Hey everyone! Thank you all so very much for your reviews. As always they mean the world and inspire me to write. I hope you enjoy this chapter, I think it's a little slow, but I'm not certain. Let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Lord of the Rings.

Chapter 7

Éowyn entered the room with a pitcher of warm water to see Avelina sitting on the stool. "My brother has left already?" she asked. Avelina jumped to her feet and nodded.

"Aye. He rides with the king and a small party to Isengard," Avelina said. Éowyn nodded after she remembered that her uncle had told her he would be leaving and she would be leading the villagers back to Edoras.

"Of course, my uncle told me about that," she said as she poured the warm water into a basin. "Come, wash yourself and I'll get you a dress to wear." Avelina smiled gratefully before she walked over to the basin and dipped a soft cloth into the warm water before she happily washed away the grime and dirt from her face, neck, and hands. "Once we return to Edoras, you will be able to bathe properly there," Éowyn said as she sorted through a trunk that Avelina failed to notice.

"This will do just fine for now, my lady," she said as she unbounded her hair and picked up the wooden brush that rested on the table next to the basin. She ran the brush through her long coppered colored locks. She winced as the brush ran through the knots but soon her hair, although still dirty, was now brushed and easier to manage. Avelina braided it once more before she threw it over her shoulder. She now felt much better but her clothes were suddenly uncomfortable. Avelina turned and looked at Éowyn who shook out a shift, another thin under dress, and a wool overdress.

"These should do you well until we reach Edoras," Éowyn said with a smile as she looked at Avelina. Avelina walked over to the golden haired maiden and smiled.

"It is very kind of you to loan me these things." Éowyn just shook her head.

"There is no need for you to wear those rider's clothes now, and I am certain a change will be comfortable." Avelina smiled and nodded. Éowyn nodded her head to a dressing screen. "Go and change and I shall see when our party is to depart." Avelina nodded and smiled at her before Éowyn left. With a sigh she walked behind the screen and changed form her travel worn clothes to the comfortable and warm dresses. Once she had finished changing she folded the soiled clothes and sat them on top of the trunk. As she did so, Éowyn reentered the room. "I trust that is much better?" she asked. Avelina smiled and nodded.

"Much, thank you my lady," Avelina said. Éowyn smiled.

"Avelina, take rest, for there is much I need to take care of before our party departs." Avelina nodded and glanced at the bed beside her. Even though it was made of straw, it certainly was better than sleeping on the hard ground with nothing put a thin mat, and to Avelina it looked as though it was as soft as Lady Eva's bed back at Lord Wilmington's house.

"When is that?" she asked as she turned her attention back at Éowyn.

"We leave in two days time." Avelina nodded once more.

"After I rest for a time, I will do all I can to help." Éowyn smiled at her, it was a kind smile that made Avelina feel welcome.

"Your aid will be greatly appreciated Avelina, but you will be no use to anyone at the moment for I can see that you are weary from your time spent with my brother and his men." Avelina bowed her head.

"That I am," she said quietly as she raised her head. Éowyn nodded.

"Then do rest. I will come for you shortly." Avelina nodded and Éowyn once again left Avelina alone. Avelina without a second thought threw her body onto the bed rather ungracefully and didn't bother to pull the blanket over her form as her eyes closed and sleep claimed her.

When Avelina woke she felt refreshed and judging by the amount of light in the room, she had not slept as long as she thought. She quickly stood and slid into her shoes before she made her way down the corridor. She had carefully memorized the path when Éomer had led her there. Thinking of him caused her to pause in the corridor, why she didn't know, until her thoughts moved to one night not too long ago.

Flashback

The men had finished another battle with a small batch of orcs they had come across as they rode. Avelina had finished making her rounds amongst the men to ensure their wounds were taken care of. Finally she walked over to where Éomer and Eothain sat. "Excuse me, are either of you in need of aid?" she asked as she scanned them. Eothain shook his head but nodded to Éomer.

"I am not in need, however, Lord Éomer has a gash to the back of his right hand," Eothain said before he stood and made his way over to the other men, leaving her and Éomer along by their small campfire. The sun was nearly gone beyond the horizon as she walked over to him and kneeled down where Eothain had just been sitting.

"May I see your hand?" she asked as she held out her left hand to him. Éomer met her eyes and sighed as he shook his head.

"I will be fine, Avelina, there is no need for-," he began but Avelina cut him off.

"My lord," she said sternly causing Éomer to stop and look at her questioningly. "If it is not tended to properly your wound may become infected, and that is not pleasant. Please, let me tend to it now to save you from the pain later," she said gently and the man sighed before he placed his large calloused hand in her smaller hand. Avelina couldn't help but a smile a small smile to herself as she unbound the fabric he had tied over the wound. When she gently pulled it away she winced at the sight. It wasn't too deep, but it was undoubtedly very painful. With her free hand she opened the satchel and pulled out the cleaning solution she had made using herbs and creek water she had boiled for a long time. She removed the cap and looked up at him. "This may sting a bit," she said as her eyes met his. Éomer just nodded. She returned her attention to his hand as she poured a little bit along the wound. Éomer hissed and jerked his hand but Avelina increased her grip on his hand keeping it in place. When she sat down the bottle and wiped the wound with a cloth, his face scrunched up and he groaned quietly.

"When the men told me of the pain your solution caused on their wounds I did not believe them," he said through gritted teeth. Avelina stopped wiping the wound and pressed the cloth on top. She looked at his face and smiled even though he was looking dead ahead of him.

"Did they also tell you that once the burning sensation ceased, the area around the wound was no longer tender and most forgot about their aliments?" she asked sweetly and Éomer looked at her. She smiled once more before she looked back down and removed the soiled cloth.

"They did," he said quietly and Avelina could still feel his eyes on her as she placed a fresh cloth over his wound before she tied the cloth in place with long thin strips of fabric. She looked up at him and his dark eyes met hers.

"I will do the same thing tomorrow," she said as she placed his hand in his lap and gathered her things. "Try not to put too much strain on your hand until at least dawn to ensure the solution does its work." Éomer nodded and Avelina found herself drawn to his eyes once again.

"Thank you Avelina," he said as he looked into her eyes. She smiled and nodded her head.

"You are most welcome, my lord." With that she stood and left the man to himself. As she sat down on her bedroll, Sigeric once again made his way over to her and nudged her with his snout, something that had become a terrible habit of his. She laughed and looked up at him only to have him nudge his head to the left and when she looked she saw Éomer staring at her with a contemplating expression on his face, which only caused her heart to race and her cheeks to blush. She quickly looked away and to the flames of her own small campfire. However, she could feel his gaze just as she did when she tended his hand and it took all her strength to keep her eyes on the burning embers than to once again look at him and smile.

End of Flashback

Avelina closed her eyes and swallowed hard. "So that is when it began," she thought dryly to herself. "I must not think of him. I must stay away. Although their king is kind, there is no telling how he would react if I became to close to his nephew." Avelina sighed and opened her eyes. Determined that she would do all she could not to continue her relationship with the horseman, although her heart was telling her that would be a hard task to accomplish.

With a deep sigh, Avelina quickly made her way to the main hall and spotted Éowyn easily enough. The wheat haired woman spun around and nearly knocked into Avelina as she approached her.

"Avelina! Oh, I did not expect you to be up so soon," she said as she adjusted the blankets in her hands. Avelina just smiled and shook her head as she took the blankets from her.

"Thank you for letting me rest. Now, where do these go?" she asked. Éowyn smiled and pointed to a room just to the left.

"In there. There are many wounded so be prepared." Avelina nodded.

"Can I be of assistance there? I have some healing skills and in my pouch I have some herbs and a solution that will aid with the minor injuries." Relief seemed to flash in Éowyn's eyes and the woman nodded.

"Any aid you can give the women in there will be wonderful." Avelina nodded and left Éowyn and entered the chamber. She stifled a gasp when the smell of blood assaulted her nose. She spotted another woman who stood and glanced around the room. Avelina walked over to her and gave her a small smile.

"Lady Éowyn gave me these blankets to bring in, and to see if I could be of assistance," Avelina said. The woman took the blankets with a sigh and nodded.

"We could use all the help we can muster at the moment," she said tiredly. Avelina nodded.

"Very well, I must retrieve my satchel and I will be back in just a moment." The woman nodded again before she turned and distributed the blankets. Avelina lifted her skirt slightly to run and quickly made her way outside. Once she found where the horses were kept she went straight to Sigeric. Upon seeing her he snorted loudly. She put her hand on his snout and smiled. "Hello, my friend," she said gently as she looked around the stable for her satchel. When she found it she quickly made her way to it. Once it was in her hands she walked up to Sigeric. "We ride in two days my friend, but until then there is much to do." She kissed him and quickly made her way back into the keep and back into the chamber where men laid dying.

Éomer took a deep breath as they rode through Fangorn forest. It had been a day and a half since they had left Helms Deep, and since he left Avelina behind. He did not know why, but deep in his heart he wished that she had came with him. He knew she had no place riding with the party, as they may very well fall under attack by the now dark wizard, but he had come to realize that he missed her company and her tales of her homeland when he could get her to speak freely with him. A small smile graced his lips as he thought of one particular story that had most of their encampment laughing at some of the images she provided, a unique thing to happen during the dark times.

Flashback

Avelina had unbound her hair and it flowed freely over her back, the firelight catching the copper of her hair making it seem to glow and for some reason he could not take his eyes from it. "Tell us a tale from your homeland Avelina," Eothain said snapping Éomer out of his reverie. Avelina smiled after she thought a moment and nodded her head.

"I will tell you a tale. It's a true tale about when I had first taken my position in Lord Wilmington's house," she said as she looked at Eothain and then at the other men. "I was only sixteen at the time, most of my friends had been wed for some time and a few even had children. My mother had passed and I could not work the farm alone and could not afford to hire hands, so I sold the farm and paid off my mother and father's debts before I took my job as a maid for Eva Wilmington, Lord Wilmington's new wife who happened to be my age." She paused and tucked some of the wavy curls behind her ears.

"Besides cooking, cleaning, and laundry, I knew little else. Unless you would include herding sheep, but that skill would not aid me in my duties in the house." A few men laughed at her expression, but Éomer just watched her closely as he wanted to learn more of her. "One night, Lady Wilmington requested tea with milk. I set to preparing her request, however, the house was out of milk and the hour was late so there would be no shop open so I could purchase some. So, I did the only other thing I could think of.

Lord Wilmington had sheep, goats, and horses on his land and so I went into the barn with a small bucket and milked one of the goats. Granted goats milk is slightly stronger but it is just as well. Once inside I readied the milk for drinking and soon the tea was ready. I made it for her and carried it into her study where she waited." Avelina couldn't help but laugh quietly as she remembered something of her tale, and at seeing her laugh a smile came to Éomer's face. "She took a sip of her tea and smiled happily and said 'Avelina you've made the best tea I have ever had. What is your secret?' I of course didn't know what to say and racked my brain for an answer. However, before I could come up with one Lady Wilmington interrupted me and said 'It's the milk, isn't it?' I could only nod and say 'Aye, it's goat milk.' The next thing I know the cup goes flying across the room and a shriek unlike anything I have ever heard in my life filling my ears." Laughter broke out at the face she had made as she described the pain that the scream inflicted on her ears. "She would not let me make her tea for a long time after that," she added with a smile.

End Flashback

A throat clearing snapped him out of his thoughts and he looked to his right to see his uncle sitting atop his horse looking at him.

"Éomer, are you well?" he asked concerned. Éomer furrowed his brow and nodded his head.

"Aye, my lord," he said quietly. "I am sorry, I was lost in thought." The king nodded.

"We break for camp for a time. We shall reach Isengard soon." Éomer nodded and sighed as his uncle rode ahead to Gandalf and Aragorn. He was worried that Avelina had become a distraction for him, but he could not think of her as such for she had yet to do anything negative. She helped when needed and never once complained like most women would have. He shook his head as he dismounted and decided it would be best to not think of her anymore, at least for the time being.