AN: Hey my lovely readers, I return to you with a new chapter and more character development. Hope you enjoy it.

Urzoth was dreaming, she dreamed of herself being held captive by the men of Dunland, the rancid stink of sweat and fat pervading her nostrils, she was as terrified in the dream as she had been when she had been held for real. She was bound hand and foot to stakes that had her spread eagled on the floor of a cave, her tunic had been bunched up around her hips as she felt man after man come and use her, her ribs ached from her screaming for Aethor to come and save her as he had done when she had been held for real, luckily in real life another woman had pleaded with Aethor to give her a chance despite being an orc, and well..that was history.

Hearing a rumble of hooves she sighed with relief as with a halo of light Aethor burst into her dream on a huge white horse, his sword blazing. But this time things were different. More men of Dunland were there, they swarmed around Aethor and dragged him from his horse, they raised and lowered blades that were soon soaked in the blood of her adoptive father.

Letting out a ear bursting shriek of despair, Urzoth jerked back into the real world. Her heart was thundering and she was soaked with sweat. Sitting up on the straw packed mattress in her room, Urzoth looked around frantically. She had to check her father was safe.

Ignoring the cold of the stone floor, and throwing back the sheets, Urzoth slipped into a loose robe made of tough durable cloth. Aethor had brought it for her for when her nightmares were particularly bad as sometimes she had to spend the night in the same room as he and Efene. Thinking of Efene, Urzoth smiled. She had not been able to attend their wedding, but she had been able to watch from a distance in a hooded robe. She was happy her father had found a woman. And a woman who had grown to care for Urzoth like a daughter.

From the first day they met, when Aethor had begged Efene, who at the time had been the villages only healer, to come and help Urzoth, despite her being an orc, the two women had hit it off. They had arguments as any person of Urzoth's age did, with any authority figures. But no matter what words passed between them, she was always welcome back. Efene had been able to provide some comfort to Urzoth whenever the memories of her rape at the hands of the men of Dunland had come back to haunt her. In the three years since Aethor and Efene had married, the dreams had become far rarer than they had when it was just Aethor and Urzoth living in the farmhouse.

Ensuring she was covered properly, Urzoth slipped out of her room and crossed the main living room. As she did whenever she passed through the room ,she gave a low bow to the picture of Elfilde, who had been Aethor's first wife, her and her children had been killed in a raid by Uruk-hai raiders many years before. Hearing Aethor talk about her sometimes, made Urzoth wish she had been able to get to know her.

Suddenly remembering her fear for her father, Urzoth crept silently towards her parents door. The concept of parents had to be explained to Urzoth several times before she had gotten her head around it. She had been raised in Isenguard as a breeding female. She had never known her parents or any family, so had no prior knowledge. Although now after three years in the care of Aethor and Efene, she considered them as close to parents as any person could be. Reaching hte door to their room, she gently eased open the latch and stood in the doorway. She had meant just to watch adn then depart. But as she turned to go Aethor's voice called out "we heard you cry out Urzoth, Efene got the pallet out on the floor already."

Urzoth saw the figure of her adoptive father look over at her briefly before rolling over and settling back towards sleep. Eternally grateful that her parents never made any fuss about her nightmares and just let her get on with it, Urzoth trod lightly forward and lay down on the pallet underneath the blanket that had already been placed there.

…..

Urzoth awoke the next morning to Efene shaking her, "come on lazybones, you have chores this morning." Just wanting to roll over and sleep, Urzoth netherlerless go up without complaint and chatted with Efene whilst washing their hair in the leftover water from the day before, over her father's mood since he had received a mysterious letter from a messenger the week before. The letter was strange enough in that it was written on Gondorian paper and her father's mood, soured for several hours after reading it.

Whilst wringing their hair the two women heard Aethor's voice calling from the kitchen "come on ladies, I have some news for us all to share." Looking at each other briefly the two women were quick about braiding the others hair and hurrying to the kitchen.

On arrival Urzoth saw her father sitting at the table apparently re-reading the strange letter. Looking at the two as they entered the room and forcing a smile onto his face, Aethor motioned for them to sit down. Urzoth obeyed her father and leaned forward across the table looking at him intently. Efene meanwhile stood, leaning against the work counter.

Clearing his throat, Aethor gestured to the letter in his hands, "It appears we will soon be having another visitor to our humble abode. My sister got married before the war to a Gondorian merchant. She is happy and has raised a son with him, that son is now eighteen summers old, and by all accounts quite a little arrogant bastard, well according to this letter anyway." Aethor paused here and rubbed his jaw. "My sister has asked me to take him on for a winter, and teach him some..humility, I agreed only at her bequest."

Aethor looked up at Efene and Urzoth, "Now Urzoth, I ask that you wear your hooded robe whilst my sister and her husband is here, they have told me they are only going to be staying for a few hours, before leaving him in our care. I will not see you have to hide the entire summer, so after my sister is gone, I will find great pleasure in introducing you as my daughter, I give you full permission to take it out of his hide if he makes any remarks. I will also have a man to man chat about how if he says anything to anyone about you, how if the last thing I do in this world is kill him, I will."

Somewhat reassured by her father's words, Urzoth smiled and asked "When are they arriving?"

Her father's face dropped "Later today"

Letting out an unladylike shriek Efene shouted "And you wait to tell us until today, you clod! there is so much I need to do if your sister is coming."

Aethor's eyes focussed over her shoulder, "well too late now anyway."

Whipping around Efene stared in horror at the silhouettes of riders coming down the road to the farm. Aethor smiled. "I knew you would fuss, so I decided to tell you as late as possible. Now Urzoth, pleaseput your hooded cloak on and go and get a bucket of water from the well."

…..

Derethor snorted in disgust. He could still scarcely believe that he was here, in this tiny backwater part of Rohan, being sent to live with his Uncles family. he had heard that they had a daughter, maybe he could teach her how a man should be respected her and get at least some good done this summer. Riding his fine thoroughbred horse through the mud of the road was sure to make his horses feet ache.

Looking behind him, he could see the carriage his parents rode in, swaying gently side to side on the rutted track. Behind his parent's carriage another cart was following, carrying the several trunks his belongings were stored in. Sighing deeply, he wondered if his Uncle's daughter would be as rustic as the women he had seen in Edoras, he hoped not, he had always preferred smaller women, who would scream of his size when he entered them.

Turning back towards the miserable little farmhouse, Derethor saw a hooded figure striding confidently in a simple dress of dark green through the grass towards a well set in the pasture to one side of the house. Musing that this was perhaps the daughter, he decided he would meet the girl and see if she was as rough featured as the other ladies of this sad little country.

…..

Hearing the sounds of hooves coming from behind her, Urzoth turned to see a pale young man riding towards her, he was wearing what looked like expensive finely made riding breeches and a crisp white shirt. His horse was powerful looking and well muscled. The young man on top was dark haired but pale, he looked like he had never done a days work in his life. Urzoth had a feeling this winter was going to be fun for her.

….

Derethor saw the girl turn to look his way as he approached, he did briefly note that between the dress and the hooded robe, coupled with the long boots and leather gloves she wore no match of her skin was visible. But instead of waiting as she should have for her better to approach her, she turned and continued to walk towards the well. He sat briefly stunned that one such as she would show such disrespect towards him. Her, a mere woman, and unwedded at that.

Digging his heels into his stallions flanks he trotted after the girl and said "girl, you disrespect me, I will have to take it up with your parents." he was expecting the girl to start simpering and pleading him not to inform her parents, but after filling the bucket at an unhurried pace she just turned on her heel and began to walk back towards the farmhouse. Spurring forward Derethore meant to pull the hood off her head. But as his hand just about grazed the top of her hood, the girl span and taking a firm grip on his arm, pulled him straight out the saddle to land in a heap on the frozen ground. The girl had barely paused and continued to walk towards the farm.

….

Urzoth fumed. That young idiot, did he honestly expect her to go pleading to him so he would not tell his parents about..what exactly? she had no idea what he would have informed her parents of. Calming as she walked through the grass, she began to snigger at the look on his face when she had pulled him off his horse.

Noting the sound of voices coming from the kitchen, Urzoth got her sniggers under control, and keeping silent, she unlatched the door and stepped into the kitchen. The kitchen was crowded, two strangers, a man and a woman sat at the table facing Aethor and Efene. Urzoth silently stepped around the outskirts of the table and placed the bucket down next to the fire to warm.

No sooner had she placed the bucket on the floor then the door burst open, letting in a gust of wind that made the fire flicker in the grate. The boy from outside stood in the doorway, looking wrathful. His fancy riding clothes were soaked with water and covered in mud. Behind him Urzoth could see the horse was left with reins dangling in the middle of the yard, as if the boy expected someone else to stable and brush down his horse for him. Aethor growled at the bo and said "Close the bleedin door would you boy, you will let all the warm out."

….

Derethor was shocked at being spoken to in such a manner, looking between his mother and his father he was expecting them to intervene on his behalf, but before he could speak any words the rough looking man at the table spoke again "don't go looking at your parents lad, they ain't going to be here when the going gets rough this winter, and if you make mistakes like leaving the door open we all suffer for them, SO SHUT THE FREAKING DOOR." Derethor was shocked at the loudness of the man, who he realised must be his uncle, he quickly turned at shut the door.

Facing his uncle at the table again Derethor spoke for the first time, in the eternally arrogant voice, that he himself thought just showed how articulate he was, he said "well maybe if I had not been attacked by your daughter as I greeted her I would have shut the door quicker."

Almost straight away Derethor could tell he had said the wrong thing. His uncle looked ready to get to his feet, but was prevented from rising by the gentle pressure his aunt placed on his arm. With a cold gaze that seemed to piece him as deep as a sword his aunt spoke. "Attacked? do tell me, young man, how was it our daughter attacked you?"

Derethor mumbled something under his breath. His aunts gaze seemed to go even colder, "speak up lad, I can't abide mumblers." Raising his head Derethor said "She pulled me from my horse and left me in a pile mud."

One of his aunts eyebrows raised and his uncle began to laugh. Once again it was his aunt who spoke "I do wonder, how did our daughter come to unseat you from your horse?" Derethor was quiet and did not seem to want to answer.

His aunt turned to her daughter and asked the same question. Derethor was curious at the strange gestures that the girl made.

His aunt turned back towards him and spoke aloud "It appears that this young man, attempted to pull my daughter's hood off, and then when she did not acknowledge him, he threatened to tell us she did something wrong." His uncles laugh immediately stopped and Derethor was riveted by a murderous gaze.

….

Urzoth once again had to stifle a snigger at the look of horror on the young man's face. Suddenly a throat was cleared and she shifted her eyes to the strange man sitting at the table. He had a strong resemblance to the young man with black hair and high cheekbones. In a deep cultured voice that rang with disdain he said "I am afraid I do not think real introductions have been made, my son's name is Derethor, I hope you are able to instill a sense of...humility in him over this winter, work him to the bone and do what you must to straighten him out. I shall return for him come summer, come now my wife, we should depart." Standing bruskly and dusting non-existant dust from his jacket, the man turned to depart. Aethor's sister also stood and after giving her son a quick hug, she departed after her husband.

AN: Hope people are hating on Derethor, and yes he was written to be a foul little boy. I look forward to writing his character development. Next chapter should be up in a day or two.