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Translation of Elvish: Mellonen - my friend.
Chapter 24 - A Heart of Stone
Éowyn was sitting by her brother's side, listening to his account of the last battle with Sauron.
Many brave soldiers had fallen to the weapons of the Dark Lord's minions. Too many. Her eyes filled
with tears hearing the names of some of the dead. Men she had known from her early childhood on. And
Éomer was only alive because of Frodo and Sam; those two hobbits had saved Middle-Earth.
Slowly and calmly she then informed her brother and king that she would leave Rohan once her uncle
had been put to rest. "I wish to be with him, Éomer. It is my heart's greatest desire..." The Rohirrim
nodded, "You belong with him, forgive me for not seeing it before." Éowyn pretended to be deep in
thought, "Let's see, you almost killed him, twice if I'm informed correctly. You wanted to make me
choose between the two of you. I almost lost you because of your stupidity..." Éomer looked hurt, but
then he saw the grin on his sister's face.
"Still, you're my brother, and I love you. I think I can forgive you this time..." Strong arms went
around her, pulling her into a tight embrace. "How shall I do without you?" Never had the two
siblings parted for longer than a month. But now it could be well over a year until he would see her
again, if not longer. "You will have to, brother. You're King now, you will have so much to do that
you will forget to miss me." She said the last words with a sigh. "Make me proud of you. Restore
Rohan to its past glory. I know you can do it ... after all, you're my brother."
The two siblings did not realize the presence of another until the servant spoke to Éowyn, "My Lady,
the King sent me to ask you if you cared to join him for a walk..." Éomer looked at his sister,
trying to search her soul for the meaning of this. She just smiled and nodded, "I'll be right there."
Turning to Éomer she added, "There are some things left unsaid between the two of us, and I wish to
settle this before I begin my new life by the side of the one I love."
---
Haldir had been searching for Éowyn ever since he had left the remaining Galadhrim warriors, his
friends of old. He had been told by one of the city guards that the Lady Éowyn had last been see just
outside the city gates, with the King. Had a dagger just pierced his heart? What business did Éowyn
have with Aragorn, of all people? Now he stood on the city wall, looking down at the couple that was
strolling over the meadows beyond the white wall of Minas Tirith.
---
"You wished to speak to me, fair Lady. I'm here, ready to hear whatever you wish to say to me."
Aragorn was holding both Éowyn's hands in his, his dark blue eyes locked with the light blue pools of
hers. "I did, my Lord Aragorn. Nay, it should be 'my King Elessar', shouldn't it?" she smiled, the
first genuine smile he ever saw upon her face. Her life had changed dramatically during the past
months, and now it seemed that she finally had found the peace he could never have given her.
"I wanted to thank you, thank you for saving me. For restoring me ... bringing me back to the one I
love." Understanding registered on the King's face. 'So Legolas has been right, once again. She has
found love in the arms of ... of Haldir...' He still had problems seeing the Guardian of Lórien as
something else than the haughty elf he had known since his first visit to the Golden Wood. But
Haldir's actions on the day of the Battle of the Pelennor... Aragorn smiled to himself remembering
the fury of the silver-haired elf. Éowyn stared at him in question.
With a chuckle he related to her what had happened before he had healed her. Éowyn's eyes grew larger
and larger at the revelations. "He was ready to kill you?" she asked in wonder. "I never knew." The
King raised one of her hands to his lips, kissing it softly. "Well, I can understand him very well.
To think that he had just found you ... the possibility to lose you again, he just couldn't bear it.
Come to think of it, if it had been Legolas..." Éowyn nodded, "I believe you would have acted in a
similar way, would you not?"
Aragorn smiled weakly. Maybe he'd still lose his beloved. He would have to marry, needed an heir.
Would Legolas be able to accept that? As if she could read his mind, Éowyn added, "Your love is strong
enough to see everything through. You are bound, your souls are one." Aragorn stared at her in
disbelief, "How do you..." She shrugged, "Orophin told me many things. He's bound as well ... and I
was curious to find out more about the life of a Lórien elf. After all, Haldir is one," she added
with a smile that reached her eyes and made her shine with a light that came from within.
Slowly Aragorn leaned in and kissed her forehead. "When I saw you standing next to him, I knew that
finally you had found what you once thought to have found in me." He didn't know why, but slowly he
moved his hand under her chin, lifting her face to his. Softly he kissed her cheeks and then for a
fleeting moment brushed his lips over hers. She did not struggle against him, but smiled, "I will
always carry you in my heart as the one who led me to see who I was destined for." Gently she touched
his face with her hand, "Without you, I would still search for my destiny ... for Haldir."
---
Haldir stood thunderstruck. Éowyn, his one and only love ... she had never been his. Now she was with
the one she truly desired, and his heart turned to stone. No one took something away from him, not
without paying for it. And he would make Aragorn pay, if it was the last thing he did. And what of
Legolas, the Prince had bound his soul to the King of Gondor. Yet another reason to seek out revenge.
Éowyn, his beloved sun-maiden. She had betrayed him. Had she ever been truthful towards him?
Probably, while she still hated him. How could he have forgotten that she was of lesser blood then
him? Just like Aragorn. Humans were known for their abilities to deceive and manipulate. He had been
entangled in her web of lies before he even realized it. A new feeling took hold of his soul, need
for revenge, anger and hatred.
Quickly he left the battlements and went up to the palace again. He would attend the royal dinner as
if nothing had happened. And then he would have a little chat with Aragorn, a chat that would involve
the use of his twin knives...
---
The sun was about to set, and Aragorn and Éowyn made their way back to the seventh ring of the city.
In two days Aragorn would be crowned, would finally take over what had been his fate from his birth
on. He looked at the woman who walked by his side. Her face was gleaming with happiness and for a
short moment he wished he had given her this joy. She would have been a wonderful queen, and he would
have been able to love her. But it would have never been enough. His heart and soul belonged to
Legolas, and never would he part with the elven Prince, not while his heart was beating.
They entered the banqueting hall together, oblivious to the cold gaze that mustered them from out of
a corner. Aragorn led Éowyn to a seat and leaned down to kiss her hand once more. Only then did
Haldir leave the corner and caught the eye of Éowyn. She smiled, and quickly pointed at a seat next
to her. She was startled when he shook his head and ventured further down the table, taking up a seat
far away from her.
"What is wrong with him?" the soft voice of Legolas whispered in her ear. She looked up, shaking her
head in frustration. "I don't know. Perhaps he just wishes to spend more time with his friends." She
gestured towards where Haldir sat amongst the Galadhrim warriors. Legolas nodded, "Then do you mind
if I take his place by your side?" Éowyn smiled, "Of course not."
Soon Éomer sat by his sister's other side, while Orophin had taken up a seat next to Legolas. The
Prince of Mirkwood inquired after Rúmil, causing Éowyn to laugh and almost choke on her wine.
"What is so funny?" Instead of answering, she only indicated towards the door where just in that
moment both Rúmil and Faramir appeared. Whatever they had done until now, it had resulted in the
destruction of Rúmil's braids.
Legolas' head snapped from Rúmil to Orophin and back to Éowyn. "Let me put it that way. Rúmil has
followed his brother's example and, well, got involved with a human." She had problems speaking
because she was still chuckling hard. Orophin added in a more serious tone, "He finally grew up and
left his childish games behind him, it seems. He wishes to remain at Minas Tirith with Lord Faramir.
I am sure that you will find a way to explain that to Aragorn, will you not?" he added with a grin.
---
The banquet was over. And some guests couldn't leave quickly enough. Legolas grinned at Éowyn as
Rúmil and Faramir practically ran out of the hall. "That reminds me, you would not mind if I excused
myself. There are some important matters I wish to discuss with Aragorn." But he had no time to
leave, for in that very moment...
Haldir had been watching Éowyn all evening. Now was the time to make her see what she had lost. But
then, she had never really wanted it. Slowly he had made his way towards her seat and now stood
behind her.
"Haldir, mellonen," Legolas exclaimed. The Lórien elf nodded to the Prince. Éowyn was about to rise
but then felt two strong hands push her down into her seat. "But Haldir," confusion had once again
taken over her whole being, and she looked at her beloved shocked to see the coldness in his eyes.
"Leave me alone, would you? And never come under my eyes again," he snarled. He was turning away,
about to take care of his appointment with Aragorn when Éowyn's small hand closed about his wrist.
"Haldir, what is wrong with you?" Haldir glared at her. 'Your pleading voice will not help you this
time.' Aloud he snapped, "Let go of me." He forced his hand from her grip and stormed out of the
hall. Éowyn stared after him, unable to comprehend what had just happened. It were Éomer's words that
brought her back to reality. "I'll teach him ... how dare he treat you like this." Legolas
interrupted him, "No, I think it would be better if Orophin and I would confront him. After all, I do
not think that Éowyn would be too happy to find him slaughtered."
She was too shocked to speak, and so she only nodded. The look she gave both elves conveyed her
message, 'Thank you...' Slowly she stood, firmly shaking her head as she felt her brother rise as
well. She walked through the corridors of the palace as if in a trance, only stopping once she was in
the gardens again, sitting in the same place she had occupied the day she had seen Rúmil and Faramir.
Her body leaned against the same willow, only this time her mind was not at peace but in turmoil.
What had she done to Haldir to deserve such treatment?
She pulled her legs up to her body. Her arms encircled her shins, head resting on her knees. She felt
lost, as if someone had just pulled the ground she stood upon from under her. Haldir's eyes haunted
her, so cold and filled with only one feeling, utmost contempt. Only once she had seen him like this
before. That night at Helm's Deep when she had been still infatuated with Aragorn. Could it be that
this was the reason for his actions once again?
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