Summary: Eowyn arrives in Edoras, Arwen misses her husband, and Aragorn and Legolas come to a realization (shitty summary). Rated T by Savannah (Eowyn & Aragorn) (Arwen & Legolas)

January 16, 3019

(Words written in bold type are spoken in Elvish)

Eowyn walked slowly through the stables of Edoras, so sore she could barely put one foot in front of the other. She looked down at herself half expecting to see her pregnant belly, but it was gone. She held her hand, holding onto wall as she walked. She thought about the last three days; she had rode day and night, not even stopping to eat, trying so hard just to get home to Edoras. But now that hope felt hollow, why would this place be any comfort to her?

"Lady Eowyn," she heard a shocked voice say behind her. Turning, she saw Hama, she tried to smile at him. "Are you alright? When did you get here?" he asked, coming to stand beside her.

"It was a long ride," was all Eowyn could manage. Hama took her arm and they walked the rest of the way through the stable together. He helped her all the way to the great doors of Meduseld. "Thank you, Hama," she said with a small smile.

"I'll send my sister to your chambers, she will run a hot bath for you," he said, looking down at the woman he had since she was a child. "It will make you feel better.

Eowyn nodded and turned to the huge doors that stood open to her. It had been such a long time since she had been back to her home. The last time she had been here she had been with Aragorn, they had flirted so much with one another, danced even. Looking back, she had needed him so much then, she thought. She held back tears, wishing his huge presence was with her now.

With a deep breath she stepped into the large open room. No one sat on the throne and the room seemed completely empty, smoke from the fire pits hanging in the air. She walked through the hall until she saw a small group of people sitting on one of the benches in the far corner of the room. Eomer sat, his arms stretched over the back of the bench, two women tuck under his arms and the floor by his feet. Eowyn rolled her eyes. Some things never change, she thought to herself.

Eomer stopped talking and looked up when he saw someone walking through the hall. As soon as he saw who it was he jumped up and ran to her, tripping over the girl who sat on the floor and practically crashing into Eowyn. She laughed as he crushed her into his chest, holding her so tightly she could barely breathe. "I've missed you so much," he said into her hair.

Eowyn clung to him. "I've missed you too," she said, breathing in his familiar smell.

When he finally let her go, Eomer looked long and hard at her face, brushing away her hair. "Tell me everything after you've eaten and slept." Eowyn half smiled, the connection between them not lost by their time spent apart. "Someone get my sister's room ready and get Hanna," Eowyn called to the girls, scattering them. He turned back to Eowyn, his hand still resting on her face. "I'm glad you're back."

..::..

Arwen sat by a huge window, open from the floor to the ceiling, watching the twins play in the grass. She felt a tear roll down her cheek, she wiped it away quickly as Leonid and Alida ran towards her. She smiled at them sweetly, their small faces bright with the slight chill. Alida climbed up onto her mother's lap, wrapping her arms around her neck, able to sense Arwen's sadness even through her smiles.

"When will Ada be home?" Leonid asked from her feet.

Arwen lifted him up onto the chair beside her, running her hand over his soft hair. Arwen looked at the child, not sure what to tell him. "Ada will come home as soon as he can," she said, rubbing her thumb over his cheek. Leonid nodded, cuddling into her side. She stared out the window once again, holding her children close to her, wondering where Legolas was and what he doing, if he missed her with the same full ache she felt without him.

..::..

Eowyn stood, slowly peeling off her clothes, alone in the bathing room. Hanna had added oils and sweet smelling flowers to the steaming water. Eowyn looked at herself in the long brass mirror that had stood there since she was a child.

"There was a child," Hanna said, shocking Eowyn out of her daze. Eowyn stared at her, not comprehending her words. "Your body betrays you," she said, looking at Eowyn's soft middle where before it had been hard, defined with muscles. "Where is the baby?" Hanna asked gently.

Eowyn felt tears spring into her eyes, unasked for. "She died," Eowyn said, then without hesitation slipped into the tub of hot water. She felt Hanna's hand moving her hair away from her neck. The woman who had been the closest thing to a mother, her touch gently and comforting.

"Oh child," she said, "rest now."

..::..

Arwen lay in bed, she felt cold and her sleep was restless. In her dreams she heard a child crying, the voice growing louder and louder until she woke completely, hearing Leonid crying in bed. "Legolas," she said, reaching for where his body should have been. But when she felt nothing but the emptiness of the bed beside her she remembered he was gone. "Momma," she heard Leonid call through his tears. She sat up, grabbing her robe and hurried to his bed. She lifted the small boy's body into her arms, holding him close and rocking him back and forth until he fell back asleep.

..::..

Eowyn lay on her bed, leaning on her brother's side, both of them leaning on a mountain of pillows. Eomer wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. He leaned his head back, looking up at the ceiling and sighed as he finished telling Eowyn about Grima and his strange hold on their uncle. "And now Theodred is gone hunting Orc packs all the time, he's running away."

Eowyn nodded. "I have to tell you something, everything," she said, lifting herself up and starting into his eyes, identical to her own. Eomer nodded slowly. "It's all been Grima, he is the start of it all.

Eomer's brow knit together and he touched Eowyn's arm. "What do you mean?"

Eowyn looked out the window of her room for a second, sucking in a breath. Then, in a rush, she told him everything. How Grima had raped her, and why she had run away. Eomer sat and listened to her, his body tense and rage coursing through his body like fire in his blood. He rose from the bed in one swift movement. "No, Eomer!" Eowyn yelled, reaching for him.

He shrugged her off. "I will kill the worm," he said, starting for the door.

Eowyn lunged for him, grabbing fistfuls of his shirt. "No, Eomer, wait!" she said, her voice firm.

He turned back towards her, fire in his eyes. "I could kill him a thousand times for laying a finger on you. The fire turned back to the cool blue waters of his eyes and he bent, laying his hand on Eowyn's neck, running his thumb over her cheek lovingly. "For what he has done to you he deserves rot in a pit of fire."

"I know," Eowyn said, putting her hand on his arm. "He will," she finished pulling her brother back down to sit beside her. "But not today."

Eomer let his head fall into his hands. "I'm sorry, Eowyn," he said, his voice barely over a whisper. "I should have known, I should have seen." Eowyn shook her head and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "I failed you," he said, looking up at her with tears in his eyes.

Eowyn pulled him close, his head resting on her shoulder. "It's not your fault," she said, tears running down her face. The wetness of her brother's tears soaking through the fabric at her shoulders.

..::..

Legolas laughed, his heart light for the first time in days. He watched as the Hobbits piled food onto their plates and putting into their mouths faster than he thought possible. "We're going to have to start rationing food soon if you don't stop eating so much," Aragorn said, smiling.

Legolas watched the light on their curly heads and thought of his own children's curls. His smile faded and he stood, walking away from the fire to tree line with his back to the Fellowship, fighting the pain in his heart. He heard footsteps behind him but didn't need to turn around to know who was standing beside him in silence. "All I want is to be with them again," he said softly.

Aragorn nodded, he didn't know what to tell his friend or how to comfort him. He thought of Eowyn riding alone, her heart broken; he sighed and looked up to the sky. "What has happened to us?" Aragorn asked. "Just as we thought it was all over, the fighting, the traveling."

"It has really just begun," Legolas interrupted.

Aragorn nodded, looking at Legolas. "It has just begun," he repeated.

Author's Note: While not be completely dedicated to the song With or Without You by U2, this storyline was heavily inspired by it and it seemed to be the perfect name.