Disclaimer: Forgot thatin the first Chapter! I do not own LOTR, if I would I wouldn't write fanfiction gg

A/N: Thanks to 'my' two reviewers. So, here it comes Chapter 2. Hope you still like it.

DUNKEN LANDLORD: Yeah, probably it will!

Chapter 2 'Strange Encounters'

Willa awoke and groaned opening her eyes.

'What a dream,' she thought and wanted to sit up. Pain seared through her right shoulder and she fell back, noticing her right arm in a sling. It had been no dream or else she still was dreaming. Someone noticed her movement and knelt beside her bed.

"Lady, you need to rest," he said and gently drew the covers up. But Willa stopped him.

"Where am I?" she asked somewhat frightened. The man smiled gently, showing he meant to do her no harm.

"You are in the Houses of Healing in Minas Tirith. I am Maerid."

Willa considered this. Never had she heard of a place called Minas Tirith. It sounded great and in a place like Montana…

She sighed and suddenly thought of Frankie Boy.

"Where is my horse? Is he alright?" Again she tried to get up but Maerid gently pushed her back down.

"Do not worry, Lady. Your horse is in good health. It will be tended to in our stables."

Relieved Willa lay back down and Maerid gave her another smiled and left before she closed her eyes. She could as well rest for as long as it lasted. But it was no use. Sleep would not come again and for the third time she tried to sit up. This time she succeeded and checked her surroundings. There were about a dozen beds in this room but only one other was occupied, also by a woman. She had long golden blond hair and a fair face. Willa sighed. All of a sudden she felt very conscious of how grumpy she had to look in her clothes. It was then that she noticed for the first time that she was not wearing her clothes. She got up to look at herself. The dress she wore was white and long and the sleeves were flared at the rim. And her hair was down which normally was just a big, dark blond mess tied in a knot at the base of her neck.

She sighed and sat on the edge of the other bed. The woman was so very beautiful and seemed so peaceful, yet Willa had the feeling that she had to fight a battle with herself. Maerid returned and spotting Willa rushed over to her.

"What has happened to her, Maerid?" Willa asked before Maerid could speak. He sighed deeply.

"That is the Lady Eowyn of Rohan. She has been hurt when she defeated the Witch King of Angmar." The name Maerid gave told Willa nothing but he had spoken it with fear in his voice and Willa guessed he must have been very evil.

"I want to help her," Willa said not exactly knowing why. She turned to Maerid. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No, Lady. You yourself are hurt and need to get better."

Willa got to her feet and wasn't at all surprised that she was taller than Maerid. She rose to her full heights and looked at him.

"I'm fine. I can't just lie here and wait to get better. Let me do something. Can I at least go and look after my horse?"

Maerid sighed then nodded. He handed her a light blue-colored gown and gave her direction to the stables. Willa put on the gown as best as she could with her right arm in a sling and left the house.

In wonder and amazement Willa walked along the streets. Almost everything was made out of stone and Willa had never seen anything like it before.

She found the stables without any problems and entered. It was big and somehow reminded her of the stables at her home, at the ranch.

"Frankie?" she called softly and the white horse neighed as he recognized her voice.

"Ah, is that your mistress?" a strange voice asked and as Willa approached the stall she saw a man tending to Frankie. She smiled at him.

"Yes, indeed," she replied. "I'm Willa and you have already met Frankie Boy."

The man smiled and for several minutes both mustered the other. Willa found she liked what she saw, very much so. He seemed strong and stern yet not unkind, nice. His light blue eyes sparkled yet were somewhat depressed. But the way Frankie Boy affectionately muzzled his hand assured her that he was very likeable. As she became aware of his stare she did something she did not know she could; she blushed. Quickly Willa cleared her throat.

"So who are you?" she asked. It seemed to her that he became taller as he said: "I am Eomer, son of Eomund, King of Rohan."

Right, Willa thought. And I am Cleopatra. She stifled a laugh and instead said: "Well, …should I bow then or…"

Fearing she might have angered him she looked to the ground and was relieved and surprised at the same time when he laughed.

"The nerve of you, Lady. Yes, a bow or rather a courtesy in your case would be appropriate. But let us not bother with it for now."

Willa nodded and joined Eomer in the stall to pat Frankie Boy's nose.

"Good boy," she said. "I owe you all the hay and carrots in the world." She said forgetting for a moment that she was not alone. And Frankie Boy gave her a look as if saying: "Oh yes you do, Willa!"

"He is a remarkable horse," Eomer said. "He stood by your side and would not leave. It was for him that I noticed you."

"You found me?"

"Aye, I did. How is your shoulder?"

Willa found his gaze and held it, smiling.

"My shoulder is doing okay. – Thank you." She didn't know what else to say but he seemed to think that it was enough.

"You are very welcome, Lady Willa." At that she had to laugh.

"Why does everyone call me Lady? I'm no Lady, I'm a cowgirl."

Eomer looked puzzled. Ever since he found her in her strange clothing he wondered who she was and what business she had there in the battle. He had been thinking of her and now that he had met her awake he was glad he had 'rescued' her.

"Strange names you give," he replied. "And those clothes you wore, I have never seen the like." Willa smiled at him and started to explain.

"Those are my working clothes. I work at a big ranch as a cowgirl. I keep cows, lead them to better pastures with better grass."

They talked for some time and to Willa's delighted Eomer had a very good sense of humor, even though it seemed to be put on hold (for lack of a better word).

She told him of her home, the land she came from and what it was like to live there. And he in return told her about Rohan, his homeland, of which he was now King since his uncle had died in battle.

"My Lord, your sister asks for you!" A little startled both looked up to see a young boy stand in front of the stall. A smile came to Eomers' face and he looked at Willa.

"Will you come with me?" he asked and Willa nodded.

"I will, my Lord!"

Eomer then turned to the boy and said: "Lead the way."

Willa was surprised that the boy led them down the way she had taken earlier and was even more surprised when the boy entered the houses of healing. And Eomer walked to no other bed than that of Eowyn and Willa understood. She smiled.

"Eomer," Eowyn said and smiled. "Have you rested at all?" He chuckled at that and reassured her he had. Eowyn then asked about someone called Merry and if he had already made him an esquire of Rohan. And Eomer smiled and said he had. Eowyn nodded and her gaze fell onto the bed nearest to her, the bed Willa had occupied.

"What happened to her? I have never seen her before. Do you know who she is, Eomer? I have watched her this morning. She looked so beautiful in her sleep."

"Indeed I know who she is. Lady Willa meet my sister Eowyn," he said and motioned for Willa to step nearer which she did. And as Willa knelt down next to the bed and the two women looked at each other both knew they would be friends forever.

"My Lady, it is nice to meet you," Willa said quietly. But Eowyn gave her a look then laughed.

"No Lady for me, Willa. Only call me Eowyn." Willa smiled and Eomer saw with joy how Eowyns face lost some of the bitter darkness it held. He was relieved to see the two women getting along from the start.

They stayed for an hour with Eowyn and Willa told much of what Eomer already knew. Yet, he did not seem to mind.

When Maerid entered and found the three of them sitting together he at once ushered Willa back to her bed and bid Eomer to leave.

"Both need rest, my Lord. Sleep has healing powers and they need it." Eomer nodded and after promising to return in the morning he left.

But Willa called Maerid to her.

"Please, Maerid, tell me of what has happened? What was that battle about I was wounded in?" Eowyn who had listened joined in the explaining and they told her of the Dark Lord who wanted to rule all of Middle-Earth, and about the Lord Aragorn, who was the heir of the Kings of Gondor. And Maerid told that the Steward of the City, the Lord Faramir had also been wounded and was resting in the houses of healing as well. And that Prince Imrahil of Dol Amroth for the time was in charge of the city. It was a lot Willa heard and although the names told her nothing she was glad she now knew more. Maybe not as troubled by the news as she should have been she fell asleep.