Summary: Songfic to These Wilder Things by Ruth Moody watch?v=NAW_DDa3Po0 Eowyn visits the mortuary in search of her uncle but finds more than she anticipated. Rated K+ by Savannah

March 16, 3019

"Eomer?" Eowyn called, softly waking her brother. Eomer rubbed his eyes and smiled at her, but the smile was not returned. "I need to see him," she said. "Before they take him back to Rohan." Eomer nodded slowly. Eowyn sat up and her head immediately began to swim. Eomer wrapped his arm around her middle and lifted her small frame. Eowyn closed her eyes and leaned against him, breathing deeply until her head cleared. "Let's go," she said, taking a step, but her legs gave out and she fell to the ground. Eomer gently bent down and slid an arm under her legs and around her back, lifting her up into his arms.

When they were halfway to the mortuary Eowyn spoke. "Let me try again," she said. Eomer looked down at her, concern in his eyes. "Please, I need to get my strength back." Eomer nodded and set her down. They walked slowly together down the hall."

..::..

Eowyn looked down at her uncle, tears falling from her eyes. "He did so much for us," she said. Eomer nodded, taking her hand. "After our parents died." She sighed.

"He will be remembered," Eomer said. "We can tell our children about the king of Rohan who marched to battle to defend his country from evil."

"Who else is here?" she asked, looking at the other rich beds in the dim candle light. They moved from bed to bed, looking at the still faces of noble men. Suddenly, Eowyn's eyes caught on a strand of dark wavy hair. She bit into her lip, hoping against hope that it was not who she thought it was. She dropped Eomer's hand and walked as quickly as she could towards the body. When Eowyn saw Arwen's face her small tears turned into sobs, her shoulders shook as she knelt down beside her best friend's body. "No, no, no," she said. "Please not you as well."

Eomer ran to her side, holding her close. His hand was on her head, pressing her into his chest as he tried to comfort her.

"Arwen," Eowyn choked out. "Please no." She sobbed into her brother's chest, her tears soaking through the thin fabric of his shirt. Eowyn pulled away from her brother, tears still streaming down her face. She reached for the piece of fabric that was laid across Arwen's neck.

"Eowyn, no, don't," Eomer said, but it was too late.

The fabric fell away, showing the thin red slash across Arwen's perfect skin. "What did they do to you?" Eowyn asked, her hand tracing it's down to the corner of the bandages covering Arwen's chest and shoulders, pulling them away as well.

"Why are you doing this to yourself, Eowyn?" Eomer asked, his face full of confusion and worry.

"I have to know," Eowyn said, staring at the small arrow holes in Arwen's chest. "I need to tell her brothers, and her…" she stopped, a new realization dawning on her. Eowyn's face changed to horror. "Leonid," she said, starting to sob again.

Eomer pulled her close again and she cried. "Go find Aragorn!" he yelled to a guard.

A few moments later Aragorn sprinted into the mortuary, panic in his eyes. He stopped when he saw Eowyn on her knees beside Arwen. He walked over to her and sat beside her. Eowyn fell against his chest and he wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

"I didn't know she was here, I didn't know she had died," Eomer said sadly. "So much death," he breathed, standing and walking away slowly.

Aragorn stroked Eowyn's hair and whispered in her ear then kissed her head again. Slowly Eowyn calmed, she sat up and looked at Arwen, reaching out she touched her cheek. Arwen's ivory skin glowed in the warm light. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked sadly.

Aragorn sighed. "You haven't been awake for more than an hour at a time." She looked at him. "I'm sorry."

Eowyn stood shakily and stared down at Arwen. She wore a deep purple dress and someone had combed her dark hair so it glistened on her shoulders, her face looked pale but she had not lost any of her beauty. "Where is her sword?" Eowyn asked, looking around the room. Aragorn reached for where it lay at the foot of the bed and handed it to Eowyn. Eowyn looked down at the sword and a tear fell from her cheek, landing on the smooth surface and shimmering in the torchlight. Eowyn smiled a little and placed the blade on Arwen's chest. "Many will miss you, Arwen Undomiel," she said, moving Arwen's hands to rest upon the hilt. "But none more than I?" Eowyn straightened and crossed her arms. Aragorn wrapped his arms around her and she laid her head down on his shoulder. "I'm so tired," she whispered into his skin. He nodded, scooping her up. Before they even reached the Houses of Healing she was asleep.

..::..

Aragorn looked down at Eowyn's face as she slept. He reached down and tucked her hair behind her ear, running his thumb over her cheekbone. "You scared me," he said in the moonlit room, rubbing her bare arm. "You're never allowed to leave me alone, I don't want to do this without you."

Eowyn's eyes fluttered open and she rolled onto her back. "Who are you talking to?" she asked groggily.

Aragorn smiled. "You."

Eowyn gave me a strange look then took his hand. "I'm so cold," she said.

Aragorn's smile faded and he put his hand on her head, checking her for fever. But before he could feel anything Eowyn was pulling him down beside her. She rolled back onto her side so they would both fit on the small bed. Aragorn wrapped his arm around her and pulled her tight against him. Eowyn closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

..::..

Arwen burst out laughing. "Oh, Eowyn," she said. "It's okay, you can't really burn water." Eowyn looked up, hope restored in her eyes.

Legolas made a face. "You told her she could burn water? That's not very nice of you."

Aragorn smiled. "When has being nice ever been one of Arwen's top priorities?"

Eowyn lifted the spoon to her mouth and sipped the hot soup. "It tastes fine!" she practically yelled.

At this, Aragorn began to laugh as well. "Well that was your first mistake, believing Arwen without trying it yourself."

..::..

Aragorn propped himself up on his elbow, looking down at Eowyn asleep beside him in the moonlight. He ran his fingers over her ribcage, sadly noticing the protruding bones.

"Oh," a younger healer said, stopping in her tracks. "My lord," she said, bowing slightly. "I'm sorry," she said. "I'll come back later."

"No," Aragorn said. "Stay." The healer nodded. "When was the last time she ate?" he asked.

The maiden crossed the room and looked at a sheet of paper that lay on the table. She turned to Aragorn and shook her head. "Not since she's been here." Aragorn pulled the blankets up around Eowyn's shoulders. "Is what they're saying about her true? That she traveled with the soldiers?"

Aragorn smiled at her. "Yes," he said.

"They wouldn't have mad much food," she stated. "And she would have been hiding." Aragorn nodded, slowly understanding. "She needs strength if she's going to heal," she said before leaving without another word.

"Eowyn," Aragorn said, trying to wake her gently. "Eowyn," he said louder. Growing worried, he shook her but nothing happened. He sat up. "Eowyn!" he practically yelled, panicking. He grabbed her shoulders, lifting her small frame off the bed. "Eowyn!" he said, shaking her as hard as he could. Suddenly her eyes snapped open and Aragorn sighed with relief, setting her back onto the bed. He collapsed facedown beside her, breathing heavily. Eowyn turned to him, reaching up her hand to touch the back of his head. "I thought…" he started. "I thought…" He shuddered, not wanting to finish his sentence. "You have to be here when I come back," he said. "I can't even begin to think of what it would be like if you died while I'm gone."

Eowyn looked at him confused. "What are you talking about?" she asked dreamily.

Aragorn sat up again. "We're going to the Black Gate. We're going to move the Eye of Sauron to us so Frodo has a chance of making it to the mountain.

"No," Eowyn said shooting up from the bed. "You're all going to die!" Her head spun and she thought she was going to fall off of the bed, but instead, she felt herself being pulled into Aragorn's embrace.

"It's the only way," he said.

She pulled away from him. "Haven't we lost enough already?" she asked. "Everyone we love is gone. Arwen, Legolas; you can't make me promise to not die when you're going off to a battle that can't be won.

They sat across from each other, tangled in the sheets, the moonlight streaming through the window. Aragorn leaned forward, holding her cheek in his hand and kissing her gently. "I can't live without you."

She nodded, looking down. "Aragorn," Eowyn said, looking up into his grey eyes. "I want to get married." She kissed him. "Now, before you go." Aragorn smiled, unable to speak so he leaned forward and captured her lips in his. He flipped her onto her back and leaned over her. Eowyn began to laugh. Aragorn's smile lit up his face completely as he bent down to kiss her again. When they parted Eowyn reached up her hand and lay it on his neck. "I love you, Aragorn," she said.