The Wild Westfold

By: Lauthica Green Clinkenbeard

Chapter Thirty-Two: Fates Unfolding

The spring sun shone down upon me through the thick, wavy glass as I sat in the window seat of the queen's chambers. It warmed me. I stared blankly through the pane with the book Gandalf gave me closed in my lap. I read it. I read it all…and it was an epic story. But I wasn't sure what it had to do with me. So Thorin had a secret lover when he was younger, so what? They didn't get married or even have children. The only thing either of them got out of it was the knowledge of true love, and it didn't even help either of them. Thorin died after the Battle of Five Armies and the woman essentially disappeared from history.

The door opened and startled me. I sat up so fast from the window seat that the book fell to the floor. It was a guard.

"Lady Deya, Lady Eowyn has requested your presence in her chambers in the house of healing." He said bowing his head. I nodded back and stood picking up the book and setting it down on the cushions of the window seat. I followed the guard out of the citadel and through the winding narrow streets and stairways. The guard bid me farewell at the house of healing and a medicine mother led me the rest of the way.

The rooms had cleared out mostly of the wounded and Eowyn had been moved to a private room in the tower. The medicine mother led me to the door but left me. I knocked on the door.

"Come in." Eowyn's voice rang through the door and I could tell that most of her strength had returned now. I unlatched the door, walked in and froze. Eomer at the table with Eowyn. When our eyes met I felt as if the earth shattered beneath my feet. Eowyn smiled at me but Eomer stood up so quickly that the chair fell backward.

"Forgive me, Sister. I forgot of important matter that I must attend immediately." He said nearly tripping all over himself as he headed for the door.

"Goodness, Eomer, what has come over you? You only just arrived! I arranged for all three of us to have supper together. Please stay. Whoever awaits you will understand." Eowyn said as she too stood from the table. Eomer stopped halfway in the room and looked back at her.

"It is very important. Had I remembered I would have sent a messenger to decline your offer." He said in a nervous tone.

"You should let him go, my lady." I said as calmly as possible. "He is, after all, the king now."

"King or not we are a family," Eowyn said. I could tell her temper was rising. She was definitely feeling better. Upon hearing her words Eomer casted his eyes down to the floor. He sighed and for a split second glanced at me.

"One plate, then I must go." Eomer said walking back to the table. He fixed the chair and sat down hard in tension and frustration.

I crossed the room as calmly as I could. Eowyn did not yet know that the affections between Eomer and myself had been severed for good. I feared to tell her the truth at present in case she might still have bouts of weakness. I sat down at the table close enough to Eomer so as to not to arise suspicion, but far away enough so I would not have to urge to punch him in the jaw. Two medicine sisters entered the room with the meal. What's worse was that the dishes came in bowls and meant to be shared and passed around.

As I reached for the plate of roast beef with my fork my hand brushed Eomer's. He pulled his hand back quickly.

"Please, ladies. Help yourself first." He said quickly leaning back in the chair.

I put the smallest amount of food on my plate I could, as did Eomer. I ate at a normal speed but took huge bites. I quickly drank my goblet of wine.

"I really must be going." Eomer and I said standing at the same time. We looked at each other for a moment and then both looked away with faces red with anger and embarrassment. Eowyn finally raised an eyebrow to us.

"What's going on here?" she asked.

"Nothing," Eomer said quickly.

"You're lying," Eowyn said setting down her fork. "Your left eyebrow always twitches slightly when you tell a lie."

"It's none of your business, Eowyn." He said in a tone that was gradually getting louder.

All peace and joy left Eowyn's expression and she threw down the napkin from her lap on the table and she stood.

"Now you listen here, Brother!" she exclaimed as she walked over to Eomer and pointed her finger in his face. "Whatever childish reason I am certain you have for your cold and distant affection toward Deya you need to put it behind you. She saved my life!"

"Affection?" Eomer asked. "There is no longer an affection!" he yelled.

"What?' Eowyn asked as her anger turned to shock. She turned to me. "What do you mean?"

"I am not going to stand here and take this!" Eomer said throwing his hands up into the air. Eowyn reached out and grabbed his arm.

"What are you saying? You don't love her anymore!?" she asked. Eomer ripped his arm away from her.

"NO!" he yelled storming out of the room. Eowyn turned to me confused. I bowed my head.

"I am sorry, my lady, but I must go." I said as I too left the room quickly. I took a different hallway than Eomer had and ran out of the back door of the house of healing. I ran down the twisting streets and archways until I found a dark ally with a dead end. I leaned up against the stone walls and slid down to the ground. My hand went up to my eyes as tears swelled and threatened to burst from my eyes. Eomer's eyebrow had twitched when he yelled 'no'.

"Curse this!" I yelled as I tried to compose myself. I had not shed a single tear last night but now I felt as if a raindrop would have pained me. My chest felt as if it was nothing but paper being torn over and over again.

I sat there in that ally until I finally realized that it was getting darker. As I wandered my way back to the citadel I noticed that the sun had nearly set into night. I promised Aragorn I would meet him in the throne room as soon as it was dark. It was just a few minutes past completely dark as I hurried through the front doors of the citadel and into the throne room.

It was empty. No guards, no servants, and no lit torches. The only light in the room came from a few burning candles in the back of the room. The statues of the kings that once looked proud and strong now looked ominous and evil in the dark and shadows. Then, as I walked slowly toward the throne itself I noticed the small bundle at the bottom of the stairs.

It was perfectly round and yet queer, wrapped in a dark cloth. As I drew nearer I cannot explain what came over me. It was as if my mind went blank but I felt happy and pleasant. The bundle drew me in like it was calling out to me. I knelt down and reached out to remove the cloth.

"Deya, no!"

Aragorn came running out of the shadows and rushed to me grabbing hold of my shoulders. He forced me to stand and pulled me away from the bundle back toward the front door. As the distance between me and the strange bundle increased I started to feel like myself again.

"What is that, Aragorn?" I asked looking back at the bundle.

"A terrible and dark object." Aragorn said catching his breath. "It's a Palantír. It used to belong to Saruman. Pippen found it when we marched on Isengard. Denethor has one as well. Sauron has another."

"Sauron?" I asked as fear crept into my blood.

"He felt you through the stone and tried to draw you in." Aragorn said.

"What's something like that doing just lying around anyway?" I asked. "Anyone could have walked in here and messed with it."

"All the doors to the hallways leading to this room are guarded and closed off. And I instructed the tree guards to bar the front door after you returned." He said.

"I don't understand." I said looking at him confused. He placed his hands on my shoulders.

"I am going to be the bait. I am going to use the stone to talk to Sauron myself." He said.

"That's too dangerous!" I said, "He could overpower you and infect your mind."

"That's why I wanted you here, Deya. I trust you. Should the situation sour you must do all in your power to get the stone away from me. Even if it means cutting my arm off." He said as seriously as possible.

I stared at him with worry and doubt, but said nothing. He sighed and nodded at me turning around. He drew his sword from its sheath and approached the bundle. He hesitated for a brief moment and knelt to one knee. I walked slowly toward him getting as close as I dare but I did not feel the pull from the stone anymore.

Aragorn tossed back one of the flaps of the cloth and immediately the stone flared to life as fire danced across its smooth surface. Aragorn had to flinch back away from it as if he could feel the flames himself. His breathing quickened as his hand hovered just above the stone. He closed his eyes and finally grasped the Palantír with his fingers lifting it to his face. He opened his eyes again, his body was trembling in his intense concentration. The stone roared to life and the flames dance about the surface until an image came through. I felt my blood go cold as I gazed upon the eye of Sauron. The room filled with dark whispers from a dark tongue. Aragorn stared directly into the great eye.

"Long have you hunted me," he said sternly, "Long have I eluded you…No more" he whispered and he lifted his sword and held the handle and ruins of the blade up to the eye. "Behold the sword of Elendil!"

Suddenly, within the long pupil of the eye another figure appeared. It was Sauron himself, in full armour. The black iron twisted up into deadly spikes…then just as suddenly as it appeared the black of the pupil became wavy as if rippled like stones thrown into a still pond. A woman then appeared. She was very fair and had long flowing brown curls cascading all around her. But she was lying dead and cold within her bed.

Aragorn's confidence melted away as he slowly lowered the sword and stared into the stone at the woman. Her face grew larger and closer and Aragorn lost it. His mouth opened in shock and the stone tipped from his hand crashing to the floor as he backed away staggering. Then, as he composed himself something fell from his neck. He saw it and his eyes widened but it was too late for him to react. It was the elvish leaf necklace he clung to so passionately…and when it landed on the marble floor it shattered into thousands of pieces.

His hand went limp and Anduril fell to the floor with a loud clang. The Palantir he dropped began to roll by itself it his direction, but he only knelt down looking at the broken pieces in despair.

"Aragorn!" I yelled hurrying over. I reached out for his side and grabbed his dagger. Just as the stone was about to reach him I cried out in rage and I brought down the dagger onto the stone. The dark whispered exploded throughout the room as the stone roared angrily as it split into two. The halves fell to the side and the dancing flames were doused as the surface turned matte black.

My blood felt like it was boiling as I dropped the dagger and slumped back panting trying to compose myself. Then I heard the sobs. I looked over at Aragorn. He was now leaning on his hands over the shards of the necklace. His hair draped down concealing his face but I saw the tears dripping down to the floor below.

"Oh, Aragorn," I said as I scooted over to him. "It's alright." I said in a soothing voice wrapping my arms around his shoulders. I coaxed him to return to his knees.

"Ar….Arwen…" he whispered between his sobs. "My Arwen….she's…she's…"

"No, no! You mustn't believe it!" I said looking him in the eye. "It was a trick! He knew you had the upper hand so he showed you something he knew would break you. You cannot falter now!"

"How can I?" he asked. "I'm just a grungy ranger from the north."

"No! You have the blood of kings! You are a king!" I said. My words didn't seem to effect him. I had to do something. I had to say something. This could not be the way this war ends! "You are my king!" I yelled. That seemed to sway his attention.

"What?" he asked as his sobs slowed staring at me.

"I have made my choice." I said and I re-adjusted myself so I was on one knee. I bowed my head. "I will take your offer, Aragorn. I pledge myself to your house and to the kingdom of Gondor. From this moment, to the end of my days."

Aragorn's tears stopped and he stared at me for several moments. He looked down to the floor and then he slowly stood picking up Anduril from where it fell. He returned it to its sheath and walked over to me. He rested his hand gently on the back of my head.

"Deya," he said, "You are unlike any other I ever encountered in my long years wandering these lands. I am honored to welcome you into Gondor, but I am more honored to call you my friend. Rise now, Déorwyrdhnes II. Horse Lady of Steel to Gondor, and Head of my Counsel of War and Peace."

Aragorn's words cut me like his dagger cut the stone. Those were the exact words that were carved upon my death bed. So a choice had been made indeed. I stood slowly and did my best to hide my grief from Aragorn. He knew nothing of my dreams and did not need another reason to fret and despair. I said nothing and bowed my head. He embraced me tightly. I half-smiled.

"I am at your service, your grace," I said as we parted, "But I must ask you for leave to retire for the evening. We have much to do in these coming days."

"Yes," Aragorn said nodding in agreement. "Yes, of course. Go. Get some rest."

I bowed one last time before leaving the room. I hurried my way up to the queen's chambers. No doubt tomorrow I would be given my own permanent chambers either here in the citadel or somewhere close by. Merry and Pippen had also been moved to the royal guest chambers. Merry was still weak and needed rest. Yet, without their company the room seemed smaller and the air tighter. I undressed quickly and sat down on the bed. Horse Lady of Steel…I had solved one mystery…now, who would be the father of my half-elven son?