The Abduction of Éomer, King of Rohan

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

It was the smell of cabbage that woke me. Cabbage? I tried to sit up – and regretted it straightaway. My back protested at the sudden movement by sending a stab of pain down my spine, as muscles I had not known I possessed cramped up. And my arms felt as if somebody had pummelled them with stones. I groaned.

"Are you hurting?" The voice held no sympathy. "It's best if you move as much as possible, to work out the stiffness."

Stiffness? What a complete misnomer for the agony coursing through me. But my indignation gave me the necessary strength to struggle upright. I glared at Léona, who grinned back insolently. He sat on the rowing bench easily, taking slow strokes, as if he was in no particular hurry. On his head perched a straw hat and at his feet lay a pile of cabbages.

I must have stared at them as if they were an apparition, for he chuckled. "Do you like my purchases?"

"You bought them?"

"Well, I could hardly have grown them, could I?"

Another glare just earned me more chuckles. I lifted my chin in challenge. "How am I supposed to know you're a cabbage lover?"

"I am not. In fact I'm heartily sick of them – we had them all winter."

I closed my eyes. Wonderful. Not only had I abducted the wrong man, he also seemed to be touched in the head. Why couldn't I just go back to sleep! "Then why buy them?" I asked.

"It's the perfect disguise. Or would you search for a princess amongst cabbages?"

I opened my eyes again. "No." Perhaps he was cleverer than I thought.

He bent down. "I bought a hat for you as well." A straw hat, identical to the one he wore, landed in my lap.

"Thank you," I said reflexively.

"That's all right. I used your money."

"What!"

With his chin, he motioned to the floor and I saw my bag of belongings lying there. "I found your little stash and thought you would not begrudge me using it for a good cause."

The cheek of the man! But to get miffed would only play into his hands. So I smiled. "I am sure my new accoutrement will stand me in good stead at the next reception in Merethrond. The ladies of Minas Tirith will blanch with envy."

The corners of his mouth twitched at my sally, but he let the subject drop. I sat up straighter and peered over the side of the boat. Where were we anyway? The sun glancing off the river struck my eyes, and I had to squint. Long shadows reached across the water from the trees growing on the opposite shore, yet we were still in sunshine. I let my glance wander upwards. There rose the dark green slopes of the Ephel Dúath, lit by the sinking sun. So late! Surely I couldn't have slept the whole day away? My stomach chose that moment to show its discontent with a loud rumble. Perhaps I had.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"About halfway up Cair Andros, I judge," Léona answered.

Only! Surely the island wasn't all that long, if I remembered my maps correctly. He had rowed the whole day and that was all the distance he had covered?

As if reading my thoughts, Léona shrugged. "I had to stop and hide several times, for the Anduin has been thick with ships looking for you. It's a mystery to me why, Lothíriel, but they seem to want you back."

I chose not to reply to that. The man was very free with my name as well! But hopefully the rest of the journey would pass faster and I would soon get rid of his troublesome company.