A/N: Kudos to dragonfly, who noticed my faux pas in ch. 3: Danwen is observing Amrothos not dancing much, only "a few with his sister and…" – but at that point she didn't know Lothiriel was his sister. I have amended that to say "a few with the new queen". (And thank you for pointing it out! I'm obsessive about fixing such things!)

Chapter 4

The entire journey from Dol Amroth, Amrothos had to struggle both to conceal his delight at the thought of seeing Danwen again, and to keep from taking off at a mad gallop in order to get there more quickly.

To his relief, the Golden Hall finally came into view, perched at the top of Edoras. He had not written to Danwen of his pending arrival so that he might surprise her, and he wondered if she would see him when they entered the city or whether he would have to seek her out.

Despite sweeping his gaze constantly over the people who gathered to watch them ride in, he could not spy her among them. He suppressed his disappointment by reminding himself it would be much nicer to surprise her in person anyway.

His reunion with his sister was wonderful. Though she did not know it, only his correspondence with Danwen had made Lothiriel's absence bearable. He had missed her greatly at home, but was pleased to see her looking well and very much in love.

It took two days before he was able to slip away to wander Edoras alone. He couldn't be sure where he would find Danwen, so he took up a position near her house where he could see but not be seen. He was growing restless after an hour, but finally a servant exited the house, headed into town. He followed her until they were well away from Danwen's home, and then approached her to inquire after the lady.

The girl eyed him nervously when he introduced himself and made his query, then glanced around to see if anyone was nearby. When she saw they were alone, she stammered, "I probably shouldn't be telling you this, my lord, but...but Lady Danwen's father has turned her out! Nearly a week ago! He...he said he wouldn't support her anymore."

Amrothos' jaw tightened in anger and concern. "Do you know where the lady went?" he asked.

Again the servant hesitated, but then nodded. "I have heard she is staying at the inn, the next street over." She pointed off to her left. Looking frightened that she might be caught talking to him, she bobbed a curtsy and scurried away before he could ask her anything more.

Amrothos watched her go, then turned on his heel and strode quickly in the direction she had indicated.

The innkeeper looked up as he entered, wondering what brought the gentleman here at this time of day. It was early to be drinking. When Amrothos made his purpose known, the man hesitated a moment, wondering if he should divulge what he knew, but he rather felt sorry for the girl. Maybe she had at least one friend in this world who would help her, and the young man did seem upset about her situation. He told Amrothos which room she was in, and he mounted the steps by twos.

Hurrying along the passage, he soon found the correct room and knocked. There was no answer and no sound from within. He knocked again, thinking perhaps he had not been heard. The innkeeper had said she hadn't left the room since her arrival, so she must be there.

When there was still no response, Amrothos did a most ungentlemanly thing – he tested the door to see if it was latched. To his relief, it opened and he stepped in. The curtains were drawn so the room was in darkness, and stifling warm on this summer day. He could barely make out the form lying on the bed. He stepped briskly to the window and opened the curtains, then opened the window also when he found it closed. Turning back to the room, he saw Danwen still lying there, staring unmoving at the ceiling above her. She gave no indication that she knew he had entered the room, or that she noticed the sudden influx of light from outside.

Panicked, he bolted to her side, afraid of what he would find. To his immense relief, she was breathing, but lost in some dark world in her mind. "Danwen. Danwen!" he called softly, then louder. Gently he slapped her face to rouse her from her stupor, and at length her eyes shifted to look at him.

It took a few moments, but finally recognition seemed to dawn and a tear trickled down her cheek. He pulled her into his embrace and held her as the tears increased their flow, and then she broke into heart-rending sobs. All he could do was hold her and murmur soothing words as he stroked her head. When she was all cried out, she lay weakly against his chest.

In a voice hoarse from disuse, she mumbled dully, "He disowned me."

It was all Amrothos could do not to storm out of the room and go to confront her father. How could a man do such a thing to his daughter! Instead, his arms tightened around her. "It does not matter. You are better off without him. I am here now. I will help you."

It was difficult, over the next few days, to find excuses to leave Meduseld alone. Had Lothiriel not still been so completely wrapped up in her happiness with Eomer, she might have taken more notice and asked more questions. Amrothos spent the first few days getting Danwen to eat and regain her strength, and then he helped her secure a job as a seamstress with a dress shop in town.

The more Amrothos pondered what had befallen Danwen, the more upset he became by it. With each passing day, he was feeling more and more protective of her, and he wrestled with ideas about what he could do to help her.

It occupied his mind as they went for an evening stroll. Lothiriel and Eomer had claimed weariness and retired early, much to his amusement. He knew full well sleep was not on their agenda, but since it afforded an opportunity to slip away, he went in search of Danwen. Without even being aware of it, their feet automatically turned toward the Barrowfields, and they soon were standing under the first stars of the evening.

Words seemed superfluous at a moment like this, so he stood behind her with his arms wrapped around her and his head alongside hers, his chin resting on her shoulder. After some time had passed, Amrothos' urge to kiss her overwhelmed him. He raised his head and gently turned her to face him, then bent to capture her lips. When it ended, she sighed against his lips and he could feel her mouth quirk into a smile.

Encouraged, Amrothos kissed her again, lingeringly, noticing how right she felt in his arms. "My sister and I talked about my possibly finding love in Rohan, but I did not think it likely. Now I see how wrong I was," he murmured.

She smiled again and whispered back, "I should like to meet your sister someday." She lowered her head and laid it against his chest, enjoying the warmth of his embrace.

But Amrothos stiffened. "Meet my sister... Maybe one day that will be possible," he answered softly. But his gaze went out of focus as he became lost in thought about the implications of who he was holding in his arms, and how his sister would react.

"Amrothos? Is something the matter?" she asked, noticing the change in his mood.

How could he tell her the truth? She'd never forgive him if she found out who he was, and that he had been hiding it from her. And Thiri would have his head when she learned who he had been courting. How was he ever going to work this out? It had been stupid to ever begin a relationship with Danwen; even more so to do it in secret. Perhaps if Lothiriel and Danwen had known from the outset of his interest, they might have eventually grown accustomed to the idea, but now... No matter what he did, he would lose one of them, and possibly both of them.

He made the mistake of looking down into her eyes, shining up at him with concern. Groaning inwardly, he pulled her close once more and laid his cheek on top of her head. "Do not worry about it, my love. I have pressing matters on my mind, but I will not let them distract me from you this night." And he wouldn't. If his house of cards was about to collapse, he wanted every possible moment with her before it happened. At least then he would have the memory of her love.

xxxxx

Amrothos agonized over his secret for the next week, but in the end he was faced with several basic truths. He loved Danwen, and did not want to give her up, but telling her and his sister of the situation would likely mean he would lose one of them. Lothiriel would probably forgive him, if he gave up seeing Danwen, but he knew he could not do that. And Danwen had suffered so much at the hands of her father, he could not bear to bring her more pain by revealing his identity. He knew she would immediately suspect his motives.

And, yet, if he wanted to be with Danwen, marry Danwen, he must tell her, and hope her love for him would make her forgive his deceit. Only once she had done that was there any point in informing Lothiriel of what he had been doing without her knowledge. He could only hope that his sister loved him enough to forgive him, and would accept the woman he loved.

Claiming he had agreed to meet a friend for drinks at a tavern, Amrothos left Meduseld after supper. He had eaten little because his stomach was so tied up in knots, but he did not think his sister had noticed his lack of appetite. Nerves kept him standing at Danwen's door for several minutes, before he finally reached up and knocked. He suggested they go walking, hoping the evening air would help calm him.

Their path led them inevitably to the Barrowfields, which surprised neither of them. Once there, Danwen turned to face him, smiling up into his eyes. She studied his face in the moonlight, and brushed his hair back from his face so she could better see his features. Her touch was agony for Amrothos, a burning reminder of what he might well lose in the next few moments.

She seemed to notice his expression was more serious than expected, and asked gently, "Is something wrong, my love?"

Amrothos pulled her to him and kissed her forehead, then pressed her head down on his chest. It would be easier to tell her if she wasn't looking at him. Slowly, he admitted, "I have not been completely honest with you about who I am, Danwen. I am not just a nobleman of Dol Amroth – I am the son of the Prince." He held his breath while he waited for his words to register in her mind.

The next instant, Danwen pulled sharply out of his arms and stumbled back, staring at him in horror. "She did this!" she gasped. "She sent you to ruin me! It was not enough that she won, that she had Eomer and was queen. She had to take every shred of hope I might have had for happiness. How could you? How could you!" Her voice dissolved into tears as she turned and ran back inside the walls of Edoras.

"Danwen! Danwen, wait!"

Quickly he sprinted after her, catching her before she reached the safety of the inn's front door. Though she struggled against his hold, he would not release her. "Listen to me. Listen to me! Please! It was not like that. Lothiriel did not send me – she does not even know about us." He pulled her forcefully to his chest and held her as she sobbed brokenly.

"I love you," he whispered. "At first I was just curious. I wondered why you had tried to separate Eomer and my sister, since it was clear there had never been anything between you and the king. But then, as I got to know you, I saw how much you had to offer any man. And I realized you had only been trying to escape the hopelessness of your situation. Then I began to see that I loved you, and I was glad that your efforts had failed, and that my sister's marriage brought me to Rohan so I could meet you. Please believe me, dearest, I DO love you! I swear it!"

He tipped her tear-streaked face up to his and kissed her, hard and convincingly, until she returned it. At length, they broke apart, breathless, and she clung to him, still not quite allowing herself to hope that his words were true.

Her voice shaking, she asked hesitantly, "If she did not send you, are you saying she does not mind us being together?"

Amrothos sighed heavily, and shook his head. "Not exactly. Thiri does not know about us. I did not intend to fall in love, so I never expected to have to tell her. And then, when I did love you, after what had happened, I did not know how to tell her. I still do not. But I knew I could keep it secret no longer if I wished to marry you, and I thought it best to tell you the truth first, to see if you would have me."

"Marry me?" she hiccuped, gazing both fearfully and hopefully at him.

"Yes, marry you!" He kissed her lightly and smiled teasingly. "It is what two people do when they are in love with each other!"

She slipped her arms around his waist and held him tightly, her face pressed to his chest. "I can hardly believe it!" she exclaimed. After a moment, she admitted softly, "I am glad I was unsuccessful with Eomer. This is so much better!"

They stood wrapped in each other's arms, enjoying their new-found happiness, until Danwen's mind started to clear and she thought of what he had said. Reluctantly, she pulled back and looked up at him. "What about your sister? What will she do when she finds out?"

He shook his head. "I do not know. I hope she will eventually accept it and be happy for me, but..." His eyes went out of focus as he considered his sister's reaction.

Her hand slipped up to gently stroke his cheek, knowing what it would cost him if his sister did not come to terms with this. As she had gotten to know him, it had become apparent just how close he and his sister were. He could withstand disapproval and rejection from just about anyone but her.

"I will do whatever you ask to make amends with her so she can forgive me, and we can be together," she whispered earnestly.

He turned his head and pressed a kiss to the palm of her hand, but said nothing. Finally, he told her, "Give me a few days to try to determine the best way to approach her with this."

"Amrothos..." she asked tremblingly, "what if she will not accept it?"

He kissed her forehead. "We will deal with that if we must, but I will not give you up. I hope in time she will be happy for me, for us."