There was much noise and commotion going on around the steps of Meduseld. Ina did not give it much thought beyond a vague, half conscious hope that it was not due to some new illness of the King. She was using a wooden brush to groom a Lord's chestnut horse, thinking and dreaming of the coming night. The Lord Grima was coming to her again! He had promised as much late last night, when duties called him elsewhere and he could not stay long with her in her humble quarters in the haylofts. She smiled and hummed as she worked, and she was nearing the completion of her task when a familiar voice drifted into hearing.
"I have only ever served you, my Lord!" Grima's voice pierced the air. Ina looked up. He sounded in pain. She bit her lip, and he screamed. The brush clattered to the floor.
She was no sooner out of the door when Grima barged past her. He was angry, his delicately veined face was quite red. Ina grabbed his arm as he made for his horse. He shook her off.
"Lord! Where are you going?" she asked in a desperate voice. He did not answer. "Lord, where will you go, alone and unaided?" He turned on her, his lank black hair whipping round his face. "I am found out!" He looked away, as if ashamed. "I am banished! It matters not where I go, and at any rate it should not concern you!" He pushed her out of the way and made again for his horse. "You will be rid of me soon enough."
She was there ahead of him and began to prepare his horse herself, for though she was loath to see him go she was still the mistress of these stables. As she tightened thongs and looped buckles she said, " I would not be rid of you! Why do you hurt me with such words?" he did not reply, but watched her silently. All too soon her task was done and he mounted up. She looked up at him,
"Ride now, if you must. But remember me. I will be here. Oh, my Lord!" Her eyes welled with tears. "Please, forget me not, though you are far away...and I still sleep here in the hay-lofts of Edoras..." she looked away, ashamed of her tears. He reached down and took her hand, pulling her close to his horse's flank. She looked up at him and he leaned down to place a kiss on lips trembling from weeping.
He pulled away first, too soon for Ina. She tried to smile. "Go. Go on to pastures new, and fare you better there than you have in the realm of the Horse Lords!" she whispered. He grimaced as if he doubted it, and with a long last look he spurred his horse onwards, out of the door and away from the Kingdom of Rohan forever.
Ina stood in the doorway until he was long out of sight across the plains. A single tear slid down her cheek, and she wiped away quickly lest someone see it, and ridicule her.
"I have only ever served you, my Lord!" Grima's voice pierced the air. Ina looked up. He sounded in pain. She bit her lip, and he screamed. The brush clattered to the floor.
She was no sooner out of the door when Grima barged past her. He was angry, his delicately veined face was quite red. Ina grabbed his arm as he made for his horse. He shook her off.
"Lord! Where are you going?" she asked in a desperate voice. He did not answer. "Lord, where will you go, alone and unaided?" He turned on her, his lank black hair whipping round his face. "I am found out!" He looked away, as if ashamed. "I am banished! It matters not where I go, and at any rate it should not concern you!" He pushed her out of the way and made again for his horse. "You will be rid of me soon enough."
She was there ahead of him and began to prepare his horse herself, for though she was loath to see him go she was still the mistress of these stables. As she tightened thongs and looped buckles she said, " I would not be rid of you! Why do you hurt me with such words?" he did not reply, but watched her silently. All too soon her task was done and he mounted up. She looked up at him,
"Ride now, if you must. But remember me. I will be here. Oh, my Lord!" Her eyes welled with tears. "Please, forget me not, though you are far away...and I still sleep here in the hay-lofts of Edoras..." she looked away, ashamed of her tears. He reached down and took her hand, pulling her close to his horse's flank. She looked up at him and he leaned down to place a kiss on lips trembling from weeping.
He pulled away first, too soon for Ina. She tried to smile. "Go. Go on to pastures new, and fare you better there than you have in the realm of the Horse Lords!" she whispered. He grimaced as if he doubted it, and with a long last look he spurred his horse onwards, out of the door and away from the Kingdom of Rohan forever.
Ina stood in the doorway until he was long out of sight across the plains. A single tear slid down her cheek, and she wiped away quickly lest someone see it, and ridicule her.