A/N: Halo again...Who is everyone today? Good I hope-this chapter is posted a little later than I intended...My characters keep morphing from my original...Not to worry however-they are getting better in my estimation! Thank you to all those who have reviewed...Especially Carrie, Meadow Sweet, and Glory! You guys rock! My friends told me people would like this story-and so far they have, if you have any questions...comments...or concerns, please e-mail me...my email should be on my info page! ; ) Oh...and yeah...I only wish I owned Lord of the Rings...Or maybe just Karl Urban...DROOL!!!!!!....Oh...sorry...enough about me! On with the show!

Chapter 4-Embarassing Circumstances

I stumbled on my way out of bed. I knew it was time to get up, there was a lot to be done today, but my muscles wanted me to stay in bed and sleep some more. I trudged over to my wardrobe and pulled out a dingy pair of old trousers and a shapeless tunic. I had a lot of work to do this morning. Stalls needed to be scoured again, fresh hay placed, extra sacks of grain and horse treats needed to be brought up from storage, I had to shine and oil the tack, and most pressingly I needed to hire another stable hand. Someone had to help us with the Gondorian horses. Eomer had suggested it to me weeks ago, at the time I thought we could handle it, but now...I was not nearly as sure.

These were the jobs that I received as default. No one was really in charge of the stables anymore-well except me, but hardly no one talked about it in those terms. Everyone thought that I was too reckless and headless to have that much responsibility-if they only knew. I put the kettle on, and looked about for the tea. I was going to need it this morning, and probably every morning for the next few weeks until I became accustomed to handling someone else's horses.

I opened my door and noted it was still dark outside, I would guess there were probably 3 maybe 4 hours before sunrise, and I was going to need every bit of it. I gulped down the Tea, the warmth of the water relaxing the muscles of my throat and giving me a sense of readiness for the day ahead of me. I made the short walk to the stables and found people already bustling about inside. A smile broke across my face as I saw old Enofall pushing a cart heaped high with crisp golden hay. "Good morning old friend" I said to him as he passed. He tipped his chin, and set the handles of the cart down. Enofall was pushing 70 if he was a day, he had been my fathers mentor when he had taken the job, and one of the few people in Edoras that thought me more than capable of handling the responsibility. "You've done a fine job here lass. Sure you shouldn't be sticking to your brother though?" I smiled at his comment was all in jest. "I do stick to him, he just doesn't stick to me!" I said with a laugh, Enofall looked at the stalled horses, some munching contentedly, others looking about-waiting for their next grand adventure. "Yes sir, I was just telling Lord Eomer the other day, I says 'That Anda's done amazing things with the royal blood line-she surely making her father proud she is'" He looked at me, the sparkle flickering in his eyes, I knew he was up to something, "I would gather you are not the sort that keeps apples and sugar cubes around to spoil those rotten beasts are you." He said scratching the scruff on his jaw, I knew who he was hinting at. "No sir, I shant be spoiling the kings horses so long as I find myself in charge, however there might be a few apples on the counter-left from the men's breakfasts" A gave him a wink and he nodded in reply.

"So-what do you think about Lord Eomer?" the question hit me from out of no where, of what consequence were my feelings for Eomer? My shock must have shown on my face, "Oh, well- I just thought as your father's oldest and dearest friend I should inquire since I saw you two wrapped up like a blanket last night." I about chocked on my tongue... "What in Middle Earth are you talking about?" I thought to myself. Then it dawned on me, Eomer had hugged me outside, "Genius Anda, simply Genius!" I shifted the weight on my feet. "Oh, well-I was simply upset and Lord Eomer was being a gentlemen and comforting me" I said trying to pass the comment off as nonchalant. "That is what I thought for me self, but there was some talk amongst some of the stablemen that you had finally come to your senses," I felt strange, "What was he talking about?" I wondered. I decided not to press, and change the topic of conversation to avoid embarrassing myself.

"What would you say to helping me out in the stables while the King and his party from Gondor are in Edoras?" Enofall looked as though he was pondering the offer for a moment, then he nodded his head in agreement. "Good, you know I could not make it through this without your guidance." I could have sworn I saw the old man blush slightly I chuckled to myself. "Oh tosh child-you could run this place with your eyes closed!" He said, picking the handles of his cart back up. "All the same, the boys have harvest underway, I suppose I could get away for awhile, what was it exactly you thought you were going to need." I smiled, even at his age he was still much in the mix of life in Edoras. "I just need you to be here, and tell us what to do," I stopped-how to explain. "Eomer seems to think that I am going to be needed more in the hall-he has asked me to compete in the competition on Saturday." I said looking at my knuckles, Enofall had always been sort of like a grandfather to Eolas and I; I knew how he felt about me fighting. "Oh" was all he could muster. I took a hand full of the golden hay and sniffed it, it was the most gorgeous smell I thought I had ever had the pleasure of inhaling, except for the scent of Eomer. "Where did that come from" I thought.

"Stop waisting the hay, what are the horses gonna eat if you smash it all to bits!" I laughed and placed the hay back on the cart. I took the apple out of my pocket I had brought for Elyos and handed it to him. "I knew you'd be giving him one any ways" I said with a smile. Enofall gave me a wink and started down the row, stuffing the apple in the pocket of his trousers. I shook my head as I watched him go, he would be good for the stables, and for me.

By the time the sun was rising I had completed my long list of tasks for the day, even hiring on an assistant for Enofall-he would not like it if I told him he could not do the work so I provided someone for him to boss around instead. I trudged home smelling vile and feeling extremely achy. Eolas was coming downstairs for breakfast as I walked through the door. "Why are you so dressed up this morning" I said as I kicked off my mucking boots in the doorway, and practically collapsed in a chair as I did. Eolas grinned at me as he poured himself some porridge, "Eomer asked me to accompany him today when he goes out to great the King and his party." I was not surprised to hear the extreme amount of pride and excitement in my brother's voice as he told me. I knew this would be a major step for Eolas-it was a major sign of trust for Eomer to even ask. "I suppose he does have his good points." I said flatly as I rose from my chair to get another strong cup of tea. My brother eyed me over the rim of his cup.

"He would not stop talking of you yesterday" I made my most valiant attempt to ignore my brothers comments, but my heart was doing a neat little dance step at the fact the King had spoken of me. I sat down at the table with a piece of toast in one hand and my tea in the other. Eolas gave me another look of inquisition. "What?" I said trying to play off that everything was normal. "I'll be sure to give him your deepest regards when he stops by to pick me up then, and you are planning on bathing-aren't you" I looked at him. "So what if I'm not?" I said with mock exasperation, of course I was going to bathe, what sort of silly question was that. "Well, I would just hate to think of the gossip that would travel after the long embrace you too shared on the patio yesterday." My mouth dropped open, "What are you talking about?" I retorted to my brother. "Well, I heard from an unnamed source that you were seen on the terrace in the Golden Hall groping Lord Eomer in broad daylight." Eolas made some ridiculous hand gestures to suggest me grabbing Eomer. I grabbed the closest thing I could find and threw it at him. Eolas just laughed, I was caught.

I jumped up from the table, I was not going to sit with him if he insisted on being an insulting whelp. Eolas continued to laugh as I made my way from the kitchen to the bathroom, then back again as I dumped the pails of hot water we kept sitting by the fire into the tub. "Keep snickering and you get the honor of filling this stupid thing later" I shot at Eolas who became more stifled, but still managed to laugh rather openly. I slammed the bathroom door and yanked the tunic over my head. "Blast!" I said as I looked about, I had forgotten a clean under bodice.

I opened the door and walked to my room, my brother was still having fits of laughter at the table so I popped him one as I walked by. I shut the door to my room and pulled off my trousers, they were dirty and smelly and I could not stand to wear them much longer. I grabbed the under bodice out of my closet and threw open the door and came face to face with Eomer. "Shit!" I said as the realization hit me I was in nothing more than my under bodice, I had intended it to annoy Eolas, and apparently Eomer felt comfortable enough in my home that he could just walk in unannounced. "Good day Anda" Eomer said, a shifty grin spreading across his face. I attempted to cover myself to no avail. Eolas continued to snicker at the table. I sent him a look that he knew to mean certain death, and quit laughing almost instantly. "Smart, what are you going to do now bright one?" I asked myself as Eomer was now blocking the only path between myself and the bathroom.