Work Text:
September 12, 2995
It was difficult to tell which of them was the more disheveled, the young boy or the young man. It was very clear, however, that both were having a fine time rolling about in the grass and dirt.
Éomer’s wooden sword, with its distinctive painted patterns and markings, lay in the grass on one side of the yard while the matching shield lay several feet away, as if the boy had flung them to each side and charged his opponent. There was also a plain sword and shield of the same size that lay a greater distance away, as if said opponent had simply dropped them in order to block the attack.
Beyond the toy weapons lay the combatants themselves, wrestling in the grass. The boy’s shrill giggles bounced off the wooden walls and fence, countered by the young man’s deeper chuckles as he let the boy think he had the upper hand in their match.
Éomund simply stood in the doorway with his arms crossed, leaning one shoulder against the frame as he watched, shaking his head at the antics. It was clear that Théodred was actually being very careful to avoid any harm coming to the boy, and it seemed a shame to interrupt their fun.
After a few minutes, however, he gave the shrill whistle that he would use on the training grounds to get the riders’ attention. Immediately two heads turned to where he stood, and two pairs of eyes grew wide with surprise at being caught. The boys, for Éomund still considered his seventeen year old nephew to be a boy in many ways, glanced at each other, then scrambled up with nearly identical guilty expressions on their faces. Éomund had to chuckle.
“This is your idea of keeping an eye on your cousin, Théodred?”
“Well, sir, you did say to keep him happy and out from under foot, and it’s such a fine day it seemed a shame to make him stay inside. And he was starting to ask questions about what was happening, and why he couldn’t see his mother, so…”
“So you brought him outside, no doubt intending to teach him what you have learned of wielding a sword.”
The younger man shifted a bit, but nodded. “Yes, sir.”
Laughing again, Éomund straightened, letting his arms drop. “It is indeed a fine day, and I can understand why neither of you would want to be inside if you could escape..” He ran a hand through his hair. “There were a few times I might have joined you, truth be told. All is well, though.”
Théodred grinned as his shoulders relaxed, “I am glad to hear that, sir.”
Éomund returned the grin, then crouched down to his son’s level, and beckoned the boy closer. Éomer ran to him and threw his arm around his father’s neck, while Théodred stooped to pick up the toys and approached more slowly.
Scooping the boy up, Éomund stood. “I am sorry to have spent so little time with you today, my son, but I wanted to be near your Mama in case she needed me. Have you been behaving for your cousin?”
Éomer looked at him solemnly and nodded, “Yes, Papa.”
Éomund grinned and kissed his son’s brow, “Good boy. Now… Do you want to go see your Mama?”
The boy’s face lit up and he nodded enthusiastically.
“And you can meet your new sister, too.”
Éomer’s face immediately fell. “Sister?! But…” He stopped, and heaved a great sigh before mumbling, “I wanted a brother, Papa, not a sister…”
With a hearty laugh, Éomund hugged the boy tight, “I know you did, and I did what I could for you. But I think you’ll come to like having a sister just as much someday.”
“But girls just play with stupid dolls all day. What fun is a sister going to be?”
Éomund was still grinning as he turned and walked back into the hall, Théodred falling into step a couple of paces behind. “Probably not much for a while, since she’s so small. But once she gets bigger she will need to learn how to use a sword, as your Mama did, and I’ll need you to help me teach her.”
“Really? I can teach her?”
“You can help, yes, for you’ll be nearly as big as...”
“As you, Papa?”
Éomund laughed, “No, not yet, but you may be nearly as big as your cousin is now.”
The boy looked back at his cousin and grinned. “That’s almost as good.” Théodred chuckled softly and wrinkled his nose to make Éomer laugh.
By now they had reached the living quarters, and Éomund turned into Éomer’s room and carefully dropped him onto the bed, a long running joke between father and son that made the boy giggle before he frowned. “I thought we were going to see Mama.”
“So we are, but first we must get you cleaned up, my boy. Your mama’s worked very hard today and is very tired, so she doesn’t need to see that her son has been making more work for her by tearing his trousers and shirt.”
Éomer looked down at himself, and only then noticed the tears in the knee of his trousers, and the split his elbow had put in his sleeve. “I’m sorry, Papa…”
Having found fresh clothing in the chest of drawers by the wall Éomund brought them over to the bed with a grin. “Never mind, son, it’s all part of a fun day. Quickly now, get changed and we’ll go see them.”
Théodred spoke quietly. “Sir, if I may, I should likely change as well…”
Éomund looked over at him and smiled as Éomer stood up on the bed and started to struggle out of his soiled shirt. “I am not your marshall today, Théodred. Call me uncle, or Éomund. And yes, that would be a good idea, for Théodwyn would never let you near the baby while wearing dirty clothes.”
“Yes, sir… Uncle.” And he ducked out of the room.
Éomund helped Éomer with getting the new shirt on properly, as Éomer still struggled with the long sleeves the autumn chill required, but the boy insisted on changing his trousers by himself, only allowing Éomund to tie the laces. Théodred had returned by the time Éomund was using a damp cloth to remove the worst of the dirt from his son’s face and hands, and then they all went down the hall to the double doors leading to the master’s chambers.
Éomund knocked softly, and the door was opened by one of the midwives, who immediately smiled and stood out of the way so they could enter.
The shutters had been closed, so the room was dim despite the fire that blazed in the hearth. But the flickering light was enough to show Théodwyn as she sat resting in the large bed, supported by many pillows. As the door opened she opened her eyes and smiled wearily.
Éomer started to race to his mother, and had Éomund not been expecting it the boy would have bounced onto the bed and into his mother’s lap. Éomund stayed him with a firm hand on his shoulder, then lifted the boy into his arms again, and together they went to sit on the edge of the bed. Théodred remained by the door as the midwife closed it again, watching but not wanting to intrude on a family moment.
Théodwyn smile brightened as she looked at her son, and she reached out to run her hand through his curls. “My little man.”
She looked up at her husband. “Let him sit next to me on the bed. But, Éomer, I need you to be very still and quiet for me. Can you do that?”
Éomer nodded vigorously and answered in what he thought was a whisper, “Yes, mama.”
She laughed softly, and put her arm around him as he slid out of Éomund’s arms, pulling him close to her side. He snuggled against her, looking up at her with wide eyes that were a blend of her blue and Éomund’s green. “Papa said you have been working hard, but you’ve been in your room all day. What were you doing, Mama?”
Théodwyn looked at her husband for a moment, and they exchanged an amused grin before she leaned over to kiss the top of Éomer’s head. “Your father told you that you have a little sister?”
Éomer sighed and gave a mumbled “Yes.”
“Would you like to see her, Éomer?”
“I guess so.”
His father interjected softly, “Éomer...”
Éomer had started to sigh again, but looked up at his father’s adminition and sat up straighter instead before looking back to his mother. “Yes, Mama. I would like to see her.”
Standing quietly, Éomund crossed the few feet to the cradle that was placed nearer the hearth. He crouched down then reached in slowly and lifted a small bundle from within it. He cradled it carefully in his left arm and stood, his smile full of pride as he returned to the bed. Sitting on the edge of the mattress again, he adjust the blanket so that when Éomer knelt on the bed he could see the baby within.
“This is Éowyn, your sister.” He put his right hand on Éomer’s shoulder. “It will be your job to watch after her, Éomer, and see that no one harms her.”
Éomer looked at the baby for a long moment, then started with surprise when her eyes opened and she looked up at him. Her brow crinkled into a frown, as if she was considering this new person, but then she gave a small squirm and seemed to smile at her brother before her eyes blinked closed again.
Another moment passed, then Éomer reached out to brush a finger very gently across her cheek. “I will, Papa.”
The parents exchanged a warm smile over their children’s heads, before returning their attention to the boy and answering his questions about when the baby might be ready to play, and where she would sleep.
Before long Éomund ruffled his son’s hair. “Enough questions for now, Éomer. Your mother is tired, and needs to sleep. Say good night now, son, and we will return tomorrow.”
Éomer’s sound of protest was quelled by a look from his father, and the boy scooted over to snuggle against his mother again. “Good night, Mama.”
Théodwyn hugged him close and kissed his head once more “Goodnight my little man, my son. I love you.”
Éomer clung to her for another moment, then whispered, “I love you, too, Mama.” Turning, he wiggled off the bed and started to walk towards the door.
Éomund stood again, and would have returned the baby to the cradle but Théodwyn spoke. “Leave her with me, dearest. She will need to be fed soon, I suspect.”
Éomund hesitated a moment, then leaned over to pass his daughter into her mother’s arms. The baby made a small sound of protest but quickly settled again as her mother soothed her. Éomund smiled at them both, then bent his head to press a soft kiss to Éowyn’s forehead. He then kissed his wife and whispered a few words to her. She smiled, and lifted her free hand to cup his cheek as she whispered in reply. Éomund rested his forehead against hers for a moment, then turned to follow his son into the hallway, smiling at Théodred as he passed.
As Théodred started to follow through the door he heard Théodwyn call his name. He stopped, and turned to her.
“Do you not want to meet your cousin?”
Slowly he closed the door again, and turned to the bed with a forced smile, “Of course…”
Théodwyn laughed softly. “You are worse than Éomer. She is just a baby, she will not hurt you.”
“I am more concerned that I might hurt her.”
She laughed again, “Oh nonsense. Here, sit so that you can see her properly.”
He obeyed, perching carefully on the edge of the bed, and leaned over to look at the baby in his aunt’s arms. A smile grew on his face. “She looks like you.”
Théodwyn’s smile was full of pride. “I think she has Éomund’s ears, though. And of course it’s too early to know about her eyes, especially in this light, and their color will likely change anyway.” She ran her free hand over the downy blond curls on the top of her daughter’s head. “Her hair will likely darken as well, but…”
She glanced over at her nephew, “Would you like to hold her?”
“Me? Hold her? No….” Théodred stood quickly. “No, I do not think would be a good idea…”
Théodwyn grinned, “There is nothing to be afraid of. Sit, and hold out your arms.”
He obeyed, slowly, and she used her free hand to arrange his arms properly before carefully passing the baby over to him.
At first he sat very straight, back and arms stiff as if expecting something dreadful to happen. When the baby continued to sleep peacefully he slowly began to relax, and after a few minutes he even smiled. “She is a tiny little thing, is she not?”
Théodwyn smiled fondly, “She will grow quickly. I remember when you were nearly as small yourself, Théodred. It seems not so long ago that you were Éomer’s size, and now…” She gave a slightly watery laugh that caused Théodred to look over at her and stiffen again as he saw a few tears on her cheeks.
She dashed them away, and smiled reassuringly. “Oh, I am just being foolish because I am so tired.”
Théodred watched his aunt for a moment more, then returned her smile with a small one of his own before looking down at the babe in his arms again. He was surprised to see that she had opened her eyes and was looking up at him steadily while her little mouth started to work.
He grinned down at her, and even laughed lightly as her face scrunched itself up and the little mouth opened, but soon the tiny little girl emitted a cry that seemed far too large for her size.
Looking alarmed and nearly as distressed as the baby Théodred turned wide eyes to his aunt. “What did I do?” When the baby continued to cry, the sound growing even louder, he leaned forward and held his arms out quickly to his aunt. “Here, take her!”
Théodwyn merely laughed as she took Éowyn back in her arms, and as soon as she had Théodred stood and took a step back from the bed. Théodwyn made soothing noises to her daughter, and bent down to kiss the babe’s forehead. “She is only hungry, Théodred, you did nothing wrong.” She looked over at him and smiled fondly. “Babes eat nearly as often as growing young men do.”
Théodred started to smile back but then blushed so deeply it could be seen even in the dim red light provided by the fire. “I… I should… go… then...”
Laughing again, Théodwyn nodded. “Aye, likely you should, for I need desperately to sleep when she is settled again. Will you come visit us tomorrow?”
Théodred gave a quick nod and answered quickly as he took another step back from the bed. “Of course. Good night, then. Sleep well, Théodwyn.” And he turned and went to the door at a pace barely short of a run. As the door closed behind him he heard peals of female laughter joining the baby’s cries, but he merely leaned against the door for a moment and breathed a sigh of relief.