Two Stories
I told him all about my home. I told him of the War Between the States, and this especially interested him. I told him about riding into the thunderstorm and my stay with the hobbits. Finally I told him of the journey to Rohan because of the Hobbits' belief that I was one of these people.
He was silent a long moment after I finished my story. At last he looked at me. "In this war, you have brothers who are fighting?"
I nodded and sighed. "All four of my brothers went to fight in this war, and one will never return."
I was shocked to see tears in his eyes. "I know what it is to lose a dear one to war. Not too many months ago I lay to rest one who was like a father to me. War is not pleasant. But often it is necessary. It cleanses the air and makes way for a new civilization."
"And what if no one wants a new civilization? What then? What if they were quite satisfied with things the way they were?"
He looked at me silently, and I wonder if he knew what was going on in my mind. I was not so opposed to the war as I may have said. I knew the necessity of this war, but somehow I could not smile and grimly bear it as my mother and sister were wont to. I had seen too many awful things. I had seen neighbors and friends and brothers go away to fight in war. I had seen little boys go off to fight with the grown men. I had seen the growing impatience in my father to join the battle; I had seen the anxiety in my mother as she watched him grow impatient. I had seen my sister mourn the death of her fiancé, then go off to serve in a hospital. I had seen too much, and I could not accept war as something that must happen. I was very bitter.
He then began to tell me a story. It was more fantastic then anything I have ever heard, all about these strange races of Middle Earth. The hobbits and men entered into it, but also there were Elves and Dwarves, Wizards and Wildmen, and more of those awful orcs. Through it all wove the tale of a Ring. This one ring had the power to allow the darkest foe of Middle Earth to overthrow the good kings and rulers and set himself up as Dark Lord. As he spoke I could almost see what happened in my mind. The names of strange people and strange places were made known unto me. I took me into the depths of the earth and soaring onto the heights of the mountains. I wept at the death of the King, trembled at the sound of a Nazgul's screech, I sunk into despair as all hope was lost in Gondor, and thrilled as the King's banner was seen on the dark ships. I listened most of all to the tale of the sad hobbit, Frodo Baggins. My heart at last understood his pain as I heard how he and his servant went into the Dark Lord's land to destroy the thing that could destroy them all.
When Eómer King finished his story I had no words in my mouth. In this moment all of my fears and troubles seemed insignificant. I knew that I was not without hope. Whether my war was won or lost, I would still have my home and my country. My former life began to fade, Helen Wayfar, the little girl, was replaced with someone new: Helen, Wayfarer, of the Havens.
I told him all about my home. I told him of the War Between the States, and this especially interested him. I told him about riding into the thunderstorm and my stay with the hobbits. Finally I told him of the journey to Rohan because of the Hobbits' belief that I was one of these people.
He was silent a long moment after I finished my story. At last he looked at me. "In this war, you have brothers who are fighting?"
I nodded and sighed. "All four of my brothers went to fight in this war, and one will never return."
I was shocked to see tears in his eyes. "I know what it is to lose a dear one to war. Not too many months ago I lay to rest one who was like a father to me. War is not pleasant. But often it is necessary. It cleanses the air and makes way for a new civilization."
"And what if no one wants a new civilization? What then? What if they were quite satisfied with things the way they were?"
He looked at me silently, and I wonder if he knew what was going on in my mind. I was not so opposed to the war as I may have said. I knew the necessity of this war, but somehow I could not smile and grimly bear it as my mother and sister were wont to. I had seen too many awful things. I had seen neighbors and friends and brothers go away to fight in war. I had seen little boys go off to fight with the grown men. I had seen the growing impatience in my father to join the battle; I had seen the anxiety in my mother as she watched him grow impatient. I had seen my sister mourn the death of her fiancé, then go off to serve in a hospital. I had seen too much, and I could not accept war as something that must happen. I was very bitter.
He then began to tell me a story. It was more fantastic then anything I have ever heard, all about these strange races of Middle Earth. The hobbits and men entered into it, but also there were Elves and Dwarves, Wizards and Wildmen, and more of those awful orcs. Through it all wove the tale of a Ring. This one ring had the power to allow the darkest foe of Middle Earth to overthrow the good kings and rulers and set himself up as Dark Lord. As he spoke I could almost see what happened in my mind. The names of strange people and strange places were made known unto me. I took me into the depths of the earth and soaring onto the heights of the mountains. I wept at the death of the King, trembled at the sound of a Nazgul's screech, I sunk into despair as all hope was lost in Gondor, and thrilled as the King's banner was seen on the dark ships. I listened most of all to the tale of the sad hobbit, Frodo Baggins. My heart at last understood his pain as I heard how he and his servant went into the Dark Lord's land to destroy the thing that could destroy them all.
When Eómer King finished his story I had no words in my mouth. In this moment all of my fears and troubles seemed insignificant. I knew that I was not without hope. Whether my war was won or lost, I would still have my home and my country. My former life began to fade, Helen Wayfar, the little girl, was replaced with someone new: Helen, Wayfarer, of the Havens.