A/N: For Silindro. Because she's the only reason you're getting another one today.

Chapter Eleven: Escape

Well, I'd found him, and I'd thought I'd seen something, for one moment, in his eyes...but I refused to allow myself to wonder what it meant. We had to get out of Helm's Deep first. I could worry about what he felt later.

My heart and body wanted to worry about it now, especially since we'd be riding double back to Edoras. I wondered now if I'd only brought Whisper on purpose...so that he would hold me, even if he didn't feel a thing for me. I would at least have that memory to cherish.

I drove those thoughts from my mind and peered around yet another corner. Yet again, there was no one in sight, and I turned to beckon Faramir on. He came quietly after me, and I took a moment to bless the Valar that he trusted me. I thought briefly and cynically that his brother probably would have insisted on leading, and we'd both have gotten caught, since neither of them had ever been in Helm's Deep, whereas I knew it like the back of my hand.

"Are we almost there?" Faramir's breath stirred the hairs on the back of my neck, and his voice was so soft I knew only I could hear it. In fact, I wondered if I would have heard it, if his mouth hadn't been so close to my neck.

Oh, Valar. I couldn't think about his mouth.

"I think so," I answered, just as softly. "A few more turnings and we are in the Caves. Then we can go out through the hole in the Deeping Wall. Whisper is over beyond the Dike."

"That sounds good," he started, but stopped speaking abruptly. I knew why, and goosebumps rose on my arms....Wormtongue stood not ten paces in front of us. I swallowed and tried to think.

"Faramir...you stay here. I'll go on and distract him...you see if you can get out around him." I moved forward, and he caught my hand. I turned, and saw great worry in his eyes.

"I..." he started, then stopped, and continued, "Be careful."

"I will." I took a deep breath, then pulled my hand away from Faramir's and sauntered out into the corrider.

Wormtongue turned around and smiled. He probably thought it was suave. I wanted to throw up. "My lady. What are you doing here?"

I giggled vapidly. "I'm no lady, my lord, and I was just visiting some of the guards."

"Visiting. Indeed." Valar, the man had a filthy mind. "And you are a lady."

"Oh, no, my lord!" Faramir was across the corridor and safely behind a door. I giggled again. "I'm so sorry, my lord, but I fear I must go..."

He grabbed my arm. "I know who you are, Lady Éowyn, and I can only wonder why you came back."

I pulled away from him, sheer panic giving me strength. The only reassurance that I had was the dagger in my basket. "M-my lord..."

"Let us abandon this pretense. I assume you are here to rescue the Lord Faramir, or perhaps take his place...? Although I cannot imagine why. Unless you think him to be in love with you." He chuckled. "Perhaps you have deluded yourself into thinking that he loves you, and he certainly has deluded you into believing you love him."

"What do you mean?" I whispered. I knew I'd blown my cover. It didn't matter.

"He lusts after you, certainly, but all men do. No man can love you, Éowyn. You are too cold. I begin to think you cannot feel at all."

No, no, he was wrong. I loved Faramir, I knew I did. But he...oh, Valar.

"There is only one thing men will ever want from you, and it is all they will ever want. You will never..."

I lost my temper. Reaching into my basket, I hurled the dagger.