A/N: Not too many people appreciated Prince Theodred and so I decided to write about him. I’ll make him a bit younger, though. He is 18 at the beginning of the story. Theoden isn’t under Saruman’s spell yet.

Prologue

Meduseld, Edoras, Rohan; Year 3016

It was a quiet winter morning in December; Prince Theodred of Rohan and his cousin, Eowyn, went for a walk around the Golden Hall.
The light shone brightly on their blonde hair and many heads turned to catch a glimpse of their beauty. Theodred, however was not in a very good mood; he kept kicking stones with the tips of his boots. “What is wrong?“, Eowyn asked, softly. “Nothing. What should be wrong?“ He sighed. “You know me too well, Eowyn. There is something wrong. It is about father.“
“He wants you to take a wife.“ Theodred nodded and swallowed.
“I don’t want to get married yet. I don’t want to get married at all! I want to live the way I please. I never asked for the throne. You know that.“ Eowyn looked at her cousin, sadly.
“Rohan needs you, Theodred. The times are hard and you know all of that very well. Your father is getting old and he would like to see the future heir to Rohan’s throne.“
Theodred shook his head and looked at his cousin, his eyes wide and already filling with tears.
“No, Eowyn. You know that I would give anything to me father, but I can’t ... sacrifice myself like this. I just can’t.“
The young woman put an arm around the trembling Prince’s shoulders.
“We don’t get what we want, Theodred. Most of the time we don’t.“
These words kept echoing in Theodred’s mind for a long time; what if he was condemned to get married to a woman he did not love?

After breakfast, Theoden called his son to him. He was sitting on the throne, a sad and angry expression on his face.
“And?“ That was all the King said, but it was enough to send shivers down Theodred’s spine. “I know what you want to say, father, but I just can’t decide and ...“
“Enough!“ Theoden raised a hand to make his son stop talking. “Theodred, we have talked about this for many, many times. You have to make a decision finally.“ The Prince bit his lip, fighting with tears yet again. “I do not wish to get married.“
Theoden did not react how Theodred had thought he would. He didn’t react at all. After a few minutes he eventually spoke up again.
“Out of my sight, you selfish brat. OUT OF MY SIGHT!“
The Prince left; he knew that talking to his father would be senseless now. He stormed out of the hall and looked over the country. **His** country. One day he would be King of Rohan and somehow he knew that he **had** to take a wife who would be Queen, but he knew that he couldn’t do it.
“I heard everything. I am sorry.“ Theodred turned and was not surprised that Eowyn was standing behind him.
“It’s not your fault. I just wish he wouldn’t be that ... well ... stubborn!“
Eowyn laughed now and for some reason it felt good to hear that.
“My dear cousin, your father certainly is not the only one in the family who is stubborn.“ With one final giggle she walked back into the hall.

“Eomer, Eowyn, I need to talk to you.“ The King sounded serious; he had ordered them to come to his chambers after dinner and there they were.
“You are Theodred’s closest friends and you know him well. What is wrong with him?“
Eowyn sighed. “He doesn’t wish to get married, Mylord. He wants to live an independent life without the need to worry about a wife or even children.“
“Besides that, Mylord, he ... just doesn’t feel loved by the women of Edoras.“ Eomer blushed; the young warrior didn’t like talking about emotions. Theoden raised an eyebrow.
“Who would not love the future King of Rohan?“ “That is it, Mylord. He wants to be loved for who he is and not because he is the Prince,“ Eowyn said, silently.
“Love!“ The King’s voice sounded bitter. “I loved Theodred’s mother, dearly, and yet I did not know her before the day we got married. Loves comes with the years, not because of some physical attraction. He will marry the Lady I choose for him and if he refuses her he will leave Rohan and you take his place, Eomer. You can go and tell him, Eowyn.“

The young Lady of Edoras knew that her cousin would be devastated, but she had no choice.

“WHAT?!“ The shock in Theodred’s blue eyes was greater than any other emotion Eowyn had ever seen anywhere. “Why would he do such a thing to me? Why?!“ “He wishes the best for you, Theodred. He gave you the choice, but you did not choose a girl and so he will do it for you now.“
Theodred stared at his cousin for a second, then he ran down and saddled his horse. He left Edoras without looking back.

The only person Theodred could turn to was his friend Halrad. Halrad was twenty five year old warrior and lived with his family in a great house which was a few hours away from Edoras. His father had been extremely rich and after his death Halrad had gotten everything the old man had owned.
“Theodred!“ Emwyn, Halrad’s wife, waved and smiled. Theodred forced a smile on his face. He had always liked her for she seemed to actually like him for who he was.
“What a surprise!“ Halrad, too, ran down to greet the Prince. “What are you doing here? Why didn’t you bring Eowyn?“ Emwyn punched her husband.
“I left in a hurry. I ...“ Finally the young Prince wasn’t longer to oppress the tears and they trickled over his pale cheeks. Emwyn took his hand and led him into the house, with Halrad close behind. They sat down and talked about everything. “I don’t understand my father! How could he possibly want to ruin my life?“
“I don’t think that he wants to do that,“ Emwyn said after a while. “He loves you, but he also loves Rohan and it is his duty to provide a heir.“
“I’m the heir! What does he want?“ Theodred was bitter and he did not get the support he would have liked.
“Not everyone gets to marry the woman he loves,“ Halrad sighed. “My father didn’t want me to take Emwyn as my wife either.“
Theodred looked up. “Why?“
“It has to do with my father,“ Emwyn explained. “After my mother’s death he took another wife. She comes from Gondor and it is said that ... that her mother was one of the Easterlings.“
Theodred gasped. “How could your father marry such a woman?!“ Emwyn raised an eyebrow.
“Well, in the end my father was too weak to protest and now ... We have a secret, Theodred and it involves you.“
“Out with it, what is it?“ Emwyn wasn’t able to hold her joy back.
“I am with-child!“
“Oh, that’s wonderful!“ The Prince hugged his friends. “I’m so happy for you!“ He eyed Emwyn, curiously; he could see that her stomach had grown since he had seen her the last time.
“Will you be the godfather?“ Emwyn sounded shy suddenly.
“Of course! That will be great!“

The next morning the Theodred woke up, hung-over from all the wine they had had the night before. He could hardly open his eyes, but he knew that he had to get up sooner or later.
“Morning,“ he murmured when he arrived in the hall. Halrad and Emwyn grinned.
“You can’t hold a drink yet and your father wants you to take a wife!“ Halrad shook his head. “Mad old ...“
“Halrad! He is the King!“ Emwyn had punched her husband once again.
“All right, Emwyn, I know. I think I have a solution for your problem, Theodred.“
“You do?“
“You could try to find a girl who you like.“ Theodred did not like that solution, not one bit. “But ...“
“Do you want to leave Rohan?“
He didn’t want to and so his fate was sealed.

April, Year 3017 of the Third Age

The sun shone down on Theodred as he rode towards Halrad’s home. He had gotten news that Emwyn had given birth to a son a few hours ago. It felt good to be out of Edoras and on the way to his friends.
Het got out of the saddle as soon as he reached the house and ran in. What he saw in there was not what he had expected to see, though. Halrad was half lying on the table, surrounded by many bottle of wine, crying. “What is wrong, friend?“, Theodred asked, softly.
“Dead! He is dead!“, Halrad sobbed. “The midwife couldn’t help him.“
“How is Emwyn?“, Theodred asked, immediately.
“She ... lives.“
“Then go to her! She needs you now.“
“Her sister is with her. She doesn’t need me.
I ...“ Halrad couldn’t speak.
Theodred left him and knocked on the door to Emwyn’s chambers. A young girl opened.
“Who are you? The lady can’t receive any visitors right now.“
“I am or rather would have been the baby’s godfather. I demand to see Emwyn!“
“It is all right, Elwyn,“ a weak voice said. “I wish to see him.“
Theodred glared at the girl; she was still blocking the door. Something was strange about her. At first he didn’t notice what it was, but then he realized: Her eyes were black.
No one in Gondor or Rohan had black eyes. Some Rohirrim and many people of Gondor had black hair, but not eyes of that color.
Elwyn ... She was Emwyn’s sister. And an Easterling's grandaughter.