"Through sickness and in health I shall cherish you always. Nothing in this life will keep you away from my heart." Those words resounded in her mind and as the bride, she wanted to believe him. Love could be such a beautiful and true thing his love made her feel valued, alive. More so than she had ever been when in Rohan, he was the kind of man, that made a woman feel understood and heard. If this was the case then why did he leave her?
Why did he leave her to raise their little boy alone? The legacy that they created together. "I'll be back in two weeks' time I promise! Aellwenn this coin could set us up for life! We could return to Rohan and you could reclaim what was once rightfully yours! Don't you miss your homeland? Would you not give anything to be accepted by one of your own again? You could do without me for two weeks yes? The house of Eorl is not one to be underestimated. You are a strong woman Aellwenn, what's more, you are my strong woman. Trust in me as your husband, trust that I will return to you." That dreadful morning when he said those words. The Lady knew that she'd never see her husband again except in pieces.
Why then did she let him go? Why did she ignore her perception? Perhaps there was a selfish sliver of hope that she could have the life that was taken from her unjustly when the die was cast together with the 'Grand Game.' The court had a way of eating an individual alive if they weren't properly equipped. In her case, she was just a girl, yet still was thrown to the wolves.
Once again, another person died in her name, because they thought she was worthy of their faith. Then two weeks later the time he said he would return. The Lady was met with a courier at her doorstep instead. A toddler resting on her hip, she peered at the messenger, as the new dawn arrived. "Don't say a word boy, I already know. Give me the letter furthermore leave a widow to her grief!"
She slammed the door in the courier's face the little one on her hip, crying at the noise, she stroked the toddler's cheek "Shh." The Lady sat down in the rocking chair near the youngster's cradle. "Daddy gone?" There was nothing more heartbreaking than a child witnessing death let alone the death of their Father. Freawine had just barely begun to say full sentences her man would now miss it all. Thanks to his recklessness, his lust for glory, lust for a life that was no longer meant for either of them. Or was it? Either way, he wasn't going to come back. His promises fell on dead lips, quite literally in this circumstance. "Yes suckling, I am sorry." The wails of her boy only grew stronger as the revelation sunk in. Rocking him back and forth in the chair until his tears made him fall into exhaustion. She lowered him into the cradle watching him in his uneasy slumber.
Then she woke up in a pool of her own sweat she realized that the night terror happened again. Thankfully, Lycaon had not shared her bed this night. She would loathe the time that he would see her weakness, her fear because in the end she still had the pride of Eorl in her veins. The door to her bedroom opened followed by her boy's voice "Mama, I can't sleep." The Lady chuckled bitterly "You and I both little man. Come I'll get you some tea and tell you a Rohirric parable. Then we'll see if we can't get you back to sleep. No, don't look at me like that! Tea is good for the soul, well mine is." Freawine huffed "That's not what my nanny said! She said that your tea tastes like Vinegar and Sweat!"
Aellwenn sighed and replied "Forget Mistress Geloith. Her old age has made her like a prune. But don't you dare tell her I said that. She helped raise me after all." And thus the late hours dragged on carrying Mother and Son back to bed.
