Eowyn swallows, "My lord.... your son is. Dead."
Theoden's eyes widen, and he collapses into his thrown. "My son..... Theodred!" The King rushes out of the room, in search of his son. I look sadly at Legolas, who puts his hand on my shoulder.
* * * * * * * *
The funeral Theodred, son of Theoden, was held the next day. What's left of our little fellowship attends, clad in black clothes that were provided by the King.
As the coffin approaches the tomb, I hear Eowyn yell, or sing I couldn't really tell, something, "Bealocwealm hafað fréone frecan forth onsended. Giedd sculon singan gléomenn sorgiende.....on Meduselde þæt he ma no wære his dryhtne dyrest and mæga deorost. Bealo…" She trailed off as they opened the entrance, and she broke down, mourning for her cousin. The tomb with a loud BANG, closed, and Theodred's body was shut off from the rest of the world.
As we left, I asked Legolas if he understood what Eowyn had sang. "Aye, I understood it." He said sadly. "It wasn't the happiest thing to be singing;
An evil death has set forth the noble warrior.
A song shall sing sorrowing minstrels
in Meduseld that he is no more,
to his lord dearest and kinsmen most belover. An evil death..." He looked at me, and I returned his gaze, unable to hide my sadness for her, and this stranger. "Do not look so sad, for it makes me fill with a sense of disconsolate." He gives me a small smile, "Be happy. He is with his forebearers now."
I try and smile, but fail miserably. Legolas laughs, and then I am able to smile. Legolas gives me a look of triumph, and I roll my eyes. He laughs again, and, out of the blue, hugs me. "I'm just teasing you, Hailey." he says. I wrestle out of his embrace, and run away from him, and towards Medsuld.
When I enter the Golden Hall, I see Eowyn, Aragorn, and Gimli sitting with two children, a girl and a boy. "Where's Mama?" The Girl asks.
"Be quiet, Freyda. You're so annoying." The boy says.
The girl puts down her bowl of food, "You're so mean, Éothain! Ma'am, thank you for the-" She looks at me as I enter, "Food." Eowyn smiles, at her, and looks somewhere. Following her gaze, I see she is staring at Aragorn.
Poor girl, she doesn't know of Arwen Evenstar. Hehe, Aragorn has got an admirer. I laugh to myself as I feel something touch inbetween my shoulder blades. I whirl around, unsheathing my sword. I turn, and Legolas has a overly amused smile on his face, but then he looks at his hand, confused. I glance down, and see blood welling up. I had cut him...
"I am so sorry!! I thought you were... not you." I start to panic, "Here, let me- We have to- Eowyn where's the-" I am cut off by Legolas's uninjured hand coming to my mouth.
He looks at me, smiling, "Calm. Down. You have been stabbed with a spear, and slashed by swords. A small cut like this," He hold's his bleeding hand up, "Will not kill me, or slow me down in any sort of manner. Understand? I. Am. Fine."
I just stare at him, as Aragorn walks over, clearly amused. "Yes, although I'm sure you're flattered by her sudden panic attack at the sight of your injury." I blush, feeling my face go bright red. "We should still stop the bleeding. Eowyn, can you go show him where he can get bandaged?" She nods at him eagerly, and shows Legolas out of the hall. I watch them go, and Aragorn puts a hand on me, "He likes you, more than the rest of us." He says, and I look at him. "He barely left you're side when you passed out in Moria. Did you know?" I shake my head and he smiles.
I shake my head again, "He is a prince. And I?" I sigh, "I'm nothing but an outcast in this world. I don't belong here, so when this journey is done, I will have to find a way to leave. I have no place here..."
Aragorn looks at me, "The only thing that matters is if you want to leave, or if you want to stay." Theoden and Gandalf burst into the room, in the middle of an intense looking arguement. "Theoden King!" Aragorn calls, "What now will you do? War is upon you, you must act or face ruin!"
"Last I checked, Theoden son of Thengal, not Aragorn son of Arathorn, was King of Rohan." Theoden spits. "I am without no heir, now that Theodred is gone. No father should have to see their child's funeral. I choose Eomer, my sister's son, to be next on the throne. And if we do not come back, then Gandalf Greyhame will choose a successor. Hama! Get the people ready. Due to the stubborness of this fellowship, we ride to defend ourselves at Helm's Deep. Hama bows, and leaves with Theoden.
As Legolas and Eowyn enter, and we fill them in on what is about to take place, "Your fool of a Uncle as told the town to ready for the journey to Helms Deep. They are fleeing to the mountains, when they should stand and fight."
Aragorn tries to calm the wizard, "He is doing what he thinks best. Helms Deep has helped them before-"
"There is no way out of that ravine. If the wall is taken down, it will mean the doom of us all." Gandalf says, walking out of Meduseld.
"Who needs to calm down?" I say after the doors slam shut. I feel a sudden sense of anger grow in my chest.
Gimli laughs, but after a glare shot from Aragorn, he says, "Not helpin', lass." I roll my eyes, and walk to the room I shared with Eowyn.
I lay on my sleeping mat for hours trying to clear my mind, before I hear a knock on the door. It slowly opens, revealing Eowyn and Legolas. I sit up as they walk in.
"Are you feeling well, Hailey?" Legolas asks, "Aragorn asked if you had returned, and when I said no, he sent me to check on you." His voice is full of worry, and I can't help remember Aragorn's words. He likes you, more than the rest of us. I shake the thought from my head. I didn't need to worry about that at this, or any, moment.
"I'm quite alright, Legolas. I didn't want to ruin dinner with my irritable mood, that's all." I'm not lying. Just not telling the full truth. "I'm okay, so tell Aragorn that all is well, and I'll be ready to depart tomorrow." He smiles at me. The only thing that matters is if you want to leave, or if you want to stay. More of Aragorns little chat with me plays in my head. I did want to stay, but.... a part of me always felt out of place.
I hear the door close, and I collapse back onto my back, eyes closed, and my arms crossed behind my head, acting as a pillow. A loud sigh escapes my lips.
"So, now will you say whats wrong?" I'm startled by Eowyn, who apparently hadn't left. "You can tell me," She says, crossing over to sit on the floor next to me as I sit up. "He's really worried for you. I asked him about when you got stabbed, and he dove into this long story. You scared him, a lot. He" She smiles sadly, "He said he thought that he, 'lost their second fellowship member'."
"Yeah. He worries about me. Aragorn says he worries about me more than the rest, but I don't see it. I'm just a friend of his, nothing more." Eowyn laughs, shaking her head. I feel a spark of anger reignite inside of me, "Well, thats all I should be!" I snap, "When this is done, unless I die first, I will go back to my world." I lower my voice as it chokes up, "Where I belong. I cannot think of something that will never be able to become reality." I lower my head, looking into my lap.
"Well," Eowyn says, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"
"It's fine." I say. "I.... I just need to be alone." She nods understandingly, and gets up. I lay back down, and hear the door softly shut. I lay there, losing track of time, until I fall asleep.
YOU ARE READING
The Outside Reality
Romance~~FINISHED~~ Hailey Richards thought she was, at most, an average teenager. Save her dead mother and abusive father, of course. Her brother Skye is the only real member of her family; the only one she considers to be part of the Richards' household...
