Light of Edoras

Chapter 6

Eomer reigned Firefoot to a stop, looking across the massacre before him. At least a hundred riders lay dead before him; if only he had gotten there sooner.

"Theodred," he said softly, a pit settling deep in his stomach at the thought of finding Theodred among the riders, "Find the king's son!" he ordered.

His eored quickly dismounted and began looking through the dead for Theodred's body. Eomer followed behind at a slower pace surveying those who now lay at his feet and the foul carcasses of orcs among the riders.

"Mordor will pay for this!" growled one of Eomer's riders.

Eomer kicked over an orcs helm to see a white hand plastered over the face of it, "These orcs are not from Mordor," he sneered through gritted teeth.

"My Lord!" called a rider from the edge of the water, "Over here!"

Eomer ran to the river and gently pulled Theodred from the ground, "He's alive!" he whispered shocked.

He picked Theodred up as carefully as he could, struggling slightly at the immense weight of the armor clad body of his cousin. He eased him onto Firefoot, carefully mounted behind him and with a simple jerk of his head the eored sped towards Edoras as if the very wrath of Mordor was behind them.

Eowyn sped towards the front walk of the Golden Hall. Riders were seen yesterday coming towards Edoras yet Eomer was not supposed to return until the Fords of Isen were secure. Surely he did not manage that in one day unless... Eowyn felt her stomach drop as she ran, her skirts flailing about her.

"Lyrian!" she called as she reached the stables trying desperately to find her before someone else did, "Lyrian!" she shouted as the thundering sound of hooves entered the fort.

"Fram!" she called seeing the old man leading a pair of strong horses to their stalls, "Where is Lyrian? Riders have returned-"

"Lyrian has been riding all afternoon, she will be back when she decides to come back," he murmured half to himself as he secured the horses in their stalls, "I will send her to the Hall if I see her."

Eowyn nodded, her eyes wide and frantic at what she would find when she entered the Hall.

She ran up the stairs skipping two at a time her heart pounding and her chest tight, desperate to see if her brother was all right.

She nodded at Grima who stoically opened the door allowing Eowyn to run inside.

"My Lady Eowyn!" a young maid called, "They are in Theodred's room!" she called as Eowyn ran past her towards the bedchambers.

She came to a sudden stop when she came to Theodred's room and she saw her brother sitting by the bed. Theodred lay wrapped in bandages and as pale as the fresh winter snow.

Eowyn ran to the bed, "Theodred?" she whispered softly, the sadness was evident in her voice.

Theodred turned his head slightly recognizing his cousins soft voice. Eowyn Noticed the large head wound that was still bleeding though she knew it had happened long ago. She looked towards Eomer in concern, but he only nodded towards Theodred's stomach. Eowyn gently lifted up the numerous blankets atop Theodred and looked beneath the bandage that was trying desperately trying to heal a massive wound. Eowyn closed her eyes against the horror that was before her and gently recovered Theodred.

Quick footsteps caused both Eomer and Eowyn's heads to snap towards the door to see Lyrian about to enter the room.

As soon as her eyes fell to Theodred, she sagged against the doorway, her hand covering her mouth and stomach, as she shook her head.