Eomer's ward

Thanks to my beta SilverMoonLady, in who's genius I stand in awe!



Chapter 2 - "Do not give me that look Eowyn!"



By the time they reached Edoras, Dan was feeling sick, sore and very humble. His head ached and he cursed himself for his foolish behaviour. The ride home had left him with plenty of time to reflect upon his situation and he wondered how he was ever going to get through the rest of this day, let alone the next year.

As the riders came through the gates and made their way up to the stables, Dan raised his head a little and looked around him. To his despair he could see people stopping their work to stare at the amusing sight before them. A group of children pointed at him and began to giggle; Dan’s heart sank as he realized that soon everyone in Edoras would know of his undignified return.

When they reached the stables, Eomer quickly dismounted and pulled Dan from the saddle. The boy stumbled, his legs numbed by the ride, and he fell in a heap on the floor. Eomer looked at him and shook his head.

“Get up!” snapped the King.

The boy quickly struggled to his feet and brushed the straw from his clothes.

“Take my horse and stable him – he needs rubbing down, food, water . . . You do know how to care for a horse?” Eomer asked, handing him the reins.

“Yes sir, I think so,” Dan answered respectfully.

“Good, because when you have done that, you can attend to all the other horses that rode out today,” added Eomer, pulling off his helmet and brushing his hair back from his face.

Dan looked up at his new liege, horrified at the prospect. “All of them, sir?”

“All of them,” repeated Eomer sternly, turning to walk away.

“But it will take me until midnight!” Dan replied, his voice rising nearly to a wail at the thought of grooming over a dozen horses.

“Then I suppose you had better start soon, boy!” Eomer roared frighteningly. Dan jumped back and swallowed hard, his heart pounding.

“What about my . . .” Dan could not say the next word, the look on Eomer’s face made him bite his tongue.

“Your supper?” Eomer finished the sentence, staring down on the small boy. Dan wished he hadn’t mentioned it and could feel his face redden with shame.

“I think a night with no supper will serve you well, Master Danimir. Perhaps it will help to remind you of what hunger feels like for either horse or boy.”

Dan felt the words cut into him and he lowered his eyes to the floor. The King turned and walked away towards the hall. For him the incident was over, but for Dan a long night lay ahead. He led the horse slowly into the stable and began to take the saddle and bridle from the huge beast, fresh tears of self pity filling his eyes.

~~~~~~

Eomer walked into the hall and was met by the welcoming smell of cooking food. He was hungry, very hungry and he relished sitting down to eat. Waiting before the fire’s warmth his spirits were further lifted when he saw Eowyn approaching with a large tray of steaming food.

“Ah, Sister, you are a welcome sight! It has been a long ride and I am hungry and weary.”

Eowyn smiled at her brother. “I am glad to hear it, for the cook has prepared a great stew of venison, and there are potatoes and turnips and warm bread. Come, sit down Brother and tell me of your day.”

Eowyn placed the heavy tray down on the table and began to set the food out before the King. “I expected you earlier than this. The night grows dark, and it is late for the boy to be out,” she began, glancing around the hall for any sight of the youth.

“Eomer, where is he?”

“Who?” replied the King, taking a mouthful of warming food.

“Danimir – the boy I entrusted you with this morning. You haven’t lost him have you?” Eowyn asked, worry and a touch of irritation entering her voice.

“Calm yourself, sister, he is stabling the horses - all fourteen of them,” replied Eomer, chuckling to himself. He picked up the pitcher and winked at his sister as he poured himself a jug of ale.

“Eomer! Why would you do such a thing to the poor lad?” Eowyn asked as she sat down opposite her elder brother and glared at him with a well practiced look of annoyance.

“Do not give me that look Eowyn; it is not I that needs the scolding!” he replied, all too familiar with his sibling’s disapproving glare, though he did not feel it was deserved tonight. “Your husband-to-be has sent me a spoilt brat indeed to look after and not a ‘poor little lad’. He is an arrogant, disrespectful child, Eowyn, with little sense of his duties.”

Eowyn watched her brother continue to eat his meal and wondered what the lad had done to vex him so. She knew the boy could be sullen but she had put that down to him feeling strange in this new land. He had yet to learn their ways and their traditions, but she was sure that he would be fine once he had settled in. She too would soon find herself living in a strange new place... But she also conceded that at times the child could be awkward too, and she had known that Faramir had been obliged to scold him on several occasions back in Minas Tirith.

“The Steward sent him here to learn what I may teach, Eowyn,” began Eomer, chewing another mouthful of food. “At the very least, after tonight, he will think twice before he speaks to me again in that manner,” Eomer said, pointing at his sister with his fork. He poured himself another jug of ale, pushed his plate away and leaned back in his chair, full and content.

“What about his supper?” Eowyn finally inquired as a servant approached to clear away the remains of the meal.

“By the time he has finished stabling all those horses, he will be fit for nothing but sleep,” laughed Eomer as he stretched his arms out wide and yawned. He stood up and went back over to the fire and stood before it. He glanced at his sister and sighed; she was still glaring at him with a disapproving frown.

“It will not kill him, Eowyn! You know that as well as I, for the many times we both reaped such rewards for mischief. He will learn his lesson from it, and I dare say that his sore backside will make a good reminder as well,” added Eomer, the corners of his mouth turned up as he tried to suppress his laughter.

Eowyn shot him a wide-eyed look. “For pity’s sake, what did you do to him? It has only been a week since Faramir left him in our care. Have you thrashed him as well?”

“The boy was disrespectful!” said Eomer, trying to defend himself. “I put him over my knee and spanked him. I’m sure it’s not his first or last encounter with such punishment, sister. All boys are thrashed at some time. You are turning into an old mother hen and you are not yet a married woman with a brood of your own. Will you question your husband every time he takes one of your sons to task?” Eomer challenged her.

“That is not the issue here. I just think you are being too hard on the boy,” Eowyn said irritably. “And you leave Faramir out of this!” she snapped over her shoulder as she turned away.

“Now what have I done?” exclaimed the King, lifting his arms out wide in a gesture of bewilderment.

Ignoring him, she stalked from the hall, leaving the King of Rohan feeling decidedly confused and reprimanded like a small boy himself.


~~~~~

It had been a long night. Dan had worked hard under the careful eye of the Stable Master, an old man who had lovingly cared for the horses of Edoras for many years. As the last of the tack was put away Dan sat down on some bundles of straw to rest his weary body. He wasn’t hungry any more, that had passed hours ago, and now all he could think of was sleep. He didn’t even feel sorry for himself anymore, or homesick, or sad – just exhusted. He longed to climb into his soft bed and slip beneath the warm covers but he could not yet face the walk up to the hall. He would sit here for just a few minutes to rest himself and then he would make his journey.

The stable door opened, letting in a breeze of cool night air, yet the sleeping figure did not stir. The Stable Master nodded his head to the midnight visitor and glanced over at the boy.

“I tried to wake him, but he is as the dead.”

“Leave him be. He will come to no harm here. ”

The visitor picked up a woven horse blanket of green and gold and wrapped it snugly around the young boy, making sure it covered him fully. They gently pulled off the boy’s boots and set them on the ground before him.

“When he wakes tomorrow, send him to the hall for his breakfast. He will need a bath and a change of clothes as well.”

“Aye, I will look after him, don’t you worry,” nodded the old man wisely. “Just as I looked after a certain other youngster, not that long ago.”

“I remember it well,” the visitor quietly said, glancing once more at the sleeping boy. “Now I take my leave of you.”

The stable door opened once again and Eomer slipped out into the darkness of the night.
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