The Eastern Woman

Secrets

"It happened after a battle. My soldiers and I had left Edoras for ten interminable days. It was a very hard fight, against a small army of Orcs coming from Mordor." Théoden began to tell.

Gandalf and his three companions listened in silence. Gamling had left the room: that story was a rumor he had heard many times before, and hearing it from the King's voice made him feel uncomfortable.

Éowyn, on the other hand, had remained, because she had the impression that what was about to be revealed, would have had a deep impact on her life. If the suspect had been proven, she had a cousin. A cousin she had never met before.

Goneril was leaning against a wall near the window. She watched the outside of the building with her arms folded, wondering why she had not yet decided to take her horse from the stables and leave.

Théoden's ideas about her were absurd.

The King was devastated by the death of the prince, and perhaps he tried to find consolation by imagining that he had found a lost daughter.

But she knew she had no royal blood in her veins, as she knew that the blond Elf was terrified at the idea of ​​seeing his brother in the hands of the Orcs: the half-blood son of Thranduil, also called the Icy King, the great elven lord who had lived with a human woman in Mirkwood. They had been lovers for thirty years.

Middle-earth was full of absurd stories, unacknowledged secrets, lies hidden for years. But everything came back to the surface, sooner or later, like winter grass, once the snow on the lawns melted.

"... it was an interminable battle, many of my soldiers were slaughtered. But ... we had won." the king continued. "After our return, despite the many losses, we were euphoric. A celebration was decided. I ordered a large banquet to be prepared, with meat and wine and beer. My men needed some fun, they deserved it."

Goneril snorted. She was also getting a headache.

"... in the confusion of the celebration, I let myself go. I shouldn't have, the King must never lose his dignity, I know, but that night I didn't feel like a King. That night was for the winners."

Gimli intervened: "Yes yes, people need to party every now and then, there's nothing wrong ... for example, that time when my father Gloin ..."
Aragorn patted his arm to silence him.

Théoden continued. "Margery was in love with me, I knew it. She couldn't hide it, and I, out of respect for my wife and my role, had always rejected her. But that night I could not. That evening I simply surrendered."

"Too drunk to control your low instincts?" asked Goneril. Without even looking at him.

"Yes. And she was ... too beautiful not to provoke them." added the King.

"Always the same story: men need to justify their squalid behaviour ... adultery is easier to forgive, if it is women's fault eh?" said Goneril.

She soooo hated men and their hypocrisy.

"... I mean, did you sleep with that lady - that you claim to be my mother - after a hangover, maybe in a barn, Majesty?"  she said again.

"No. You're wrong. What happened was wonderful. It's inevitable, because I wanted her for a long time, secretly. But it only happened once, only that night. In her room. And afterwards ... I felt terribly guilty."  Théoden muttered, bringing a hand to his face.

"And where was your wife, if I may ask?"  the warrior asked.

Éowyn meanwhile was dazed.  She never thought her uncle was a man of that kind. Not even in his youth. 
For her, he was the King, her mother's brother, the good and strong uncle on whom she had relied growing up.  At that moment, he was defining himself a vulgar libertine.
He had cheated on Aunt Elfhild. Éowyn couldn't believe it.