Éomer has always been better at listening than at talking. She is a woman of few words, typically, but being one of the few people who can communicate with Steven easily has meant that she often winds up playing translator for him; she feels like she's spoken more around him than she has around anyone else in her life for years.
All that is to say, it is not a hardship to shut her mouth and let him be the one to speak for a while.
To make it easier on him, and to give herself something to do, she picks up a set of combs herself and sets to helping him care for his horse in companionable silence, glancing at him and giving him an encouraging smile as he starts to actually open up about the people he knew back from where he came.
"It is not unreasonable to be angry with her for her sacrifice," she says eventually, filing away the knowledge that shieldmaidens are apparently common enough to him that he hasn't felt the need to bring them up before, "while still appreciating its necessity. I would gladly lay down my life for my men, for my family, but I know they would be furious with me if I did so."
She bumps her shoulder against his, paying careful attention to her task to make it easier to be honest about her feelings. "I am sure Natasha would not begrudge you your anger at her. At least you are alive to be angry."
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Date: 2019-08-10 10:57 pm (UTC)All that is to say, it is not a hardship to shut her mouth and let him be the one to speak for a while.
To make it easier on him, and to give herself something to do, she picks up a set of combs herself and sets to helping him care for his horse in companionable silence, glancing at him and giving him an encouraging smile as he starts to actually open up about the people he knew back from where he came.
"It is not unreasonable to be angry with her for her sacrifice," she says eventually, filing away the knowledge that shieldmaidens are apparently common enough to him that he hasn't felt the need to bring them up before, "while still appreciating its necessity. I would gladly lay down my life for my men, for my family, but I know they would be furious with me if I did so."
She bumps her shoulder against his, paying careful attention to her task to make it easier to be honest about her feelings. "I am sure Natasha would not begrudge you your anger at her. At least you are alive to be angry."