Everybody! This is an AU fic about Eowyn and Faramir. It takes place after Houses of Healing, and Eowyn is still not in love with Faramir, Aragorn still hasn't married Arwen (but she is in Minas Tirith), and there are new characters! Btw, I didn't steal the character of Natalie. I know she is almost exactly like Hethlin from "Captain my Captain," but I wrote her character before I even heard of that story. So I didn't steal your amazing character Isabeau of Greenlea! On with the story!
Chapter One
Free. Finally free of her chains that were bound upon her at the houses of healing. Now she could ride down the great plains of Gondor whenever the mood struck. Which was quite often.
Eowyn looked back at the city. Perhaps in hopes that she might see that someone had followed her. Maybe to be even more specific a man named Aragorn. Aragorn. How she loved him. She would not, could not allow her heart to be released from the spell Aragorn had placed on her the moment he walked in the doors of the Golden Hall. It was a spell of safety. With him, she knew frozen chains of neglect and solitude could never bind her.
As she looked back, all she saw was an open plain. And on the wall incasing Minas Tirith only soldiers. Except one tall lord then caught her eye. Eowyn's heart nearly leapt to her throat and out of her mouth at the possibility that Aragorn could be looking out upon the fields, at her. Ere she realized that it was only Faramir. Faramir had been a wondrous friend, and an enjoyable companion while there was no one else; but she could never love him. Aragorn was strong, handsome, and...and... Aragorn was a king, and Faramir was not. Eowyn shook that thought away quickly, very quickly.
(new scene)"Eowyn! Where are you? Eowyn!" Eowyn heard her best friend calling through the courtyard. She leaned out the open window that overlooked the gardens. And called out, "Arwen! I'm in my room." A few moments later Arwen was bursting into Eowyn's room. "Eowyn! Oh Eowyn, you won't believe it. I just" Eowyn shook her head. Surely it wasn't that important. "I saw Eomer kissing!" Eowyn leapt up in a flurry of excitement and action. "Where? When? Who? WHAT!" she shouted as the full reality of what Arwen had said sunk in. "In the Practice courts. While he was teaching her to use a sword. Lothliriel. Eomer kissed Lothliriel!" Arwen cried, now fully out of breath. Eowyn just stared at her. "How did she react?" She asked finally. "She seemed surprised but she just went along with it." Arwen answered with a shrug. Eowyn just continued to stare. Then she shouted. "Oh I can't wait!
(new scene)That night Eowyn was not able to sleep once more. So instead she thought constantly about her brother's romance life. It was the one thing of which she knew nothing. Finally she decided to try and corner him. She knew he would probably be in his makeshift office or bedroom. She could only hope that he had not gone to bed yet because he had begun to lock his door once she had barged in one too many times.
Unfortunately he wasn't in his 'office'. He must have gone to his room already. She thought. She sighed and decided to visit Gondor's library.
When she got there she saw someone else she knew sitting at a table. Alas it was not Eomer, but it was the next best thing. Or the other way around.
Aragorn turned and smiled. Damn I love that smile. She thought as she smiled back. "Hi." She said, suddenly shy. "Hello Eowyn," he responded, "for what are you here at this hour?" "Couldn't sleep. And you?" She replied shortly. "There is a book here about some of Gondor's history that I have never had a chance to read. I've decided I had better get a start on it. I could not sleep until I did so." Eowyn nodded in understanding.
She glanced down at the book that he had in his hand. It was written in a strange calligraphy she had never seen before. Eomer had learned how to read the common script when he was younger, and then he had taught Eowyn, for which she was quite thankful. Most people in Rohan did not know how to read, as they had no written language of their own. The fact that she could read was what had raised her to a greater esteem in other's regards.
Eowyn turned from the book, toward the bookshelf. After some difficulty, she selected a book she could read. She then sat in a big chair on the other side of the room from Aragorn, and began to read.
(new scene)Aragorn's POV.
Did I imagine it? Does she truly just treat me just like all the other men? Or has she been staring at me constantly? Sometimes I wonder if I should ask her about it. But that would be silly. 'So Eowyn, how are you? By the way, have you been staring at me more then every other man around?' This is becoming ridiculous. She seems to be obsessive! And with me! Why does she ignore Faramir, who has shown her only the greatest of his affections, and instead she forces herself to love me! She knows I will never return her affections, but she just keeps holding on.
The saddest part is, I know the answer to all my questions. Eowyn has been bound for so long, being a woman, to a lower position than everyone else in her surroundings (all men). She thinks, wrongly, that she will become free of such bindings should she become queen of Gondor. Yes, it is true she will be higher than all others, but that will not make her as happy as she thinks. She thinks why marry a lowly Steward when you can marry the King? But I fear that her love for me is simply what I have said in the last paragraph. Nothing more. Even if I did return her love, it would all be for naught. It would be simply a waste of all of our love. Why won't you love the right person Eowyn!
(new scene)When Eowyn had first met Aragorn, she had fallen madly in love with him. He had seemed unwilling to return her love at first, but she thought she could win him over.
Only when she had come to Gondor, did she realize he was in love with another woman already. Speaking frankly, she really couldn't blame him. When she first laid eyes on Lady Arwen, Eowyn had naturally almost fallen in love with her she was so beautiful and regal! What kept every man of Ellasar's court in love with his wife was almost beyond Eowyn's comprehension. She had asked Faramir what he thought of Arwen, he merely said that she was quite lovely and would make a good queen. Then again, what was Faramir going to say? He was so shy; she couldn't begin to imagine him striking up the nerve to even love someone in his own private thoughts. Faramir wasn't the one to judge by.
Eowyn knew her brother had certainly found Arwen fair, he had said her beauty surpassed Galadriel's (whom Eowyn thought of as the fairest of women), and he was even willing to fight Gimli about it. But he found Lady Lothliriel of Dol Amroth attractive. Again, he was not the one to judge Arwen's beauty.
Aragorn must have found her beautiful, but Eowyn had already covered him. She wanted someone else's opinion.
Was Arwen beautiful? Or could it just be the way Eowyn took it? She had to find someone to answer this question. What was she even getting out of this? She had seen Aragorn look at Arwen. She knew he loved Arwen, no matter whether someone else deemed her ugly or fair. Aragorn would always love Arwen. He would never love Eowyn.
So why did she keep playing this game? Why not go to someone who liked her better? Surely she wasn't that ugly. Someone must have taken a fancy to her at some point.
Eowyn thought about this. No. No one she could think of had ever loved her like that. Excluding Grima Wormtongue of course. He had falsely loved her. He deemed her fair enough, and rich enough, to be good enough to bear his children. That kind of love did not count. But she would find someone to love her. Until then, she could only dream of Aragorn changing his mind. Eowyn also would find out whether Arwen was deemed beautiful in other's eyes. She swore to this.