Éowyn sat beside her brother at dinner. On her other side sat Lords Castamir and Calimehtar. Éomer kept taking glances toward Castamir, but he seemed quite reserved, almost ill at ease that Éowyn had asked them to dinner again. The King of Rohan could not help but think that his sister had extended the invitation less out of generosity to the foreigners than out of spite of their argument the night before.

Éomer sighed, wondering if he had been wrong. Perhaps he was just thinking too diplomatically, maybe there was nothing improper with just taking a ride. Castamir did seem like quite a cultivated gentleman, even offering to serve Éowyn when her glass of wine was low.

Deciding to be a little more social than he had been through the meal, Éomer commented on Castamir's ring, saying that he had never seen a stone in that shade of orange before.

He was surprised when Castamir seemed hesitant to speak of it or to show it to him more closely. "Take no offense, Lord Éomer, i beg you. This ring is very special and unfortunately it has been stolen several times. I have guarded it closely, for this stone is very rare and can only be found in a certain region of Harad."

Éomer accepted that answer, understanding what it was to guard closely something precious. At length the two foreigners rose and excused themselves for the evening. Castamir bowed to Éowyn and reached for her hand, again laying a kiss to her fingers.

She was sorry that they were leaving so soon after the meal, especially since Castamir had been so quiet. "I shall see you again soon, Lord Castamir?" Éowyn asked hopefully, drawing a deep frown from her brother.

Castamir remain quiet for a moment, seeming to be in thought. Éowyn wondered why she noticed sadness in his eyes. "Yes, my lady, i believe so. Goodbye, fair Lady Éowyn," he said bowing again, then turned quickly and left.

Almost as quickly Éowyn had turned to her brother. "You could have been more hospitable to them," she said. "It is no wonder they wished to leave to soon."

"Perhaps they simply do not like to impose on people," Éomer said.

Another argument was dangerously near breaking out between the brother and sister, if it hadn't been for Lothíriel interjecting and changing the subject. As it was, Éowyn decided to depart for the night anyway. When she reached her chambers she went directly to the nursery to see her little ones. Berethil was there still and she was nursing Elboron, who seemed to have just fallen asleep when his mother entered. The nurse laid the sleeping boy into Éowyn's arms and took Findiel from her cradle.

"I will nurse her, Berethil," Éowyn said. "You have been here with them all day, please take your rest."

"Are you certain, my lady?" the nurse asked. "You know i do not mind staying with them. They are just as their father was, quiet and dear."

Éowyn had to smile at that. She might have guessed that Faramir wasreserved even as a infant. "I am certain, Berethil. I will let you know if i intend to be away tomorrow, but it grows late and i will be taking my rest soon. I feel rather sleepy this even," Éowyn said, settling herself in a large, soft chair as Findiel nursed.

Berethil nodded her understand and made to leave. "I shall lock the door on my way out," she said. Éowyn never usually locked her chamber doors, but she had through the week while Faramir was away. Berethil had a key in case she should come before Éowyn rose for the day.

As Éowyn laid her sleeping daughter by her sleeping son, she suddenly doubled over with a jolt of pain. It only lasted a moment, but the force of the pain had driven her to her knees without her realizing it. As the wave passed, Éowyn pulled herself up again shakily. Her head swam and nothing seemed to stay still before her eyes as she staggered toward her bed and fell onto it, feeling as though a fever raged through her. Éowyn wept as another wave of pain laid into her.

At the room in the Merry Widow Calimehtar was hurrying to get all their baggage ready. Castamir stood by, doing nothing. Calimehtar was about to tell him to get to the stable and get the horses, but seeing the blank look about the other he exhaled furiously. "I have never met such a fool as you, Castamir! You realize that we must leave at once now? You were so busy fawning over her that you gave her too much of that poison too quickly. Any moment now she was screaming in pain, and we have to be far away from here. Finish getting these things together, i am going to get the horses."

Castamir did not seem to notice and when Calimehtar left he sat down and quickly penned two letters, setting one on the desk, putting the other inside his shirt. Castamir looked at two vials that had not been packed by Calimahtar yet, one was a clear liquid, the one that had been in the hollow of the ring he wore. The other was a black liquid. Castamir downed them both and laid down on the bed.

When Calimehtar returned to their room Castamir was asleep on the bed, causing the other to become furious. He shook and slapped his companion, but to no avail. Calimehtar glanced at the desk and saw the empty vials, he did not even need to read Castamir's letter addressed to him to know the circumstances. His friend was not dead, but would be by morning. Calimehtar grabbed the remaining gear and fled, rather glad to no long have Castamir to worry about; his escape would be much faster and cleaner this way.

---

Raska: Yes, Eowyn should have been more careful about her reputation, among other things. When it came to her reputation, though, she really didn't care what people thought of her, nor did she see anything wrong with what she was doing.

I suppose you get the gist about the children now... if not, stay tuned.

Elenhin: It is very good that something came from that night years ago, Faramir is going to need something good in his life.