Author: Once again, I should be sleeping. But for some reason, I'm lighting candles and preparing to write goodness-knows-what at 11:30 PM. You'd think I'd get sick of this story, since it has roused the least reader-interest of all mine so far, and I have no idea how to fill the chapters till IT happens…but I don't. It's simply too much fun! :)

Request: I have ten days' worth of story to fill, and during that time I have to throw Eomer and Lothiriel together enough to make them fall in love. I would really appreciate your ideas for ways to make this happen…I won't guarantee that I'll use them, but one idea often sparks another. I need your help! Prays to the review-gods

I found Easa in the stables brushing the mane of a very fine-looking black mare. He smiled in greeting, so I walked into the stall and leaned against the wall while my heart gradually slowed down. Through the door of the barn I watched a small band of ten or so riders, Eomer at their head, depart northwards.

"And what do you think of our country so far, my Lady?" Easa's voice was the low, soft tone of a man used to placating animals with it, but I winced at the title.

"Please don't call me that, Easa."

"'Tis what you are, Lady."

"Not here. Here I'm just-" There didn't seem to be any point denying my true identity to the wise old horsemaster. "Ria, the new seamstress. Though I'm not doing a very good job of convincing people of it."

Easa chuckled. "Covering up a quarter-century of living? Yes, I imagine that would be difficult."

"Not even that long."

"How old are you, then?" Easa threw down the comb he was using and picked up a small, flat brush. He began smoothing the horse's coat gently.

"I'll be twenty-one in 2 weeks."

His bright green eyes studied me from beneath thick gray brows. "You seem older."

"I try to be practical and sensible whenever possible. I think coming here is the only risky thing I've ever done." I softly stroked the mare's face and stared into her shining eyes.

"Now that's a shame." I looked up at him.

"A shame? Why? I'm only trying to be down-to-earth and responsible…"

"Yes, that's all well and good, princess, until you get to be my age. You're going to look back on your life and see nothing but a flat plain, no mountains or rivers to make the landscape interesting." Easa picked up the richly tooled saddle hanging on the wall and buckled it expertly onto the mare, then reached for her bridle.

"But it's safe," I countered defensively.

Easa smiled wisely. "So are many things that are also enjoyable. For instance," He slipped the bridle over the mare's head and patted her neck. "I'll wager a thousand marks that you've never been for a ride by yourself before. Alone, I mean, with no guard alongside you." Leading us both out of the stall, Easa handed me the horse's reins.

I stared at his proffered hand. What if I got lost? I didn't know the countryside, anything could happen! Bandits, a sudden storm, I might be thrown and break a leg…

"Come now," the old man said gently, "You didn't come to Rohan just to sit around and sew, did you?" Our eyes met, and I grabbed the reins.

Several hours later I was windblown, sunburned, and hopelessly lost. My hair was falling out from its kerchief, I was hungry, and I had never been happier in my life.

Somehow I had found my way into valley completely carpeted with wildflowers. Sunflowers abounded, but there were daisies, marigolds, and dozens of other brightly-hued flora that I couldn't name scattered everywhere. The thick green grass and some of the petals came as high as my waist, in places, and I sat in their midst and let the clouds pass over my head. The mare stood nearby, eating the scenery. It was blessedly desolate. I had spent the day appreciating the beauty around me and thinking of nothing weightier than which sweet-smelling flowers I should pick to dry and fold in with the mending. It was beautiful, this solitude. I felt my soul lift with the need to sing, so I did.

As the flowers love the sun,

So do I cherish you.

And as long as rivers run,

To our love I will be true.

In the golden days of yore,

There were no greater loves than mine.

And the maidens sweet that were

Can match their beauty not to thine.

The song was a common love ballad, but its mention of flowers seemed appropriate for the setting. I was about to launch into the second verse when a voice spoke over my shoulder.

"You sing beautifully."

I leapt to my feet and whipped around, drawing the knife that was secreted in my pocket. I had been even more lost in my reverie than I had thought, for I had not heard the approach of the ten armed, maliciously grinning Rohirrim that now appeared in front of me. Eomer, of course, was at their head, speaking to me and sporting the widest smile.

"However," With a lightning-quick flick of his wrist he removed the dagger from its position dangerously close to his throat, twirled it between his fingers, and presented it back to me, handle-first. "You are also apparently deaf, if you did not hear us until now."

I made a clumsy, half-hearted curtsy. "I was lost in thought, my Lord. To what, if I may ask, do I owe the honor of your arrival?"

"My men," The King gestured to the amused soldiers behind him. "were determined to find the sprite who sang so sweetly as we rode by. We rode to the top of that hill-" He pointed to a rise that no one who didn't live in a country mainly composed of flat grassland would ever call a hill. "And came to greet you when we realized the singer was no more than our very own seamstress, Ria."

"Oh. Well, now that your curiosity is satisfied, will you be going?"

"Nay, for it is not at all satisfied." My face fell, and Eomer's eyes glinted with interest. "What brings a young maid out on a ride alone, so far from her home? Where did you get that horse, for it is one of our finest? And what was the song that you were singing?"

I relaxed. At least he wasn't going to question me about my motives for staying in Rohan, then. "I wanted to explore the countryside, so I simply rode wherever my heart led me. The horse was lent to me by Easa, your head groom, if you must know. I wish I knew her name. And the song is a simple folk ballad, nothing special."

Eomer nodded absently. "Another question. I am paying you, am I not, to make something suitable to wear to a banquet with foreign nobles?"

"Yes…"

"Then why is it I do not see you sewing?"

I blushed furiously and bit my tongue. If he knew who I really was, he would not have dared to accuse me of shirking my responsibilities.

"For your information, my lord, I am unable to begin work on your costume because, frankly, I do not know what you want. You left before I could ask you this afternoon. Am I to stitch a long robe, or a tunic and leggings, or a fine jerkin and cloak? What colors do you prefer? How do you feel about embroidery? What foreign nobles, exactly, do you wish to impress?" Eomer opened his mouth to answer but I cut him off. "And even if I HAD the answers to these questions, horsemaster, I would not have the means to start work until tomorrow, because I would still have to go to market in the morning to buy materials. Materials I have not been given funds to acquire, I might add."

The King just stared at me, and I realized that my voice had risen by the end of my speech, that I was all but shouting at him, and that I was poking my forefinger furiously at his face to accent various points. Behind him, the soldiers stifled laughter.

Eomer cleared his throat. "We need to be heading back. You will accompany us, and I will tell you what you need to know on the way." He turned to mount his horse.

"Why?"

Eomer froze for a moment, then slowly faced me.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I said, 'why?" Why must I accompany you? There will be plenty of time to discuss things this evening. I had hoped to stay and watch the sunset."

"You will accompany me because I am King and I told you to. I told you to because it is 10 miles to Meduseld and if you stay much longer, you will not reach the Hall before dark. I will not have the rape of a woman on my conscience."

"I can take care of myself!"

He smiled sardonically. "The way you took care of me with your knife?"

I blushed. Again.

"Learn to protect yourself, Ria. Then you may go out whenever your duties permit you to. Until I say you are ready, however, you will not stray out of sight of the city, and you will not leave Meduseld's grounds after dark."

"Oh, so I must seek approval from you, personally? I would have thought you much too busy to deal with a mere seamstress." Sarcasm crept thickly into my words, for he had hurt my pride.

"You have no father or mother to look after you, and no other family, and you are living under my roof, so I feel responsible." Eomer slowly looked up and down, then continued. "And I will never be too busy for this seamstress."

My jaw dropped at his blatant innuendo. Before I could stop myself, I had drawn my arm back as far as I could and my open palm was flying towards Eomer's face. Just before it connected, he grabbed my hand out of the air and twisted my arm around my back. Suddenly my back was pressed up against his chest, both my arms pinned at my waist. One of his was latched around my stomach.

"See what I mean about protecting yourself?" He spoke just beside my ear, and I shivered. It was disgraceful, but I was still attracted to the man- a lot- even after his display of horrible manners.

"You deserve it." I tried to sound aloof and angry, but ended up with a sort of breathy, excited tone. Egad, how embarrassing!

"Undoubtedly." Eomer released me and swung up onto his fine mount. "When you have learned the proper way to attack someone, you may slap me twice in retaliation. I suggest you begin studying soon, before you anger fades."

I glared at his back and climbed up onto my mare. I really had to learn her name. The first half of the journey back to Edoras was passed in silence, save for quiet small talk amongst the soldiers. Then Eomer called me up to the front to ride next to him. To annoy him, I took my sweet time getting there.

"The people we will be hosting are the princes Elchirion and Amrothos of Dol Amroth. No doubt you know that city. Both men are my personal friends as well as significant nobles."

I turned to him in shock. My brothers? Here? What had I done to deserve this? I would have to leave, or they would discover me for certain.

"Accompanying them will be their ambassador from Harad and his family. They will not be here long—some sort of family wedding or something—but they will be returning south immediately after, and they wanted to see Rohan first, apparently."

I nearly fell off of my horse.

Me Again: OK, I know the song verse sucks. I was in a hurry...please review!