A/N

Thanks to everyone that reviewed. I am so very grateful for them. Please if you can review it would be helpful, I really do want to finish this and hearing your opinions or ideas would really help me along, especially as I felt such disappointment with the last Hobbit movie, put me in a bit of a downer, still enjoyed it but thought it had a lot of sloppy work and plot holes :/

I can't promise a set amount of time for each update but it will be as quickly as I can

Otherwise enjoy :)

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Éowyn left her brother's chambers in dampened spirits. This was not what she had expected upon her return to her old home. The King and Nobles quarrelling like petty children weighed heavily upon her heart. Éomer had always been a stubborn boy, and now he was a man, time had done little to mellow that personality trait. Trying to reason with him at this time was like trying to reason with a stone wall. To his own mind, his way was right and just, and nothing else would be said about it. As she pushed the heavy wooden door to her own chambers open, the memories of the past and her childhood were thick within her mind. All that was great about Edoras, all that was a way of life etched within deep tradition was teetering upon the brink of some unknown future, and she was unsure if the people of Rohan would endure such a change. She wanted nothing more than her brother's happiness, to allow him the life he wished with the woman his heart had chosen, and she would stand beside him in his choices... but the threat still lingered.

She glanced at her husband, Faramir, who lay sprawled upon the bed in a very ungraceful manner; soft snores the only sound within the dim room, bar the occasional crackle of a dwindling fire.

She had not long closed the door behind her before a soft knock resounded, Éowyn answered without a moment of hesitation and the Princess Lothíriel greeted her gaze with a polite bow of her head.

"My lady," she said, the hail as polite as her bow, but there was a distinct stiffness to her body."I was awaiting your return."

"Something troubles you?" Éowyn asked, opening the door wider in a silent and warm welcome. "I hope you have not waited on me long."

Lothíriel took a step into the room before stilling her movements. "Your husband sleeps," Lothíriel said, seeing Faramir upon the bed, her voice hesitant. "I do not want to intrude."

"My husband is dead to all the world because of his drinking and feasting, he shall not wake." Éowyn offered a reassuring smile and Lothíriel entered.

The Princess followed Éowyn to the fire, where both women sat before its warmth. For a long moment they fell into silence, one that felt uneasy. Both, it seemed, had much upon their minds. Lothíriel took a deep breath before beginning to speak.

"I know so few here; my father was reluctant to let me come on such a journey." She sighed heavily. "Perhaps... I was rash in coming here." She paused, her eyes shining with a small amount of childish disappointment. "And I fear he likes me not." Her voice was soft with ashamed injury.

"Of whom do you speak?"

"The King, he would barely give me a kind word at the feast, I fear I have displeased him in coming here."

"Oh come now" Éowyn said, with a small laugh. "You have displeased no one, the King has much upon his shoulders, his mind perhaps wandered a little too far from the merriment."

"Yes, I understand his burdens must be great." The young woman paused, biting her lip as she tried to form her thoughts. "I have much desired our meeting again and I thought..." Again she paused, her eyes flicking to Éowyn's in a shy glance. "I thought he would be more hospitable. " She glanced away. "I know not if I desire what my father wishes... but... I had hoped to know when I met your brother again, that perhaps I would gain an answer, but I am even more confused than when I was in father's halls." She sighed again.

Éowyn nodded in understanding and she patted the girl's hand tenderly. "Many people have urged you to form an alliance with Rohan, I know this, and I know you have had to endure many discussions of your future with little care of your own wants."

Lothíriel smiled, happy her friend understood her so easily. "I am not unaware of the talk, the rumours of Éomer King having a woman in mind for his bride, I had not thought to hope much... but still hope remains whether I will it to or no." She looked at Éowyn. "But I would not wish my presence to be the cause of his coolness, I would not force an alliance upon him, I would wish us to be only friends if it pleases him."

Éowyn smiled at the kind young woman before her. "The King will be merry again; it is not you that causes him to be distant." She reaffirmed her argument. "He will become a fine and good host once his duties are lessened. You will see he will be a good friend to you." She smiled, putting comfort within the words as best she could. "I cannot tell you my brother's heart, for I am not him, but to hope for more from him than the bond of friendship may not be wise" she added gently.

"Your words are always honest and true, for that I am grateful Éowyn." Lothíriel rose from her seat. "And now I have kept you too long from your bed. I will go and find my own, and in the morn all will seem well." She paused. "Thank you, for telling me, I needed to hear those words without the cloud of my father's wants hanging over me."

Éowyn nodded. "I understand. I too am thankful we could talk and I could ease your mind a little." She opened the door and allowed the other woman to enter the corridor beyond. "Good night my Lady, sleep well."

"Sleep well." Lothíriel bowed with a graceful smile before turning and making her way back to her own chambers.

Éowyn closed the door slowly and as the latch clicked into place she rested her brow against the sturdy wood, closing her eyes. All would be so much easier if Éomer had loved the Princess, but life was never easy. She sighed softly, the worries seeming heavier upon her body, before turning to look upon her husband. A soft smile found her lips, all was not yet lost, she would try all she could to stand beside her brother and protect her home.

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Éomer grunted as his body was shaken violently, he swatted lazily at whatever tried to disturb him only for the rough action to intensify.

"Leave me be," he barked gruffly, "my head still aches from the feast." Before he could say more a weight was upon him, one that brought back memories of youthful fancy and a younger sister that would not be still. "Éowyn" he moaned into his pillow. "Must we play this childish game even though we have grown?" In reply the weight bounced harshly against his back.

"Awake fully and I will get off" she said with humour, giving him a quick dig in the ribs with her elbow.

"Fine, I am awake" Éomer said, suddenly sitting up and dislodging his plague, so she was sent onto the floor with a loud thump.

He let out a throaty laugh at the sight of his sister, now a fully grown lady, dishevelled upon the ground just as she had looked as a young girl, her bottom lip protruding in the same sulky way he remembered. She quickly got to her feet, unfazed by the rough treatment, and went to his bedside giving him a playful push as she sat down.

"What brings you here so early? Is Faramir not awake for you to be his bane?" He chuckled as his sister pulled a very inelegant face at him for his teasing.

"He still sleeps" she said, dismissing the discussion. "Besides I did not come to torment you, not today."

"Ah my life has peace!" Éomer said, falling back playfully on to the bed in mock exhaustion.

Éowyn laughed and hit his thigh with a sharp slap. Éomer glanced at her, still smiling. "Then tell me dear sister, what have you come for?"

"I came to ask something of you."

Éomer nodded, telling her with the gesture to continue.

"The girl you spoke of last night, Aedre."

Éomer's smile faded and his features set in a calm yet serious expression at the sudden change from childish playfulness.

"What of her?" Éomer rose and pulled on a nearby fur robe.

"I want to meet her Éomer."

Éomer's brow furrowed. "I suppose that is not an unjust request" he said.

"Unjust?" Éowyn was beside him in a moment, her hand grasping his forearm. "What is this? Would you hide her from me?" The tone of play was back in her voice, but her eyes remained solemn. "If all goes well she is to become my sister, is she not? I have a right to meet my own sister."

Éomer glanced at her as she spoke. "Yes, that is true."

"Did I not give you my word of support brother? I only wish to see her, to speak to her, to see her heart as you have."

Éomer smiled, his sister's words were warm and kind and he had a flash of realisation that he did want the two women to meet and become fast friends. He touched Éowyn's cheek tenderly.

"I give you my thanks, Éowyn." His sister smiled and pressed his palm against her skin. "For so long I have hidden her away and been so afraid for her safety I had forgotten the joy of her being part of my family, of our family." He laughed softly. "I can think of nothing that would make me happier than to have you both meet."

Éowyn grinned. "Then it is settled?"

"It is settled." Éomer repeated his little sister's words and returned her grin with his own smile.

It was late; all in the Mead Hall had long since retired to their beds and silence ran along the corridors, permeated by small creaks and clicks as the wooden floors of the Great Hall eased their old solid bones after a long day of hurried footsteps across their surface. It was in this quiet that Aedre slept fitfully. Her dreams were of dark shadows that lurked within the corner of her vision; that she could never fully turn her gaze upon, but they were there... waiting in the darkness, waiting for her, and she knew if she ever cast her eyes upon them for a single moment they would come and devour her fully. Many times in these dreams she had covered her eyes with her hands but it seemed her fingertips turned to mist and her eyes would not close, forever open to the gloom and its secrets. Her only choice was to turn and run, her feet tripping over themselves in her hurry to avoid those shadows...

She gave a low noise of shock as her body was pulled from the awful place of her mind and into stark wakefulness. The force that had awoken her had felt violent, but as her senses came to, she found the hands shaking her gentle and warm. Slowly her eyes opened and she winced at the light of the burning candle that had been placed upon a nearby table. Once she had grown accustomed to the dim light she turned her gaze to the person that now sat upon her bed waiting patiently for her to leave sleep behind. Sunniva smiled kindly down at her, her look speaking of patience and understanding. Aedre smiled and nodded in greeting, pulling herself into a sitting position, her eyes silently asking what was wrong.

"I am sorry to wake you at this hour." Sunniva's voice was gentle in the confines of her little room, making the disturbing wake of the nightmare Aedre had awoken from begin to ebb slowly away.

She cocked her head to one side in confusion; her questions had not been answered.

"Nothing is wrong." Sunniva smiled reassuringly. "Éomer called for me only a short time past. I came to your room afterwards to see if you slept, meaning to tell you the news in the morning and not wake you..." She paused, her eyes flicking to Aedre's, then the floor. "But it seemed your sleep was ill indeed... and I could not leave you, so I woke you."

Aedre gave a nod of impatient thanks, noticing that Sunniva seemed to be taking far too long to tell this tale, what of Éomer? Why did he call her? Her eyes spoke the questions clearly.

"Éomer King willed to call you to his chambers today but with Lady Éowyn's homecoming and the hall entertaining guests the corridors are well watched by excited eyes. I knew I could not chance you visiting him, so I stilled his wish to call you, at such a late hour it would be suspicious - a young girl going to him alone." She gave Aedre a knowing look. "I know him too well; he always wants his own way, though he never thinks of consequences until he's told." Sunniva licked her lips, and Aedre became fully aware that the older woman was distinctly uncomfortable, rambling with her gossip as she often did when she was nervous.

Aedre's expression did not change, bar a small frown that creased the skin between her eyes, and she grabbed Sunniva's hand in her own, stilling the women's frantic talk with a small look.

Tell me.

"Éomer has told me," Sunniva said, finding her voice and calmness, "that the Lady Éowyn wishes to meet you, and he has consented."

Aedre started a little in surprise at these words. Sunniva felt her stiffen through the grasp they shared and squeezed her hand reassuringly. "You have no need to fear her; she is a kind and just woman. Like Éomer, her spirit is noble and true." She smiled again. "I reared them both from small children and I trust her Aedre, you have nothing to fear." She repeated the soothing mantra.

Aedre nodded in understanding, but she began to feel ill ease creep back around her. The change must have showed upon her face, as Sunniva's expression became suddenly concerned. "You look pale my girl." Her hand came to rest fleetingly upon Aedre's cheeks. "You do not feel warm." Sunniva's concerned look deepened. "Is it the news, or are you unwell?"

Slowly, and with the weight of sleep still lingering upon her limbs, Aedre reached over to her pallet and scrawled two words upon it with stark white chalk. 'Bad dreams' Sunniva read silently, her features softening further into sympathy.

"Come." She motioned gently for the young girl to come into her embrace, which she did without a moment of hesitation, softly crushing herself into the warmth offered.

"Dreams cannot harm you." Her tone was light and did a little to chase away some of the dread that still clung around Aedre's mind. "Dreams are just sleep playing tricks on us, they always dispel in the morn, the sun chases them away." She pressed a kiss into Aedre's hair. "Think not upon them, shadows are always chased away with a good smile and a good breakfast."

Sunniva suddenly felt like her words were a little hollow, after all what did she know of the horrors within this girl's dreams? She could not say such simple things would chase away her darkest fears... Aedre had lived within her fears for so many years... Instead of more words Sunniva offered a comforting, steady patting upon her back. "I shall stay with you, if you like, until morning. We can discuss other things then, now is not the time."

She felt Aedre nod against her breast.