Well met, Mr. Darcy!
I remember every detail of the day Éomer returned from his errand to the Shire. I had been riding alone, enjoying the cool breeze and the smell of the flowers. It seemed that winter could never come to this beautiful place. For some reason my mind wandered to "Elizabeth Bennet" from Pride and Prejudice. I thought that I knew how she felt on her first inspection of Pemberley, and wandered like she what it would be like to call this place home permanently. So intent was I on the study of "Mr. Darcy's" character that followed, that when a horseman appeared on the horizon I nearly stood in my stirrups and shouted, "Well met, Mr. Darcy!" Fortunately I held my tongue until the cantering figure was near enough for me to recognize his face.
"Éomer, King!" I shouted in salute and raised my hand. Amigo shifted beneath me as Éomer turned his horse in my direction and quickened his pace. When he reached my side I could see that his horse was tired and that he was still wearing his travel-stained clothes. "Surely you did not gallop all the way here rom the Shire." I said archly.
He shook his head, "When I reached Minas Tirith I was told that you had traveled to Ithilien. Yet I reached my sister's house and did not find you there." He dismounted easily and looked up at me, saying admonishingly, "I began to think you had returned to your own home."
I sat looking at him thoughtfully for a moment then shrugged and said wryly, "How would I have accomplished that, oh mighty woodsmen? Can you tell me the direction in which my city lies?" We smiled at one another and Éomer helped me to dismount. We walked side-by-side for a while, reins looped over arms.
"Did you have something of import to tell me?" I asked to break the silence.
Éomer started out of his reverie then nodded, "Oh! Yes, I wanted to tell you that the hobbit reached his home safely." He said nothing more, just looked at me proudly. I raised my eyebrows. "….And," he said in answer to my look, "I saw Master Hobylta – Merry. He could not comprehend why I felt I must rush back 'Without even the most tiny bite!'"
I laughed and nodded, "That is just what a hobbit would say." We walked a few more paces before I asked, "Why did you rush back?"
He stopped and stared at me, frowning in confusion as he tried to formulate an answer, "Well – I – that is" he stopped then shrugged, "I knew you would desire news of the young hobbit."
"Ah." I said, but something thrilled strangely in my stomach and my cheeks felt curiously hot.