#forth eorlingas

Pushing the door further open, the light streamed inside, illuminating a lopsided heap on the child’s bed.

A soft laugh rumbled in his chest when he distinguished two small figures wrapped around a taller frame.

“Éowyn I understand, but Éomer too?”

Théodred peered up at his father with a crooked grin. His two cousins were sleeping on top of him.

“We went riding before lunch, and afterwards Éowyn claimed fatigue. I sang them a few ballads of our family and soon they both fell asleep like this.”

“Hmm.” Théoden studied them for a moment, his bright eyes taking in the faces of the two children. There was much of Théodwyn in them. Then he reached out and gently patted not Éowyn nor Éomer but his own son on his head. Already halfway through his twenties, the young man was suddenly abashed with such affection, so he asked:

“You were looking for me?”

“Aye, we had been expecting you at the council meeting.”

“By the Valar, I missed that? Forgive me, Father. I – “

“Be at ease, Theo,” he interrupted with a shake of his hand, “some matters take precedence.”

"Aye, Father," he said and sighed before letting his head fall back onto the bed.