abnormal tragedy

Chapter 60: off again

It wasn't long after, that a messenger from Gondor arrived. Èomer explained what had been arranged. "Your brother and I are going to hunt what is left of the orcs," he shrugged off his chainmail. "Where will you find them?" Rowan asked, as she picked the heavy chainmail up and put it on the stand. "East, in Rhûn," he sighed, rubbing his shoulders. "That is the only place they can go without our allies killing them."

"How many men you take?" she asked, making him sit down on the edge of the bed and started massaging his shoulders. "As many as I see fit to," he murmured. "Come back safe," Rowan said as a warning. "I don't want to see you come back with stitches or missing a limb."

"Don't fret Rowan," he turned around, and took her hands in his. "I will come back; I am King and a War veteran. I have had enough experience with orcs to know they won't dare to kill me. You are a fantastic queen! Everyone knows that. If you have any trouble you can send word to my sister, alright?" Rowan nodded, and rested her head on his shoulder. "You have helped open my eyes to the new world where I don't have to look over my shoulder for shadows and fight them all the time," he whispered, and leaned his head on hers. Within the week Èomer had organized about twenty thousand horsed men, and four thousand infantry. Aragorn and his men arrived three days before they all left for Rhûn.

"Fare thee well my lord husband," Rowan said to him after she helped him fit into his armour, instead of his esquire. "Only for a short while," he squeezed her hands.

"I know," she said quietly, as he turned to leave the room. "Èomer! Before you go, I need to tell this last time that I love you."

"And I you, dearest one," he cupped his wife's chin before gently kissing her trembling lips and hugging her. "What did you say? Speak up. Hmm?"

"We have a child, please come back" she whispered louder. "I swear an oath to you now that I will see to our child has his father home by the end of this spring," he swore,as he held onto his wife's hand, with a fierce look of love and dedication.

(Winter....)

"No word yet?" Rowan asked a guard, he shook his head with a sad smile. "Thank you."

(Early Spring......)

Rowan had managed to leave Edoras with Elfhelm and travel in a horse-cart to a small castle that was being sieged by their men. Two days after her arrival, in the midday sun, Èomer had stopped only for food, after battling all day, when Rowan noticed a deep gash on his forearm.
"Rowan!" he gaped. "Nothing happened to me!"

"It has to stop, now," she said to him. "We've all most overrun the place," Èomer stood up slowly, swallowing his last mouthful of bread. "I need to get back."

"No!" she hissed, pressing his shoulders down, to make him sit. "Not yet, I'll have to bandage this well before you go. Don't flinch; it's bad enough as it is! Go. And be more careful!" Rowan saw her brother laughing as he walked closer. "You can't be serious Rowan, it's just a scratch," Èomer stared at Aragorn and his wife. "I have to and don't argue with your wife," Aragorn started to unbandage it and prepare a needle and thread. "Rowan?" Rowan hit Èomer across the head. "Thank you. Drink this while I stitch it."

"We lost about a hundred and fifty so far since it started back start of winter," he winced at the tugs of the stitches and swallowed the rest of the wine. "That is better than during the war," Aragorn agreed. "At least we had one person who knows all the hiding places," Èomer chuckled ad Rowan nodded. "Being an ex-ranger has to count for something," he shrugged. "Too right," her husband nodded. "Rowan, how are you?"

"Tired," she sighed. "All you men are walking around as one drunk."

"Go on then," he turned Rowan around by her shoulders. "To bed."