A/N
A new chapter. I am trying to write more. I really hope to finish this and I have a rought draft of the story now written out in bits and pieces. Your ideas, info and opinions really mean so much to me and do make me want to write more. So if you want to cheer me on it is most welcome.
I hope you enjoy it.
Éomer's brow was marred by furrows of deep thought, for how long he had been still and silent he was unaware, but a gentle shaking brought him back to the present and his eyes met the deep depths of the girl's before him. He suddenly became aware of why she had roused him; his side had become far too hot from the fire they reclined beside. He quickly shifted to a more comfortable position and rubbed at the prickling sensation the heat had left behind on his arm.
He glanced at her again; her brown hair was loosened from its normal daily braid and lay about her shoulders in soft waves from the weave. In sunlight her hair had a dark golden quality to it, but in the darkness of his chambers, late into the night, it looked near black, giving her pale skin a translucent appearance. How she had known he'd needed her on this night, with never a word passing between them for many days, he could not fathom, but mere hours after Sunniva's departure, there Aedre had stood, knocking gently upon his door and relieving his longing. Now the moments of being reunited were over, their heated embraces and kisses - speaking of wanting and lament at their parting - were appeased and they had sat wrapped in each other's arms as time passed. As he looked upon her now, he felt his lust begin to rise, how he would enjoy taking her to his bed once more, but he stilled his own wants, knowing now was not the time for such things, now was a time for peace and reassurance.
Aedre's hand came out to rest tenderly against his cheek, feeling the rough stubble beneath her fingers. She was glad she had come, scared though she had been to begin with. She feared Éomer would lead her directly to the bed once she visited him but she had pushed past her own fears, to see him even for a moment in the confines of a silenced room was worth the doubt. Yet, once again her own anxieties had been unwarranted; Éomer had merely sat with her as they drank in the situation of being together once again. Her lips came to meet his in a lingering kiss, a silent thank you for his actions.
She felt his hand upon the nape of her neck and sighed at the soft caress he left across her skin before pulling away.
"Will you stay?"
She nodded.
"""""""
The next day the whole of Edoras was abuzz with news. Gossip spread like wildfire and soon reached Sunniva's ears in the kitchens. It seemed they would be having important guests in the very near future. At the name of Lady Éowyn she felt her heart skip a beat; it had been so long since she'd seen the girl. She paused within her thoughts; no she was no longer a girl, a woman now with a husband of many years and a child approaching its fifth winter. How time had flown. She smiled as the other women continued to talk as they went about their work, the distraction more than welcome.
"Edoras has for too long been without its shieldmaiden."
"It will be good to have her home, that's to be certain."
"Aye, but will the Lady Éowyn have changed, taken on Gondorian ways?"
A burst of laughter, "She's far too much a Rohirrim for that, she'll always be one of us."
"Aye, she'll never forget her home, nor the people she came from."
"Oh but I forgot to tell you what I just heard in the great hall, there's rumour that a Princess will be coming!"
"A princess?" Sunniva cut into the group of women's gossip. "What princess?"
"That's all I heard Sunniva, that some princess from Gondor is coming with them."
"Wonder what a princess wants here?" The group carried on, lost in their own intrigue.
"Isn't it obvious?"
"What's obvious?"
"She'll be for Éomer King, a potential queen."
The group let out a collective gasp of understanding.
"But what of the rumours of the king wishing to choose his own woman?"
Sunniva suddenly felt she needed some air and retreated away from the conversation to the side door; she flung it open and allowed the late spring air to wash over her, calming the worries that had suddenly clutched at her.
""""
As soon as she was given a moment Sunniva rushed to Éomer's chambers, her heart beating hard within her breast as she knocked upon his door and was admitted with a smile by young Baal.
"Is Éomer King here, I must speak with him?" she said, with a calmness she did not feel.
"Yes, I am here" Éomer said, standing from his seat by the fire. He gave Sunniva a quick studious glance before deciding that anything she would say would best be heard only by his ears.
"Baal," he turned to the young man, "You may go and fetch that extra parchment now, since we have been given a long needed break."
Baal gave a certain nod and without hesitation left them alone.
"Sunniva." Éomer greeted, and Sunniva noticed a minute edge of ice in his tone. She pushed the thought away, dismissing it, but it lingered there a moment, chilling her with the idea that after she had struck him, nothing would ever quite be the same between them.
"Éomer." Sunniva nodded her own respectful greeting. "I have heard rumours, that a princess is coming to Edoras, is this truth?"
"Yes." His brow furrowed as he spoke the word, allowing her to instantly know it was not a situation he was happy with.
"The council?" she breathed.
He nodded. "In exchange for them even beginning to think upon a commoner as my wife, I must first endure this charade."
"Is it the Princess Lothiriel?"
"Of course, whom else, all in sincere interest to myself and Rohan of course" he said sarcastically.
"Politically she is a good match" Sunniva said softly.
"But she is not my choice."
"No, she is not" she agreed.
"And they are wasting my time with this."
"At least Éowyn will come home."
"That is the one good thing about the situation and the only reason I agreed" Éomer said gruffly. "They assure me the princess comes for no more than pleasure but I do not trust them, they will try and pull some form of trickery."
"Then we must all be vigilant" Sunniva said, seeing the tightness of stress coil around his body.
Éomer turned to her, a warm and thankful smile upon his face and Sunniva felt her own fretting melt away, from that smile she knew not enough had changed between them to be cause for lament.
"Yes, we must." He scratched his chin and Sunniva could instantly tell his taught muscles were caused by more than this situation.
"Éomer, is something wrong?" He looked up at her, surprised. "I feel there is more that weighs upon you."
He chuckled, but it sounded hollow. "You read me too easily. Yes, there is more, Baal has perhaps discovered a way that I could have Aedre as my wife."
Sunniva's heart jumped with joyfulness, despite her own thoughts over the last few days. "How can that be?" She rushed forward towards the parchment that lay upon the table, eager to understand. But Éomer's hand came down gently upon the papers, preventing her from seeing the words.
"It is not wholly good news, Sunniva, and a path I doubt I could take. Not only does it carry great risk, it would put Aedre into a position that I would not will her to be in." He let out a sigh. "With time, such things may happen, it is what I want, but Aedre... and to ask so much of her... with the outcome uncertain. I cannot in good conscience do this."
"I don't understand" Sunniva said, puzzled by Éomer's rushed words.
Slowly he removed his hand and allowed her to read the scrawled, old writing. Her eyes scanned the page, taking in each sentence and with a jolt of realisation she looked back up at Éomer.
She opened her mouth to speak but her mind had not yet found the words to voice.
"It carries too much risk, as I said." He walked back to his chair and sat down. "This is at least an age old, the men they speak of are long dead and it was not even a king, just a high ranking noble."
Sunniva glanced at the paper as if still not fully understanding what she had read.
"Baal thinks it may be an option if things... become desperate."
Sunniva nodded. "But it does carry a heavy risk Éomer."
"I know" Éomer said, giving her an understanding smile. "I would not endanger Aedre."
"And there is no telling if Aedre will even want to..." she paused, "to lie together at all" she said, meaning the after effects of the young girl's past.
Éomer glanced away. "It is not that, we have..." Éomer gave an uncomfortable cough and turned his eyes to the window.
"Oh..." Sunniva's voice couldn't hide her surprise. "And she..."
"It is a difficult subject." Éomer cut her off, feeling his embarrassment grow by the minute.
Sunniva gave a small nod, understanding the words he had not spoken. "I know not a lot of this situation but a young girl was taken against her will when I was but a lass myself. She was afraid of men for a good while but she finally married, found a good man." She paused, knowing Éomer was pretending to pay little interest to her words. "I heard it was his good patience that won her over, slowly was the way."
"Why are you telling me this Sunniva?" Éomer said, his discomfort reaching new heights. "This has nothing to do with the subject!"
Sunniva started at his sudden rise in anger. "I'm sorry, I just thought of that girl for a moment and the past came back. You know how I like to talk when I remember." She offered him a smile of truce and with a small grunt he seemed to accept it.
"It is an extreme idea Éomer."
"I know, it is not one I will consider... yet it... it is not something I will consider" he finished.
"It is for the best, I feel sure of it" Sunniva said in a light voice.
"Yes" Éomer said, his tone signalling he no longer wished to discuss it. "Now your thoughts are at ease over Princess Lothiriel too, you need not worry; I am fully aware and ready."
"I am glad to hear it" Sunniva said. "We will get through this together, Aedre, you and I."
Éomer gave a nod before seeing her to the door.
""""""
Sunniva paused for a moment in the silent corridor, gathering her thoughts from their exchange. It seemed Éomer and Aedre were deeper into the relationship than she had first assumed, if Aedre had taken that step it must mean that perhaps they did have a future... but the way Éomer had acted, it didn't fully make sense. He had said it was difficult and Sunniva had understood he had meant Aedre was not fully comfortable. Could she bear his heirs or would Éomer's line end with him? It was a thought not worth thinking upon. Baal's plan would not help if things became desperate, it was a fool's errand and Éomer was right - the risk was too high. Sunniva sincerely hoped with all her heart that it would never happen, that there would always be other ways. The thought of Aedre full with Éomer's child on the whim of a once long ago lord marrying his mistress because he'd had proven his right to heirs was a dangerous and perilous path to tread. If the council would not bend then, Aedre may be cast out of Edoras.
