Hey everyone!

Shall we say this is the end of January and beginning of February update all rolled into one because of how late these are going up? I am writing again and I cannot believe I am able to say that! Feels so good though to be able to say that. I hope January has been amazing for you and chapter 1 of 2024 is coming to a close. See you next month!

Lots of love,

LSH xxx

A Wild Heart – Part 16:

Éomer remained by his sister's bedside all night as he'd often done when they'd been children. He watched as she tossed and turned in the night, nightmares plaguing Éowara as she slept. He would just about be asleep and then Éowara would toss and turn. He couldn't help but wonder if they should have gone to Edoras the moment they arrived but he'd wanted his sisters to see their childhood home restored to its former glory before Aldburg was brought back from rubble as well.

Éomer pushed some of his sister's hair from her face and was reminded of a time before their removal from Aldburg to Edoras.

Aldburg, Eastfold, 3002:

Éomund had departed with another hunting party and this time Éowara had been the sister who was upset over their father leaving again. Éomer had found the 3-year-old in her bedroom, sat in the corner hugging her doll tightly to her.

"When will Daddy be back?" Éowara had asked as she spotted her brother walking into her room.

"I do not know sister dearest but mother will need us to be strong for her and help her more," Éomer said, "do you think you can do that?" he asked and the little girl just shrugged her shoulders as she picked at her doll's hair. It had taken a while but Éomer had convinced his sister to leave her room and help out around the house for the day.

Éowyn joined them and they cleaned the house whilst their mother was seeing someone in the settlement before their mother arrived home and was pleased with their efforts and gave them all a treat.

Éomer had sat doing some studying when Éowyn said that she hadn't seen their sister in a few hours. Éomer went to find his sister and found her curled up in her bed fast asleep.

Aldburg, Eastfold, 3019:

Éomer looked back at his sister as the past merged into the present and he looked at his sleeping sister before closing his eyes and clearly drifted off as he found himself being gently shaken awake by Aragorn.

"I wondered if you were here…" came a whisper.

"I wanted to stay with her and make sure she slept," Éomer whispered back, "she's had a disturbed night's sleep so far," he said as he looked at Aragorn, "this is not the first night this has happened…?"

"No. I will send a messenger back to Arwen and get her advice, her's and Faramir's. They are ruling Gondor in my stead," Aragorn spoke, "Arwen sees Éowara as a daughter at times and they know each other from their time at Rivendell, which my wife reminded me of after our wedding," he said.

"Will we know before you depart for Stoke?" Éomer asked as he looked back at his sister, "she seems more lost than ever…"

"A lot was decided without her knowing anything. She fought for a chance and got it," Aragorn spoke, "now I must aid her… get her what she wants. A lot will depend on our Hobbit friends and her's but she deserves a chance to have what she desires. Now go and sleep and I will calm her dreams as much as I can."

"Are you sure? I'm her brother so I should be watching her," Éomer spoke as he looked at Aragorn.

"Go and sleep Éomer. I have said I will calm her dreams as much as I can," Aragorn spoke and moved into the seat Éomer had just vacated. He looked down at Éowara as she slept remembering back to the time he'd first laid eyes on her in Rivendell.

Rivendell, October 3018:

The night had barely settled in Rivendell when more arrivals for the Council of Elrond. Elves and Dwarves had arrived, Boromir of Gondor had arrived as well. He had arrived on foot with a woman of Rohan. Aragorn had wondered who the Lady was, for that was all he knew of her. He'd yet to lay his eyes on her in person.

By asking questions he'd learnt that she was a Lady of the Court of Théoden King and she was quite possibly a niece to the King of the Mark. He wanted to meet her in person though. He wondered how she'd crossed paths with the Captain of the White Tower.

He soon had his answer as he was walking in the Last Homely Home when his eyes caught sight of Arwen sat in a corner with someone he did not know. His eyes locked onto his betrothed's before he walked over to the two. He noted the woman's blonde hair before she looked up at Aragorn.

"Allow me to introduce the Lady Éowara of Rohan, niece to Théoden King and betrothed to Boromir of Gondor," Arwen spoke before she turned to Éowara. "Allow me to introduce Aragorn, Chief of the Dúnedain, my betrothed."

Aragorn watched as Éowara just studied him. She was clearly one who didn't care for the rules and he could sense a note of stubbornness within her.

"Pleasure to meet you Lady Éowara," he spoke, deciding to make the first move.

"The pleasure is mine Aragorn, Chief of the Dúnedain," Éowara spoke before Arwen told Aragorn to sit and join them.

"You arrived with Boromir of Gondor I hear," Aragorn spoke as he looked at Éowara, not afraid to strike up a conversation with her.

"Yes. I am to spend some time with him before we return to Gondor, stopping at Edoras. Boromir has decided we are to be betrothed and sought the permission of Lord Elrond. Being ambushed not once, but twice, makes you understand how you feel about someone," Éowara spoke as she looked at Aragorn, "we were going to be betrothed to each other no matter what, such is the will of Steward Denethor and my Uncle, or rather Grima acting for my Uncle," she spoke before falling silent again, just listening to the conversation between Aragorn and Arwen.

Aldburg, Eastfold, 3019:

Aragorn must have fallen asleep as he was being gently shaken awake. He turned and looked to see who was gently shaking him awake. He looked up to see Éomer's face looking at him before a couple of things happened at once. Éowyn appeared in the doorway at the same time Éowara was struck by a particularly bad nightmare, one that made her physically shake as she tossed and turned in her sleep.

Aragorn leapt up from his seat and instructed Éowyn to get him some things before kneeling down by Eowara's bed.

"What's causing this?" Éomer asked as he watched Aragorn rest a hand on his sister's head before Éowyn came back in with what she'd been instructed to get.

"I do not have an idea," Aragorn replied, "but there are evils still inside her that she holds close to her heart," he said before silence fell and he worked carefully to calm Éowara, speaking words of Elvish that he wouldn't know for a few days yet that Arwen would hear in Minas Tirith.

It was a nervous few minutes but eventually Éowara laid still and even began to stir from her sleep.

"Shush Éowara," Aragorn said before giving her some water to drink, "you've had a restless night and now the sun has brought the day. Once we have had a quick breakfast we shall be leaving for Meduseld and Edoras. I feel you have been more at home there and that is where you want to be," he said before he and Éomer departed to discuss events whilst Éowyn helped her sister to freshen up and get ready before breakfast was eaten and the ride to Meduseld began.