Elven Wisdom

by konartiste

Summary:

Day 2 of Tolkientober: Gardens

Éowyn has done all she can for Edoras before she leaves for her new home in Ithilien. There is just one thing that troubles her - the King's Garden. And so she questions whether the Elves had given her the right advice.

Notes:

Day 2 of Tolkientober

Fits into the Veiled Hearts Saga

Éowyn was bound to Rohan soon, but before leaving, she wanted to ensure that the household of Meduseld was running smoothly so that her brother, the King of the Mark, would have less to worry about in her absence.

It was also an effort to abate her guilt at leaving her only living relative behind after marriage.

And so the kitchens were renovated, the rooms were thoroughly cleaned, tapestries were washed and hung, paintings and statues were restored to their former glory, the steps to the hall were repaired, and paths about Meduseld were rebuilt. The pantries were reorganised, inventories were made, and all the King’s belongings were polished and cleaned for his use.

Everything was in order, except for one matter.

Éowyn followed the path that led her to the back of Meduseld. A stretch of hilltop had been cleared for a project that had been requested by Éomer King himself. A herb garden had already been established with the help of the halfling called Meriadoc Brandybuck, but visiting Mirkwood elves had encouraged the King to plant more than just herbs in the gardens.

And with their otherworldly wisdom, they had found two people they deemed competent enough to grow fruits, legumes and vegetables on the freshly tilled stretch of land on the sunniest part of the hilltop.

One was Osric, a middle-aged retired soldier who was once part of the king’s Éored, and the third son of a farmer.

The other was Æthelreda, or Reda, who was the widow of a councilman and the daughter of a Healer from the northernmost plains of Rohan.

They were two very capable people. Each of them had various skills useful for building and maintaining the King’s gardens, which would in turn provide additional supplies and knowledge to the people of Edoras.

Unfortunately, no love was lost between the two gardeners.

For the past two months, they had made complaints about the other gardener, claiming that he had overwatered the delicate sproutlings she had been tending to, or that she had damaged the roots of his otherwise sturdy crops. They had quarrelled over who got to plant in the shadows of the golden hall and what methods were appropriate for this type of soil and that kind of weather. Their mutual dislike was as steady as a summer sunrise.

And frankly, Éowyn could not comprehend why the Elves had selected these two people in particular. Granted, as individuals, they were accomplished, but together?

Heaving a deep sigh, she began her approach, already weary because of the sound of their bickering that floated towards her on the wind.

But then, during her wild gesticulation, Reda lost her balance and slipped on a particularly muddy patch of soil. Her fall was broken – though only partially – by Osric, who had quickly wrapped an arm around her waist. Her knees did hit the dirt, but he lifted her back to her feet.

Awkwardly, the woman brushed dirt from her clothes while Osric stared at the ground, looking quite shaken as if he had been the one to trip.

Éowyn had halted to observe them, and she could not help but frown.

Reda was blushing as bright as the beets Osric wanted to grow, while the latter kept fidgeting with the loop on the trowel in his hand. As Reda glanced at the man, he too raised his gaze. They immediately turned away again.

Reda covered her face with her hand while Osric swore under his breath.

Ah, so that was why the Elves had chosen these two. Truly, their sights were as sharp as had been rumoured.

With a clear of her throat, the young lady walked up to them, carefully placing her feet so as not to trample the growing plants and greeted them cheerfully. Then she asked, “What seems to be the issue today?”

Reda seemed visibly relieved by her appearance, and so she immediately replied. “The leaves of his potato plants are encroaching upon my cabbage sprouts! Tell him to trim the leaves – “

“Sure as hell I won’t trim them, them taters are almost right for harvesting – “

“You have all that room for your potatoes, they don’t need to take over my part of the garden – “

“How many mouths can you feed with them wee cabbage balls, anyway? It’s not going to make much of a difference – “

As their bickering continued, Éowyn knelt on the ground for a closer look at the sprouts and the potato plants. First she compared the size of the cabbage sprouts further off with the ones planted next to the potatoes. Then she compared the potato plants in the same manner.

“Ah, that’s interesting.” Her exclamation caught the attention of the bickering gardeners.

Reda was the first to speak up. “Do you see, milady? Do you see how the potatoes are ruining my sprouts?!”

Osric huffed. “They’re already useless stinky balls. Not much ruining left to do. ”

Éowyn met their gazes one by one and then smiled broadly at them. “I have noticed something quite peculiar about both crops and frankly, I am surprised that neither of you has seen it too.”

“What’s that, milady? Beg your pardon?”

“Compared to the crops further off from here, the sprouts near the potatoes are bigger, and the stems of the potato plants near the sprouts are sturdier.”

The two stared at her incredulously.

“It seems your crops grow better when they are together, my dear friends.”

In unison, they crouched, and soon they saw that she was right in her assessment.

Triumphantly, she smiled again, and just before walking off, she added: “We can learn a lot from nature, even from the things we grow ourselves.”

 

 

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Series this work belongs to:

• Part 2 of Tolkientober - Forth Éorlingas