Cushions

My dear Lothíriel, thank you both for writing and for protecting Faramir from those women. I do not think he would be tempted by them, but he does seem very busy and they would take up his time.

Lothíriel found herself smiling even before she read any further. She didn’t think Faramir even noticed the way some of the women were already making eyes at him, despite him still being in mourning for his brother and father. Being dedicated to his work, and so clearly starry-eyed over Éowyn, were sufficient ‘protection’ in their own right.

She smiled too, at the realisation that only scant months ago she would have been offering to accompany Faramir into dinners, and to dance with him, because she wanted him to see her as adult… and desirable. Now she realised that blond hair, a tendency to wear green, and a voice with just the hint of a Rohirric accent when speaking Westron, were all required for a man to be truly desirable.

She returned to the letter.

You must forgive my hand and the likely blots, I am not a good penswoman. We are a people who use our memories and voices to record things, for the written word is flat and cannot be warm or cold, fast or slow, like spoken words. But I do realise writing is the only way to converse over the distance between Édoras and Minas Tirith.

Éomer says I can ask the scribe to write for me but if I write my words to you on my own I hope my hand will improve faster. I know it is a skill I will need when I marry your cousin. And my brother is very observant; if he saw I wrote to Faramir in my own hand, but not so to you, he might wonder what I do not want to tell the scribe.

Lothíriel found her smile getting wider. She was going to enjoy this correspondence with Éowyn for her new friend wrote just as openly as she spoke. The next words, though, brought a serious expression quite quickly.

You are right that the men do not usually think how the food gets onto the table, nor who makes sure their beds are clean. But it is clear to Éomer now that whilst keeping those who dwell in Meduseld fed and warm is my place until I wed, or he does, as our king he must be concerned about how the people of the whole Mark will survive.

I found our pantries here bare of much, for food stored last year has been eaten by those who sought refuge within the walls, and the lands which should be planted by now have not been, for only old men, boys, and women were here to plough. And ploughing is not usually women’s work, it is thought to bring poor luck and a poor harvest. Planting seed is men’s work, for the soil is like a woman’s body that nurtures and bring forth from the seeds delivered into it. The women see to the use of the crop once grown, just as they see to the upbringing of the child once born.

The women took up the plough anyway, but did not venture beyond running distance from the walls until the éoreds returned, for the defeat of the Evil One did not mean no more orcs in the Mark.

It will be worse away from Édoras. The orcs despoiled much of the land, and the wells. And so many men are dead or unfit that I cannot see how we will have enough food for even those who have survived.

Éomer is sending riders out through the land to report on who lives, and how much food they can produce for, even though it is still spring, he fears people will starve come winter.

I know you have helped run your father’s household, and that your own people at the coast have suffered at the hands of the corsairs, so I know you will understand and I feel better for telling someone my fears.

Lothíriel thought first of what Éowyn said about the different roles of the men and women when it came to producing food. She didn’t think the same beliefs held in Gondor – but she could understand them, and it would make for a fair division of work.

But she hadn’t thought of the effect on the food supply of the orcs who had roamed Rohan; nor that of so many of the men coming to the aid of Gondor when they should have been seeing to growing food for the coming year.

She wondered if King Elessar had people checking the food supply of Gondor? Probably that was part of Faramir’s role. But, as far as Lothíriel could see, Minas Tirith wasn’t all that short, and fresh food was coming into the city regularly. Would it occur to Faramir, or the King, that Rohan might have fared worse? Would Éomer King tell them? She thought he probably wouldn’t, even if the two kings saw each other as brothers.

She glanced through the rest of Éowyn’s letter and then set off, wearing a very determined expression, to find her father.

……………………………………

Some of the self-appointed ‘advisors’ had seemed less than enthusiastic when told that their king wanted them to leave Édoras and use their skills elsewhere in the Mark. But Éomer had applied equal measures of flattery and authority and most of them, it seemed, had realised he was already in command and not a yearling to be broken to their will.

Those who were slow to understand this, and continued to bluster, were told that, if they felt no need to now return to their families’ lands, those lands could be better managed by others. They saw his point, then, remarkably quickly.

Now he had four men left who had been members of Théoden’s council until Wormtongue had seen to their removal, whose advice he trusted, as well as Erkenbrand and Elfhelm. Éothain would be given the role of King’s Adjutant. The new council, whilst pointing out that this was not a traditional title, seemed to understand why their young king might wish a friend at his side and made no further comment.

The new King’s Adjutant arrived back in Édoras with the tidings that Cwengyth’s parents approved the match, as did his own mother (his father had fallen beside Théodred, at the Fords of Isen), and they would wed once Théoden King was laid in his barrow.

“Make it sooner,” suggested Éowyn, “and she can ride with us to Minas Tirith to bring him home.”

Éothain considered the suggestion.

Éomer considered that his sister now called Mundburg by its Gondorian name…

Éothain, like the other riders Éomer had sent out, also had other, less welcome, news. Harrowdale had lost many men, its lord included, and some farmsteads were no more; others had nothing to plant, or few to do the planting. They could, however, hope for fish from the Snowbourne.

As other riders returned it was clear that the Westmarch was no better, and much of the Westfold had been burnt, although families were making their way back and already rebuilding. Some families still had a cow or two, and houses and barns still standing, but few were lucky enough to have these and also menfolk who had all returned whole and hale.

The riders from the Eastfold and the Wold would take longer to survey and report back, but Éomer could see that his fears had been well founded.

……………………………………

Éowyn was trying not to suck the end of her pen – a mouthful of feather was not conducive to looking ladylike and there was always the possibility that she might inadvertently suck the wrong end! Not that she needed to look ladylike at the moment, as she wrote her letters in her own chamber, but once she went back out to their guests… Ink stained fingers would not be good either, but she so wanted to get this letter finished.

…Elves! So many of them, too. When Éomer first told me of their coming I did not know where we would be able to house them all, nor how I would be able to feed them all. I did not even know what elves eat. I knew Legolas and the brothers Elladan and Elrohir ate what we ate, but they seemed…

She wasn’t sure how to put it politely. They seemed like normal men but she had been scared of meeting these visiting elves because they were led by the Witch of Dwimordene and her consort? She crossed seemed out and rephrased what she wrote.

…but they had spent time amongst men. However I need not have worried for the elves brought their own pavilions, and not only their own food, but gifts of food for us! The Lady Galadriel (She was proud that she wrote that first time, rather than ‘the Witch of Dwimordene’ – this diplomatic stuff was getting easier!) said that they knew how badly The Mark had suffered and it would have been wrong to expect us to provide for them. They brought smoked meats and dried fish, as well as baskets of fruits and nuts, and recently caught game – so we were able to feast together.

I do not expect you or Faramir need advice about what foods to serve elves, having Aragorn and Legolas to answer your questions, but they seem to be happy to eat most things, and do not need anywhere near as much food each as a hobbit does.

The elves had some wonderful horses, all perfectly configured, with such good temperaments, even those ridden by the warriors that are clearly trained as war-horses. Many of the elves ride without tack, others with only a simple saddle and halter.

When we admired them Lord Celeborn told Éomer that, knowing how badly our herds have suffered, he will leave a score of mares of breeding age with us when they pass on their way back to Dwimordene, for these will be much more useful to us than stallions. It is very hard to believe that Lord Celeborn is grandfather to Elladan and Elrohir, for he looks no older than they do. He is also much more…

What was the right word? Solid? Sensible? Normal? Ah…

…much more practical than I would have expected. And he is so good looking that he is not greatly outshone by his wife, at least not to my eyes, even though she really is as beautiful as Gimli said.

We have also met your new queen. She is very beautiful too.

She wondered whether to add Éomer’s opinion of Aragorn’s prospective bride to this letter but, in view of Éowyn’s conclusion that Lothíriel would make him a good wife, perhaps his admiration expressed when he was alone with Éowyn and Éothain was best not mentioned. Although, there again, that he thought Arwen more beautiful than the positively ethereal Galadriel, boded well as Arwen was dark haired like Lothíriel. In fact Éothain had said he could see a resemblance, and laughed…

The Lady Arwen seems to be a very nice person, too.

Actually Arwen had even said she hoped they could be friends, once Éowyn married Faramir, as both would be a long way from their own people and familiar things. Hopefully no-one would ever tell Lady Arwen of Éowyn’s infatuation with Aragorn for the memory of it now made her squirm.

Time to draw the letter to a close in time for the messenger to take it, Éowyn decided, rather than waiting for it to go with the guests themselves. She sealed it, then tidied herself, and return to the Hall.

……………………………………

Lothíriel read the letter happily. She couldn’t wait to meet such a cavalcade of Elves. She smiled when she read the detailed description of the horses, which was accompanied by such a fleeting description of the elves themselves. But for the elves to donate mares, to help replenish the herds of Rohan, was a really good idea.

Merry had told her a good deal about Master Elrond, and the Lady Galadriel and her husband, anyway, and Lothíriel would have the chance to actually meet them soon, so she could form her own opinions of them. She was sure that her father would ask her to accompany him to all the official celebrations; she would make sure he did!

Thinking of Father, she looked back at the letter thoughtfully; smoked meats and dried fish, as well as baskets of fruits and nuts…. Yes, those were all very good ideas.

……………………………………

My dear Lothíriel, thank you so much for writing to me with the details of the wedding. Faramir did so as well, but without your letter I would only know how he and Master Elrond’s advisor sorted out the order of precedence, and that he liked the wording of the ceremony so much he hopes we can include some of it into our own vows. Which is very romantic, of course – I mean the vows, not the order of precedence.

Your new queen’s dress sounds lovely. I hope you are right and she will set a new fashion so that we may all wear similar clothes to formal events in Minas Tirith, as the dresses worn by some of the ladies of the court look most uncomfortable to me.

And imagine the hobbits playing such a trick! And Aragorn says he is sure Legolas and his own foster-brothers were party to it? I still find it difficult to believe such behaviour from elves.

But mainly I am writing to say that I am sure you must have had a hand in the train of pack horses bearing supplies that arrived today, for you are the only person I told of my worries, and I cannot imagine Éomer admitting such worries even to Aragorn.

The sides of bacon will add such taste to any root crops we harvest, and be such a good flavouring for pottage, and dried fish must surely have come from your father’s lands. Dried plums and apricots will be such a treat, too; our head cook says if we boil them gently we can not only eat the fruit, but the water will also be tasty and could be used to make a sweet gruel.

We will not keep it all in Édoras, but send most of this bounty out to the places that are in greatest need.

……………………………………

My dear Éowyn, I am glad that the food is going to be of use. I did suggest to Father that Rohan would benefit greatly from such help – I read him a sentence or two from your letters, I do hope you do not mind; but it was, as you can tell, in a very good cause.

I do not think he told King Elessar exactly what I had said, just asked the king whether he knew how our Rohirric allies fared, as what he had heard of your losses, and the way the Enemy sullied so much of your land, led him to wonder if you would be able to have a full harvest this year.

‘Ha!’ thought Éowyn, ‘I like Prince Imrahil more and more! I suppose he learnt how to be diplomatic when dealing with Faramir’s father.’

She read on.

But we cannot claim all the credit for the supplies, for King Elessar then spoke to Queen Arwen’s kin when they arrived, and I have the impression that both his foster-brothers and Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel (and you are right – they are both almost too beautiful to look at, yet remarkably sensible) gave him very detailed descriptions of the ravages wrought on your people.

But Father and Faramir were quickly able to suggest what we had that we could share and how it could be sent, for they had already been thinking of it. And you and I can, quietly, take some of the credit because I do not know if the elves would have pointed it out to the king if he had not asked, following Father’s conversation with him.

I do hope your brother does not mind Gondor sending aid in this way, for I know he is a proud king. Perhaps it is best that he thinks it due only to the intervention of the elves.

Perhaps Lothíriel was right about that. Pig-headed would have been a better word than ‘proud’ to describe Éomer when it came to asking for anything – or, rather, not asking for anything.

‘Now,’ thought Éowyn, ‘how do I persuade him that one thing he should definitely ask for is Lothíriel’s hand?’