A/N

Again, later than I wanted it to be, but here it is nonetheless and I hope you enjoy it.

Thank you again for the reviews, I will update as much as I can.

""""

Aedre touched the wooden chair nearby her with a light brush of her fingertips, feeling the smoothness of its shape. It felt stable, real... words that did not currently seem to connect with everything that had happened within recent days. Her cosy little room somehow seemed smaller to her eyes, as if the very walls had closed in around her as she stood in silent thought. The days had passed and the hour had grown late, all in Edoras knew the news that a murder had taken place within the stables now, even the king would know, but he had not called her to his side and many lonely nights had passed. This thought left her feeling pulled in two different directions, was it not good that he had no wish to talk to her, to see her guilt laid plain and bare within her eyes? But yet her traitorous eyes wished for nothing but to hold his form within their gaze.

How she had managed to go about her normal daily routine she was not fully sure. In a way it had been easy to just act as if everything was the same, as if nothing had changed in the Golden Hall. The serving maids still had chores to be completed and light hearted gossip to exchange, the nobles meetings to attend and papers to read and the guards still stood with watchful eyes at their posts. Edoras, it seemed, had not been thrown into chaos due to the death of one serving woman. The subject was often mentioned, talked of heatedly by some, but most had accepted that, just as Sunniva had said, the Golden Hall could not stop for want of one. Of course this did not mean that the situation was not taken seriously, many had been questioned, taken away from chores and duties to be asked when they had last seen Guene, what she had been doing and whom she had been with. Aedre herself had not been called; none seemed to think she would be of much help in the matter. She heard gossip of people suspected or details of how the murder may have unfolded and the promise had been muttered that the matter would not rest until the person responsible had been caught.

She finally sank slowly down onto the bed, the wait had begun and it tortured her with images of what was to come, what could be. She had one last chance of salvation; she had to retrieve her apron, if it was found it would only be a simple process of elimination before the heavy hand of blame would be placed upon her. If only she had been spared a minute alone within the kitchens, but the last few nights she had felt wearied by the days, sleep had been all her mind wanted and she could never waken herself early enough to be there before Sunniva. She cursed herself inwardly; if she hadn't chosen this path would the world still seem light? She sniffed loudly, pushing back tears that threatened to well within her eyes at any moment and chided herself. There had been no other way, Guene was a threat, a threat that could not be allowed to continue... yet... a little voice deep within her spoke quietly of the race of men's world being different, there had been other ways and she had acted rashly. She pushed such thoughts violently away and focused her gaze upon the solid chair once more. Even men fought for what they wished, why had her actions been any different? She set her jaw as she clung to this revelation. Now, more than ever she had to rely on herself, but this was no mere meal or a scrap of warmth she was fighting for: this was all she wanted, this was everything and if she lost faith in her own convictions now she may as well have never been brought out of the last dank cave she had despaired in.

She gave a certain nod, suddenly aware that she had been still for a long time. She glanced at the sickly yellow tallow candle that burned near her bed and saw that it had dwindled a good amount in size from when she had first lit it. Slowly Aedre rose and brushed her hands distractedly over her clothing, smoothing small rumples with her palms. She took in a deep breath of air and held it within her lungs for a short moment before allowing it to escape her lips, extinguishing the nearby flame. She reached out and turned the handle, opening the door to the dim corridor.

All was silent as she made her way with soft but determined steps across stone and soon she stood within the kitchens. It was dark and still, the muted atmosphere only disturbed by the sudden popping of the dying fire in its last attempts at fuelling itself on blackened wood. Aedre lit a small candle, almost nothing but a stub was left within its metal holder, but she needed little light by which to perform the task she had set herself.

She turned quickly, her eyes determined as she walked towards the set of shabby wooden drawers. Placing the candle upon them she stooped and pulled the compartment out, her hands eagerly set to fishing the apron from the folded blankets. It took her mind a moment to understand that she could not see it, nor feel its soft material pressed against the rough wool covers, and as the feeling washed over her she pulled the blankets out one by one allowing them to fall carelessly to the floor. Her mind began a panicked racing as it dawned on her that that which she sought was no longer there. When she finally reached the bottom of the drawer she began to desperately unfold the blankets, her eyes hoping to catch a glimmer of light material, a splash of red... anything... but there was nothing.

Aedre fell back upon her haunches clutching at the disturbed and crumpled blanket within her grasp, clinging to it as if it held the answer to her critical question. It was then she heard it, small but there, a distinct creak of wood. A familiar sound she knew only too well that came from the rocking chair sat within a darkened corner of the kitchens. Aedre was upon her feet within a moment, her body spun around to face the noise, the blanket abandoned.

She could hear her own harsh breathing in the silence as she strained with her eyes and ears, but the answer she wished for soon made itself known as a sorrowful sigh came from the blackness. She backed up a step as the creak of wood came again, signalling the person had risen from their seat, shuffled footsteps sounded across the floor and Sunniva stepped out into the gloom of the lone candle.

Aedre's eyes widened as her mind raced with excuses, reasons and explanations as to why she had been in the kitchens so late searching through drawers but Sunniva's expression stilled her from making any moves or attempts of conversation. The older woman's face looked worn and wrinkled, her eyes were glazed and tired and Aedre felt a small ripple of worry descend over her.

Sunniva's lips parted but no words came forth for what seemed a very long time. "I knew you would come." Her voice was no more than a hoarse whisper. "I prayed to the Valar that you would not, that it was not the truth." She paused for another long moment in the stillness. "But I knew you would come."

Aedre could see Sunniva's eyes glistening with tears and her brow furrowed in confused concern, her first instinct was to rush to the older woman and comfort her but then her own gaze was drawn to the object clutched within Sunniva's hands, an apron, blood stained, incriminating and hers. Aedre felt an unpleasant feeling shoot up her spine and the fine hairs on the back of her neck seemed to prickle with the sensation, spreading through her scalp like a wave washing across her. She made no move or attempts to talk, but instead remained staring at the apron.

"Tell me it is not so? This blood is not from hare or any meat; you do not butcher to cause these stains upon your clothes." She paused in hope, waiting for the young girl before her to make a move of explanation, but she stood as if frozen. "I saw you leave the hall that night... I never thought of it until I found this... never thought... it cannot be you, you could not have done this... I know you... but you hid it deep within the drawers as if it shamed you... as if you hid a sin from all... if it was blood from some minor thing you would not care, you would have washed it... but there is dirt and hay clinging to this apron, the smell of the stables... I do not want to think this is true... tell me this is not true?" Sunniva's ramblings softly filled the silence as she relayed the facts and her hopes that they could somehow be proven to be false.

Aedre continued to stare, not moving a single muscle in reply to the words spoken.

"Aedre!" Sunniva's low but demanding voice drew her out of the hold the material seemed to have held sway over her and she quickly flicked her gaze to the older woman's face. Now tears had slid down Sunniva's cheeks but her face was stern, angry and she walked towards Aedre with fast footsteps. "Is this not yours Aedre, is this not your own?" She shook the garment forcefully before Aedre's pale face.

Slowly Aedre nodded, not knowing what else she could do in this moment but knowing she could not lie, the truth was plain.

"What did you do?" Sunniva's tone was hissed and ominous. "What did you do?" Her voice rose as if the emotion that coiled tightly around her heart was bursting forth from her very lips and within that moment a harsh slap landed savagely against Aedre's cheek, sending her stumbling a few steps backwards with the force.

Aedre clutched at her quickly reddening flesh, the pain sending a strange feeling tingling through her veins, familiar and hated. She let out a small whimper and backed away, her gaze fearful and wide at the betrayal that had just played out before her. Tears of resentment pooled within her eyes as she continued to stare at the woman before her, her face had taken on a wild quality akin to a frightened animal that had been wounded and backed into a corner.

Sunniva stood her ground, her bottom lip trembling with a slight shiver of emotion and she quickly brought her hand to her mouth as if suddenly shocked by her own actions. She allowed a few more tears to slide down her plump cheeks before she once again spoke. "I did not mean..." she whispered through her hand. "Oh Aedre" she said, as if that was all she could manage to say in that moment.

She wiped at her cheeks with a clumsy hand and took in a deep breath as the young girl continued to stare at her, hunched and unmoving, save for the harsh breaths that seemed to make her whole body shake a little.

"What have you done?" Sunniva finally said. "Why did you do such a thing?"

Aedre remained still, her body was rigid but her mind raced with images she had tried so hard to bury, memories that made her flesh prickle with the remembrance of pain, of punishment and ill treatment. She moved her eyes a little so she could fully see Sunniva, a woman she had trusted, a woman she had never thought would strike her in anger, would never hurt her... another little part of her world had gained a crack within its veneer...

"How could you? What possessed you to hurt Guene? A woman you knew?" Sunniva paced a little as she spoke and Aedre straightened her posture, leaning the small of her back heavily against a nearby wooden table for support. "What can be done? I cannot tell... I do not know what to do... The Valar help me."

Aedre listened to Sunniva's voice, but hearing only noise not words, a monotonous droning that rose and fell within her ears. A dark look clouded her features as her eyes followed Sunniva's steps and her chest heaved heavily as if she had just run a great distance. Would the older woman lunge for her again? This time to give a full beating that would bruise and break her flesh? Aedre's hand half heartedly clutched at the table edge, glad of the solid contact and brushing against the tools left out for use the next day. Her hearing pricked at the metallic ring of metal upon metal and her head bowed, glancing over her shoulder, her eyes settled upon the large moulded broth spoon and sharp meat knife that brushed the side of her palm. She looked quickly back at Sunniva, her eyes narrowing.

"The Valar help me" Sunniva repeated. "Tell me what happened Aedre?" She seemed to shake herself, her mind becoming aware that the young girl could not talk. "I know you cannot speak, yet you must find a way to tell me... to make me understand." She pushed a hand against her brow which was beaded with sweat. "I do not know if this can be undone, I do not know!" She paused, her steps coming to standstill as if a sudden thought had come to her. "Did Guene attack you, did she hurt you... did you fight back? Is that what happened?" Although the words sought understanding they held no note of comfort in them, no warmth, only panic and distress.

Aedre's grip curled around the wooden handle of the blade, pulling the object close to her back.

Suddenly Sunniva rushed forward, her hands gripping Aedre's shoulders and her fingers dug painfully into flesh with the sheer emotion behind the action. Aedre's eyes widened further, rolling a little as she tried to gain her mind back from a fear that grappled with her logic, a fear that willed her to curl up into a tight ball ready for onslaught.

"Aedre, my poor girl!" Sunniva's voice trembled, her face full of concern, anger and despair. "My poor damaged girl, how am I to protect you now?"

Aedre's muscles tensed, her grip tightening, she had to act before it was too late... she doubted she could do this, but she must save herself, she would not be beaten again...

Sunniva roughly pulled Aedre into an embrace and began to sob into the young girl's shoulder, her hands grasping at Aedre's back as if in a bid to conceal her from the world. Aedre's eyes dulled, surprise marring her expression, her lips parted softly in shock and her grip loosened. The knife fell with a small dull clang onto wood, audible only to Aedre over the sobs of the woman that clung to her. Aedre's hands shook as the full realisation of what had just occurred descended upon her and her hands quickly clutched at Sunniva as she herself began to cry.