All Shall Fade (LOTR-Wattys 2014)

All Shall Fade - Chapter 26 - Plan of Action

All Shall Fade

Chapter 26

Plan of Action

As I marched back into the throne room of Meduseld, I noticed that most of the funeral mourners were gone. Eowdrin and her sister were sitting at one of the long tables, talking quietly to each other as Legolas and Gimli sat nearby. I slid myself down on to the bench beside them as I heard Aragorn enter the hall behind me. I hadn’t spoken a word to him since he’d found me, even though he’d apologised and I’d kind of accepted it. I rested my hands on the table and scowled at the continuous flow of blood that was trickling across my fingers. I could feel everyone around me staring, waiting for an explanation as to why I was ruining the furniture with my spurting of blood, and it wasn’t long before Eowdrin appeared on the bench beside me.

“What happened to your hand?” She asked in a hushed tone.

“Wormtongue.” I answered simply and I heard her inhale quietly.

“Did he attack you?” She whispered, and I resisted the urge to laugh.

“Quite the opposite actually.” I smiled wryly as I examined my hand and grimaced at my split knuckles, “Looking back now I probably should have gone for his jaw… Going for the teeth probably wasn’t my best idea.”

Eowdrin was quiet for a moment as she processed this. “I’m glad somebody stood up to him… I never liked him.” She sighed, “The way he used to look at me and Eówyn…” She broke off with a shudder just as Aragorn sat across from me at the table. I sighed and turned towards him, firing him a ‘What is it now?’ glance. He gestured for me to hold out my hand and I rolled my eyes as I complied. He carefully wiped away the blood with a damp cloth and I hissed in pain each time the cloth he was using brushed across the wound. He apologised softly as I glared at the table, wondering why he always seemed to be patching me up. I only looked up as I heard the doors to the hall being flung open. My eyes widened in alarm as I saw Gandalf and Théoden walking in each carrying a small child. I was about to stand and go help them, but Aragorn pulled me back so he could quickly finish bandaging my fingers together.

“Thanks.” I mumbled quickly as I stood and the two children were set on the bench Eówyn was sitting on. One was a girl who couldn’t have been any older than six; the other was a boy who looked around ten. They looked like they were brother and sister. I watched as orders were given to find them food, and I glanced to Eowdrin who stood at my side, anxiously looking on as the children were set at the table.

“What happened?” I asked as bowls of soup were placed in front of the children.

“They appeared on a horse, the boy was unconscious.” Théoden murmured solemnly. I walked forward and sat opposite the children with Eowdrin at my side. Eówyn wrapped a blanket around the little girl as we waited for them to finish eating before we stared bombarding them with questions.

“Did you come from the Westfold?” Eowdrin finally asked, and the boy looked up, nodding.

“Yes, I am Eothain and this is Freda.” He gestured to himself and his sister, “Our village there was attacked by Wild men, and strange creatures. They were like orcs, but more powerful.” He answered, his eyes nervously flickering around the room.

“Uruk-Hai…” I mumbled under my breath as I ran one hand through my hair.

“They burnt our homes, and our mother only just had time to send us away.” He continued as his sister looked up, and Eówyn stood and walked over to Théoden.