A shadow // Grima x reader

Chapter 2

You woke from a dreamless sleep and slowly got up, changing and going toward breakfast. You felt low from the day before. You had thought about Gríma as you walked, he used to be so kind, however, he had changed when your father began to become ill, Gríma had become paler and harsher to you. What had Gríma become?

You reached the hall and sat in your usual place but was surprised to not see Éomer. Confused, you asked Háma who informed you that Éomer had been banished which put you in shock. Quickly you asked why but Háma shook his head, unsure. You looked up at your father and then at Gríma, you scowled, he was the reason that Éomer had been banished. You looked down at your food, you really were alone, like Gríma said.

You stood, not wanting to be under the eyes of all these people any longer and instead walked out. You needed some peace away from everyone. You went back to your room and whipped your tears, you wished for your brother, he had been gone for a while but had always supported you. Looking out the window you watched the clouds roam across the sky and you wished you were free like the clouds. Instead, you were trapped, the walls of your house closing in on you. You could not stop the words of Gríma playing in your head, his words were like a virus, clawing into your mind which made you upset.

You heard a knock on the door and unfortunately, it was Gríma, his dark cloak wrapped around him. He wore his normal cold expression as he swept into the room and stood in front of you. From his robes he brought out a pie which made you shocked, not thinking he would care for you, seeing as all his words were one of awfulness.

"You must eat" he said.

"I am not hungry" you said, looking back out of the window.

"Your brother is dead" he announced coldly.

Your eyes widened and your heart sunk completely as your slip started to quiver and you started to cry, letting out long and painful sobs. "no" you whispered through your tears

"It is true" Gríma said, placing his hand on your shoulder and gently stroking it.

You didn't notice his hand, overcome by grief for both him and yourself, you were officially now alone like Gríma had said, he was right.

Gríma sat next to you on the window seat and took your cheek, gently brushing away your tears with this thumb. "You poor thing" he mused, "Your grief is harsh and your tears are staining your cheeks"

You looked away from him and Gríma stood, his cloak brushing your leg. "You can see his body if you wish" he said, turning away and sucking the thumb which he had used to wipe the tears. He could taste the saltiness of your sadness and slowly took his thumb from his mouth, satisfied.

You meanwhile kept crying, unable to calm down. All you could think about is your brother and how your father would not understand that he was dead. You also cried that there would be no heir for the crown of Rohan, only you, or Gríma.

After a while, you finally got up from your seat and would face your brother. Slowly you walked down the hallway toward your brother's old room and slowly peeked around the door. You could see Theodred laid peacefully although as you walked closer you could see a gash of where the sword pierced him. You knelt in front of Theodred, unable to hold your tears again. You were in so much grief you did not notice the sound of Gríma who had walked to the door and watched you kneel in front of your brother's bed.

Gríma wished you were not in grief, it made his heart quiver when he saw you, wracked with grief and pain. Gríma would make sure that you would never again be in so much grief as this, when he would make you his he would keep you contented, you may not be happy, but you would be safe and without grief. Gríma smiled, thinking about how soft your hair would be before he quickly left, not wanting to be seen.