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Chapter 8: A Vow

Three days later, without food or water, she urged her horse up to the gates of Edoras. Ellethwen felt weak and she was tired beyond any long days work at the Citadel. She hadn't slept since before she left, only because her dreams when she would doze were filled with his face.

The horse began to move up the path on his own accord up the hill towards the Golden Hall, where King Theoden, his son, and niece and nephew resided. The horse stopped at the foot of stone stairs and Ellethwen sighed as she looked up the many steps.

"Miss?" a voice asked from her left and she looked down and met a pair of curious brown eyes of a young man. "Are you well?" he asked and Ellethwen found she could not speak and her head spun before she collapsed off the horse unconscious and into the arms of the young man.

Boromir sighed as he stood out on his balcony. His new chambermaid was trying his patience and he had sent her away until he was gone from his room. He had asked the guards which direction Ellethwen had ridden, they had told him she did not ride to the east, that she rode northwest towards Rohan, and he found himself looking out into the direction of the other realm.

He longed to see her, longed to ride to Rohan to see if she had made the difficult journey, but his duty, just as she had said was taking precedent over his heart. He sighed and closed his eyes as he lowered his head. He would send a letter to Edoras. He would send a letter and request word to see if she had traveled to the city, and he would make sure his father would not stop it.

Ellethwen woke to the feel of a cool cloth being pressed to her forehead. She sighed and opened her eyes to meet another pair of brown eyes, however, the ones she looked into then were that of a woman. "You gave our prince quite a scare," she said kindly. The woman reminded her of Ilithya, but she seemed kinder somehow. Ellethwen figured it must have been the motherly feeling the woman presented and she liked it.

"Then I ask you and your Prince for forgiveness," Ellethwen said hoarsely and she sighed. The woman handed her a goblet of water and Ellethwen sat up slowly to drink the cool liquid. "Thank you," she said after the water gave her the refreshment she needed.

"You are welcome," the woman said and Ellethwen handed her the goblet back. "Now, where do you hail from, even though I have an idea given your coloring." Ellethwen gave her a small smile.

"I was born and raised in Minas Tirith," she said softly.

"What brings you to Edoras?"

"I was banished from Gondor," she said and felt tears come to her eyes as she looked to her lap and her clasped hands that rested there. "The reason for my banishment was a lie and I hoped to find solace in Rohan, and I hoped to take audience with your king to ask for work in his Hall." Ellethwen sniffed and looked back up at the woman only when she was able to stop her tears from falling. The woman gave her a kind smile and patted her tightly clasped hands.

"When you regain your strength, you may speak with Theoden King and tell him your tale. Now tell me, what is your name?" she asked.

"Ellethwen." The woman smiled.

"Well, Ellethwen, welcome to Edoras. I am Gelsey a healer in the Golden Hall." Ellethwen returned Gelsey's smile and nodded. Perhaps her life in Edoras wouldn't be terrible, but she knew her heart would never heal.

Twelve days passed since Boromir assumed that Ellethwen had reached Edoras which meant that she had been gone for over two weeks and Boromir finally found someone he trusted to deliver a letter in secret.

"Duilin," Boromir said and the archer looked up from tending his arrows. He stood and bowed his head. Boromir sighed and raised his hand with waive. "I have a request of you," he said and Duilin nodded his head.

"Of course, my lord," he said and Boromir held out the envelope closed firmly with his seal.

"You know of Ellethwen?" Boromir asked in a whisper and the man nodded his head. "I believe her to be in Edoras and I ask you as my friend and as my soldier to ride this letter to Edoras and if she is there to deliver it to her and wait for her reply." Duilin nodded his head and took the envelope.

"I will gather provisions and leave immediately, my lord," Duilin said, "and I will keep my mission secret." Boromir smiled and patted the other man's shoulder.

"Thank you, my friend," Boromir said before he left the other man and returned to his duties. He noticed that now he no longer studied his maps in his chamber, but chose to work with Faramir in the library until exhaustion overtook him and when he did retire he found little rest in his own bed.

Ellethwen smiled at the reflection of young Lady Eowyn, Theoden King's niece, in the looking glass. She was her handmaiden, a position given to her by the kindness of the King of Rohan. Lady Eowyn was only thirteen, ten years Ellethwen's junior but it seemed that the golden haired girl knew more than what she appeared to know. "Your brother returns with your cousin from the Westfold today," Ellethwen said as she plaited the girl's hair. Eowyn nodded and sighed.

"Yes," she said quietly, "but I do wish to ride with them one day." Ellethwen smiled as she tied off the braid and patted Eowyn's shoulders. The girl stood and smiled at Ellethwen. "Thank you Ellethwen," she said quietly and the woman nodded.

"You are most welcome, but remember your brother and cousin are members of the Rohirrim and you are a lady of the court. It would not be wise for them to take a young woman off into the wilderness." Eowyn huffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I am training with a sword, Ellethwen. The realm of Rohan is different than that of Gondor. I will be a shield maiden and my skill with a blade will be equal to that of my brother and cousin when I am finished." Ellethwen raised her hands.

"I mean no offense, my lady," Ellethwen said and Eowyn wrinkled her nose and uncrossed her arms.

"No titles with you Ellethwen, please. Eowyn suits me fine in your presence." Ellethwen nodded her mind traveling to the only other of noble birth that wished for her to call them by their given name. Eowyn looked at Ellethwen curiously. She had a far off look on her face as she looked towards the window and to the south, towards the direction of Gondor. "You miss your home," she said quietly and Ellethwen looked at Eowyn quickly.

"I do miss my home, but there is someone I miss more than the walls of the city." Eowyn giggled.

"A man?" she asked and Ellethwen blushed with a slight nod.

"Yes, but please lets not speak of it for I will never see him again." Eowyn frowned.

"Never see him again? Will he not come after you?" Ellethwen shook her head.

"His duties will never allow it," she said in a whisper. She felt the tears wanting to spill. It was enough that she cried herself to sleep every night for almost three weeks, she did not need to weep in front of her charge. Ellethwen sniffed and took a deep breath. She pushed back her tears and looked at Eowyn who was looking at her, sad blue eyes trained on her face. Ellethwen forced a small smile and shook her head. "Come, your uncle expects you for breakfast." Ellethwen took Eowyn's hand and led her from the girl's chamber and down the corridors.

"I am sorry," Eowyn whispered as they stopped just before they entered the hall. Ellethwen stopped and looked at her.

"There is no need," Ellethwen said as she let go of Eowyn's hand. "Now, go to your uncle." Eowyn hesitated and then nodded before she rushed over to the table where her uncle sat waiting and Ellethwen let out the breath she had been holding and turned to return to Eowyn's chamber and make the bed and clean the room.

Duilin rode up the street of Edoras towards the Golden Hall, the letter from Lord Boromir was tucked safely in his tunic as he climbed the stairs and entered the hall. As he entered many eyes turned to him and he looked to the head of the hall to see Theoden King, his son and nephew as well as two other guards standing around a table. The mid-afternoon sun filtered in threw the windows and he stepped forward.

"Theoden King," he said as he stopped before the men and bowed slightly.

"Yes," the blonde haired man said with a frown. "How can I help you?"

"It is not your aid I seek, my lord. I have but a question for you," Duilin said and Theoden nodded for him to continue. "I am looking for a woman, with raven hair and blue-grey eyes. Her name is Ellethwen. Has she entered your city?" Theoden nodded his head and his son and nephew's postures stiffened.

"She has and she has resided here for nearly a fortnight as my niece's handmaiden. What is it you wish of her?" he asked.

"I carry a message for her from someone that wished for her to receive it as soon as she was found." Theoden looked at him and nodded.

"Éomer, retrieve Ellethwen. She should be with your sister." Éomer nodded and left the hall quickly to find the woman in question.

Ellethwen laughed softly, her somber mood from the morning was gone as she helped teach Eowyn how to embroider. "It is not funny," Eowyn said as she brought her punctured finger to her lip and sucked at the blood. "It hurts." Ellethwen sat down her own patch of cloth and smiled at the young woman before her.

"I know it does, but the longer you practice you won't prick yourself and your stitches will be beautiful," Ellethwen reasoned as she returned to her own stitching. Eowyn sighed.

"I prefer the sword lessons," she said quietly and Ellethwen smiled. A knock sounded on the door and Eowyn answered. "Enter!" she called putting her cloth aside and standing to face the door. Éomer entered the room and Ellethwen gave the man a smile before she returned to her stitching. He was only three years her junior while Theodred was her age, and the two men couldn't have been any more different than they were. The pair reminded her of a set of brother's and she once again pushed the thoughts from her mind. "Eomer," Eowyn said happily as she looked at her brother. "What brings you here?"

"Ellethwen," he said. Ellethwen startled at the sound of her name and pricked her finger. She cursed quietly and brought her finger to her mouth, earning her a giggle from Eowyn. Ellethwen, however, lowered her finger and looked to Eomer.

"Me, my lord?" she asked and stood. Eomer nodded.

"A messenger from Gondor is here for you," Eomer said and Ellethwen gasped. She practically tossed her cloth aside and ran from the room forgetting propriety. She soon entered the hall and stopped short when she saw the King and Theodred talking with the man Ellethwen recognized.

"Ah, Ellethwen, a messenger has come for you," Theoden said and Ellethwen bowed her head. She walked over to Duilin.

"Duilin," she whispered and the man smiled at her. "What cause do you have to come all this way?" she asked her heart pounding in her chest hoping against hope that the man had word from Boromir.

"I've come to deliver a message and to wait for the recipient's reply," he said as he reached into his tunic and pulled the envelope with the Steward's oldest son's seal upon it. Ellethwen took the envelope with slightly shaking hands and smiled at Duilin.

"Thank you," she whispered and looked to the King who was looking at her curiously. "I beg your pardon, sire," she said as she bowed her head and Theoden nodded. She looked to Duilin. "I will have a reply shortly, my friend."

"Take rest while you wait," Theoden said suddenly and Ellethwen looked at him surprised. "It is obvious whatever news you bring has great meaning to our newest handmaiden." Duilin nodded and Ellethwen bowed her head once more before she rushed form the hall and to her own chamber where she would read his words in private.

Ellethwen sat down on her small bed and carefully broke the dark blue seal and took out the parchment. She found her hands shaking once again, and she just hoped they would be still enough for her to read his words. She unfolded the parchment and her eyes began to scan the smooth writing of her love.

"My Dearest Ellethwen,

I am sorry for the delay in getting word to you, but I had difficulty find the right man I knew I could trust with such a secret. My love, I am so sorry. I do not know how this could have happened. Oh, how I long to see your smile right at this moment, to hold you in my arms where I know no harm would come to you, but because of my father you are gone.

I trust if you are reading this you are indeed in Rohan, more likely in Edoras. I know you will be safe there. I am sad to say that you were right. My duties are taking precedent over my heart. I wish I could leave this city, I wish I could ride without rest to you, just to hold you and love you as I know I should. But if I were to do that I would leave my brother at the mercy of our father and I could not do that to him for I love him dearly.

Oh, Ellethwen, do not be angry with me for my heart could not take the pain of losing you completely. I will come to you, when I know not for the water city and many others are being attacked by the Dark Lord and Faramir and I are due out to join the ranks soon.

Do not ever doubt that I love you Ellethwen. Do not ever doubt that I will come for you for I will. I will and when we meet I will let nothing stop our bonding. I will marry you the second my eyes lay upon you and no one, not even my father could tear apart that union.

I love you, Ellethwen.

Yours until the end of all days,

Boromir."

Ellethwen sighed and closed her eyes as she pressed the parchment to her chest. Tears slowly ran down her cheeks and she smiled. She would wait. She would wait for the day he walked up the steps of the Golden Hall to claim her as his wife. She opened her eyes and hastily found parchment and an ink well and quickly wrote back her reply. Duilin would welcome the rest for she had many things she wanted to tell him and she knew it would take her some time before she had all her thoughts on paper.