Chapter Eleven- The Journey Begins

It was now two days since Xanthe had accepted the position of Palace Healer.  She had ridden home the day before yesterday elated, not even allowing Olihre’s unhappy frowns to get her down. 

After speaking to her aunt and uncle, Xanthe had followed her aunt’s advice and run upstairs to speak to her mother.  Ysenia was ecstatic when she heard of Xanthe’s accomplishment, and had offered her red dress to Xanthe as a congratulatory present. 

“It looks better on you anyway,” she had said, admiring the way her Elven dress accentuated her daughter’s long form.

“I really don’t see how that is possible Mum, being as how we look almost exactly the same, but I will gladly accept your gift!”  Xanthe hugged Ysenia and then turned and stared at her bureau.  She wanted to begin packing immediately, even though in reality, she had not fully unpacked from her family’s long journey from Gondor. 

“What are you doing dear?” Ysenia asked, wondering why Xanthe had taken a sudden interest in the wooden drawers against the wall. 

“Hmmm?” Xanthe hummed absent-mindedly.  “Oh, I need to pack for our trip to Minas Tirith.” 

“What trip to Minas Tirith?”  Ysenia look utterly confused.  “You hadn’t mentioned that.  When will you be going, and with whom?”

Xanthe’s eyes widened as she realized that she had completely forgotten to mention the trip to her mother.  “Oh Mum, I’m sorry!  It’s been so crazy I forgot to tell you; the King and his Captain and I leave for Minis Tirith in two days.”

“Really?” Ysenia wasn’t sure how she felt about this.  “Just the three of you?”

Xanthe’s eyes widened once again when she realized she had completely neglected to mention to Olihre that she had volunteered him.  “Oh!  Well…I was going to ask Oli to go--that is if you can spare him.  If not, the King has agreed that it would be necessary for a female escort to come along, and he can find one easily.”

Ysenia was relieved to hear this.  “Well it is good that the King is mindful of the need for propriety.  It certainly is rare to find that among men these days.”

Xanthe smiled, knowing that if Oli had heard that, he would have been absolutely furious.  “Yes Mum, he is quite the gentleman.  If it’s alright with you, I’d like to go ask Oli if he’ll come.”

“Absolutely.  We can spare him for a few weeks.  Nori doesn’t have much work this time of year anyway.  Spring is when the stables are full.”

Xanthe nodded and left the room, about to head down the stairs, when she heard water being splashed around in the room next to hers.  Oli was washing up, after having cared for her horse. 

“Hi Oli,” she said, walking into the room and sitting on a bench against the wall.

Oli smiled to himself.  He had heard Xanthe speaking to his mother and he knew what she was going to ask him.  “Hey Xan.” he said casually. 

Xanthe wasn’t sure where to begin.  “Oli…” she started, “I am leaving for Minis Tirith in two days.” Xanthe was perplexed when Oli remained silent, without any reaction.  “With the King and the Captain.” she said emphatically, confident that this would get his attention.

Olihre tried not to laugh.  He stood there looking at her, as if he had no idea what she was getting at.  “That’s great Xan.  Make sure to pack warm clothes.”  He started to walk past her, but was stopped by her hand on his arm. 

“Oli wait!  I need to ask you something.” Xanthe stood and took a deep breath.  “Obviously it wouldn’t be proper for me to travel with the two men alone, so they have suggested that I take an escort.  They can provide one if I can’t, but I was hoping…if you aren’t busy…maybe you could come?”

Olihre dropped his act and grinned at his sister.  “Sure Xan, I’ll come.  I don’t want you alone with those fiends anyway.”  He immensely enjoyed seeing Xanthe roll her eyes, and he wasn’t done picking on her yet.  As he turned to leave he chuckled, “a gentleman, is he?”

Xanthe let out a ‘humf,’ playfully kicking her brother in the rear.  “What would you have me tell her?”

Ysenia had appeared in the doorway of the room next door.  “Tell me what?” 

Xanthe threw Oli a subtle look and smiled sweetly at her mother.  “Nothing Mum, Oli is just teasing me.”

Ysenia smiled.  “So you will go then Oli?  I would feel much better if you did.  The King seems just wonderful, but I still don’t think it is a good idea for Xanthe to travel alone with them.”

“Yes Mum, I’ll go.  Besides, I’d love to meet this ‘wonderful’ King that she keeps talking about.”  Oli laughed and ran down the stairs, dodging another well-placed kick in the rear. 

Xanthe looked at her mother innocently and rolled her eyes.  “He’s so strange Mum, remind me why you bore him?”

*          *          *

Xanthe was now sitting on the front porch watching her brother and the two other men load bags onto their horses.  Eomer and Gaviwyr had arrived just minutes ago on their own steeds, and they had trailed two palace horses behind them.  Xanthe had tried to assist them with the loading, but they had insisted that she was only in the way, and they could get the job done faster if she would go sit with her family.  Gaviwyr had gained a certain amount of satisfaction from the offended glare that Xanthe had thrown their way.  With a furrowed brow, she turned and stalked towards the porch, sitting down among her family.

Olihre was silent as he strapped his own bags to the large black horse that he had been provided with.  A slightly smaller gray horse had been brought for his sister, and Gaviwyr and Eomer were busy tethering her possessions to it.  When they were finished they turned and walked towards the porch.  “We’re ready to leave if you are!” Eomer said to Xanthe, nodding at Noradol, Corla and Ysenia. 

“Be careful love,” Ysenia begged her daughter, throwing meaningful looks at the three men who were to accompany her.

“Of course Mum!  Don’t worry, we’ll be back in no time.”  Xanthe hugged her mother. 

Eomer watched Xanthe as she conversed with her mother.  He noted her fitted cotton riding pants, which were the same mauve color as her brothers.  Olihre’s tunic however was brown, while Xanthe’s was a brilliant green.  They both wore long black boots, and had gray cloaks bundled accessibly on the backs of their saddles.  They’ve certainly had experience traveling, he thought to himself, remembering the few occasions where women had accompanied him on trips.  Aside from his sister Eowyn, he hadn’t yet met a woman with enough common sense, or self-assurance for that matter, to wear leggings rather than a bothersome dress.

Olihre watched as Eomer looked his sister over.  He cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention to him.  “We’d better be going,” he said tensely, throwing Eomer a warning look.  

Eomer sighed, realizing that Olihre had the wrong idea, and knowing that it would only make the journey more uncomfortable, no matter what excuses he gave the boy.  “Yes,” he said, “we’ve got a good five or six hours of riding before we stop for lunch.  Let’s get going.”

They all mounted their horses, situating themselves comfortably.  Looking at each other expectantly, they all nodded and started down the lane, shouting farewells to those they left behind.

Xanthe took a deep breath and smiled.  And so begins my new life.