A/N

Thank you so much for the reviews, I can't expess how much they help me in writing this story. I'm quite nervous about this chapter so your thoughts would be most welcome.

I hope you enjoy it.

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Éomer and Aedre were easily able to slip away, leaving the sounds of merriment far behind them as they made their way back to the front gates of Edoras and into the silent city, out of sight from all but the watchful silent guards that stood in solemn sentinel, their eyes focused upon duty and their lips sealed in an oath of loyalty to their King and all he deemed to do.

They passed quickly up the steep slope towards the Golden Hall and turned into the welcoming cool shadow of the stables. All but a few of the horses had been taken out to pasture. Firefoot pawed the ground in excited anticipation at the sight of his rider. Éomer deftly and expertly saddled his grey stallion with ease and before long the animal was ready to bear them both to wherever they desired. Éomer guided Firefoot out of his stall and into the stable yard, the soft sound of hoof falls echoed off the cobbled stone.

"We shall not travel far." Éomer said turning to Aedre. "He will happily bear us both." He absently stroked Firefoot's muzzle.

Aedre looked up at the great grey animal with timid eyes. It had been years since she had been upon a horse and the thought of it frightened her despite the fond memories such journeys now held deep within her remembering. Sensing her hesitation, Éomer took her hand in his and brought it up to caress Firefoot's soft coat. Aedre felt a pleasant jolt of remembrance at the warmth of his hand guiding hers over the animal's velvet soft hair, harking back to the day they had first started along the path they now walked hand in hand. She looked up into the face of the man before her, studying his handsome features, the strong turn of his jaw and his eyes which bore kindness and warmth. His presence swayed her reluctance and she knew all would be well. Her eyes drifted to the long, heavy sword which rested against his thigh, encased in intricately engraved leather, the design reminded her of the pattern which adorned the door to his chambers.

Finally she nodded her head certainly, stating that she was ready. Éomer first helped Aedre into her seat before he swung himself up into the saddle behind her with one fluid movement. Once he was seated his strong arms encircled her and his hands grasped the reins. Éomer gently pushed his heels into Firefoot's sides and the horse began to move, a slow walk at first gaining in speed until they rode at a stiff trot.

They made their way down the path towards the gates. Blue sky and warm sunlight bathed the expanse of land laid out before them, seeming to make the greens and yellows of shrub and grass startlingly vivid and the sight greeted them gladly into the freedom of the plains. As Firefoot's hooves touched the soft grass laden ground beyond Edoras, Éomer felt the rush of emotion he so loved. Whenever he rode, leaving all duties and troubles behind him, a joy seemed to bubble somewhere deep inside of him. It was raw, strong and in a strange way violent, like the thrill of riding into battle but different still, purer in its intent upon the spirit. He tried to hold back the urge to push his mount onwards, knowing that the act may disturb the woman wrapped safe within his arms but the excitement of the moment was overpowering and he wished for her to experience the emotions that beat hard and firm within his breast. He gave the extra push, whispering something harshly to Firefoot. The stallion did not need any further encouragement and sprang into a swift gallop.

Aedre gave out a small whimper of surprise at the sensation and her own hands came to grasp at Éomer's arms in surprise and uncertainty. She clutched onto the sleeves of his shirt as the powerful, muscular animal spirited them both across the ground at an alarming speed. But Éomer's closeness and the arms that kept her huddled to him did not falter and soon she relaxed, becoming accustomed to the bumps and movements, although in all honesty to her own mind she would have wished to not be riding along at such a speed. She focused her attention upon the surroundings that flew past them, the sights of hills and mounds along with the odd tree and large boulder distracting her from looking down and the ball of panic grasping at her once again.

After they had ridden a little while in this fashion Firefoot slowed to a canter and the journey became all the more bearable for Aedre to endure. Her hands relaxed their grip upon Éomer's arms, soon the animal was doing no more than a leisurely walk and a comfortable silence fell over them both.

Éomer easily picked his way through the tall grasses following a small path that had long since become overgrown. They continued around a large rock face to a small clearing that was encased in a semi circle of rock. The grass seemed shorter inside this place, dotted with sweet smelling flowers and the slight scent of wet earth.

They came to a stop and Éomer dismounted before his hands wrapped around Aedre's waist and he aided her to the ground. He secured Firefoot to an old dead branch that had once belonged to a tall, strong tree, long since withered and fallen.

Aedre looked around the small clearing, her eyes glancing over the details. The damp aroma she discovered was coming from drips of water that seemed to spring from the very rock itself. It trickled across shining looking stone and blooms of green moss to finally form into a small pool encased by large jaggedly cut boulders. It was not a natural container but a man made well to hold the fresh water the rock bore forth. The space was so open, not like the enclosure of Edoras and the Golden Hall, she had not been in such a place for a long time... even upon Firefoot she had felt sheltered, but this was so open and her mind flashed up the idea that hiding places from danger would be few.

Then it came like a great wave, covering her mind and senses. A deep feeling of dread and foreboding which she tried to push back but her heart seemed to have sensed her mind and had begun a strange sickening rhythm within her chest. From where the feeling came or why she could not fathom but she suddenly felt as if she were in grave danger. The very ground before her seemed to waver, bend and curl, distorting her vision and making her feel as though she had begun to gently sway, as if she were part of the tall grasses they had passed through, ruffled by a unpleasant breeze. Éomer had been talking to her as he deftly completed his task of fetching some sweet tasting honey bread and her pallet from his saddlebag, he let out sighs of pleasure at his surroundings and the beautiful summer's day, his tone soothing to all those that were able to hear it... but Aedre heard none of it, only the deafening beat, beat, beat from within herself, unceasing and dreadful. She stood as if frozen, the sound swelling within her ears making her feel as if her very head would break apart if it did not soon desist. She wished to cover her ears, to let out a cry of distress but her limbs were leaden and useless, only her fingers spasmed with the effort. She could hear beneath the roar of her own torment, a crashing sound, water... waves, the pounding of a great body of water on a cold and stormy night. Then the screams pierced her hearing, horrendous and terrible, the dreadful cries that were made as the life was forcibly wrenched from the body through a violent act. Arms encircled her, pulling her close to a warm body and she would have felt safe if the woman who held her hadn't been tremoring with fear, it seemed the emotion could be smelt in the air, sour and pungent, mingling with the salty aroma that was always present.

"They come." A gruff voice said but she dared not look at the speaker, at anything but the large wooden door, her wide eyes were fixed upon it as her little heart fluttered within her chest. She feared she would be sick, she didn't want to dirty her own clothes, she was always scolded when she soiled her clothes or spilt food upon herself...

A sudden gut wrenching bang made all in the room cry out. The collective sound of so many people magnified the panic and some of the women began to scream, the sound high and hysterical. Another bang at the door was accompanied by a strange, sickening, churning crunch of wood and a blade glinted in the moonlight through fresh splinters... yes, she thought... they come...

The screams had doubled in volume as the stinking black shapes tore through the door and invaded the room. Gurgles and strange strangling noises reached her ears as blades swung in the darkness ending their terrible force with a strange thump and then people were falling, falling down to the ground, glassy eyed and bloodied. Scared beyond understanding Aedre ran, towards the door and out into the rain soaked village, her sight distorted by the heavy, hard droplets of water. The crashing of waves was louder here, disorientating...

Her consciousness was so overwhelmed that she did not hear him coming up behind her nor was she expecting the hand that came to lay softly upon her shoulder, instead her mind flashed up an image, a twisted ugly face with rotting teeth and malicious eyes with only death and pain upon its wicked mind. They'd come back to claim her after all this time, rising back from their resting place of thick black blood and broken limbs in that dank cave, grasping, wanting and vengeful. They always found her...

Aedre's senses kicked in from pure survival instinct alone. She gave out a strangled scream and turned, her nails dragging through flesh, causing fresh blood to ooze in their wake. She did not tarry but turned her head seeking escape, knowing she must flee if she valued her life, her eyes blurred by panic and fear to see anything clearly within or without. She stumbled backwards, huffs and whimpers of alarm coming from her lips. She felt as if she could just get to somewhere safe, somewhere that covered her, surrounded her she would be safe and all the dangers that now seemed to hunt her would disappear. She wanted to call out, to scream his name, she knew he was still with her somewhere.... wasn't he? But her mind would not focus long enough for her to fully settle on that matter, the fear was too much.

She continued her awkward flight until her heel came upon an unexpected rock and her balance was lost. She toppled over backwards and connected with the ground with a heavy thud. A pain shot up her back from the impact but she ignored it, instead instantly struggling once more, pushing herself backwards but her hysterical struggles were brought to an abrupt stop by hands that held her fast not allowing her any leeway. She gave out a strange mewling of protest the hysteria complete... they'd caught her, it was done... it was done...

"Aedre!" The voice was harsh, gruff and demanding. "Stop, Aedre!" She was shaken sharply, the rough action bringing some of her senses back to her.

She looked up seeing clearly for the first time only Éomer before her, no Orc bore down upon her. The storm drenched village bathed in sickly moonlight was gone and the summer's day greeted her along with the pleasant clearing. She looked about them wildly; still certain that they were here that she had seen the foul creatures, perhaps they now stalked through the pretty glade. Finally she looked up into the man's face who held her. His brow was furrowed in anger and confusion. Their eyes connected, her desperate look speaking of bewilderment and doubt, beseeching him to explain what had just happened. Éomer forcefully pushed the hair out of her face, unable to keep his own anger from flickering within his actions.

"What is wrong?!" He asked frantically, wanting to understand her sudden outburst, an act that had seemed so out of character for the sweet natured girl that he could only assume she had been struck by a fleeting madness.

Aedre's breaths slowed, her eyes still darting across their surroundings. Finally Éomer felt she was calm enough to leave her and fetch the pallet from where it had fallen. He pushed the object into her numb hands and held out the chalk before her. "Tell me." He instructed bringing her own gaze to his, stilling it from the rapid search.

Aedre scribbled hurriedly upon the black surface, her nerves showing within her penmanship. She finally turned the board over to him and Éomer read the shaky scrawl upon it. He furrowed his brow as his mind made sense of the misspelled words.

"Them."

"Bad."

"Here"

Éomer looked back at her before again studying the writing. He shook his head. "I do not understand." His tone was full of frustration; despite the fact he had willed it to be smooth and kindly.

Aedre took the pallet back and re-read her writing her own brow creasing at the useless words. She rubbed them away with the sleeve of her dress before again beginning to write. It took her some time to find the words she wished and try to spell them properly. Her mind still spoke dully of danger and the desire to warn the man before her throbbed within her breast and would not relent. Finally she passed the pallet to Éomer's awaiting hands. He studied the words, again they only just made sense to him as he mulled them over in his mind, her writing skills were still in infancy and she had attempted to write words she was unfamiliar with. Finally he looked back up at her, unsure if he had understood what she wished to convey.

"Monsters are here?"

Aedre grasped at his arm nodding vigorously and pointed to the clearing about them. Éomer's frown deepened as the realisation of what her words meant came clearly to his mind. She was convinced Orcs had been here, what had caused her to think so he could not fully understand. He studied her pallid face for a moment, seeing the unmistakable marks of fear etched into her eyes and features. Her expression was disconcerting and for a moment Éomer felt he faltered in his confidence in the girl sat before him. What if she were mad or damaged beyond repair... His brow knitted together as he thought over musings the words had brought forth to his mind. Finally he looked squarely back at her, his will set. What did the mind matter where the heart and soul were concerned?

"We are alone Aedre." He was surprised to hear his own voice sounded calm and as soft as velvet.

Aedre shook her head but it held less conviction as her memory brought up no real images of any Orcs being in her path on this day, could it really only have been a waking dream? She glanced up at the King of Rohan her eyes still holding that same lost look of bewilderment.

"We are too close to Edoras for any Orcs to roam, they know better," He paused waiting for the words he had just spoken to sink into her mind. "and I am armed, I can take battle against many Orcs and I have this." He gestured with his eyes to the small horn that was attached to his belt. "If I sound this the men of Edoras will come to my aid." He paused once more studying her face. "You are safe."

Aedre moved slightly, gaining a better view of her surroundings, wanting to take another look and be sure his words were the truth, in doing this act her hand shifted position. Beneath her grip she felt a wetness trickling across her palm and moved away in surprise. Her eyes beheld the long, thin scratches she had created upon Éomer's forearms and her gaze widened in shocked ignorance as she brought her hand towards her, studying the smears of blood upon it. Finally she allowed her eyes to meet his, tears already beginning to pool in their depths as she silently asked if she had caused this injury.

Éomer gave a weak smile and answered her silent question with comfort. "I am not hurt."

But the words were not solace enough and Aedre allowed tears to fall down her cheeks. Éomer wiped them gently away with his fingertips.

"I am not hurt." He repeated his eyes and the tone of his voice telling her he knew she had not meant her actions. "But Aedre," The sound of her name brought their gazes together once more. "You must tell me why you thought they were here?"

Aedre slipped a hand away from his arm and clutched it to her breast, her eyes intense, speaking some of what she could not.

"You felt it?"

Aedre nodded eagerly before breaking their connection, turning her gaze to contemplate the space around her. She gestured with her hands the size before shaking her head and closing her hands so only a small gap remained.

Éomer understood her meaning as his mind clicked all the occurrences into place. "You have not been out in the open since you were with them, with the Orcs." He paused, his eyes scanning the pretty place he had brought her to, hoping she would find beauty in it, not memories of long forgotten horrors. He gave a low sigh. "I should have thought upon the matter more before I brought you here." He looked into her face; the colour was beginning to return to her cheeks. "For that I am sorry."

Aedre furrowed her brow before she shook her head roughly and pointed down at his arms before placing a hand to her breast. The action stating that he should not be sorry, it was she who lamented her actions. Now her mind seemed to have settled she felt foolish and ludicrous for what she had done. In the moment it had seemed so real, but now her eyes were clear and she could see that no danger was forthcoming.

"It matters not." Éomer said with a smile. He touched her cheek softly and grinned as she was forced to return his smile due to his kind actions. "Let us try and enjoy this day... unless you wish to return to Edoras?" He asked wanting to stay and try and cure her of her baseless fear.

Aedre glanced about them before looking back at him. She gave a small nod and motioned with her hands towards the ground that she wished to stay. Éomer gave her a warm smile and rose to his full height offering her his hand, she gladly took it and got to her feet.

"Come, let us go to the well and I can bathe my arms."

Aedre's expression flickered with regret but a small, playful nudge from Éomer pushed the thought from her mind, she knew if she was unhappy he too could not be content and so she forced the guilt away. They came to the clear, clean water of the well. The droplets and the ripples they caused as they splashed into the pool glistened with the sunlight, seeming almost as if they could be real gems fit to adorn any crown. Éomer sat upon the edge and slowly lowered his right forearm into the crystal water. Aedre watched him for a moment before she removed the apron about her waist and sat down nearby. She began to pull at the thin material until it gave to the pressure and tore into uneven strips. She shifted closer to where he sat and when he pulled his arm out of the water she dabbed at the cuts and droplets until it was dry enough to wrap crudely in more of the shredded apron. Éomer watched her with dancing eyes as she worked carefully and tenderly at her task. She gently tied off the two ends and waited patiently for him to wash his other arm before giving it the same treatment.

Éomer knew the wounds were not severe enough to be bandaged, the blood had already begun to congeal and the outcome was no worse than a nasty cat scratch, but he allowed her to do as she pleased, knowing that treating him would ease her mind some.

Finally the task was completed and their eyes met once again. Éomer smiled in silent thanks before turning his face up towards the azure sky, allowing the warm sun to bathe his skin. "I used to come here when I was a child." He said breaking the calm stillness between them. "Sunniva would bring me and my sister, Eowyn, here in the summer." He smiled at the remembrance of youth. "It was our secret place and a folly of our childhood." He glanced at her as Aedre looked around the surroundings seeing them in a new light as the form of a young Éomer passed before her mind's eye, playing as the children in Edoras played, a concept Aedre could only vaguely understand.

"We made up tales of giants, evil and good wizards along with great battles against the people of Rohan and forces of darkness here." He paused briefly and gave a low sigh. "This well we nicknamed the 'Wizard's Well', I told Eowyn that a great and powerful wizard had built it many hundreds of years ago, when the Elves were still young in the world and men had not yet come into being... I told her a great Elven army lay sleeping under the rock, awaiting a time when the land would need them once again and the great Wizard guarded them until that time." He gave a chuckle. "She believed me when I said the water of the well provided the drinker with health, fertility and happiness... I think perhaps I even began to believe it myself." He turned back to her as if leaving the mists of memory behind. "As children so often do... believe stories of their own making."

Aedre gave a warm smile enjoying his tale and the soft soothing sound of his voice that now made her feel at ease with the situation as long as he was close by.

"Now I am grown, I like to think perhaps the tales had some note of truth in them." He again looked at her directly. "I am sorry, I should not speak of my happiness in youth, knowing you had none."

Aedre studied him intently for a short moment before picking up the pallet she had brought with her and rested upon the ground. Carefully she spelled out two words before passing it to Éomer.

"Warm bread." Éomer read aloud.

Aedre nodded and gave a grin touching her temple lightly.

"Ah." Éomer said understanding her gesture. "You do have a good memory, warm bread..." He paused. "Your mother, did she bake bread?"

Aedre gave an uncertain nod. It was not a memory she dwelt often upon it was something she liked to keep locked hidden away within her, only being brought forth in times of extreme need to comfort and heal her tormented mind. While with the Orcs it had been one of her small salvations but she used it sparingly, afraid that if she remembered too often it would lose its colour and echo of snug, warm scent. The memory itself was small, a mere fleeting glimpse into a past long forgotten. A warm small kitchen, a rustic table and chairs and her mother or perhaps just a woman she knew well stood in front of a bright sunlit window, her form becoming only a shadowed figure who worked at kneading dough while the wafting smell of nearly baked bread, yeasty and mouth watering permeated the air with promises of sweet honey and fruit preserve.

Aedre came back from the images her mind stored so lovingly and looked up into the face of the only person she wished to share them with. She smiled and nodded, yes, she too had good memories.