Summary: Songfic to Poison and Wine by The Civil Wars watch?v=WfzRlcnq_c0 . After a month of silence Aragorn and Eowyn finally talk about their daughter and their future. Rated K+ by Savannah (Eowyn & Aragorn) (Arwen & Legolas)
December 24-26, 3018
Eowyn stood alone in the gardens of Rivendell, her arms crossed over her chest; the moonlight gave the world a cool glow. "What are you doing out here all alone?" a voice said behind her. Eowyn didn't have to turn around to know who it was, his presence was so familiar to her that she felt bare without it. Aragorn walked up closer to her, standing a small distance away. "Eowyn," he said under his breath. He reached out her, wanting to touch her, to comfort her but his hand dropped. "Eowyn, look at me." She turned and for the first time he saw the tear track down her cheeks. Aragorn stepped to her, his hands resting on her arms but she shrugged him off.
"Don't touch me," she said, her voice breaking. Aragorn almost fell back, his hands dropped away and he sucked in a breath. "I'm sorry," Eowyn said, her eyes dropping to the ground again. "I can't."
"Why haven't you spoken to me since you arrived? Why when you see me do you turn and walk the other way? Eowyn, why won't you look at me?"
Eowyn let out a breath, new tears streaming down her face. "I can't, Aragorn. I can't because your face reminds me of what could have been. Our daughter, Aragorn, she's dead and then you left me." She took a step towards him, her bare feet making imprints in the grass. "I was alone, I've never been so alone, and you were the one who left me that way. You don't know, you could never understand how I felt."
Aragorn touched her hand, her body relaxing slightly into him. "I do, Eowyn; I know because I felt the same way after she died, but you wouldn't speak to me, Eowyn, you wouldn't even move from the bed."
Eowyn looked up at him, his hand still holding hers. "It wasn't supposed to be like this," she said. "All I wanted was to be with you. The three of us in our own little world, a world where no one could touch us. No more danger, no more tears. I can't cry anymore, Aragorn. I don't want to cry over you, you are the person I love the most and the person who I can't even look at."
Aragorn took her face in his hands. "I love you more than anything, Eowyn. I can't live without you."
Tears rolled down Eowyn's cheeks. "I know," she said. "I love you, but I can't be with you." She held his hand to her cheek. She looked up at him, her blue eyes shining in the moonlight. Aragorn leaned down and kissed her slow and gently, savoring the sweet taste of her mouth and the softness of her lips on his then pulled away, leaving the garden without looking back. Eowyn watched him go, tears rolling down her face. She let herself sink into the grass, her dress pooling around her. She looked up at the stars and let the feeling of the hole inside her grow until it devoured her.
..::..
The sun shone bright, the winter sky cloudless. Eowyn walked through Rivendell tying and untying the strings to her saddlebag, trying to numb the pain she felt in every part of her. When she finally reached the stables she ran her hand over the dabbled face of her horse, the feeling so familiar to her, it was comforting. The horse whinnied, pressing its face into her hand. She smiled and leaned into the animal, resting her face on its neck.
"Were you going to leave without saying goodbye?" a voice said, making her jump. Eowyn turned to see Arwen standing behind her. Arwen smiled sadly at the tears on Eowyn's cheeks and held out her arms. Eowyn fell into them, holding onto Arwen for dear life. "Aragorn told me," Arwen said, tears coming to her eyes as Eowyn cried in her arms. "I'm so sorry," she said into her hair, holding her friend tightly. "The children have been asking for you," Arwen said when Eowyn let her go. "I told them to wait outside, do you want to see them?"
Eowyn hesitated then nodded, thinking of the two laughing children. Arwen walked to the big doors and waved to her children waiting outside with their nursemaid. Eowyn had to smile as the twins ran at her, practically falling over one another to get to her. "Leonid." She laughed, picking the boy up, she held him close as he wrapped his arms around her neck. She pressed the small body to her, kissing his hair. Arwen scooped Alida up from Eowyn's legs, standing across from her but Alida reached out for Eowyn. Eowyn shifted Leonid to her hip and took Alida in her free arm. "When did you guys get so heavy?" she asked, huffing. Eowyn bent down, letting Leonid slide down her legs till his feet touched the ground, taking his small hand.
Arwen smiled as Alida touched Eowyn's wet cheek. "Aunt Eowyn is sad," she said.
Eowyn's eyes widened. "They can speak the common tongue?" she asked.
Arwen shook her head, exasperated. "It's all Legolas," she said. "I say teach them to speak at all then teach them another language but….He's not very good at listening."
Eowyn laughed, putting Alida down. The two children took off out of the stable, outside they could hear them giggling and their nursemaid yelling, trying to catch them. "They take after their father in more ways than one I see." Arwen nodded. Eowyn walked to her horse, picking the saddle bag off of the floor and strapping it onto the horse's back. "Will you tell Aragorn that I'm going back to Rohan?" she asked.
Arwen's eyes widened. "You haven't told him you were leaving, or said goodbye to him at least?"
Eowyn looked at her. "In a way," she answered. "Please, just tell him when the council is finished."
Arwen touched her arm. "Eowyn, stay until then, tell him yourself. Change is coming, I don't know what tomorrow will bring, but I see war in my dreams."
Eowyn climbed into the saddle, not able to look at Arwen. "Goodbye," she said. "Tell them I love them." With that she rode away. Arwen was left standing alone in the stable, a weight on her shoulders.
..::..
Aragorn stood beside Legolas and seven others with them. His mind spun, how could his entire world be so changed in only a few hours? As a group, the Fellowship left the courtyard then turned and went their separate ways. Arwen stood waiting for Legolas, the twins at her feet. Aragorn watched as Legolas walked to them, kneeling to hold his children close. For a moment, sadness was written in his every movement before he rose to Arwen. Arwen looked at Legolas, questions in her eyes. He ran his hand over her hair, pulling her close to him and kissing the top of her head. Aragorn couldn't hear their words but he knew when Legolas told Arwen that they leaving, Arwen sunk into him and held onto him tightly.
Aragorn turned and started to walk away, feeling as if he was watching a private moment, but he stopped when he felt a hand on his arm. He turned to see Arwen standing there. "It's Eowyn," she said, her eyes sad.
Aragorn turned, worried. "Is she alright?" he asked.
"I don't know," Arwen answered. "She's gone to Rohan, I tried to stop her." Aragorn looked away from Arwen, his face a mask. "She told me to tell you that she loves you, Aragorn." Arwen finished, her hand coming to rest on his cheek. Aragorn looked her for a second, his gray eyes filled with sadness then pulled away from her and walked away.
A second later Legolas came up behind her, holding a twin in both arms. "What's going on?" he asked, handing her one of the small children then placing his now free hand on the small of her back.
"Eowyn left."
Legolas looked slightly shocked. He turned back to Arwen bringing his hand up to cup her cheek, running over her skin to rest on her neck. "We leave in the morning," he said. Arwen nodded and rested her forehead on his chest, trying to hold onto him forever. A cool wind picked up pieces of Arwen's silky hair, the sun set around the quiet family as they stood simply holding one another.