*
"And I said, you may be an Orc, but after a few more drinks perhaps. . ." Boromir stumbled on the steps and the men roared with laughter. The Sun was creeping between the clouds, but they noticed it not.
Eomer attempted to climb the stairs, and was again unsuccessful. With a nod, Boromir conceded defeat and they went to the stables.
It was here that Boromir, blinking in the sunlight, awoke in the entrance.
"Eomer?"
No one answered. Boromir turned his head and thought he discerned straw hair mingled among the stall farthest from him.
Getting to his feet, he blinked to make his vision cease its spinning, and then lumbered to where Eomer lay. He kicked him clumsily.
"No! Mauryn, not now!" Eomer protested loudly, waving his arm as though to shoo a fly.
"Mauryn?" Boromir laughed. "Is that her name?" He shook Eomer roundly, "She's not here!"
*
Later, again safely in the Steward's residence, the men sat in the main hall, attempting not to view the food placed before them.
Boromir turned to Eomer, "Now to what we have been avoiding speaking."
"I swear I did the right thing by her!" Eomer protested, " I told her after I returned I'd marry her and . . ."
"Eomer, what are you speaking of?" Boromir interrupted.
Eomer ducked his eyes, "No matter, no matter." He frowned, "What should we be speaking of?"
"Of our friendship last year," Boromir replied, and cautiously added, " and our hopes."
"Hopes? We have stayed friends and remained allied," Eomer insisted.
"Yes," Boromir said, "but a pity it is that something more solid did not appear."
"What mean you?" Eomer asked in a low voice.
Boromir's eyebrow rose up in surprise as he repeated, "What mean you? Did you not hear tell of the proposal we sent forth?"
"Indeed not! " Eomer exclaimed, sitting straighter and no longer showing the effects of his drinking. "A proposal?" He frowned and asked, "Was it rejected?"
Boromir nodded. Eomer's frown turned into a scowl. "Neither Theodred or myself heard tell of such. Or my sister, I should add. My Uncle refused?" He shook his head. "Yet he spoke well of an the renewed friendship of Rohan and Gondor. I cannot imagine why he would not wish for a marriage to solidify the promise. Especially since we had previously discussed it."
Boromir did not question further why the Uncle had refused, but chose instead to ask the brother "You would then be in favor of a marriage?"
"More than ever," Eomer insisted. "I wish to see my sister safe and with my Uncle unwell, and myself and Theodred often from home, we are not always certain that she will be protected. If Eowyn were married to you and living in Minas Tirith we would rest easier. This city is the securest dwelling in the world of Men."
"We would be happy to oblige excepting one detail. My brother would marry her, not I," Boromir clarified.
Now Eomer's frown returned. "There is no objection to the youngest marrying before the eldest? "
Boromir shook his head, "We are at war and my father feels that my brother should be married to your sister. Sometimes he has . . . premonitions that I have ill wished to go against." He added, "And I do not wish to be married."
"Then she would not one day be Stewardess of Gondor?" Eomer wanted to know.
"No," Boromir answered, "but her son would be the future Steward. Is that acceptable?"
"Of course, certainly," Eomer said quickly. "I would not wish to appear ungrateful. Your brother is a good and honorable man. He would not allow harm to come to her."
"Indeed he would not." Boromir said, "To that I will swear. He holds her in high regard and there is more than duty in his proposal."
Eomer nodded, "Very well, I cannot ask for more than that." He grinned, "And we would then be brothers!"
Boromir grinned in turn, "Indeed! And our united family can stand with the world of Men if Mordor continues to stir." He slapped the table, "Gondor will see it done!
Eomer bowed, "To that I thank you."
"So shall we then go to Rohan?" Boromir asked.
"No!" Eomer exclaimed a little too loudly then modified his voice, "I know not what forces were at work in Edoras to have the proposal refused, but I would not see any interference this time."
"Then bring her here," Boromir suggested.
Eomer began to reply then was struck with another concern, "Gondor would not mind a lady from another land mothering an heir?"
"Indeed not, " Boromir explained, "It has been our pattern to marry ladies from outside Gondor. It keeps us united other lands with men of good will."
"Very well, then," Eomer said. "There then is no impediment, or at least one that cannot be overcome by distance." He did not elaborate, but Boromir suspected whom he meant. Suddenly Eomer laughed merrily yet looking at Boromir in awe, "I could almost say that your hand is connected with a friendlier force than ours, as you always seem to accomplish what is best for my sister while I always seem to be thwarted."
"Be not too confident, friend," Boromir warned, "for the marriage is not yet accomplished."
Eomer grinned, and with a breath of determination, ate his first food, "It will be. Of that I am certain!"
*
"And I said, you may be an Orc, but after a few more drinks perhaps. . ." Boromir stumbled on the steps and the men roared with laughter. The Sun was creeping between the clouds, but they noticed it not.
Eomer attempted to climb the stairs, and was again unsuccessful. With a nod, Boromir conceded defeat and they went to the stables.
It was here that Boromir, blinking in the sunlight, awoke in the entrance.
"Eomer?"
No one answered. Boromir turned his head and thought he discerned straw hair mingled among the stall farthest from him.
Getting to his feet, he blinked to make his vision cease its spinning, and then lumbered to where Eomer lay. He kicked him clumsily.
"No! Mauryn, not now!" Eomer protested loudly, waving his arm as though to shoo a fly.
"Mauryn?" Boromir laughed. "Is that her name?" He shook Eomer roundly, "She's not here!"
*
Later, again safely in the Steward's residence, the men sat in the main hall, attempting not to view the food placed before them.
Boromir turned to Eomer, "Now to what we have been avoiding speaking."
"I swear I did the right thing by her!" Eomer protested, " I told her after I returned I'd marry her and . . ."
"Eomer, what are you speaking of?" Boromir interrupted.
Eomer ducked his eyes, "No matter, no matter." He frowned, "What should we be speaking of?"
"Of our friendship last year," Boromir replied, and cautiously added, " and our hopes."
"Hopes? We have stayed friends and remained allied," Eomer insisted.
"Yes," Boromir said, "but a pity it is that something more solid did not appear."
"What mean you?" Eomer asked in a low voice.
Boromir's eyebrow rose up in surprise as he repeated, "What mean you? Did you not hear tell of the proposal we sent forth?"
"Indeed not! " Eomer exclaimed, sitting straighter and no longer showing the effects of his drinking. "A proposal?" He frowned and asked, "Was it rejected?"
Boromir nodded. Eomer's frown turned into a scowl. "Neither Theodred or myself heard tell of such. Or my sister, I should add. My Uncle refused?" He shook his head. "Yet he spoke well of an the renewed friendship of Rohan and Gondor. I cannot imagine why he would not wish for a marriage to solidify the promise. Especially since we had previously discussed it."
Boromir did not question further why the Uncle had refused, but chose instead to ask the brother "You would then be in favor of a marriage?"
"More than ever," Eomer insisted. "I wish to see my sister safe and with my Uncle unwell, and myself and Theodred often from home, we are not always certain that she will be protected. If Eowyn were married to you and living in Minas Tirith we would rest easier. This city is the securest dwelling in the world of Men."
"We would be happy to oblige excepting one detail. My brother would marry her, not I," Boromir clarified.
Now Eomer's frown returned. "There is no objection to the youngest marrying before the eldest? "
Boromir shook his head, "We are at war and my father feels that my brother should be married to your sister. Sometimes he has . . . premonitions that I have ill wished to go against." He added, "And I do not wish to be married."
"Then she would not one day be Stewardess of Gondor?" Eomer wanted to know.
"No," Boromir answered, "but her son would be the future Steward. Is that acceptable?"
"Of course, certainly," Eomer said quickly. "I would not wish to appear ungrateful. Your brother is a good and honorable man. He would not allow harm to come to her."
"Indeed he would not." Boromir said, "To that I will swear. He holds her in high regard and there is more than duty in his proposal."
Eomer nodded, "Very well, I cannot ask for more than that." He grinned, "And we would then be brothers!"
Boromir grinned in turn, "Indeed! And our united family can stand with the world of Men if Mordor continues to stir." He slapped the table, "Gondor will see it done!
Eomer bowed, "To that I thank you."
"So shall we then go to Rohan?" Boromir asked.
"No!" Eomer exclaimed a little too loudly then modified his voice, "I know not what forces were at work in Edoras to have the proposal refused, but I would not see any interference this time."
"Then bring her here," Boromir suggested.
Eomer began to reply then was struck with another concern, "Gondor would not mind a lady from another land mothering an heir?"
"Indeed not, " Boromir explained, "It has been our pattern to marry ladies from outside Gondor. It keeps us united other lands with men of good will."
"Very well, then," Eomer said. "There then is no impediment, or at least one that cannot be overcome by distance." He did not elaborate, but Boromir suspected whom he meant. Suddenly Eomer laughed merrily yet looking at Boromir in awe, "I could almost say that your hand is connected with a friendlier force than ours, as you always seem to accomplish what is best for my sister while I always seem to be thwarted."
"Be not too confident, friend," Boromir warned, "for the marriage is not yet accomplished."
Eomer grinned, and with a breath of determination, ate his first food, "It will be. Of that I am certain!"
*