A/N:
The loverly disclaimer
Eowyn: Elven Bunny and Butterfly Lion don't own us. Amazing. -eats stew-
Theodred: But they are really nice people!
Eowyn: Theodred, you're the really nice person.
Theodred: Aw, you think so? Thanks, cousin.
Eowyn: Sure.

Chapter seven

The gentle tap of bare feet sounded in the seemingly empty halls of Meduselde.

A disconsolate figure wandered in circles, clad only in a slip and other undergarments of a similar nature.

"I should've made Eowyn draw me a map before she left," Ainsley muttered.

She caught a fleeting glimpse of a human form disappearing, and she followed it, only to get further lost as she became entangled in a wall-hanging and stumbled around for a while before freeing herself.

"This is not cool," she sniffled, wishing desperately that she was back home.

Ainsley ran foreward, seeing a corner. Well, a corner meant a hall, didn't it?

She turned the corner, only to find a nook with a wall hanging in it. She stamped her foot against the stone floor.

"Oww," she whimpered.

She sighed and turned another corner. This led into a hallway, where she hesitantly cracked open a door, hoping she wouldn't run into a male being.

Luckily, or un-luckily, as the case may be, it led to an empty room. She sighed and tried another door.

No such luck.

Eowyn sighed. Ainsley shouldn't have taken that long to put on a simple dress!

She fiddled absently with the golden chain around her slender wrist- a gift from Theodred- and then stared at it.

"I'll bet the dress was too small," she muttered darkly.

She shook her head and watched a black lamb frisk about in the hot sun. The rest of the sheep were lazing about, sleeping and sitting. The perfect day to do more running.

She tapped her fingers against the fence.

What was Ainsley doing?

Ainsley had gotten out of the main room and was now wandering in a hallway. She'd gone through three so far.

The sound of... things moving reached her ears.

"Yesss!" she muttered. She opened a door and peered into the room beyond.

It was the kitchen. A maid was bustling about, stirring pots and testing things.

Ainsley stepped into the room. "Help me!"

The maid gasped. "Oh, you poor thing!"

She draped a tablecloth over Ainsley's shoulders.

"What happened to you?" she asked kindly, pulling Ainsley along with her.

"It was my stew," Ainsley muttered rebelliously.

The maid pulled her into a room- Ainsley surmised that it was her room- and opened up a trunk, much like Eowyn's, except less ornate.

"Try this on," she ordered, handing Ainsley a grey dress. Ainsley obediantly slipped it on.

To her delight, it fit.

To her displeasure, the shade of grey made her look rather sickly.

"There you go, along with you now! I must be back to my kitchen!" smiled the maid.

Ainsley thanked her and ran out of the hall.

"I forgot to ask her for directions!" she moaned, banging her head against a wall.

She turned around and dashed back to the room, but the maid- Ainsley hadn't learned her name- had left.

Ainsley glumly returned to her wanderings.

Eowyn had tired of waiting and grumbling to herself, and set out to find Ainsley.

She had gotten to the main hall of Meduselde, when she stopped. She had no clue where Ainsley would be.

"Let's see, if I were Ainsley, where would I go? I guess I'll start at my room, and work my way from there," she muttered.

She ran back into her room, then looked out from the door. Seeing a piece of meat which looked like it could have been from the stew, she headed down a corridor.

She knew she was on the right track when she saw the wall-hanging lying crumpled on the floor. She restored it to its proper place and resumed her course.

Seeing the kitchen maid, she inquired after Ainsley. The maid pointed her in the direction Ainsley had gone, and she set off again.

Eowyn systematically searched the hallways, and eventually ran into Ainsley.

"There you are!" she exclaimed as she pulled Ainsley up. "Let's get out of here."

"Told you I needed a map," Ainsley muttered.

Eowyn hid a grin and led her outside. "Time to race over sheep again."

Ainsley jumped the fence and paused at the edge.

"Ready- GO!" Eowyn shouted, holding her wrist and counting by her pulse.

Ainsley jumped over a ewe, wriggled under a ram, wound around the black lamb and repeated the performance until she had reached the bottom of the field. She started on her way back up.

"What're you doing?" inquired a voice near Eowyn's ear. She jumped.

"Theodred! You startled me!"

"So sorry. But what is Ainsley doing jumping over sheep?"

"We're timing ourselves to see how fast we can run an obstacle course," Eowyn explained. "The sheep were the only things around."

Theodred grinned as Ainsley ran up, panting and short of breath. "Whooh! I'm getting tired!."

"Oh, hi, Theodred," she said, noticing him. "Want to join us?"

The prince of Rohan bowed. "Why not?"

"Can I join?" asked a small voice near Ainsley's elbow. She and Eowyn both started and whirled towards it.

It was Anlaf. He gazed imploringly up at Eowyn. "Please, Lady Eowyn?"

"Of course," Eowyn smiled.

"Oh, excuse me, your highness, I didn't see you," Anlaf stuttered, bowing to Theodred.

"Quite all right," Theodred said cheerfully.

"Your HIGHNESS?" Ainsley exclaimed. "WHAT!"

"Oh, did I forget to mention it? King Theoden is my father," Theodred explained.

"Yeah, you did kind of forget to mention it," Ainsley muttered.

"So, are we going to run or not?" asked Anlaf.

"Oh yes, of course," Eowyn said. "Ainsley, you and Theodred run first. Anlaf and I can time you."

Ainsley saluted. "Yes ma'am!"

Eowyn raised one eyebrow but said nothing.

"Well, shall we?" asked Theodred.

Ainsley dropped a very wobbly courtesy. "It would be a pleasure."

Without further ado, Theodred grabbed Ainsley's hand and they took off.

"Ha! Prince or no prince, I bet I can run faster than you!" Ainsley yelled, pulling Theodred along behind her.

"No fair! You have the advantage!" Theodred yelped, tripping over a lamb and barely avoiding falling flat on his face.

"What advantage? I'm wearing a dress!"

"Yes, but you're unshod," panted the prince, "And my boots keep getting caught in the muddy parts!"

"Well, that makes us about even!"

They reached the end of the field and started back up again.

Theodred put on a burst of speed. Ainsley gritted her teeth and attempted to catch up with him, but ended up being pulled along.

They stopped just before they reached the fence. Rather, Theodred stopped, and Ainsley kept going. Luckily for her, Theodred yanked her back.

"Seventy one," said Eowyn.

"Sixty eight," said Anlaf.

"Not bad," commented Ainsley. "Your turn." She leaned against the fence and took a deep breath. "Actually, I suppose we should take a little break."

Once Ainsley had calmed down a bit, Eowyn and Anlaf started off. They finished at sixty-six seconds, as Eowyn was quite fit and Anlaf had pent up energy throughout the day.

Eomer sighed and took a swig of ginger-water. He was glad to be rid of Ainsley, and was celebrating by eating with his friends.

"Hey, Beornhelm, what do you think they're doing?" asked Aldwulf

"Maybe exercising the sheep?"

Eomer turned to look out the window where they were pointing, and his eyes widened. An all-too-familiar form was running in the sheep fields again, with that little serving boy- Anlaf- and behind them were his sister and his cousin.

Eomer swore and stared at his mug.