Chapter 8: With Promises to Keep
Nearly a month had passed before her brother Eómer made ready with his stately knights of the Eorl to go to Minas Tirith and collect their beloved former king, who was temporarily entombed with the great kings of Gondor in Minas Tirith. Most of their people chose to stay a while in and around Edoras, so that they might see the cortege of their former king when it arrived.
Éowyn was glad that her brother was quick to learn the ways of governing and proved to be a thoughtful and just ruler. His formal coronation would not be until Theoden returned to Meduseld, but he sat upon its throne and made his judgments upon Rohan, with his sister at his side, and the people were comforted by their joint wisdom and glad that Theoden had taken in these two orphans so long ago.
Éowyn helped her brother choose a new council of four advisors, as her uncle's council was mostly disbanded for following Wormtongue or of the retiring age. She also went out to Helms Deep to count the stores of food there, have them weighed and rationed them out to the nearby villages that were still standing. Éowyn and her brother oversaw the rationing and according to the advisors there was just enough to feed the people of Rohan, whose numbers had greatly diminished in this past war. The people would live near Edoras and Helms Deep for the time being, where food and shelter were readily available. It would not be another year or two when the families would really start heading back into the further regions of Rohan. King Elessar gave a good supply of grain from the stores of Minas Tirith to replenish the reserve stores at Edoras. The advisors mostly oversaw the plans for rebuilding irrigation channels and sewing the crops, and Éowyn made sure that the people were well cared for. It was these troubles in Rohan that Éowyn and her brother faced on a daily basis and her brother, a warrior at heart, was often frustrated by the sheer number of complaints from his countrymen problems they faced.
"How is one to ever get used to this?" he asked his sister one day, rubbing his tired eyes from squinting too hard at the fine script of a document he was going over.
"Exactly. But it can and shall be borne, brother. You make a fine king," she said cheerfully.
"Thank you, Eówyn. Now I know how caged you must have felt while tending to our ailing uncle and pressed to oversee Theódred's duties in our cousin's absence. But I daresay that our roles will be reversed, dear sister, when you are the Princess of Ithilien and are free to ride out every day into its fair countryside, while I am forced to sit in the hall and hear the cause of every villager and messenger who come before me on a daily basis," he rebuked. Her older brother said it with a slight smile turning up the corner of his lip. Éowyn stopped what she was doing and stared at her brother.
"You know?" was all she asked. She had never thought her brother clever until that moment.
"Of course I know. As King of the Mark I make it my business to know everything about my subjects, including my own sister. I am not as dull as you think I am, Éowyn," he said, feigning injury.
"Besides, I had noticed his not so subtle gifts to you. The dress at King Elessar's coronation was splendid and fitting for a lady of your honor and renown, and I did not think much of it until I realized there was someone who had given you that dress to make sure that you looked absolutely fetching. But how could I miss that beautiful blue mantle you were wearing on the morning we left Minas Tirith? That was certainly Gondorian, and the fact that the kingdom's signature silver stars decorated the lining meant that someone of high authority gave it to you. I knew that King Elessar was intended for another, so it could not have been he who gave you such a fine and personal gift. But I did not truly suspect until I noticed that you were no longer wearing the necklace that our mother had given you. This was something you would not have parted with willingly." He gave her a smirk as if he was applauding his own cleverness.
"Then I noticed that the one standing next to the king, this Steward, was staring at you quite frequently, though he did not say a word. Then my attention turned to you, and the both of you were exchanging that…look."
"What look?" demanded his sister.
"You know what I mean," he insisted. "I do not know much about lovers and the ways of courtship, especially in Gondor, but I know the look when I see it. But still, he is high handed this man of Gondor. Lord Faramir should have come to me and asked me for permission to court you before he went ahead giving you things."
"Eómer, be kind! You were not available at the time, and he did take prodigious care of me when I was in the Houses of Healing. If you only knew how kind he is and how courageous." Eówyn's voice trailed off and the expression on her face made her brother roll his eyes.
"There you go again, with that look…." To this, his sister drove a knuckle in her brother's arm, just as she had always done when they were children, which made him wince. She laughed at the sight.
"I shall ask him personally to accompany the cortege. I think the two of you should be troth plighted here, in Meduseld. You do much honor to your country and its people for staying your happiness, sister, just to help us," he said. She could tell that he was serious and sincere now. "You should have told me then, so that I could have better made his acquaintance."
"I did not want to bother you with it, Eómer, since I was not sure if you would like him. I wanted to come home again, regardless, though, I am sorry to make him wait."
"And why should he not wait for such a prize as the White Lady of Rohan? In fact, I think you should make him wait much longer, and see how steadfast he really is!" laughed Eómer. His sister gave him a look of indignation.
"Is he more dashing than me?" her brother asked.
"MUCH more," Éowyn laughed.
"Then he deserves you." He pat his sister on the head, a gesture which he knew she disliked, and hurried away before she could injure his other arm.
Later that day, she received a letter from Faramir, and she gave another letter she had previously written for her beloved to the Gondorian messenger before he left. Riders were too few in Rohan now, and so she relied solely on the Steward of Gondor to provide the messenger service. The Western speech, as Gondorians had perfected, was a simple written alphabet, and Éowyn could read and write it slowly though she was out of practice. Her beloved's words were very endearing and she wished she were with him so that he could read his letter to her. Of course, this would greatly defeat the purpose of letter writing, and she smiled at her own silliness.
He wrote that he kept the silver pendant which she had given to him at their parting close to his heart. These words made her miss him even more than before. When Éowyn had first made the acquaintance of Lady Arwen Evenstar, who was journeying to Minas Tirith to wed with King Elessar, she felt timid and wished that Faramir were there beside her.
Éowyn was uncertain of what she would feel towards the exalted lady, and was mortified at any thoughts of jealousy. Throughout that meeting, Éowyn had Faramir's letters in her pocket, which seemed to give her strength. In the end, it appears that her fears were for naught, for she did not dislike the lady at all and when they would meet again in Minas Tirith in the future, she was sure that she and the future Queen would not fail in striking a friendship. And though Éowyn was unaware of it, the future Queen was also eager to make the White Lady's acquaintance for she was aware of the valiant deeds of Rohan, for its warriors and its noble princess had greatly assisted Elessar's country and cause.
When the day came for Eómer to return with the exalted company and her uncle's body, Éowyn felt it quite difficult to contain her excitement at the thought of seeing Faramir. And she heard that the Queen and high elves of her kin would also be coming. Éowyn and the servants cleaned the Hall and all the guest quarters from top to bottom and furnished them with the finest furs. She sent for fragrant wood logs to burn in the hearths. The servant men cleaned out their fine stables and the city's women decorated the Hall with flowers and pine boughs and ribbons to welcome home their former monarch. The Men of the March prepared the burial mound and polished their armor for the ceremonial march to escort their slain ruler to his grave, while the finest bards were called in to entertain.
To busy herself, Éowyn went out into the city on her favorite horse Leód, who was left behind during her temporary enlistment into the army for fear of recognition, and rode in the company of some servants and two guards. She first made sure that the field birds, venison, boar, and chicken were already in their various stages of marinating, and that the sourbread and the honeyed bread were being freshly made and baked. Then she sent her servants to the orchards and fields near the mountains to pick fresh fruits and vegetables which would go into dishes that were flavored with a delicate honey sauce her mother had created, poached summer fruits for dessert, or freshly washed and chilled vegetables that could be eaten with seasoned bits of cheese, a delicacy in Rohan. Roasted nuts and sweetened berries of all kinds were prepared and set in silver bowls on the table. The finest ales and wines were brought up from the cellar beneath the hall for the distinguished guests. Barrels of hearty ale were brought in to satiate the rest. It was Eówyn's belief that Elves were not as fond of roasted meats as men and dwarves were, and had more elfin palettes. She was not certain of this, but she hoped the dishes were to their liking.
Éowyn went to the barracks where the wounded men had been brought and continued her instruction over the healers and servants on making a Gondorian salve that closed wounds faster than any means of Rohan's herb lore. She and the guards then went to the nearest neighboring village where many of the orphans were gathered and housed. Many women had lost their fathers and sons to the battle of Helms Deep, and many children were made orphans by the wild men who plundered the Westfold. Others were orphaned when their fathers died defending the White City. Éowyn told her brother of her plan to unite the childless mothers with the orphans so that they would have helpers and the children would have homes, while some children could be reunited with relatives, and her brother thought that this was chief among her great ideas. And so they might also share in the celebration, she and the guards loaded wagons of children and headed back to Edoras so that the children could enjoy the feast. These children had known nothing but hunger and sadness in the previous year, but here they will partake of plenty tonight and go home with their relatives or new families. By the time her uncle's entourage could be seen on the horizon by the watch tower at Edoras, Éowyn was feeling quite accomplished and wondered if her uncle would be proud.
Eómer was very surprised when Faramir sought him out at the feast in Merethrond the night before they set out to escort Theóden home. King Eómer seemed to be sizing up the Steward as he spoke to him. Faramir politely greeted him and spoke noble words. However, the point of his conversation turned then to Eówyn, whom he declared was as fairer than any flower or maid he had seen, Human or Elven. And it was then that he told Eómer that he intended to court Éowyn when he saw her again in Edoras and asked that Eómer gave him leave to do so. Eómer stood there, amused at this man who was so obviously in love with his sister.
He could tell Faramir was both warrior and poet, and he was not surprised that his sister had fallen in love with him. There were many similarities between him and Elessar, such as their height, and their dark Gondorian features. Faramir was also a hero among men, for Eómer noticed the admiration in Beregond's eyes, as well as other Ithilien rangers and soldiers who had followed this man. And though the people of Gondor were enamored of their new king, they felt the same adoration towards the House of Stewards, which had kept peace in Gondor in the king's absence.
Eómer could not deny the strength of feeling with which Faramir spoke to him about his sister, and being a good judge of men, judged Faramir to be an honest man. He was learned and Éowyn would have much to learn from him, but he was certain that Faramir was outmatched by Eówyn's spirit, and for that, he knew this Steward had to be a patient man. Eómer had no inclination to refuse Faramir's request for the other seemed in earnest. It was then that Faramir introduced Eómer to his cousin Lóthiriel and after the introduction, Eómer's attention was much engaged for the rest of that evening.
When Faramir beheld the country of his beloved Eówyn's birth, he was amazed at how vast the open space was. The plains were green as emeralds and littered with simple golden wildflowers. The capital sat atop a lofty hill, surrounded by high mountain ranges on either side. The rooftops of the houses and Meduseld gleamed gold in the sunlight. The wind here was ever restless, and he thought he understood now the origins of Eówyn's feisty spirit. As they came closer to the city he noticed that many villagers were encamped outside the city, traveling far to pay respects to their fallen king. As the cortege came up to them, they were on their knees, or bowing low. Men of the Mark met the group and their honored burden and accompanied Theóden to the burial mound, the last in a row of eight on the East side of the Barrowfield. The Men of the Mark gathered round the mound upon their horses and sang in honor of their former King in their old tongue.
Thereafter, a minstrel sadly sang his last and most beautiful tune which he wrote especially for Theóden. Then, when Theóden-king was ready to be placed in eternal rest in his house of stone, Merry placed the king's sword across the Theóden's chest and a shield at his feet. That was when Faramir saw Éowyn step forth from the crowd, dressed in a heavy but regal robe of a dark and rich green, and a long veil of black billowing in the wind behind her that was crowned atop her head with a delicate gold circlet of evenly spaced green stones. Her golden hair was bound up and decorated with several interlaced braids beneath the veil. And the women of the city were all covered in black veils atop their heads and began to weep. Éowyn took a deep breath and her voice rang clear as bells as she sang a lamentation in Rohirric that did not end until the last stone brick that closed the tomb was laid. Then, she and her brother led their honored guests and soldiers to Meduseld for the feasting.
It was here that Éowyn assisted in the ceremony where her brother was officially named as king, and the people of Rohan cheered and sang of the bravery of their lord and king, and his sister the shield maiden. And to this she rolled her eyes at her brother for she knew this was his doing and he had commissioned the minstrel to make up a song about her. When that was ended and Éowyn had turned sufficiently red to the amusement of her brother and all their guests, Eómer called for the musicians for the dancing and the tables in the back were taken away and the benches were left to line the walls. The dancing began as the fiddler's played. And as the ale continued to pour, the dancing and singing and cheering migrated also outside of the Hall and into the city.
She was on her way out of the hall to get some air when she came upon Merry and Pippin who complimented her selection of meats and ale for such a fine dining experience. Gimli was also impressed by the marinated boar and commented it was among the finest he had ever tasted. To her delight and surprise, Legolas thanked her for the bounty of fruit at the table; fresh, preserved, poached and dried. He also commented on the excellent honeyed meats, fruits and vegetables which were much to his liking and Éowyn was flattered. She toasted them all, especially Merry for his persistence and bravery in the face of death and the world's ending, and then took leave of them all and exited the hall. Éowyn was glad to finally leave behind the admiring looks people gave her. Being a sung hero in Meduseld was not quite what she had thought it to be, especially when you usually had to be dead before they sung tales of your glory. That what she had once thought would happen to her; she never thought she'd live to see the seeds of her own legend.
She found the evening air refreshing and passed the dancing groups of minstrels and people and found a quiet place by a water well to gaze at the stars. Éowyn had not really spoken to Faramir the entire day, and missed his company. But no sooner had she thought this then Faramir was at her side, with an arm slipped purposefully about her waist to draw her near to him. Éowyn smiled and rested her head against his shoulder.
"I was just thinking of you," she said softly.
"My Lady that is such a coincidence, for I was just thinking of you when I saw you exit the Golden Hall. Why did you not call upon me to accompany you out here?" he asked. "Now that I have you I would not let you be alone ever more." He embraced his beloved lady with much contentment.
"I was just thinking the same thing when you joined me, and so now there is naught left I should do but rest here with my head upon your shoulder and sigh in contentment and bliss," she said.
"I would by no means dissuade you from doing this, but I wish, dearest Lady, to pledge my troth to you before your brother and the honored guests in your home." She looked up at him at saw that he was quite serious. "Now?" she asked. He nodded. "In front of all those people?" she asked again. He nodded.
"I want all to know of my feelings for you, and that I wish to make the White Lady of Rohan the Princess of Ithilien," he said. Éowyn embraced her beloved and breathed in his scent which she knew now would forever remind her of athelas. "Must we do it so publicly?" she sighed. He only chuckled in response
My dream was telling me that Faramir was the one who would save me, she thought to herself, and was content to breathe him in deeply so she would not forget it. Then, hand in hand for all to see, the two walked back into Meduseld to find her brother.