Ch. 22:   “We Leave at First Light…”   

Silent until she stepped inside and her emotions shouted their outrage.  Duty and anger warred loudly within her.  Duty said she needed to make ready for the move to Dunharrow.  It was quite the undertaking, and she only had the Apprentice and Youth Éored to help organize and make ready the inhabitants of Edoras.  Anger flared that she only had the young Éoreds because the Riders had ridden off to honor and valor and she was once left behind with the young, the old and the infirm. She felt useless and an afterthought, but then she looked around at the faces that now watched her with such expectation and no less love.  Beyond that she saw fear and trepidation in their eyes.  Realizing that she could not let these people, her people down, she shoved her anger aside.  There was no time to indulge in selfish emotion when so much needed doing.  She said in a clear and what she hoped was  a confident voice, “The King has ridden and has given instruction that we make our way to the safety,”  the word sounded craven within her heart but she struggled to keep her emotions in check, “of Dunharrow.”  Her eyes fell on Thilda, “Please make ready the provisions for the journey, much will be needed and I know that you know what will be needed.”  The head cook nodded and put her shoulders back with pride, “I do, My lady! At once, My lady!”  

Éowyn looked to her left and saw Háláf.  At first she was a bit shocked to see him and not Hama at the door.  She once again reminded herself silently that the apprentice Riders, of which Háláf was now a proud member, did not join the muster, instead they were called and tasked to take charge of the youth Eored and to assume the place of the Door Wardens and other duties normally the responsibility of the Muster.  They were to also lend assistance to Éowyn as Steward to her people in whatever she had need of.  “Háláf!” 

He sprung to her side with the exuberance of youth, fist on heart and head bowed, “My lady, what is your need?”  He was so young and yet he spoke with the voice of a Rider awaiting his superior’s orders.  It made Éowyn sad that Háláf would have to grow up so quickly as he and his fellow apprentice riders would have to marshal the citizenry for the move.  She saw resolve and determination in his eyes.  Young though he was, she knew his heart and that he was ready to take on this responsibility.

“Háláf, call the other apprentices together and start the call throughout the city to make ready for the journey ahead.  Inform the citizenry we must move quickly so to pack only what is needed.  Any carts available are to assemble at the stables to await instructions at first light.  Any questions refer them to me.”

“At once, My lady!” Fist on heart and head bowed; he moved off to see to this task. 

First orders given she looked down at her corslet incongruously place over her finery and realized more serviceable attire was necessary.  She went quickly to her bower and knew that Waerith, unflappable as ever, had already anticipated such a need.  She entered her bower only to see Wilda laying out a durable shift and her loose fitting dark green sleeveless kirtle laying across the bed.  It was then that she was reminded of the fact that she had given Waerith leave to visit family in Aldburg; her niece had just given birth a few days past.  She looked at Wilda and looked again at what had been laid out, “Thank you, Wilda. Waerith has been training you well. Thank you for anticipating what I need.”  She grasped at her Wilda's hands.

Wilda stumbled out, "Thank you, My Lady.  Waerith is a good teacher."

Éowyn smiled, "Aye, she is that." And another kernel of worry took residence in her heart. She prayed that Waerith was safe in her travels to Aldburg. 

Wilda said trying to proceed as Waerith would, “Right!  Let us get this off you!" as she set to unbuckle the corslet, "There is much to be done!”  

Eowyn smiled in encouragement to the young girl training to be a lady's maid. "Right!  Let's!"

Quickly donning the shift and kirtle and travel boots, Éowyn turned to Wilda, “Pack up the essentials for the morning and meet me in the Great Hall.  There are a few things I must attend to personally.”

Wilda bobbed her head, “At once my lady!”

Éowyn smiled and left the room after taking a quick look around, her heart gripping at the fact of how much had changed in the space of hours.  Upheaval that will unsettle all. There was one particular set of people she needed to see to personally.  She headed down to the lower levels of Edoras.  She felt compelled to see Holdlith to make sure she had everything in order for the move.  While enroute to the lower edges she met the eye of everyone she could, trying to present a confident air about their journey.  Another duty, but not one she felt burdened by.  She walked among her people and her smile was returned with a look of respect and acceptance.  

“Oh my lady,” one of the householders, Eadfa called to her, coming forward, “Gwenrith is not well. I am worried she will not survive the journey!”  Éowyn paused, she knew that Gwenrith had not been well for some time.  The journey would do her no favors.

She clasped his calloused hands, Eadfa was a skilled carpenter, but he had been lamed by an accident two years past.  All that could be done had been done but he still walked with a limp.  The journey would not be easy on either of them.  “Eadfa,” she said in a low but confident voice.  “I know the journey won’t be easy but we go because we must.”  She looked around and saw another apprentice Rider tasked with mustering the citizenry.  “Elfwine! Come here!”

The youth approached fist on heart, “My lady!”

She knew the boy, having watched him along with Háláf training in the Youth Eored. They had been also been elevated together.  He had a good heart.  “Elfwine.  I am tasking you with being the guardian to Eadfa and his wife.  You are to be of service to them in any way they need.  Be with them. Am I clear?”  

“Aye my lady!” Elfwine’s voice cracked a bit as he spoke.  Éowyn’s heart gripped once again thinking about how these boys were having responsibility thrust upon them at still too young an age.  She knew she needed to stop thinking this way.  She needed to be dispassionate in her decision making.  But she knew her people and the problems that many of them faced.  From the young riders being asked to grow up too quickly to the elderly inhabitants of Edoras, many of whom were finding this sudden upheaval after years of peace difficult to deal with.  Eadfa and his wife were a clear example of the difficulties this move was creating.  

She continued down to the lower edges and reached Holdlith’s small home and as she entered she realized that she need not have worried, at least about Holdlith.  She found the old woman scurrying about making ready.  Her chicken coup was covered and her beehive had already been bedded for winter in October.  She entered to see Holdlith sweeping down her floor.  “I should have known.”

Holdlith looked up from her efforts and Éowyn caught a resolve in her light blue eyes, “Can’t have the place untidy.  It wouldn’t do to come home to untidiness.” 

Éowyn smiled, “No it wouldn’t do at all.”  She spied a couple of pottery jars and smiled.  They held some of Holdlith’s very potent, very delicious mead that she was lucky enough to have sampled.  The old woman followed Éowyn’s eyes, “Aye, well.  It is medicinal!”  

Éowyn smiled, “That it is, my friend!  That it is!” she said remembering all the times they and whichever Rider was in attendance had shared this “medicine.”  All the laughter and some tears they had within these walls. They shared a look that said more than the current moment allowed.  A look that spoke to the past shared and the tenuous times ahead of them and the absolute need to keep moving forward because it was only momentum that kept the crippling sadness of the moment at bay.  Éowyn wanted to say as much but there was no time.  She took the broom and set it aside and grasped both of Holdlith’s hands for a moment trying not to notice how frail they seemed.  “Meet me at the stables of Meduseld at first light.”  Holdlith looked at her in mild surprise at the odd request.  “No gainsaying.  Meet me at the stables.”  

The frail grasp turned firm. “Aye, My lady!  Now go! You have a thousand more things to tend to than fussing over me!”

Éowyn smiled ruefully and nodded her agreement and then departed.

She looked in quickly on Déor and Saeryth, Háláf’s parents to see how they were faring.  Déor had a chronic aching back, probably from constantly bent over his potter’s wheel and she wanted to make sure they had everything that they needed for the move and if she could help in anyway as Háláf was leading the apprentice Eored across the city.  She tapped on the door and called, “Hello!”

She heard, “Déor, leave it be.  It will have to do!”  The door opened and Saeryth appeared, “My Lady!  So good it is to you…but what are you doing here?  Don’t you have many things to look to?  What with the move and all?”

Éowyn smiled, “Aye!  And you are chief among them.  I had to come and see if I can help in any way with Háláf off on his duties with the apprentice Eored.”

Déor’s voice was heard coming in from the workshop, “Have you seen the extra straw for packing?”  He entered the room proper and saw Éowyn, “Oh Hello, My Lady! What are you doing here?  Shouldn’t you be organizing.”

“If I can’t make sure that those I care about most have what they need what good is any of it?”  Éowyn relented a bit, “Arrangements are in place but I needed to see you two to see what if anything is needed.”

“No, My Lady!” Saeryth answered, “Háláf nipped in here quickly to see us and we told him the same thing! We are all right…if I can convince Déor to stop fretting about his potter’s wheel.”

Déor looked a little abashed.  Éowyn’s heart went out the potter.  “Déor, I hate that any of this is necessary.  That this upheaval is being wrought upon us all.  Good people shouldn’t have to think about this.  Should not have to make these choices and live with whatever consequences might occur because of them.  But know this.  You will be taken care of,” Déor made to say something, but Éowyn stilled his words, “I know that you can take care of yourselves, but this is the King’s duty to see his people put right and made whole.  You take pride in your independence and aye, it is something to be valued but help when needed will be given because that is what a King does.  He helps his people to see them whole again.  We will go forth to Dunharrow and we will return and begin our lives once again.  But remember we go together. There for each other before and after.”  Éowyn looked sternly at both of them, “Anything you need, send Háláf or any other Rider to Meduseld and I will see to it!”  She hugged them both and took her leave.

As she scaled the main pathway upwards she heard a young voice call her name.  She turned and saw Háláf approaching from the lower levels, “My lady!” he nodded, fist on heart, “All have been made aware!”

“Good!  Thank you, Háláf for swiftly completing the task.”  She gave him an approving nod and quick smile and took a brief moment to notice how Háláf glowed under her praise. “I’ve just seen your parents, your father is stubborn as ever!”  

Háláf nodded, “Aye!  He will never admit to needing anything!  Though his back is aching him more than usual and more frequently.

Éowyn frowned.  She would speak to Leoulf as soon as she got back to the Golden Hall about what medicines he would taking along on the journey.  She took a deep breath to refocus on the task at hand.  "Háláf,  I need you now take the apprentice Eored and divide up between you and go to different parts of the city.  Go door to door to render whatever help is needed.”  Then she remembered to inform him, “Elfwine has a specific detail so leave him aside but take the other twenty-four.  We mean to leave as close to first light in the morning as is possible.”

“Aye, My lady!”  Head bowed, fist on heart Háláf affirmed, “It shall be done!  

Éowyn looked at the urgent industry around her as she walked up the road.  Decisions being made; resources being shared out.  She was proud of her people the way they were pulling together to see this done.  At that moment as if to disprove her observation a disgruntled shout was heard as she passed returning to Meduseld.  She sighed, it would have to be the upper levels.  Her people on the lower levels were pulling together. The noble families who dwelt within Edoras for the winter; they were a different story.  Éowyn neared the house where the disturbance was heard, she paused.  It was Saelith’s house.  “Of course it is!”  Éowyn muttered under her breath.  Saelith’s husband, Haere was part of the Eored of Edoras, one of the lieutenants to Elfhelm in fact.  A hard-working young man, Éowyn could never understand what Haere saw in Saelith.  She shook her head to clear it of these extraneous thoughts.  He had of course left with Elfhelm's  Eored some days earlier.  As she climbed the few steps to their house, she heard Saelith’s petulant voice.

“I cannot possibly leave without at least these three trunks!”  Éowyn stepped inside the open doorway, arms folded across her chest to see Saelith, who only came up to Leoufwine’s chest, but with a face of indignant fury she seemed to be quelling the lanky young Rider.  Holding forth, “I do not see why I am only allowed one small trunk when I have so much that I would save from the rampaging horde.”  Éowyn silently but briefly commiserated with the young Rider who was the grandson of Leoulf, the King’s healer who had seen to many of her bruises and scrapes over the years.  Those that could be explained away as the exuberance of youth and not ones due to training, Gamhelm had taken care of those.  She smiled ruefully as she pondered upon whether Leoufwine now doubted his decision to become a Rider and not study the healing arts with his grandfather.  Saelith continued, “And why must I allow others to use space on my cart.  Don’t they have their own?”

Éowyn’s temper flared at those words, “Many don’t!” she spoke in a forceful clipped voice, interrupting Saelith’s rant.  Both the occupants of the room looked at her, faces holding vastly dissimilar looks.  Leoufwine’s held one of surprise and then supplication; Saelith’s of indignant fury and mute disdain.  Éowyn said to the young Rider, “I give you leave, Leoufwine.  Await my coming at the steps.  Lady Saelith and I must speak.” She leveled a look directly at Saelith. The youth bowed his head, fist on heart and Éowyn met his very grateful look in his eyes as he departed, “Aye, my lady.” Éowyn, with effort, reigned in her fury, icing it into to a cold burn as she turned to stare at Saelith.  “And even if they did, the fewer carts on the trail to Dunharrow, the faster we will be.” 

Saelith stood there, disdain still resident upon her face, “I must leave everything I own and travel with others” again with the derisive inflection, “upon the trail to Dunharrow. Why?”

Éowyn bit back every sarcastic retort that came to mind and said levelly and with as much dignity as she could muster, “Because the King commands it.  He would see ALL his people safe.  He leads the Muster of Edoras north to do battle and has commanded me to lead our people south to safety,” again she tried to scrub her disdain for the word from her speech, “I will not deny the King’s edict.  Will you?”  She locked eyes with her childhood nemesis, “We leave at first light.  On the green at the foot of Meduseld with your cart.  Be ready with your one trunk because only one will be taken.  I must attend to other matters.”  With that she turned on her boot heel and left without looking back.

She saw Leoulfwine still alongside the door.  He had a look of awed admiration and was about to speak, she silenced him with a quick look as she descended the stairs from Saelith’s house, motioning him to leave with her.  As soon as they stepped down from the last step, she muttered “Odious woman!” and then realised she had let the word slip. She quickly looked at Leoufwine, “You did not hear me say that!” she said sternly but with an amused glint in her eye. 

“Of course not,” Leoulfwine stated, though more softly, “But I do agree.”

Éowyn looked at him, silent agreement in her eyes, “But I do want you to be at her door tomorrow at first light.”  The young Rider’s eyes were awash in chagrin but he nodded affirmatively.  She continued compassionately, “Not at all duties are pleasant but she is the King’s subject and therefore worthy of protection.” she paused and conspiratorially added, “And we need her cart!”

Leoufwine’s voice held amusement, “Aye, my lady.”

Éowyn eyed him, “Still happy you chose the path of the Rider and not that of Healer?”

“Aye, my lady!” but he added with a look back at the house, “But there are days…”

Éowyn smiled, “Continue along the houses and then tell the Riders we will meet in the Golden Hall for a small dinner before sleep.”

“Aye, My lady!”  I shall pass the word along!” He bobbed his head and reversed course to continue his charge.

Éowyn looked after him and continued to her next destination, the stables.

~*~*~*~*~

She entered the stables to discuss the move with Gamhelm.  The burly older man was rushing about, seeing to the horses that had been left.  Palfreys and a few mares and Éowyn’s Lightning were still in the stables.  They would be needed to either pull carts or be mounts for those who would have trouble walking the thirty miles through the mountains to Dunharrow.  

She heard Gamhelm instructing a stable boy to make sure all the horses got a larger portion of hay than they usually did, “Make sure they all get three fourth hay with a little added beet pulp.  It will help them on the journey.  The dears don’t usually make long journeys.  Mostly pleasure riding for them these days!”

“Pity that we are all being stretched, Gamhelm.  They have earned their rest and now they must work!”

Gamhelm turned, “My lady!”  he said cheerfully as he could manage but the distressed note in her voice did not go unnoticed nor the look in her eye.  He took a beat and then said to Haldreth, “Off with you now, start their dinner,”  Haldreth nodded to Éowyn and went off the feed stores to ready the horses’ evening meal.

Gamhelm just looked at Éowyn, waiting for her to talk.  She held her stoic mien trying to brazen through what she was feeling, just looking at Gamhelm eyes filled with restrained emotion.  “My lady, did you need to speak to me of the move?” he suggested, sensing she needed a direction from the look in her eye,  “Shall we retire to my workroom?”

Éowyn managed, “Aye, Gamhelm.  I think that would be wise.” with as much decorum as she could manage.  

Once in the workroom Gamhelm shut the door as Éowyn perched on the stool she had been using since she was a child of eight.  She looked at Gamhelm, still silent.  He looked at her, his warm brown eyes filled with understanding and smiled.  “My lady.  We’ve no pretenses here. You know that.  So much has happened within the last couple of days.  No need for a brave face with me.’’  He could see the storm tossed torment in her eyes and ached for her and all that was expected of her.  

Éowyn looked at the face of the older man that she had loved second only to her uncle.  She tried to say something sensible and full of importance but everything that had happened over the last few days slammed full force into the emotional wall she had built.  It crumbled in an instant and the tears flowed.  Tears of happiness, Tears of frustration, Tears of anger, Tears of sadness mingling haphazardly; she could no longer make distinction.  She felt herself gathered up in a huge bear hug as if she were a little girl again.  “Shh!  Shhh! My lady!  Let it all out!  A heart as big as your can get so full that it just has come out!  That’s it!  Just have a good cry my lady! You need to!”  Gamhelm rocked her back and forth,  “That’s it!” he hugged her until all her tears were spent.   Time became meaningless as he wondered why nobody disturbed them.  By this time Éomer or Theodred would have come looking for her. He realised in a flash that there was no one else.  Her uncle and brother had ridden out earlier and Theodred rested with his kin under Simbelmynë.  She was truly alone.  His heart broke for his spirited daughter for that was how he thought of her, the daughter he and Gamwen not been blessed with. They had two grown sons but sons were different; He hugged her tighter.  He was all she had and silently a tear dropped. He cleared his throat of the emotion that had gathered there and grabbed a clean tack cloth and gave it to her to wipe her eyes and blow her nose.  

Éowyn looked at him and noticed his shirt was now quite damp, “Gamhelm, your shirt!”

“Never you mind, it’ll dry and no harm done,”  he said as gruffly as he could manage. 

“Sorry I didn’t mean to cry so much.  A fine steward I am!”  Éowyn stated, then gave a tear soaked laugh. “I don’t know what I'm doing!”

“Pish! My lady!” Gamhelm countered,  “Of course you do.  You are doing exactly as you are needing to!  Marshalling the young Riders, Giving comfort and guidance!  You are doing splendidly.  I’ve had young Riders in here telling me of your instruction.  So much has happened in so quick a time.  And I am here. Whatever you need of me!  I am here!”  He stated emphatically.

Éowyn smiled a teary smile and wiped her eyes one last time and threw her shoulders back, “Thank you, Gamhelm… Right! On to business.”  The storm tossed tempests within her blue eyes swirled with less force, Gamhelm observed, his heart marveling at her spirit.  “I know that the horses will be fighting fit for the journey.” Éowyn continued,  “I have asked that carts that we are taking be lined up outside the stables to be harnessed to the available horses.  Is that workable?”

Gamhelm looked at her, “That is a sound plan, My lady!”  his eyes full of admiration for her resilience and spirit.  He loved this child of fire and light.  

Éowyn was once again focusing on the task and missed the tear of pride that slipped from the old man’s eyes,  “We leave at first light…”

~*~*~*~