Chapter 3
New Arrival
Spring came with a rush the next day, not many people had noticed a rider and horse sneaking out unto the plains amongst all of the banners. Lord Elessar had arrived first. Arwen and Eowyn had happily exchanged news with each other. Soon, Imarhil and his children had arrived next followed by Legolas and Gimli.
"Come, let us get into the Hall friends, we have much to talk about!" Éomer shouted and led the others inside the hall. The Hall was lavishly decorated with banners and streamers strung from the rafters. Tables were all covered with ale and meat. Gimli laughed, his chest sticking out like a boar.
"Bless me, roasted pork!" Gimli shouted, Legolas and Éomer exchanged looks before watching the dwarf. Aragorn clasped his shoulders,
"Now, what is new in Rohan good friend?" Éomer smiled and took a seat across from Aragorn with Gimli sitting next to him and the elf across.
"The orc raids have stopped; some say that they have been driven back with Wild Men in the north. I have yet to find out if this is truth. How does Minas Tirith fair?" Éomer asked, taking a swig of his ale.
Arwen soon joined her husband, nodding in recognition to Éomer, Legolas and Gimli.
"Eowyn speaks very highly of a young girl names Alavine, do you know where she is, Lord Éomer, for Eowyn does not." Arwen said, her face showing no concern for the girls' whereabouts. Éomer sighed,
"That girl is going to be the death of me." Arwen laughed as Eowyn came striding over to the table.
"Tell me dear brother; I'll give you two guesses as to be Alavine went. Now, let me see, she could be riding in the plains, or trying a new trick or beating a new race record, in the plains, or in plains just galloping around." Eowyn said coolly. "Now perhaps, why she runs off so?"
Éomer grinned, "One would think that it is because you chastise her with new dresses." Aragorn smiled, "I would think that Éomer has a point." Eowyn sighed and sat down on the bench. "Gods forbid she come in hear looking like she always done."
Suddenly the doors opened and Alavine came walking in, she froze when she saw the mass of people in the Hall.
"Sorry! Wrong door!" she called out trying to get to the shadows before Eowyn caught her. She was wrong.
"Alavine, get back here now!" Alavines' shoulders dropped in defeat and she walked to the table. "I can explain, but before I do can I say something?" she asked, Eowyn nodded.
"Gods forbid Alavine that you take off in the middle of the night to spend riding in the moonlight! Not to mention you do it in ALL kinds of weather! You're going to get sick and then I'm going to have to take care of you! Honestly! You really think that riding that mustang is going to help you any? I swear the next time you go out there without telling anyone I'm going to skin you to the bone! Next off, what were you thinking, taking off like that?" Alavine sighed, smiling at Eowyns dumbstruck appearance.
"First, I apologize to any commotion I might have caused, but, I wanted to ride and I thought that I would only go as far as a few hundred yards from Edoras, Free Rider has other plans. Secondly, you have said that same speech to me countless times, and I can fully repeat it back to you, thirdly, I take responsibility for my actions, but really Eowyn, you aren't my mother." Alavine said, crossing her arms and shifting her weight. Eowyn shook her head.
"Get a bath and change be out in here as soon as you can. Your mother must have been a miracle worker." Eowyn said, more quietly. Alavine's jaw twitched, but she said nothing. Walking off Éomer snorted,
"I think you touched a soft spot Eowyn." He said, finding something in his drink to be interesting.
When Alavine did not come out, only Arwen began to worry. "I think I'm going to see if she is alright." She said getting up.
"She can take care of herself." Eowyn retorted as Arwen walked away.
She found Alavine fiddling with the dress. "Did I do something my lady? Did I do something to make Eowyn angry at me?" Arwen smiled, "Hush, this is a beautiful dress, I'm sure that Éomer will find it appealing." She said, slipping the dress over the young girl's head. The dress was a dark violet in color, with a scooped neckline, falling into an A-line drape. The sleeves were bell-shaped with black lace at the bottom of the sleeves.
"Éomer," she seemed to dwell on his name, Arwen smiled, "Come, Let us go, the dances have already started." Arwen said guiding Alavine through the door and down the wooden hallway.
Faramir smiled and tapped Éomer on the shoulder, "here they come now Éomer." He said, anxiously awaiting the look in Éomer's face. Alavine drew a deep breath as she stepped into the hall, looking to Éomer; she fought to suppress a giggle at the shock look on the young king's face. She stopped in front of the king, and curtsied.
"My lord." She said, trying to hide a smile, but failing miserably. Éomer smiled, "It seems that even a meras can be tamed." He said, taking her hand and kissing the top of it. Alavine blushed, and looked at him. "Should I take that as a complement my lord?" He smiled,
"Éomer, Alavine, we should go by first name. Now, may I have this dance?" He said, lifting her to her feet and leading her to the dance floor. He put a hand around her waist, pulling him to her.
"Éomer, you should be dancing with court ladies." Alavine said rolling her eyes. He smiled and twirled her around as her dress came above her knees. Soon, things became a blur to the both of them as they danced, arms entwined within each other. They crowd broke apart for a drink before anxiously waiting for the next dances to begin.
Soon, the ladies were beginning to form a line down the right side of the hall with a similar line of men across. Suddenly Alavine was dragged into the line, a smirking Éomer across from her. She shook her head as the dance began. They moved foreword, the ladies curtsying the men bowing, they linked elbows, giving weight (1) to each other. As they came together Éomer whispered in her ear.
"You keep eye contact, it will also help to prevent from getting dizzy." He said backing away as the next part began. She rolled her eyes and moved foreword circling him keeping her right shoulder to him when she went foreword and her left to him when she went back.
(2) They faced each other joining both hands his palms up, and hers faced down. Stepping towards each other with their right foot, they stepped back with their left, pulling each other away gently as they stepped together.
Before long, they were into a waltz, gently going around the floor in a grace motion. Alavine smiled as she laid her head on his shoulder.
"Come with me," Éomer whispered in her ear leading her outside. The night was quiet, only the soft neighing of the horses could be heard; the heavy wooden doors blocked the sound coming from the Hall.
Éomer smiled back at her, "Where did you learn to dance?" he asked her, watching as her eyes grew distant, perhaps trying to recall some memory of it. When she looked back at him, he saw something not many people seemed to have; regret.
"A long time ago Éomer, A long time." She answered simply. Yawning she looked at him again.
"Now, please excuse me, I would like to retire, your dancing has worn me out!" she said, bowing to him and quietly entering through the doors, slipping away into the shadows of the corridor.
Alavine quietly made her way through the many halls and doors, each step taking her away from the loud music and people. A muffled sobbing reached her ear. She pushed open a small door that led to a spacious room. The floor was stone, much like her own, with a low fire burning in the fireplace; it's radiating heat and flickering waves of flame giving her a much welcomed relief. Her thoughts were quickly interrupted by a two small eyes peeking out of a mound of covers. She smiled and came over, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Hey, where is the pretty face that is hiding behind those covers?" the girl let out a squeak and dived under the covers again. Alavine sighed and raised her eyebrows. "If you don't come out, I'm going to have to come under there!" she said, the girl shuffled but did not move out. She sighed again and quickly got to the top of the bed, she lifted the covers so she could get her head underneath of them.
The small girl looked at her, her big wide brown eyes looking at her, Alavine raised an eyebrow.
"Now, what do you plan on doing under here? There's not much to do you know, and it's getting hot. Now, come on and I'll sing something for you okay?" The girl smiled and wriggled so that her head was poking out of the covers. Alavine chuckled and shifted into a comfortable position on top of the covers. The girl smiled and laid her head in Alavine's lap as she stroked the girl's hair.
"Been running from these feelings for so long,
Telling my heart that I didn't need you,
Pretending that I was better off alone,
But I know that it's just a lie,
So afraid to take the chance again,
So afraid of what I feel inside.
But I need to be next to you,
Oh I, Oh I,
I need to share every breath with you,
Oh I, Oh I,
I need to know that I can see your smile every morning,
Look into your eyes at night,
For the rest of my life,
Here with you, near you,
Oh I, Oh I,
I need to be next to you,
Right here with you is where I belong,
I'll lose my mind if I can't see you,
Without you there is nothing in this life,
That would make life worth living for,
I can't bear the thought of you not there,
I can't fight, what I feel anymore,
Oh I, I need to be next to you,
I need to have your heart next to mine,
For all this time,
Love you for all my life."
Alavine smiled, drifting of into a well needed sleep.
- - - - -
A/N-
Hope you liked the chapter, I decieded once again not to put a disclaimer, because, as a smart person I would expect you to know what is not mine, cough Eomercough. Besides if you can't, you're a moron, because, anyone with an IQ or 70 or less is a moron. So, there ya go!
(1)-Giving Wieght-is a technique that will make you dancing easier, and much more flowing, each person is pulling against the other, but not as to knock your partner off balence, out of beat, or make them struggle to equalize against your weight.
(2)-Balancing, a type of English contry dancing, that was probaly well known the peoples of middle earth, although most likly under a different name.
Song based on 'Need to be next to you' by Sarah Evans. See you in the next chappie!