Far and Away
Rated: pg-13
Chapter 19
All was quiet in the tent. No one spoke, no one moved. Eowyn stood still as stone, letting Aragorn's words sink in. Her eyes forever rested on Aragorn, though he turned his face from her.
Legolas could see that Aragorn was struggling because of Eowyn's endless stare. He silently gestured to the others that it was time to leave.
Elhorir stood first, followed by his twin, Elladan. "Thank you, Lady Eowyn. The food was delicious." They bowed and exited the tent. The others followed their example.
As Legolas steeped out of the tent, he saw the sun slip over the western mountains. Darkness began to set in and women here and there began lighting lanterns.
Aragorn came up behind Legolas and placed a hand on his shoulder. Aragorn sighed and looked longingly to the west. "If only my path led me to where my heart dwelled. Then I would wonder to the valleys of Rivendell, back to the arms of my Arwen."
Legolas smiled. "She will wait for you."
Aragorn nodded, smiling dreamily to himself. Both looked up as Eowyn appeared from the tent with fire in her eyes.
She came before Aragorn and stood silent for a minute and then said, " If you must go, let me ride with you." She laid her hand on his arm. "For I do not wish to stay here in the hill. I wish to face peril and battle."
Aragorn gently removed her hand from his arm. "Your duty is to your people, Eowyn."
Her eyes flamed up. "Too often have I heard of duty! But I am of the House of Eorl! I am a shieldmaiden! I have waited on others hand and foot enough. Can I not live my life as I would?!"
"Few have that honor. But didn't you accept the charge to govern your people while your Uncle is away? You can not run away from this."
Eowyn sighed heavily. "Must I always be chosen? Shall I always be left behind while others fight?"
Aragorn looked at her. "A time will come when none will return. Then there will be a time for valor, but the deeds of some won't be remembered. Yet the deeds won't be any less valiant just because they weren't praised."
Eowyn glared at him. "So what you are saying is that I am a woman and my place is in the home. Well I tell you this, I fear neither death or pain."
"What is it that you fear?"
Eowyn paused a second and then said, "A cage. To stay behind bars until use and old age must accept them and all the chance for valor is gone, beyond recall or desire."
Aragorn nodded. "Yet you tell me not to go on the road appointed for me."
"It is only my counsel."
"Then this is my counsel to you, lady. Stay, for your errand is not south."
"Neither is the errand of those who go with you. But they go because they love you." Eowyn turned and vanished into the shadows.
Legolas glanced at Aragorn, who was deep in thought. The ranger turned and looked out into the gathering darkness. "I do not ask you to come with me. The road is perilous and dark."
The Elf sighed and hung his arm around the man's neck. "What the Lady says is true. The path you chose isn't ours, but we go with you because we love you and have faith in you."
Aragorn turned, his sad eyes wandering over the mountains. "Then you may be choosing your doom." He lowed his gazed to Legolas. "But I am glad that you chose to come."
Legolas smiled. "We would have it no other way, brother."
"Come, tell the others we ride at dawn." Legolas nodded and ran off in the direction of the tents. Aragorn turned his gaze to the west and sighing, muttered to himself, "If the dawn even comes tomorrow."
~*~
Eowyn sat on her cot, anger flaring in her eyes. Her golden hair fell in her face. She breathed in deeply, trying to hold back tears.
"He doesn't feel for you! Why are you trying so hard?" Eowyn kept beating herself down mentally. "He doesn't care about you! Aragorn loves someone else! It's just not fair! It's not fair at all."
She turned and lay down. With unwanted tears coursing down her cheeks, Eowyn finally fell asleep.
TWO DAYS LATER.
Eowyn sat on a rock, cleaning her sword. The metal gleamed in the fading light of day. The dark oak hilt melted into the golden décor of two rearing horses. The horses were symbols of Eorl, the royal house of Rohan. And she was part of that line.
She held up the sword and examined its blade. There were no dents in it from striking armor, no stains of blood on the blade from battle.
"What good is a sword," Eowyn muttered, "if it doesn't ever see battle?"
A familiar horn broke her thoughts. Eowyn immediately jumped up and ran down the hill to where the Rohirrim were living. Gazing out into the distance, she saw a long line of horsemen approaching.
A cry of joy escaped her lips and she went running down to meet them. A single rider rode ahead of the rest, galloping toward her. Eowyn was laughing, the wind slapping her face.
Her brother met her in the middle of the field and picked her up off the ground, but in the middle of it all, fell of his horse, taking Eowyn down with him. They both lay in the grass, laughing until their stomachs ached.
Eowyn rolled over and hugged Eomer. "You can not imagine how much I've missed you!"
Eomer smiled and taking her face in his hands, kissed her. "I've missed you too, baby sister. How've you been?"
"Fine. You?"
He waved a hand in the air. "Do you even have to ask?" Eowyn giggled. "I'm wonderful!" He kissed her on the cheek again and then said, "Now help an old man up, will you?"
Once they had both gotten up, the company had caught up with them. The King dismounted and Eowyn ran into his arms. He kindly stroked her hair. "Well, Eowyn, how do my people fair? Have you taken good care of them?"
"Yes, my lord. They are safe. They are all camped just below the hill, in Dunharrow."
"Hm, yes, and has the lord Aragorn come yet?"
Eowyn's joy immediately left her and her face fell. "Yes, my lord, but he isn't here any more. He left yesterday morning at dawn. I couldn't convince him to stay."
Eomer looked concerned. "So he really did choose the Paths of the Dead?"
Eowyn nodded. Theoden sighed, and then gestured forward. "Come, men! We cannot stay here all night. Tonight we will eat our fill and sleep well."
Cheers rose from the large company of Rohirrim men. Eomer mounted his horse again and Eowyn sat behind him. As they were riding toward Dunharrow, Eowyn thought she saw a child riding a pony, but she wasn't sure. She just shrugged it off and turned her thoughts back to Aragorn.
~*~
Its always hard being the small, but you feel so little around these people. Meriadoc Brandybuck dismounted his pony and after watering his horse and making sure he had a bucket of grain, he went off in search for King Theoden.
He passed several children playing under the watchful eye of their mothers. The children looked at him curiously as he walked by, but then turned back to their play.
Looking around, he couldn't find the King anywhere. Then, looking up, he saw a large tent at the top of a hill. Merry climbed the dirt road toward the tent. Many large statues towered above him and seemed a bit frightening in the gathering dusk. Merry reached the tent and two guards smiled at him and let him in. The tent was dark green, embroidered with gold. Two white horses rose up at the far side of the tent. Merry nervously stepped into the pool of lamplight. Eomer, Theoden, and a few other men glanced up.
The King smiled. "Come my little friend."
Merry came to the King and said, "Is there anything I can get for you, my lord?"
Theoden smiled and nodded. "Please, Master Meriadoc, I think we'd all enjoy some wine." Merry nodded and hurried about to fill everyone's glass. After he was done, he sat back behind the King and waited. Presently, the young woman who had met them earlier that day walked into the tent. She bowed to the King and then took a place by Eomer.
Theoden turned and saw Merry sitting behind him. "Master Meriadoc, come and sit beside me. You still have many tales to tell me."
Merry nodded and sat at the King's left hand, but he did not tell any tales. The counsel went on discussing the matter at hand but every once in a while the young woman would glance curiously at him. Merry listened, though he truly wasn't very interested. During the conversation, Merry got up the courage to ask, "My lord, I've heard you speak of the Paths of the Dead. What is it?"
Eomer glanced at the King. Theoden sighed and said, "It is something to terrible to speak of."
"It is were the Dead remain, waiting to be called." Eomer mused, half to himself.
Merry looked down. Why would Aragorn want to go that way? But he didn't dare to ask the question for fear of the answer.
Just then a guard walked in. "My lord, a messenger, from Gondor."
When the man walked in, Merry choked back scream and nearly fell over. The man resembled Boromir in so many ways. The dark haired man bowed and said, "My lord, I am Hirgon, the messenger of the Lord Denethor. We send you the red arrow, in our time of need."
Theoden sat, still as a stone. Finally he sighed deeply, almost angrily and said, "So, Gondor has sent the red arrow. I cannot ignore this plea for help. Messenger, you may return this to your master with our consent. We will set out for Gondor in the morning." Theoden nodded to one of the guards. "Tell my company and any men here willing to fight to ready themselves, for tomorrow, we match to war." The guard nodded and quickly slipped into the darkness to spread the word.
Theoden turned back to the messenger. "Sit, if you wish."
The man shook his head. "Thank you, my lord, but I must start back to the White City to tell the Steward the good news."
Theoden nodded. "You have the blessing of the Rohirrim, but listen to this: In times of great need, we have sent our own to you and you have turned us away. We have suffered much because of you, yet in your time of need, we answer your call. Hear this and be warned. For if we come again seeking help and find none, the next time you come crying for our aid, we will turn our backs to you, as you had done to us."
The messenger seemed speechless. "B-but, my lord," he stuttered, "when have we ever rejected our brother, Rohan, in its time of need?"
Eomer rose to his feet. "My lord sent me, along with his own son, to ask your Steward for help. And he turned us away. May Gondor be more helpful to its allies in times to come." Eomer's eyes were filled with fire. "Yet there was one, the youngest son of your master, who was compassionate to us. May he be blessed."
The man bowed and nodded. "Yes my lords. I will tell the Steward all your words you have spoken. Thank you for your grace to us." Then he turned and disappeared into the shadows of the night.
The tent was silent for a time after the messenger's departure. King Theoden stood and sighed. "So, it has come sooner than I would have it. Well, then let it be. Let the Battle beware of the wrath of Rohan."
"Ay, my lord, let it bewared." Eomer said. "But let's retire now for the night."
The men exited the tent, followed slowly by the young woman. She glanced at Merry, who sat alone in the tent.
"Come, child, I will take you back down to your tent." She said kindly.
Merry got up and walked over to her. "Thank you kindly, miss, but I'm not a child. I am a Hobbit and am 36 years old."
The woman stared at him a moment. "A Hobbit?"
"Yes, a Halfling."
"Oh, but I thought Halflings were merely a myth."
Merry laughed. He had heard that one before. "Well, we're alive as can be." He stuck out his hand. "I'm Meriadoc Brandybuck, but you can call me Merry. Everyone else does."
The young woman smiled and shook Merry's hand. "Well, it's nice to met you Merry. My name's Eowyn. I'm the niece of King Theoden." They walked along until they came to Merry's small tent. "I'm sorry I mistook you for a child."
Merry waved it off. "It's alright, really. Big people who haven't seen us often mistake us for children. Thank you for walking me back."
Eowyn smiled. "Well, thank you for walking me." Her face fell a little. "I suppose I won't ever see you again."
"Why not?"
"You're going to go to Battle and I won't be allowed to." She looked to the southeast longingly.
Merry shook his head. "No, I'll probably have to stay behind, just like the other times. I'll probably never see my cousin again. Or my other cousin. Or my cousin's gardener." Merry sighed. "Good old Sam. Well, he'll look after Frodo anyhow, but who'd going to look after Pippin?"
Eowyn looked a bit confused and then laughed. "Good night, master Merry."
"Good night." Merry went into his tent and sighed heavily. "I am not going to be left behind again! I won't be!"
~*~
I'm so sorry that it took so long for me to update! I'm sorry if this chapter is completely horrible! I've been gone for a month and I couldn't do any writing and I'm going to be gone again from July 27th to the 31st. But I promise I'll try to get another chapter posted, even if its short before that. BUT if I'm going to do that, I'll need REVIEWS! (and suggestions/ questions in them! I'm going to answer reviews from now on) so REVIEW!!
Rated: pg-13
Chapter 19
All was quiet in the tent. No one spoke, no one moved. Eowyn stood still as stone, letting Aragorn's words sink in. Her eyes forever rested on Aragorn, though he turned his face from her.
Legolas could see that Aragorn was struggling because of Eowyn's endless stare. He silently gestured to the others that it was time to leave.
Elhorir stood first, followed by his twin, Elladan. "Thank you, Lady Eowyn. The food was delicious." They bowed and exited the tent. The others followed their example.
As Legolas steeped out of the tent, he saw the sun slip over the western mountains. Darkness began to set in and women here and there began lighting lanterns.
Aragorn came up behind Legolas and placed a hand on his shoulder. Aragorn sighed and looked longingly to the west. "If only my path led me to where my heart dwelled. Then I would wonder to the valleys of Rivendell, back to the arms of my Arwen."
Legolas smiled. "She will wait for you."
Aragorn nodded, smiling dreamily to himself. Both looked up as Eowyn appeared from the tent with fire in her eyes.
She came before Aragorn and stood silent for a minute and then said, " If you must go, let me ride with you." She laid her hand on his arm. "For I do not wish to stay here in the hill. I wish to face peril and battle."
Aragorn gently removed her hand from his arm. "Your duty is to your people, Eowyn."
Her eyes flamed up. "Too often have I heard of duty! But I am of the House of Eorl! I am a shieldmaiden! I have waited on others hand and foot enough. Can I not live my life as I would?!"
"Few have that honor. But didn't you accept the charge to govern your people while your Uncle is away? You can not run away from this."
Eowyn sighed heavily. "Must I always be chosen? Shall I always be left behind while others fight?"
Aragorn looked at her. "A time will come when none will return. Then there will be a time for valor, but the deeds of some won't be remembered. Yet the deeds won't be any less valiant just because they weren't praised."
Eowyn glared at him. "So what you are saying is that I am a woman and my place is in the home. Well I tell you this, I fear neither death or pain."
"What is it that you fear?"
Eowyn paused a second and then said, "A cage. To stay behind bars until use and old age must accept them and all the chance for valor is gone, beyond recall or desire."
Aragorn nodded. "Yet you tell me not to go on the road appointed for me."
"It is only my counsel."
"Then this is my counsel to you, lady. Stay, for your errand is not south."
"Neither is the errand of those who go with you. But they go because they love you." Eowyn turned and vanished into the shadows.
Legolas glanced at Aragorn, who was deep in thought. The ranger turned and looked out into the gathering darkness. "I do not ask you to come with me. The road is perilous and dark."
The Elf sighed and hung his arm around the man's neck. "What the Lady says is true. The path you chose isn't ours, but we go with you because we love you and have faith in you."
Aragorn turned, his sad eyes wandering over the mountains. "Then you may be choosing your doom." He lowed his gazed to Legolas. "But I am glad that you chose to come."
Legolas smiled. "We would have it no other way, brother."
"Come, tell the others we ride at dawn." Legolas nodded and ran off in the direction of the tents. Aragorn turned his gaze to the west and sighing, muttered to himself, "If the dawn even comes tomorrow."
~*~
Eowyn sat on her cot, anger flaring in her eyes. Her golden hair fell in her face. She breathed in deeply, trying to hold back tears.
"He doesn't feel for you! Why are you trying so hard?" Eowyn kept beating herself down mentally. "He doesn't care about you! Aragorn loves someone else! It's just not fair! It's not fair at all."
She turned and lay down. With unwanted tears coursing down her cheeks, Eowyn finally fell asleep.
TWO DAYS LATER.
Eowyn sat on a rock, cleaning her sword. The metal gleamed in the fading light of day. The dark oak hilt melted into the golden décor of two rearing horses. The horses were symbols of Eorl, the royal house of Rohan. And she was part of that line.
She held up the sword and examined its blade. There were no dents in it from striking armor, no stains of blood on the blade from battle.
"What good is a sword," Eowyn muttered, "if it doesn't ever see battle?"
A familiar horn broke her thoughts. Eowyn immediately jumped up and ran down the hill to where the Rohirrim were living. Gazing out into the distance, she saw a long line of horsemen approaching.
A cry of joy escaped her lips and she went running down to meet them. A single rider rode ahead of the rest, galloping toward her. Eowyn was laughing, the wind slapping her face.
Her brother met her in the middle of the field and picked her up off the ground, but in the middle of it all, fell of his horse, taking Eowyn down with him. They both lay in the grass, laughing until their stomachs ached.
Eowyn rolled over and hugged Eomer. "You can not imagine how much I've missed you!"
Eomer smiled and taking her face in his hands, kissed her. "I've missed you too, baby sister. How've you been?"
"Fine. You?"
He waved a hand in the air. "Do you even have to ask?" Eowyn giggled. "I'm wonderful!" He kissed her on the cheek again and then said, "Now help an old man up, will you?"
Once they had both gotten up, the company had caught up with them. The King dismounted and Eowyn ran into his arms. He kindly stroked her hair. "Well, Eowyn, how do my people fair? Have you taken good care of them?"
"Yes, my lord. They are safe. They are all camped just below the hill, in Dunharrow."
"Hm, yes, and has the lord Aragorn come yet?"
Eowyn's joy immediately left her and her face fell. "Yes, my lord, but he isn't here any more. He left yesterday morning at dawn. I couldn't convince him to stay."
Eomer looked concerned. "So he really did choose the Paths of the Dead?"
Eowyn nodded. Theoden sighed, and then gestured forward. "Come, men! We cannot stay here all night. Tonight we will eat our fill and sleep well."
Cheers rose from the large company of Rohirrim men. Eomer mounted his horse again and Eowyn sat behind him. As they were riding toward Dunharrow, Eowyn thought she saw a child riding a pony, but she wasn't sure. She just shrugged it off and turned her thoughts back to Aragorn.
~*~
Its always hard being the small, but you feel so little around these people. Meriadoc Brandybuck dismounted his pony and after watering his horse and making sure he had a bucket of grain, he went off in search for King Theoden.
He passed several children playing under the watchful eye of their mothers. The children looked at him curiously as he walked by, but then turned back to their play.
Looking around, he couldn't find the King anywhere. Then, looking up, he saw a large tent at the top of a hill. Merry climbed the dirt road toward the tent. Many large statues towered above him and seemed a bit frightening in the gathering dusk. Merry reached the tent and two guards smiled at him and let him in. The tent was dark green, embroidered with gold. Two white horses rose up at the far side of the tent. Merry nervously stepped into the pool of lamplight. Eomer, Theoden, and a few other men glanced up.
The King smiled. "Come my little friend."
Merry came to the King and said, "Is there anything I can get for you, my lord?"
Theoden smiled and nodded. "Please, Master Meriadoc, I think we'd all enjoy some wine." Merry nodded and hurried about to fill everyone's glass. After he was done, he sat back behind the King and waited. Presently, the young woman who had met them earlier that day walked into the tent. She bowed to the King and then took a place by Eomer.
Theoden turned and saw Merry sitting behind him. "Master Meriadoc, come and sit beside me. You still have many tales to tell me."
Merry nodded and sat at the King's left hand, but he did not tell any tales. The counsel went on discussing the matter at hand but every once in a while the young woman would glance curiously at him. Merry listened, though he truly wasn't very interested. During the conversation, Merry got up the courage to ask, "My lord, I've heard you speak of the Paths of the Dead. What is it?"
Eomer glanced at the King. Theoden sighed and said, "It is something to terrible to speak of."
"It is were the Dead remain, waiting to be called." Eomer mused, half to himself.
Merry looked down. Why would Aragorn want to go that way? But he didn't dare to ask the question for fear of the answer.
Just then a guard walked in. "My lord, a messenger, from Gondor."
When the man walked in, Merry choked back scream and nearly fell over. The man resembled Boromir in so many ways. The dark haired man bowed and said, "My lord, I am Hirgon, the messenger of the Lord Denethor. We send you the red arrow, in our time of need."
Theoden sat, still as a stone. Finally he sighed deeply, almost angrily and said, "So, Gondor has sent the red arrow. I cannot ignore this plea for help. Messenger, you may return this to your master with our consent. We will set out for Gondor in the morning." Theoden nodded to one of the guards. "Tell my company and any men here willing to fight to ready themselves, for tomorrow, we match to war." The guard nodded and quickly slipped into the darkness to spread the word.
Theoden turned back to the messenger. "Sit, if you wish."
The man shook his head. "Thank you, my lord, but I must start back to the White City to tell the Steward the good news."
Theoden nodded. "You have the blessing of the Rohirrim, but listen to this: In times of great need, we have sent our own to you and you have turned us away. We have suffered much because of you, yet in your time of need, we answer your call. Hear this and be warned. For if we come again seeking help and find none, the next time you come crying for our aid, we will turn our backs to you, as you had done to us."
The messenger seemed speechless. "B-but, my lord," he stuttered, "when have we ever rejected our brother, Rohan, in its time of need?"
Eomer rose to his feet. "My lord sent me, along with his own son, to ask your Steward for help. And he turned us away. May Gondor be more helpful to its allies in times to come." Eomer's eyes were filled with fire. "Yet there was one, the youngest son of your master, who was compassionate to us. May he be blessed."
The man bowed and nodded. "Yes my lords. I will tell the Steward all your words you have spoken. Thank you for your grace to us." Then he turned and disappeared into the shadows of the night.
The tent was silent for a time after the messenger's departure. King Theoden stood and sighed. "So, it has come sooner than I would have it. Well, then let it be. Let the Battle beware of the wrath of Rohan."
"Ay, my lord, let it bewared." Eomer said. "But let's retire now for the night."
The men exited the tent, followed slowly by the young woman. She glanced at Merry, who sat alone in the tent.
"Come, child, I will take you back down to your tent." She said kindly.
Merry got up and walked over to her. "Thank you kindly, miss, but I'm not a child. I am a Hobbit and am 36 years old."
The woman stared at him a moment. "A Hobbit?"
"Yes, a Halfling."
"Oh, but I thought Halflings were merely a myth."
Merry laughed. He had heard that one before. "Well, we're alive as can be." He stuck out his hand. "I'm Meriadoc Brandybuck, but you can call me Merry. Everyone else does."
The young woman smiled and shook Merry's hand. "Well, it's nice to met you Merry. My name's Eowyn. I'm the niece of King Theoden." They walked along until they came to Merry's small tent. "I'm sorry I mistook you for a child."
Merry waved it off. "It's alright, really. Big people who haven't seen us often mistake us for children. Thank you for walking me back."
Eowyn smiled. "Well, thank you for walking me." Her face fell a little. "I suppose I won't ever see you again."
"Why not?"
"You're going to go to Battle and I won't be allowed to." She looked to the southeast longingly.
Merry shook his head. "No, I'll probably have to stay behind, just like the other times. I'll probably never see my cousin again. Or my other cousin. Or my cousin's gardener." Merry sighed. "Good old Sam. Well, he'll look after Frodo anyhow, but who'd going to look after Pippin?"
Eowyn looked a bit confused and then laughed. "Good night, master Merry."
"Good night." Merry went into his tent and sighed heavily. "I am not going to be left behind again! I won't be!"
~*~
I'm so sorry that it took so long for me to update! I'm sorry if this chapter is completely horrible! I've been gone for a month and I couldn't do any writing and I'm going to be gone again from July 27th to the 31st. But I promise I'll try to get another chapter posted, even if its short before that. BUT if I'm going to do that, I'll need REVIEWS! (and suggestions/ questions in them! I'm going to answer reviews from now on) so REVIEW!!