Monica makes it to her room in short time, throwing herself on her bed and sobbing into her pillow. This was so stupid! She was so stupid! She couldn't believe what she had done! She had all but said she loved Boromir! She would never be able to live this down! How could she be so stupid?
She rolls over onto her back, laying her arm across her eyes and taking a deep breath,. trying to get a hold of herself. No one could find her like this, not as if anyone would come to check on her, she laughs humorlessly at the thought.
"Right, Monica! As if Lord Boromir is going to suddenly realize he loves you and run after you. Stuff like that only happens in stories, and you are all out of stories." She covers her other arm over her eyes, crying again. She had to get a hold of herself and decide what she was going to do. She really couldn't leave, if she did that would just make it clear that she was running and she refused to run. She wasn't a chicken. She could face him and pretend that nothing ever happened. "Yeah, sure, in what realm are you going to be able to do that, HANDMAIDEN!" She rolls onto her stomach and screams into her pillow, her agony coming out in that scream, an agony that came from the bottom of her soul. A scream that finished in a broken sob as she grabs the pillow and crams it hard against her face. She would rather suffocate then have them find her crying. She had to get it under control so that they never even thought about it.
She sits up suddenly and wipes at her eyes. She had to get cleaned up. She couldn't look like this should they call her back. They would know what she had been doing. So she heads to a basin on her dresser and starts washing her face, the cool water refreshing against her pale skin. It was the only thing she had in common with everyone here, the paleness of her skin, everything else about her from her small frame to her dark hair screamed she was an outsider. Maybe that was why she so desperately needed to fit in somehow. But even in love she would not fit in and that upset her even more.
She counts to 20 before she starts washing her face and then dealing with brushing her hair and getting everything back in place.
Boromir limps down the hall, going as fast as he can, which wasn't very fast at all. Curse those falls! He would be able to walk now if he had not been sent over them. First thing he would do when he say Aragorn was punch him. He looks at the door, counting in his head as he tries to remember what Eowyn said. Finally he arrives at the door. He was in the servants section of the great hall now. He lifts his good hand and knocks, then he reaches up and scratches chin, waiting and feeling very very nervous.
She finishes straightening up and brushing her hair and washing her face. She looked presentable again , that was if she needed to go anywhere. But in fact she didn't need to go to any extra effort as she didn't need to go anywhere any more. So she heads over to the window seat and sits, looking outside and over the grounds. It wasn't the best seat but it was nice.
When there is a knock at her door she figures it was someone needing her help. For some reason she doesn't think for a moment it would be Boromir.. Instead she gets up and walks calmly over to the door and opens it. "Can I help you?" She blinks when she sees who it is and almost shuts the door in his face. But she stops, swallowing hard, she repeats her question. "I am sorry, Lord Boromir, is there anything I can help you with?" She hoped that she looked calm because she certainly didn't feel it.
He drops his hand and looks at her. "Actually....there is. I wish to ask you for your opinion on something. May I come in?" He waits for her to say yes, getting worried when it takes her a little longer than he expected to say yes. But when she finally does he steps into her room, glancing around it before he looks back at her. "I...need to ask your advice on something that has me quite confused. You see, I have feelings for a woman but I do not know how to tell her. Will you help me?"
She closes her eyes, a pained look crossing her face before she quickly turns away from him. "Sure," she says softly. She could handle this, she would make herself handle this. She looks at the window and walks over to it, then plastering a smile on her face that she hopes looks real she turns and smiles at him. "I do not know what it is that I can do for you. If you want to know how to tell her then it all depends on several things." Like if she is engaged to your brother, she says silently to herself.
She leans back against the windowsill, sliding down it slightly till she was sitting on it, crossing her arms over her chest, the smile still there as best she could. "Like do you know if she might return the feelings? That makes it easier." Or do you mind you will break your brother's heart and mine in the process? But yet again she doesn't voice this, she just keeps the smile plastered on her face as she tries to help him. When he looked back on this he would not remember it as some bitter woman making jabs at the woman he loved. No, he would remember it was it was. A friend helping him out. At least that is what she hoped he would remember it like.
He smiles slightly, watching her. "I believe she does. She has not come out and said so much but she has hinted towards it. Could that mean she does indeed love me? Or am I merely hearing what I wish to?" He could tell she wasn't catching on, but he couldn't help keeping this line of conversation going. Yes she had hinted that she had feelings for him, but he wanted to actually hear her say it.
She turns and looks back out the window, unable to look at him any longer. Her voice is soft when she speaks, slightly pained. "If she is hinting at it, then maybe she is doing that to see how you react in return. To see if there is a spark in your eyes when she hints at her feelings." Unlike the shock that was there when I hinted, or the repulsion when I kissed you.
She closes her eyes and takes a calming breath. It hurt, all these questions. she just couldn't keep asking him directly what he meant. "If she has hinted, Lord Boromir, then you may as well ask her right out. She ... she..." she shakes her head, thinking. "She could need you to come out with it to be able to be honest. Sometimes it is the men that have to let the women know because we can be a dense as them at times." She still didn't look at him, hoping he had gotten what he needed and would let her go.
He moves over to a chair and then brings it over close to where she was sitting. He sits down, wincing a little. Then after a moment of silence he asks. "Then will you tell me if you love me or not? Because I believe I would like you to come to Gondor with me if you do. So that I will not have to be away from the woman I have come to love." He watches her, waiting, obviously very nervous. After all, she could have a thing about older men, and he must not look that handsome now. Not crippled as he was.
She turns her head sharply when he first mentions the word love and watches his lips as he finishes his speech. She blinks at him a few times, trying to take it all in. She slowly licks her lips, then finally says something, though it comes out in a whisper. "Lord Boromir, do you not mean Lady Eowyn?" She was so confused and that was clear on her face. "I have seen the way that you look at her, you never look at me that way." She starts to chew on her bottom lip, not wanting to cry in front of him and make an even bigger fool of herself. But she had to know, she had to know about Lady Eowyn and the way he looked at her. It was a fair question.
He smiles at her, shaking his head. "No. I mean you, Monica. Eowyn...I have discovered I do not love her. And she does not love me. We care for each other, but merely as friends. I will not lie to you. I kissed her, after you left. I did it merely to see if to kiss her would make me feel like your kiss did. It did not." He sighs, leaning back in his chair. "But now we come to my question. Why me? I am much older than you, and would just be a burden. So why do you love me?"
She frowns, looking down. She didn't like the thought that he had kissed HER, at he had with her. But then he said he hadn't felt what he had when she had kissed him and she suddenly looks at him skeptically. "You didn't like the kiss. You told me no. You almost kicked me out of your room. If I hadn't grown a thick skin instantly I would have been in tears from that one kiss." She wasn't going to say any more but then he looks at her expectantly and she knows what it is that he wants. So she answers him.
"I can not say why I love you. To me you are not old or a burden. And even if you were those things, the heart does not see them anyway. I do not see someone that can not do everything they want as fast as they want to, I see someone that is kind hearted and never asks for help even though he needs it. I first started to help you because I had to, because it was my job. But it wasn't long till I was making excuses to come and help, even though by then Lady Eowyn was here all the time." She shakes her head, not looking at him again but instead out the window. "I can not tell you why I love you, Boromir," she whispers softly. "I just know that I do. Even if it can come to nothing."
He reaches out with his good hand and takes one of her hands in his, holding it lightly. "Monica....I said no because I thought that you were merely kissing me to make me feel better. And I was confused. When you kissed me I did not want it to end there. But you see, I believed I was in love with Eowyn, so I was confused. I kissed Eowyn to see if I was truly in love with her." He shakes his head. "I was not. I do not think I ever was." He watches her closely. "Will you not look at me?"
There were tears in her eyes when she turns to look at him, but they were not tears from physical pain for there was no pain in her eyes but love, love and something else. "Boromir," she gasps. "I love you so much." Her grip on his hand tightens and she can feel herself breathing a little faster as she tries to calm herself down. "Boromir, I do not know what to do now. You ask about age. Age means nothing to me. But there is something that means a lot to so many." She looks at his hand in hers, tears she didn't realize she was crying falling to the back of his hand. "I am only a handmaiden, Lord Boromir. You and I are like day and night. It does not matter how much I love you, I can not have you, ever"
He smiles at her. "Ah but you see, even though my father would very much disapprove of my marrying a servant, my mother did teach me to be kind to everyone and to follow my heart. Though Faramir is slightly better at following his heart than I. But what I am getting at is I do not see you as a handmaiden, Monica. I see you as a woman." He lifts her hand and kisses it. "Ah so you see, we both feel a problem. I feel I am too old to be your husband and you feel you are not of noble birth so cannot be my wife. But....I am willing to look past your age if you are willing to see past my lineage."
She twists the hand he holds, cupping the side of his face with it as she looks at him now with nothing but love. The tears were flowing freely but she didn't care, she was too happy to care. He didn't mind that she was but a handmaiden. And he said he loved her. "I love you, Boromir," she says softly, having a hard time getting just those words out.
He smiles at her, leaning his head into her hand. "Would you do me a favor?" He waits for her nod. "Would you kiss me again?" He sees her smile and when she does kiss him, this time he kisses her back, deeply. It takes him a moment but he does finally pull back. He smiles at her, nodding as if deciding something. "Yes. I definitely feel something more when you and I kiss." He smiles at her, reaching up to touch her cheek. "You do not need to worry about your standing in life. I love you. And you are far more...real than some Lady's in Gondor. And it is my right to choose who I wish to marry." He does frown though. "But...I do not wish to burden you. I know you say I am not a burden, but I feel I am."
She nods when he asks her to do him a favor and smiles at what he asks. She gets off the windowsill and moves to stand by his chair, then leaning down she kisses him. When he starts kissing her back this time it takes her breath away. It just cements it for her, just how much she loved him. She could feel the kiss all the way to her toes, and when he pulls away she is shaky and she squats down in front of him, taking his hands and shaking her head. "Why do you feel you are a burden? What have I done to make you feel like it bothers me to care for you? Because whatever it is, I will stop it since I honestly do not feel doing anything for you is a burden. It is never a burden to care for the one that you love. What if it were reversed? Would I be a burden to you?" She had stopped crying now but her eyes were still shiny as she pleaded with him to see what she meant.
He shakes his head. "No. I would care for you with my last breath if I had to. No...I just....I have always been the stronger one, Monica. When I was a child and mother died, I took care of Faramir. I protected him. I was his father, his brother, his best friend. And now I cannot even make him live long enough to see his own son become a man." He sighs. "No. You do not make me feel a burden. I myself cause me to feel that way. I feel useless. You are the only one who does not make me feel like a burden. But that does not mean I am not one. You are young. Are you sure you want your life to be constantly attending to me?" His eyes betrayed him. He wanted her to say she did. He wanted to hear her say she would want nothing more than to love him and look after him. Like he would say to her, if their positions were reversed.
She nods, smiling at him as she takes his head in her hands. "Look at me Boromir. Look into my eyes. Can you not see how much I love you? Can you not see how I want nothing more then to be with you? You will never be a burden to me. You were not a burden when I first met you and less of one as I fell in love with you. I want nothing more then to spend my life with you. I know, we haven't known each other long, but time does not mean anything when one falls in love. The heart is the only thing that means something. And my heart is crying out for you. Can you not here it, Boromir?" She takes his hand and puts it on her chest over her heart.
He smiles slightly at her. "Yes I can. I do not understand how but it sounds like mine for you." He leans back in his chair, taking her hand and pulling her up to stand. Then he stands as well. "Then perhaps you would like to take a walk with me. And we can begin to know each other. If that is your wish."
She frowns slightly. "Are you sure you are up for a walk, Boromir? We could just go outside to the courtyard and sit there and talk." She stands in close to him, their bodies touching in an intimate way as she leans slightly against his side, smiling up at him. She couldn't believe this, it had to be a dream. Not in all this world would she think that this could happen. "I was going to leave," she whispers, looking up at him through her lashes shyly.
He smiles at her. "Perhaps you are right. A walk to the gardens and a bench there would perhaps be better for me at the moment." He looks down at her when she speaks of leaving and frowns. "I do not with you to run from your duties here because of me. But I was hoping I could ask you to accompany me back to Gondor, when I leave with my brother. Then you may decide which you prefer to live in. Gondor or Rohan. For I meant what I said to Lady Eowyn. I do not wish to be a steward and I can no longer be a soldier. I wish to have a family and live in peace. Be it in Rohan or Gondor it does not matter."
She nods, holding her hand out to him as she stands up. "Come, Boromir, let us go talk. You need to see more of the sun, as I probably do." She laces her fingers with his when he takes her hand and starts walking from the room. "What would you like to know about me, Boromir?"
He limps along beside her, holding her hand with his good one. "Everything. Such as if you have any parents or other family, or just anything you wish to tell me." He stops as they reach the door to the outside and opens it for her, having to let go of her hand to do it. He follows her out of the building and then to the garden. When they find the bench that was slightly secluded, he knew where it was since Eowyn took him there before, he sits down and smiles when she sits beside him. "And I would like to know if you will travel to Gondor with me."
She pulls her legs up under her after sitting on the bench, then takes a hold of his good hand and places it in her lap, her other hand covering it to gently rub her thumb across the back of it. "Well, not many know this, in fact very few do," she looks around as if she didn't want anyone to hear, then back at him, "but I am not from Rohan. So yes, I will travel with you to Gondor. I am not leaving my hometown, just my home. I have worked for Eowyn for several years. Even helping Eomer at times, like when he was sick I would tend to him when Eowyn would finally get some sleep. They both care a lot about each other, I suppose because they are all they have had for awhile. " She smiles at him then looks out over the garden. "Um, well, there really isn't a lot to say about me. I have no brothers or sister, and I am not going to say how old I am until you get over the age thing." She tilts her head to the side and smiles at him, winking. "Of course you probably can guess, but I still won't say anything until I know that you are not going to panic attack from it."
He smiles at her. "I am assuming you are close to Eowyn's age. If not slightly younger." He liked the way she was holding his hand. It was soothing, just that little gesture. "I figured you were not from Rohan. Well at least Edoras anyways. Your accent is different. Not by much but slightly. Are you from a village nearby then?"
Nearby? Not really. But she couldn't tell him where she was from, she couldn't tell him the truth of the matter or he would change his mind about loving her and her life would be in danger. "No," she shakes her head, smiling sideways up at home. "No, I used to live quite a ways away." She needed to change the subject before he got suspicious over the whole thing. "How did you like living in Gondor all your life?"
He smiles and nods. "Yes. I love Gondor. Minas Tirith was my home, as would be expected since my father was the Steward. You will have to decide for yourself. As it is much different than Edoras. Minas Tirith is built out of the side of a mountain. All stone. But it is beautiful when the sun shines on it. And the view from the royal garden is quite lovely. I will have to show it to you. I will show you where Faramir and I used to play when we were children."
She smiles excitedly up at him. "Oh Boromir, that would be great!" She gives his hand a squeeze. "I would love to see where you two played as children." She motions around the gardens. "From the time I was 13 I have had this to play in. I was lucky and was taken in by the King as soon as I wandered into the village. I was not made a servant either, but instead he paid me for what I did. I still have the first that I ever made. I have it hidden in a special place. Someday I am going to do something special with it, I just do not know what yet." She looks out over the gardens, frowning slightly. "I hope someone will work in the gardens when I am gone. Oh don't get me wrong, I have not been the only one working out here, there is far too much to do, but I have helped as has Lady Eowyn, we would help the gardener because we wanted to." She sighs, shaking her head. "But he did not make it back from Gondor, so it was going to be up to Lady Eowyn and me. Now they are just going to have to find someone to help her."
"I am sure that they will find someone." He shifts around and winces slightly, trying to hide that he was starting to hurt a little as he did not want her to move off his lap.
Seeing the wince, she tries to get up. "Boromir! I am hurting you! You have to promise me that you will tell me when I do that." But he still won't let her up and she looks at him, the smile gone, worry etched across her face.
He smiles at her, amused and touched that she would care so much for him. He leans in and kisses her softly. "I will only promise as long as you promise me something as well?" He waits for her now. "I wish for you to promise that even if I do snap at you, you will not take it personally. And you will remember that I do not mean it. It would be purely because of frustration and I do have a temper, as my brother would warn you about if he could." He keeps his arm around her. "Stay there. You are not hurting me. As I was saying, I wish never to hurt you, and I do love you so remember that when I upset you for whatever reason that I will in the future."
She pushes the hair from his forehead, tucking it behind his ear, first on one side and then on the other before relenting and snuggling against him in his lap, nodding when he asks for a promise. "Do you really think that you will snap at me?" She caresses his cheek. "But just in case, just incase you act like a male," she smiles at him mischievously, "and how they sometimes put their foot in their mouths, I will remember this afternoon and I will remember the promise you asked of me. And I will try not to forget that you love me. And when I ask so much of you that you are frustrated and on the verge of snapping at me, remember, I only do what I do because I love you, and for no other reason."
He smiles at her, nodding. "It is settled then. I shall try not to snap at you, or put my foot in my mouth, which as my dear little brother will tell you, I sometimes tend to do, and then you will remember when I do, that I love you and do not mean it." He nods and then leans in to kiss her gently. Like his brother, he did not see shame in showing affection to the woman he loved. His father had not shown shame to that when his mother was alive. It was after she had died that he changed. But then again, after his wife died, Denethor never remarried or courted any other woman. So no chance to show if he had truly changed or not.
Pulling back from the kiss he smiles at her. "Now you must do one more thing for me." When asked what, he is about to say it when they are interrupted by a servant from the kitchen. The shock is evident on the man's face, then the obvious embarrassment and then scorn towards Monica. After all, she was merely a servant, she should not have been sitting on a Lord's lap, unless she was offering him her body. But if that were the case she would no longer be a servant in Edoras, as the city did not condone that type of behavior in its walls. That was what the inns outside of town were for. Boromir sees all this and instantly knows what the man is thinking. He bristles, a dark look coming over his features. He asks the man what he wanted, in a not to kind voice. The man nods and informs them dinner would be served soon, then with a glare at Monica and quick shake of his head he turns and leaves. And if Boromir was at full health, and if Monica wasn't on his lap, he would have been off that bench and after the man in a second to knock some sense into him and to defend his love's honor. He almost does do just that as well but the sad look on Monica's face, the hurt there stops him. He reaches up with his good hand and smiles at her. "Do not worry, Love. I do not think of you in that way. If I were but a bit stronger and faster on my feet, I would run and pummel sense into him with my one good fist." He leans in to kiss her. "I wish to ask you something. For I am far less patient than my brother is. You may ask him as well when we see him at dinner. For he will confirm it that I do jump into things without thinking."
When they are interrupted by the servant she tries to slip off his lap but he still had a good hold on her and she tries not to look at the man, but she couldn't help it. He was staring at her with the most hateful looks that she had ever had directed at her. She turns her face from him looking off over Boromir's shoulder, obviously hurt from the way the man had been staring at her. She knew him, he worked with housekeeping and he often would scold her before when she hadn't done things he thought she should, especially when she had been taking care of Boromir and he had felt she was spending too much time just sitting in the room while the man slept when she should have been getting her own duties done. She knew that the instant he was back in the house the whole staff would know what she had been doing. But when he told the tale it would be far worse. She wouldn't be surprised if from his telling she was sitting out here naked on his lap. Thankfully Boromir had asked her to go with him and Faramir to Gondor and they left tomorrow. She would only have to deal with the whispering for one evening and then she would be gone from here for good.
When he takes her chin and lifts it, she turns sad eyes to his face, eyes that showed the pain the man had caused her. She gives him a lopsided smile when he says that about being faster and stronger and then kisses her. She sighs when their lips part and then hugs him gently. Pulling back she looks at him questioningly. "You have something you want to ask me? What do you want to ask me, Boromir?" She caresses his cheek and smiles. "Anything I know I will tell you. And you know I do not have anything but a necklace from my mother." She laughs but there is no humor in it. "I am sure that when I pack tonight to leave with you in the morning that everything I own will fit into one bag, so you need not worry about me taking too much with us." She lays her head on his shoulder, her lips brushing his neck in a kiss. "They won't be able to look at me like that after tomorrow, so I can handle it one more day." She kisses his neck again. "We need to get you back to the castle and to your dinner. Then I will meet you in your room after to make sure you have everything you need for the night." She had her arms loosely around him, her small body curled up against him. He made her feel so tiny sometimes, as if all he had to do was pick her up and drop her and she would shatter into a million pieces. But then his arms went around her and she knew she was safe. "But first, tell me what you wish to ask me, Dear." She grins, liking the way that sounded, even though it had come out a little hesitantly, as if she was afraid to say it out loud.
He smiles at her, holding her close. "They will not look at you like that again unless they wish to have my fist, and my brother's, connect with their mouths. The men anyways, the women will just get a good talking to." He turns his head and kisses her forehead gently. "For one you will be having dinner with us. It is only fair. I do not see you as a handmaiden anymore, Monica. I'd much rather have you by my side as an equal then under my foot like a servant. And if it is in my power, you will have the loveliest clothing money can buy. I do have quite a bit of it. I never did have to spend my pay on anyone but Faramir and Father. And that was only around their birthdays and holidays. And being Gondor's General-Captain does pay quite a bit. But this is not what I meant to bore you with." He smiles at her, kissing her forehead again. "As I was saying, I do not like to wait, and we do not know how much longer any of us have left," This was harder than he thought. But it was something he wanted. Badly. A wife and family. "and I wish to start a family right away, so I have been thinking....would you marry me when we return to Gondor?" He smiles, watching her, and at her shocked look he grins more. "I did tell you did I not that I rush into these things? Not so much marriage but that is merely because I wish to have a family of my own."
When he asks her she leans back and looks at him stunned. Then she starts to shake her head. "Please, no, Boromir. This, being out here with you and all, is bad enough. Please, could you just wait until we leave Rohan before you start treating me like an equal, or till we leaves the city at least." She lifts her head and look at him as if she was trying to see if he was real or not, her lower lip trembles and she has to take a steadying breath. "Married? Really married?" She takes another shaky breath and licks her lips. She takes his hand and puts it over her heart. "Do you feel that?" She gives him a lopsided smile. "It is beating for you. I meant it when I said that I love you, Boromir. And since you seem to love me too, then yes, I will marry you, Boromir."
He frowns slightly. "Why? You will be my wife. I wish for people to start seeing you as my wife. I wish to announce it tonight at dinner." He smiles a little. "But if it is your wish to wait, then I shall wait. But perhaps I could convince you to join me for dinner. This is not a special occasion so I believe I could probably get my dinner brought to my room."
She sighs softly. "You can tell them tonight, but I just do not want to go to dinner with you. I can stay in my room and not do anything, if that is what you wish. But I can not have the same people I normally work with serving me dinner or I will get worse looks then the one that I just got was. So it isn't a matter of not wanting to be there with you, it is a matter that I really don't want them spitting in my food. They look on me as a lower life anyways because I am not from here, I don't even look like I should be, and that puts me on the outside." But the time she was done she was looking down at his lap, unable to meet his eyes.
He lifts her chin with his good hand, which meant he was no longer holding her. "Then for tonight, I will not say anything. But would it be alright then if I come to your room after dinner? To say goodnight? Or would you like to meet me in my room?"
She leans in and kisses him softly, smiling tenderly at him. "You mentioned eating in your room. If you do that, then I will join you there. I will just take my dinner from the kitchen and meet you in your room.... That is if you want me to.
He smiles. "Then I shall eat in my room. With you. And tomorrow we shall leave here together and when we return, you will be a Lady." He grins more. "And by that time I will hopefully have use of my arm so that if anyone looks at you the wrong way I will set them straight. For I will not allow people to think badly of my wife." He leans in and kisses her softly.
She leans in and returns his kiss, wrapping her arms loosely around hie neck. "Mmmm yea, well I do not see any problem except from the people that knew me when I was a handmaiden." She shakes her head slightly. "What am I supposed to do now? All I have ever done is this." She lays her head back on his shoulder. "But I get the feeling being your wife is going to be more then I ever need to fill my day." She grins against his neck, kissing it softly. "And I think I heard you said 'family and kids'.?"
He smiles and nods, his good arm around her waist. "Yes. Lots of children. And you will be a Lady. I am sure there will be plenty of things for you to do. Like socializing with Eowyn and whatever it is female nobles do." He leans his head against hers, then sighs. "I honestly did not think I would find a wife so quickly. Though I do not regret it." He moves his head to look at her and grins. "Shall we go to dinner now?"
She moves out of his lap and stands holding her hand out to him. "If you want people to look at me that way, then we will have to live in Gondor, because they will not look at me that way here." She takes his hand and starts to walk back with him, leaning slightly towards him, her thumb rubbing against the back of his hand as they walk. "I did not think that I would get married either, Boromir. So you are not the only one shocked."
He smiles. "Ah but it is all good. And the people of Gondor will love you I am sure. Though some of the women might be a little cold. But that is what happens when the man they want gets married to someone other than them." He knew there were a few women that would be jealous. He had not said it out of egoism or whatnot. He truly knew there would be some that looked at Monica and wondered why her. And if they asked he would simply say, because she was the one he wished to marry. And if they didn't like it, they could all go to hell. He didn't care what people thought of him, he never had. Walking into the building he lets Monica go so she could go get her dinner, then he formally apologizes to the three sitting at the table, saying he would much rather take his dinner in his room. Then he smiles and heads off to his room, smiling as he sees Monica was already arriving with their food, she must have been able to get his plate from something. "Ah, Precious. That looks very good." He opens the door to his room for her and lets her go in first before he follows her. "Did anyone give you any trouble?" He asks as he sits down at the table in the room, wincing a little.
She leaves him and heads to the kitchens. Once there she looks around and finds only the one cook, a very fat old lady who had raised her since she had shown up at the city all alone. She was the reason Monica was working here. She runs over to her and hugs her tight. "Oh Ma, I have so much to tell you!" She knew the old lady wasn't her mother, it was a title she had given her because she had treated her all these years like her child. In fact the old lady was married and had a daughter, but her own daughter hardly saw her as she worked in another village.
"Get your hands off me, child." She pushes Monica away playfully, putting on a frown for good measure. "I am trying to get these meals out there and you have not come to eat yours. You know you are suppose to eat and then go help those that need it. I am sure that Lord Boromir will need help." She looks at her knowingly, as she had seen the way Monica doted on that man. "Now sit, sit, then you can tell me what has you all cheery."
She shakes her head but drops her arms. "Ma, I have something exciting to tell you." She chews her bottom lip, not wanting to say but bubbling to. If Theresa didn't understand, if she shunned her like the other servant had, she would be heart broken.
She turns and sees the indecision on the child's face and stops. She had heard a rumor that Monica was seen sitting in Lord Boromir's lap in the gardens but she had hoped it wasn't true. She could get fired if she was caught but the Lord and Lady. She wipes her hands on her apron and faces her. "Tell me, Pumpkin."
Monica takes a deep breath, and gives her a halfhearted smile, now afraid to tell her. "I am going to be married, Ma." The look on the old woman's face makes her hurry on. "Lord Boromir asked me, just now. He asked me to go with him to Gondor tomorrow and marry him."
Theresa tries to hold her tears back but couldn't. So she brings the girl close to her and hugs her tight. "Oh you little thing, I am so happy for you. I knew you would make it someday. You will have a good life in Gondor I am sure. " She leans back and kisses Monica. "I know how much you love him, you could not hide that from me. I just hope he realizes how precious you are."
"Oh Ma! He knows, do not worry. But please, if anyone says something bad, know it isn't true. I am not doing anything back," Monica pleads with her, her eyes panicked when she thinks of what might be said about her.
"Sweetie, I know that. Do not worry, I have a thick skin." She hugs her again and then motions to the table. "Sit now, have your dinner."
She shakes her head. "No, I came to get my dinner and Lord Boromir's. He wants us to eat together. He wanted me to eat with the rest." She laughs, shaking her head again. "But you know as well as I that I dare not do that. But I will eat with him in his room."
Theresa was already getting the plates ready on the tray before Monica finished and soon is handing it to her. "Be careful, Pumpkin. There are those that wish to hurt you here. We have been able to fight them till now, but this throws things into a whole other arena. Please, be careful."
Monica takes the tray and leans over, kissing her adopted mother's cheek. "I will be careful, I promise. One night, I can make it one night, then we will be gone and I will be safe." She kisses her again and smiles as the old woman slips something special on the tray, then with a nod she is gone.
She heads back to Boromir's room thinking about it all, knowing that Theresa was right. There were some that didn't like her because they didn't know where she came from. She had not even told Theresa, because she had said she didn't want to know, just incase. But for some reason she felt that Theresa did know. Knew more then she was telling at least.
She smiles when she sees Boromir at his room, and she shakes her head and she walks into it. "No, I had no problems. The cook is a good friend of mine and luckily she was the only one there." She sets the things on the table, frowning at his wince. "She added some tea and some herbs." She picks up the package that Theresa had slipped onto the tray. They had calming effects and would help his aches. She mixes them in with the tea and gives him a cup. "There you go, that will help a little." Then she takes a seat, feeling very very strange sitting across from him like this.
She rolls over onto her back, laying her arm across her eyes and taking a deep breath,. trying to get a hold of herself. No one could find her like this, not as if anyone would come to check on her, she laughs humorlessly at the thought.
"Right, Monica! As if Lord Boromir is going to suddenly realize he loves you and run after you. Stuff like that only happens in stories, and you are all out of stories." She covers her other arm over her eyes, crying again. She had to get a hold of herself and decide what she was going to do. She really couldn't leave, if she did that would just make it clear that she was running and she refused to run. She wasn't a chicken. She could face him and pretend that nothing ever happened. "Yeah, sure, in what realm are you going to be able to do that, HANDMAIDEN!" She rolls onto her stomach and screams into her pillow, her agony coming out in that scream, an agony that came from the bottom of her soul. A scream that finished in a broken sob as she grabs the pillow and crams it hard against her face. She would rather suffocate then have them find her crying. She had to get it under control so that they never even thought about it.
She sits up suddenly and wipes at her eyes. She had to get cleaned up. She couldn't look like this should they call her back. They would know what she had been doing. So she heads to a basin on her dresser and starts washing her face, the cool water refreshing against her pale skin. It was the only thing she had in common with everyone here, the paleness of her skin, everything else about her from her small frame to her dark hair screamed she was an outsider. Maybe that was why she so desperately needed to fit in somehow. But even in love she would not fit in and that upset her even more.
She counts to 20 before she starts washing her face and then dealing with brushing her hair and getting everything back in place.
Boromir limps down the hall, going as fast as he can, which wasn't very fast at all. Curse those falls! He would be able to walk now if he had not been sent over them. First thing he would do when he say Aragorn was punch him. He looks at the door, counting in his head as he tries to remember what Eowyn said. Finally he arrives at the door. He was in the servants section of the great hall now. He lifts his good hand and knocks, then he reaches up and scratches chin, waiting and feeling very very nervous.
She finishes straightening up and brushing her hair and washing her face. She looked presentable again , that was if she needed to go anywhere. But in fact she didn't need to go to any extra effort as she didn't need to go anywhere any more. So she heads over to the window seat and sits, looking outside and over the grounds. It wasn't the best seat but it was nice.
When there is a knock at her door she figures it was someone needing her help. For some reason she doesn't think for a moment it would be Boromir.. Instead she gets up and walks calmly over to the door and opens it. "Can I help you?" She blinks when she sees who it is and almost shuts the door in his face. But she stops, swallowing hard, she repeats her question. "I am sorry, Lord Boromir, is there anything I can help you with?" She hoped that she looked calm because she certainly didn't feel it.
He drops his hand and looks at her. "Actually....there is. I wish to ask you for your opinion on something. May I come in?" He waits for her to say yes, getting worried when it takes her a little longer than he expected to say yes. But when she finally does he steps into her room, glancing around it before he looks back at her. "I...need to ask your advice on something that has me quite confused. You see, I have feelings for a woman but I do not know how to tell her. Will you help me?"
She closes her eyes, a pained look crossing her face before she quickly turns away from him. "Sure," she says softly. She could handle this, she would make herself handle this. She looks at the window and walks over to it, then plastering a smile on her face that she hopes looks real she turns and smiles at him. "I do not know what it is that I can do for you. If you want to know how to tell her then it all depends on several things." Like if she is engaged to your brother, she says silently to herself.
She leans back against the windowsill, sliding down it slightly till she was sitting on it, crossing her arms over her chest, the smile still there as best she could. "Like do you know if she might return the feelings? That makes it easier." Or do you mind you will break your brother's heart and mine in the process? But yet again she doesn't voice this, she just keeps the smile plastered on her face as she tries to help him. When he looked back on this he would not remember it as some bitter woman making jabs at the woman he loved. No, he would remember it was it was. A friend helping him out. At least that is what she hoped he would remember it like.
He smiles slightly, watching her. "I believe she does. She has not come out and said so much but she has hinted towards it. Could that mean she does indeed love me? Or am I merely hearing what I wish to?" He could tell she wasn't catching on, but he couldn't help keeping this line of conversation going. Yes she had hinted that she had feelings for him, but he wanted to actually hear her say it.
She turns and looks back out the window, unable to look at him any longer. Her voice is soft when she speaks, slightly pained. "If she is hinting at it, then maybe she is doing that to see how you react in return. To see if there is a spark in your eyes when she hints at her feelings." Unlike the shock that was there when I hinted, or the repulsion when I kissed you.
She closes her eyes and takes a calming breath. It hurt, all these questions. she just couldn't keep asking him directly what he meant. "If she has hinted, Lord Boromir, then you may as well ask her right out. She ... she..." she shakes her head, thinking. "She could need you to come out with it to be able to be honest. Sometimes it is the men that have to let the women know because we can be a dense as them at times." She still didn't look at him, hoping he had gotten what he needed and would let her go.
He moves over to a chair and then brings it over close to where she was sitting. He sits down, wincing a little. Then after a moment of silence he asks. "Then will you tell me if you love me or not? Because I believe I would like you to come to Gondor with me if you do. So that I will not have to be away from the woman I have come to love." He watches her, waiting, obviously very nervous. After all, she could have a thing about older men, and he must not look that handsome now. Not crippled as he was.
She turns her head sharply when he first mentions the word love and watches his lips as he finishes his speech. She blinks at him a few times, trying to take it all in. She slowly licks her lips, then finally says something, though it comes out in a whisper. "Lord Boromir, do you not mean Lady Eowyn?" She was so confused and that was clear on her face. "I have seen the way that you look at her, you never look at me that way." She starts to chew on her bottom lip, not wanting to cry in front of him and make an even bigger fool of herself. But she had to know, she had to know about Lady Eowyn and the way he looked at her. It was a fair question.
He smiles at her, shaking his head. "No. I mean you, Monica. Eowyn...I have discovered I do not love her. And she does not love me. We care for each other, but merely as friends. I will not lie to you. I kissed her, after you left. I did it merely to see if to kiss her would make me feel like your kiss did. It did not." He sighs, leaning back in his chair. "But now we come to my question. Why me? I am much older than you, and would just be a burden. So why do you love me?"
She frowns, looking down. She didn't like the thought that he had kissed HER, at he had with her. But then he said he hadn't felt what he had when she had kissed him and she suddenly looks at him skeptically. "You didn't like the kiss. You told me no. You almost kicked me out of your room. If I hadn't grown a thick skin instantly I would have been in tears from that one kiss." She wasn't going to say any more but then he looks at her expectantly and she knows what it is that he wants. So she answers him.
"I can not say why I love you. To me you are not old or a burden. And even if you were those things, the heart does not see them anyway. I do not see someone that can not do everything they want as fast as they want to, I see someone that is kind hearted and never asks for help even though he needs it. I first started to help you because I had to, because it was my job. But it wasn't long till I was making excuses to come and help, even though by then Lady Eowyn was here all the time." She shakes her head, not looking at him again but instead out the window. "I can not tell you why I love you, Boromir," she whispers softly. "I just know that I do. Even if it can come to nothing."
He reaches out with his good hand and takes one of her hands in his, holding it lightly. "Monica....I said no because I thought that you were merely kissing me to make me feel better. And I was confused. When you kissed me I did not want it to end there. But you see, I believed I was in love with Eowyn, so I was confused. I kissed Eowyn to see if I was truly in love with her." He shakes his head. "I was not. I do not think I ever was." He watches her closely. "Will you not look at me?"
There were tears in her eyes when she turns to look at him, but they were not tears from physical pain for there was no pain in her eyes but love, love and something else. "Boromir," she gasps. "I love you so much." Her grip on his hand tightens and she can feel herself breathing a little faster as she tries to calm herself down. "Boromir, I do not know what to do now. You ask about age. Age means nothing to me. But there is something that means a lot to so many." She looks at his hand in hers, tears she didn't realize she was crying falling to the back of his hand. "I am only a handmaiden, Lord Boromir. You and I are like day and night. It does not matter how much I love you, I can not have you, ever"
He smiles at her. "Ah but you see, even though my father would very much disapprove of my marrying a servant, my mother did teach me to be kind to everyone and to follow my heart. Though Faramir is slightly better at following his heart than I. But what I am getting at is I do not see you as a handmaiden, Monica. I see you as a woman." He lifts her hand and kisses it. "Ah so you see, we both feel a problem. I feel I am too old to be your husband and you feel you are not of noble birth so cannot be my wife. But....I am willing to look past your age if you are willing to see past my lineage."
She twists the hand he holds, cupping the side of his face with it as she looks at him now with nothing but love. The tears were flowing freely but she didn't care, she was too happy to care. He didn't mind that she was but a handmaiden. And he said he loved her. "I love you, Boromir," she says softly, having a hard time getting just those words out.
He smiles at her, leaning his head into her hand. "Would you do me a favor?" He waits for her nod. "Would you kiss me again?" He sees her smile and when she does kiss him, this time he kisses her back, deeply. It takes him a moment but he does finally pull back. He smiles at her, nodding as if deciding something. "Yes. I definitely feel something more when you and I kiss." He smiles at her, reaching up to touch her cheek. "You do not need to worry about your standing in life. I love you. And you are far more...real than some Lady's in Gondor. And it is my right to choose who I wish to marry." He does frown though. "But...I do not wish to burden you. I know you say I am not a burden, but I feel I am."
She nods when he asks her to do him a favor and smiles at what he asks. She gets off the windowsill and moves to stand by his chair, then leaning down she kisses him. When he starts kissing her back this time it takes her breath away. It just cements it for her, just how much she loved him. She could feel the kiss all the way to her toes, and when he pulls away she is shaky and she squats down in front of him, taking his hands and shaking her head. "Why do you feel you are a burden? What have I done to make you feel like it bothers me to care for you? Because whatever it is, I will stop it since I honestly do not feel doing anything for you is a burden. It is never a burden to care for the one that you love. What if it were reversed? Would I be a burden to you?" She had stopped crying now but her eyes were still shiny as she pleaded with him to see what she meant.
He shakes his head. "No. I would care for you with my last breath if I had to. No...I just....I have always been the stronger one, Monica. When I was a child and mother died, I took care of Faramir. I protected him. I was his father, his brother, his best friend. And now I cannot even make him live long enough to see his own son become a man." He sighs. "No. You do not make me feel a burden. I myself cause me to feel that way. I feel useless. You are the only one who does not make me feel like a burden. But that does not mean I am not one. You are young. Are you sure you want your life to be constantly attending to me?" His eyes betrayed him. He wanted her to say she did. He wanted to hear her say she would want nothing more than to love him and look after him. Like he would say to her, if their positions were reversed.
She nods, smiling at him as she takes his head in her hands. "Look at me Boromir. Look into my eyes. Can you not see how much I love you? Can you not see how I want nothing more then to be with you? You will never be a burden to me. You were not a burden when I first met you and less of one as I fell in love with you. I want nothing more then to spend my life with you. I know, we haven't known each other long, but time does not mean anything when one falls in love. The heart is the only thing that means something. And my heart is crying out for you. Can you not here it, Boromir?" She takes his hand and puts it on her chest over her heart.
He smiles slightly at her. "Yes I can. I do not understand how but it sounds like mine for you." He leans back in his chair, taking her hand and pulling her up to stand. Then he stands as well. "Then perhaps you would like to take a walk with me. And we can begin to know each other. If that is your wish."
She frowns slightly. "Are you sure you are up for a walk, Boromir? We could just go outside to the courtyard and sit there and talk." She stands in close to him, their bodies touching in an intimate way as she leans slightly against his side, smiling up at him. She couldn't believe this, it had to be a dream. Not in all this world would she think that this could happen. "I was going to leave," she whispers, looking up at him through her lashes shyly.
He smiles at her. "Perhaps you are right. A walk to the gardens and a bench there would perhaps be better for me at the moment." He looks down at her when she speaks of leaving and frowns. "I do not with you to run from your duties here because of me. But I was hoping I could ask you to accompany me back to Gondor, when I leave with my brother. Then you may decide which you prefer to live in. Gondor or Rohan. For I meant what I said to Lady Eowyn. I do not wish to be a steward and I can no longer be a soldier. I wish to have a family and live in peace. Be it in Rohan or Gondor it does not matter."
She nods, holding her hand out to him as she stands up. "Come, Boromir, let us go talk. You need to see more of the sun, as I probably do." She laces her fingers with his when he takes her hand and starts walking from the room. "What would you like to know about me, Boromir?"
He limps along beside her, holding her hand with his good one. "Everything. Such as if you have any parents or other family, or just anything you wish to tell me." He stops as they reach the door to the outside and opens it for her, having to let go of her hand to do it. He follows her out of the building and then to the garden. When they find the bench that was slightly secluded, he knew where it was since Eowyn took him there before, he sits down and smiles when she sits beside him. "And I would like to know if you will travel to Gondor with me."
She pulls her legs up under her after sitting on the bench, then takes a hold of his good hand and places it in her lap, her other hand covering it to gently rub her thumb across the back of it. "Well, not many know this, in fact very few do," she looks around as if she didn't want anyone to hear, then back at him, "but I am not from Rohan. So yes, I will travel with you to Gondor. I am not leaving my hometown, just my home. I have worked for Eowyn for several years. Even helping Eomer at times, like when he was sick I would tend to him when Eowyn would finally get some sleep. They both care a lot about each other, I suppose because they are all they have had for awhile. " She smiles at him then looks out over the garden. "Um, well, there really isn't a lot to say about me. I have no brothers or sister, and I am not going to say how old I am until you get over the age thing." She tilts her head to the side and smiles at him, winking. "Of course you probably can guess, but I still won't say anything until I know that you are not going to panic attack from it."
He smiles at her. "I am assuming you are close to Eowyn's age. If not slightly younger." He liked the way she was holding his hand. It was soothing, just that little gesture. "I figured you were not from Rohan. Well at least Edoras anyways. Your accent is different. Not by much but slightly. Are you from a village nearby then?"
Nearby? Not really. But she couldn't tell him where she was from, she couldn't tell him the truth of the matter or he would change his mind about loving her and her life would be in danger. "No," she shakes her head, smiling sideways up at home. "No, I used to live quite a ways away." She needed to change the subject before he got suspicious over the whole thing. "How did you like living in Gondor all your life?"
He smiles and nods. "Yes. I love Gondor. Minas Tirith was my home, as would be expected since my father was the Steward. You will have to decide for yourself. As it is much different than Edoras. Minas Tirith is built out of the side of a mountain. All stone. But it is beautiful when the sun shines on it. And the view from the royal garden is quite lovely. I will have to show it to you. I will show you where Faramir and I used to play when we were children."
She smiles excitedly up at him. "Oh Boromir, that would be great!" She gives his hand a squeeze. "I would love to see where you two played as children." She motions around the gardens. "From the time I was 13 I have had this to play in. I was lucky and was taken in by the King as soon as I wandered into the village. I was not made a servant either, but instead he paid me for what I did. I still have the first that I ever made. I have it hidden in a special place. Someday I am going to do something special with it, I just do not know what yet." She looks out over the gardens, frowning slightly. "I hope someone will work in the gardens when I am gone. Oh don't get me wrong, I have not been the only one working out here, there is far too much to do, but I have helped as has Lady Eowyn, we would help the gardener because we wanted to." She sighs, shaking her head. "But he did not make it back from Gondor, so it was going to be up to Lady Eowyn and me. Now they are just going to have to find someone to help her."
"I am sure that they will find someone." He shifts around and winces slightly, trying to hide that he was starting to hurt a little as he did not want her to move off his lap.
Seeing the wince, she tries to get up. "Boromir! I am hurting you! You have to promise me that you will tell me when I do that." But he still won't let her up and she looks at him, the smile gone, worry etched across her face.
He smiles at her, amused and touched that she would care so much for him. He leans in and kisses her softly. "I will only promise as long as you promise me something as well?" He waits for her now. "I wish for you to promise that even if I do snap at you, you will not take it personally. And you will remember that I do not mean it. It would be purely because of frustration and I do have a temper, as my brother would warn you about if he could." He keeps his arm around her. "Stay there. You are not hurting me. As I was saying, I wish never to hurt you, and I do love you so remember that when I upset you for whatever reason that I will in the future."
She pushes the hair from his forehead, tucking it behind his ear, first on one side and then on the other before relenting and snuggling against him in his lap, nodding when he asks for a promise. "Do you really think that you will snap at me?" She caresses his cheek. "But just in case, just incase you act like a male," she smiles at him mischievously, "and how they sometimes put their foot in their mouths, I will remember this afternoon and I will remember the promise you asked of me. And I will try not to forget that you love me. And when I ask so much of you that you are frustrated and on the verge of snapping at me, remember, I only do what I do because I love you, and for no other reason."
He smiles at her, nodding. "It is settled then. I shall try not to snap at you, or put my foot in my mouth, which as my dear little brother will tell you, I sometimes tend to do, and then you will remember when I do, that I love you and do not mean it." He nods and then leans in to kiss her gently. Like his brother, he did not see shame in showing affection to the woman he loved. His father had not shown shame to that when his mother was alive. It was after she had died that he changed. But then again, after his wife died, Denethor never remarried or courted any other woman. So no chance to show if he had truly changed or not.
Pulling back from the kiss he smiles at her. "Now you must do one more thing for me." When asked what, he is about to say it when they are interrupted by a servant from the kitchen. The shock is evident on the man's face, then the obvious embarrassment and then scorn towards Monica. After all, she was merely a servant, she should not have been sitting on a Lord's lap, unless she was offering him her body. But if that were the case she would no longer be a servant in Edoras, as the city did not condone that type of behavior in its walls. That was what the inns outside of town were for. Boromir sees all this and instantly knows what the man is thinking. He bristles, a dark look coming over his features. He asks the man what he wanted, in a not to kind voice. The man nods and informs them dinner would be served soon, then with a glare at Monica and quick shake of his head he turns and leaves. And if Boromir was at full health, and if Monica wasn't on his lap, he would have been off that bench and after the man in a second to knock some sense into him and to defend his love's honor. He almost does do just that as well but the sad look on Monica's face, the hurt there stops him. He reaches up with his good hand and smiles at her. "Do not worry, Love. I do not think of you in that way. If I were but a bit stronger and faster on my feet, I would run and pummel sense into him with my one good fist." He leans in to kiss her. "I wish to ask you something. For I am far less patient than my brother is. You may ask him as well when we see him at dinner. For he will confirm it that I do jump into things without thinking."
When they are interrupted by the servant she tries to slip off his lap but he still had a good hold on her and she tries not to look at the man, but she couldn't help it. He was staring at her with the most hateful looks that she had ever had directed at her. She turns her face from him looking off over Boromir's shoulder, obviously hurt from the way the man had been staring at her. She knew him, he worked with housekeeping and he often would scold her before when she hadn't done things he thought she should, especially when she had been taking care of Boromir and he had felt she was spending too much time just sitting in the room while the man slept when she should have been getting her own duties done. She knew that the instant he was back in the house the whole staff would know what she had been doing. But when he told the tale it would be far worse. She wouldn't be surprised if from his telling she was sitting out here naked on his lap. Thankfully Boromir had asked her to go with him and Faramir to Gondor and they left tomorrow. She would only have to deal with the whispering for one evening and then she would be gone from here for good.
When he takes her chin and lifts it, she turns sad eyes to his face, eyes that showed the pain the man had caused her. She gives him a lopsided smile when he says that about being faster and stronger and then kisses her. She sighs when their lips part and then hugs him gently. Pulling back she looks at him questioningly. "You have something you want to ask me? What do you want to ask me, Boromir?" She caresses his cheek and smiles. "Anything I know I will tell you. And you know I do not have anything but a necklace from my mother." She laughs but there is no humor in it. "I am sure that when I pack tonight to leave with you in the morning that everything I own will fit into one bag, so you need not worry about me taking too much with us." She lays her head on his shoulder, her lips brushing his neck in a kiss. "They won't be able to look at me like that after tomorrow, so I can handle it one more day." She kisses his neck again. "We need to get you back to the castle and to your dinner. Then I will meet you in your room after to make sure you have everything you need for the night." She had her arms loosely around him, her small body curled up against him. He made her feel so tiny sometimes, as if all he had to do was pick her up and drop her and she would shatter into a million pieces. But then his arms went around her and she knew she was safe. "But first, tell me what you wish to ask me, Dear." She grins, liking the way that sounded, even though it had come out a little hesitantly, as if she was afraid to say it out loud.
He smiles at her, holding her close. "They will not look at you like that again unless they wish to have my fist, and my brother's, connect with their mouths. The men anyways, the women will just get a good talking to." He turns his head and kisses her forehead gently. "For one you will be having dinner with us. It is only fair. I do not see you as a handmaiden anymore, Monica. I'd much rather have you by my side as an equal then under my foot like a servant. And if it is in my power, you will have the loveliest clothing money can buy. I do have quite a bit of it. I never did have to spend my pay on anyone but Faramir and Father. And that was only around their birthdays and holidays. And being Gondor's General-Captain does pay quite a bit. But this is not what I meant to bore you with." He smiles at her, kissing her forehead again. "As I was saying, I do not like to wait, and we do not know how much longer any of us have left," This was harder than he thought. But it was something he wanted. Badly. A wife and family. "and I wish to start a family right away, so I have been thinking....would you marry me when we return to Gondor?" He smiles, watching her, and at her shocked look he grins more. "I did tell you did I not that I rush into these things? Not so much marriage but that is merely because I wish to have a family of my own."
When he asks her she leans back and looks at him stunned. Then she starts to shake her head. "Please, no, Boromir. This, being out here with you and all, is bad enough. Please, could you just wait until we leave Rohan before you start treating me like an equal, or till we leaves the city at least." She lifts her head and look at him as if she was trying to see if he was real or not, her lower lip trembles and she has to take a steadying breath. "Married? Really married?" She takes another shaky breath and licks her lips. She takes his hand and puts it over her heart. "Do you feel that?" She gives him a lopsided smile. "It is beating for you. I meant it when I said that I love you, Boromir. And since you seem to love me too, then yes, I will marry you, Boromir."
He frowns slightly. "Why? You will be my wife. I wish for people to start seeing you as my wife. I wish to announce it tonight at dinner." He smiles a little. "But if it is your wish to wait, then I shall wait. But perhaps I could convince you to join me for dinner. This is not a special occasion so I believe I could probably get my dinner brought to my room."
She sighs softly. "You can tell them tonight, but I just do not want to go to dinner with you. I can stay in my room and not do anything, if that is what you wish. But I can not have the same people I normally work with serving me dinner or I will get worse looks then the one that I just got was. So it isn't a matter of not wanting to be there with you, it is a matter that I really don't want them spitting in my food. They look on me as a lower life anyways because I am not from here, I don't even look like I should be, and that puts me on the outside." But the time she was done she was looking down at his lap, unable to meet his eyes.
He lifts her chin with his good hand, which meant he was no longer holding her. "Then for tonight, I will not say anything. But would it be alright then if I come to your room after dinner? To say goodnight? Or would you like to meet me in my room?"
She leans in and kisses him softly, smiling tenderly at him. "You mentioned eating in your room. If you do that, then I will join you there. I will just take my dinner from the kitchen and meet you in your room.... That is if you want me to.
He smiles. "Then I shall eat in my room. With you. And tomorrow we shall leave here together and when we return, you will be a Lady." He grins more. "And by that time I will hopefully have use of my arm so that if anyone looks at you the wrong way I will set them straight. For I will not allow people to think badly of my wife." He leans in and kisses her softly.
She leans in and returns his kiss, wrapping her arms loosely around hie neck. "Mmmm yea, well I do not see any problem except from the people that knew me when I was a handmaiden." She shakes her head slightly. "What am I supposed to do now? All I have ever done is this." She lays her head back on his shoulder. "But I get the feeling being your wife is going to be more then I ever need to fill my day." She grins against his neck, kissing it softly. "And I think I heard you said 'family and kids'.?"
He smiles and nods, his good arm around her waist. "Yes. Lots of children. And you will be a Lady. I am sure there will be plenty of things for you to do. Like socializing with Eowyn and whatever it is female nobles do." He leans his head against hers, then sighs. "I honestly did not think I would find a wife so quickly. Though I do not regret it." He moves his head to look at her and grins. "Shall we go to dinner now?"
She moves out of his lap and stands holding her hand out to him. "If you want people to look at me that way, then we will have to live in Gondor, because they will not look at me that way here." She takes his hand and starts to walk back with him, leaning slightly towards him, her thumb rubbing against the back of his hand as they walk. "I did not think that I would get married either, Boromir. So you are not the only one shocked."
He smiles. "Ah but it is all good. And the people of Gondor will love you I am sure. Though some of the women might be a little cold. But that is what happens when the man they want gets married to someone other than them." He knew there were a few women that would be jealous. He had not said it out of egoism or whatnot. He truly knew there would be some that looked at Monica and wondered why her. And if they asked he would simply say, because she was the one he wished to marry. And if they didn't like it, they could all go to hell. He didn't care what people thought of him, he never had. Walking into the building he lets Monica go so she could go get her dinner, then he formally apologizes to the three sitting at the table, saying he would much rather take his dinner in his room. Then he smiles and heads off to his room, smiling as he sees Monica was already arriving with their food, she must have been able to get his plate from something. "Ah, Precious. That looks very good." He opens the door to his room for her and lets her go in first before he follows her. "Did anyone give you any trouble?" He asks as he sits down at the table in the room, wincing a little.
She leaves him and heads to the kitchens. Once there she looks around and finds only the one cook, a very fat old lady who had raised her since she had shown up at the city all alone. She was the reason Monica was working here. She runs over to her and hugs her tight. "Oh Ma, I have so much to tell you!" She knew the old lady wasn't her mother, it was a title she had given her because she had treated her all these years like her child. In fact the old lady was married and had a daughter, but her own daughter hardly saw her as she worked in another village.
"Get your hands off me, child." She pushes Monica away playfully, putting on a frown for good measure. "I am trying to get these meals out there and you have not come to eat yours. You know you are suppose to eat and then go help those that need it. I am sure that Lord Boromir will need help." She looks at her knowingly, as she had seen the way Monica doted on that man. "Now sit, sit, then you can tell me what has you all cheery."
She shakes her head but drops her arms. "Ma, I have something exciting to tell you." She chews her bottom lip, not wanting to say but bubbling to. If Theresa didn't understand, if she shunned her like the other servant had, she would be heart broken.
She turns and sees the indecision on the child's face and stops. She had heard a rumor that Monica was seen sitting in Lord Boromir's lap in the gardens but she had hoped it wasn't true. She could get fired if she was caught but the Lord and Lady. She wipes her hands on her apron and faces her. "Tell me, Pumpkin."
Monica takes a deep breath, and gives her a halfhearted smile, now afraid to tell her. "I am going to be married, Ma." The look on the old woman's face makes her hurry on. "Lord Boromir asked me, just now. He asked me to go with him to Gondor tomorrow and marry him."
Theresa tries to hold her tears back but couldn't. So she brings the girl close to her and hugs her tight. "Oh you little thing, I am so happy for you. I knew you would make it someday. You will have a good life in Gondor I am sure. " She leans back and kisses Monica. "I know how much you love him, you could not hide that from me. I just hope he realizes how precious you are."
"Oh Ma! He knows, do not worry. But please, if anyone says something bad, know it isn't true. I am not doing anything back," Monica pleads with her, her eyes panicked when she thinks of what might be said about her.
"Sweetie, I know that. Do not worry, I have a thick skin." She hugs her again and then motions to the table. "Sit now, have your dinner."
She shakes her head. "No, I came to get my dinner and Lord Boromir's. He wants us to eat together. He wanted me to eat with the rest." She laughs, shaking her head again. "But you know as well as I that I dare not do that. But I will eat with him in his room."
Theresa was already getting the plates ready on the tray before Monica finished and soon is handing it to her. "Be careful, Pumpkin. There are those that wish to hurt you here. We have been able to fight them till now, but this throws things into a whole other arena. Please, be careful."
Monica takes the tray and leans over, kissing her adopted mother's cheek. "I will be careful, I promise. One night, I can make it one night, then we will be gone and I will be safe." She kisses her again and smiles as the old woman slips something special on the tray, then with a nod she is gone.
She heads back to Boromir's room thinking about it all, knowing that Theresa was right. There were some that didn't like her because they didn't know where she came from. She had not even told Theresa, because she had said she didn't want to know, just incase. But for some reason she felt that Theresa did know. Knew more then she was telling at least.
She smiles when she sees Boromir at his room, and she shakes her head and she walks into it. "No, I had no problems. The cook is a good friend of mine and luckily she was the only one there." She sets the things on the table, frowning at his wince. "She added some tea and some herbs." She picks up the package that Theresa had slipped onto the tray. They had calming effects and would help his aches. She mixes them in with the tea and gives him a cup. "There you go, that will help a little." Then she takes a seat, feeling very very strange sitting across from him like this.