The Stone Maiden

Funeral and Evacuation

I led the four men down to Kaila's Inn. Their three horses followed us down the road, without a lead or anything.

"Hasufel and Arod," I stated suddenly as we walked. The man, Aragorn, made a sound of confusion. "Your horses. Hasufel and Arod. Two from Eomer's eored."

"Yes, how did you know, lass?" the dwarf, Gimli, questioned.

"Eomer has been helping my little brothers practice weaponry as of late," I shrugged. "He is a good friend of mine. As is his sister."

"Maeve! There you are!" Kaila called from behind the bar. "We've been oddly slow today."

"You know, for an innkeeper, you don't keep up on news very well," I commented, my head tilted to the side. She shrugged and turned back to wiping down the bar.

"You tell me everything anyway. Who've you got there?"

"Guests of Theoden King, and Eowyn, seeking rooms." She led the men up the stairs. I ran towards my room. "Jarel! Kalem!" They were huddled together on our bed crying. I drew them into my arms, tears falling down my face. We just sat in our room and cried. Our small family had suffered another blow. Eventually the three of us made our way out of the room. Jarel and Kalem refused to leave my sides. I didn't want them to either.

Kaila let me take the rest of the day off once I'd explained everything, but I needed something to do. I wandered aimlessly around the city until Eowyn brought me out to the funeral.

I cried. Eowyn sang the traditional parting song after they'd laid Theodred's body inside the mound. Once she finished, she turned towards me. I wrapped my arms around her and we both cried together. Jarel and Kalem hugged our sides.

We left Theoden and Gandalf talking quietly by themselves, heading back into the city. We had just reached the bottom of the stairs to the Golden Hall when a horse with two children on it galloped into town. I saw Laniel racing down the road to get to them. My eyes widened and I ran to meet her.

One of the kids fell off the horse. Lani and I got there at the same time. I grabbed the boy off the ground. Eowyn hefted the girl off of their horse while Lani worked her magic calming it down.

"Can we go with Laniel?" both brothers asked together. I nodded and they followed Lani down to the stables. Both boys loved horses, more so than anyone other Rohirrim I have ever met. Eowyn and I talked with the two children as we walked up the stairs to the Hall. Eothain, the boy, was almost too big for me to carry comfortably. He offered to walk but I told him I was fine, which was the truth. He was exhausted. Freda, his sister, had slept a couple times on the horse, Garulf, but Eothain had to stay awake to guide him.

Gandalf and Theoden King entered the Hall just after we did. Kai appeared shortly with two bowls of stew. She set them down, telling me that my brothers were at the inn. I nodded and focused solely on the two children. Eowyn stood while I sat between them.

"They had no warning," she explained. "They were unarmed. Now the wildmen are moving through the Westfold, burning as they go. Rick, cot and tree."

"Where's Mama?" Freda asked innocently. My heart clenched in fear and I shushed the small child.

"This is but a taste of the terror that Saruman will unleash," Gandalf pointed out. "All the more potent for he is driven now by fear of Sauron. Ride out and meet him head on. Draw him away from your women and children. You must fight."

"You have two thousand good men riding north as we speak," Aragorn added. "Éomer is loyal to you. His men will return and fight for their king."

"They will be three hundred leagues from here by now. Éomer cannot help us," Theoden replied. "I know what it is that you want of me. But I will not bring further death to my people. I will not risk open war."

"Open war is upon you whether you risk it or not," Aragorn retorted.

"When last I looked, Theoden, not Aragorn, was King of Rohan," he sneered. I resisted rolling my eyes.

"And what is the King's decision?" Gandalf asked. Theoden paused thoughtfully.

"We make for Helm's Deep!" I sighed softly. The refuge had no food stored in it. Many people could not carry much of anything. If Theoden expected a siege, we would not last long.

"Will Mama be there?" Freda asked me softly.

"I don't see why she wouldn't be there," I replied. Hope lit up hers and her brothers eyes at my words. I just hoped that they wouldn't be disappointed when they arrived. Both were far too young to lose their mother.

I led the two children out of Meduseld, showing them where the stables were. Eothain quickly found their horse, Garulf. I helped him saddle Garulf and put on the bridle and things. I went down to look for my horse while Eothain caressed Garulf's nose.

His stable was empty. My riding things had disappeared. Had Laniel already saddled my horse for me? I thought she would have waited. I asked one of the stable hands.

"My Lord Eomer asked that your horse be ready to leave at the first sign of you leaving," he replied. "With the evacuation, we figured you'd be needing him." The corners of my lips turned up.

"I thank you very much." He nodded his head happily and skipped off to tend to some of the other horses. Eothain led Garulf and Freda outside. I found my horse, Wyndlance, standing patiently next to another stable hand. I thanked the boy and took Wyndlances lead, guiding the children to the column of people already leaving the city.

"Go on," I told them. "Your mother should be waiting for you when you get there. You shouldn't worry her any longer than you already have." I helped them both onto their still tired horse and sent them down with the column. The inn was bustling despite the evacuation. Laniel and Kaila were frantic, both their horses tied outside, but myself and Wyndlance missing.

"Maeve, there you are!" Kaila exclaimed as I walked inside. "I've already got a bag packed for you, with some trousers in case we have to fight. Here. Where's Wyndlance?"

"Outside."

"I was going to saddle him for you when I did Kai's and mine, but he wasn't in his usual stall?" Lani queried as we headed outside.

"Some of the stable boys saddled him up for me," I shrugged, "as a favor to a horse lord they revere." Kaila helped Jarel up in front of her and Laniel helped Kalem.

"Now that horse lord wouldn't have just recently been banished," Kaila teased. I refused to answer, instead trotting ahead of my friends and closer to the column. I heard their laughter behind me as they caught up to me. This was going to be a long ride.