THE CAPTURE OF A SHIELDMAIDEN

Dawn, June 2, 3019
Mordor Army Camp, 130 miles from Edoras
Scouting parties of Rohirrim have been observed by Riders on Fell Beasts a few miles north of the camp on the Great West Road. It is time for Angmar and Maltriel's farewells.

Cast
Eowyn/Maltriel - Eowyn
Frealaf/Eomer - Hobbitness
Angmar/Lomin/Deor - Quiet Wraith

Angmar: Maltriel, it has been but a short time since you have been with us....
Maltriel: aye my lord, and shorter still, for i remember naught of my past
Angmar: And who knows..... perhaps one of us will not come back....
Maltriel: it is but a chance that we are willing to take
Angmar: Yes, for our cause, we are willing to lay down our all....
Maltriel: it would be an honor to die for Mordor
Angmar: *Perhaps she shall*
Angmar: Yes, for Mordor, for the Master!
Maltriel: though i wish you be by my side when i ride into battle
Angmar: My love, I must stay behind and not go on this scouting mission. I must command the army, though it grieves me to have you leave me
Maltriel: most dear, we speak as though this is our last meeting. i pray it is not! it is but a scouting mission, though ive never been on one before.
Angmar: Maltriel, do not fear. Should you meet the Rohirrim, you will find they are all cowards! They will run at the slightest show of force
Maltriel: i do not fear them, though i have never been tested in battle against them.
Maltriel: a pathetic rabble they must be, to run in fear from a woman ...
Angmar: Aye, a pathetic rabble indeed, but they will not know you are a woman
Angmar: Your helm will conceal that
Maltriel: aye, my lord ... i look like the rest of the men in the company
Maltriel: though they have dark hair and skin
Angmar: They will never notice that. You have bound your hair so they can see nothing
Maltriel: that is true, most dear to my heart
Angmar: The Rohirrim are evil to the core. They know our cause is just and righteous
Angmar: That makes us mighty and them fearful!
Maltriel: they shall run in fear of the shine of our swords if we should encounter them.
Angmar: But soon the hour of your leaving will be here
Maltriel: *her cheeks are damp with the flow of her tears*
Maltriel: *for his words have been quite dire indeed today*
Angmar: When you are out there far from the army, remember.... think of Mordor, think of the Great Master, Sauron
Angmar: And think of me, your lord Angmar
Maltriel: aye, my lord. those things will i keep close in my heart, as they give me hope
Angmar: Courage, do not fear them!
Angmar: Go out and gain glory and honor for yourself, for Mordor!
Maltriel: yes, my lord, honor and glory
Maltriel: i will not be afraid, even if they do dare to hinder us
Angmar: They will sing of your deeds of daring in the days to come if you only prove yourself upon the field of battle!
Maltriel: that i shall do, my lord
Maltriel: i would like to be alive to hear the songs, but to die for mordor is an honorable death
Angmar: But now, the time comes....
Angmar: One of us might not come back...
Angmar: Kiss me my love, kiss me as you never have before!
Maltriel: *she takes him in her arms, pressing her lips against his and kisses him*
Maltriel: *long, depsparately, passionately*
Angmar: *he wraps his arms around her waist, drawing her close to him, and kisses her wildly and passionately, his lips lingering on hers for long moments*
Maltriel: *she enjoys every moment of his kiss, his arms around her, for a fear has come upon her that she shall never see him again*
Angmar: *He thinks to himself, foul mortal! Will I ever be able to get her stench off my robes!*
Angmar: *his lips seek hers again greedily*
Maltriel: *she kisses him back with desparate passion, tears running down her cheeks she cannot control*
Angmar: My love, I will kiss away your tears, there must be no sadness
Maltriel: *she looks up into his deep grey eyes.... she smiles*
Angmar: And now, my love, I must release you. Your company is ready. I will take you to your horse
Maltriel: *she looks at him sadly* i know, most dear. so soon i must part fromyour company
Angmar: My lady....
Angmar: It is time...
Maltriel: *she feels a little dizzy, her medicine being to take hold upon her... she stumbles slightly towards him*
Angmar: *he holds her tightly in his arms so she will not fall*
Maltriel: *she feels safe and loved in his arms, and wishes that she would never leave them*
Maltriel: *but knows she must. she looks up again to him and sighs*
Angmar: *He takes her by the arm and leads her out of the tent*
Angmar: *He entrusts her to the care of Lomin*
Angmar: *It is dawn*
Maltriel: *she sees the whiteyellow sky to the east, and remembers the night before*
Maltriel: my lord, it is bright.... but how can this be? i thought it was always dark
Maltriel: *staggers a bit as she walks, tries to keep her balance*
Angmar: *He reaches out to steady her*
Angmar: My lady, it appears that the stern face of Arien watches down upon us
Maltriel: can she harm us, lord? can the world.... end? is this...? *her voice trails off*
Angmar: No, my lady, soon the world will be covered once again with darkness and we will be blessed by its presence
Maltriel: *she smiles, relieved* that is a relief to my heart
Angmar: But for a while, you will have to endure the fierce growing light of Her hideous face
Angmar: ....Until the gathering darkness enfolds us once again
Maltriel: i shall look to that day with hope, my lord, angmar most dear
Maltriel: *she looks at him long, and then walks towards her horse*
Angmar: *He goes with her and assists her in mounting*
Maltriel: my lord, thank you for your help, but my medicine has not bemused me as much today
Maltriel: *she begins to get on her horse, becomes dizzy and disorientated at the sudden motions and almost slips off the other side*
Eomer: *In the Rohirrim camp, Eomer, newly King, has finished putting on his armor*
Eomer: *His squire helps him with his weapons, intimidated by his lord's grave manner this morning*
Eomer: *Eomer's heart is heavy with grief for his fallen king and his sister, whom he believes to be dead*
Angmar: *he laughs at her to himself*
Maltriel: *she manages to readjust herself in her saddle just in time, and smiles at angmar, her face slightly red*
Angmar: *Lomin Rides up and greets her*
Maltriel: *through blurred vision she sees lomin approach and says* hail lomin
Lomin: Hail, my Captain
Lomin: I trust you are feeling well?
Maltriel: *her medicine makes her feel as though she is walking on clouds. she grins stupidly* aye that i am
Lomin: Captain, so you will not overly tax yourself, once again I will give the orders to save you that task
Lomin: *in a speech she does not understand, he gives the orders to go forward*
Maltriel: *she groggily spurs her horse forward to be at lomins side, not wanting to be left behind*
Maltriel: *she mutters undre breath* i would like to prove myself, just once in a while
Lomin: *Lomin smiles at her* You will do well today, my lady
Maltriel: *looks to lomin* i hope so... at least my medicine was not as strong today.
Maltriel: or else i would be falling out of the saddle again... *laughs grimly at herself softly*
Lomin: *Lomin jokes with her as they ride, trying to make her feel at ease. Inside, he laughs at her*
Maltriel: *his talk makes her feel better, and her medicine makes her feel fairly content*
Lomin: *The hours pass away as they ride into Rohan. They stop briefly and eat on the ride. By midafternoon, they are far from the army*
Maltriel: *the day gets increasingly brighter since dawn... through her drugged haze it makes her feel uncomfortable, naked out on the open plains*
Lomin: *Lomin thinks to himself, it shouldn't be long now, if our scouts reports are as accurate as they always are*
Lomin: *For the scouts of the Rohirrim have been long under scrutiny by the flying air scouts. It will be no surprise when at last Maltriel's group contacts the enemy*
Maltriel: lomin, will it become any more brighter than this? i feel like we are naked out in these fields
Lomin: No, it is as bright as it will be
Maltriel: that i am glad of. though it is quite beautiful, it is by far more perilous
Lomin: Aye, indeed more perilous
Lomin: *They ride on, a few more miles and then, just ahead of them they can see men on horseback, an erod, commanded by Deor*
Maltriel: *she senses unease among the ranks shakes herself out of her haze and looks ahead*
Lomin: Look, they challenge our passage!
Maltriel: *she tenses and sits up straight*
Lomin: We will drive them off the road! They are cowards! They will not stand!
Frealaf: *The Rohirrim eored has spotted the company from Mordor and is riding out to meet them*
Maltriel: aye, we shall! lord angmar told me thus. they shall run from us when they see the shine of our swords
Lomin: My lady, you must lead the charge
Maltriel: *she draws her sword, ready for battle*
Maltriel: *spurs her horse forward, yelling* MATUM U ULU!!
Frealaf: *Frealaf grimaces at the hated tongue of Mordor*
Lomin: *Behind her, Lomin signals to his men and they follow her for a bit*
Maltriel: *she drives her horse forward towards the rohirrim force, yelling threats and curses*
Frealaf: *The Rohirrim answer her battle cry and charge forward*
Lomin: *Then the Mordor force suddenly wheels to the right and turns back, spurring their horses frantically and riding back the way they came*
Maltriel: *vaguely aware that the men are riding away from her and going back towards the camp*
Frealaf: *The Rohirrim slow down, perplexed*
Maltriel: *realises she is charging alone, is confused*
Deor: *Deor shouts*
Deor: Men, what trickery is this!
Frealaf: *Frealaf thinks* This is no battle! Why does the enemy charge and then run?
Maltriel: *something is wrong. she tries to turn her horse around and follow the men*
Frealaf: I know not, commander! *shouts back*
Deor: *Deor commands the men to halt*
Frealaf: *Frealaf pulls his horse to a halt with his comrades*
Maltriel: *she, too, tries to wheel her horse and follow lomin, wondering what is going on*
Deor: Men, after him!
Deor: *The Rohirrim encourage their horses onward and chase the Mordor cavalryman*
Maltriel: *having turned her horse around, she spurs it frantically back towards the ways he came*
Frealaf: *The Rohirrim gallop forward, aiming to surround the lone soldier*
Deor: *But the Rohirrim have faster horses and soon gain on her*
Maltriel: *they may be cowards, she thinks, but not even cowards are afraid of one soldier*
Frealaf: *Frealaf helps form a ring around the soldier, wondering at this strange occurence, and wondering what treachery the Dark Lord means by this*
Frealaf: *He looks over his shoulder to see if men are hiding and waiting to attack them, but can see no one*
Maltriel: *she cannot outrun them, it is too late... they surround her in a circle. she looks at their lines hoping to see some gap but there is none*
Deor: *Lomin and his men are far away, now laughing at the cruel trick they played upon her*
Frealaf: *The ring around the soldier grows ever smaller as the Rohirrim close in*
Maltriel: *her sword is still aloft, her grip on it tight, as she sees the soldiers colse in around her*
Frealaf: Soldier of Mordor! Why do you linger behind your regiment? *his spear pointed at her*
Deor: *Deor says* Surrender!
Frealaf: *All the Rohirrim point their spears at her*
Maltriel: *stares at them in shock and horror, trying to master her fears*
Deor: *Deor looks her in the eye* Surrender, surrender!
Maltriel: *she falls into panic and fear, remembering all the stories angmar has told her of the tortures of rohirrim*
Frealaf: Stand, and show yourself, if you be a soldier!
Maltriel: *she spurs her horse forward recklessly trying to shock them and break tehir line*
Frealaf: Halt! There is no escape now
Deor: *The line holds firm*
Deor: *Her horse plunges into one of theirs, both horses rearing*
Frealaf: Surrender and remove your helm. Show us who you are
Maltriel: *she screams and falls off horse backwards on ground*
Maltriel: *dropping her sword far from her*
Frealaf: *jumps off his horse and pins her arms behind her back*
Frealaf: Surrender!
Deor: Surrender now! There is no hope for you!
Maltriel: *glares at them in fear and anger*
Frealaf: Though you are our prisoner we shall treat you well
Frealaf: For we have honor
Deor: *Deor gets off his horse and goes over to her*
Frealaf: We are no filthy orcs of Mordor who murder our prisoners! *spits on ground*
Maltriel: *she is on the ground, her arms pinned behind her back, in terror*
Frealaf: Nay, we shall treat you honorably. Have no fear.
Frealaf: Come, yield to us as our prisoner.
Maltriel: *struggles against them*
Frealaf: It is not so bad a fate as the one you have just left, I'll wager.
Maltriel: kill me now. i would rather die than be taken as prisoner and tortured slowly
Frealaf: Have you heard nothing I just said? None shall torture you
Maltriel: you speak with lies, no doubt, such is your kind
Frealaf: *holding her arms with one hand, he begins to seize her weapons and hand them to his commander*
Maltriel: will you not kill me?
Frealaf: Nay
Maltriel: or give me back my sword and let me fall upon it
Deor: *he takes the weapons from Frealaf*
Frealaf: *holds her arms tighter* We shall not let that happen
Maltriel: you desire to take me back and torture me, and burn me alive
Frealaf: This soldier is fey, commander
Deor: No! We torture no one!
Frealaf: What is your name, soldier?
Maltriel: *glares at frealaf*
Frealaf: You won't speak? *pulls off her helm*
Deor: Yes, he appears to be fey. Another thrall of Mordor!
Maltriel: *glares more*
Frealaf: *He draws back in shock and loses his grip on her arm*
Maltriel: i am not a thrall. you are thralls of the west
Frealaf: Commander....! *points to her*
Frealaf: How can this be?
Deor: You! What... what!
Maltriel: how can what be? i do not understand you
Maltriel: kill me now and torture me not
Frealaf: Lady Eowyn!
Frealaf: Do you not know yourself?
Maltriel: my name is Maltriel, if you must know it.
Deor: Maltriel! What nonsense is this!
Deor: And why does Mordor send someone who looks like our lady to fight against us!
Frealaf: *rage rises in him* It is the darkness of Mordor that has done this! Death! Death take them all!!!
Maltriel: i know naught of what you speak
Frealaf: Commander, I have long served His Majesty
Maltriel: i have always been of mordor
Frealaf: This is no soldier who resembles Eowyn
Frealaf: It IS Lady Eowyn!
Deor: Nonsense, you are a thrall! You look like Lady Eowyn. It is trickery, it is devilishment
Frealaf: Who was believecd to be dead
Deor: Nay! It cannot be! She is dead
Maltriel: my name is maltriel, and i come from minas tirith
Maltriel: *glares some more*
Frealaf: But now it appears that she was captured
Frealaf: not killed as we thought
Deor: *He commands some men to catch her horse, which has run away when she fell*
Maltriel: my name is not eowyn, nor do i know what you speak of.
Deor: Whatever your name is, or whatever you think it might be, you are going back to Edoras!
Maltriel: no! i will die there in long torment. kill me now and be done with it
Frealaf: Forgive me, my lady, but I must do this for your safety, for I fear you shall harm yourself *binds her hands*
Deor: Frealaf, bind her hands
Maltriel: *struggles with him desperately*
Frealaf: *manages to bind her hands*
Frealaf: *He silently curses Mordor with all evils imaginable*
Deor: She is going back to Edoras. This is more than I can comprehend
Frealaf: Aye, sir, it is beyond my understanding as well
Maltriel: *sulks in silence, glaring*
Maltriel: what is there to understand? i am a noble soldier of mordor, and i have been captured by outlaws and ruffians
Frealaf: *swallows his rage*
Deor: *He orders one man to hold the reins of her horse as she mounts*
Frealaf: *He wishes the men who brought her would return so they could slaughter them all*
Frealaf: *He mounts his own horse and leads her horse beside his*
Maltriel: *waits for whatever horrible fate there might be*
Frealaf: *He follows his commander, leading the strange prisoner*
Deor: *Maltriel is on her own horse as Frealaf leads it beside his*
Maltriel: *totters in her saddle slightly*
Frealaf: *reaches out to steady her*
Frealaf: Do not fear, my lady
Frealaf: There is a doctor in Edoras who can help you
Deor: *Deor, shaking his head in dismay, gets on his own horse*
Maltriel: i do not fear you, though doubtless you will torment me mercilessly
Frealaf: None shall torment you
Frealaf: You will be treated with the utmost respect
Frealaf: There is nothing to fear
Maltriel: i am a captive of the rohirrim am i not?
Deor: Yes, you are a captive!
Frealaf: *The other riders surround Frealaf and Eowyn so that she will not escape*
Frealaf: *as they continue towards Edoras*
Maltriel: and what respect do your people have for those of mordor?
Deor: None!
Frealaf: But you are not of Mordor
Frealaf: You grew up in Edoras
Frealaf: You are the sister of our king
Frealaf: Eomer
Deor: Frealaf, she is of Mordor. She wears their colors. This is trickery, some new magic of the enemy!
Maltriel: i was a lady of the court in minas tirith. i know naught of your people
Frealaf: I do not know *shakes his head* but she is so like the Lady Eowyn!
Frealaf: I can hardly believe it can be anyone but she
Deor: Frelaf, it is deceit, it is cunning, and none too subtle!
Frealaf: Even if it is, we should not harm her
Deor: Mordor now, for some unknown reason, wants us to think this thrall is the Lady Eowyn! *he laughs* what nonsense!
Maltriel: i am your captive, and my life is in your hands. i desire to be executed quickly, and not left to slow torment
Maltriel: i care nothing of who you think or do not think i am
Frealaf: Your fate shall be for the King to decide
Deor: You look like the Lady Eowyn. I do not know how they have done this, but some way....
Maltriel: *she begins to get frustrated* i am not the lady eowyn! i am maltriel!
Deor: Mordor mocks us now!
Frealaf: *To Deor* I hope His Majesty takes her to Gandalf. The White Wizard should know who she is
Frealaf: and undo any devilry of the enemy
Maltriel: i am not the lady eowyn, nor do i know who she is, nor have i ever heard of her before in my life.
Maltriel: but i wonder now should it bring me shame to be compared to her.
Deor: Nay, Gandalf shall not trouble with her. She is fey, or a thrall
Deor: She is NOT the Lady Eowyn!
Maltriel: *she looks towards deor, glad someone thinks she is not eowyn* aye, you are right. but i am no thrall, but a soldier of mordor
Maltriel: nor am i fey
Deor: *He grows tired of hearing her words and falls into silence, wondering what they will tell King Eomer when they get back to Edoras*
Maltriel: *her medicine begins to take hold of her again and her head droops slightly*
Frealaf: *Frealaf continues to study the woman. He cannot bring himself to rule out the possibility of her actually being the Lady Eowyn*
Frealaf: *Frealaf begins to feel sympathy for the woman, for he fears it is really Eowyn. He steadies her again*
Deor: *He is glad that they were supposed to return to Edoras anyway and another company scouts the armies of Mordor*
Maltriel: *lists slightly to one side, but comes back to senses just in time. however her hands behind her back she has nothing to steady herself. she gasps*
Frealaf: *Frealaf pulls her back onto the saddle*
Maltriel: *cringes slightly at his touch, but masters herself. senses that he means her no harm... for now.. quielty* thank you

***

Evening of June 5, 3019
Edoras

Deor: *It is now June 5, and the company rides up the hill to Mesuseled*
Deor: *They pass the burial mounds to honor the dead*
Deor: *They dismount in front of the Golden Hall and men take their horses to the stables*
Deor: *Deor had grown tired of arguing with Frealaf on the trip about the identity of the strange prisoner*
Deor: *Deor is still convinced that she is some trick of the enemy, while Frealaf mantains she is Eowyn*
Maltriel: *Maltriel feels sick and weary after the long, hard ride, with no medicine to comfort her woes, and far away from her beloved lord angmar*
Deor: *After all the customary salutes, greetings, formalities and customs, Maltriel is ushered into the Golden Hall*
Frealaf: *Frealaf trys to steady her as he sees she is weak*
Maltriel: *all her memory of these familiar places are gone. all she knows is that she is in strange enemy territory*
Deor: *Deor bows before the king* Your Majesty, we...... this woman..... whoever she is.... *he stands there embarassed*
Maltriel: *reluctantly bows before the king, resenting every motion she feels she must make*
Deor: Your Majesty, I do not know what to make of this
Eomer: *Eomer grips the arms of his throne, shocked as he stares at the likeness of his sister who was thought to be dead*
Maltriel: *frustrated with two days of her identity being discussed and questioned she says* your majesty, your men seem to question my identity
Eomer: *Tears start to his eyes at the sound of his sister's voice*
Eomer: *He says gruffly to the men* How did this happen?
Eomer: Where did you find her?
Deor: Your Majesty, it is hard to explain.
Deor: I am but a simple rider
Eomer: You had better tell me all!
Deor: Your Majesty, I do not know if I can, but Frelaf says this woman is your sister!
Maltriel: *she sighs in frustration... not this discussion again. it is torment enough. she would rather be burned alive*
Eomer: Indeed she is the very picture of Eowyn!
Eomer: *He rises and goes to her. He says gently* Eowyn, do you not remember me?
Deor: It is not your sister, your majesty. This is a trick of the enemy!
Eomer: *glares at Deor*
Maltriel: *she backs away, fearing him* i am not eowyn, my name is maltriel
Eomer: *He crosses his arms and furrows his brow*
Deor: Your majesty, we were scouting about 30 miles from the Merring Stream
Eomer: What sort of trick do you consider this, Deor? Why would they send us a counterfeit likeness of Eowyn?
Deor: When we met this group of the enemy cavalry
Eomer: *listens, staring at Deor with a piercing gaze*
Deor: At first, they formed and then rode towards us
Deor: She led the charge
Deor: She spoke in the Dark Tongue, the evil speech of Mordor
Eomer: *raises his eyebrows*
Deor: Frealaf swears she is your sister but I know she cannot. She cannot be!
Deor: Lady Eowyn is dead!
Eomer: She could be!
Eomer: If Eowyn was not killed as we thought...
Eomer: ...but taken prisoner...
Deor: Unless the enemy now practices necromancy *he stands there satsified with himself*
Eomer: I can see how the fell torments of our enemy could do this to my beloved sister! *his enraged voice rings throughout the hall*
Maltriel: *she sighs, frustrated and annoyed by this again*
Eomer: Lady, who do you claim to be?
Deor: While she was leading the charge rushing towards us, the company behind her turned and fled!
Maltriel: i claim to be no one. I am Maltriel, of minas tirith
Eomer: *mutters under his breath* Cowards! Death take them all!
Deor: Then she tried to flee herself but we persued her and captured her
Eomer: *nods to Deor*
Deor: She fought like a demon!
Maltriel: *glares at deor*
Eomer: *smiles sadly...that sounds like Eowyn*
Eomer: Lady, can you tell me of your upbringing in Minas Tirith?
Deor: Your Majesty, my humble pardon. It cannot be your sister. They have taken her body and put a fell spirit into it!
Maltriel: your majesty, i remember naught of my past, for i have suffered long with an illness
Deor: Your majesty, she is possessed of a fell shade and it has driven her fey!
Eomer: You hear this, Deor! She cannot remember her past! She has been ill! It could be Eowyn. She is bewitched with their evil spells.
Maltriel: *glares at deor* i am not possessed nor am i fey! all of you torment me with your endless talk
Eomer: *he desperately wants it to be Eowyn*
Eomer: Do not form conclusions so quickly, Deor
Deor: Majesty, this is some new trick of the enemy. Now they send the bodies of the dead, posessed of the utmost evil!
Eomer: And do not seek to take my sister from me a second time!
Maltriel: *clenches her fists, which are tied behind her back, and glares at them all, fuming*
Maltriel: your majesty, i am not your sister. i am not a fell shade. and i am most certainly not dead, though i know i shall be soon.
Eomer: *looks at the woman with gentle concern* You shall not die. None shall harm you here.
Eomer: I will give them my orders to revere you
Deor: Majesty, I am only a common man. I do not know of these things, but I tell you it is trickery
Maltriel: *she glares at eomer* already your men seek to drive me mad with endless disputes to who i am!
Deor: Majesty, may I have your leave to go? I can do nothing more. I wish to see my family. It has been weeks now
Eomer: *frustration and grief overcoming him* Silence, Deor! let me question her! Yes, you have leave to go!
Deor: Your Majesty *he bows and leaves*
Maltriel: *watches deor leave... wonders what new torments that the king will devise for her*
Eomer: *strides up to the throne and pounds his fist onto the arm. He stands there trying to control the storm of rage and grief*
Eomer: *He turns back to her* Do you not remember these halls?
Maltriel: *she stands before him, her hands still tied behind her back. she watches the kings every movement with caution*
Maltriel: i have never been here before, so how could i?
Eomer: The halls of our fathers! The hall where King Theoden ruled and raised us
Maltriel: i know of no King Theoden, nor was i raised by him *sighs audibly*
Eomer: *He unbinds her hands and takes them gently* Listen, Eowyn...you do not remember your past. You have been ill. Do you not see that you are bewitched! But you are home now, and naught shall harm you
Eomer: Naught, ever again
Maltriel: *cringes when he comes close, but is glad he unbinds her hands*
Eomer: You cringe at the sight of your own brother?
Maltriel: it is true, lord, that i remember nothing of my past, but i am not bewitched. i am maltriel, and i come from minas tirith, a vassal state of mordor...
Maltriel: you are not my brother. my brother was a brave soldier for mordor, and he died fighting the west
Eomer: *A thought comes to him* How do you know these things about yourself, if you do not remember your past?
Maltriel: *she looks at him cautiously, fearing some trick*
Maltriel: the man i am betrothed to told me. he is a healer
Eomer: *confused* Betrothed? *thinks: She is betrothed to no one!* What is his name?
Maltriel: aye, i am betrothed. though i doubt i will ever see him again, now that i am a captive
Maltriel: *looks down sadly*
Eomer: *thinking that this might hold the answer to her identity and fate* Who? Who is he to whom you are "betrothed"?
Maltriel: why do you wish to know?
Eomer: *thinking fast* Perhaps we can find him and bring him here to stay with you *he plays along with her delusion*
Maltriel: you wish to capture him too? then i will never tell you his name
Maltriel: though you may torture me
Eomer: *groans*
Eomer: You said he was a healer
Maltriel: what does it matter to you if i live or die?
Eomer: *His gruff voice threatens to break* What does it matter?! Eowyn! You are my sister!
Maltriel: *steps back from him cringing*
Eomer: It means the world. I want only to help you.
Eomer: Do not fear me!
Maltriel: i am not your sister, lord
Eomer: *sighs*
Eomer: How did this lord heal you?
Maltriel: i only wish to protect myself, until the time comes when you must torture me
Eomer: You can tell me that without telling me his name
Eomer: No one will torture you, no one will harm you
Maltriel: so you say.
Maltriel: what i can remember of my past is vague and dark
Maltriel: but he gave me potions, which helped my illness
Eomer: *clenches his fists and closes his eyes. So that is it.*
Maltriel: already now does my health falter and fade *she feels weak and sick*
Eomer: *He wants to embrace her, to burst into tears, to ride out and slaughter all the hordes of Mordor--for now he is convinced that she is Eowyn*
Maltriel: *the room swirls around her and she falls to the floor*
Eomer: *He gently picks her up*
Eomer: Come. I shall put you in your old room.
Eomer: *hopes that will help her remember*
Eomer: *He carries her to her room and lays her on the bed*
Maltriel: *she falls into delirum and is half-conscious*
Maltriel: *whispers* most dear... my beloved
Eomer: *He orders two soldiers to guard the door*
Maltriel: angmar..?
Eomer: *he turns back, catching the name*
Eomer: Did you say Angmar?
Eomer: The Witch-King of Angmar??
Eomer: They said you died fighting the Witch-King of Angmar!
Maltriel: *regains ful consciousness, bolts upright and looks around in terror*
Maltriel: what did i say??? *she asks hastily fear in her voice*
Eomer: Oh, Eowyn! *He cannot restrain himself from covering his face and letting out a cry*
Eomer: *He wipes his eyes and pulls a chair next to her bed*
Maltriel: i would not call that woman's name, for i do not know her, nor wish to know her
Eomer: *He says softly* Do not worry. None shall harm you or disturb you.
Maltriel: *watches his every movement, cautious*
Eomer: You have said nothing amiss
Eomer: And we will help your sickness
Eomer: For I would not see you suffer
Maltriel: no. i am afraid you cannot. i need my lord
Eomer: No, I would keep all suffering from you *he covers his face again*
Eomer: We shall see about your "lord" later
Eomer: Now you are weary and must rest
Maltriel: he is the only one who can heal me.... without him i will die
Eomer: You shall not die
Maltriel: *starts babbling, falls into fever*
Eomer: You shall recover. I will see to that.
Maltriel: i need him, he is most dear and fair to me
Maltriel: i will never see him again. i will die. for i am dying already
Eomer: *Fear takes him, more strongly than it ever has on the battlefield. He wonders if she really is dying*
Maltriel: *falls into whisper, sinks back onto the bed* ...i never even told him that, i kept the knowledge hidden in my heart
Eomer: *He caresses her head* Do not despair. You will heal. These halls shall resound with your singing again
Maltriel: *due to her addiction and ever increasing withdrawal symptoms and dependency, she actually does think she is dying*
Eomer: *Eomer orders a soldier to fetch a doctor*
Eomer: *He settles in the chair by her bed, for he cannot bring himself to leave her*
Maltriel: *falls asleep with weariness*
Narrator: *On the day that Eowyn was captured, Lomin brought back the news to Angmar. Behind his hood, his eyes glow red, and he told Lomin, "Well done!"*
Narrator: *Still, Angmar thinks to himself.... Not yet has her account marked "paid in full." He laughs a low, grim, deadly laugh*

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