The Rohan Pride Trilogy
Part Two: Reunions
Book Two
By: WhiteLadyOfTroy
Summary:
Gúthwyn's mission has failed. Now that she is traveling with Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli to find the Hobbits, she finds herself being confronted with her past, as well as some painful experiences in the present.
About the Trilogy:
I have decided to do what Tolkien did with his books. The Fellowship of the Ring had two books within the text, as did The Two Towers and The Return of the King. The only change I have made is the first part in my trilogy: Alone. That was divided into three books, the first book explaining how Gúthwyn got to where The Fellowship of the Ring started. Reunions will be divided into two books.
About Chapter Eighteen:
As always, I will be using a blend of both movie and book canon. Sorry for any confusion. Please correct me on anything that seems amiss, out-of-character, or non-canon. Also, I know nothing of sword fighting, so some of the upcoming scenes may seem ludicrous to experts. Feel free to point out any blatant errors. Finally, just an advance warning: Lately, my chapters have been bouncing back and forth between extremely long or rather short.
Chapter Eighteen
As the king passed through the doors, followed closely by his guard, Gúthwyn and Éowyn flattened themselves against the shadowy wall. They remained unnoticed until Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli went by. Both Aragorn and Legolas looked directly at the two sisters.
Éowyn stepped out. "My lord," she said to Aragorn, "it pleases me greatly to know that you are safe."
He nodded, and Gúthwyn could not read the expression in his eyes. "Thank you," he replied. "Yet it will not last long, as you are well aware."
At last triumphing, for a brief time, over her fear of Legolas, Gúthwyn moved closer to the four of them. "There are only a few hundred of us, Aragorn," she told the Ranger. "How do you expect us to defend the Hornburg?"
He clearly noted her use of the word 'us,' as opposed to 'the men.' "There is always hope," he told her, "and if nothing else, we will be prepared. I would suggest finding the king and doing what it is he wishes of you."
Gúthwyn knew fully well that he meant that they were to go into the caves. Her face colored angrily, but she did not respond.
As if reading her mind, Aragorn gave a wry smile. "I heard you fought against the Wargs."
She nodded curtly. "I took pleasure in getting revenge."
"And overcoming your fear?"
Aragorn's words lashed out at her, though he had not intended them to be cruel. Her face grew heated under the gaze of Legolas, and she found herself clenching and unclenching her fists. "You speak incorrectly," she managed, meeting Éowyn's curious eyes for only a second. "The cage did nothing to me."
It was a lie, and they all knew it, but neither Aragorn, Legolas, nor Gimli mentioned anything about Moria.
"Come," Éowyn said at last. "There is much to do on the eve of battle. We must find Théoden, or someone who can say what he would have us do."
The five of them went through the doors into the inner court, Gúthwyn still trembling slightly from Aragorn's comment. Once they had passed into the outer court, it did not take them long to locate the king: He was heading out of the fortress, onto the ramp where he could arrange the defenses. Gamling and two other guards were with him; Tun was the third.
"My lady!" The call had both Éowyn and Gúthwyn turning, unsure of whom was being referred to. It must have been Éowyn, for Gúthwyn did not recognize the woman who now stood before them.
"Yes, Cwen?"
As Éowyn spoke with the woman, Gúthwyn stood on her tiptoes and craned her neck to see Théoden, wondering what he was ordering for the defenses of Helm's Deep. Yet she could hear nothing over the noise of the crowd, and when at length the king returned into the fortress, she was not informed of what was going on. Instead, Théoden walked by her with only a small smile; Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli all nodded as they went. A twinge of fear entered her when the Elf glanced at her, and she turned away.
"Gúthwyn, we should finish getting the food into the caves," Éowyn told her then, and she blinked. Her stomach was beginning to feel uneasy.
"Do you mind if I go outside for a moment?" she asked, taking a deep breath. Éowyn looked puzzled, and more than a little suspicious. "Only onto the ramp," she explained.
"Be careful," Éowyn cautioned, her voice guarded.
"I will," Gúthwyn promised, and then started walking towards the doors. Two sentinels were just starting to close them, but when they saw her they allowed her to pass through. She strode out onto the ramp, staring up into the cloudy sky. Night would cover the Deeping-coomb in less than two hours; she was already shivering in the cool air.
Her gaze was turned to the northeast, where Saruman's forces would be coming from. For the first time in many a month, her mind wandered back to Isengard, trying to imagine how the other slaves were doing. Were they all still alive and healthy? The eldest, Abaudia, had not had a great number of years left in her, but the woman was remarkably fit for someone her age.
She missed them. Sure, she had had her quarrels with some of them—namely Lebryn—but she would have given most of what she owned to see them again. Especially Cobryn, who had become one of her best friends. To both he and Borogor, she owed her life. Without their protection, her body would long ago have been laid to rest in a chilly grave, soon to be forgotten in the dust.
A harsh, croaking noise took her out of her musings. Startled, Gúthwyn saw a flock of black birds swooping around the fortress, a few of them coming within five yards of her before wheeling off into the sky. She tensed as she realized that they were the Crebain from Dunland, the birds that Saruman employed to spy on his enemies.
Wrapping her arms around her stomach, she retreated back into the archway where the guards stood. "When did they get here?" she asked one of the men, glancing up nervously at the dark specks soaring amongst the clouds.
His face was grim when he answered her. "Just a little while ago, my lady. They make my blood run cold."
She nodded, wincing as one of the Crebain let out a particularly shrill cry. "Do you think that the army follows not far behind?"
The guard looked shocked that she had heard those tidings. "Yes," he said, once he had gotten over his surprise. In spite of his calm tone, Gúthwyn saw fear entering his eyes. He must have been informed of the number.
"I wish you the best of luck," she told him, and she meant it. As he gave his thanks, her skin crawled to think that she might not see him again. Victory seemed near hopeless, that was for sure.
Feeling vastly uneasier than she had a few minutes ago, Gúthwyn went back into the fortress. The stone walls closed about her, and she suddenly wished herself in a big field, with the sky as her boundaries and nothing but the rushing wind in her ears. But before this fantasy could take root, she banished it away, as this was not the time for such daydreaming.
She was weaving through the throng in an attempt to find Éowyn when someone called her name. Turning, her eyes fell upon Tun. Her friend was making his way towards her. "Théoden has ordered the women and children into the caves," he said when he reached her. Even as he spoke, she was forced to move closer to him to avoid being jostled by a swiftly moving crowd.
Gúthwyn had known that this would happen. She had also worked her way around that snag. But she did not want to say farewell to Tun just yet. The knowledge that her champion might not return to her tore at her heart, even as she tried to deny it. "Will you walk with me there?" she inquired, praying that he would say yes.
"Of course," he replied.
The two of them followed the rest of the Rohirrim, speaking little. A thousand things were in Gúthwyn's mind that she could tell her long lost friend. Only a few days she had spent with him since her return to Rohan; it grieved her to know that there might not be more. Yet despite all that she wanted to say to him, her mouth failed her, and the words would not come.
Eventually they came to the entrance of the Glittering Caves, where Gúthwyn immediately spotted Éowyn. Her sister was conversing with Aragorn; behind them was Legolas, listening intently to their talk while ushering people toward the caves. As always, Gúthwyn cringed at the sight of the Elf, instinctively moving closer to Tun. Her friend shot her a curious look.
"I am to be sent with the women into the caves," Éowyn lamented. Though Gúthwyn knew that it was wrong to be eavesdropping, especially on what was swiftly appearing to be a conversation that Éowyn would not want her to hear, she could not move even if she wanted to: There was a temporary blockage in front of the caves.
"That is an honorable charge," Aragorn assured Éowyn, pity in his eyes. For a moment, Gúthwyn wanted to slap him. The Ranger clearly understood nothing of what it was like to be a woman, forced to wait for news of victory or defeat in a battle.
"To mind the children!" Éowyn retorted, looking as exasperated as Gúthwyn felt. "To find food and bedding when the men return! What renown is there in that?"
Tun glanced at her, but Gúthwyn's gaze was fixed on Aragorn as he answered, "My lady, a time may come for valor without renown. Who then will look to your people in their last defense?"
"Let me stand at your side," Éowyn said in response. Gúthwyn could only see the back of her sister's head, but she knew that her sister's face was utterly serious. It was the closest she had ever seen her come to pleading.
"It is not in my power to command it," Aragorn said, appearing genuinely sorry about Éowyn's distress.
"You do not command the others to stay!" Éowyn exclaimed, her entire body stiffening with frustration. "They fight beside you because they would not be parted from you. Because they love you!"
Gúthwyn's eyes widened, as did those of Tun and Legolas. Éowyn took a step back, realizing what she had said. Only Aragorn remained unchanged; for a brief instant, something had stirred in his face, but just as quickly it was gone.
"I-I am sorry," Éowyn breathed, then hastily turned away. Before anyone could say anything, she had disappeared into the crowd, her head bowed in embarrassment and her shoulders tense. For a long time Aragorn watched her, the expression on his face unreadable.
Legolas returned then, and the Ranger glanced somberly over at him. Gúthwyn cringed, hating that the Elf had undoubtedly witnessed the entire scene. It was bad enough that he had seen her in her weakness; now, he had to watch that of her sister's as well.
Then, both Aragorn and Legolas caught sight of her, standing beside Tun.
"Are you ready?" Legolas asked her quietly, and she ignored him, looking at her friend. He was silent.
Then she had flung her arms around the guard, crushing his muscular frame to her thin one. Tun seemed startled at first, but swiftly recovered. She felt two arms lightly touching her waist. "Good luck!" she whispered fervently, sending a fierce prayer to the Valar for his safety. "Our time together has been too brief, my friend."
"Do not worry," he told her, evidently enjoying the feel of her warmth. Gúthwyn did not care much, for he had been her best friend since she was but five years old, and if his mind wandered now she was in no danger of straying with it.
"Take care," she replied, beginning to pull away. "I expect to see you at the entrance to the caves when the battle has been won."
"If it is the will of the Valar," Tun said. His eyes were locked on hers, and she read sorrow there beneath his brave façade. "Gúthwyn…"
"Yes?"
His voice trembled, though it was so imperceptible that at first she doubted that she had noticed it. "If I do not, however, return… will you make sure that my mother does not see my body?"
"I promise," she murmured seriously, and stepped out of the embrace. He smiled, the vulnerability hidden once more.
"A thousand thanks. May the Valar be with you."
She took one last look at him, standing there in his armor, with the fine green cloak across his shoulders. He had removed his helmet, and she could see his golden hair tumbling down the sides of his sturdy face, slightly disarrayed from her farewell. Warm brown eyes were watching her blue ones; then, the corners of his lips tugged upwards, and he turned away.
Sighing, Gúthwyn glanced back at Aragorn and Legolas. They were still waiting for her, their expressions unchanged by what they had seen. A slight flush came over her face, but she went to them anyway.
"They are about to seal off the caves," Aragorn said. "Though I know it is not your will, you should go now."
She grimaced, but was not too troubled. "Then I shall," she replied, "and I wish you a safe return."
He inclined his head. "Thank you."
Repressing a shiver, Gúthwyn looked at Legolas. "Y-You, too," she said, dropping her eyes as she spoke.
"We will meet again, of that I am sure," the Elf told her.
Gúthwyn's eyes met his for an instant, and then she gave a shaky smile before leaving the two friends. She began making her way to the caves, passing by Gimli as she did so. "Fare thee well!" she called to the Dwarf. "I hope that the grey stone turns black from Orcs slaughtered at the merciless blade of your axe!"
"I will not disappoint you, my lady," Gimli assured her, grinning determinedly. Gúthwyn returned the gesture, then followed the crowd into the caves. Most of the women and children were gathered around the entrance, staring in awe at the unnatural formations, but she had seen them already and was not as affected by their presence. She soon saw Éowyn's figure, standing not too far in the distance.
"Éowyn?" she asked as she neared her sister, not wishing to disturb what might have been a private moment. Yet when Éowyn looked at her, her face was quite calm.
"Do you have your pack with you?" Éomund's older daughter questioned. It was the opening that Gúthwyn had been waiting for. With a cry of dismay, she clapped her hands over her face.
"I knew I was forgetting something!" she moaned, and hastily started moving away.
"Wait!" Éowyn exclaimed, taking her by the arm and stopping her. "You cannot go now! They will close the caves in less than ten minutes!"
"I will be back by then," Gúthwyn said. "I know exactly where I left it. Please, Éowyn, I cannot leave it out there!" Beregil's poems were at the bottom of the bag.
Éowyn seemed reluctant, but at length she released her. "Hurry!"
"I will!" Gúthwyn called over her shoulder, holding her dress off of the ground as she ran. Some of the people stared at her as she sprinted to the entrance, but she ignored them.
When she emerged from the caves, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli had already left. Breathing a sigh of relief, she ducked into a small passage. Soon she found the barrel that she was looking for, and lifted the top to reveal Borogor's pack. She had stashed it there less than an hour ago, along with her sword and a spare cloak she had grabbed from the ground.
In mere seconds, the cloak was wrapped around Framwine, disguising the blade from even the most keen-eyed, and she was making her way out of the passage. Her feet were leading her not to the caves, but to the armory.