Goldleaf nodded at Eston's suggestion. "Perhaps that would be best," she said. She patted her horse and it stopped in it's trot and stood still. She looked towards the lord and lady of the hall. She could sense the pain between the couple; she, for one, understood the downfalls of love, though she had never been married. Her thoughts strayed to a period of time long from now; to her own farewell to a loved one. She took a small intake of breath and sat down on the patchy, grassy earth. Goldleaf remained silent, thinking of something to say.

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~~Siggy by Lembas~~

" Have you ever loved before?' eston asked to break the silence. He felt oddly quiet before battles and always felt that there was so many things left unsaid.

_________________
Lips, ripe as the berries in June
Red the rose, red the rose
Skin, pale as the light of the moon
Gently as she goes

as always a hero comes home

Goldleaf looked up, in surprise. She paused before answering Eston's question.
"Yes," she replied. Her voice was even and calm. She nodded. "Once. A long time ago." She did not know how to continue, how to explain exactly how the situation had been to someone that she didn't know very well. She left it at that, and sighed. "Have you?"

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~~Siggy by Lembas~~

Eston nodded " I have, married actually" He ran a hand through his hair again. " An Arranged marriage between our two families to smooth over a fued. We grew to love each other through time. But our love wasn't like theirs" he said noddng towards Deawen and Sen.

_________________
Lips, ripe as the berries in June
Red the rose, red the rose
Skin, pale as the light of the moon
Gently as she goes

as always a hero comes home

"An arranged marriage... that can't have been easy," Goldleaf said. "At least there was love in the marriage." She looked towards Deawen and Sen. "I can see that they love each other very much; they are lucky. It's said that a really true love comes once in a lifetime. But with it is bound to come sorrow."

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~~Siggy by Lembas~~

" Better to take that chance than spend your life without love." he said truthfully. " After Eriana died, I thought I would never love again. "

_________________
Lips, ripe as the berries in June
Red the rose, red the rose
Skin, pale as the light of the moon
Gently as she goes

as always a hero comes home

Goldleaf nodded. "Yes, true," she said. "I know that feeling. The man I loved died." She did not bother to explain the complications. How two years before his death, he had turned her down. There was to be no mistake made about the fact that he loved her as she loved him; but there were difficulties. Considering the fact that he was the eldest son of the Steward of Gondor especially, and his duty was to his country, his calling was for war.
She felt the morning breeze against her face, thinking. Her fingers drummed against each other, and she kept an eye on her horse, so that it did not run away.

_________________


~~Siggy by Lembas~~

(Sorry I'm late to the posting party...Musical theatre's a drag. And also, I can't stop writing sentences in iambic pentameter. Help!)

Morwen slept only for a few hours, waking just after dawn to start packing her children's things. She had let the boys sleep in her bed, making it easier for her work in their room. Once that was done, she let Cocea know she was going out and made her way to the stable. Eohric kept his armor in the housej proudly displayed, but she decided to keep hers hidden in the tack room. It wasn't so much a matter of secrecy, but of tact. She knew she would never have any peace if the boys found out that she was quite a match to their father. Removing the old saddle, reins, and ropes from atop the cabinet, she opened it and ran her fingers over the leather, slightly dusty after years of dissuse. "Hello, I thought we'd never meet again." She took out a soft brush and began to service the creaky leather and tarnished metal.

When that was done, she checked on the boys (still asleep) and went for a walk. She always enjoyed the path that lead around the hill before heading off towards Edoras. From far away, she could see nothing wrong in the town. Everything seemed as it should. As she came around to the side facing east, she looked over the tussocks of grass and rolling hills and could see the faintest traces of smoke. With that sight in mind, she headed back and made her way to Deawen's estate. There she found Eston and Goldleaf. "Friends, I wish you morning, though I hesitate to call it good," she said with a small bow. "I can see the smoke from the East."

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Reasons I love England #217:
I saw "whilst" on a traffic sign

Eston sighed in reply. " Lady MOrwen may I ask something of you?" he asked returning a bow. " Will you keep an eye on Deawen?" he asked earnestly " She finds trouble as it is but I have a feeling Deawen will not be content staying home minding the estate once the first blood has been spilled. "

_________________
Lips, ripe as the berries in June
Red the rose, red the rose
Skin, pale as the light of the moon
Gently as she goes

as always a hero comes home

"I will do my best to keep her here. And if what you assume will come to pass, I will go with her and try to keep her out of the worst bit of it."

_________________
Reasons I love England #217:
I saw "whilst" on a traffic sign

Goldleaf inclined her head as Morwen greeted them. She remained silent as Eston made a request of Morwen concering Deawen. It seemed that everyone here was ill at ease. She spoke up finally, her tone low and considering. "It is difficult for women to stay at home while war rages about them," she said. "This, I understand. But it would not bode well for the people of Westfolde to lose the lady of the hall; people without a leader in times of trouble could be led astray, and more trouble could be cooked up by this userper that's been spoken of, to take advantage as it were."
She gave a small smile and rose to her feet. Her horse was still standing still, but it grew impatient, nodding it's head and stamping it's hooves. She murmured to it reassuringly.

_________________


~~Siggy by Lembas~~

"I agree completely. Also, I know my husband is out somewhere, and that this affects him, good or ill. The idea of my sons losing a father and a mother is too much. Enough to keep me here, at the very least. All I can do is pray that she sees the same as I do."

_________________
Reasons I love England #217:
I saw "whilst" on a traffic sign

Eston shrugged. " it's hard to say with Deawen, I mean I I know you of all people Morwen understand her mindset. The two of you are a rare breed of women, Shieldmaidens. It is a pity no songs are song of Shieldmaidens and their deeds they are certainly as important as the Warriors." Eston said

_________________
Lips, ripe as the berries in June
Red the rose, red the rose
Skin, pale as the light of the moon
Gently as she goes

as always a hero comes home

"Well," said Morwen thoughtfully. "We are a fairly secretive bunch, aren't we? And" she added with a smile, "I think our husbands, lords, and brothers might be a bit annoyed if our songs were sung by every housewife as they go about their work."

_________________
Reasons I love England #217:
I saw "whilst" on a traffic sign

Goldleaf stayed silent as Eston and Morwen discussed shieldmaidens. She stroked the snowy mane of her impatient horse, trying to soothe it into submission. Then she lifted her head, thoughtfully.
"My father fairly encouraged me to become a 'shieldmaiden', as you call women who can wield a blade," she said, with the tiniest of smiles. "He made sure that I was educated in the ways of the sword. He said to me, 'Goldleaf, in times like these you never know what war or other's going to start soon'. He forged swords, so he gave me the toughest broadsword he could find. A bit of a challenge for a young girl, but I learnt how to use it and still carry it everywhere with me today."

_________________


~~Siggy by Lembas~~

(Sorry about not posting for a while; I was away since last Wednesday...)
*Sen smiled softly, and bent down, giving his wife a kiss on the cheek.*
I will, my love. I cannot be killed, not while your heart is with me.
*He turned to the others, sitting upright on his saddle. He was intrigued to see that Goldleaf rode with them; he hoped that she would not prove to be a burden... Yet now, it was time to ride out, and he adressed the others as such.*
Friends old and new, we ride to the service of the king. We ride, because there are those who threaten not only our lives, but the lives of those we love. We ride, not knowing what the enemy has in store for us. We ride, knowing that our sacrifices, no matter how small or how great, will not be in vain. We ride to war, friends, and to victory!
*A large cheer rose up from the soldiers gathered, and Sen placed the golden helm on his head, phoenix wings blazing in the morning sun. He raised his sword, saluting those who had to be left behind, and rode out. He would return victorious. He could not bear the thought of any other outcome...*

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"True Evil cannot be reckoned with. Only Defeated." - Sen L I Starfire

(Banner thanks to Imlosiel the Lost! )