Eowyn's hand patted her sword for what must have been the thousandth time. The sounds of battle had just started to reach their ears, and the young shieldmaiden was feeling increasingly edgy.
She looked around the crowded cave, and a tiny smile graced her lips as she saw the group in front of her. A few women had rounded up all of the children and were telling them stories, in order to try to take their minds off of the battle raging above them.
Seeing many of the children looking at her, she rose and walked over to the group.
"Lady Eowyn, do you think that Lord Eomer will come to rescue us?"
Eowyn froze for a moment, thinking of her the last time she'd seen her brother – riding away furiously with a full Eored of men by his side. Eomer had been seething at his banishment from Rohan, but he had also promised to Eowyn that he'd return and rid their country from corruption once and for all – starting with the worm poisoning their Uncle's mind.
Drawn back into the present by a hesitant childish "Lady Eowyn?", she wondered how to answer the question. Eventually, she sat down in the group's circle. "Lord Eomer is an extremely honourable man. I am certain that he will return to us soon."
"What's it like having The Lord Eomer as your brother?" Asked a wide eyed little girl, awe clear in her voice.
"At times he is as troublesome to me as I'm sure your own brother is to you." Eowyn jested, gently smiling at the girl and the small boy who sat next to her. "But he is also fiercely protective of me; and I can say with certainty that he is a brave and valiant warrior, who will fight for us all. He will try as hard as he can to save all of us." She paused for a moment to let that faith sink in before she continued. "Do any of you remember the time that he rode out to fight the Dunlendings five winters ago?"
The children all shook their heads, eager for a story about the great Lord Eomer.
"It was a particularly hard winter, and the Dunlendings had been attacking a lot on our Western Borders. Though it was snowing heavily, Lord Eomer set out on his noble steed Firefoot; and, because of the great love his men hold for him, his Eored went with him…"
Eowyn told many stories, all showing the valour of the men fighting for them. She hoped that by doing this, she'd give everyone some hope for survival... She only wished that she could give herself that same hope.