The wind whipped at Éomer's hair and he breathed in the freedom around him. The sun continued to rise slowly covering the land in a cool pink light and he rode, harder and faster than he had for many months as the princess tried vainly to overtake him. Finally he relented in his teasing and they slowed to a steady trot, both sweating and spent of energy.

"How was that for a ride?" Éomer said between gasps of breath.

"It was fair." Lothíriel said smiling trying to disguise her own shortness of air.

"Fair is all the lady says." Éomer said with a laugh. "I have far to go to please the Princess of Dol Amroth."

"You do." She said with wry smile. "I am extremely hard to please." She looked out across the landscape before her and closed her eyes, listening to the rustle of grasses in the wind. "This place holds a great peace and yet it is bleak to look at, no gardens, no pretty streams, no sunlit woodland." She opened her eyes and looked at him. "It is so unlike my home."

"You are used to great beauty, yet my land is rough and harsh, perhaps not the right place for a princess."

"Beauty can be found even where you first see none." She said. "I see beauty here." She turned her gaze once again to the long grasses.

"Then my land is indeed honoured." Éomer said with an impolite laugh.

"You mock me my lord?"

"A little perhaps." He was surprised to see she levelled a steady look at him, bidding him to continue despite his petty insult. "I see you as a lady of Gondor, someone that has been protected and kept well fed and clothed all your life, the brush of winter's chill has not blemished you. Rohan is not as forgiving, it is harsh and it is hard. I have gone hungry and I have felt my toes and fingers freeze, I have seen my people stave. I have seen a year's worth of crops wiped out in a day by rain, a village destroyed by our enemies in one night's raid. It is a beautiful land, yes, but it is wild and untamed."

"Just like its king." Now it was her turn to mock him gently and they both laughed in good humour at the jest. "But you have saved your people, they no longer starve, their crops grow strong and their king works tirelessly to see the lands restored and defended. This land is indeed blessed" She said serious once more.

"I alone have done nothing." He tugged at the reins bringing Firefoot to a standstill. "It is my people that work tirelessly; our strength of fellowship that guides us."

"You sell yourself too short Éomer King."

"We should turn and head back." He said nodding in the direction they had come.

She made a small noise of agreement and they turned together, in a slow plodding walk, enjoying the warmth of the sun upon their backs as they rode.

Éomer glanced at her several times as they went and finally after a small smile of reassurance from her he asked the question he wanted.

"Why did you come to Edoras?"

"You know why I came." She said in a sober tone. "My father wishes us to wed, to form an alliance. I was sent to try and coax you into this, to persuade you somehow." The lady kept her gaze ahead.

"And what are your feelings on this?" Éomer said cocking an eyebrow at her.

She smiled but did not look at him "You would ask my feelings, when my own kin care not?" She laughed. "Your heart is indeed honest and bold."

"I have often been told I am both things, and not always in compliment." They both laughed.

"I feel like chattel." She said pulling a face. "Like I am to be moved here and there until some willing soul takes me." She looked at him, her eyes burning with a small fire. "I like it not."

"You tell me this so plainly, do you not worry I will take offence?"

To this Lothíriel laughed out loud, to Éomer its sound was akin to a small bell. "Offence?" She said still chuckling. "What offence could I give to a man that has already chosen another? What harm could my real feelings do to a mind already decided against me?"

Éomer let out a low laugh and it took him a few moments to still his humour before he could speak. "You are wise beyond your father's knowledge."

"Of this I am well aware." The lady grinned and Éomer laughed again.

"I am surprised your father sent you so willingly out of his sight. He was protective of you upon our first meeting."

"You mean suffocating?" She smiled. "Afraid I'd be swept away in an instant by the first man to set eyes upon me. He kept me coddled most of my life, until your sister that is."

"Ah my sister." Éomer's look darkened. "She has a way of bringing out the wildness in things and her tongue can be too sharp." He noticed the lady studying him closely as if she was easily guessing the reason for his foul mood today. "I'm sure she beat your father into submission and seeing things her way."

"She did, and now I have more freedom than I could have dreamed of. Without Éowyn I may never have seen these lands."

"Did you not wish our joining?" Éomer asked suddenly, taking the maid off guard.

It took a few seconds for her to answer and when she did a light blush of pink flushed across her cheeks. "I thought it would not be unpleasant."

Éomer made a loud sound of amusement. "Not unpleasant?"

"I had seen you before, at King Elessar's coronation and visiting your sister in the years after. I heard of all your deeds and became fast friends with Éowyn, so we talked of you often. I thought you were a noble man. I thought our union would bring a great alliance and peace, or so many told me. I can think of much worse men to be my husband."

"I see." Éomer said, seeing the lady had become a little uncomfortable. "I am greatly honoured you thought of me thus."

"As you should be." Lothíriel said trying to make light of the situation. "A woman has such little choice in this life, I control so little of my own future, it is as it has always been." She sighed. "We cannot expect to find love upon a first meeting but I hope one day, I will find someone I can at least share a bond and happiness with."

Éomer furrowed his brow. "It does not seem right how little you guide your own path."

"But as a woman it's what expected, duty is above my own vanity." She grinned at him but the expression dropped as she saw the king found no humour in this.

"Is that what you think of my choices, vanity?"

"I meant no judgement upon you my lord, I only..." The lady began but Éomer cut off her words.

"I know, I am not offended." He smiled a little awkwardly. "But hearing you speak makes me wonder what others think of my decisions." He watched her for a long moment until she finally realised he wished for her to speak.

"You seek my opinion?" She asked with a little disbelief. "I have no right to give it."

"You are a princess." Éomer argued. "You have every right."

Silence fell between them as the lady tried to search for the words that would answer the difficult question.

"I do not know." She finally said simply. "I can see both sides, both have equal honour and good causes. I see your thirst for change, for creating your own rules and following your own heart. Yet I also see a land in need of strong rule, a people who hold their tradition as dear as their own children and a man that already has much upon his shoulders." She paused trying to gauge his reaction.

"You are honest." The king said.

Silence fell again and this time it was uncomfortable.

"My father will be displeased when I return without a husband." Lothíriel said changing the subject a little. "But I would have us be friends, I know your will is with another and I would not dissuade you from that path for all my own wishes or my fathers. Éomer King, your friendship is all I could now wish for."

Éomer pondered her words for a moment. "You are very strong my lady, stronger than I think many give you credit for and you have great wisdom." He smiled warmly. "Though our alliance will not be made through a marriage I would be blessed indeed if I could call you amongst my friends."

"Then friends we'll be." She pulled her horse to a stop and Éomer did the same. "To our alliance." She held out her hand and Éomer clasped her forearm in a sealing of their words as she grasped his.

"To our alliance princess."

"Lothíriel." She said with a grin.

"Then to you I am also just Éomer."

"""""""""""""""""""""

Aedre's mind swarm groggily back into consciousness. It took her many moments to open her eyes fully, the lone dim flame of a candle bringing a sharp, quick stinging sensation to her vision at first until she grew accustomed to the light. She moaned lowly, feeling exhausted and all her muscles cried out in protest as she tried to move.

"Be still." She was ordered by the familiar voice of Sunniva.

Aedre focused her gaze upon her and became aware not only was Sunniva in her room but the serving women's wise woman who was checking Aedre's limbs with careful firm bony fingers. Aedre again tried to move, feeling an overwhelming rush of discomfort at having someone she was not used to touching her and she squirmed a little in feeble objection.

"Be still!" Sunniva's voice was irritated and so Aedre obeyed and allowed the old woman to examine her.

"Does it hurt anywhere?" The wise woman questioned. "Did you bump your head?" She asked not waiting for an answer to the first question. Her searching cool hands came to Aedre's head and gently squeezed and probed her scalp and then continued feeling down her neck.

When released Aedre shook her head in a negative reply.

"Well." The wise woman continued to Sunniva as if Aedre wasn't in the room. "I can find nothing wrong with her, an ill fit I assume. No use trying to find the reason, it happens sometimes." She pushed a small vial of liquid into Sunniva's palm. "Give her this before she sleeps, it will aid her some." She chewed her mouth which contained few teeth. "Suspect it was just a rare thing if she's shown no signs of it before, just keep a close watch on her and call me if she gets worse of has another."

"Thank you Yma, I am grateful you could come so quickly.

The old woman flapped her hands in dismissal of the words. "Just fetch me if needed." She hobbled towards the door before she paused and without looking back towards the two women spoke again. "She's had some luck, I'll give her that, those scars, lucky she didn't die from a corruption, lucky her blood didn't turn bad."

Sunniva replied lowly. "Yes."

"Well then." Yma said and without another word left the room closing the door vigorously behind her.

Sunniva stared at the door for a long moment before returning her attention to Aedre. "How do you feel?"

Aedre coughed a little, feeling her throat was dry and a little sore. Slowly she nodded, her expression asking the question of what had happened.

"I found you in the corridors; you did not see nor hear me. Yma says it was an ill fit. She does not think we have reason to fear." She gave the younger woman a steady, serious gaze. "What do you remember Aedre?"

Aedre shook her head, stating she didn't' know the answer.

Sunniva looked down at the ground and when she returned her eyes to Aedre's form, tears were pooled within her gaze. "What where you doing?"

Aedre gave her a confused expression.

"Where were you going Aedre?"

With a slow movement Sunniva lifted her hand and pulled back fingers to reveal the small object hidden in her grasp. A small glass bottle with white powder held within.

"Why did you have this in your pocket?"