For the next few hours, Héodis and Éowyn worked tirelessly to tend to Baldor and Balere's wounds. Balere still remained unconscious and Baldor was deteriorating quickly, coming in and out of lucidity.
By the time Éomer had finished making his report, saw to it that his men and their horses were settled in, then headed to the infirmary to check in on Héodis and his sister, Balere had already passed.
Héodis was busy checking bandages when Éomer arrived, but he was greeted by his sister who had spotted his entrance right away.
"How are they?"
"Balere passed about an hour ago and Baldor is not doing well..." Éowyn said, looking over at Héodis.
"How is she?"
"She has not once left their sides, but I fear that her efforts will be in vain."
Éomer watched as Héodis moved her hand over Baldor's face and stood, going over to the nearby basin to wash her hands. As she dried them, she turned and spotted Éomer with Éowyn- offering Eomer a small dip of the head before heading outside.
The noble siblings looked over as one of the women who were assigned to the infirmary pulled the covers over Baldor's face and they knew that he had not made it.
Outside, Héodis leaned against the wall and tried to quell her tears. Baldor and Balere had become good friends of hers during her travels, but now they were both gone. She took a few moments to herself, letting the cool night air wash over her, then pushed away from the wall to go and stand at the edge of the terrace- gazing up at the stars.
"I'm sorry lads..." she said, offering a silent prayer for her fallen friends before turning to go back inside- stopping when she saw Éomer standing there, as though he had been waiting for her. "My lord?"
"I heard the lads had passed," he stated, "I am sorry that they could not be saved."
Héodis brought her arms around herself and sighed. "They needed a miracle that I could not provide, no matter how hard I tried. At least they are not in pain and could pass on in peace and safety."
A moment of awkward silence fell between them before Éomer spoke next.
"And what of you?"
"Aside from a few scrapes and bruises, I am as well as I can be," Héodis replied, then remembering something Éomer had said months earlier, she added, "I guess actually running away this time was a good thing."
Éomer's chest tightened at her reminder of the last thing he had said to her and he looked away, feeling ashamed.
Héodis didn't expect anything from him in way of word or action, so she bowed slightly to him and made to leave. As she walked past him, however, Éomer reached out and grasped her hand to stop her from leaving.
"I'm sorry..."
Héodis stood still, her eyes forward as she waited for him to continue- sensing there was more he wanted to say.
"What I said was out of anger and fear for your safety," Éomer explained, "and though that does not excuse such harsh and unfair words, I am truly sorry."
Héodis barely glanced at him as she asked if there was anything else. Éomer's hand let go of hers and dropped to his side as he shook his head.
"I will take my leave, then. Good night, my lord."
Héodis made her way over to the doorway, stopping only for a moment to thank him for saving her earlier. As she disappeared inside the infirmary, Éomer turned his gaze from where she had been standing to the sky- watching the light cloud cover drifting overheard.
'At least that's a start...'
Héodis took her pack to her chambers, grateful that they had been kept ready for her return. Setting her pack on the bed, she kicked off her boots and fell back onto the soft covers.
'I'm finally home...'
She lay there for some time, letting it sink in that she was really home once more after months away, but her mind would not let her rest so she decided to try out the new herbal blend she had learned about during her apprenticeship.
'Before that, though, I should really change...' she noticed that she had blood on her apron and dress, and smelled like days of travel.
A knock came at the door and she opened it to find Éowyn waiting on the other side. "My lady, is everything alright?"
Éowyn offered her a smile. "I came to check on you."
Héodis returned her smile. "I'm as well as I can be. I was just going to wash up and change, then make some tea. Would you care to join me once I'm done?"
"That sounds wonderful; it would be nice to catch up and relax."
"I won't take long."
Éowyn excused herself and Héodis closed the door to change out of her dirty attire before going to the basin in the corner. She glanced at the shelf above the basin, smiling when she noticed that there were scented oils- something that Éomer would always gift her on her birthday. She added a few drops to the water, then took a clean washcloth, dipped it into the water, and began to clean her skin and hair. It had been nearly a fortnight since she had been able to bathe and the last time she could, it had been in a river.
After a few moments, Héodis felt clean again and slid into a fresh gown and robe before brushing out her hair- letting it hang down against her back for once instead of her usual braided bun. She stepped out of her chambers and into the hallway, making her way across the great hall towards the kitchens where she found Éowyn gathering a few snacks.
"The kettle is on, it just needs the herbs," Éowyn said as Héodis went to the cabinet where the herbs and spices were all stored.
Héodis scanned through the collection, recalling that the kitchen had all the herbs for the tea blend her mentor had used. "Here we are."
Éowyn handed her a small basket to carry the herbs in and they headed out to sit near the fire in the great hall. She set the tray of food she had brought on the nearby table as Heodis added the herbs to the kettle over the fire, then came to sit with her ladyship as the herbs steeped.
"So, how have you been? It has been over two fortnights since your last letter."
Héodis sighed. "As well as I could be. My apprenticeship in Ethring went better than expected."
"Yet somehow, you don't sound happy."
"I am, but at the same time it's as though hardly any time has passed and it feels as though I only left yesterday."
"I see." Éowyn handed Héodis a roll and eyed her a moment. "Do you need more time?"
Héodis took the roll and bit into it, smiling as its sweet fluffiness seemed to melt in her mouth. She chewed as she thought about her ladyship's question, then shook her head. "Even if I did, it's time that I can take wherever I am." She shifted in her seat, pulling her legs up and tucking them under her. "The pain of losing my brother has lessened, but it still remains and I think that a small part of it always will no matter how much time passes."
"I understand how you feel," Eowyn said, a sadness in her eyes beginning to creep forth. "I was the same when my mother and father died." She glanced over to where the king's chambers sat. "I feel it even now, though the king still lives."
Héodis shifted her gaze to the chambers' location. "How is the king? Has he gotten better? Or has it only gotten worse?"
Éowyn sighed. "I don't know if it has gotten worse, but it has not gotten better- that much I do know." She watched as Héodis checked on the tea, bringing over the kettle and pouring some into the mugs that Éowyn had prepared before returning the kettle to the rack from which it hung. "There's nothing that we can do for him now, not anymore."
"Has the sickness rooted itself so deeply in his mind?"
Éowyn nodded, stirring in a bit of honey. "If he had only not sent Gandalf away, perhaps it wouldn't have gotten this far."
"What of his highness? How has Theodred been taking his father's state?"
"Theodred has been coping as well as my brother or I have, but he is more reckless when out in the field. It is as though he feels that he must constantly prove himself to be a worthy successor, should the king succumb to this sickness of the mind."
"Has Éomer continued to fill in for the king?"
Éowyn nodded. "When he is not on patrol or fulfilling his duties as Third Marshall, my brother does what he can to see to the duties of the king." She sipped her tea, having grown fond of it after Héodis introduced her to the concept. "Speaking of my brother, how are things between you and him?"
Héodis sighed, staring down into the golden tea- its hue reminding her of Éomer's eyes. "No better than they were before I left..."
"Did you never speak before you left?"
"We did, but it did not end well..."
"I see."
"He did apologize for the things he had said, though, so I suppose that's a start?"
"But?"
Héodis took a sip, letting the warm liquid seep into her. "I just don't know how to be with him anymore. I no longer hold him responsible for my brother's death, but even so, I cannot understand why he would be so angry over me choosing to leave before."
"I might have an idea, but it would be best if he tells you himself."
Héodis raised a brow and eyed her ladyship over the rim of the mug. "Aren't we the cryptic one this night?"
Éowyn shrugged, by a smile remained present. She reached forward and grasped Héodis' hand with her own. "Whatever may happen, I just want you to remember that you have a place here in Edoras with us. You always have and always will."
"Thank you, Éowyn."
After making his rounds for the night, Éomer returned to Meduseld and found both his sister and Héodis asleep in the great hall. It looked as though they had been talking near the fire for some time and fell asleep in the chairs as the fire began to die. He added more logs to the fire, then carried his sister to her chambers first before coming to do the same for Héodis.
As he set Héodis in her bed and pulled the covers up to her shoulders, she murmured his name in her sleep and hearing that brought a small smile to the young lord's lips. He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss upon her head, wishing her a good night before taking his leave and returning to his chambers- ready to retire for the night himself. He lay back in bed, hoping that things would begin to mend between them and a sense of normalcy return to their relationship.
What he could never have guessed, however, was in what way this would come to pass. And no one could have been prepared for it.