The six figures stood silently in the empty courtyard beside their mounts,
dazzling all those who looked upon them. They were burnished in gold and
sunlight and all those who gazed upon them were spellbound by their aura.
Firstly was Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood decked off in a simple brown tunic
with his vest of chain mail hidden beneath him. Upon his back was his
favourite bow and quiver given to him by The Lady of the Golden Wood.
Matejé looked exquisite in one of Èowyn's practice outfits, with a light
vest of chain mail to protect her. Like Legolas she too bore a full quiver
and a strong bow given to her from Rohan's finest archery masters.
Èowyn and Aragorn both chose customary armour. The former clad in her customized Rohirric armour bearing the crest of Rohan over her mithril vest and her blonde tresses spilling over a heavy green cape, like sunlight on fresh pastures. Helm lay beside her, quiet in his leather scabbard awaiting its freedom. This was Èowyn. Shield Maiden of Rohan, Lady of the Shield- arm, stately and fair. A daughter of the great kings in a glorious time gone by. Gone was Derhelm for there was no need of him in this quest.
Aragorn wore Gondorian armour with the emblem of the White Tree emblazed in pure silver upon his chest over his heavy mail coat. He too wore a heavy cape, dark red like the finest wines to ward off the harsh weather. Andruil the great sword unsheathed in its scabbard eager to serve in Elessar's capable hands. Watching him, Èowyn was reminded of the Ranger she thought him to be, in their initial meeting, even in her obscurity of him she was drawn to his strength and hope he had brought to a hapless Rohan.
The King of the Mark approached the elvish couple a smile upon his face. He was happy beyond belief that his friend had found someone who was worthy of him and he of her. As he gazed at the couple, he thought of the Lady Lothíriel. No other woman had affected him as deeply as her with the exception of his sister and mother.
"Legolas." He hailed as he came upon the Prince of the Silvan elves. "My Lady Mateje. It is unfair that you only grace Rohan with your fair presence for such a short period of time." He replied as he kissed her gloved hand.
"We shall return soon Lord of the Mark and I shall be only to happy to see this wondrous state of yours." She replied softly smiling at him.
"It is a meeting I shall be eagerly awaiting. For Rohan has much to offer in its natural beauty. Though none surpasses yours My Lady." Eomer replied gallantly and Legolas laughed at his Lady's deepening blush. "A humble token from Rohan, Lady Matejé." Eomer said and presented her with a brooch in the shape of a silver horse inlaid with a green jewel in the background. The pennant of Rohan.
"I thank you sire." She replied and curtsied deeply to the young King.
"Legolas my friend, our reunion is brief but we shall meet once again and I shall look forward in hearing all your tales." He said to the graceful elf. "Will you accept this small gift from the House of Eadig?" He asked handing the Prince a leather scabbard housing a beautiful Rohirric dagger cunningly wrought of gold and bronze with intricate carvings at the hilt. "It was Eorl's very own knife and I thought there was no other fitting person than you to have it." Eomer said to the silent elf.
"I shall be honoured Meldiramin and this great gift shall be set to good use. This I promise you." Legolas replied determinedly
"I know you shall my friend. May the One who looks after all keep you and your Lady safe." Eomer replied as they embraced.
Aragorn stood patiently next to Brego speaking softly to his loyal mount as Eomer approached. The two men looked at each other, allies and companions for all their past journeys all except this one.
"Aragorn, words cannot express how indebted I am to you for undergoing this task. My only regret is not being able to fulfil the oath of Eorl on this occasion." He replied gravely.
"Nay Eomer you need not apologize for you have never deserted me in times of need and I shall not deny a request which is for the betterment of the people of Middle Earth. Be in peace my friend and have no fear for we shall return before the new moon arises." Elessar replied and they embraced warmly.
"Then I wish you nothing but Valar's good wishes and mine upon you." The Lord of the Mark responded. "Take special care of my sister Aragorn for she is all I hold dear in this world." He whispered to the Gondorian King.
"That my dear Eomer, is a task you need not even ask for I shall protect her by all means necessary though I believe the Lady is capable of defending herself." He replied amusedly and they both laughed softly.
"Fare you well Elessar." Eomer replied as the king mounted Brego.
"And you as well Èomer." Aragorn replied as Gandalf edged his way towards the king of Gondor to whisper some last words to him.
Eomer looked upon his sister as she stood valiantly next to the magnificent, black stallion beside her. The horse had appeared during the night as though he knew he would be needed and had willingly allowed himself to be bridled to be of service to Èowyn. Watching her, his heart ached for he would sorely miss her calming presence upon him, his sister had changed greatly in her absence, yet there were moments, he saw the flicker of the rebel Èowyn.
The girl who had once demanded from Theoden, her sword practice daily. The one, who had dared to dream of changing Rohan's concept of women's frailty. Yet watching this woman before him and comparing her to the one he knew prior the War of the Ring, seemed unbelievable. She was the same young girl who constantly fought against everything deemed unfair. Yet now, there seemed to be calmness radiating from her every pore. She had done the one thing he hadn't been able to do..... live her dreams.
"Are you ready sister?" he asked gently and she nodded wordlessly, pools of unshed tears, threatening to spill over her blue eyes. Yet she was defiant, refusing to show any emotion but he knew better. "I have a gift for you, it was something I discovered and knew at once it belonged only to you." He said and handed her a delicate golden chain, with a beautiful pendant in the shape of two horses facing each other, their eyes encrusted with a dark red jewel glittering in the sunshine.
"Mother's chain!" she gasped and embraced him ecstatically. "How did you manage to locate it Eomer? I thought it was lost." She asked as he placed it over her graceful neck.
"I discovered it one day by accident as I was going through one of the older chests and found it. I knew you loved it so much and I kept it for you." He replied smiling at her apparent joy.
"I am happy you did." She said and traced his face gently, imprinting it in her heart. Her brother was her main source of consolation and she would miss him terribly in the days to come. "Promise me you'll not neglect yourself." She smiled gently at him and he nodded wordlessly not trusting himself to speak.
"I shall not sister. Go now with my blessings, return to me soon dear sister, for I shall rue every day you are not here in Edoras." He replied and kissed her forehead watching her as she mounted the stallion called Mafusa.
"You are never far from my thoughts Eomer. Do not fear we shall return with the flower."she said stoically.
"And you from mine." He replied as they turned to make their leave.
"Goodbye Mithrandir watch over my brother and yourself." Èowyn said to the White Wizard.
"Take care my Lady and ride safe. Remember all what we spoken about and return soon." He replied to her.
"Yes. I shall." She said and in a cloud of dust they rode off into the village on unto the green plains of Rohan.
Eomer and Gandalf stood silently on the steps of Medusled looking at them until they were no more than specks in the bright sunlight.
"Have I done right Gandalf?" he asked softly.
"My lord it is Fate's work at hand here, you are merely the instrument used to guide them. Have no fear for your sister or the others. They all have great destinies before them especially the one who fulfilled Eärnur's desire. Now come, your people await you." He said gravely leading the young king into the great Golden Hall.
Èowyn and Aragorn both chose customary armour. The former clad in her customized Rohirric armour bearing the crest of Rohan over her mithril vest and her blonde tresses spilling over a heavy green cape, like sunlight on fresh pastures. Helm lay beside her, quiet in his leather scabbard awaiting its freedom. This was Èowyn. Shield Maiden of Rohan, Lady of the Shield- arm, stately and fair. A daughter of the great kings in a glorious time gone by. Gone was Derhelm for there was no need of him in this quest.
Aragorn wore Gondorian armour with the emblem of the White Tree emblazed in pure silver upon his chest over his heavy mail coat. He too wore a heavy cape, dark red like the finest wines to ward off the harsh weather. Andruil the great sword unsheathed in its scabbard eager to serve in Elessar's capable hands. Watching him, Èowyn was reminded of the Ranger she thought him to be, in their initial meeting, even in her obscurity of him she was drawn to his strength and hope he had brought to a hapless Rohan.
The King of the Mark approached the elvish couple a smile upon his face. He was happy beyond belief that his friend had found someone who was worthy of him and he of her. As he gazed at the couple, he thought of the Lady Lothíriel. No other woman had affected him as deeply as her with the exception of his sister and mother.
"Legolas." He hailed as he came upon the Prince of the Silvan elves. "My Lady Mateje. It is unfair that you only grace Rohan with your fair presence for such a short period of time." He replied as he kissed her gloved hand.
"We shall return soon Lord of the Mark and I shall be only to happy to see this wondrous state of yours." She replied softly smiling at him.
"It is a meeting I shall be eagerly awaiting. For Rohan has much to offer in its natural beauty. Though none surpasses yours My Lady." Eomer replied gallantly and Legolas laughed at his Lady's deepening blush. "A humble token from Rohan, Lady Matejé." Eomer said and presented her with a brooch in the shape of a silver horse inlaid with a green jewel in the background. The pennant of Rohan.
"I thank you sire." She replied and curtsied deeply to the young King.
"Legolas my friend, our reunion is brief but we shall meet once again and I shall look forward in hearing all your tales." He said to the graceful elf. "Will you accept this small gift from the House of Eadig?" He asked handing the Prince a leather scabbard housing a beautiful Rohirric dagger cunningly wrought of gold and bronze with intricate carvings at the hilt. "It was Eorl's very own knife and I thought there was no other fitting person than you to have it." Eomer said to the silent elf.
"I shall be honoured Meldiramin and this great gift shall be set to good use. This I promise you." Legolas replied determinedly
"I know you shall my friend. May the One who looks after all keep you and your Lady safe." Eomer replied as they embraced.
Aragorn stood patiently next to Brego speaking softly to his loyal mount as Eomer approached. The two men looked at each other, allies and companions for all their past journeys all except this one.
"Aragorn, words cannot express how indebted I am to you for undergoing this task. My only regret is not being able to fulfil the oath of Eorl on this occasion." He replied gravely.
"Nay Eomer you need not apologize for you have never deserted me in times of need and I shall not deny a request which is for the betterment of the people of Middle Earth. Be in peace my friend and have no fear for we shall return before the new moon arises." Elessar replied and they embraced warmly.
"Then I wish you nothing but Valar's good wishes and mine upon you." The Lord of the Mark responded. "Take special care of my sister Aragorn for she is all I hold dear in this world." He whispered to the Gondorian King.
"That my dear Eomer, is a task you need not even ask for I shall protect her by all means necessary though I believe the Lady is capable of defending herself." He replied amusedly and they both laughed softly.
"Fare you well Elessar." Eomer replied as the king mounted Brego.
"And you as well Èomer." Aragorn replied as Gandalf edged his way towards the king of Gondor to whisper some last words to him.
Eomer looked upon his sister as she stood valiantly next to the magnificent, black stallion beside her. The horse had appeared during the night as though he knew he would be needed and had willingly allowed himself to be bridled to be of service to Èowyn. Watching her, his heart ached for he would sorely miss her calming presence upon him, his sister had changed greatly in her absence, yet there were moments, he saw the flicker of the rebel Èowyn.
The girl who had once demanded from Theoden, her sword practice daily. The one, who had dared to dream of changing Rohan's concept of women's frailty. Yet watching this woman before him and comparing her to the one he knew prior the War of the Ring, seemed unbelievable. She was the same young girl who constantly fought against everything deemed unfair. Yet now, there seemed to be calmness radiating from her every pore. She had done the one thing he hadn't been able to do..... live her dreams.
"Are you ready sister?" he asked gently and she nodded wordlessly, pools of unshed tears, threatening to spill over her blue eyes. Yet she was defiant, refusing to show any emotion but he knew better. "I have a gift for you, it was something I discovered and knew at once it belonged only to you." He said and handed her a delicate golden chain, with a beautiful pendant in the shape of two horses facing each other, their eyes encrusted with a dark red jewel glittering in the sunshine.
"Mother's chain!" she gasped and embraced him ecstatically. "How did you manage to locate it Eomer? I thought it was lost." She asked as he placed it over her graceful neck.
"I discovered it one day by accident as I was going through one of the older chests and found it. I knew you loved it so much and I kept it for you." He replied smiling at her apparent joy.
"I am happy you did." She said and traced his face gently, imprinting it in her heart. Her brother was her main source of consolation and she would miss him terribly in the days to come. "Promise me you'll not neglect yourself." She smiled gently at him and he nodded wordlessly not trusting himself to speak.
"I shall not sister. Go now with my blessings, return to me soon dear sister, for I shall rue every day you are not here in Edoras." He replied and kissed her forehead watching her as she mounted the stallion called Mafusa.
"You are never far from my thoughts Eomer. Do not fear we shall return with the flower."she said stoically.
"And you from mine." He replied as they turned to make their leave.
"Goodbye Mithrandir watch over my brother and yourself." Èowyn said to the White Wizard.
"Take care my Lady and ride safe. Remember all what we spoken about and return soon." He replied to her.
"Yes. I shall." She said and in a cloud of dust they rode off into the village on unto the green plains of Rohan.
Eomer and Gandalf stood silently on the steps of Medusled looking at them until they were no more than specks in the bright sunlight.
"Have I done right Gandalf?" he asked softly.
"My lord it is Fate's work at hand here, you are merely the instrument used to guide them. Have no fear for your sister or the others. They all have great destinies before them especially the one who fulfilled Eärnur's desire. Now come, your people await you." He said gravely leading the young king into the great Golden Hall.