For one day, Tolwyn was allowed to run. She easily escaped her lessons and ran to the stables, and climbed into the hayloft. She sobbed quietly, the smell of hay and of horses comforting her. She stayed in the hayloft for hours, crying. Finally she walked back to the Golden Hall and was sent to bed. That one day, and that day only, she was allowed freedom.
When Tolwyn woke the next morning, the servants came in and took care of her, and she was rushed to the kitchen for breakfast. In the hallways she heard the servants whispering among themselves. She only heard a few bits of conversation, which sounded thus: "A new lessons-room… no windows… she won't be let outside… he's trying to protect her…"
The truth was, Eomer thought the sickness Lothiriel had gotten was from the commoners. His mother died when he was very young, his sister had been badly wounded in the War, and his wife had died. His grief and despair over losing Lothiriel, the one true love in life he had ever had, were too much for words to explain. He did not want to lose his only daughter now. So he was going to keep her away from all harm.
After breakfast, Tolwyn was sent to her new lessons-room. It had no windows, and only one door that was guarded by two soldiers. The only things lighting the room were a few torches and candles. She sat down in an uncomfortable wooden chair, and the lessons-master began to teach. Tolwyn was in the new lessons-room all day, learning. After they were finally done, she was given a small supper and sent to bed.
This went on for some years. Tolwyn began to grow thin and pale. Her once sparkling and happy green eyes now had tints of grey, and her once-golden hair that was bleached by the warm sunlight was getting streaks of brown in it. She never smiled, never laughed. Her father and brother were kept busy fighting, and they barely noticed her. They were often away, and her brother could not keep the promise he had made to her the day their mother died.
When Tolwyn was 13 years old, she had an overwhelming urge to escape. So, on the night of March 17th, 3041, she dressed in her brother's old clothes and climbed out her window, and ran. She ran half-blind, stumbling often, tears streaming down her face. Finally she exited the gates of Edoras, and found her mother's grave.
Tolwyn collapsed onto Lothiriel's grave and began sobbing. Her mother had been gone three years, and Tolwyn missed her. She had died just when Tolwyn needed her most. After awhile Tolwyn stopped weeping, and placed a simbelmyne bloom on Lothiriel's grave as a sign of respect. She then made her way back to the Golden Hall, reached her room, and managed to get a few hours of sleep before being woken up the next morning.
Tolwyn kept sneaking out every night. She loved just being able to run through the fields and to breathe the crisp midnight air. She would often fall asleep during lessons, but despite this, she learned quickly everything the lessons-master had to teach her.
A few weeks after Tolwyn first snuck out, Eomer led Elfwine and her to the royal stables. He took them to the stall of a Meara mare that had bred with the king's own steed. Lying near the mare were two colts that looked only a few days old. One was pure white with a creamy white mane and tail, and the other was an ordinary brown color with a flat black mane and tail.
"Someday, these Mearas will be yours," Eomer explained. "You are the descendants of the kings of Rohan, therefore you and only you can ride the Mearas." Eomer then told them the whole history of the Mearas, starting with Felarof, the steed of Eorl.
When Elfwine and Tolwyn were nearly asleep from being so bored, Eomer finally ended the tale of Shadowfax. Then he said, "The name of the white colt is Aldor. Elfwine, he shall be yours on your 18th birthday." Elfwine looked delighted, and peeked back in the stall again at the white colt.
"And what about me?" Tolwyn asked her father quietly. Eomer was just then called back to Meduseld on urgent business, so he said over his shoulder as he strode away, "The brown colt's name is Baldor, you will receive him on your 15th birthday." Eomer then rushed back to the Golden Hall, Elfwine following him.
Tolwyn looked back at the Mearas. "Baldor," she mused to herself. She remembered the story of the human prince Baldor… "…Baldor, son of Brego, passed the Door and was never seen among men again. A rash vow he spoke, as he drained the horn at that feast which Brego made to hallow new-built Meduseld, and he never came again to the high seat of which he was the heir."
So Aldor, son of Brego, became the king, while his brother Baldor ran away and was never seen again… Tolwyn was brought out of her daydreaming by a cough from her lessons-master. She reluctantly followed him back to the dark lessons-room, and continued learning.