I do not have the words for my long absence. I hope you can forgive me and enjoy this update!
Chapter Fifty-Five (Eowyn)
I had never been more grateful to ride into the White City than I was the Yule after Aragorn and Faramir had departed with their men to fight in Rhun. Growing up in Rohan had made me accustomed to wide open plains. Ithilien was beautiful, forested land, but Minas Tirith was a bustling, stacked prison in my mind. Or it had been before I spent three months alone in Emyn Arnen with Elboron, Finduilas, and Theodwyn.
My family did not normally travel to the White City for Yule, but Mareke had invited us as both of our families were alone.
I had been hoping that Aragorn and his men would have been able to make quick work of their task in the East, but days had turned into weeks which had slipped into months.
I had been yearning to be with Mareke as I knew she would be struggling as I was.
When our horses were stabled, Elboron and Finduilas began the trek up the many levels of the city to where the royal family resided. My two eldest were Rohirric through and through. I tried to suppress a grin as I watched them race each other up the stairs.
"Easy!" I scolded them as they tried to trip one another and gain a competitive edge.
Theodwyn, at two and contrary to her Rohirric name, was her father's daughter. She watched everyone placidly. Even though she could speak, she rarely said more than a few words, more interested in gathering knowledge and understanding what was going on around her. She was content to let me carry her up the steps as we followed her rowdy siblings up the levels and then through the halls.
"My lady," a servant of Mareke's greeted us with a curtsy at the entrance to the living chambers. "Her Majesty is in her study. Shall I take you there or to your chambers?'
"Please show us to the Queen," I replied.
"Manners," I whispered to Elboron and Finduilas, trying to keep them in line as we made our way to Mareke's study. It was to no avail though. The children could not keep quiet or still and had each other in stitches when the heavy door was pushed open to what had been Aragorn's study, but into which Mareke had seemingly moved.
"You two will have to learn to be much better at sneaking if you ever want to take anyone unawares," Mareke said with a laughing smile as she rose from the desk at the far end of the room.
Elboron and Finduilas flushed scarlet and moved closer to me.
"Their father would be mortified," I replied.
Mareke walked toward us and placed a hand on one of Elboron and Finduilas' cheeks before wrapping me in a hug. "This one, maybe, could be a Ranger," she said when she pulled away, smiling at Theodwyn. "Come let me show you to your chambers so you might rest a bit before dinner."
"Where are the twins?" Finduilas demanded.
"Begin counting how many times I say the word 'manners' while we are here. This will already make two." I shook my head.
Mareke laughed. "Finduilas, your guess is as good as mine. I find I cannot keep up with them very well anymore and neither can their governess."
Finduilas laughed. I imagined we were in for quite a bit of trouble. The twins had always been a mischievous pair and they and Finduilas were of an age to get into ever more trouble.
"I am so glad you are here," Mareke said quietly, wrapping an arm around my waist.
"As am I. I thought the time to depart would never arrive." I glanced at the dark woman out of the corner of my eye. She was thinner and looked exhausted. "Perhaps this evening we could share a goblet of wine when the children are sleeping."
"Make it two goblets and I will gladly agree."
I laughed and allowed her to hold the door to our chambers open.
"I must return to my study and finish a few things before we sit down to dinner this evening," she said. "Please let the handmaids know if you require anything at all and it shall be done."
I nodded as the door closed and she was gone.
Theodwyn went down without a fuss when I had changed her out of her heavy riding clothes. Elboron and Finduilas were another story, but eventually even they could not fight their exhaustion any longer and they slept deeply for nearly three hours.
I found I could not sleep for thinking of my husband. However much I disliked Minas Tirith, it would always hold a special place in my heart. It was where I had met Faramir, where he had helped to restore my spirit and heal my soul. I smiled to myself thinking of his gentle ways.
It had been nearly a month since I had last received a letter from him.
ooooOoooo
Later that evening, with the children in much better spirits after their rest, we joined Mareke, Shuk, and the twins for a casual meal in her chambers. The smaller dining table was set with steaming stews, fresh, crusty bread, and sweets.
We two women sat near the head of the table, leaving the children to fend for themselves, except Theodwyn who sat on my lap quite contentedly.
"How have you been, Mareke?" I asked, taking a sip from the goblet of wine before me.
"I would not say I am thriving, but I am managing," she said, not taking a bite of food, but focusing more on her own wine.
"I understand completely," I nodded. "And I cannot imagine what it must be like when you add acting as regent on top of everything else."
"I am sure you are doing the same thing even if that was not the title given," she replied graciously.
I found myself nodding along. It had been quite an adjustment when Faramir left, realizing all that he oversaw. While not all of those duties fell to me, many of them did. "I am just grateful that the eldest two are mostly with tutors and their governess during the day. I would not be able to manage it all."
Mareke sighed. "I feel awful for Lady Belethiel. The twins are running her ragged."
I tried not to laugh as I looked down the table and could see that Rilien and Rainion were nearly vibrating in their chairs, unable to hold still long enough to finish a meal. The laughter died on my lips as the rambunctiousness seemed to be catching.
Finduilas was eyeing the boys who were little younger than she and I could tell that my daughter was ready to leap into the fray without a moment's hesitation.
Instead, I glanced back at my friend. There was a sadness to her eyes that I had not seen since she was newly arrived in Minas Tirith. "You worry for him?"
"Of course," she said quickly. "Every second of every day Aragorn is on my mind. I am sure you have noticed it, but the letters have come much more infrequently of late."
"I was thinking of that as we left," I replied quietly. "I give myself comfort in knowing that bad news would be here before good news."
"So no news is better than bad news?"
"That is what I tell myself to get through the days when there is, yet again, no word from my husband."
Mareke nodded and took another drink from her goblet. So far, I had not seen her do anything but move the food around on her plate with her utensils. "I wish that Lothiriel had been able to join us, but she is needed in Rohan. She must be very lonely."
I could only nod, thinking of my sister-in-law. I too wished she was there or that I had been able to travel all the way to Rohan, but it was far too long a trip when Faramir was already away from Emyn Arnen.
"This is also the longest I have ever been separated from Adnan," she said after a thoughtful silence.
I was glad that she had chosen to confide in me. There was much we all carried on our shoulders and I wanted our time together to be a respite.
"He is safe in Harad?"
"As far as I know, but again, letters are not coming as frequently as I might wish from the South either." She hastily wiped at her dark eyes. "This Yule will mark an entire year that I have not seen him, held him." Mareke took a steadying breath. "It will be difficult to celebrate without him here."
"Perhaps we do not. You are in charge now. You could always use the excuse that our men are at war. It would be callous to celebrate so frivolously while they risk their lives." I had to quickly swallow around the lump that formed in my throat at those words. "We could have Yule here in your chambers with just us and those others that are close to you. You are under no obligation to do anything. You are the Regent."
Mareke seemed to be carefully considering my words.
"And besides, Shuk's birthday is very shortly after the New Year. Large celebrations are required for the Crown Prince. You will not be robbing them of everything entirely if you still host birthday celebrations."
"Mama?" Two plaintive voices came from down the table in unison.
Without even needing to ask what the twins were seeking, Mareke waved a dismissive hand. "Fine."
Without another word in the exchange, they were off.
Finduilas' eyes widened as she looked to me. "Go," I bid her. My daughter needed no further encouragement before she was speeding after the Gondoran princes.
"Mother?" Shuk asked. Out of the three of Aragorns' sons, he took after his father the most, especially in looks and temperament.
"Yes, my love?"
"Could I show Elboron my models?"
"Of course you may," she smiled softly at the Crown Prince and both boys were on their way into Shuk's rooms.
"He has been building very intricate model cities," Mareke said. "It baffles me, the dedication he puts into it, but he has always been serious and hard-working. Gimli oversees his work," she told me by way of explanation. "Or oversaw, I suppose."
She thought for a little longer. "I think you are right. I think we shall have a quiet Yule."
ooooOoooo
Mareke had had her chambers decorated beautifully for the evening. My children gasped in awe when they entered the Queen's rooms.
"What do you think?" she asked them with a warm smile.
Even though they had known her for their entire lives, they were still a little in wonder of her as well. She was so different from anything they saw on a regular basis, so very different from their own mother, that she invoked a sense of awe in them whenever we visited Minas Tirith. It did not help that she was in a deep red dress with golden jewelry covering her wrists, hands, ears, and her head.
Without a word, they hustled off to join their friends, Theodwyn content to remain on my hip. I watched Finduilas and the twins warily for a moment before turning back to Mareke.
"I shall take their silence as a good thing," Mareke said with a laugh.
"I will take it as a great thing for it is rare that the eldest offer me a moment of respite from their chatter, or worse their bickering."
Mareke laughed once more and reached to pour me a goblet of mulled wine.
"You have outdone yourself, Mareke, truly," I said, looking around the room. There were fresh garlands hanging in all of the doorways. Fresh cedar logs burned in the fireplace giving off a crisp and welcoming aroma. It looked like Gimli had been hard at work over the years to create gold and silver hangings that decorated the entire space.
"I did not wish for the children to suffer because I was not up to hosting one of the more traditional celebrations."
"Well this is marvelous. They shall not miss a thing."
Before I could ask if it was only to be our two families, Vanya and Beinion came in with their two daughters. I was familiar with the family and quite liked them a lot. I understood that the couple served the royal family in their own unique ways and I was grateful to think that Mareke had someone close to her in the White City.
"This is lovely!" Vanya exclaimed as she entered the Queen's chambers. "I do not miss the Great Hall at all, monstrosity that it is." She rolled her eyes and then offered me a mischievous smile.
"Vanya," Beinion muttered under his breath, before pouring himself a goblet of mulled wine.
I had to laugh at the fact that after more than a decade of marriage, he was still baffled by his wife. I knew the woman only on the surface level, but I could not imagine her ever being bothered to change her ways.
"Lady Eowyn, it is always a pleasure to see you," Beinion said with a smile.
"Eowyn will do just fine, especially in such an intimate setting as this."
If the man was concerned or felt out of place at being left behind with the women, he did not show it.
Faramir had spoken to me multiple times of his sharp intelligence. If my husband respected him so, then I was glad that he was with Mareke.
When Aragorn had replaced most of his council with new members, most of them had been fighting men and so, as I understood it, Mareke and Beinion were left with a rather sparse group to help them rule until Aragorn returned.
"We should sit down to eat before it goes cold," Mareke suggested.
"Where is Finduilas?" I asked, looking around as the other adults and most of the children went to the large, heavily laden dining table.
Mareke glanced around. "Somewhere with the twins," she rolled her eyes. "I will find them. You and Theodwyn eat," she bid.
We did as she instructed and joined Shuk, Elboron, Vanya, Beinion and their girls.
Mareke wandered in and out of her rooms. "Do not worry," she said, when she caught me watching her. "They cannot leave these rooms. The guards know to stop the twins when they try such a thing."
I had to laugh. The court of Minas Tirith had become a wild place since I had first encountered it.
"Hellions," Vanya muttered with a light laugh. "I do not know how all of Mareke's hair has not gone grey."
Beinion nodded his agreement. "I was uncertain what to do with our daughters when they each arrived, but I am grateful for them. The King and Queen have their hands quite full with those two boys."
I looked at the two girls, Marilla and Brennil. They were the perfect court ladies, minding their manners and letting the adults talk, though I would not be surprised if some of their mother's fire showed itself as they got older. They looked very much like her with their fair skin and blonde ringlets.
From the bedchamber, there came wild shrieking followed by the twins and Finduilas being chased toward the dining table by a flushed Mareke.
They gleefully took their seats and began piling food on their plates, obviously having worked up a hunger while plotting and hiding.
"I found them under the bed with this," Mareke brandished a plate of a half eaten chocolate cake.
Upon a closer look, I saw that their mouths and hands were covered in chocolate. I had to bite my lip to refrain from laughing.
"Not all girls are as polite as yours," I sighed to Vanya and Beinion, glancing at my feral daughter.
"At least they are still hungry," Mareke laughed.
The meal passed very amicably, but the children were hard to contain. Mareke had several servants carry in gifts containing blocks, puzzles, figurines, paint sets, toy weapons, and much more.
It seemed as though the adults had turned their backs for only a moment before there was an all out brawl on the rug.
Shuk and Elboron had quickly disappeared to add a few figurines to the model city they were now working on together, but Rilien and Rainion were grunting and groaning, a tangle of limbs rolling around on the floor.
"I wanted to play with that!" one of them shouted.
I could only catch a glimpse of the object, but it seemed to be a cloth covered ball.
"You were not fast enough, slow poke!" the other shouted, rolling on top of his brother and taunting him with the toy.
Brennil, though she was the twins' age, stood at the edge of the rug with her mouth open in absolute horror.
My mouth had to do the same thing as I watched Finduilas tackle the twin on top and then run away with the ball, cackling wildy as the boys began to chase her furiously, toting wooden swords.
"Is Marilla cross-stitching?" Mareke asked, as though nothing had happened.
We all glanced to see the eldest daughter of Vanya and Beinion, sitting on one of the sofas as though nothing had happened, diligently working a needle through cloth spread on a hoop.
Vanya rolled her eyes. "Her governess taught her. I cannot break her of the habit or infuse any wildness in my two."
Beinion just shook his head and laughed.
ooooOooo
The weeks passed agreeably, if not chaotically, while we were in Minas Tirith. Mareke and I were a comfort to one another while the children roughhoused and the Realm churned on without the men, from whom we had still not heard.
Several times, she asked me to attend council meetings with her. She argued that Ithilien was part of the Realm and Faramir had attended many such meetings when he had been in the White City.
"You are becoming quite the diplomat, Eowyn. I do not know what you were so worried about," Mareke said with a light laugh one afternoon as we exited the chambers.
"Yes well, I still find it less than enjoyable."
"Oh so do I," she agreed.
"I am going to go to the stables with the older boys where I belong," I said with a smile. I had been giving Shuk lessons while I was visiting and like his elder brother, he was quite taken with the horses and all he was learning.
"I appreciate you working with him," Mareke said. "He had been less than eager to go to his riding and swordplay lessons without his father here."
I waved her words away. "It is my pleasure." I gave her dark hand a quick squeeze. "I will see you this evening for the feast."
Mareke grumbled, but nodded. I knew she had been dreading Shuk's birthday celebrations. She had been able to hide away at Yule, but she could not keep the Crown Prince from the people on his birthday.
I made my way down to the stables to work with Shuk and Elboron. Those two alone were very enjoyable and focused. I could not imagine the chaos that would ensue if the twins and Finduilas were to run around the stables or get their hands on a horse.
ooooOoooo
With Theodwyn on my hip and the other two trailing behind, we entered the extremely crowded Great Hall for Shuk's birthday celebrations.
People seemed to be yelling to be heard over all of the other groups who were talking. Theodwyn clapped her hands over her ears immediately and buried her face against my shoulder.
"I know," I murmured.
Elboron followed me so that he could find Shuk, but Finduilas was immediately off to find the twins.
I felt sorry for the poor guards who had been charged with keeping an eye on my middle child. She would give them problems for the rest of her life, I feared.
At the head table, Mareke looked resplendent in a gown of cloth of silver and a beautiful tiara to match. Shuk stood at her side and looked over the crowd. Elboron joined him and they conferred quietly.
"It is so different without him here," Mareke said quietly when I approached.
I nodded. "I know."
Mareke took a deep breath and placed a hand on Shuk's shoulder. "I think it is time that you say something to the crowd," she said.
Shuk looked up at his mother, resigned to the task at hand. He gave a resolute nod and stepped to the front of the dais. The rest of us assumed our seats, which indicated to the rest of the gathered crowd that they should do the same.
Shuk's hands were behind his back, but I could see that he was wringing them nervously as he cleared his throat.
"I would like to thank everyone who has gathered here in honor of my birthday and with everything going on. As always, my family and I are grateful for your support. I look forward to this new year and all that lies ahead; welcoming back our fathers, brothers, sons, and husbands, and enjoying hard earned peace."
There was applause at the little prince's words and I glanced over to see that Mareke had tears in her eyes.
"Now, please enjoy the festivities and know that soon our group will be complete once more!"
Shuk sat down next to his mother to cheers of "Long live Prince Arathorn!"
"That was remarkable," Mareke said, loud enough to be heard over the cheering.
"Well done," I added.
The rest of the evening passed smoothly enough. Though a heaviness lingered as many other women were in the position that Mareke and I were, Shuk's words had seemingly bolstered his people. I could see so much of his father in him and I knew that he would be a great ruler one day, Valar willing, in the distant future.
Both Shuk and Elboron took Mareke and I onto the dancefloor a few times. I never saw the twins and Finduilas, had no idea if they'd eaten anything other than sweets, but I knew they were being looked after by governesses and guards. I allowed myself to be free of the worry for the evening.
Towards the very end of the celebration, Mareke and I were alone at the head table. Next to me, Mareke straightened and I watched as time seemed to slow down.
She let her wine goblet tumble from her hand, spilling dark red liquid all down the front of her exquisite gown.
"Mareke!" I exclaimed.
Everyone was still celebrating and no one had noticed whatever had come over the Queen.
She reached out and gripped my hand, all color had drained from her face.
"I have suddenly gone very, very cold," she said, panicked.
There you go! I hope you enjoyed it! Writing from Eowyn's perspective was a bit of a challenge, but I thought it was time to change up the narrator once more. I can't wait to hear what you think. As a reminder, we are now going chapter by chapter (or short clusters of chapters) of time periods in the royal family's life so please let me know what you'd like to see as they all get older. I love the ideas I've been provided so far!
Happy reading,
Avonmora