++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Day 1++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Eomer and Eothain

Eothain is crying.

That's what his sister had told him when she'd stood at the table in the hall's kitchens, plucking at his sleeve. Her eyes stormed with worry, twin skies steely with thunderclouds. Sighing, he'd left his supper and followed her to the stables. He didn't believe her, though. He and Eothain were old enough to wield swords, fight orcs, train to be riders of the Rohirrim. Riders of Rohan did not cry.

But there he was, curled up in the stall that held his horse, Deorwyn (named for his sister, he'd said, because she was the best sister of any he'd ever known, better even than Eowyn, though Eomer failed to see how anyone could be better than Eowyn, despite how she could nag sometimes and despite how brave and Rohirrim-like Deorwyn could be). The mare whuffed at the crying boy's wild blond hair, nudged him with her nose, but Eothain kept his head down in his arms and did not look up.

"Eothain?" Eomer sat down beside him, his stomach twisting. He wasn't quite sure what he ought to do. He somehow knew that if he went to get Theodred, Eothain would be upset. But Theodred always knew what to do, and he had no idea, he was only thirteen. He couldn't remember the last time his mother had comforted him, it had been a long time before she'd died- killed herself, you mean, took her own life- and he doubted that what his mother did would work for Eothain, anyway.

"What if no one finds her?" Eothain's voice was soft and muffled by his shirtsleeves, but the other boy understood. "What if the orcs took her?"

Eomer tried to think of something to say that wouldn't scare him, and finally settled for the truth. "My father says orcs don't care for children the way they do for women," whatever that meant, he still didn't know, only that it had something to do with virtue and a woman's honor, "and that they wouldn't have kidnapped her. So if she were dead, she'd have been found among the dead of the village. So she must be all right." The older boy thought he might feel a twinge at what he expected to be a lie, but he found that he really believed it. Deorwyn might not be as good a sister as Eowyn, but Eomer had met her, liked her. She was brave, for a girl, and smart. Not one of the spoiled brats that tried to follow Eothain's other friends around.

"I have to find her," Eothain whispered. He finally looked up, resting his chin on his arms. His eyes shone like wet emeralds. "She's lost out there, alone. She could get hurt." Eothain tasted something bitter. Eomer didn't understand. If it had been Eowyn, Eomund's son wouldn't have hesitated to rescue her. And Eothain… he had failed Deorwyn. His sister, he sweet little sister… if he and Eomer hadn't been off making mischief, he would never have lost her, he would've been there to protect her and fight the orcs when they descended on Deorwang. "I have to find her."

"Your father would never let you do that!"

"Then I'll run away and find her on my own!" Eothain was on his feet now, and even as he talked, he began saddling his mare. "You don't have to come with me, if you're scared of getting in trouble or anything. I don't need you to come with me, I'm not a child. But I'm going to find my sister."

Eomer stared at his friend as if he thought the other boy were stark raving mad, then grinned widely. He clapped the other boy on the shoulder, a gesture his father had used, a gesture Theodred used on him still, and he said, "Not a chance. No one will say Eomer Eomund's son is afraid to help his best friend and brother. I'll ready Amberfire."

Eowyn

From the other side of the wall, Eowyn narrowed her eyes as she listened. Of course, those two would just go gallivanting off and leave her behind. Well, not likely! Just because she was a girl, and just because she wasn't old enough to train as a Rider, certainly didn't mean she was going to let them go off on their own and get into all sorts of trouble. If there was going to be trouble, she was going to be in the thick of it, right by her brother's side.

Silent and swift as a deer, she slipped away.

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Am currently listening to Gummi Bears theme song. I love 80s and early 90s cartoons. Or should I say car-tunes? Anyway, here's chapter 3. How do you like it?

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