AN: WOW. I can't believe I'm on chapter 9 already! My, my, time does fly. I know the last chapter kind of sucked, but I threw it out there to get it out of the way so I could move on to this more interesting (hopefully!) one. My usual disclaimer: I own none of this. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Tolkien retains the rights to it all, wherever he may be.

Eokat: You're absolutely right. Of course Eomer would know lots of good stories! What was I thinking? Only of the plot of my fic, and not of what would actually have happened. I promise to go back and work something in if I can think of anything. Thanks :)
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Then Eomer looked up. Across the hall our eyes met, and it was like they say in the great love stories of bygone days: time stood still. For a split second, we were the only two people in the room. My pain-filled eyes searched his for a sign, a hint that he might care for me. He stared at me, but did he not see my sorrow? For after the moment had passed, he only nodded at me and turned back to the women seated with him.

"My Lady? May I escort you to a seat at the table?" The Rohirrim captain peered down at me as he repeated his offer of service. He was older than me, but still quite young, handsome in the standard blonde Rohan way, with icy blue eyes.

"Certainly." I politely took his arm and allowed him to guide me towards the table, but didn't sit down next to him right away. "Pardon me, sir, but I must have a word with the King before I dine." Despite his apparent disinterest in me now, I still owed Eomer an apology. With my back so stiff I felt it might break, and my jaw clenched equally tightly, I approached him. He rose when I drew near, as etiquette demanded.

"My Lord, I owe you an apology for my behavior yesterday afternoon. It was inexcusable, but I was not myself." I spoke briefly and impersonally. Inclining my head, I retreated back to the captain. He was waiting for me.

Captain Laethus was a pleasant enough dinner companion. Desperate for something to distract me from the sight of Eomer with two other women at the head of the table, I threw myself into the conversation, talking animatedly and hardly taking my eyes off the Captain. I flirted outrageously, hoping to take my mind off of Eomer.

The King himself left after another hour or so, presumably taking one of the blonde women for a stroll outside in the cool night air. I noticed she had brown eyes. I had always wanted brown eyes, and was forever jealous of women who had them, but I was more envious of her grip on Eomer's arm. Hussy.

I talked to Laethus for quite a while, but the crowd had not yet begun to disperse when I declared my intention to retire. I rose, surprised to feel Laethus' hand on my arm.

"I shall escort you to your room, Lothiriel." He said looking at me with those pale eyes of his. When had I given him permission to use my name? Still, my room wasn't far, what harm could it do for him to walk with me? I hesitated, but consented.

As we left the Hall, his ever-tightening grip on my elbow began to make me uneasy. The passageway was unusually dark. One of the torches must have gone out. No one else was to be seen nearby. My heart began beating faster with nervousness...nonsense, I thought, shaking it off. Soon we reached my door. I opened it and turned to bid Laethus goodnight.

"Thank you, captain. Good evening." Before I could close the door, Laethus pushed me backwards into my chamber. By the time my immediate shock wore off and I shoved at him to get him away, he had me pinned to the bed and the door kicked shut and bolted.

"Get off me, you scum! What do you think you're doing?" I frantically beat at him, but he grabbed my hands and held me still with the suffocating weight of his body.

His laugh, that I had thought perfectly cultured and charming earlier, now sounded coarse and ugly. "You can't flirt with a man all night and not expect the consequences, Princess." He said my title like an insult. "You wanted it all along, and now you're going to get it. Hold still or it'll be worse for you." But I didn't stop struggling. My temper was overcoming my fear and shock, and I shouted at him.

"You bastard! You pretentious bottom-dwelling pirate looting FILTH! Get—Off—Of—Me!" Then I screamed with all my might.

He cut me off with a hard backhanded blow across my face. I gasped. "Shut up." He growled, fumbling with his tunic. I screamed again.

The door burst from the wall with an unbelievable crash. Laethus was torn from his place atop me and slammed into the wall. It was Eomer! Where had he come from? I didn't think I'd screamed THAT loudly...

I was soon distracted by the sight of Eomer pounding the life out of my attacker. He punched Laethus squarely in the jaw, hauled him back up and did it again and again. Then he beat his head against the wall several times. Laethus gasped for mercy. Eomer let him fall to the floor and turned to me briefly.

"Did he touch you?" I had never heard such a tone in any man's voice and I do not wish to ever hear it again. I shook my head mutely. "Wait here. I'll be back in a moment. I have some filth to dispose of." With that Eomer grabbed the back of Laethus' collar and dragged him out of the room. I followed at a cautious distance. He didn't honestly think I was going to let him go kill Laethus, did he?

Much as he might have wanted to kill him, though, Eomer had other plans for the errant captain. Hauling Laethus out into the great Hall he stopped in front of the open double doors and faced the crowd. Jerking the man's head up by the hair, he addressed the people.

"A trusted Captain of the Mark has tonight disgraced his country, his family, and himself. He has preyed upon an innocent woman and has shown himself undeserving of a place in my home. Let him be cast out!" Eomer took Laethus' sword from its scabbard and swatted the former Captain thrice across the backside with the flat side of it. He once more hauled the man up, but this time threw him out the doors and kicked him down the stairs.

From the shadows where I hid, I judged this to be some ancient custom of disposing of offending residents of Meduseld. Eowyn stood, walked to the doors, and spat down upon Laethus' cowering body. Several others did the same. I saw Eomer turn to come back down the hallway, so I fled back to my room.

Seeing the destruction of my door (and several other odds and ends Eomer had broken with his impassioned intervention) brought the panic, fear, and anger all back to me. What if Laethus had succeeded? What if I hadn't been able to fight him off? Eomer reentered the room and approached me. I began breathing too fast (what if I had been raped? What if he had gone so far as to kill me afterwards?).

"This is all YOUR fault!" I shouted at Eomer. "You and your stupid note, making me fall in love with you and then flirting with two—TWO!—other women right in front of me! It's your fault I sat with him! Goodness knows I probably flirted with him only to make YOU jealous, but did you come and talk to me? NO! Not a word! And look what almost happened!" I burst into tears.

I felt Eomer enfold me in his strong arms. He murmured soft words as I continued my tirade, though I no longer made any sense. I slowly calmed down. He rubbed circles on my back and rocked me back and forth.

"Better?" I sniffed and nodded. "Good. Then come with me. You can't stay here tonight, and your father won't find out about this until morning. You'll stay in my room tonight."
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AN: Now, if THAT doesn't get at least ONE person up in arms about my cutting off chapters just when things get interesting, I am an utter failure as an author and will surrender my keyboard. (OK, not really. I'm addicted, what can I say?) Don't worry, next chapter coming soon....stay tuned! ;)