Hope ↠ LOTR

II. Celebration

Upon arriving back at Edoras, Athena had been quick to get in the bath and wash away the blood and grime that had been acquired from the battle in its entirety. When she had left the warm waters that were now brown and dirtied from the bathing she dried herself off and put the tunic back on that Éowyn had given her, it reached down to her thighs and it was the cleanest piece of clothing that she currently had. She walked over to the mirror and gently pushed away the fabric from her shoulder, looking at the stitched wound before poking it with her finger. She winced at the pain it caused her and decided it was best not to prod at what would soon become a new scar.

A knock resounded in the room and she turned her head to the door, calling out for them to enter. Éowyn walked into the room and shut the door behind her, a piece of fabric in her hands which she set down on a stool that sat beside the bath. There weren't many rooms in the Golden Hall that they could occupy so she had taken her bath in Éowyn's room. She had even been offered to stay with her during their time in Edoras and of course she had accepted. As much as she felt safe with the men and was accustomed to sleeping beside them she was thankful to have a womanly presence.

"I finished stitching up your tunic," Éowyn announced, gesturing to the folded piece of clothing that lay on the stool.

"Thank you," Athena responded sincerely, reaching out to pick it up and unfold it. It was a gift that had been given to her by Arwen, golden swirls embroidered into the white fabric as she wanted her to have something that was feminine even in the middle of battle. It was a gift that she treasured greatly. It had been cleaned as well, the red stains that once lay on the shoulder and the mud that it had been caked in now completely gone. Of course, the white had faded a little but that was not of any importance to Athena.

"The celebrations will be beginning shortly, and I don't assume you brought a dress with you?" She asked, making her way over to the wardrobe and opening the wooden doors.

"No, it was not in the list of essential supplies," she replied with a quiet laugh.

"Come, I have plenty," Éowyn beckoned her over with a smile and Athena made her way to her, looking at the many dresses that hung in her wardrobe.

"I could not take any of these from you, they are beautiful and you've already done more than enough for me."

"You are not the only one who has been surrounded by men most of her life. It is not often that I get the chance to compare dresses with friends, though I did try once with my brother when we were younger and you can imagine how that turned out," the two of them chuckled together at her confession. "Please, I insist."

Giving in to her request, Athena reached out to pull out one of the many gowns that she owned, allowing a subtle lilac one to take her interest. It was simple but it was beautiful, and it would cover her healing shoulder while it still healed. Éowyn then pulled out a soft cerulean dress for herself, smiling at both of their choices. They changed into their respective dresses and Athena helped Éowyn adjust hers and Éowyn returned the gesture, her movements stopping briefly when she noticed the scars that were scattered along her back, thin lines moving down and across.

"How did you get these?" She asked quietly, lacing up the dress to conceal the scars that lay on her back.

Athena knew what she was speaking about seeing as she was fully aware of all the scars that covered her body, but she was not ashamed of them in the slightest. "Goblins. Years ago I fell into their town and they liked their whips," she explained, turning around when her dress had been done up.

"How many more do you have?"

"I'm not entirely sure on the exact amount anymore, but it's hard to forget the most memorable ones." She turned her arm and pointed at her forearm to reveal nine indents in her skin, making an irregular circular pattern. "This is from when Gollum bit me when my brother and I found him in the Dead Marshes," she explained before allowing her arm to drop. "I also have a burn on my leg from facing a dragon but it's only small, and soon enough I'll have a scar on my shoulder too. They are reminders of what I have gone through and survived, and they are also reminders of those who were unlucky enough not to."