The Wild Westfold
By: Lauthica Green Clinkenbeard
Chapter Twenty-One: The Gondorian
The first rays of the morning sun broke upon my face like the softest linen and pried at my eyelids for me to waken and greet them. I shifted ever so slightly lifting the corner of the blanket over my eyes as a shield to the light. I felt something in the bed next to me shift as well. I panicked for a moment. I rolled over quickly and opened my eyes. I relaxed when I saw Eomer's face, eyes squished shut and mouth wide open in mid-yawn. A great smile came across my face as the memories of the night passed began to rekindle pleasures on my skin. His hair was hanging over his forehead and I reached out and swept them back. He opened his eyes and looked at me and smiled.
"Even though the sun is far too terribly bright for my taste and the hour far too early I wish you a good morning none the less." He said and he took hold of my hand lying by my face and placed a kiss on the back of it.
"The sun is bright only because you see through the bottom of too many ale pints." I said. He chuckled.
"Not so many pints that they will make me soon forget the images that play in my mind from last night. A collection of images that I hope to add to very soon." He said and propped his head up on his hand on the pillow. He gazed at me and with his other hand he teasingly grazed his fingertips across my cheek.
"Your collection will have to wait, Eomer. We both have responsibilities we need to tend to." I said.
"Hush of responsibilities. As long as you are in this bed you are mine. As long as you lay in this bed next to me there is nothing else. No Rohan. No war. Only you." He said. I smiled at him and I felt my cheeks blush.
"You are one of those shameless, flatterer lovers from my childhood elvish tales." I said. He laughed.
"Perhaps I am. Forgive me, next time I will compare the beauty of seeing the morning sunlight on your bare skin to that of the face of a troll." He said and raised an eyebrow.
"That's much better. I look like the troll's face and you look like its backside." I said and I turned away from him and started to pull back the covers to get up but Eomer stopped me. He reached out and wrapped his arms around me and pulled me back squeezing me flush against his chest.
"You're not escaping that easily!" He said laughing and then he wrapped his arm around my face, "MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!" he kissed my cheek squishing my face.
"Will you finally stop kissing me when I turn blue!" I said laughing trying to pry him off of me. He laughed and released me and laid back on the bed. I finally stood up from the bed and I looked back at him. His hair was spilling over his pillows and shoulders. His defined muscular arms were laying above his head and connected to his soft and gently hands that had caressed me. I felt a shiver run down my spine. His eyes studied my body in the pouring sunlight. That burning love and passion in his gaze made me feel so wanted and beautiful. His eyes passed over my scars and showed no disgust or withdrawal. His chest moved up and down slowly from his calm breaths. When I had pulled back the covers I had exposed him from the knees up. My eyes traveled down his chest and abdomen.
"Why do only your eyes devour me?" he asked and he sat up and reached out for my arm. "Let your hands and lips take over and give in to what your heart is demanding and your mind denying." He said and he tugged on my arm gently. I smiled and I leaned over on the bed and placed a quick feather-light kiss on his lips, but I leaned back and found my chemise quickly. I pulled it on over my head. I went back over and climbed back on the bed. He had sat up crossing his legs. I sat on his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck. He raised his hands to the small of my back. I gave him a longer more passionate kiss.
"I need a bath and I am sore." I said gazing into his eyes. "My parting from you this morning will not be long." He smiled and then he gripped me and pulled me against him. He buried his face in my neck and kissed up to my ear.
"I'll make sure of that." He whispered and then he released me. I got out of the bed and walked back over to the door. I looked over my shoulder. Eomer had laid back down and rolled over on his side pulling the covers back over him. He clutched the pillow I had laid on and hugged it tightly. I smiled and I opened the door and entered the hall.
This was the fun part. I leaned against the door hiding in its shadow. I leaned forward and peeked down both directions of the hall. The coast was clear. I ran on the quiet tip toes of swift feet down the hall. I stopped at the corner and peeked around. I was very lucky that once again there was no one walking in the hall. I rushed to Da's door and was relieved that it had not been locked. I opened it silently and crept in. A fire had not been laid and Lady Da's window did not face the rising sun. I could not see anything in the darkness. I shut the door silently and moved slowly across the room to my blankets.
"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE HOUR IS?"
I nearly jumped clear out of my skin. I screamed as a hand flew out of the darkness and grabbed hold of my ear. I felt myself be tugged over and forced to sit down on Lady Da's bed. I heard feet shuffle across the floor and soon the room was illuminated by the striking of a match and the glow of a candle.
Lady Da picked up the candle and came over. Her brow was furrowed to the point that saying she was angered would not even half describe her expression. I folded my hands on my lap and looked up at her waiting for her lecture to rain upon me.
"Where were you? Do you realize how worried I have been when I woke and found you were missing?" she said putting her other hand on her hip glaring at me.
"I am sorry. I did not mean to be gone for so long. I planned to come back before you woke for the day." I said.
"You left in only your chemise and no shoes, yet you were gone for hours. Where did you go?" she asked. I hesitated wondering if Eomer's comment on Théoden's "approval" was a good reason to fear not open digression.
"I am a woman of free and independent will. I may do as I please and my business is my own." I said as politely as I could. It was not polite enough. Lady Da's hand whipped across my cheek.
"I will tolerate no attitude from you." She said sternly. "First of all, this is not your home so whatever business you have or do within these halls is directly reflected on the king and the king's household. Secondly, when your business involves the direct heir to the throne it becomes everyone's business." She said. My eyes widened in shock and I stood up.
"How did you know I was with Eomer!" I asked. Lady Da's hand flew up to cover her mouth as she gasped.
"I didn't! You have just confirmed my greatest fear! Good heavens!" she said and she started to stagger. I reached out and held on to her as I helped her to sit down on the bed.
"You must calm down! Breathe!" I said.
"Calm? Calm? Did you…..Did you two…..Oh good grace!" she said as her hand went to her chest.
"Why do you see this as such an evil? I love him and he loves me!" I said sitting down trying to get her consoled. I took the candle from her before she accidentally set the bed on fire. I set the candle on the table by the bed. She turned and looked at me.
"How do you not see the evil? Eomer is now the heir to the throne! He will be the king of the entire country! Do you have any idea the chaos that will rage should anyone find out about this? What if you come to be with child?" she asked.
I felt as if my heart stopped and sunk to the very bottom of my feet. The thought of coming to be with child had not crossed my mind in the least. How could I be such a fool? My eyes watered up immediately as my heart began to flutter wildly. I held out my now shaking hand.
"D…D….Da?" I asked as panic spread through my entire essence. She rolled her eyes and took my hand.
"For goodness sake! I would have thought Eomer of all people would have had more sense." She said. "Don't fret, don't fret. I'm sorry that I over reacted. Come child. Let's get you cleaned up and put all this mess behind us." She said and she stood up.
Within the hour a wash tub was brought in and filled. I was undressed and sitting in the water resting my chin on my knees as Da ran a comb through my hair. My fate was repeating itself. No…I was living my grandmother's fate. I still held no title and would be considered unfit to marry Eomer. If his seed would quicken within me the child would only be known as a baseborn and I would be labeled as a whore.
"You must not speak of this to anyone," Lady Da said letting my hair fall back into the water, "and you and Eomer must not speak nor touch each other in public. You will never again visit his chambers, do you understand me?" she asked. I didn't say anything to her. She sighed and stood up. She crossed the room and took out a clean chemise and dress and laid them out on her bed. "I'll fetch breakfast," she said as she headed for the door and left.
I closed my eyes as I felt tears well within them again. What a cruel circumstance. Eomer was home and would be for a time. I would see him and run into him everywhere. All I want to do is hold him in my arms, and now I must speak only in whispers and touch him only in shadows. Would Lady Da confront him? Would he regret his affections for me? Would he find another woman, a beautiful, perfect flower to share his bed instead? My soul could not bear the idea of his arms around another.
The door flew open as Lady Da rushed in clutching her skirts to lift them followed by Gamling. I nearly knocked half the water out of the tub rushing to cover myself as my face reddened from embarrassment.
"Quickly, child!" Lady Da said grabbing a towel from beside the tub. "There has been an incident in the night!"
"Half a moment! Half a moment!" I said climbing out of the tub desperately reaching for the towel to cover myself.
"There is not a moment to spare!" Da said picking up my clothes off the bed.
"Fear not, my lady," Gamling said. "I shall avert my eyes." He said and he turned around and faced the door. Da quickly threw my chemise over my head followed by my brown, wool frock and laced up the back with shaking nervous fingers.
"Come!" she said taking hold of my arm and hurried to the door. We walked in long, brisk steps down the hall.
"What has happened?" I asked watching my steps to make sure I didn't trip on my skirts.
"One of the Halflings, in the night…" Gamling said.
"That is for the King and the Fellowship to explain, Gamling. This is not the time for chatter." Da said sternly cutting him off.
Fellowship? I thought giving them both funny looks.
"What does all this have to do with me?" I asked.
"Lord Aragorn has requested you himself. He said…" Gamling began but was once again cut off by his mother.
"You will find out soon enough, child! Enough questions!" Da said as we turned the corner swiftly. My heart skipped a beat as Eomer came out of the archway from the mead hall. He was in his full armor. He took the hall in long strides heading for the door to exit toward the stables. He paused for a brief moment when he saw me but continued past us without so much as a smile or nod.
We entered the hall. Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli sat at a table with solemn faces nibbling on bits of bread. Théoden sat on his throne with his back bent and head hung low. His hands clasped together on his lap in such a stress that his knuckles were ghostly white.
Nerves took me. Had someone reported what Eomer and I had done in the night? Had Da told him? He saw us; surely he knew what actions might have followed after he passed us by. Had I disappointed my king? Would they tear me from Eomer's arms?
Théoden looked up as we approached his throne. Gamling kneeled before him.
"Théoden King," he said standing again.
"Deya, come to me." Théoden said straightening up in his chair. I walked forward and knelt down as well.
"Yes, my Lord?" I asked.
"Have you heard of the incident in the night passed?" he asked. I gulped. Did he mean the Halfling or Eomer and I.
"Briefly, my Lord." I said standing back up.
Théoden looked at me and then over at Aragorn and then looked back toward his throne. Every second of silence that passed I felt my heart rise higher and higher in my throat. If this went on for much longer I would find myself ill. Aragorn stood from the table where he, Gimli, and Legolas were having breakfast.
"My Lord, you are frightening the girl half to death." He said. "Let us provide the explanation. You have woken to more than bread and cheese on your plate this morning. You have a country to rebuild; it's our task to make sure we won't be rebuilding the entire world."
Théoden looked back at Aragorn and he appeared like he did relax a bit. He nodded at him and then he looked back at me. He put his hands on my shoulders and his lips pursed as if he was going to say something but he remained silent. Then, quite suddenly, he threw his arms around me and embraced me.
"Bless you, Déorwyrdhnes." He said. When he broke from his hug he smiled at me. "I could not imagine a Rohan without you. You are a born leader and possess a strength that I could only imagine for myself. You came to us first a child, but when you returned to us, you were a hero." He nodded his head and then he left the head hall through the archway.
I was so taken back by his embrace and his kind words that I felt a tear roll down my cheek. I reached up and wiped it away quickly. I walked over to the table and sat down next to Legolas. Aragorn sat back down as well and pull out his pipe.
"What do know of the history of this realm?" Aragorn asked as he filled his pipe and lit it taking long, slow puffs.
"I know a bit. I had a proper education when I was still living as a lady in the East Emnet." I said.
"Have some breakfast, Deya." Legolas said handing me a bowl of fruit.
"Thank you." I said taking it from him.
"Do you know of Sauron and his ring of power?" Aragorn asked.
"Yes." I said popping a few grapes into my mouth. "That was the last time that the banners of men and elves united. Well, before Helm's Deep anyway. The king was struck down and his son, Isildur took up Narsil and cut the ring from Sauron's hand. Isildur ended up losing the ring and it was forever lost." I said.
"It isn't lost anymore." Gimli said sighing. I felt my eyes widen as I looked at him and then back at Aragorn.
"Is this true?" I asked. Aragorn nodded his head.
"The ring had a few masters over those long eons, but eventually it came to the hand of a Hobbit named Frodo Baggins." He said. I inhaled sharply. Frodo? That was the name I heard pass between Aragorn and Gandalf last night.
"We were once part of a great Fellowship of nine. Aragorn, Gimli, Gandalf, myself, Merry and Pippen, another Hobbit named Samwise, and a Gondorian named Boromir." Legolas said.
"Boromir? The same Boromir that is the son of the Steward of Gondor?" I asked.
"The same." Aragorn said and his face took on a grieved expression. Legolas said no more and even Gimli looked down at the table.
"Boromir is dead now isn't he?" I asked. Aragorn nodded his head and sighed.
"The Fellowship is broken." Gimli said. "Gandalf and Pippen have gone to Minas Tirith. We remain here with Merry…"
"And Frodo and Sam are sneaking through the country side between the borders of Gondor and Mordor to take the one ring and destroy it in the fires of Mt. Doom. Sauron has returned and he is launching a war that will cover the entire world in death and darkness unless the ring is destroyed." Aragorn said. I gulped as I felt a shiver of fear spread across my skin. With all this chaos going on my own problems seemed pitiful and vain. Everything made much more sense now. Saruman was working with Sauron and Rohan was the first wave of the war. Helm's Deep might as well have been a poke in the arm compared to what was to come. I took a deep breath as all the information began to soak in. I licked my lips to comfort myself and then looked back up at Aragorn.
"What role am I to play in this?' I asked.
"I have no role to assign, my lady. You have already assigned it yourself." Aragorn said. "You stood to defend Rohan believing it was only Rohan is peril. You took up arms and fought as bravely as any man on the Deeping Wall. You, yourself, have followed all these paths on your own choices and fate intended you to be here. To meet us. To join us. We need to strengthen the Fellowship." He said. I said nothing. I didn't know what to say. I felt like I was being torn. Aragorn was right. Every trip and fall in my life has all been to bring me here for this greater purpose. I was staring my destiny square in the eye. This is what I have always wanted…but, where does that leave Eomer?
"Deya," Legolas said gently resting his hand on my shoulder. "Would you like a moment to speak with me alone?" he asked.
"Why you?" Gimli asked. "What would you two have to say to each other that could not be said here in front of us?"
Aragorn also had a puzzled look on his face and then his cheeks turned a shade pink.
"Gimli, I think it is best if we go and check on the King." He said and he looked at me and nodded. I had forgotten that it was Aragorn who had walked in on Eomer and I nearly kissing yesterday afternoon. He knew my secret and he knew that I was closer in friendship to Legolas than the other two. Aragorn and Gimli stood from the table.
"I will leave my chamber door open for you and your answer." He said and bowed toward me. I nodded my head back and they left the mead hall. I turned to Legolas.
"What should I do?" I asked him, "I want to join you. I want to be a part of this. I want to fight. It's a part of who I am. I want to be a valiant warrior… but…but…but…"
"But you love Eomer." Legolas finished what I could not. I nodded my head.
"Yes, I love him with all my heart and more." I said. "Everything I have done has truly been for him, in a way. I only wanted to fight so I would be granted a title and be fit to marry him. I want to be his wife. I want to keep his house and bed warm with both my company and my body. I want to take care of him and keep a smile on his face. I want to put healthy sons and daughters into his arms. I….."
"But?" Legolas said helping me along again.
"I want to fight. I want to hack and slash with a sword and wear armor. I want to mount a horse and gallops through the plains. I want to taste the blood of my enemies. I want to be a soldier. Needle point and sewing are too boring for a woman like me." I said. "I want to be his queen, but I also want to be his king's guard."
"Why can you not be both? What better way to serve your lord than to be both his wife and his war counsel. Everything you have done may have been a little nudge in Eomer's direction but you truly have done it all for yourself. Your heart beats for you, not him. Don't give him your life, share it." Legolas said.
"You make it all sound so easy." I said and chuckled. "Kings don't ride into battle with their wives at their side. Wishful thinking and dreams are not enough to change the way the world works."
"The world is what we make it to be." Legolas said. "Change has to start somewhere, but it must be started. It does not blow in with the seasons."
I looked up at him and sighed, "Your too wise for your own good, you know that right?" He laughed and smiled at me.
"It's an elf thing." He said.
"I will inform Aragorn at once." I said and I stood up from the table.
The front doors of the mead hall suddenly burst open and a high pitched horse whinny echoed off of the walls. I looked over startled to see a massive black horse come down from rearing up and trot into the halls. The horse was queer and not of a Rohhiric breed. The man that sat upon it was even queerer. He was small and slender with a long face. His head was covered only in a dark, shaved fuzz and his eyes were as black as night and almond shaped. He wore no tunic or jerkin. A soft airy looking black fabric dyed with a strange purple pattern wrapped around him and draped over one of his shoulders and fluttered around his knees like a skirt over his equally baggy and billowing breeches. A wide boiled leather belt hugged his waist making his outfit even more flowy. I could only compare it to that of the wings of a butterfly or the fins of a fish.
Nervous looking stable boys ran into the hall. He must have rode right past them at the gate. The two door guards entered looking just as flabbergasted. He finally dismounted the horse and handed it over to the stable boys. By now a few by-standers had made their way into the mead hall to see what all the commotion was about. The man walked toward Legolas and I. He reached down to the table and helped himself to a goblet of wine draining it quickly. Then another goblet and another. Legolas and I both exchanged glances at each other.
"Where is King Théoden?" The man asked. His voice was robust but held an accent I didn't recognize.
I stepped forward crossing my hands ladylike in my front and glared at him.
"What business do you have with Théoden King?" I asked. He glared back at me.
"My business is my business and the business of men, woman." He said sternly.
"I am a woman of Rohan, man. This is my country." I said feeling my temper rise. "You rode into my city, and through my gates. You helped yourself to my table and then demanded to see my King without a single courtesy. Your business is now my business."
"Courtesy?" the man laughed, "A thousand apologies, my lady." He said and he kneeled to one knee and took my hand. He pecked it quickly and then stood. "Now, woman, go fetch your King." He said coldly. His eyes drifted down my body and then back up to my face. What a swine!
I was thinking about punching him in the face or shoving him in the chest. I was a good foot taller than him and I knew I could overpower him quickly and shut his vial mouth. However, Théoden walked into the mead hall at that moment. He walked over to us briskly and he gave the man a funny look taking in his outfit and furrowed his eyebrows.
"Who the hell are you supposed to be?" he asked.
The man turned to Théoden and bowed. "Great King of the Horse Lords and of the Golden Hall of Meduseld. The Istari sent word to me that you could use a hand, or rather a green thumb. He said your land has been ravaged by war. I have come to teach you the ways of my city and you shall have bountiful crops unlike you have ever known." The man waved his arms around as he spoke. He was very animated and his clothes fluttered around him like flower pedals. Théoden's eyebrow rose.
"That sounds all fine and dandy but who the hell are you?" he asked. The man's enthusiasm died down a little bit. He bowed his head.
"I am called Don Vonce of Calembel in the kingdom of Gondor. I specialize in making miracles from earth and soil." The man said.
"And who sent you?" Théoden asked.
"The Istari, Gandalf." Said Don Vonce.
"I see." Théoden said nodding his head. "And did you come alone?"
"No. I traveled here with all haste with my dearest friend Rembaulk, the legendary Ent rider." He said. A couple of guards in the back of the room lost it and busted into laughter. It took quite a bit from me to keep my own giggles inside. Don Vonce sneered at the crowd of people that gathered.
"Perhaps, my good king, we shall be able to talk in more depth in a more private setting. I am at your service." He asked.
"There will be no need for that." Théoden said waving his hand. "You said you work miracles with earth and soil. Very well, go to the Westfold. That is where the most damage was done. Stay as long as you like and send me monthly reports."
"My good king, I have never set foot in your lands before. I know nothing of this Westfold." Don Vonce said.
Théoden's sighed and his eyes looked around the room. When then landed on me my smile faded quickly. Théoden raised his hand up and beckoned for me.
"Deya, come forth. I have a task for you."