Disclaimer: See Chapter 1 for full disclaimers.

Diola lle, my friends!

Pasha ToH... Your observation is dead-on, and adoration and love are perfect words. I think they're both to practical (for different reasons) to fall head over heels in love, but I think in their case like deepened to fond which lead to the adoration I've tried to portray.

Mercury Gray... Thanks for making sure I'm not swimming without a life preserver. Let me know what you think of this one.

Evenstar Elanor... Huge thanks for the side-bar observations in your other emails. I'll try to find a way to clarify the points you brought up – they were all excellent.

Chapter 4: Honey-Mead

The King chuckled. "I wonder, Gamling, who was more surprised that you were at the door... Maccus or Carly."

Gamling chuckled under his breath and then said, "It was probably me..."

Gamling walked out with Carly several more times as he slowly came to the realization that he was growing fond of the young woman. He also realized that he was the focus of quite a bit of speculation among the Rohirrim because of the age difference between them. Finally, one afternoon as they walked outside the walls of Edoras, Gamling felt compelled to know what Carly thought of the entire affair.

"Carly, your father came to me proposing a match between us," he said.

"I know." She sat down on a flat rock and watched Gamling. She wondered if he realized he was pacing.

"To tell you the truth, I wasn't sure if I wanted a wife. I've gone a good long time in life without one." He stopped and folded his arms. "But I find I've started to grow fond of you, Carly, and I would know if you are willing to become my wife."

"I would." Her answer was simple and direct. He liked that, but it wasn't enough.

"Don't answer hastily," he said. "Carly, I am not a young man. I'm old enough to be your father. There are years on my shoulders and grey in my beard." He sighed. "And I am not a handsome man either."

"I am fond of you too, Gamling. I grew fond of you when I tended your arm. Yes, it's true you are older than I am, and yes, you could be my father if we examine age alone. But you are a good man. You are a strong man and a fair man. I would take that over a handsome face or youthful body. I've watched some girls so in love with a face, they saw not the man behind it, and when he was truly revealed, they realized they were caught in a marriage that would be loveless, joyless, and dark."

Gamling frowned. It was somehow wrong to have one as young as Carly understand such a dark reality of the human soul.

"You are someone I respect, Gamling, and perhaps in time I could grow to love you. Mayhap you will grow to love me as well. I would take that on any day, even for a shorter span of time, for it is more than some find during an entire long life," she said.

Gamling held out his hand and helped Carly off the rock. They turned together and started to walk the path back to Edoras. He made his decision then and there.

"I will speak to your father tonight, then," he said.

"I was impressed by how practical she was," said Gamling when he finished that part of the story. "I knew she would run a good house. And there are few maidens who are interested in a grizzled old soldier like me."

"You are not as grizzled as you may think, Gamling," said the King. "Her father made a good match. You are one of the King's Men, and should something happen to you, your wife and family will have the support and protection of the King."

Gamling nodded. It was true and he was glad for it.

"Tell me," said Theoden. "I have a dusty memory of my son giving Blessing at your wedding, wishing you health and many children as you took your bride to your house for your honey-mead night. Is this a true memory, or something I have created to drive out the shadows that plague me?"

"It is no false memory, Theoden-King. Your son gave the Blessing for my wedding."

You have been as a brother to me, Gamling; it should have been I who sent you to your honey-mead with your new bride. Although I am glad it was Theodred if not me. No good would have come from any blessing that issued from Wormtongue's mouth.

"I remember," said Theoden finally, "how nervous my own bride was that night. Was your Carly reluctant?" It was a bold question, perhaps, but Theoden was still driven to hear of happy things; create memories that would put distance to the foul touch of Grima's words. At Helm's Deep, Carly had shown her obvious affection for Gamling, so the King guessed Gamling's honey-mead had been a pleasant affair.

"Forgive me. I do not mean to pry," said the King, realizing after a moment what a personal question he had asked.

"You do not pry, My Lord. Yes, she was reluctant, and I cannot say that I blame her. Not every man is kind to his bride that night..."

Gamling sat down on the edge of the bed and tossed his surcoat on the chair. He was married. He chuckled to himself. He'd never imagined himself as a husband. A small noise made him turn slightly. Standing at the other side of the bed, wrapped in her chemise, was Carly. Her eyes were wide as she looked at him.

"What is it, Carly?" he asked.

"I... I..." She looked at the floor.

"Carly?"

"I'm scared," she whispered.

Scared? What could she be scared of? Suddenly, Gamling realized what was happening. Like any maiden, Carly had never been with a man. Tonight would be her first time. He chided himself for being a fool for forgetting something so plainly obvious.

"There is nothing to be afraid of," said Gamling. "I will not hurt you. Come, sit next to me."

Carly sat gingerly on the bed and her new husband smiled at her. One sleeve of her chemise slipped down, exposing a white shoulder, and she hurriedly pulled it up again. Gamling took a deep, quiet breath; he would be lying if he said he didn't want to bed his new wife. She was young and pretty, and he was not so old that he was immune to an attractive girl.

"What do you fear? Do you fear letting me see you without your chemise?" he asked.

She nodded. There was more to it than that, but the thought of being completely unclothed in front of him was a large part of it.

"Well," he said with a smile, "I think I should be the one worried. I'm not one of these strapping young lads you see sharpening their sword-skills. I've lived through many battles and many winters, and I bear the scars of those years." Gamling unbuttoned his shirt and stood as he pulled it off "The years do not hang lightly on my bones."

From where she sat tentatively on the edge of the bed, Carly could see his back. There was one long scar that ran across his shoulder blade. He turned back and sat on the bed near her. Holding out his left arm, he turned it so she could see the now-healed wound there.

"Thanks to your care, there will be no scar on my arm."

She smiled, understanding the thank you that lay beneath the observation. She reached out tentatively and touched a circular scar high up on the right side of Gamling's chest, just below his collarbone.

"What made this?"

"An arrow." He turned. "You can see on my back where it went through." And, indeed, she could see a round scar high on the back of his right shoulder. What he didn't tell her was that the arrow that had made those scars had been meant for Theoden many years ago. Gamling had taken the arrow to save the King, but he had always been a modest man and did not care to brag on that point. Carly ran her hand down Gamling's cheek, feeling the rough hair of his beard beneath her palm.

He is not a young man, she thought, nor is he the most handsome man, but I could do far worse in a husband. Too many handsome faces have foul tempers to go with them.

"I will try to be a good wife," she said finally.

"I am certain you will be an excellent wife," he reassured her. Gamling leaned in and kissed her. It was not the first kiss they had shared, and Carly did not pull away. Then he kissed her cheek and her neck. Carly laughed as she shrugged away.

"Your beard tickles."

As she moved, her chemise slipped a little. This time her other shoulder and part of her arm were exposed. Carly did not move to cover herself as she had before and Gamling reached out to touch her. Carly's skin was smooth and soft. It was not toughened and scarred by battle and sun the way his was.

How warm and close she was.

I have been thinking of this honey-mead night as if I was a young lad, he thought to himself. I didn't think she would make me feel so young.

He pulled Carly in closer so she was fully wrapped in his arms. He kissed her again and again, his own desires rising as he did. Gamling tugged her chemise low enough to expose both of Carly's shoulders, but no lower. As much as he wanted her, he was determined not to frighten her, and although she grew less apprehensive, he could still sense her tension.

After a while, he pulled away and smiled at her. "I'm going to get into the bed," he told her. Carly looked puzzled but then her eyes grew wide as she watched him pull off his pants and britches. For a moment, Gamling stood in front of her – devoid of a single stitch of clothing – and Carly turned absolutely scarlet.

"You have never seen a man in simply his own skin before?" he asked.

"Only once," she admitted, "and it was an accident. My father had come home early one day while I was out helping in one of the communal gardens. When I got home, I didn't realize he was there and I walked in just as he finished washing."

She giggled at the memory. "But he did not look as you do..." She looked away and then glanced back at her new husband while she turned an even darker shade of scarlet...

"Indeed," laughed the King as Gamling finished that part of his tale, "a man's spear is always cause for wonderment from a maiden."

It was good to hear the King laugh, and his comment held shades of Theoden's old, ribald since of humor. Gamling was glad to see it. Mile by mile, the King was becoming himself again. They rode on, falling into an affable silence. The story, however, had sent Gamling's thoughts back to his wedding night, and he continued to reminisce to himself. As much as he had told the King, and as much as the King's banter lightened Gamling's heart, there were parts of his honey-mead night that belonged to him – and to Carly – alone. They would not be shared with anyone else...

After Carly sideways glance back at him before he climbed into bed, Gamling couldn't help but laugh. "Will you come to bed, Carly?" he asked.

She nodded. Turning her back to the bed and dropped the chemise down to the floor. She was not brave enough to stand and let Gamling look at her, but rather she darted under the covers. Carly lay next to Gamling quietly for a moment. For all his talk of being an old man, Gamling's body was a soldier's body and it was still lean and muscled. He pulled her closer and kissed her again. She tried not to tremble when he touched her, but she couldn't help herself.

When he finally moved to claim Carly as his own, Gamling was as gentle as he could be, and when the morning came, Carly was no longer a maiden, but truly his wife.

That's a wrap for this chapter. This one has been the most fun to write so far; I hope it isn't too "cutsie" but even if it is, I hope you all enjoy reading it anyway... Please read/review and let me know what you think.