~Chapter 11~

Much was settled on the journey. Eomer was merely glad to be back in the good graces of his Uncle. Theoden had begged Eomer's forgiveness for what he'd done under the influence to Wormtongue and Saruman.

Aragorn and Gimli talked to him about how they knew that their hobbit friends still lived. And Eomer was glad for them. But his heart still burned with pain. He could not be truly happy. He still did not know Erienne's fate.

Therefore, Eomer's most intriguing conversation was with Legolas. Eomer mentioned something about the many villages he'd seen destroyed and that the great loss of life in Rohan extended to the plains.

Legolas looked at him, "There were many survivors who made it either to Edoras or joined in the ranks on the march to Helm's Deep. "In fact," Legolas smiled as he remembered his conversation with a certain young woman. "I know of a lovely young woman, a blonde whom I do believe who will be most pleased to see you once you have chance."

Eomer nodded, "Yes, I know Eowyn will be pleased by my return."

"It is not Eowyn of whom I speak. Does not the name Erienne mean anything to you.?"

Eomer was stunned and reined in his horse, coming to a standstill.

Erienne, Legolas knew of Erienne. The rest of the party stopped to stare back at him.

The great burden on Eomer's heart lifted and Legolas now had garnered his full attention. He bombarded the elven prince with question after question, in such rapid succession that Legolas could not answer one before being asked another.

Gandalf raised his brows and smiled, noting the instant change in the horse lord's demeanor. So Eomer's young woman still lived.

Aragorn chuckled as Eomer rattled off his questions to Legolas. It was but a small victory- the survival of one woman, but still a cause to rejoice over.

"Calm down, nephew," Theoden chided, "Let Legolas have a word if you wish to have your answers."

Legolas directed his answers to all of them, "Erienne is the young woman I rescued on the plains with the twin girls.

"Brynne and Mara." Eomer remembered out loud.

"Ah that one," said Theoden.

"Where is Erienne?" Eomer demanded his impatience growing steadily.

"Last I saw of her, she and Eowyn were going down to the caves. You will find her safe at Helm's Deep."

It was an act of sheer willpower for Eomer not to turn around right then and ride for Helm's Deep……His heart swelled with joy for Erienne lived……

They completed their business at Isengard and made the return journey to Helm's Deep. They had to come to some decisions about what to do about all the homeless citizens before they returned to Edoras. Eomer's mind was not on the discussions, and as soon as Helm's Deep was in view he took off ahead of the others.

Eomer wasn't subtle. He moved through the fortress level by level, room by room yelling her name, "Erienne!"

He was getting more frustrated with every passing second. But Helm's Deep was large. he had to remind himself, and she could be practically anywhere. He didn't find her right away instead he found Kyla and the girls, who informed Eomer that she was somewhere helping tend to some of the wounded.

He proceeded to where the wounded warriors were being treated. Again he didn't find her immediately, but his eyes came to rest on another well-loved face. He slipped up behind her and engulfed his sister in a full blown hug, so grateful that she was safe and that no harm had befallen her in his absence. "You are looking well, Eowyn."

"I am fine," she replied, returning his embrace with like exhuberance, "I am so glad you are safely returned."

He was about to say something else to Eowyn when he saw a ray of pure sunshine from across the room. His Erienne. The pale silken hair hanging loose and framing her sweet face as she stood up, which is why he'd not seen her at first. His heart began to race as he could at last truly believe she was still alive.

"Excuse me Eowyn" he said, pulling away from their hug.

He moved through a sea of dying and wounded men, and he was almost upon her before Erienne chanced to glance up and saw him coming toward her. She smiled at him, and for a moment all was right with his world. His self-control was almost gone, his emotions on full tilt. He reached her side, reaching up to touch her face, scarcely able to believe she was in front of him. "Erienne " he whispered just loud enough for her to hear.

"Eomer." she whispered back, as she reached up to touch his face too.

Suddenly aware that they were in a room full of potential spectators Eomer recovered enough to control his first impulse. Instead he took the bandaging material she held in her hand and tossed it aside , taking her by the hand and dragging her from the hall.

Pulling her along behind him until they could find some sort of privacy. He checked several doors until he found a room that was empty. He pushed her inside and closed and bolted it behind them. He would not stand for any interruptions and backed her up against the door as his mouth came down to claim hers in a bruising kiss. She met the kiss with her own enthusiasm, ecstatic at the mere thought of what she knew he had mind.

After long lingering moments Eomer pulled back from their kiss to stare down into her blue eyes, pools for him to drown in, reflecting the deep passion they shared right back to him.

"Oh love…" his voice choked with emotion, "I was afraid you were lost to me, I feared you were dead, when I saw the village…. " he let go of the tears he'd held in check ever since that terrible night vision. He suddenly looked ashamed for doubting her survival, he drew a deep breath, trying to recover himself, "I never expected this miracle."

Erienne's hand caressed his face, a look of wonder on her own, that he cared enough about her to expose himself like this, to let down his guard and cry openly in front of her. "I am here and I am safe, that is all that matters."

Eomer took a couple more deep breaths, at last regaining some control over his raging emotions, wonder and relieff replace by even more intense emotions, like desperate need and urgent passion, and he began to fight his way out of his outer armor. Erienne watched for a couple of moments before reaching out to assist him.

Soon he was naked from the waist up and he pulled her to him; bending to kiss her again and Erienne's mouth opened beneath the desperate questing assault of his tongue as his fingers instinctively found the laces of her dress. Her breasts sprang free and his hands caressed them briefly before his hands moved downward gathering her skirt and drawing it up around her waist slipping two fingers into her to test her readiness.

She was wet for him; and as he stroked into her with his fingers, she boldly undid his laces and freed his engorged erection; her fingers stroking the length of him gently. His heart lurched as she stroked him. He backed her up against the wall, lifted her legs around him as she guided him into her.

He thrust deep as her arms encircled his neck and he once again found sweet delight in the velvet heat surrounding him. Her peaked nipples brushed against his chest and Eomer feathered kisses up and down her neck as he continued to thrust into her. He whispered, "Erienne, Erienne" over and over again and he pumped harder, faster and deeper until Erienne cried out his name at the peak of her climax. The waves of her pleasure brought his own to fruition and he spilled his seed deep inside her.

He dropped her legs back down to the floor and turned with her against him. He slid down the wall drawing her down with him and sat there on the floor while they recovered, with her on his lap, enfolded in his loving arms.