Sorry it took so long to update! I hope you enjoy this chapter and thank you very much for the reviews. Please keep them coming and let me know what you think!
Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Lord of the Rings. I only own Lilly
Chapter 5: Comings and Friendships
Eomer woke before the dawn. He found that he could not sleep and was up nearly half the night. His thoughts were plagued by the young woman that now lived in his old chambers. When he first stepped into her room, his heart seemed to stop when her eyes turned to him and he noticed the deep blue color of her eyes even in the firelight. He felt her eyes on him when she looked at him and found them oddly comforting. But what surprised him the most was the look of recognition on her face, like she knew him and was seeing him after a long absence. What worried him though was the severe pain that flashed in her eyes when he asked about the markings on her back. They were the cause of much of her pain and he could tell that there was more beneath the surface and he longed to break them free and rid her of them, but that would take time, time that he hoped she would give him.
He dressed and walked out to the stables. He walked over to his horse and brushed out his mane. "Good morning Firefoot," he said quietly. He felt more at home in the stables among the horses and with his soldiers than he did sitting on the throne. "What I wouldn't give for you to be able to speak to me, my friend." Firefoot neighed and gently shook his head as Eomer ran the comb through his mane. "Our new arrival has my mind racing. What do you make of it?" Firefoot shook his head and snorted as he stomped his front hoof. Eomer laughed quietly and shook his head. "I don't know either." Eomer sighed as he put away the comb and patted Firefoot's neck. "Maybe I'll know as time goes on." Firefoot snorted and Eomer left the stables. He walked back up the stairs and looked over Edoras and the plains. A cool early October wind blew across the plains and stung against his cheeks. He sighed and closed his eyes. The days were growing colder and soon winter would come and his rides through the plains would be limited.
Eomer opened his eyes and sighed as he saw the sun finally make its way into the sky and people began to move about the city. He turned and went back inside and to the dinning hall. When he entered he saw Eowyn sitting and happily chatting with Faramir, but also a new guest, Gandalf was sitting at the table enjoying the meal. "Gandalf!" Eomer exclaimed. Gandalf looked up and smiled as the king made his way over to him. "It is good to see you my friend. I did not know of your coming." Gandalf shook his head as the king sat down.
"No, I made no announcement. I wanted to come and pay a visit to a friend, as well as discuss some matters concerning the young woman that has come to your city," Gandalf said. Eomer nodded his head. He had written to Aragorn about the woman that was brought to the city and inquired as to his thoughts. Apparently, Gandalf had come to voice their ideas on the situation.
After breakfast, Eowyn stood with her brother and Gandalf. "I would like to come with you, to speak with Lady Lilly," Eowyn said. Gandalf and Eomer nodded. Eowyn looked at Faramir and gave him a slight smile. "Forgive me, but I shall return to you in a moment." He smiled at her and took her hand.
"It is alright. I shall see you in a little while," Faramir said. Eowyn smiled and followed her brother and Gandalf from the dining hall to Lilly's chambers. Once they reached the door Eomer knocked on it.
"Come in!" a soft voice called and Eomer felt his heart rate quicken and he couldn't figure out exactly why. He opened the door and led Gandalf and Eowyn inside to find Lilly propped up on pillows with a book in her lap. She gave Gandalf and Eowyn a slight smile as she closed the book, but when her eyes met Eomer's blushed and nodded her head. Eowyn walked quickly over to her and smiled at her. Lilly knew who she was right away and gave her a slight nod of her head.
"How are you feeling, Lady Lilly?" Eowyn asked with a smile.
"Much better, thank you. However, I'm still a little sore and I feel a little drained but better none the less," Lilly said with a smile. Eowyn nodded and turned to look at her brother.
"Lady Lilly, this is my sister, Eowyn, and this is Gandalf the White," Eomer said as he motioned to Eowyn and the Gandalf. Lilly smiled at Gandalf and bowed her head.
"It is an honor to meet you, Gandalf," Lilly said quietly. Eomer and Eowyn were thoroughly confused but Gandalf smiled at her. He made his way over to her bed and sat down on the edge of it, resting his staff in his left hand.
"You know who I am outside of meeting me at this very moment, do you not?" Gandalf asked with a knowing smile. Lilly nodded her head and gave him a nervous smile. "And you know of Lady Eowyn, King Eomer, King Elessar, Lord Faramir, and others am I right?" Lilly's eyes widened.
"How did you know about that?" Lilly asked quietly. Gandalf smiled at her and patted her trembling hand.
"Do not fear, child. No more harm shall come to you here and I know many things. Your eyes tell some of your secrets. Upon our entrance, you knew exactly who we were without the need of introduction. There is more that you know and that I shall wait for you to share with the rest of us." Lilly just looked at him, scared out of her mind. Eomer was looking slightly agitated and Eowyn just looked confused. Tears began to fill her eyes. Even though Gandalf said she wouldn't be harmed, she feared that they would through her back into the cold, dark dungeon. She wished Gamling was there. She needed him. Gandalf looked at her worriedly. "Child, it is alright. Do not weep; we shall not do as you fear. We are your friends." Gandalf said trying to reassure her but she had heard those promises before. Lilly shook her head.
"Please do not send me back in there. I don't know how I got here, or why I am here, and I am still so confused. Please, I will do anything, just don't send me back in there," Lilly begged with her lips quivering. Eomer watched and suddenly felt his agitation at this woman knowing more than she was willing to share with him the night before melt away as her lips trembled with her fear and her words full of sadness. Gandalf just gave her a smile and sat his staff to the side. He took both of her trembling hands into his much larger older looking hands and shook his head.
"You will not be sent anywhere, and I know why you came to us, Lilly. Do not fear for all shall present itself soon." Lilly suddenly found herself calm and believing Gandalf's words without any doubt. Something she had never done before, not even with Ms. Maggie. Eowyn stepped closer and nodded.
"Gandalf speaks the truth, Lady Lilly. You shall go no where besides where you wish once you are strong enough," Eowyn said as she smiled at her. Lilly gave a smile back and nodded her head. She heard Eomer sigh and looked at him.
"Lady Lilly, Gandalf and Eowyn are right. You will not go back to the dungeons," Eomer said. Lilly gave him a slight smile.
"Even though you all know nothing of me, you will allow me to stay here?" Lilly asked. Eowyn smiled at her.
"Gandalf knows of you and if he trusts you than there is nothing to doubt, and once you are well we shall help you return home if you wish it," Eowyn said. Gandalf gave Lilly a sad smile and she looked into his eyes.
'He knows,' Lilly thought. 'He knows everything about my life.' Lilly felt her heart clench and she shook her head at Eowyn. "I do not wish to ever return home, Lady Eowyn."
"Then, Lady Lilly," Eomer said and paused as her eyes once again met his and he nearly lost his words. He mentally shook his head and continued. "You are welcome to reside in the Golden Hall until the end of your days." Lilly gave him a sad smile and nodded.
"Thank you your majesty," she said quietly. Just then Eowirethien came into the room.
"Oh, well, I did not know you had company this morning, milady," Eowirethien said with a smile as she looked at Lilly. Lilly smiled at her as she bowed to the others "Good morning, milords, milady," Eowirethien smiled when she stood and walked over to Lilly. She felt her forehead and smiled then turned to hand her a cup of a clear liquid that smelt like honey. "It is sweet water. Do not worry; it will not put you to sleep." Lilly smiled and took a drink of the liquid. She turned her attention back to the others and gave them all a smile. Gandalf looked at Eomer and stood.
"Your majesty, I do believe you and I should take our leave," Gandalf said. Eomer looked from Lilly to Gandalf and nodded. Gandalf looked at Lilly and smiled. "Rest well, Lilly. We shall see you later in the day." Lilly smiled at him and nodded her head and looked at Eomer. Eomer gave her a slight smile and bowed his head before he turned to leave. Gandalf and Eomer left the room and Lilly smiled at Eowyn and Eowirethien. Eowyn sat down on the bed where Gandalf sat and smiled at her.
"Lady Lilly, will you tell us what it is like where you are from?" Eowyn asked. Lilly swallowed hard and thought a moment. She smiled at Eowyn and decided that if she was going to start a new life here she needed to come out of her shell and actually have conversations with people.
"Well, where I am from is much, much different than it is here. There are a lot more people, and there are no elves, or hobbits and the like," Lilly said. Eowyn's eyes widened.
"You know of the elves and hobbits?" Eowyn asked and Lilly nearly smacked herself in the head.
"I do." Lilly paused and looked at both Eowyn and Eowirethien carefully. "If I were to confide something in you, would you not tell anyone until I was ready for others to know?" They both nodded. "Well, where I am from this place, Middle Earth and all the beings in it are made up in books." Lilly heard both of their sharp intakes of breath and sighed. "I know a lot about King Elessar, Arwen, Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Legolas, Gimli, Gandalf, Sauron, Saruman, Faramir, and King Eomer. The list goes on but I think I've named enough. I also know of the War of the Ring and how the hobbit Frodo saved all of Middle Earth by carrying the ring of power to Mordor and tossing it into Mount Doom. Back home I used to read the books over and over again because they were my favorite." Eowirethien and Eowyn did not know what to make of what Lilly was telling them.
"Gandalf knows of where you are from then and of your knowledge of all of us," Eowyn said quietly. Lilly nodded.
"Yes, I think he does. However, I only remember some things that happened after the destruction of the ring. I know that King Elessar, or Aragorn, and Arwen are to wed soon and that you, Eowyn, shall wed Lord Faramir soon there after." Eowyn nodded and gave Lilly a smile. "Do you think I'm crazy?" Eowirethien and Eowyn chuckled and shook their heads.
"Well, if what you say is true, I do not think you crazy," Eowyn said as she put her hand on Lilly's. Lilly smiled at her. "If anything, it makes you incredibly interesting and I am certain we shall become great friends." Lilly smiled.
"I would like that. I didn't have any friends back home." Eowirethien and Eowyn frowned.
"No friends? What of your family?" Eowyn asked. Lilly gave a small smile and shook her head.
"I never knew my father, and my mom died when I was seven. I have no family either," Lilly said as she looked between the healer and the shieldmaiden.
"Did your father perish in battle?" Eowyn asked her face full of concern. Lilly knew that Eowyn's father died in battle, her mother had died soon after, and her cousin and uncle died not long ago.
"No, he, well it's complicated." Eowyn squeezed Lilly's hand. "I'm just not ready to explain that part of my life just yet." Eowirethien and Eowyn nodded.
"It's alright. When you are ready, I shall be here to listen, my friend," Eowyn said with a smile as she stood.
"And so shall I, milady," Eowirethien said. Lilly smiled at both of them. She wasn't certain she would ever tell them that she was a bastard child with no father and a mother who sold her body for money and how she was the product of one of her mother's jobs. Lilly knew that those kind of women were looked down upon in this time and she didn't want to lose the only friends she had ever had because of who she was.
"Thank you. I do have one request of both of you though," Lilly said with a smile.
"What's that milady?" Eowirethien asked.
"Please just call me Lilly." Eowirethien and Eowyn looked at each other and smiled.
"Very well, but you shall call me by my given name as well," Eowyn said as she crossed her arms over her chest. Lilly laughed quietly and both Eowirethien and Eowyn could tell that was something she didn't do that often.
"Alright," Lilly said as she continued to laugh and the three women spent the rest of the morning talking and enjoying each other's company.
