A/N: I know this chapter has a lot from the chapter 'The Steward and the King'. I tried to cut it down some of the original text, since almost everyone has already memorized that scene, but there were some parts that Tolkien wrote so beautifully that I just had to leave them in. Hopefully I added enough extra little moments to compensate for the shortness of the chapter.
Day 8
It had been seven days since the Host of the West left for the Black Gates of Mordor. The sun was completely covered by dark clouds. The darkness had come.
Éowyn stood next to Faramir on the walls of the City looking out.
On this dark day, the only light Éowyn could see was in the whiteness of her dress, even that, was being covered by her starry mantle as she pulled it tighter, for a cold wind blew around her. She shivered beneath the starry mantle and looked northward.
"What do you look for, Éowyn?" said Faramir.
"Does not the Black Gate lie yonder?" said she, "And he must have come thither by now. It is seven days since he rode away."
"Seven days,' said Faramir, "But think not ill of me, if I say to you: they have brought me both a joy and a pain that I never thought to know. Joy to see you; but pain, because now the fear and doubt of this evil time are grown dark indeed. Éowyn, I would not have this world end now, or lose so soon what I have found."
"Lose what you have found, lord?" she asked; but she looked at him gravely and her eyes were kind. "I know not what in these days you have found that you could lose. But come, let us not speak of it. Let us not speak at all, for we wait for some stroke of doom."
"Yes, we wait for the stroke of doom," said Faramir and they said no more.
Suddenly as they stood there it seemed to them that time halted. Everything had seemed to stop. No birds sang. No wind blew. No people dared step out into the open. Everything was silent and still. Éowyn and Faramir's hands met and clasped without them realizing it. They stood there hand in hand waiting for what they did not know.
Then presently it seemed to them that above the ridges of the distant mountains another vast mountain of darkness rose, towering up like a wave that should engulf the world, and about it lightning flickered, then and a tremor ran through the earth, and they felt the walls of the City quiver.
"It reminds me of Númenor," said Faramir.
"Of Númenor?" asked Éowyn.
"Yes," said Faramir, "of the land of the Westernesse that foundered, and of the great dark wave climbing over the green lands and above the hills, and coming on, darkness unescapable. I often dreamed it."
"Then you think that the Darkness is coming?" said Éowyn. "Darkness Unescapable?" And suddenly she drew close to him.
"No," said Faramir, looking into her face. "It was but a picture in the mind. I do not know what is happening. Éowyn, White Lady of Rohan, in this hour I do not believe that any darkness will endure." And he stooped and kissed her brow.
They continued to stand on the walls of the City of Gondor, and a great wind rose. The Shadow departed, and the Sun was unveiled, and light leaped forth. The silence was over and in all the houses of the City men sang for the joy of what had just occurred.
Éowyn let out the breath that she did not realize she held, and looked up at Faramir. "I also believe that the darkness will not endure, for the voices of joy are arising from the City, the war must be over," she said smiling.
"Then means that I will not lose what I have found," Faramir smiled.
"I still do not understand. You again speak in riddles," Éowyn said.
"Do you truly not understand," he brought their clasped hands up and held them against is heart, "or do you feign not understanding?"
"I truly do not understand," she insisted.
"Look at me," he said and Éowyn looked in to his eyes, and she knew the meaning of his words. She lowered her eyes from his gaze and turned away. Then from the corner of her eye, she saw a great Eagle flying from the east baring tidings from the Lords of the West.
"Look," she pointed to the great Eagle as she listened to the Eagle's joyous tidings. "The Realm of Sauron has ended. We are truly free from the Darkness," she said with relieved excitement at the tidings.
"Then you should be glad, for your brother and Lord Aragorn shall be returning to you soon," Faramir said.
"Indeed," she said as tears of joy streamed down her white face, "for the past seven days I've been fearful that I would shed tears for their death, but now that I hear and see the tidings that they are alive and well, I shed tears as well."
"And these tears are justly shed, for they are tears of joy," Faramir said as he brought up his hand and wiped away her tears. Éowyn instinctively leaned her face into Faramir's gentle hand. "I am glad to see you smile from happiness. You should no longer be sad, Éowyn, for the dark times are over and Gondor's King has returned."
"What happens now?" Éowyn asked.
"I do not know," he answered, "but I believe we would rebuild and return to the life we had before," Faramir said as his hand tightened around Éowyn's hand as if he were afraid of losing her.
"We both know that is not possible," Éowyn said almost in a whisper.
"Now you speak in riddles, Éowyn."
"I do not speak in riddles. I only speak the truth. Lord Aragorn will be King of Gondor, Éomer will be King of Rohan, and you would no longer be Steward. But I will return to Rohan and remain shieldmaiden," Éowyn said.
"Éowyn, is that what you wish?"
"No," she said softly.
"Then smile for me, for today is a joyous day. Can you not hear the people sing?" Éowyn nodded and smiled for Faramir. "Éowyn, I do not believe you will remain a shieldmaiden if you do not wish it."
"I hope what you believe is true," she said as they both stood on the wall hands still clasped together listening to the City celebrate.