Light of Edoras

Part II Chapter 7

Lyrian stirred, her eyes adjusting to the early morning light. The pale sun gently illuminated the soft bed hangings and a light breeze caused them to gently sway. Two days. It had been two days since the soldiers had left. She stretched gently, doing her best not to completely jar her shoulder.

Lyrian brushed the hair from her face, the gentle breeze, of course, pushed it right back. She sighed, glancing out the window towards the mountains. It had been three days since the soldiers had left Minas Tirith. She had lost sight of them yesterday, and now she sat waiting, for any sign that they were all right. She turned back to her book. She had been reading the same page all afternoon, her mind was beyond distracted and within reason.

Eowyn had been in a constant state of darkness, her wounds were healing, yet her mind was not. Despite Lyrian's endless efforts to make her happy, Eowyn remained quiet and listless, nothing like her usual vibrant character. Yet Lyrian refused to show that any of the anxiety anyone around her felt. She presented a collected and hopeful young woman, one who was certain that the efforts of the soldiers would not be in vain. In private, and in moments such as these, Lyrian could feel the ever-present intense fear slowly creep its way into her mind.

"Oh!"

Lyrian turned from her book puzzled to see Eowyn, and just as puzzled to see her smiling.

"I'm sorry, Lyrian, I did not mean to disturb you," she said barely containing a smile.

Lyrian studied the younger woman with a raised brow, "It's all right."

"Its a lovely day out!" Eowyn stated after a long moment of silence.

Lyrian looked out the window. The billowing smoke from Mt. Doom had completely covered the sky, though it was only midday, the earth was smothered in darkness.

"It...is," Lyrian answered studying Eowyn once more.

Eowyn's previously deathly pale face had a tint of color, her cheeks pink with excitement, and her eyes held a sparkle of hope Lyrian had not seen in years.

"You met someone," Lyrian stated catching herself smiling as Eowyn's own smile grew.

"I have!" she exclaimed.

She rushed over to the window, looking out as if to find him to point out to Lyrian.

"His name is Faramir," Eowyn gushed still looking out onto the grounds below, "his father is the late steward of Gondor, lord Denathor."

She paused for a moment as if lost in thought, "Lyrian, it is as if, when I am with him, everything in this evil world falls away. I no longer feel empty, in his presence, I feel complete."

Lyrian merely watched the young girl before her, Eowyn was no longer just a young girl anymore. Eowyn turned from the window to meet Lyrian's gaze.

"Is it wrong that I should be so happy at a time such as this?"

Eowyn eased herself onto the small couch beside Lyrian, " I cannot help but feel guilty that I am celebrating and happy while men March to their death.

Lyrian wrapped an arm around Eowyn's shoulder, "Without love Eowyn, those men have nothing to fight for."

Eowyn lay her head on Lyrian's shoulder, "I'm scared."

Lyrian stiffened as thoughts she had not allowed herself to think slowly wormed their way into her mind. She gently rubbed Eowyn's back, offering what little comfort she was able to give.

"Me too," she sighed.

Eomer felt his stomach drop as the company drew nearer to the Black Gate. He had seen many evils in his life, but this was beyond anything he ever could have imagined. It was as if the black gates before him opened to the very pit of the underworld, where all things too evil to even be conceived by man rotted. Firefoot stomped angrily, sensing his riders unfamiliar tension, yet today Eomer had no words of comfort to offer. The reality of what they were about to do was finally beginning to settle in.