Queen of the Rohirrim

Thief in the Night

Eomer POV
It was clear that Willow did not want to settle down with a husband any time soon so my secret fantasies of us being together faded fast. It never would have happened anyway. She was not permitted to be near me unless she was guarded and it was obvious she wanted nothing to do with me. I watched as she strode out pridefully out but the defeated look on her shoulders said otherwise. I thought about what Eowyn said about her attempted suicide and I wondered if she would go on with her plan. I would just have to wait and see. I felt so overwhelmed as king. People had sought me out already to tell me their worries and woes. I was not trained for this. I was trained for hard combat. I wished Eowyn was here. She would have taken over all of this and done it with style and grace. The night was falling and I shut the doors to the hall. A maid stopped me from going into my normal room telling me that the king's room was far better. I had no desire to sleep in Theoden's room but I felt so tired I didn't want to speak to the maid anymore.

That night I lay in bed tossing and turning. Streams of thoughts were rushing in my head and as I tried to push them out, one person came entering my head. Willow. Her blond hair and faded blue dress which she was still wearing. Eventually, I gave up on trying to sleep and went outside. I went into the stables which were through the city so I could secretly look for Willow. I didn't see her by the time I got to the stables but I went to Fire Foot's stall anyway. I peered in his loose box and yelled in horror and surprise. He was gone! Someone had taken him. Willow! It had to be. There were tracks leading out of the stall which was clearly fresh and only at a walk. I ran to a second stall and found the mare she rode on to get there. I grabbed a bridle and threw it on galloping bareback out of the stables and into the roads. I knew she would be following the many hoofprints back to Gondor and I could not let that happen. I had the advantage that I was a better ride but Fire Foot knew how to run fast and the mare I was on was hesitant and slow.
"C'mon!" I urged. It was only a few hours past midnight but the moon was high giving me enough light to see anything in the distance. I had been riding at a canter for 2 hours now with no sight of her. I was frustrated and angry I couldn't believe this was actually happening. She had taken the only thing left that I really loved now. Fire Foot was who accompanied me to battle. He was prideful and valuable and gone. I looked behind me, Edoras was behind me shrinking into the distance. I would have to give up soon. If the people woke up with no king they would panic but the thought of leaving FireFoot in the hands of Willow sent a shiver down my spine. I examined the hoof prints, Willow was galloping now. She must be a decent rider I thought, she didn't seem very confident while we rode here. Perhaps it was act. I rode for an hour more starting to doubt that I would catch her. Suddenly the horse I was on neighed out loud. Another horse neighed in answer. I knew that neigh. Fire Foot! We galloped in the direction up a steep hill. I peered over the brim and saw Willow galloping hard away from us. She must have heard the neigh, I urged the mare forward faster than she could go. Willow turned around and saw me. 
"Leave me alone!" She yelled. 
"Give me back my horse!" I yelled trying to ride alongside her. Fire Foot was trying to stop but Willows's frantic urges kept him going. The mare was panting heavily and I could feel her sweat on my legs. 
"Give me my horse and I will let you go!" I yelled. Willow slowed to a canter and then a trot and finally a walk. She looked frightened as I rode alongside her. 
"You can go back," I told her. "But just one question." She nodded. 
"Why do you want to go back. Who are you leaving behind?" She looked thoughtful like she didn't know the answer. Eventually, she said, 
"It is not a person who I am leaving behind."
"Then what?"
"Memories." She said shortly. "I used to be happy." She added coldly. 
"Who did you lose?"