The pain grew with each passing minute, leaving me breathless even as I realized that I was no longer in the river. There was a steady, firm pressure upon my head, and I wished that it would stop because the feeling was agonizing. But as my other senses slowly returned, I knew that Éowyn had found me, and it was she who was trying to keep me alive.

There was a moment when the pressure ceased for a moment as I felt a blanket being spread over me, and then my lady wife lay beside me, speaking softly to me. I realized that I was unclothed and that she was as naked as I was, and I wondered if I was simply lying in bed, lost somewhere between waking and nightmare. But, no, the pain was much too realistic, and I realized, as my brain began to comprehend language once again, that she was trying to impart some of her warmth to me as she pressed her bare skin against mine, pulling me as close as she could to herself.

"Faramir?" she questioned, fear plain in her voice, in the darkness beneath the blanket, and I groaned against her. "Rest, my husband. I am here now, and you are safe," she murmured against my hand that she had lifted to her mouth. There was nothing but pain as her breath brought tingling, burning feeling to my nerveless fingers.

"'Wyn, 't hurts," I managed to say, wondering why my tongue felt too large for my mouth.

"I know, my love, but I must warm you. Stay close to me, and all shall be well soon." She bade me to roll over to face the fire, and when my muddled brain finally processed her words, I did my best to obey her. Éowyn was at my back now, where the worst of the pain was, and she pressed the length of her body against me, one of her arms wrapped tightly about me, the other one stretched out beneath my neck. She nuzzled the nape of my neck and kissed me once there. She felt wonderful, and I felt myself relaxing into sleep. It was strange, but I knew that there was something about which I needed to warn her, but I could not remember what it was. I realized that she was begging me to speak to her, so I tried, though most of what spilled from my mouth sounded like gibberish, even to my own ears.

"Stay with me, lord husband. Tell me what happened to you."

But I could not remember what had happened, though I had a terrible feeling of danger deep within me, and that lent me some strength. "Not safe here," I told her, and then I groaned audibly as my wife rose, taking her warmth with her.

"Rest, my love," she said softly, but it was difficult. My body was much too cold to relax very much.

I had been torn between caring for my husband and seeking out the cause of his brush with death. Certainly even a ranger as surefooted as he could have slipped upon a patch of snow and fallen into the river, hitting his head in the process, but his words alerted me to the fact that this had not been an accident. Now that I knew he would live, I left him shivering under the blanket, rising and redressing quickly and strapping on my sword. I had given thanks to the Valar that my husband was mostly unharmed, the ugly lump upon his head being the only wound. But I knew that he would not remain unharmed if I did not keep a proper watch over us both, for I knew that Wormtongue was very near, and I would not be taken unaware by him again.

Stepping from the tent, I looked around the campsite, noting that the horses seemed very skittish as I approached them. Windfola nickered quietly as I calmly began to brush his coat, speaking quietly to him, careful to keep the tent where my husband lay in my sight.

But Grima did not behave as I would have expected. Instead of approaching the tent, trying to finish what he had begun with Faramir, he stepped from the trees and walked straight to me, looking misplaced in the light of day. Windfola shied away from him, and I could not hold him, even as my own heart was pounding wildly in my chest.

"Lady Éowyn," said Grima, his face oddly blank, and his low voice chilled me to the bone.

"Why have you come here, worm?" I asked with a boldness that I did not feel.

"Surely you know that I have come for you, my lovely."

He took another step toward me, and I took a step backward. "I shall not go with you. I belong to another."

"Yes, I was most disappointed to learn of your wedding, though it was a beautiful ceremony. And though you and Lord Faramir appear to be quite happy together, it does not make me happy, Éowyn. You were meant for me, and I intend to have you."

I tried to hide my shock and revulsion as I wondered how he had gained entry to our wedding ceremony. "So, it was you who hit Faramir in the head?" I asked, anger beginning to overcome my fear as I already knew the answer.

"Yes, though I must admit I had not expected you to be so quick to action. Your brave rescue of him was most disappointing for me."

"You are an evil man, Grima," I snarled.

He placed his hand over where I supposed his heart must be and smiled slightly. "You wound me, Éowyn. I am not evil, just misunderstood. I love you, Éowyn." His words made my skin crawl as he continued. "I have always loved you, from the moment that I first laid eyes on you. But there were so many obstacles between us, your uncle, your cousin . . . your brother. I worked so hard to bring us together. But you were afraid, as all young untried virgins are. You knew naught of what to expect from me, I know." He reached his hand toward me, and I found myself powerless to move away from him as his cold fingers stroked my cheek. "You are as beautiful as ever," he whispered. I felt like retching, but I could not make myself move away from him.

He continued speaking, standing so close to me now that I could feel his fetid breath upon my face as he spoke. "I am not even angry that you gave your maidenhead to Lord Faramir. It is well that you allowed him to give you that pain, so that I can give you naught but pleasure. You are now experienced in the ways of love and have no reason to be afraid of me any longer." He cupped my face with his hand and leaned down, fully intending to kiss me.

My husband's voice was strong and steady when he spoke from behind the worm. "What do you think you are doing?!"