Estel | Aragorn Fanfiction

Oath of Eorl

"Tonight we remember those who gave their blood to defend this country. Hail the victorious dead." The King said lifting his goblet in a salute. "Hail!" The rest of the Men and other people in the Hall shouted before drinking from their cup.

The Rohirrim and everyone else begin to party and celebrate. The celebrations were bittersweet as people noticed Men, friends, children missing from the celebrations. Numbered with those that had died. Aragorn and Boromir watched as the Elf and Dwarf prepared for their drinking contest. "Another opportunity for them to prove whose race is superior to the other again." Boromir said cheekily to Aragorn, who laughed at his remark. They watched as Legolas took a small sip of his drink while Gimli chugged his down.

Boromir soon moved closer to better watch the competition, leaving Aragorn further back by himself. So caught up in his friends antics was he that he didn't notice the blonde haired maiden that appeared at his side. "Westu, Aragorn, hál." (Be-thou Aragorn well) Éowyn said, a somewhat sad smile on her face.

He smiled back at her, unsure of how she felt after they had spoken before the battle. At least she was still smiling at him but it seemed to be tinged with more sadness now. "Why do you not celebrate with your people my lady? Tonight is certainly not time for sadness." He told her.

She merely smiled at him then nodded her head. Aragorn stood there as if waiting for her to say something before walking away. Éowyn watched after him longingly. Her uncle joined her soon after Aragorn had left. "I am happy for you. He is an honourable man," he said to her knowingly. "Yet I also fear for you. He loves another."

The smile Éowyn had on her face before was wiped away with those three words. He loves another. "He loves someone who is dead Uncle. She is dead," she said indignantly. "He will have to move on one day."

The King looked at her alarmed and unsure of what to do or say. "Dead or not, he still loves her. I do not want you to long for him and then get your heartbroken. I only wish to look out for you."

Éowyn looked at her Uncle sadly, willing the tears to go away but before she knew it, tears were falling from her eyes. Théoden moved to embrace his niece, praying for the Valar to help her through this heartache. He moved them until they were outside, away from prying eyes. "Why does he not want me Uncle? Am I not good or beautiful enough?" She asked him, the tears still falling from her eyes.

"It is nothing like that. I know that he cares about you, he just...." he trailed off, trying to find the words.

"He just doesn't love me." Éowyn stated, her mind remembering the words he had spoken to her before the battle. "He cares enough to wish me joy and happiness but he cannot be the one to give it to me. He only wishes for me to find a love so strong where death cannot even lessen my feelings." She said, echoing the words he had spoken to her only a few days ago. The King comforted his niece for as long as he could until his duties as a King called him back to the celebration. Éowyn, not being one to want to appear weak in front of others immediately cleaned her face and walked back into the celebration with her head held high.

The singing, dancing and drinking lasted well into the night. Legolas won the drinking contest, proclaiming that Elves are better than Dwarves jokingly. He celebrated his win arrogantly, a huge smirk on his face until Pippin beat him in a drinking contest with Hobbits being the victorious race and the ones who could hold their liquor the best. Everyone soon fell asleep, many men just sleeping where they had passed out.

Aragorn felt himself wake up some time in the middle of the night. His dreams had been haunting. He saw Eleniel's death. Frodo and Sam's death. He saw the whole Fellowship dead. Deciding that he wouldn't be getting anymore sleep, Aragorn decided to get some air to clear his mind. Walking out of the communal bedroom that the Fellowship shared, he moved to leave the Golden Hall. Outside he found Legolas and Boromir smoking. Approaching his friends, they look towards Mordor.