Éowyn knew, of course, that she had missed Glinda; that she had written all those letters for a reason, that she had wished for Glinda at her side a hundred times over the past four months, and that there was unfinished business between them. But it is only now, when she is embraced in warm, gentle arms and held close against her friend's soft, unwarlike form, that she realises just how much she has missed her. How much she has needed her here, returning to the lion's den; how much she needs someone who needs no more of her than this.
She clears her throat, looking past Glinda at the door, and speaks to the courtier in the Rohirric tongue, telling him in a few short, authoritative words that Glinda is the expected guest, and that she is more than capable of defending herself if needed. He leaves, less because of the words and more because of the force with which she says them. Only when he is gone, pulling the door to behind him, does Éowyn sit, her posture softening noticeably, her hands still gripping Glinda's sleeves as though a part of her is afraid that Glinda may simply vanish.
"Everything," she repeats, and it seems to her a strange word, vast and hollow. What is everything? What can she say, that will not be ruinous or incomprehensible? She could outline every move of the armies she has led, every victory and defeat; the practicalities of siege or the brutalities of war. She does not wish to say any of it to Glinda, who alone among this whole place retains some innocence.
"His men gave him up eight days ago, to break the siege." And almost immediately after, she had written to Glinda, before they even moved into the city. Now she smiles a little, wry and humourless. "If he were less of a fool, they might have held out until January, and a hard winter might have driven us back; but he kept too little stock laid in, and trusted his advisors too little, and I understand that their supplies ran out by mid-October. Now he is in the best cell I can think of, which is the room he kept me in; and I have delayed his sentencing as long as I can." Again, she takes Glinda's hands, her expression pleading for understanding. "Forgive me, Glinda, that I would put this upon you; but I could not face it without you. I cannot. I will break, and they will all see me break, and then it will have been for nothing. I need your strength, when he is brought before my throne."
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sforzinda
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Date: 2025-07-28 01:38 am (UTC)She clears her throat, looking past Glinda at the door, and speaks to the courtier in the Rohirric tongue, telling him in a few short, authoritative words that Glinda is the expected guest, and that she is more than capable of defending herself if needed. He leaves, less because of the words and more because of the force with which she says them. Only when he is gone, pulling the door to behind him, does Éowyn sit, her posture softening noticeably, her hands still gripping Glinda's sleeves as though a part of her is afraid that Glinda may simply vanish.
"Everything," she repeats, and it seems to her a strange word, vast and hollow. What is everything? What can she say, that will not be ruinous or incomprehensible? She could outline every move of the armies she has led, every victory and defeat; the practicalities of siege or the brutalities of war. She does not wish to say any of it to Glinda, who alone among this whole place retains some innocence.
"His men gave him up eight days ago, to break the siege." And almost immediately after, she had written to Glinda, before they even moved into the city. Now she smiles a little, wry and humourless. "If he were less of a fool, they might have held out until January, and a hard winter might have driven us back; but he kept too little stock laid in, and trusted his advisors too little, and I understand that their supplies ran out by mid-October. Now he is in the best cell I can think of, which is the room he kept me in; and I have delayed his sentencing as long as I can." Again, she takes Glinda's hands, her expression pleading for understanding. "Forgive me, Glinda, that I would put this upon you; but I could not face it without you. I cannot. I will break, and they will all see me break, and then it will have been for nothing. I need your strength, when he is brought before my throne."