Thank you all for the reviews! I'm glad you liked the first chapter. I hope you enjoy this chapter, let me know!

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Lord of the Rings. I only own Lilly.


Chapter 2: The King Returns

Lilly sat for hours in silence after she had cried all that she could that morning. She looked around trying to figure out exactly how long she was sitting there and she determined she'd been there for about five or six hours. However, she could barely tell because very limited light shone through the small window. Lilly sighed and stood from the straw she had sat down on. She raised her hand to her left cheek that still stung from the two smacks she received from Lord Roryn. Her eyes began to water when she remembered the second foster home she lived in. She was ten and at first it was great. She lived with a woman, Sara, and her five year old daughter, Michelle. Soon after she moved in Sara's boyfriend, Jason, moved in with them. Life was good for a while until one night Lilly spilled her milk at dinner and when she picked up the glass after she said sorry Jason back handed her. Her nose started to bleed and she started to cry only to get smacked again and again. Lilly shook her head to forget those nights and looked out the small window. She sighed as she looked out over the plains of Rohan and was confused as to how she actually ended up in her favorite story. Lilly knew it wasn't a dream because if it was when Lord Roryn smacked her it wouldn't have hurt like it did. Lilly was brought out of her thoughts by her stomach growling. She was hungry and very thirsty but knew she wouldn't be given anything, even if she asked for it.

There was a noise and someone was coming to her cell. Lilly turned around and her tired eyes met those of Lord Roryn. Fear was instant and she quickly ran over to the straw bed and sat down. Lord Roryn had a guard open the cell door and he walked in. "Have you decided to tell the truth yet witch?" Roryn asked as he glared at her.

"I have told you the truth, milord. I have no business in Edoras and I do not even know how I got here. I was in my home and the next thing I knew I was here," Lilly said quietly as she looked at his feet in front of her. Roryn grabbed her by her upper arms once more and Lilly flinched as he pulled her up.

"Why do you insist on telling me these lies? When our king returns, I will be sure to have him deal you the harshest punishment our laws allow." Roryn squeezed her arms tighter and she whimpered.

"Please milord. I have done nothing to you or your people. I am telling you the truth." Lilly felt the tears brim her eyes. Roryn sneered at her and threw her hard against the wall. Lilly whimpered and slid down the wall and sat down on the straw. Roryn turned away from her and left the cell. He paused outside her door and spoke to the guard.

"Be sure my orders are carried out. No food and no water until she gives us the truth," Roryn said to the guard. The guard nodded his head but as Roryn left and he closed the door he paused and looked at Lilly. Lilly looked at him and begged him with her eyes for him to help her. She heard him sigh and his eyes told her there was nothing he could do. The guard closed the door and returned to his post with a heavy heart for the young woman as he heard her cries once more.


Four Weeks Later

As time passed, Lilly grew weaker. Gamling had brought her small loafs of bread and water when Lord Roryn would fall asleep at night and Lilly always thanked him continuously each time he came in. Roryn had allowed her to have some water, but the water that was brought into her was always dirty so she didn't dare drink it. It was the night of her twenty-eight day being locked inside that cell. Every morning Lord Roryn would come and torture her to get information from her but she gave him the same answer. Tonight she was sporting a cut lip and several bruises on her arms, as well as a cut on her forehead from two days before. Gamling came into her cell to find her lying on the straw bed. When Lilly saw him she slowly sat up and smiled gratefully as he handed her the small piece of bread and water. "Lilly, I wish I could bring you more. I know your strength is leaving you," Gamling said as he looked at her. Lilly gave him a forced smile.

"It is quiet alright Gamling. You are doing what your Lord orders you not to and for that I am thankful. I just hope that you will not get into trouble," Lilly said as she quickly ate the bread and drank the water. It was all gone in mere moments and Gamling sighed. Lilly looked at her hands and sighed. They were filthy and she knew she looked a fright. Lilly handed him the empty cup but she began to cough hard. Gamling became alarmed as her body racked with the cough. Once she caught her breath she sighed and laid her head against the wall. Gamling furrowed his brow and felt her forehead. His eyes grew wide.

"You are burning with fever!" he exclaimed quietly. Lilly shook her head and removed his hand.

"I'm alright Gamling." She yawned and her head felt heavy. "Gamling I do not wish to cut our visit short but I am very tired. I would like to sleep." Gamling nodded his head as he looked at her as she laid down and quickly fell asleep. He was about to leave his cloak to keep her warm because the dungeon's were freezing and the fall nights were getting colder but he stopped remembering that Roryn would come by in the morning and he did not want her to suffer for his forgetfulness. He sighed, stood, and left the cell. Gaellyn was the guard on watch tonight and they looked at each other and then at Lilly who shivered in her sleep.

"She will not last much longer, Gaellyn. King Eomer should be returning to Edoras within the next few days, however, if he does not come soon she shall fade. We should have sent word to him. We should have sent a rider for him the moment she came to us!" Gamling exclaimed in a whisper.

"They king shall return soon. We have done what we could, Lord Roryn out ranks us both as the king's advisor. We must do as he says," Gaellyn said to Gamling.

"With each passing hour her strength leaves. I have heard her story and she tells the truth. I can see it in her eyes." Gamling was cut off by another hard cough coming from the cell. He looked at Gaellyn. "If King Eomer does not arrive within the next three days, she will not live. Her illness grows and if we do not get a healer in here to administer treatment she will surely perish." Gaellyn sighed, nodded his head and looked at her as another cough racked her body.


"We should reach Edoras soon Eomer King," Rabryn said as they rode swiftly to Edoras from Minas Tirith. The rising sun was on their backs urging them forward. Eomer was happy to be returning home, however, something in his heart told him that something was not right and he was greatly needed. He brushed it off because if something would have been dire, Roryn would have sent word for him. As they reached the top of a hill the city came into view. A smile spread across Eomer's face and he urged Firefoot on faster. He heard a laugh behind him and smiled at his sister.

Eowyn and Faramir rode with him to Edoras to spend some time with him there before traveling back with him and his party for Aragorn and Arwen's wedding as well as their own. Soon Eowyn was racing her horse along side her brother's laughing the whole way. Faramir kept his horse at a trot and just shook his head and laughed quietly at the display of the king and his sister.


The thirtieth day of Lilly's imprisonment dawned and Lilly could barely move. She was so sick and her body was so tired, she couldn't even keep her eyes open anymore. The night before when Gamling came in she refused the bread and drank just a little of the water he brought for her. She laid there on the straw feeling like death was right around the corner and she could not believe the people of Rohan would treat another person like this. She closed her eyes and willed her pain away. Roryn walked into the dungeons and laughed at the sight of her. He then turned around and left her there deciding for once not to press her for information.

'Why was I sent here?' Lilly screamed in her mind. 'God, I feel awful. How did I get so sick? Uhhh, let this end.' A fierce cough racked her body and soon darkness overcame her.


Gamling was standing looking over Edoras and over the plains of Rohan when a party came into view. He watched the party ride only to see two figures break from the party and ride quickly towards the city. Soon a gleam from the armor of one rider caught his eye and a smile spread across his face. It was King Eomer. He quickly made his way down the steps and awaited his arrival by the stables. Eomer rode up and smiled at Gamling but quickly turned to look at Eowyn who was laughing whole heartedly. "You did well sister, but I beat you once again!" Eomer called. Eowyn shook her head.

"Only because you cheated and cut across me when we entered the city!" Eowyn responded as she dismounted from her horse. Eomer laughed and dismounted Firefoot. He smiled at Gamling once more but his smile soon fell when he caught the grave look on Gamling's face.

"Gamling, what is it?" Eomer said as he handed the reins to a stable boy and walked up to him.

"Milord, there is a matter of utmost importance," Gamling said but paused when Eowyn came up and looked at him concerned. Eomer motioned for him to continue and Gamling nodded. "A woman came to Edoras, milord, by some sort of magic but not of her own doing. From the moment she arrived Lord Roryn as kept her prisoner and as struck her twice in front of me and he strikes her during his interrogations. I have been the witness to her injuries from these interrogations. She speaks the truth, milord; however, Lord Roryn fails to believe her. She is deathly ill and is dire need of a healer. I have not seen her since last night, but I know she does not fare well." Eomer's face turned to anger quickly at the mention of such mistreatment. That was not how he wanted his kingdom ruled. Eowyn was just as shocked and angered. She could not believe that Roryn would resort to violence, let alone strike a woman.

"Take me to her Gamling," Eomer said, the anger in his heart evident in his voice Gamling nodded and led the King and Eowyn into the Golden Hall and down to the dungeons. Eowyn suppressed a shiver that struck her body as they walked down the cold corridors. Gamling stopped in front of the end cell and the look on his face was grave.

"Oh no!" Gamling exclaimed in a whisper and he quickly opened the door. Gamling rushed inside followed closely by Eomer and Eowyn. Eomer took a sharp breath at the sight before him and Eowyn gasped covering her mouth with her hand. Lying on a bed of dirty straw was a young woman who looked as if her life had left her. Gamling hovered over her and sighed. "She is alive but barely," Gamling said as he looked up at Eowyn and Eomer.

"Eomer, we must get her to a healer!" Eowyn exclaimed as she looked at the woman. Eowyn noted that she was dressed oddly but that is not what concerned her at the moment. The woman was on the brink of death. Eomer looked at his sister and nodded before he rushed over and moved Gamling aside. He picked up the young woman and when he did he had to look in his arms to ensure that he indeed had her, she was so light. Eomer left the cell and made his way out of the dungeons and through the bustling corridors of the Golden Hall. Servants gasped at the sight of their king carrying the woman from the dungeons, some with distaste across their faces and others with relief in their eyes at the sight of the woman finally receiving treatment. Eomer quickly walked into the healing chambers. One of the healers came out from the storage closet and gasped when she saw the young woman from the dungeons in the arms of her King. She thanked the Valar that her king had returned to set things right.

"Eowirethien, we need your skill. She is gravely ill and in need of medical attention. Help her," Eomer said as he laid her limp body down on one of the empty beds. Eowirethien nodded.

"Yes, milord. I will do all I can," she said before she shooed them from the room and began her work on the young woman. As Eowyn, Eomer, and Gamling left the room Eomer sighed and looked Gamling.

"Gamling, tell us of her. Tell us her story," Eomer said as he looked at his sister then at Gamling. Gamling nodded and began to tell them everything from the moment he brought her to the Golden Hall until that very moment. He told them both of what he knew of she was from and how she had no idea how she got there. Eowyn's heart went out to the woman and she looked at her brother.

"Eomer, what are you going to do about Roryn?" she asked as Eomer sighed.

"I am going to speak with him and find out exactly what he thought he was doing. Excuse me," Eomer said as he quickly turned and made his way to Lord Roryn's chambers.


Faramir saw Eowyn standing in the hall speaking with Gamling and quickly made his way to her. "Eowyn, is everything alright?" he asked as he stopped next to her. She shook her head and embraced him, in need in some sort of comfort.

"No, Faramir. Things are not well. A woman was mistreated and kept in the dungeons. Now, she barely hangs onto life and Eomer is in search of the advisor he left in charge while he was away. Oh, Faramir, she looked terrible. Bruises on her face and neck and she had a cut on her forehead and her lip," Eowyn said. Faramir looked at Gamling as Eowyn buried herself in his arms. Gamling nodded to confirm what Eowyn said and Faramir sighed as he rubbed her back to comfort her. He silently prayed that all would be well and that the young woman would pull through alright.