I am not lying to you when I say I am Elfhelm just a servant of the Stewart."
"There is something you are not telling me!" Theoden yelled as his advisor came up behind him, and whispered in his king's ear, "There are other ways to get him to talk."
"Fine, get something out of him of Gondor." Theoden waved his hand and Theodred and the king's advisor lifted Elfhelm from the room and carried him away. The Rohirrim left to tend to the horses, they would hear about it later.
"NO!" A scream rang out in the hold and Ciara ran to the bars of her cell, it sounded like Elfhelm.
"Hey! Hey! Guard!" Ciara called to the guard who was falling asleep in his chair.
"What?" The guard sat up and rubbed his eyes.
"Who is that yelling?" Ciara asked frantically.
"The prisoner they just brought in for questioning. Was he with you?" The guard asked.
"Yes." Ciara felt sick to her stomach, she slide down the bars and rested her head against the cold metal, "No, no, no, no."
"I'm sure it won't be too bad." The guard shook his head, "The last time they tortured someone was years ago."
Ciara started to sob in her cell, she couldn't imagine Elfhelm being tortured, she didn't want to.
The screams of pain rang out for another hour before the silence came. Ciara watched anxiously at her cell for a sign of Elfhelm. A guard rushed past and whispered something to the guard watching the hold.
"Oh, that's not good." The guard murmured and ran into the torture chamber.
"Wait! What happened!?" Ciara called after the guard.
There was no answer.
TKF: To answer some questions that you asked and I don't know if they will all be properly answered in the story! Why does Eomer recognise Ciara? Well here we go!
Ciara hasn't changed in appearance, that is correct! Eomer has changed in appearance, bet you guessed that one! The last time Eomer saw Ciara he was 4 years old. Though it seemed at the time in the story that Ciara made a profound impact on little Eomer and that little Eomer made a profound impact on Ciara they in fact didn't. The two spent only a few days together and though they seemed to really get along very well a 4 year old boy will barely remember a few days time playmate, like wise for Ciara. Ciara does not remember Eomer because, as I've mentioned and you well know, he has grown into a man. Yes, Ciara should remember him she is an elf after all but there's more to that. Which I cannot address right here because that will be part of the story!
I hope that answers your questions! Any more? Ask me!
Ciara tried to speak but the rope was still tied in her mouth and she couldn't get our any more than a strange sounding moan that could barely be heard over the thumping of the horses hooves. Ciara looked in front of her, the only way she could look, to see three riders paying no attention to her but talking to each other as they rode at a steady canter.
"Did they come back?" Boromir asked as he pushed aside branches and entered the camp.
"No. No sign of them." Faramir shook his head sadly and had no need to ask if they had had any better luck.
"We found Ciara's hair clip but that's all. They crossed the stream and their was a very fresh camp on the other side. We think they were Rohirrim." Boromir sat down and put his head in his hands, "I can't believe this. It is all my fault. I led us al out here and let them wonder off."
"Boromir, my brother, it is not your fault. You can't blame yourself for this. We will camp here to night in case they do come back and tomorrow we ride hard for home where we can gather guards to look for the two." Faramir put a comforting hand on Boromir's shoulder.
"You're right." Boromir nodded and went to his bed to lie down.
No one spoke to him or really much to each other that night but no one slept. They waited.
"We'll stop for the night." Theodred called to the rest after riding well into the night.
Ciara had never felt so uncomfortable in her life and was praying that they would let her off the horse.
The group dismounted and prepared their camp like they usually did, not bothering to check on either of their prisoners. Finally Deor came over to Ciara and loosened the rope holding her to the horse. Ciara slid to the ground and the horse seemed as relieved as Ciara that she was off of him.
Ciara was set down against a tree and her hands untied so she could eat and drink the small portion of food allowed to her. Elfhelm was propped up similarly against a tree all the way across the camp so the two couldn't talk.
"How many days ride until Edoras?" Aerin asked the group.
"Only a two days ride. We rode farther than normal today and we can ride hard again tomorrow and the next and be there." Eomer replied to Aerin.
Ciara's heart nearly fell when she found she had to endure two more days of what she went through today. Elfhelm seemed to have the same expression on his face but it was hard to tell all the way across the fire-lit camp.
"It's five possibly six days until we can make it back home. We have to ride hard, by the time we return wherever Ciara and Elfhelm are now, they certainly will be farther away." Boromir was talking to Faramir the next morning as Ivorwen and Estelmo packed up the camp.
"We must hurry." Faramir shook his head and they all hurried to finish packing up their camp.
Both parties rode hard in the direction they were trying desperately to reach in the shortest amount of time.
Ciara and Elfhelm were forced again to ride in discomfort while the rest urged their horses hurriedly towards their destinations.
"Welcome back men, you have been gone long. Are those prisoners?" The captain was in the stable as the Rohirrim returned.
"Yes, we found them in the Firien Wood, on our border. They are Gondorian." Theodred answered for the group.
"Have you questioned them?" The captain looked at both Ciara and Elfhelm.
The group went quiet, it hadn't occurred to any of them to question their prisoners.
"No?" The captain rolled his eyes and untied the rope from Ciara and Elfhelm's mouths. "Are you Gondorians?" The captain asked. Neither answered, "I'm taking that as a yes. I can tell you are, you are dresses as so and you look like one." The captain pointed to Elfhelm. "Who are you?"
"Elfhelm, a servant in the Steward's household." Elfhelm answered, and it was the truth.
"He reminds me of the Steward's son. Do you not think so?" Theodred asked of the captain.
"I have never seen the Stewart's son. We will take him to your father." The captain replied looking at Elfhelm, "What about you?" the captain turned towards Ciara.
"I am Moriana, also a servant of the Stewart." Ciara used her old friend's name for her own.
"Hmm, what we you doing out in the woods?" The captain asked. Both were caught off guard with that question, it was a good one. Neither could think of a good and believable response to it. "That is what I thought. The King will decide what he wants to do with you intruders and we'll find out who you really are." The captain motioned for the Rohirrim to led the prisoners to the King.
"Father, we have prisoners." Theodred called to his father as the group led the two prisoners into the King's hall.
"Let me see them." Theodred looked at the two prisoners, one stood out to him immediately, "You there, are you the Stewart's son?" Theoden looked at Elfhelm.
"No, I am Elfhelm. A servant of the Stewart." Elfhelm answered, suddenly feeling very nauseous.
"What were you doing on out borders?" Theoden asked the same question as the captain.
"We were with a hunting party and we strayed to far from the camp." Elfhelm guessed the less lying he did the better off both he and Ciara would be.
"There were others?" The king looked to the Rohirrim.
"None on our borders." Eomer answered.
"Who is the girl?" Theoden nodded towards Ciara.
"Another servant." Theodred answered.
"Take her to the hold. I want to speak with this one." Theoden narrowed his eyes at Elfhelm. Eomer grabbed Ciara's arm and dragged her towards the hold. Ciara looked back at Elfhelm and felt a tear roll down her face, his face was stern and determined but she detected a hint of sadness.
"Here, take care of her." Eomer handed Ciara to a guard of the hold. The guard led Ciara to an airy, open cell that had a fresh straw bed and one tiny window that allowed only a strip of sunlight in. The rest of the hold was nearly empty except for one old woman sleeping in a cell much like Ciara's.
"Don't make to much racket and you can stay up here where it is nice. If you do then you'll be thrown in the dark hold where the crazy man is kept. Trust me, you don't want that." The guard warned Ciara gently and removed the ropes binding her before he left and locked the barred door behind him.
The cell was only walled on three sides with just iron bars keeping her from the outside world, the same on the small window though it wasn't big enough for even a child to fit through. Ciara sat on the surprisingly soft bed and waited, for what she did not know.
"Tell me who you really are." Theoden walked towards the prisoner.
"I am not lying to you when I say I am Elfhelm just a servant of the Stewart."
"There is something you are not telling me!" Theoden yelled as his advisor came up behind him, and whispered in his king's ear, "There are other ways to get him to talk."
"Fine, get something out of him of Gondor." Theoden waved his hand and Theodred and the king's advisor lifted Elfhelm from the room and carried him away. The Rohirrim left to tend to the horses, they would hear about it later.
"NO!" A scream rang out in the hold and Ciara ran to the bars of her cell, it sounded like Elfhelm.
"Hey! Hey! Guard!" Ciara called to the guard who was falling asleep in his chair.
"What?" The guard sat up and rubbed his eyes.
"Who is that yelling?" Ciara asked frantically.
"The prisoner they just brought in for questioning. Was he with you?" The guard asked.
"Yes." Ciara felt sick to her stomach, she slide down the bars and rested her head against the cold metal, "No, no, no, no."
"I'm sure it won't be too bad." The guard shook his head, "The last time they tortured someone was years ago."
Ciara started to sob in her cell, she couldn't imagine Elfhelm being tortured, she didn't want to.
The screams of pain rang out for another hour before the silence came. Ciara watched anxiously at her cell for a sign of Elfhelm. A guard rushed past and whispered something to the guard watching the hold.
"Oh, that's not good." The guard murmured and ran into the torture chamber.
"Wait! What happened!?" Ciara called after the guard.
There was no answer.