Disclaimer: I own only Braenna. Everything else belongs to Tolkein. To those who have reviewed, thank you for giving me the chance. Please read and review.

There was, of course, a feast after the wedding. There was much dancing, laughing, talking, eating, and drinking done by most in attendance. Braenna wished to retire as the room full of guests dwindled down to a couple handful. She smiled and took Legolas by the hand, pulling him onto the dance floor with her.

They both saw the glare Èomer cast in their direction. Legolas smiled and began dancing with her. "You are so mischievous," he sighed.

"Only because his jealousy makes it so easy to be so. He needs to learn you are a friend, nothing more. I cannot comprehend why he treats you as a challenging suitor, but not Èothain, Aragorn, or the like," she explained. "I do love him, Legolas. You understand this?"

"Of course. I would not have danced with you otherwise," he answered with a smile.

Èomer walked out onto the dance floor, and she saw him approaching. "I shall retire now. Thank you for the dance," she said softly.

Legolas grinned. "Sleep well, milady. You're plenty welcome," he replied. She slipped away, darting off to her and Èomer's chambers.

Èomer stopped beside Legolas, who turned to him. The elf put a hand on his shoulder.

"She's playing mind games with you, my friend," Legolas stated before walking away.

Èomer glanced about the room before following her to their chambers. He found her sitting at the vanity, slowly taking the flowers from her hair. She kept her eyes well-trained on her reflection. She struggled to remove the last flower from the back of her hair. His hands covered hers and he helped remove the tangled flower. Their eyes met in the mirror.

"Do you enjoy teasing me, little one?" he asked her.

Braenna smiled and stood, turning to look at him. "Of course I do. I get so few moments like that in my life," she replied. She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek.

As she made to move around him, his hands firmly grasped her about the waist, not letting her move. He raised one hand to run his fingers through her hair. Èomer took his crown off and let it rest on her vanity, never breaking eye contact with her. She took a deep breath, raising her right hand to his face. She ran trembling fingers over his cheek, to his chin, down to his neck, and let her hand rest on his chest. Her trembling fingers did not go unnoticed.

"Braenna," he whispered before he leaned down and claimed her lips with passion. Braenna whimpered against his lips when his left hand gripped her hip almost painfully, but not hurting her. Their gazes met heatedly.

Èomer sighed heavily and moved his hands to hold her face in his hands. He rubbed his thumb across her cheeks before he leaned into her once more and claimed her lips again, but much more gently than he had just moments ago. When he pulled back again, he could not believe she was actually his wife. She loved him more than anything in life, and he knew by the numerous times she told him. The same held true for him.

He stepped back to look closely at her. The firelight bounced off her auburn hair, and he admitted to himself that he loved the way she looked in firelight. She had always looked as though she glowed because of her hair color when the flames reflected off of it, however, the dress seemed to add to her glow this night. He assumed it was because the garment was Elfin made and perhaps had some magical qualities.

Èomer held his hand out to her, and she took it. He pulled her close and released her hand before walking around behind her. Her heart was pounding steadily in her chest as he gathered her hair. He pushed it over her shoulder so it left her back open to him. He leaned down and kissed her exposed neck. "I love you," he murmured against her skin.

Braenna tilted her head back to kiss his cheek. "And I love you," she whispered in reply.

He lifted her up with a smile. He carried her to the bedchamber. He locked the door behind them. They made love for most of the night.

They spent most of their free time over the next week together, making love and just enjoying one another's company. At the end of the month, Èomer rode out to meet Aragorn. A large band of orcs had been reported attacking Gondor's villages, and a hundred and fifty of Rohan's men rode to help.

Braenna decided to take Minuialwen out for a quick ride to end the filly's restlessness. She felt guilty that she had not been spending as much time as usual with Minuialwen. She was not far from the gates of Edoras when she looked forward. A combined band of orcs and Dunlendings was marching straight for her, most likely for Edoras behind, too.

She turned the filly and pressed her to a hard gallop back to Edoras. "Get the people inside, close the gates!" she shouted. She dismounted and someone collected the filly. "Send a messenger after Èomer King! We need him and the men back here!"

Gamling ran up to her. "What is going on?" he asked.

"A band of orcs and Dunlendings approaches...less than an hour away," she panted.

A boy in his early teens ran up. "Aldor, thank the Valar. Take a horse and ride as fast as you can after King Èomer," Gamling instructed.

"Take Minuialwen," Braenna added. Gamling looked at her, as did Aldor. "She's the only horse ready to bear a rider at the moment and...she has a connection with Firefoot. She'll find him quickly." She gave the boy a leg up into the saddle. She took Minuialwen's bridle in her hands, looking the filly in the eye. "Find him. Bring him back. Much haste is needed,"she told the filly in the language of the Elves. She let go ant the filly whinnied before galloping out the gates.

The gates were soon closed behind them. Men that had not gone with Èomer were atop the wall and beginning to fill the space on the ground behind the wall in case the band broke through or climbed over. The women and children were ushered into Meduseld behind locked and barricaded doors.

Braenna had stayed out. Gamling rushed to her side. "My Lady, please, we must get you inside where it is safe," he said. He saw pain and fear in her eyes just before she slumped forward into his arms, unconscious. Gamling cried out before lifting her up. The men inside opened the doors of Meduseld at Gamling's cry, and he brought her inside, straight to the finest healer in all of Rohan.