‹ Prequel: A Mistake
Sequel: An Acceptance ›
A Burden
Lost!
The two strode through the upper levels of the Golden Hall, Raina following Èowyn to an unknown destination.
“You are a remarkable girl, Raina,” Èowyn said as they walked. “Putting yourself into this trouble like you have.”
Raina blushed, looking at her feet for inspiration of what to say. “It really isn’t anything… I just followed my brother, intending on protecting him as he discovered his path.
“I ended up finding my own, instead.”
Èowyn smiled sadly. “You are very lucky to have gotten the opportunity. And what is your path? I assume that it is with the Elf, yes?”
At this Raina laughed. “No, no… He’s just my new brother. We just met each other… five months ago, I suppose. He was the first Elf I had ever really encountered, so it was nice to feel like I actually belonged, so we’ve stuck together since. I’m mostly Elf, you see…”
The other woman nodded. “I see your necklace. It shines with the same unnatural light as the Ranger’s. Or should I say the king’s?”
Raina answered firmly. “He wishes to stay a Ranger, exiled from his people. But soon, he will return as king. I can see it now…” A small smile of hope grew on the Elf’s lips.
Èowyn turned into a large oaken doorway, revealing a large room that was obviously set aside for royalty. Once inside, the woman promptly began looking through her many dresses and encouraged Raina to make herself at home. She sat on the bed and watched the noblewoman curiously.
Finally she asked. “My- erm, Èowyn, what is it that you are doing?”
Èowyn let out a short laugh. “Finding you a dress to wear while you are here, of course. I see how uncomfortable you are in what you wear now. It was okay while you were with your family, so to say, but with all these unfamiliar men watching you, you need something else…”
Raina bit her lip, but did not deny it. “How did you know?”
Èowyn smiled to herself. “I didn’t actually see the intrusive boys… Rather, you Elf’s reaction,” she paused, gazing at a pale blue dress before tossing it down with the others that would not do. “He is quite smitten with you, you know.”
Raina blushed this time. “He is just protective… just like my brother, nothing more…” Èowyn made a noise of disbelief, but let it go.
“This one!” she said triumphantly, holding the pale olive green dress up for Raina to see. It had sleeves that swept the floor, and an olive green robe lined with dark green ribbon. The white bodice would be quite form fitting, but still must better than the war outfit she had on at the moment.
She smiled thanks, and Èowyn called two handmaids to help her out of her dirty clothes and into her new ones. She couldn’t help but giggle at the expressions of the girls when the knives strapped to her thighs were revealed. She also couldn’t help but notice how Èowyn pursed her lips and stared off out the window wistfully. Once the handmaids left, Raina spoke.
“You wish to fight, do you not?” she asked softly as the lady kept looking out the window. After a moment, she nodded.
Raina watched her for a moment longer.
“Well, I have too many weapons for my own good. They’re Elvish made, and that has to be worth something… if you want anything, you’re welcome to it.”
Èowyn looked up at Raina in surprise. “You’re encouraging me… to fight?”
Raina nodded slowly. “If that is what you wish, you should be able to. Why not?”
Èowyn smiled at the prospect of fighting for what she believed in. “They say I can’t because I’m a woman, and fragile,” at this, Raina snorted. “And that I need to be here if the men should not return.”
Raina looked Èowyn dead in the eye. “If the men do not return… you will wish that you were not living either.
“So… on that note, I have an extra sword!”
“You are a remarkable girl, Raina,” Èowyn said as they walked. “Putting yourself into this trouble like you have.”
Raina blushed, looking at her feet for inspiration of what to say. “It really isn’t anything… I just followed my brother, intending on protecting him as he discovered his path.
“I ended up finding my own, instead.”
Èowyn smiled sadly. “You are very lucky to have gotten the opportunity. And what is your path? I assume that it is with the Elf, yes?”
At this Raina laughed. “No, no… He’s just my new brother. We just met each other… five months ago, I suppose. He was the first Elf I had ever really encountered, so it was nice to feel like I actually belonged, so we’ve stuck together since. I’m mostly Elf, you see…”
The other woman nodded. “I see your necklace. It shines with the same unnatural light as the Ranger’s. Or should I say the king’s?”
Raina answered firmly. “He wishes to stay a Ranger, exiled from his people. But soon, he will return as king. I can see it now…” A small smile of hope grew on the Elf’s lips.
Èowyn turned into a large oaken doorway, revealing a large room that was obviously set aside for royalty. Once inside, the woman promptly began looking through her many dresses and encouraged Raina to make herself at home. She sat on the bed and watched the noblewoman curiously.
Finally she asked. “My- erm, Èowyn, what is it that you are doing?”
Èowyn let out a short laugh. “Finding you a dress to wear while you are here, of course. I see how uncomfortable you are in what you wear now. It was okay while you were with your family, so to say, but with all these unfamiliar men watching you, you need something else…”
Raina bit her lip, but did not deny it. “How did you know?”
Èowyn smiled to herself. “I didn’t actually see the intrusive boys… Rather, you Elf’s reaction,” she paused, gazing at a pale blue dress before tossing it down with the others that would not do. “He is quite smitten with you, you know.”
Raina blushed this time. “He is just protective… just like my brother, nothing more…” Èowyn made a noise of disbelief, but let it go.
“This one!” she said triumphantly, holding the pale olive green dress up for Raina to see. It had sleeves that swept the floor, and an olive green robe lined with dark green ribbon. The white bodice would be quite form fitting, but still must better than the war outfit she had on at the moment.
She smiled thanks, and Èowyn called two handmaids to help her out of her dirty clothes and into her new ones. She couldn’t help but giggle at the expressions of the girls when the knives strapped to her thighs were revealed. She also couldn’t help but notice how Èowyn pursed her lips and stared off out the window wistfully. Once the handmaids left, Raina spoke.
“You wish to fight, do you not?” she asked softly as the lady kept looking out the window. After a moment, she nodded.
Raina watched her for a moment longer.
“Well, I have too many weapons for my own good. They’re Elvish made, and that has to be worth something… if you want anything, you’re welcome to it.”
Èowyn looked up at Raina in surprise. “You’re encouraging me… to fight?”
Raina nodded slowly. “If that is what you wish, you should be able to. Why not?”
Èowyn smiled at the prospect of fighting for what she believed in. “They say I can’t because I’m a woman, and fragile,” at this, Raina snorted. “And that I need to be here if the men should not return.”
Raina looked Èowyn dead in the eye. “If the men do not return… you will wish that you were not living either.
“So… on that note, I have an extra sword!”