The horses pounded across the verdant hills of Rohan, bearing their riders rapidly away. Soon, they were only dark indistinguishable shapes to the anxious woman who watched them from the castle's casement. Her regal posture dropped imperceptibly as she finally lost sight of them altogether.

This was a woman's lot, Eowyn thought bitterly and not for the first time. Her cousin and brother served their people in a way she could never hope to do. What were arranging celebrations and attending the king compared to glorious battle? With a wistful sigh she turned from the window and walked down the spiral stone staircase.

The silence of the stairway soon gave way to the clamor of the dinning hall. The giant stone fireplace crackled and the remaining men of Rohan were seated around the heavy wooden table, busily eating and discussing the day's events. Eowyn strode across the room and took her place next to her uncle at the main table. She nodded to him respectfully, and shook her heavy skirts out around her. A servant suddenly appeared and placed her meal and drink before her. Only a few bites into her meal she paused, feeling someone's eyes on her. Looking up, she caught the gaze of Grima, seated on the other side of the king. Taking her glance as an invitation he hurriedly stood and, before she could protest, took the empty seat next to her.

"You are mysterious, my lady. We have not seen you all day." He said, the last sentence an implied question. His dark eyes gazed at her face intently, as if the secrets of her soul would be revealed on its pale surface.

Eowyn's hands tightened convulsively into fists beneath the table. He was always thus, watching, inquiring, assessing. "I am sure my days would hold little interest for you." She answered him coolly before reaching to take a sip from her wine goblet.

Grima continued to study her lovely visage, drinking in the icy beauty of her features. "There you are quite wrong, my lady" He murmured softly, so only she could hear it.

She gazed back at him uneasily, her bright eyes meeting his before breaking away uncomfortably to look at the roaring fire. Eowyn cursed herself silently, no matter how confident and poised she was with everyone else it made no difference. There was some emotion in those unfathomable dark eyes of his, in the intent way he watched her, that always left her unable to respond to him with her normal cool reserve. She rose abruptly to her feet, her chair scrapping against the stone of the floor.

"I beg you would excuse me, I find my appetite is quite gone." Without waiting for his reply, Eowyn strode out of the hall. Grima silently watched her leave, noticing how her golden hair shone in the wild light of the torches. After she disappeared around the corner he sat for a moment, his face unreadable. Then he slowly reached over for her wine goblet and brought it to his mouth, making sure his own lips touched the cool glass in the same spot hers had. Grima shut his eyes reflexively as he drank from her glass, enjoying this cold, distant kiss.

"Oh, Eowyn..." He whispered in a tone somehow both a plea and a promise.