December 1459

Eomer startled when Theo's foot kicked him under the table. "Your move," his brother said, nodding his head at the chess board between them.

Eomer sighed and stared at the board. Most of the small carved figures standing in the squares were dark walnut. All but a few of his light-colored maple figures were in a pile next to the board. He just couldn't concentrate. All he could think about was Moira and how much he wished she were here. But winter travel between the Shire and Bree could be dangerous with the long stretches of lonely wilderness in between, so he'd be spending this Yule without his betrothed. Well, his almost betrothed. They wouldn't actually have the official betrothal until the spring.

"Well?" Theo asked, tapping the table impatiently.

Eomer was saved by a commotion of voices coming down the hallway that could only be his nieces and nephews, just arrived from Tuckborough. The children raced into the parlor with cries of "Gran!" and "Grampy!" and flung themselves onto the laps of their grandparents.

"Careful, now," Eomer's dad gently scolded. "Gran's still not feeling well."

"Oh, I'm fine, Merry," Éowyn said, wrapping Stel in a big hug. She threw her husband an exasperated frown. "I'm much better now." And she was, Eomer thought. It had been a little scary for a while in early November, when Éowyn had come down with a cough that threatened to become worse. It wasn't unusual to lose a few of the older residents of Buckland every year to chills and coughs and pneumonia, and Éowyn's age made her like a much older hobbit. But she'd recovered and now only had an overprotective husband to deal with.

Ivy and Pippin came in next, followed by Fari, Bori and Ari.

Fari came over and slumped into a chair next to Eomer. "Goldi couldn't come for Yule this year," he sighed. "They went to visit Elanor."

Eomer sighed, too. He knew exactly how Fari felt.

Theo snickered. "Look at you two!" Theo said. He leaned close and gave them a cheeky grin. "Pining over lasses. Pathetic!"

Eomer frowned, regretting he'd ever said the same thing about Theo. Fari just whimpered and buried his face in his hands. "He's right," he moaned. "A girl's turned my brain to mush. I am pathetic!"

Eomer snorted and elbowed Fari. "Don't worry. You were pathetic even without the girl."

Fari stuck his tongue out at him. "You're just as pathetic as me!"

"We think you're both pathetic," Bori said.

Eomer looked up at his nephews. "Who asked you?"

Bori shrugged. "Well, if it's any consolation, we think Fari is more pathetic than you are, Uncle Eomer." He avoided the punch Fari aimed at his thigh and laughed. "He's getting slow in his old age, too."

Fari grumbled something under his breath. Bori just grinned, then leaned over to look at the chess board. He pointed at a light-colored figure. "If you move that Spearman--"

"None of that!" Theo said, swatting Bori's hand away. "He doesn't get any help from you."

"Thanks anyway, Bori," Eomer sighed. "I can lose just as well on my own. The game is all but over, now."

Bori shook his head. "You can still win," he said, half to himself. Eomer watched his nephew's eyes flicker around the board. Theo had always been the best at chess--until his nephews learned to play. They both had a head for strategy--Ari was great at it, but Bori was brilliant. Éowyn said they inherited it from their Great Uncle Éomer.

"You can finish my game then," Eomer said, and stood up. He wanted to see if his nephew was right, and he hoped it would keep his mind off missing Moira.

"Oh, no. You're not getting out if it that easily," Theo said. He pointed to Eomer's chair. "Sit back down. He's just joking with you."

"No, I'm not, Uncle Theo," Bori said.

"He's not," Ari said. "I can see at least two possibilities..." He furrowed his brow, then whispered something into Bori's ear. Bori nodded. Ari smiled, then looked at Theo. "Three possible ways for white to win."

Eomer watched his brother. Theo was hunched over and staring at the board, eyes narrowed. Under the table his leg was bouncing in frustration. The he huffed and sat back. "Fine." He looked up at Bori and waved towards the empty chair.

Ari clapped his brother on the shoulder and Bori sat in Eomer's chair, carefully tucking his much longer legs under the small table. "You can go ahead and move, Uncle Theo," he said.

Theo raised his eyebrows. "It is white's move."

Bori nodded, his eyes on the pieces in front of him. "I know. I thought it would add a bit of a challenge." He smiled, the wide-eyed, "innocent" look all of Pippin's children had inherited from him.

Theo scowled. "Just move," he grumbled.

Bori grinned and moved the Spearman.

-o-O-o-

"It's only a game, Theo."

Theo startled from his thoughts and looked up at his wife. "What?"

"You're frowning," Rose said. She draped her robe over the footboard then pulled back the blankets. "You're still mad about losing."

"I'm not," Theo mumbled. Well, all right, maybe he was. Bori had beaten him, then had beaten him three more times in rematches. He supposed he should feel somewhat proud of the fact that Bori considered him nearly as much of a challenge as Ari. Almost. The brothers had played each other after Theo had had enough. It was an amazing thing, watching Bori and Ari play each other. They moved so fast, Theo could barely keep up with what they were doing. It was like they had the entire game already worked out in their heads...

Rose got into bed, shifting around to try to get comfortable. That was getting harder to do, now that she was getting so big. When she was finally curled on her side, Theo slid over and put his arm around her and pressed his hand over her belly. "How is he now?"

"Finally calming down," Rose sighed. "I swear he was dancing a jig!"

Theo chuckled and cuddled closer to her, chess games forgotten. He was starting to feel sleepy, now, wrapped around his nice warm wife. He rubbed small circles just above her navel. Part of him wanted to feel the baby kick--it never ceased to amaze him--but he also knew Rose needed a rest.

Rose rolled back slightly, and looked over her shoulder at him. "Did you see the things the girls made for the baby?"

Theo shook his head. He'd been too busy getting soundly stomped on by his nephew in chess today.

Rose patted his hand. "Pervinca's been teaching them to knit and Willow made mittens and Éoleof made a hat and Stel made a scarf. In pink." She giggled. "I think they're trying to tell me something."

Theo chuckled. His nieces had been trying to convince their Aunt Rose to have a girl ever since she'd announced her pregnancy. His nephews, too. Which explained the twins' request to him at supper. "That reminds me," he said, nuzzling Rose's ear. "Legolas and Gimli asked me to tell you not to listen to them. They want a boy cousin." They giggled and Theo cuddled closer to her, spooning behind her. He sighed, content and sleepy.

He was just starting to drift off when Rose spoke again. "I felt sorry for Eomer and Fari," she murmured. "They looked so lonely."

Theo snorted. "Serves them right. For all the times they teased me and Frodo about being 'pathetic' for mooning over a lass."

"That's mean!" Rose said, but Theo heard the amusement in her voice.

"They'll survive," he said. He smiled and burrowed his face into Rose's curls. "And I'll enjoy watching them suffer."


Author's Notes:

A Bit Closer Johnny & SmaryK: Thanks for the comments!

:-)