I do not own Lord of the Rings, or any of Tolkien's characters. Any characters and plot lines I create are mine.

A/N: So, yeah. Here we are. This is a chapter I am a bit nervous about.

On another note, I JUST BOUGHT A SWORD! Yeah.

Chapter 14: Éoryn

If Azruphel felt uncomfortable during the dinner, Strider could not tell. Before meeting with Éowyn, they agreed on a story. Strider a traveler from Gondor looking to get away from the conflicts of living near Mordor. He met 'Faran' on the road, who left a small village because there was nothing left to stay for. Easy enough to pretend for an evening.

Strider quickly discovered that Azruphel could create any story, and let her take the lead when they were asked questions. She was good at remembering details about the life she created. There was a confidence that existed which was never displayed when Azruphel spoke about her life to Strider. It seemed she was better at lying than telling the truth.

"Forgive me for asking, but isn't Faran normally a man's name?" Éomer asked soon after they arrived. While Azruphel had succeeded in pretending to be a man in Gondor, both she and Strider knew the act would not last through a dinner. Therefore, they simply stopped pretending.

"It is. That is why I chose it," Azruphel said, laughing. "I did not want to appear as the lone woman on the road. I was dressing like a man, so I gave myself a man's name, too. It was… easier… that way."

That was Azruphel's secret to keeping up with a story. She was excited, enthusiastic, kind, and funny, but at times she would let sadder emotions through before switching back to the happiness. And, of course, it was mostly true. She did change her name to make the task of disappearing much easier.

'Faran's' father was a horse trainer in the Eastfold. Her mother was never around. Azruphel implied that the mother was dead. She was an only child and often rode horses with her father. He became sick about a year ago and died shortly after. Nineteen year old Faran did not want to stay at the small farm outside the village. She sold it and most of the horses except her own and traveled west.

"I do not think my father would have wanted me to stay there all alone," she concluded, and Strider even believed it for a second. He could not help but wonder if this 'father' was based on one of the Nazgûl. He was willing to bet it was not Khamûl.

"Enough about me. How did you end up living in the Golden Hall?"

"We have always lived here, as my mother's brother is King Theoden," Éomer explained. "Our father, Éomund, worked to protect our lands from raiding orcs, though he would often return to Edoras and visit us." There were emotions in Éomer's words that implied a lack of visits for a long time. Azruphel was thankful when it was Strider that prompted the continued explanation.

"What happened?"

"He was killed, by who we do not know. Close to Edoras, too." Éomer paused for a long time, before continuing with the story. "We had a sister, named Éoryn. Father took her on a ride to a horse pasture. Later, his horse came back and some men went out to look for them. Both were dead."

Everyone was silent at the end of the tale, until Éomer spoke again. "She would have been nineteen, same age as you, Faran."

After that, the conversation switched to a lighter tone, but there still remained a hint of sadness that lingered until Azruphel and Strider left later that evening.

The next day, Azruphel went to see Nightfall. While she was there, she saw Éomer again. Hoping to avoid him, she ducked into the stall. However, it was too late, and Éomer approached.

"I wanted to apologize if I made you and Strider uncomfortable with the story yesterday," he began without preamble. "I can't help but feel that everyone was in a somber mood after."

"It is alright," Azruphel said quietly. "And I was the one who started to ask about your life."

"Still," he continued, "I should not have-"

"Éomer," Azruphel said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Do not worry about it." She smiled at Éomer, and he began to relax. As she turned back, Éomer asked, "Do you want to go for a ride?"

Azruphel thought about it for a second. "Sure."

Éomer walked to another stall and led a grey horse out. "This is Firefoot." The horse looked at Nightfall, who Azruphel introduced.

They talked a bit about their horses and training. Azruphel told Éomer about some of the stunts she pulled while riding. Éomer told her how he chose Firefoot and learned to ride him. Azruphel based Faran's father off of Uvatha, and the act worked well. They ended up riding near a field of small, white flowers. Azruphel did not think anything of it until Éomer stopped in front of a mound. Turning Nightfall around, Azruphel dismounted when she saw Éomer do so.

"I did not realize we had ridden this way," he said when she joined him. "This is his grave. Éomund, my father."

Azruphel stared at what she previously thought was a mound, but what was really a grave. "And Éoryn?"

"We consider it her grave. You see, we never found a body. We do not know what happened to her." He went silent then, but the memories had upset him. Then, Azruphel knew how to proceed. She did what Uvatha had always done.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He sighed. "Father came home around March. Éoryn was two. She liked watching the horses in a field not too far from here. He took her there, and they never came back. I think he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. A few of the horses had been stolen, a few of the black ones. For a few years, servants of Mordor would steal black horses. He must have tried to fight. If I am right, whatever happen to Éoryn was not good."

Azruphel was glad when Éomer turned away. He would not see how pale she was after hearing the story. After a few minutes, she asked, "What was she like?"

"She was always happy, excited. She, like most people here, loved horses and going for rides. She was born November 5th, two years after Éowyn. She was blonde, but it was darker than Éowyn's."

Azruphel let him trail off, and they both stared at the grave for a while before she said, "We should go back."

Éomer nodded. "Yes. I suppose we should, Faran."

Azruphel started to leave, but then turned back to face Éomer.

"My name is Azruphel. I figure, after everything you have told me, you should know my name, at least." And with the, she mounted Nightfall and cantered away.

When Azruphel returned to her room, Strider was waiting for her. He did not notice how upset she looked before asking, "Where have you been?"

"I went for a ride with Éomer."

"Both he and his sister are very kind," he said. Then, "You look like her, you know. Éowyn."

"I want to leave."

"What?" Strider said, surprised. "Why?"

"I just… want to leave tomorrow."

For the first time since Strider began to question her parentage, she thought he could be right. So, Azruphel did what she was good at, what she had always done. She decided to run.

A/N: Don't hate me, please, for having her run away from family and stuff. But hey! The story gets to continue this way. Please review.