Part 89 of the Elfwine Chronicles. The Elfwine Chronicles are a series of one-shots built around the family group of Eomer, Lothiriel and Elfwine. The total number will depend on how many ideas I get for new vignettes.

A/N: WARNING! Those of you who are reading this and are new to my writing – this is not really an Eomer/Lothiriel story, per se. ffn doesn't choose to list my original characters, and Eomer/Lothiriel is as close as I can get. The Theodred who is one of the primary characters here is the youngest SON of Eomer and Lothiriel (named after Eomer's cousin). This story picks up at the end of "Adventures of Theodred". If you have not read that, this story will not make a lot of sense to you. If you are not familiar with my Elfwine Chronicle universe, jumping in here is NOT the best place to start. You will be confused. They are best read in number order and this is number 89. Go to my profile page to read them in order.

By the hardest, here it is – the continuation of the story of Esgalmir and Theodred. Between computer crashes and heat waves, this was a struggle to get done. Not to mention getting well into it and realizing I had overlooked a major plot point, meaning I had to go back and rewrite everything to work it in. Thanks again to Tracey for all her help and patience in nudging me along and trying to keep me motivated. And thanks to all of you who have sent ideas, suggestions, etc. on various things. I have noted them all for future reference.

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Chapter 1 (begins Oct, 45 IV)

The journey from Minas Tirith to Rohan had been like nothing Esgalmir could ever have imagined. Never had she thought to travel so far from home, nor had she ever truly envisioned what the world must look like once one escaped the white walls of the city. Though Theodred had spoken frequently of his journeys, and the sights he had seen, and loved to tell her of the Riddermark, nothing could compare to actually seeing it with her own eyes. The forests and plains were glorious, and queen Lothiriel was an unending source of information about all they passed along the way. Though Lothiriel was an excellent rider, they had brought a carriage along for Zimraphel, who was not quite the horsewoman as her queen, which now proved fortunate since Esgalmir certainly was not up to such a long ride.

The more unusual aspect of this trip was the other occupant of the carriage. Arawine, Kata and her family had joined them from Dale at the beginning of October, and they had set out for Rohan. Arawine and Kata were due to wed shortly after they returned to Edoras, though already the plans had been altered somewhat. Kata's sister, Fritha, who herself had wed in August, had intended to join them and share in her sibling's happy day, but she had become with child almost immediately. Not only that, she was quickly taken with morning illness that had laid her low, and travel was out of the question. Though both hated that Fritha would miss the occasion, neither wished to postpone it, so they had tearfully bid each other farewell, and the wedding party had journeyed on without one of its intended members.

These circumstances left a bride with raw emotions on her travel to the south, and Esgalmir was sometimes left alone with her in the carriage. Knowing her so little, and considering her history with Theodred, she felt a bit uneasy with Kata, unsure quite how to relate to the girl or what to say to her. So, for the most part, they traveled in silence, each keeping to their own thoughts.

Esgalmir did attempt short stints at Theodred's side each day, usually no more than half an hour in the morning and again in the afternoon, as he taught her the basics of horsemanship. Lothiriel joined her husband periodically during the course of the day, and Kata would spend some time riding with Arawine, but always there was at least one person in the carriage with Esgalmir. Zimraphel only rode occasionally, usually when Theodred joined his betrothed, to allow them some time alone.

Another new experience was the camping out in tents. True, this was a royal party so there was a great deal of comfort to be had even in these circumstances, and there were a few inns that they stopped at along the way, but camping was still part of the agenda. Certainly, Esgalmir had never expected to find herself sitting around a campfire, under a canopy of stars, and holding hands with a man of Rohan. And she could not think of anywhere that she would rather be.

After a good week of travel, Edoras loomed on the horizon and Esgalmir's breath caught in her throat at the sight of it. Theodred's home…and now she would count it as her own. In some ways, though this land seemed most strange and foreign to her, for it looked so very different, and certainly the people of Rohan that she had met behaved in a much different manner than Gondorians did, she felt very much at home here. She innately believed she was going to like this place a great deal.

Despite her excitement at being in this new land, though, she could not suppress some slight trepidation. His family was here. They all seemed…too unreal to be true. Was it possible they could be so wonderful as he said. True, all that she had met were – his parents, his nephew, his aunt, his sister and brother-in-law. But, would those here accept her? Would his people accept her? A crippled woman of Gondor?

Before they reached the city gates, Theodred enticed her from the carriage and persuaded her to enter Edoras astride Aenlic, so as to better get a look around her. The other women chose to follow suit, and there was a pause while they all got mounted. That also made it possible to take the carriage directly to its storage place, and not have to bother maneuvering it up to Meduseld, which was always a bit tricky.

Edoras was accustomed to the comings and goings of their royalty, and did not pay much mind, though a few citizens did smile as they passed, raising a hand in friendly salute. There were some curious glances at the dark-haired lady riding at Theodred's side, but no one seemed bothered by this stranger's presence, used to visitors in their midst. The most attention was focused on Arawine and Kata. A royal wedding was in the offing, they knew, and that generated some excited cheers of approval and welcoming shouts to the Dale contingent. The representatives from Dale had been well-received on their previous visits, and so this new alliance was favorably looked upon by the people of the town. Esgalmir watched the entire tableau play out, wondering what it would be like if they knew of her connection with Theodred. Possibly it would not be so significant, since he was not heir to the throne, though still he was a favored son.

Meduseld rose impressively before them, and the afternoon sun glittered on the roof. Over the years, Esgalmir had become dulled to the glamour of her own city, perhaps being too close to it, though her look back at it when they had departed was a sight never to be forgotten. Still, despite the splendor and magnificence of Rohan's seat of power, there was also a warmth to it that seemed to be lacking in the stone of Minas Tirith. Unconsciously, her lips curved up in a smile as they drew to a stop at the foot of the stairs.

Stable hands began coming to claim horses from the royal party, and servants hurried forward to collect belongings and see them sorted to their proper place. A man introduced as Gamling, the king's Doorward, and his assistant, a younger man named Brandir, were directing the flow of people and baggage, as well as welcoming everyone.

After helping her dismount, Theodred stepped close and explained quietly, "Gamling is connected to our family by marriage, as well as by friendship to my father and his service as Doorward. His son married my sister, Theodwyn. Brandir is the eldest son of Eothain, and Freahelm's brother."

She nodded her understanding of this information, better comprehending the warmth of greetings she was witnessing. By now, several people had appeared at the top of the terrace and seemed to be awaiting them, so the king and queen led the way up toward Meduseld, as Eothain and Zimraphel called farewell and headed off toward home.

It turned out that the couple waiting to make the official greeting were Elfwine and Dariel, the underking and his wife, who filled in when the ruling king was absent. Esgalmir and Theodred had trailed behind, allowing all the dignitaries to precede them, and knowing that Elfwine and Dariel would be anxious to greet their son and soon-to-be daughter-in-law first and foremost.

When at last they were the only ones left on the terrace, Theodred guided Esgalmir forward toward his brother and sister. Trying not to be obvious, Esgalmir could not help sneaking a glance at Elfwine's right hand, though not much could be seen with it hanging at his side and she did not wish to be rude. When her eyes met his, however, she almost got the impression that he knew she had been looking, and that he found it amusing.

Blushing slightly, she averted her eyes in embarrassment until he drew her attention back to him by asking quietly, "How are you and Aenlic getting along?"

"Oh! Very well, thank you! And thank you for your part in the gift! Theodred said that you trained her."

He nodded. "Theodred is not the most patient of horse trainers. He does better with a horse that is already trained, so he asked me to work with her so she would not be bothered by a stiff leg. And she has a good temperament for a new rider." Smiling, he added, "I am glad she is working well for you. Are you enjoying the new experience of riding? We Rohirrim are a bit biased about its pleasures. What say you?"

"I confess, I had my reservations about it, but now I think it is wonderful! I have never known such freedom before, and Aenlic is very patient with me, as is Theodred," she said, blushing more.

Elfwine let out a chuckle, "He had better be or I would swat him for you! Come inside! Surely it has been a long day, and you will want to rest a bit before supper."

Everyone else had made their way into the Golden Hall already, and they were the last ones to trickle in. Dariel fell in on the other side of Esgalmir and linked arms with her, saying, "I think it only appropriate that you have my old room from when I would visit Elfwine from Gondor. And it has the added advantage of being the only room at Meduseld that an outsider can readily identify!"

Esgalmir was eyeing her in puzzlement as she laughed with her husband, but Dariel launched into the tale of how Elfwine had tied one of her hair ribbons around the horse head over the door to her room, and it had remained there ever since. The romantic story brought a smile to Esgalmir's face, particularly once they reached said room and she saw it for herself. In actuality, Dariel admitted, the ribbon presently there was a new ribbon. The old one had gotten rather shabby looking and needed replacing after all these years, but this was still one of hers – Elfwine had insisted that tradition demanded that much!

Apparently, Gamling or Brandir had been alerted that she would be using this room for her belongings were already here, but so too were someone else's bags. She turned to look questioningly at Dariel who smiled apologetically. "I am afraid we are a bit crowded during the wedding and were not expecting Mother to bring another guest. I hope you will not mind sharing with Kata for a few days. We had arranged the room for her to share with her sister, but since Fritha could not come, I thought you would not mind using it instead. You will have it to yourself once she is wed."

Esgalmir swallowed nervously, but nodded her agreement to the arrangement, "Of course. That will be fine, if Kata does not mind having me here." It was not her first choice, but she could hardly object, and it would only be for a few days.

Dariel gave her a reassuring, appreciative smile. As she left, Esgalmir stepped into the room and looked around. This was far different than anything she had known in Gondor. All was wood and skins here, though the floor was mostly stone, but with cooler weather already upon them, the skins were in place to offset the chill. Even with the sun not yet down, the afternoon was quite cool, and the nights around the fire had been brief before they retired to their tents where it was far warmer. Moving to the window, she looked out on a glorious vista over the Riddermark of mountains and plains.

She was so wrapped up in the view, she did not notice when someone came in her open door, and she was startled when arms slipped around her waist, causing a gasp. "Sorry!" Theodred murmured into her hair, pulling her back against him. "I did not mean to startle you. Are you well?"

She laid her hands over his arms where they held her, and rested her head back against his shoulder, nodding. "Yes. I am wonderful. It is marvelous here, dearest!"

He kissed her temple. "I am pleased you like it." For several long minutes, they just stood in silence, content to be wrapped in one another's arms, but soon a servant joined them, smiling in amusement at catching them thus as she bobbed a curtsy.

"Beggin' your pardon!"

Theodred forced himself to relinquish his hold, and pressed another kiss to her temple. "Get settled and then try to rest awhile. Supper will be in an hour or so."

She nodded as he moved out the door, and then turned to busy herself getting unpacked and tucked in.

xx

Esgalmir was grateful that they had gotten her few belongings quickly put away, and she had managed to sleep for nearly the entire hour. Kata must have been off somewhere with Arawine for Esgalmir did not see her the entire time, or if she came in, she did it so quietly that Esgalmir did not hear her, or see evidence that she had been there. The servant had been unpacking her bags along with Esgalmir's earlier, so it was difficult to tell if anything had been touched since then.

The journey had tired her more than she realized, and she was a bit dismayed when Theodred arrived at her door to escort her to supper just as she was arising. He assured her his family did not 'dress' for dinner, and it would be sufficient for her to wash her face and comb her hair. Still, she had very much wanted to make a good first impression, and this wasn't quite what she had envisioned. Risking being late, she made him wait in the hall while she at least hurriedly threw on a fresh dress as well. Then, taking a deep breath, and trying to collect her wits, she opened the door and resolutely took his arm.

Sensing her apprehension, Theodred pulled her to him and kissed her soundly, completely catching her off her guard. Laughing at the startled look on her face, he told her firmly, "Relax, beloved! They will adore you! Just as I do!" Dropping a quick kiss on her nose, he tucked her arm around his and smiled lovingly down at her, and she looked sheepishly at him.

"I am sorry to be so silly!"

Tugging her forward, he admonished, "You are not being silly, my love. I understand. But you will see. They will adore you! I promise!"

They slowly made their way down the hall and, after a moment, Esgalmir realized it wasn't so much because of her leg as it was that Theodred simply was not in a hurry to get there. When they finally reached the Golden Hall, there was a sizable crowd of men, women and children, and Esgalmir again stiffened, but Theodred's hold on her tightened reassuringly. "They are all family, beloved. Do not be concerned."

The large group was milling about and talking so much that their arrival almost went unnoticed. Little wonder Theodred had not been in much of a hurry to get here. Lothiriel, however, seemed to have been keeping watch for them, and now called the assembly to be seated. Placement at the table seemed a bit random other than mothers sitting near any children that needed supervision or assistance. Most of the older children chose to seat themselves farther down the table, away from the adults, so as to avoid the dull chatter their parents were likely to indulge in.

Despite the wedding that was soon to take place, both the Dale party and the Rohan clan were determined to keep this a family affair for the time being. There would be time enough for the formalities when the nobility would show up and everyone would have to be on their best behavior, but tonight this was just family.

Eomer made introductions of the large brood, though Esgalmir was sure she would not remember even half the names, and Lothiriel made it plain she was not expected to do so for quite awhile. Still fatigued from the trip, and more than a little overwhelmed by this boisterous group, Esgalmir mostly just sat quietly at Theodred's side and listened to the banter among the siblings. One thing was certain in her mind. These people cared about one another. They squabbled, it was true, but it was all in jest. They genuinely cared. She was sorry that it had never been like this for her and Anbarad.

Her reverie was broken by a voice across the table.

"She is certainly a quiet one," Theomund observed, with a twinkle in his eyes. "Did you seek such a silent woman so she would let you speak freely and hang on your every word, Theodred?"

The others chuckled, as Esgalmir's cheeks tinged pink at his comment, but Lothiriel came to her rescue. "Now, now," she said firmly, "you may tease your brother all you want, but you will leave Esgalmir alone. She is not used to us."

There were disappointed cries all around, and Theodred cast his mother a look that clearly indicated he wasn't sure whether to thank her or not for this announcement, since it offered him no protection. Theomund tried to send a penitent look toward Esgalmir for his remark, but there was a devilish glint in his eye that undermined his efforts. She had a feeling he could be a terrible tease, and from the way his wife was looking at him, she suspected the woman…Fele?...would corroborate that.

"Does that mean I may tease them all I wish without fear of reprisal?" Esgalmir's eyes widened, and her blush deepened, almost as startled as everyone else to realize she had been the one to speak those words. All gazes fell upon her, and the room went silent for just an instant, and then they were howling with laughter.

Theodred slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her close against him, pressing a kiss to her head and grinning like a fool, clearly delighted with her comment. Eomer raised his wine goblet, "Well said! I hereby grant the lady a fortnight of free strikes, and then all bets are off! Let her get her feet wet before she has to defend herself!"

Certainly, she had broken the ice with her comment, however unintentional. Once the meal was eaten and the dishes cleared, the children moved to the floor to play games together. What pleased Esgalmir was that the children seemed to wander as readily to an aunt or uncle as they did to their parents, and at one point during the evening, she even briefly ended up holding the lone toddler herself, until he decided something else interested him more and he dashed away again.

Unusually quiet, at least from what she had come to expect based on her encounters with him in Minas Tirith, was Arawine. He seemed quite content to let the focus fall on Esgalmir so that he could slip off to shadowed corners with Kata, for hushed conversations between them, and a few stolen kisses. She could not truly begrudge him that, and perhaps it would help build a bridge between her and Kata to make their sharing a room a bit easier over the next few days.

As the family sat leaning on the tables, sipping wine and watching the children on the floor, Esgalmir was caught off guard by Theodred's brother.

"Would you mind if I had a look?" Theomund asked curiously.

Though the Golden Hall was devoid of all but Theodred's family members, Esgalmir was still disconcerted by the question which clearly was directed at her. As he was looking down toward her right leg, she could guess his meaning.

Elfwine commented from across the table to her right, "Do not be alarmed. He has always been like this. When I came home, my arm still bandaged where I lost my hand, the first words from his mouth were to ask if he could see it! His curiosity is insatiable in such matters. But he means no harm or offense, I assure you." He smiled affectionately at his brother, who shrugged, unbothered by the appraisal.

Theodred explained more fully, "Theomund is the builder in our family. He is curious to see the leg brace I told him you wear, and how it works. Such things fascinate him."

As no one seemed alarmed by the request, or thought it inappropriate, she turned and lifted her legs over the bench. Then slowly she raised her skirt to get at the brace, but Theomund came and took a knee in front of her. "Allow me. I am sure I can figure this out." Again, no one seemed to take notice of his reaching for the buckles of the brace, so she carefully held her skirt modestly in place around her leg while he unfastened it. The other family members mostly seemed to have lost interest, and turned back to other conversations, for which she was grateful.

Then, to her consternation, not only did he remove the brace, a tremendous relief as it had been causing her leg to ache considerably, but the next moment his hands were gently kneading her calf muscles, and massaging her foot. When she looked down in wide-eyed astonishment at this, he just smiled reassuringly and told her, "It looked as though your muscles had cramped up quite a bit. I thought this might help."

She could not deny that it actually felt very good, but still… Yet a quick glance around showed that no one was paying any attention at all to either of them. Perhaps things truly were different here, and it did not matter so much as it would in Gondor, at least not amongst Theodred's family. She forced herself to relax and enjoy the pleasure of his ministration, that was actually most welcome.

Later that evening, Esgalmir glimpsed Theomund sketching her brace, but chalked it up to Elfwine's comment about his insatiable curiosity. Not until several days later did she discover how mistaken she was. Theomund turned up at her door early one morning before she was even dressed, his brother at his side to explain, "It would seem you have sparked Theomund's imagination. He has made an attempt at bettering what the healers of Gondor have done."

Esgalmir gave Theodred a puzzled look at this cryptic comment, but Theomund couldn't contain himself for a lot of silly wordplay. Pulling a bundle from behind his back, he presented it to her excitedly, urging her to open it. They trailed into the room after her as she made her way to a table to unwrap it. To her amazement, it was a replica of her leg brace, but rendered lighter and with differences.

"I hope it will not be so heavy and tiring as what you have, and I made some changes that hopefully will keep it from chafing you so much," Theomund explained. "Please, once you have tried it, let me know how it works, and if there are problems, do let me know so I can attempt to find a way to fix them for you. I welcome the challenge."

When she looked up, she saw in his eyes that he did in fact mean that. The healers had merely given her a brace for her leg, but never had they so earnestly desired to have it be as comfortable for her as this man did. Tears sprang to her eyes, and for one of the first times in her life she did a spontaneous thing – she threw her arms about his neck and hugged him tightly. "Thank you, Theomund. This is very kind of you!"

xxxxx

The new leg brace was indeed far more comfortable than the one she had been given at Minas Tirith, and she found it did not tire her nearly so much as before or chafe her leg. Theomund checked it for the first few days, and made a few modifications that he insisted were necessary despite her protests, but in general she considered it a huge success and a most generous gift on his part.

It was the new brace that finally broke the ice between her and Kata. The two had mostly tended to either avoid one another, or just be superficial and polite in their conversation. And though they shared a room, they spent little time there other than to sleep and change clothes, managing to keep contact minimal. But the first evening after Esgalmir had removed the brace given her by Theomund, preparing to soak her leg before going to bed, Kata eyed it laying on the bed beside her. Hesitantly she inquired, "Is that new? Your brace? It looks different than I remember." She blushed, thinking her comment perhaps rude, and averted her eyes.

"It is. Theomund tried his hand at improving the one I had and this one is much better. It is not so heavy and it fits in such a way that it does not chafe like the other one did," Esgalmir explained enthusiastically.

Kata smiled knowingly. "Theomund is quite talented in many areas, but give him a challenge and he will certainly rise to it. Do you know, he managed to carve a complete set of marionettes for me of the royal family of Rohan, and did exquisite heads that look just like them. I will show them to you sometime, if you like. They are wonderful!"

"I would like that. He is a remarkable man. But then, his entire family is rather remarkable," Esgalmir observed.

"That they are," Kata agreed, moving over to the dresser and picking up her hairbrush. As she unfastened her hair ties and began to brush out her hair, she quietly asked, "You truly love him, do you not?"

Esgalmir froze where she sat, wondering at the question and what meaning there might be behind it. Huskily, she gave an honest answer, "More than I can possibly express."

Kata turned with a smile and tears in her eyes. "Good! When things did not go as planned with us, I was afraid I had hurt him cruelly. And then I was afraid I had wounded him so that he would be afraid to let himself love another. That was almost the case with you. When he came to Dale this summer he kept watching me, and I was not sure why at first. Finally I prevailed upon Arawine to talk to him, and he admitted he had been afraid of making the same mistakes with you that he had with me. It would have been awful if you had not loved him when he came to realize where his heart lay."

Tears slipped down Esgalmir's cheeks and she brushed at them. "How could I not love him? He is so very dear! I thought of every reason why I should not, but in the end my heart did not listen to any of them."

Kata moved quickly over and sat beside her, slipping her arms about her shoulders and hugging her tightly. "Good!"

With that barrier down, the two women soon became ready confidantes and began to enjoy one another's company. At least, what little company they shared. Each spent so much time with their respective companion, that they saw little of each other during the course of the day, and sometimes only as they were turning in for the night did they catch up with the day's activities.

The better brace made Esgalmir's exploration of Edoras with Theodred much easier, and he delighted in sharing the nooks and crannies of his home with her. He also continued with her riding lessons, and she was beginning to enjoy the freedom of it immensely, now that her confidence was increasing. Aenlic had indeed become accustomed to the lack of communication on the right side, and learned to respond more to hand signals for direction from her rider.

Within a week, Esgalmir was beginning to feel quite at home in her new surroundings. No one in Edoras had done anything to make her feel like an outsider, and when her betrothal to Theodred had been announced a few days after their arrival, it had been welcomed and celebrated most warmly.

xx

The day before Arawine and Kata's wedding, the horns sounded announcing an arrival at the gates. To everyone's surprise, in rode the King and Queen of Gondor, accompanied by the Steward and his lady, with a small escort party.

Grinning broadly as the four made their way up the steps of Meduseld, Elessar laughed at Eomer's questioning expression. "What? You are surprised that we would come for such an important event as the wedding of Rohan's heir? We would not miss it!" He embraced Eomer warmly, dispensing with the formalities normally expected of kings, and treating him as the brother-in-arms that they truly were.

Laughing heartily, Eomer assured, "You are always a welcome guest in my home, Aragorn – for any reason! Especially when you come bearing the gift of my sister!" He warmly pulled Eowyn into a hug and kissed her cheek, despite having seen her less than a month before. Arwen and Faramir were greeted with equal enthusiasm by Eomer, Lothiriel and the rest of the family, then all brought inside for refreshment and arrangements made for lodgings, with some difficulty. As it turned out, Eothain offered his home to Faramir and Eowyn, and Theomund had room in his home to accommodate the King and Queen, and none of the visitors objected to this.

That night, a feast was held for the family, the new visitors and a few select close friends. This time, however, Arawine and Kata were not allowed to withdraw off into a corner, and found themselves the center of attention. Esgalmir could tell that the girl was beginning to get nervous as the wedding drew nearer, and did all she could to be a steadying influence. Lothiriel also seemed to sense Kata's unease, and by unspoken agreement, the two women stayed near her and made sure the tension did not undo her.

When the evening had drawn to a close, Lothiriel accompanied them to their room, having been alerted by Esgalmir to the fact that, though Fritha had intended to discuss the wedding night with Kata, her illness had prevented it, and Kata had hesitated to ask anyone else. Making herself at home with the younger women, as Esgalmir began her nightly regime for soaking her leg, Lothiriel moved behind Kata and pressed her down on a bench as she unfastened her hair. Reaching for the hairbrush, she began to brush the girl's hair, and explain to both the women about the wedding night, and allow them to ask whatever questions they might have. Though it was a bit early for this discussion with Esgalmir, Lothiriel knew eventually she would require it also, and this seemed a more relaxed way to introduce the subject. As it turned out, the women laughed and talked for more than an hour before Lothiriel kissed them both goodnight and headed off to her own room.

xx

Kata was a radiant bride, and both her father and brother wept at the sight of her, though both tried mightily to hide it. Arawine stood grinning from ear to ear the entire time, barely remembering to respond when he needed to do so. And then Rohan had yet another generation of king and queen in waiting. Life was indeed good. How very long past seemed those dark years when it had appeared all would perish forever. Eomer Eadig had truly lived up to his name, and he was blessed both personally as well as in what he had done for his country and his people.

The wedding feast was the usual raucous celebration of the Rohirrim, with the doors thrown wide for all of Edoras to participate if they wished. Not wanting to get too jostled in the crush of the crowd, Esgalmir kept to the sidelines for the most part, observing the festivities. Theodred was eagerly recording in his journal all that had transpired, and making sketches of various scenes to capture the flavor of it all, but after awhile, he set his journal in a safe place and drew Esgalmir after him out to a secluded spot on the terrace.

With the doors thrown open, much of the heat from inside was pouring out, so the chill air of fall was driven back, and what they could feel of it was actually refreshing after the smoke and stuffiness of so many bodies. He slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, pressing his lips to her forehead, and silently holding her for several minutes. She allowed her hands to slide up his arms and rest lightly on his shoulders, and turned her head to lay it against his chest.

Strains of music drifted out to them, and Theodred lifted his head, grinning down at her in the nearly full moonlight. "Dance with me?"

"Theodred…you know that I cannot dance," she admonished softly, dropping her eyes.

He caught her chin and lifted her face to meet his gaze, asking, "Have you not yet learned that this family does not accept defeat? You may not be able to dance the same way that others do, but you can dance in your own way – with me. Just follow my lead. If I step back, step toward me. If I step to the side, step the same direction. If I step toward you, step back away from me. We will go slowly, and I will have a firm grip on you. You will not fall. I would never let you fall." He pressed a quick, reassuring kiss to her lips to stop the protest that was trying to form there, and then he made the first movement.

Stepping back, he pulled her with him. It was a little awkward, but he held her steady and paused until she seemed ready to continue. Then with a step to the side, he guided her that way, and before she knew it, she was slowly following him in a small pattern around a little area of the terrace. She began to realize that he was using his hands on her waist to apply pressure a moment before he moved, that signaled to her where he was going to go. To her amazement, she was not stumbling so much as she had expected; in fact, she was rather enjoying this dancing in the dark with the man she loved. So, when the music ended, and they came to a stop, she slid her arms up around his neck, pressed her lips close to his and told him so, just before emphasizing it with a kiss of gratitude.

They danced a few more slower dances on the terrace before returning to the hall. She knew she would never be able to manage the usual Rohirric dances, which were generally rather frenetic, but that did not truly matter. For someone who had never expected to dance even once in her entire life, this was a huge victory.