She laughs ruefully, leaning up to kiss him one last time, briefly, before they leave.
Breakfast is much as Eowyn expects it. The Great Hall has been mostly cleared of over-boisterous feasters who fell asleep on their benches next to half-empty or overturned tankards, and the cleaners have definitely been at work, which pleases her to see. From her own personal purse she had arranged gifts for all the servants, every last one, in thanks for their tremendous extra efforts towards the day; it seems her generosity is rewarded.
There is the inevitable teasing, of course, from the Riders who know her well, and certainly from their wives, and the same for Faramir from his own Rangers. Rude comments (though not too explicit) abound. Her brother attempts to silence these (more out of his own mortification than his sister's, for Eowyn gives as good as she gets, no matter who speaks), but to no avail.
After breakfast Eomer steals her away for some talk, and she tells him of her plans, and they talk of present and future for a while. At the end he kisses her on the forehead, his expression a trifle wistful at all the signs of the distance that must grow between them, and for a moment she too is a little wistful.
But not for long, for it is only a few hours later, just after the noontide meal, when she and Faramir are loading up their horses and a few packhorses with supplies, and she is radiant once more, impatient to set out. "We go to Thengel's hunting lodge," she informs her husband, as she checks Windfola's saddle. "It is a few hours' ride, but borders a forest and a small lake, so there will be game aplenty. Or fishing, if you are minded to try it."
It is arranged that their guards will follow them at a distance and keep a scouting perimeter, so that the honeymooners will be able to keep their privacy.
Of course not. It would be futile. ;)
Breakfast is much as Eowyn expects it. The Great Hall has been mostly cleared of over-boisterous feasters who fell asleep on their benches next to half-empty or overturned tankards, and the cleaners have definitely been at work, which pleases her to see. From her own personal purse she had arranged gifts for all the servants, every last one, in thanks for their tremendous extra efforts towards the day; it seems her generosity is rewarded.
There is the inevitable teasing, of course, from the Riders who know her well, and certainly from their wives, and the same for Faramir from his own Rangers. Rude comments (though not too explicit) abound. Her brother attempts to silence these (more out of his own mortification than his sister's, for Eowyn gives as good as she gets, no matter who speaks), but to no avail.
After breakfast Eomer steals her away for some talk, and she tells him of her plans, and they talk of present and future for a while. At the end he kisses her on the forehead, his expression a trifle wistful at all the signs of the distance that must grow between them, and for a moment she too is a little wistful.
But not for long, for it is only a few hours later, just after the noontide meal, when she and Faramir are loading up their horses and a few packhorses with supplies, and she is radiant once more, impatient to set out. "We go to Thengel's hunting lodge," she informs her husband, as she checks Windfola's saddle. "It is a few hours' ride, but borders a forest and a small lake, so there will be game aplenty. Or fishing, if you are minded to try it."
It is arranged that their guards will follow them at a distance and keep a scouting perimeter, so that the honeymooners will be able to keep their privacy.