The Forgotten Princess

Rick, Cot, and Tree

Théoden had his moment of freedom and justice but slowly his face began to dawn with realization. His glare fell on the dark-clothed man.

"Wormtongue!" he yelled. Théoden had the man, now dubbed Wormtongue, seized. It seemed that he sought out to slay him.

Many of his court subjects followed suit. Aragorn, Legolas, Gandalf, and Gimli were some of the closest behind.

Lessien would have been among them if Aragorn hadn't gestured to the yellow-haired maiden.

Lessien reluctantly did as she was wordlessly told to do.

The girl would have been right by Théoden's side if Lessien hadn't held her back. "Forgive me, for this is the King's battle and you should not be by his side," she said softly.

What could she be to Théoden? A young sister? Daughter? Possibly wife?

The girl tried her best to wrench away but surrendered quickly, seeing her captor as more of annoyance than an actual threat.

"I am Lessien, by the way, a Ranger of the North and Daughter of the Chief Dunédain," Lessien introduced herself formally, assuming that this girl was of high stature.

"I am Eowyn, my title is of no matter, but your titles are strange to me," Eowyn stated. "And your clothing and the way you walk, the way you hold yourself. You seem strong, not in the way other women are."

She said these things are with a distant tone, for her eyes traced the event that unfolded between Theoden and Wormtongue.

Lessien said nothing in reply. She just grimaced and absentmindedly reached down to rub her knee.

Eowyn looked down at where Lessien's hand was and worry was apparent on her face in a single moment. "You're bleeding," she murmured.

Lessien shrugged. "It's nothing really."

"The men of the court here are soldiers and they come back with cuts and bruises often. I know the difference between that and something like this."

"I can walk, can't I?"

"Barely. Come now, you are injured. Let me help you."

Théoden was obviously welcoming Gandalf's group as guests so Lessien felt she had nothing to lose. She could feel her heart warming, though she would never show it, for it had been so long since she had been in a woman's company.

-

Eowyn led her to her chambers and Lessien felt strangely welcome. She was not accustomed to such a greeting. Both were awkwardly silent and Lessien wondered if her father would worry about her absence.

Probably not.

So she let Eowyn lead her on. I wonder why she is so welcoming of me. Maybe she is as lonely as I, she thought.

Still, she was mot used to being so familiar with other people. Unlike other royals, she had gone her hole life dressing herself and bathing herself, so it was a bit awkward when Eowyn insisted on a bath.

She led Lessien to her chambers, where she planned on helping her undress. However, she wasn't of much use when Lessien wasn't wearing a fancy gown like most women of the court were. So Lessien quickly took off her tunic and trousers of her own accord.

Eowyn exclaimed a bit at her numbered scars, not audibly of course, but her eyes noticeably widened.

There were faded, deep claw marks across her chest. Traces of an arrow wound was near her collar bone and where it had gone through on her shoulder blade. Many little white whispers lined up and down her arms and torso of lesser cuts during who knew how many battles.