A/N
Once again I have to extend my apologies to everyone reading this. I fully intended to work upon it in earnest after my last update but life got in the way and I found very little time to indulge my own hobbies :(
I have found the time to begin again and I hope this time I will be able to get further than a chapter or two. I am working on the next chapter as I upload this so the wait should not be long.
I send out a heartfelt thank you to all of you who have reviewed, it was reading these recently (I haven't even had time to read reviews for the last few months!) that spurred me to get back on the horse.
Thank you and I hope you enjoy.
"""""""
"What did you say!"
"You are a bad leader is what I said."
She sat in a corner listening to the current argument between Ufthak and Grulg. The two Orcs had taken a dislike to each other over the past weeks. Grulg was beginning to question their leader's skills, for what reasons she didn't really care, but it was becoming more certain that a fight would soon break out between the two rivals; the air always seemed heavy, just as it had done before Ufthak had taken leadership. The rest of the band of Orcs were excited, uneasy and ready for some new entertainment.
"I'll make you into worm food!" Ufthak roared and reached forward, meaning to grab the other Orc and deal out a good sound beating which would most likely result in death. Grulg side-stepped the meaty outstretched hand that grasped for him, his own hand drawing his sword quickly.
"We haven't had fresh meat for weeks with you in charge, we want a change!"
Ufthak's ugly bloated face contorted in anger and he let out another intimidating roar. A horse which they had recently acquired gave a nervous pawing at the ground as if it knew the only reason it had not yet been dismembered and roasted over a hot fire was its small usefulness in carrying supplies, a usage which would not last long.
She glanced at the animal as it whinnied in nervous fear at the harsh noises around it. It probably had been used to a warm home and good hay every evening before the Orcs had attacked the wandering band of men and it had seen many horrors as its companions had been butchered and eaten. She looked down at her scarred hands, it had been many years since the night Ufthak had gained power, many years that he had steered the wandering band of foul creatures along a good path of pillage and booty, but Orcs seemed to have a lust for power and for feeling important. Ufthak had dispatched many usurpers but each time there was always the chance that the shift of leadership would happen and she feared each confrontation, for who knew how the new leader would decide to treat her, if they would agree she was an aid to their raids or too much of a burden to the party.
A harsh clash of metal upon metal drew her eyes back to the scene before her as the two Orcs began to fight in earnest. Grulg was more or less the same height as Ufthak and their build was similar, it was certainly an even match when it came to body size and strength but Grulg had a advantage that the other Orc did not, he was sly and cunning, his eyes always scanning his surrounding for things he could use against his opponent, uneven ground, branches and other objects he could hurl and cause distraction, but Ufthak kept coming, his blade finding it's mark several times in shallow cuts, his anger burning brighter by the moment.
Seeming to sense that he could not gain the upper hand even with his sneaky tactics Grulg retreated to the horse, using the frightened animal as a shield against any further assault. Ufthak reached around with his blade many times, but only managed to jab air as the distance gave the other Orc a good advantage against such would be deadly blows.
Ufthak gave a noise of frustration through his teeth as Grulg retreated further, a smug smile pulling at his hideous, gaunt face.
"You coward!" Ufthak again thrust his weapon forward. His snarl fell as his his gaze travelled to the animal he stood close to, noticing how the horse's eyes rolled with fear. Ufthak's expression changed, within his sallow, sour yellow eyes it was easy to see he was thinking, forming something... It took a few moments but then a light seemed to appear within his gaze as he snapped his attention back to his enemy. He quickly reached out, his dirty long fingernails finding the beast's soft muzzle, he didn't hesitate but violently dug in, his sharp nails dragging through flesh, causing blood to spring in their wake. The horse gave a terrible cry of pain and lashed out, bucking wildly with its back legs. Grulg was not quick enough to avoid a forceful blow to his chest which sent him sprawling onto the ground, a nasty broken bone or two dealt by the horse's hooves as his reward. Within a split second Ufthak was upon the one who had dared to defy him, and with a forceful plunging movement Grulg was no more, run through with a sharp blade.
She watched on as the victor rose, leaving his defeated opponent to his last resting place where he would fester and rot in the open, thankfully she knew they would be long gone from this place by then. Congratulating cheers greeted Ufthak as he made his way back to the fire and foul smelling black liquid was passed around in celebration.
She rocked on her haunches, her thoughts lingering upon the fact that at least for now things would not change, for now she need not worry about the future. But there would be another, one of the Orcs that now greeted their leader as a bosom friend would turn upon him and Ufthak would lose, one day. How fleeting was any kind of valour when power was within the seeker's grasp...
""""
Aedre came back to herself with a start. How long she had stilled in her scrubbing she was unsure. The shift in her grasp was wet and cold, the water had lost its heat in the quickly cooling room and the fire she had recently brought back to life was once again no more than struggling embers. She gave a low sigh. It was hard to be at peace with the fact that she could not just forget such memories, that they would always be a part of her and that they could suddenly spring into her mind without a moment's notice. Knowing she was not the same person she had once been, that she could not do the things she had once done made her past seem almost unbearable when she allowed herself to dwell upon it. But she couldn't deny where she had come from, nor the ones that had raised her, no matter how harshly... they had been a part of her. She had learnt from them and her mind still struggled to understand the way the race of men worked the land and lived their lives; because of the fact, that in a strange way, she was entwined with the Orc way of life, the only life she remembered before Anborn found her.
She held the shift up before her and went over it with a keen eye, searching for any stains she had missed. When she felt satisfied that it was clean she rinsed it in the water over the dying fire, washing away any soap suds that clung to the fabric. She wrung off the water from the material and hung it upon a wooden beam nearby to dry. She would come back in the morning to fetch it. Aedre wiped her water wrinkled palms upon her clothing and glanced around the room. She wondered how late the hour was and if Sunniva and Éomer would be fretting as to why she had been gone so long. She quickly tidied her appearance, her palms lingering over her cheeks; the feel of her own skin beneath her touch calmed the emotions that had become stirred within her.
She turned to the lone candle that now struggled to keep alight as it now had very little wax to feed upon. Aedre stared at it amount, for a strange unknown reason she pitied its vain attempts and with a deep breath she blew it out, stilling its hardship.
Aedre quickly made her way back to the kitchens. She had been right, the hour had grown late. She met no one but the guards as she walked through the empty rooms and corridors. When she finally reached her destination she found Sunniva slumped upon the large table in the middle of the room, her head resting softly upon her arms. Aedre walked forward and heard the slow deep breaths of sleep. She hesitated, knowing that she had been instructed to not venture to Éomer's chambers alone unless in great need. But she had no heart to waken her older friend, no desire to break Sunniva's exhausted slumber.
Aedre fetched a blanket, which were kept in a cupboard for when the bitter winter months made even the large fire's warmth seem fleeting. She carefully and gently wrapped the blanket about Sunniva's shoulders and tenderly brushed aside a strand of greying hair that had become loose from Sunniva's usual tight braid. Sunniva had done so much for her over the years, had put herself in danger of being turned upon by the counsel with her actions of aiding Aedre and Éomer in their meetings. Aedre felt the least she could do was leave her friend to slumber peacefully for at least one night.
Checking that the fire was well fed and any items that had been left out had been stowed safely away Aedre left the kitchens. The hour was late after all; there was little chance of coming across anyone of note. She quietly made her way once again through the corridors, taking the all too familiar path to the king's chambers. As she walked she found her heart was fluttering in a nervous rhythm. She kept to the shadows as much as she could and placed her feet carefully, aware of every sound she made and any noises that reached her hearing. It was more than once that she stopped abruptly, startled by the spit and crackle of a burning torch. She felt foolish for feeling and acting in such a way. She had been to Éomer's chambers many times on her own... but then there hadn't been the heaviness of consequences, no worries of reprimand and no fear of discovery. It seemed things had changed greatly and she had never been more aware of the fact than on this dark night.
To her great relief she was soon stood before Éomer's door. She nervously glanced around her, checking the darkened corridor to her left and right. The empty passageways seemed to do nothing to quell the disquiet she felt and tentatively she knocked. The three sounds her knuckles made against the wood seemed to echo harshly around her and again her eyes sought for danger. The door opened within moments, the warm, welcoming light flooding into the gloomy corridor and her spirit lifted as Éomer's face was revealed.
""""
Aedre's eyes slowly fluttered open. The night before seemed as if it had all been a bad dream, the worries, the memories, none of it mattered now she was swaddled in the warm covers of Éomer's bed. Her mind told her that the hour was late, past her normal dawn rising, as her eyes rested lazily upon the shutters. She could see chinks of daylight forcing their way through the small wooden cracks. She became aware that the bed beside her was empty and the realisation sent the jolt of uneasiness back into her mind. She swiftly rose and startled Éomer who stood only a few feet from the bed, dressing. Regaining himself he gave her a stiff smile, the gruffness and disquiet in his mood apparent.
"Did you sleep well?" He voiced the question that was their normal morning greeting but strangely on this morn it held no sweetness or softness in its meaning.
Aedre nodded in confirmation, before pulling back the warm covers reluctantly and sitting on the edge of the bed. Her fingers absently began untangling the knots her hair seemed to have gathered during the night.
"I have been sent word" Éomer said, drawing her gaze back to him. "The council meeting is to be today." He paused, letting her digest the news. "It is sooner than I expected, I have not had the time I wished to prepare, but I will still meet with Baal today and this at least will clear my mind and I hope make my words more pleasing to the nobles' ears." Once again it was more as if he was voicing his thoughts out loud rather than directing them at her.
Aedre felt numb and knowing she must do something she rose from the bed and began to dress, taking more attention than was needed in tying the laces at her waist. It seemed her fingers would suddenly not work in the way she wished, they felt as if she had been out in the harsh cold too long, becoming clumsy and near useless. Éomer finished pulling on his heavy leather boots and walked over to her, his fingers brushed her own away gently, but firmly, impatience in his actions, taking up the task she could not perform. Aedre felt a warmness swell through her at this small gesture. Whether his mood was foul or fair she enjoyed the attention. Once he was finished he gave her a smile that was meant to be reassuring but that same stiffness hinted at the corner of his lips.
"Do not allow your thoughts to dwell upon morbid things today Aedre, do your day as you normally will."
Aedre forced a smile to grace her lips.
"Sunniva will be here to fetch you shortly..." He paused, his brow furrowing with internal thoughts. "I must leave" he said finally.
Aedre quickly reached out and curled an urgent hand around his arm, he turned to her at the unexpected action and she took a few hurried steps towards him, her hands pressing against his chest in a plain act of preventing him from going. Slowly she shook her head, her face betraying that she did not wish him to face the council, not today, not any day. Why did it have to change? Why must he go and stand before these rich and powerful men who owned many material objects or fought as great warriors for their place in the Golden Hall? Why could he not just bid them to do as he willed, he ruled them, he was their leader. Aedre's mind rushed, what if one decided Éomer was no longer fit to be king, what if they dethroned him, usurped his place in Edoras... What if they grew angry at his words and drove a blade into his body, silencing any upheaval this situation caused to the people of Rohan? She wanted to scream, to shout that he should stay, that they could carry on the way they were, she didn't care if she was his wife, his queen... none of this meant anything to her, only Éomer was important to her. Despite her wish the only sound she managed was an urgent whimper.
Éomer covered her desperate hands with his own, stilling her moment of confused emotion. "I know you fear for me" he said calmly, but Aedre shook her head forcefully. No, he didn't understand what she was thinking; she knew he couldn't because in her heart she was aware her fears held no ground. The world didn't work like her nightmares, here in the land of men. Éomer pulled her into his embrace and held her tenderly for a moment. "Whatever the outcome, I will be with you." He paused, pulling away. "There will always be a way, our path is not barred." He stroked her cheek softly.
Aedre stared up at him her eyes regaining a small amount of comfort at his words. Suddenly Éomer shook his head. "But I cannot tarry here." His familiar frown appeared on his brow and Aedre knew he was gathering himself for the day ahead. The softness he had held in his posture and tone slipped away, the gruffness of authority slipping over him once more. Without giving her another glance, perhaps fearing he would lose his mask, he left the room in certain strides. As he reached the door he turned, not enough to see her but so the words he spoke could be heard. "Sunniva will be with you soon." He walked through the doorway, and closed the polished wooden door softly behind him.
