Song of Eowyn: The Advent of the King (3) (new chapter, sorry) -- The Beta Board

[ Show ]

Support VoyForums

[ Shrink ]

VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, [4] ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 20:30:19 03/14/03 Fri
Author: ~delle
Subject: Song of Eowyn: The Advent of the King (3) (new chapter, sorry)
In reply to: ~delle 's message, "Non LFN Story" on 18:32:51 03/03/03 Mon

Three days passed, three short days and long nights in which Th�odred�s life slowly drained away. Eowyn kept vigil by his bedside, never leaving him, even for sleep. Instead, she napped on a pallet of cloaks on the floor of the sick room.

On the fourth day she awoke with the dawn, shivering in the pale light of another cold, cold day. She rose to light the fire and glanced over at Th�odred. His eyes were closed, his mouth partially opened, but no breath raised the blanket.

The fire abandoned, she crossed to the bed and touched his gently. His face was cold, his body stiff. He had departed, then, sometime in the night as she slept at his feet. Grief threatened to overcome her; �owyn bit back tears as she slipped into the chair where �omer had sat, so recently, so long ago.

�Hail, Th�odred, son of Th�oden. Be welcome in the halls of your ancestors, dearest cousin,� she whispered. �Be at ease. I must inform your father and then will I return to care for you as your honor deserves.� It took both hands to lift her from the chair; at the doorway she turned to look back at the body. She pushed the welling sorrow down and left the room.

�My lord, your son is dead.� Her voice crackling with sorrow, �owyn knelt on the cold stone floor at Th�oden�s feet.. On the throne, the King sat staring blindly off to one side. �My lord? Uncle? Will you not go to him?�

There was no hovering Grima present to prevent her; �owyn rose to her feet, took Th�oden King by the shoulders and shook him. �Th�oden, son of Thengel, you must cast off this weakness. You need to come to your son�s bedside. You need �� her voice caught and broke on a sob. She covered her mouth with shaking hands, backed away from the throne and forced the tears back down her throat. Kneeling again at the King�s feet, she took his cold unresponsive hands in her own. She stroked his wizened hands, the thick yellow fingernails and pallid wrinkled skin �My lord, you need to preside at your son�s funeral. Do not lay this burden on your �owyn, lord.� She lay her head on his hands, imploringly. �Please, my lord, my King, you must come back to us. Your people need you. Rohan needs you. Your son needs you.� She raised her head and stared into his worn face, into his expressionless eyes staring over her head into empty space. �Please, my lord, I need you.�

Breathless, she waited for his response. Long seconds ticked past and still the King stayed motionless. He hadn�t even looked at her or acknowledged her presence.

Sickened and bewildered, �owyn got to her feet. Her throat was tight with grief, her words barely above a whisper. �Will you do nothing?�

She dropped a deep curtsy to the King and slowly walked out of the room, wiping her wet cheeks as she left.

As she reached the doorway to Th�odred�s room, Grima sidled up next to her. �Good morrow, my Lady.�

She drew her skirts aside, not wanting any form of contact and passed him by silently.

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

[> [> This is really compelling, ~d... (r) -- Cynaera, 10:19:48 04/17/03 Thu

I'm currently reading The Two Towers, and I never got the perception that Theoden was so wizened and helpless. Unless he's being drugged/hypnotized by Grima (a la "Jafar" in "Aladdin,") his lack of reaction seems to me inexplicable. And doesn't he later take up with Aragorn and Gimli, or are you branching completely away from canon to explore other options?

Whatever the case, I really like this so far. Glad you corrected the spelling of "Theoden" - WHAT would we do without Nestra? I haven't yet seen "TTT" (I'm waiting for the full-meal deal on DVD) so I suspect there are a lot of elements within your story of which I'm not aware. Please take everything I say with a grain of salt, especially if that grain of salt is in cahoots with other grains of salt on the edge of a margarita glass.

I'll keep checking in here to see what new chapters you post. I'm hoping for a steamy love-scene between �owyn and Aragorn... ::giggle::

Hugs and love,
Cyn

[ Post a Reply to This Message ]
[ Edit | View ]

[> [> Oh yes, please, please give us more of this story! -- Patty, 03:18:56 04/19/03 Sat

[ Post a Reply to This Message ]
[ Edit | View ]