::disclaimer:: ha. i wish.

Frightened Colt

Time passed, and the queen became more reclusive. The gossip turned to anger as more people came to believe that she despised them. While he did not hear it spoken, Éomer could feel the tension from his people.

"What do I do?" he asked Éothain over tankards of ale one night. "She's made it quite clear she has not interest in me, let alone in the country. Why, the only part of Rohan she's seen besides the inside of Meduseld is the road from the Dwimorberg!"

"Perhaps therein lies your problem," suggested Éothain. "If she has never seen the beauty of Rohan, how can she ever be happy?"

Éomer raised an eyebrow. "And how do I persuade her to go riding across Rohan?"

"Oh. I hadn't thought of that." A pensive look settled on the younger man's features.

The both looked down at their tankards, as if the drink within would hold the answer to the hermit queen. "It is unfortunate there is no sea in Rohan," commented Éomer. "She told me it was the only thing she loved."

"She actually spoke to you?" Éothain asked.

"We are married, you know," Éomer said.

"But when did she tell you that?"

"On our wedding night."

Éothain grimaced. "Was that before or after you made love?"

"Does it matter?"

He shrugged. "It could."

"Before, then."

"Oh. How long before?"

"A long time before."

Éothain rolled his eyes. "And how long is 'long'?"

"The truth is, we haven't made love yet," Éomer admitted.

"Lying is bad for you, Éomer," Éothain said.

The king sighed. "I'm not lying Éothain. I wish that I were."

"You mean you've been married for nearly three months and you haven't—"

"Keep it down, Éothain!" Éomer cut him off.

"And you haven't made love yet?" he whispered. "No wonder your wife is so unhappy! You've yet to show her what we Rohirrim are capable of!"

Éomer snorted. "Whatever you're talking about would probably convince her that 'we Rohirrim' are nothing more than animals."

"True," Éothain conceded, "but at least you'd get some fun out of it." He grinned wickedly.

"And that is why you don't have a wife," said Éomer.

"I don't need a wife. I'm not king. I don't need heirs. You do, and as far as I know, there is only one to get heirs. And like it or not, Éomer, you're going to have to do something about that eventually."

"I know, I know. But first I have to convince her to trust me a little."

"Which is why you should take her across Rohan. If she sees you interacting with the people, she will come to trust you."

"And how do I persuade her to go with me in the first place if she doesn't already trust me?" Éomer asked, still skeptical.

Éothain stroked his beard. "She loves the sea, yes?" Éomer nodded. "Then take her to see it. But take the long way around—through the east, to Ithilien, so you can visit Éowyn."

Éomer looked at his friend. "I thank you, I would not have thought of that. I hope she will say yes." He grinned at his friend, drained his mug, and rose, heading toward the royal chambers.

"My lady?" Éomer called for his wife as he entered their rooms. She was not sitting in the solar, nor was she asleep. "My lady?" Éomer furrowed his brow. His wife had not run away, had she? He collapsed on the bed, his head in his hands. If he could not watch over his own wife, how could he ever watch over an entire country? He sat there, wondering if he had been too gruff to her, when heard someone's plaintive singing.

It was a beautiful song, or at least a beautiful voice, and Éomer found himself rising and following the sound. It led him to a door in the room, one so inconspicuous, it was almost invisible. He turned the knob and opened the door, and to Éomer's disappointment, the singing stopped. His wife sat in the bath, her eyes wide as she looked up at him.

Éomer quickly looked at the floor. "My apologies, my lady, I did not mean to disturb you." He shut the door, relief and embarrassment washing over him. He heard a splash from the other side of the door as his wife climbed out of the bath. Éomer moved away so he would not startle her again.

She came out of the bathroom wrapped in a long velvet robe. "You may use the bath now," she said as she sat in a chair and picked up her needlework.

He shook his head and sat beside her. "That is not why—I was looking for you."

"Oh?"

"Yes. I wondered if perhaps you would wish to take a journey with me."

"To Helm's Deep?" Or Isengard? Or Aldburg?" she said.

Éomer's heart jumped. Was she actually interested in Rohan? "If you so desire, we could."

"I have no wish to see your fortresses," she snapped.

"I was thinking of going to Emyn Arnen to visit my sister. She is expecting a child in autumn, and I want to see her before then." He paused a moment. "And then I was thinking of going to Dol Amroth. I have only been there once. Will you go with me?"

"And if I chose not to?"

"Then I would wait and ask again."

She looked at him. "You make this journey for me?"

He nodded. "I cannot bear to watch you waste away as my sister did. Where Faramir had gentle words, I can only offer you this."

She smiled slightly. "When do we leave?"

"As soon as you would like."

"Truly?" He nodded, and her smile widened. "Give me a week then, so I can prepare everything."

Éomer blinked in surprise. "How much is everything?"

"I'll need enough clothes for the entire month and the guards and servants will need to prepare as well and we'll need food for at least a week and—" Éomer put a finger to her lips.

"We won't be needing all of that."

She looked at him, obviously confused. "We won't?"

He shook his head. "For one thing, there are no longer hordes of orcs roaming the plains, so we won't need a guard. For another, we won't be taking servants, you need only take what you can pack in your saddlebags. The tent and food will go on another horse so as not to burden Firefoot and your horse overmuch."

She gave him that frightened colt look again, and Éomer wondered what he had said to scare her. "I do not think I want to go," she said quietly, turning back to her neglected needlework.

"What?"

"I do not want to go," she repeated, more fiercely this time.

Now it was Éomer's turn to be confused. She had seemed so excited about it. "Why not?"

The queen mumbled something under her breath.

"I'm sorry, my lady, I did not hear you."

She sighed and repeated her words. "I said, I cannot ride."

"What!?" Éomer was shocked. "You mean you married me and you don't know how to ride a horse?"

She bristled. "Yes, I married you, but only because my father wanted to strengthen ties between Rohan and Gondor. Apparently, his saving your sister's life and Faramir's marrying her just wasn't enough. I had to marry you to finish the knots. And I said that I cannot ride, not that I don't know how. I am not stupid." And with that, she rose and went out the door.

"Where are you going?" he called after her. She didn't answer, but a few moments later, he heard a door slam.