Part 64 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: I'm not entirely sure what constitutes a drabble, but I think this may be closer to that than to a one-shot. Anyway, I finally got the two Chronicles reworked that I had previously said were "done" and then changed my mind.

Update: Okay, I checked and this story has 317 to 323 words (depending on what you include in the count). So it ISN'T a drabble, or even a tribble; it's just...short!

Interlude

(Mar, 3021 III)

Eomer slid under the covers of his bed, trying not to disturb his wife. Despite his efforts, she stirred and murmured sleepily, "You are home? We did not expect you until tomorrow." She snuggled against his side, resting her head on his shoulder as he slipped an arm around her.

"We decided to ride on and sleep in our own warm, comfortable beds instead of camping another night," Eomer explained, pressing a kiss to her head. "And I always prefer your presence at my side to sleeping alone."

With a grin, her eyes still closed, she told him, "I am always happy to have you back sooner than expected...even if you do need a bath!"

He chuckled softly, defending himself by saying, "To be fair, I did try to wash some before coming to bed, in case you did not notice!"

"I know," she assured him, kissing his neck. "I can tell."

She snuggled in closer and let her hand slide down his chest, adding, "I could live without your less-than-becoming fragrance, beloved, but I could not live without you. I would never drive you from our bed for so minor an offense."

Her voice was drifting softer and he knew slumber was taking her again.

In the year they had been married, he realized she had shown him more love than he had ever known. His family loved him, of course, and his uncle and cousin had filled the void when his parents died, but other than Eowyn, no one accepted him so completely just as he was. Her love was intense and constant. Certainly she would tease and cajole him to be the best that he could be, but he knew that if he never changed a single thing about himself, it would not matter to her.

Lightly rubbing the arm she had placed contentedly across his stomach, he whispered, "Sleep well, my love."

THE END

3/5/06

End note: It is best that you read the Elfwine Chronicles in the order they were written. The more of them that I wrote, the more likely I was to make reference to one of the previous ones and something that happened there. If you want to read them in order, go to the top of this page and click on my name (Deandra). That will take you to my profile page. Scroll down and you will find all the stories I have written. The Elfwine Chronicles are in order from bottom to top since ffn shows them in the order they were posted. A few were posted out of number order, but you can read them in posting order or number order since those few won't be affected in the story content.