A/N1: Okay, let's try this again, shall we? Boy, do I feel dumb. Sorry about that!

A/N2: Yes, I live! :O I know, right? Well, I'm very sorry about the delay, as well as the brevity of this chapter—softball season has officially begun! Besides this, I've had two papers due, several tests, an emergency accompanist job (the choir at my school lost their regular accompanist to a light cold 5 days before their concert, and the director asked me to learn a few pieces, so all of my spare time was dedicated to learning the songs), an almost literal part-time job (I taught middle school history for two days flat), and I had the SAT and ACT, and all this within the last three weeks (the ACT was last weekend). But now it's Easter break, the tests are over, the concert went well, the middle schoolers loved me, and we won our softball game today. :D So—back to business, at least for a while! (I'm on prom committee, and that's in a few weeks, as is my AP exam, etc., etc.) So enjoy it while you can! :P

--

The rain pattered on the eaves over the open window, dripping down onto Enna's head with a cold sternness. She ignored the sensation, leaning against the sill with her hands cupped in front of her, catching the icy drops in her palms; the sleeves of her gown were damp as droplets dribbled down her wrists and thus down her arms; her elbows were resting in a deep puddle of slightly dirty water, but she didn't notice or care.

There came another rap at her door, more insistent than the one that had come before it—she paid it hardly more attention that she had earlier. "Enna, I know you're in there and ignoring me, and I'll tell you right now, I'll knock down this door if you inconvenience me a moment longer."

"I won't come out, Aramir," Enna retorted as the rainstorm intensified for a moment.

"You can't bloody well stay in there all day."

"I shall if I want to!"

"You don't want to. Stop being such a muttonhead, Enna."

"I needn't listen to you!"

"You ought to, though."

"I'm a grown woman, Aramir, and I have no need for you to be treating me as though I'm a child!"

"If you would act your age, perhaps I might stop."

Enna snarled to herself and clenched her fists. "Leave me be, Aramir."

"I won't. And if you don't open this door, I will."

"You wouldn't dare."

But just as she finished speaking, she saw the rusty old latch begin to jiggle back and forth in its slot, and before she knew it, it had slipped out and Aramir opened the door, the disapproving look on his freckled face almost comical. "How dare you!" she sputtered, despite the faint sensation of gratification.

"You're acting as though you are a guttersnipe," Aramir replied bluntly. "And we both know you're not."

"You have some nerve," Enna retorted, drawing her hands in from the rain and shaking them pointedly, splattering cold water all over the room.

Aramir sighed and closed the door behind him. "You're never vexed without reason—what is it this time?"

Enna crossed her arms and stuck her chin out defiantly, glaring at the doe-eyed boy with as much displeasure as she could manage. "'This time'? Well, perhaps it might have to do with being intruded upon quite violently!"

"That was hardly violent," Aramir chuckled. "Your lock is simply a bad one. Am I to blame for that? Come now, Enna—tell me what's ruffling your feathers so. The sooner you tell me the sooner I will let you be, and the sooner I can go down to supper."

Enna turned her back on him, her indignation quickly losing to the pleasure of knowing that someone was willing to go to all this trouble just to learn what was galling her. But—"I can't tell you," she muttered. "It's hardly the type of thing I ought to share."

There was a brief silence. "I see," said Aramir. "Is it something you might…need my assistance with?"

"Perhaps," she admitted.

"Then you must tell me what it is."

"I can't," Enna replied, turning back to face him, her cheeks blazing with shame as she thought on it. "If I told you, you'd call me an adultr—you'd think ill of me."

Aramir's freckled brow furrowed in concern. "What's going on? I'm beginning to believe this is hardly a case of hurt feelings."

Enna rubbed absently at her wet elbows and paced back to the window, the cool breeze damp against her cheeks. "If I told you…would you promise not to think ill of me?"

He paused. "It would depend upon what it is you've done."

"That's just it!" Enna cried, whirling about to face him. "I haven't done anything! Oh, don't look at me like that—it's true, this time."

"Well, are you going to tell me? Or do you prefer I wallow in my own burning curiosity, jumping to misguided conclusions?"

Enna tugged the fluttering kerchief from her head, scattering a pin to the ground and leaving her hair in disarray, and unthinkingly used it to mop up the puddle of water on the windowsill. "I doubt your theories could be much off-base."

"Enna…!"

"Aramir…!"

He crossed his arms persistently. "You are hardly improving the impression I have of you, with these tomfool games of yours."

Enna sagged against the sill and put her face in her hands, feeling the burning flesh of her cheeks beneath her palms. "Edmund…he kissed me. Tried to—I mean. Just now, while we were waiting for you to seek us. He insists that—oh, how did he say it—there is 'something between us.' I am quite at a loss, Aramir, for I want nothing of this!"

She chanced a glance over her shoulder at him—his headstrong pose had melted somewhat into almost a self-embrace, and he had a brooding look on his face.

"Really," Enna ventured, feeling smaller and smaller by the second. "I would like…I would like to be faithful to Peter." It's the least I can do.

At last, Aramir spoke: "It seems to me that this dilemma is yours to solve."

A rush of hot blood pounded in Enna's head, making the tips of her ears burn. "I…" She scuffed the toe of her slightly motheaten slipper along the wood floor. "I can't do it by myself."

"Are you requesting my help, then?"

Enna did not look up from the ground, afraid that he would see her chagrined flush. "…Aye."

"Then I'll give it to you. All you needed to do was ask."

"Really?" Enna asked, then quickly cleared her throat and added, "I mean, thank you."

Aramir nodded and dropped his arms to his sides. "Did you tell his highness what you told me?"

"In similar words, aye," Enna replied.

"There's not much you can do besides give him a wide berth for the time being, then. Perhaps he will calm down and come to regret his actions."

This did not seem to Enna the answer to her problem, but she nodded. "Aye."

"And don't let him cow or connive you into anything you don't wish to do. I realize that I hardly need to remind you of this, but…"

Enna grinned quietly and drew her windows shut, latching them securely against the intensifying winds.

"If you like, I may speak with him, man to man."

"I don't think that'll be necessary," Enna assured him. "I just…you're sure you believe me?"

Aramir blinked at her and gave a disbelieving snort. "Believe you? I'd be out of my mind not to. You have your shortcomings, but you are no liar."

"I thank you for that," Enna said dryly.

"There." Aramir grinned. "Pretend it never happened, and I promise you you'll have forgotten it by tomorrow."

"Thank you, Aramir," Enna replied. "But I doubt Edmund will have."