Far and Away
Rated: pg-13
Chapter five
Eomer's stomach growled. All their food was gone. Eowyn sat limply in front of him on Eored (Eomer's horse). Eomer was leading a group of servants and the riders who had survived the raid to his uncle's city. They had gone back to the Hill but the House of Eomund had been burned to the ground, with only the foundation stones standing.
The riders carried the dead bodies of Eomund and Theodwyn. They had buried the bodies of the fallen riders back on the Hill. Edoras was about 100 leagues from the Hill and they had only gone 35 leagues that day, Eomer guessed. He wanted to press them so that they may be able to reach Edoras by nightfall but they had too many wounded.
Eomer was chiefly worried about Eowyn. She had not eaten since their mother had died and she had hardly slept at all. Eomer decided to press the company as much as he dared. They reached Edoras on the third night.
A servant took the reins from Eomer and he jumped off and ran up the stairs. A young man with blonde hair pulled out of his face flung open the doors as Eomer reached the top. Smiles broke out on each of the young men's faces and they embraced warmly.
"Cousin Eomer! You had grown! It has been long years since I've seen you.too long," Theodred smiled.
"You have grown too, Theodred. You are..four and ten? Or is it five and ten, since you are older than my sister?"
"I am not four and ten any longer. I indeed turned fifteen last fortnight. My father gave me a celebration to be remembered. Tis a shame that you couldn't come.Father wishes dearly to see his sister, where is my father- sister [aunt]?"
Eomer sighed deeply. "Theodred, I must talk with your father."
~*~
Eowyn woke to see the wood patterns of the ceiling. She faintly remembered the shapes they made. She raised herself to her elbows, peering 'round the room. Memories of the room, the house, the long years forgotten, came sweeping back to her. She smiled and getting out of bed, ran to the window. The morning sun was peaking over the mountains in soft shades of pink and orange.
Eowyn slipped her coat on over her nightgown and ran down the hall, counting the doors. She paused at the tenth one and then pushed the door open. A young man lay asleep in the bed. She smiled and jumped on the bed, scaring the sleeping boy awake. Eowyn smiled down at her cousin.
"Hullo, Theodred. Remember me?" She sat down next to him on the bed. Theodred rubbed his eyes and yawning, nodded.
"Yes, I remember you.how are you, Eowyn?" He hugged her. "Want to come get breakfast?"
"Hm." Eowyn paused, as the passed five days came flooding back to her. Her face became pale and she sat back down on the bed.
Theodred turned and knelt in front of her, his face full of concern. "What it is? Are you not feeling well?"
"Theodred, where are my mum and dad?"
~*~
Theoden held his face in his hands, tears running thru his fingers. He took a deep, shaky breath. It was the morn after his nephew had arrived and he had just heard the news. He couldn't believe that his little sister was gone.
Eomer stood with his hand on his uncle's shoulder. Tear ran down Eomer's cheeks as he fought back sobs. The sound of the door being flung open startled both men. Eowyn rushed into the Throne room, Theodred close behind her. Her pale face was tear-stained. Eowyn ran to Eomer.
"Where are mum and father? Where are they.. please, don't tell me its true." Eowyn's soft gray eyes looked pleadingly up at her older brother. Eomer pressed his lips tightly together and lifted Eowyn's shaking hands to them and kissed them softly. Tears of silver fell on the sword maiden's slender hands.
"Sister," Eomer lifted Eowyn's chin. "Come.you and I must talk.will you come, Theodred? And.you, of course, may accompany us, my King."
Theodred took hold of his cousin's hand and held it tight, looking deep into her pools of endless gray. Tears slipped down her cheek and she rested her golden head on Theodred's shoulder. Eomer nodded his head toward the door and Theodred lead her outside.
Theoden slowly paced the floor, pondering. Eomer stood before his uncle, silent. Finally Theoden broke the stillness.
"Then she is truly dead."
"Yes, my lord."
"Eowyn doesn't look well."
"No, lord."
"Is the Hill then destroyed?"
"Yes, Uncle. It is."
"Then we have no watch to the south. What shall we do? Rohan needs a guard- city to the south to protect our boarders."
Eomer nodded. "Lord, I will take an eored there and we can rebuild a fortress. We can establish a post and a guard. It was my Father's job as the Marshall of the East, and I shall now be in his place, and will protect my King's lands."
Theoden nodded. "Such a brave and noble act, to come from a boy not yet a score old."
Eomer raised his head. "I will be twenty in come seven fortnights, lord."
Theoden nodded. "Yet to think at you will become a man in a year come January.You will bear a huge burden if you truly are going to do this."
"I understand.but I only would ask one thing of my King." Theoden looked at Eomer with arched brows. "That my sister would have a home here."
Theoden grinned sadly. "Do you really think that I'd let my sister's daughter live homeless in my own land while her brother is away? I think not! She will find a safe and loving house here. Theodred will be pleased to have company."
~*~
Eowyn sobbed softly in Theodred's arms as her lead her into the fields outside Edoras. Theodred took her to the Tombs of the Dead. A fresh Burial Mound had been made and both Eomund and Theodwyn lay together inside, side- by-side. Eowyn sank to the ground and picked up a day old white flower that had been laid on her parent's grave.
She stoked the soft petals and then picked the off the flower, laying them in her skirts. Theodred watched on in amusement. Eowyn finally took her skirt full of petals and gathering them in her hands, left her tears fall on the bruised and battered petals. She then lifted up her hands and spread her fingers, allowing the white velvet to flutter softly to the ground. Eowyn then slowly pulled her ebony hairpin out of her hair and let it fall down her back. Eowyn took the sharp edge of the pin and before Theodred could stop her, she cut her wrist.
A cry escaped her lips. Theodred grabbed her by the waist and forced the hairpin from her fingers. Eowyn held her wrist over the flower petals, which were wet with tears. Drops of crimson mixed with the white and the blood ran free.
Eowyn lifted her head and laid it in the crick of Theodred's neck. "I have now let lose my deepest pain. My tears have mixed with that of my blood upon the stainless white. I am now a lost soul."
"No.do not say that. Be strong, Eowyn. You must be. Cousin, do not put me or your brother thru the pain of losing you"
Eowyn bowed her golden head and nodded. "I would never cause pain to my most beloveds in all of Middle Earth. You and Eomer mean the world to me, Theodred."
Theodred smiled and hugged his younger cousin. "Come, let me bandage that cut." Arm in arm, they walked back up to the Halls of Edoras.
~*~ The Following week..
Eomer hugged his sister good-bye as his first eored assembled to go set up the Fortress of the Hill, as they were beginning to call it. Eomer clasp forearms with Theodred and bowed a farewell to the King.
Eowyn smiled softly to herself as she watched her brother ride off towards the ruins of their old home. ~*~FLASHBACK~*~
Eomer had kissed her softly and hugged her tightly the night before. She sat in his arms, being rocked back and forth.
Eomer muttered old lullabies that their mother used to sing to them as babes. He gently rubbed her now scaring cut with oils.
"Eomer." she had whispered.
"Hm.what sister?" Eomer looked at her.
"Don't be gone too long, promise."
Eomer shook his head. "I promise this time, but Eowyn, you must hold out on your own here when Theodred or I are gone. I know you can, sister." Eomer paused, looking at her. "I will never let anything, anyone hurt you."
Eowyn nodded, their sibling bond becoming stronger than ever. Eomer looked out the window and showed Eowyn how to find the North Star. "Tis now that you will now forever be known of as Eowyn Elemmire, the White Star of the House of Eomund." Eomer put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a necklace on a thin chain of mithril.
The small diamond-like stone was shaped as if a star, having six small points. It was edged with the thinnest line of gold, but was intact in a swirl of silvery mithril.
Eowyn looked up as Eomer fastened it 'round her neck. "It was mother's. She wanted you to have it for your fifteenth birthday.Her father gave it to her when she was wed to our father, when she was sixteen." Eomer smiled at his sister. "Now you must care out her good name. Do it for Mother, Eowyn, if not for me."
Eowyn had nodded, fingering the jewel.
~*~END OF FLASHBACK~*~
Eowyn stood, and touch the jewel that hung 'round her neck, bushing it softly with her fingers. She would do this for honor, for her Family's name.and for herself. She had to be strong and overcome her fears. The wind gently stirred her hair. She would be strong.
Eowyn bowed her head. "I will never let anything, anyone hurt you." She believed her brother. Eowyn fingered her scar. Then raising her head high, she started the day, with her goal of becoming a shield maiden of Rohan.
I hope that you all liked this chapter.review and give me advice, I sure could use it!! Thank you all for your support. In this chapter, I wanted to try and show how much pain Eowyn felt at the lose of her parents. I don't think that we realize how much our lives are changed when our parent aren't here for us anymore. Well, Eomer is becoming a man and is now in charge of his first eored. Theodred has grown into a young man, who has just turned fifteen. Grima wormtongue will reappear in the next chapter.so I could use any ideas.*hint, hint* thank you all!!
Rated: pg-13
Chapter five
Eomer's stomach growled. All their food was gone. Eowyn sat limply in front of him on Eored (Eomer's horse). Eomer was leading a group of servants and the riders who had survived the raid to his uncle's city. They had gone back to the Hill but the House of Eomund had been burned to the ground, with only the foundation stones standing.
The riders carried the dead bodies of Eomund and Theodwyn. They had buried the bodies of the fallen riders back on the Hill. Edoras was about 100 leagues from the Hill and they had only gone 35 leagues that day, Eomer guessed. He wanted to press them so that they may be able to reach Edoras by nightfall but they had too many wounded.
Eomer was chiefly worried about Eowyn. She had not eaten since their mother had died and she had hardly slept at all. Eomer decided to press the company as much as he dared. They reached Edoras on the third night.
A servant took the reins from Eomer and he jumped off and ran up the stairs. A young man with blonde hair pulled out of his face flung open the doors as Eomer reached the top. Smiles broke out on each of the young men's faces and they embraced warmly.
"Cousin Eomer! You had grown! It has been long years since I've seen you.too long," Theodred smiled.
"You have grown too, Theodred. You are..four and ten? Or is it five and ten, since you are older than my sister?"
"I am not four and ten any longer. I indeed turned fifteen last fortnight. My father gave me a celebration to be remembered. Tis a shame that you couldn't come.Father wishes dearly to see his sister, where is my father- sister [aunt]?"
Eomer sighed deeply. "Theodred, I must talk with your father."
~*~
Eowyn woke to see the wood patterns of the ceiling. She faintly remembered the shapes they made. She raised herself to her elbows, peering 'round the room. Memories of the room, the house, the long years forgotten, came sweeping back to her. She smiled and getting out of bed, ran to the window. The morning sun was peaking over the mountains in soft shades of pink and orange.
Eowyn slipped her coat on over her nightgown and ran down the hall, counting the doors. She paused at the tenth one and then pushed the door open. A young man lay asleep in the bed. She smiled and jumped on the bed, scaring the sleeping boy awake. Eowyn smiled down at her cousin.
"Hullo, Theodred. Remember me?" She sat down next to him on the bed. Theodred rubbed his eyes and yawning, nodded.
"Yes, I remember you.how are you, Eowyn?" He hugged her. "Want to come get breakfast?"
"Hm." Eowyn paused, as the passed five days came flooding back to her. Her face became pale and she sat back down on the bed.
Theodred turned and knelt in front of her, his face full of concern. "What it is? Are you not feeling well?"
"Theodred, where are my mum and dad?"
~*~
Theoden held his face in his hands, tears running thru his fingers. He took a deep, shaky breath. It was the morn after his nephew had arrived and he had just heard the news. He couldn't believe that his little sister was gone.
Eomer stood with his hand on his uncle's shoulder. Tear ran down Eomer's cheeks as he fought back sobs. The sound of the door being flung open startled both men. Eowyn rushed into the Throne room, Theodred close behind her. Her pale face was tear-stained. Eowyn ran to Eomer.
"Where are mum and father? Where are they.. please, don't tell me its true." Eowyn's soft gray eyes looked pleadingly up at her older brother. Eomer pressed his lips tightly together and lifted Eowyn's shaking hands to them and kissed them softly. Tears of silver fell on the sword maiden's slender hands.
"Sister," Eomer lifted Eowyn's chin. "Come.you and I must talk.will you come, Theodred? And.you, of course, may accompany us, my King."
Theodred took hold of his cousin's hand and held it tight, looking deep into her pools of endless gray. Tears slipped down her cheek and she rested her golden head on Theodred's shoulder. Eomer nodded his head toward the door and Theodred lead her outside.
Theoden slowly paced the floor, pondering. Eomer stood before his uncle, silent. Finally Theoden broke the stillness.
"Then she is truly dead."
"Yes, my lord."
"Eowyn doesn't look well."
"No, lord."
"Is the Hill then destroyed?"
"Yes, Uncle. It is."
"Then we have no watch to the south. What shall we do? Rohan needs a guard- city to the south to protect our boarders."
Eomer nodded. "Lord, I will take an eored there and we can rebuild a fortress. We can establish a post and a guard. It was my Father's job as the Marshall of the East, and I shall now be in his place, and will protect my King's lands."
Theoden nodded. "Such a brave and noble act, to come from a boy not yet a score old."
Eomer raised his head. "I will be twenty in come seven fortnights, lord."
Theoden nodded. "Yet to think at you will become a man in a year come January.You will bear a huge burden if you truly are going to do this."
"I understand.but I only would ask one thing of my King." Theoden looked at Eomer with arched brows. "That my sister would have a home here."
Theoden grinned sadly. "Do you really think that I'd let my sister's daughter live homeless in my own land while her brother is away? I think not! She will find a safe and loving house here. Theodred will be pleased to have company."
~*~
Eowyn sobbed softly in Theodred's arms as her lead her into the fields outside Edoras. Theodred took her to the Tombs of the Dead. A fresh Burial Mound had been made and both Eomund and Theodwyn lay together inside, side- by-side. Eowyn sank to the ground and picked up a day old white flower that had been laid on her parent's grave.
She stoked the soft petals and then picked the off the flower, laying them in her skirts. Theodred watched on in amusement. Eowyn finally took her skirt full of petals and gathering them in her hands, left her tears fall on the bruised and battered petals. She then lifted up her hands and spread her fingers, allowing the white velvet to flutter softly to the ground. Eowyn then slowly pulled her ebony hairpin out of her hair and let it fall down her back. Eowyn took the sharp edge of the pin and before Theodred could stop her, she cut her wrist.
A cry escaped her lips. Theodred grabbed her by the waist and forced the hairpin from her fingers. Eowyn held her wrist over the flower petals, which were wet with tears. Drops of crimson mixed with the white and the blood ran free.
Eowyn lifted her head and laid it in the crick of Theodred's neck. "I have now let lose my deepest pain. My tears have mixed with that of my blood upon the stainless white. I am now a lost soul."
"No.do not say that. Be strong, Eowyn. You must be. Cousin, do not put me or your brother thru the pain of losing you"
Eowyn bowed her golden head and nodded. "I would never cause pain to my most beloveds in all of Middle Earth. You and Eomer mean the world to me, Theodred."
Theodred smiled and hugged his younger cousin. "Come, let me bandage that cut." Arm in arm, they walked back up to the Halls of Edoras.
~*~ The Following week..
Eomer hugged his sister good-bye as his first eored assembled to go set up the Fortress of the Hill, as they were beginning to call it. Eomer clasp forearms with Theodred and bowed a farewell to the King.
Eowyn smiled softly to herself as she watched her brother ride off towards the ruins of their old home. ~*~FLASHBACK~*~
Eomer had kissed her softly and hugged her tightly the night before. She sat in his arms, being rocked back and forth.
Eomer muttered old lullabies that their mother used to sing to them as babes. He gently rubbed her now scaring cut with oils.
"Eomer." she had whispered.
"Hm.what sister?" Eomer looked at her.
"Don't be gone too long, promise."
Eomer shook his head. "I promise this time, but Eowyn, you must hold out on your own here when Theodred or I are gone. I know you can, sister." Eomer paused, looking at her. "I will never let anything, anyone hurt you."
Eowyn nodded, their sibling bond becoming stronger than ever. Eomer looked out the window and showed Eowyn how to find the North Star. "Tis now that you will now forever be known of as Eowyn Elemmire, the White Star of the House of Eomund." Eomer put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a necklace on a thin chain of mithril.
The small diamond-like stone was shaped as if a star, having six small points. It was edged with the thinnest line of gold, but was intact in a swirl of silvery mithril.
Eowyn looked up as Eomer fastened it 'round her neck. "It was mother's. She wanted you to have it for your fifteenth birthday.Her father gave it to her when she was wed to our father, when she was sixteen." Eomer smiled at his sister. "Now you must care out her good name. Do it for Mother, Eowyn, if not for me."
Eowyn had nodded, fingering the jewel.
~*~END OF FLASHBACK~*~
Eowyn stood, and touch the jewel that hung 'round her neck, bushing it softly with her fingers. She would do this for honor, for her Family's name.and for herself. She had to be strong and overcome her fears. The wind gently stirred her hair. She would be strong.
Eowyn bowed her head. "I will never let anything, anyone hurt you." She believed her brother. Eowyn fingered her scar. Then raising her head high, she started the day, with her goal of becoming a shield maiden of Rohan.
I hope that you all liked this chapter.review and give me advice, I sure could use it!! Thank you all for your support. In this chapter, I wanted to try and show how much pain Eowyn felt at the lose of her parents. I don't think that we realize how much our lives are changed when our parent aren't here for us anymore. Well, Eomer is becoming a man and is now in charge of his first eored. Theodred has grown into a young man, who has just turned fifteen. Grima wormtongue will reappear in the next chapter.so I could use any ideas.*hint, hint* thank you all!!