1Disclaimer: All characters from Lord of the Rings books and lines from the Lord of the Rings script belong to the Tolkien family and the production companies. Please don't sue me. I only own the characters I created on my own.

"Karri, it's time to wake." She opened her eyes praying to see Anthony but instead Eaodon sat over her. "We ride to Edoras soon." Karri looked down to the cloak laying over her, suddenly realizing why she had stopped shivering in the middle of the night. It was made of very fine material, very thick, and dark brown.

"Eaodon, did you put this here?"

"No M'lady. Lord Eomer did." Karri's eyes widened with surprise. She looked through the men and found Eomer talking to Gamling. His eyes connected briefly with hers before she turned away quickly, slightly blushing. "Lord Eomer said I could also cut your binds so you could ride with me." Eaodon quickly pulled a knife out of his pocket and cut the ropes.

"Thank you Eaodon." Karri said rubbing her wrists which were red. She stood up and grabbed her backpack, being careful not to make any sudden movements. She didn't want more spears at her neck.

"Lord Eomer." Eaodon said respectfully and he bowed as Eomer walked towards them. Karri bowed as well.

"We are leaving soon." His eyes lingered on Karri then to his cloak.

"Oh!" She said catching his glance. She handed him the cloak back and he caught sight of her raw wrists. "Thank you... umm Lord Eomer." That was going to take some getting used to. He merely nodded and made his way towards his men. Karri just shook her head and followed Eaodon to his horse. Liwin, as his owner named him, was all brown with a black mane and tale, not as beautiful as Eomer's horse, but still a sight to behold. Eaodon climbed up and offered his hand to Karri so she could seat herself behind him. The going was slow and the sun beat down of them. It didn't take long for Karri to get bored.

"Eaodon..." She said softly, trying to keep her voice low.

"Yes M'Lady?"

"What's with Eomer?"

"What do you mean?" He asked keeping his voice just as low.

"What is his... uh, title? I guess you might call it."

"Oh., Lord Eomer is the Third Marshal of the Riddermark. He's third in line for the throne." He said matter-of-factly.

"The throne?" Karri asked more shocked than anything.

"Yes, his uncle is our King. King Theoden." Karri just sat stunned. So she just insulted the nephew of a king? Crap. "Don't you have a king where you are from?"

"No, no. Not for a couple hundred years, no."

"Then who is your ruler?"

"Well, the people in my country vote for our leader. And we have different levels or rulers, but at the top is the President."

"What exactly does a President do?" Eaodon asked genuinely interested. Karri launched into all she knew about politics and leaders, which helped pass the time and calm her nerves. In turn Eaodon told her about Middle Earth, the Dark Lord, the coming war, and the Kingdom of Rohan. With every sentence Karri's mind seemed to swim more and more. Soon she saw a city seemingly rising out of the ground. "Wow.."

"Isn't Edoras beautiful. This is my home." The riders made their way into the "city" and Karri saw a young women run towards them. She had beautiful blonde flowing hair and was wearing a dark red gown straight out of the middle ages. She ran into Eomer's awaiting arms and Karri felt a small hint of jealousy. "What's wrong?" Eaodon asked concerned.

"What?" She asked confused.

"Your body tensed suddenly." Karri just shook her head.

"Nothing's wrong. I am just worried, nervous, and homesick."

"Maybe Lady Eowyn can cheer you up." He suggested trying to comfort her.

"Is that Eomer's wife?" Karri asked, a hint of attitude in her voice.

"No she's his sister. Eomer is not yet married."

"Yet?"

"Well, I assume he will one day, but not for a great while. His life as third marshal takes up most of his time." Eomer called for the riders to dismount and Karri suddenly found herself very nervous.

"Eaodon. What are they going to do to me?" Asked seriously. "I mean one of the riders accused me of being a witch, which apparently is very bad here, and I don't know anything about this land. What if they hurt me?"

"King Theoden is very merciful. They will probably call the counsel of a wizard. Maybe even Gandalf the Grey."

"So, wizards are ok, but witches aren't?"

"With the dark times you could have been working for Sauron."

"Eaodon you are to take her to the Golden Hall and await the King, Lord Eomer, and Lady Eowyn." Gamling said giving Karri a warm smile.

"You M'lady have seem to have won the hearts of Gamling and myself. Not an easy task. Perhaps you are a witch." Eaodon said with a smile leading her up a set of stairs.

"I assure you I'm not a witch." Karri said a slight smile touching her lips. Hopefully the King wouldn't be too harsh if some of the riders at least cared a small amount for her. The Golden Hall wasn't really golden, in fact it looked like a hall you would have seen in the middle ages. Everything here did. Karri suspected they would be as primitive as the middle ages as well, that did not make for a good outlook. She heard the doors open behind her and Eomer walked in, accompanied by his sister. Karri could not help but think how amazing he looked. His eyes were considerably calmer and his face seemed softer.

"Who is this?" Came a greasy voice from the front of the hall. Two people had appeared. The first, the man who spoke, wore all black. His skin almost seemed green and he had an air about him that Karri instantly disliked. The second was a gentleman who was wearing the king's crown. Though he looked much older than the way Eaodonhad described him. Regardless she bowed, as did everyone else.

"We found her in the Riddermark. She claims she has no knowledge of how she got there." Eomer said walking up beside her.

"Where are you from girl?" The man in black asked once more.

"I'm from New York City, sire." Karri said, not making direct eye contact with him, but looking at the King.

"No place like that exists in middle earth." The other man said sternly.

"I am sorry sir, I don't know how I got here."

"A likely story." He said a smirk placing his lips. "Perhaps you are a spy, sent to kill us. So we'll put an end to that. You're to die tomorrow by order of the King." Karri's heart dropped and her knees almost gave out on her but she felt a strong presence holding her up and she turned to see Eomer's green and brown eyes staring down at her.

"Uncle, I do not believe she's a threat." Eomer announced suddenly.

"You dare question the ruling?" The first man said accusingly.

"I was speaking to my uncle, not to you Grima." Eomer said venomously.

"Uncle." A soft voice called and Eowyn made her way to the front of the hall. "I trust Eomer's judgement. I am in need of a new chambermaid and I am willing to help her adjust to life here." Karri suddenly had a very deep new found respect for Eowyn. "Please Uncle spare her." The King turned to Grima and he seemed younger momentarily. He whispered something to Grima and Karri watched his face fall.

"You Uncle grants your request." He spat out, not looking directly at Eowyn. Karri thought she would hug Eowyn for a moment, but she was fine being supported by Eomer.

"Karri is it?" Eowyn asked walking in front of her.

"Yes My lady." Karri said bowing.

"Very good. Follow me please." She requested. Karri reluctantly took her weight off Eomer and gave him a lingering look before following his sister. They walked through a hallway before she opened a door and allowed Karri through first. It was a larger bedroom. "Are you ok?" She asked suddenly, her demeanor changing and she seemed concerned.

"I'm a little shaken. Thank you much My Lady."

"Well, first of all you can call me Eowyn, in fact please do." She said with a kind smile.

"Thank you so much Eowyn." Karri said smiling sincerely. "You and your brother saved my life."

"Yes but not before Eomer had your wrists scratched raw I see." She touched Karri's wrist softly. "I bet you're tired and dirty. Let me have some of the servants draw you a bath and we shall talk more. Alright?"

"I don't know how to express my thanks." Karri said still shaking.

"You don't have to." Eowyn left the room and returned a few minutes later accompanied by several other women. Karri's suspicions were confirmed when she found their was no running water. She knew it was going to be hard to adjust. Eowyn brought in a beautiful green dress.

"You can were this for today and we'll get the weavers to make you some of your own." Karri eyed the garment.

"Eowyn this is too much. It's beautiful. I can't accept this."

"Please take it. My brother said it is unflattering on me, and with your dark eyes and hair and your pale complexion it will look stunning on you." Karri reluctantly accepted. As she pulled her T-shirt over her head she heard a gasp come from Eowyn.

"What's wrong?" She asked concerned.

"You're shoulder. What's on your shoulder?" Karri reached back but remembered.

"That's my tattoo." She said confused.

"Tattoo?" Eowyn asked, eying her suspiciously.

"Yeah, I got it when I was 18. What's wrong?"

"Only people from the south have markings under their skin. Do you promise me you are who you say you are?" Her eyes were suddenly serious and had the fire Karri had seen in Eomer's.

"I promise you Eowyn. I am not here to hurt or harm any of you." Karri said looking her straight in the eye. Eowyn seemed to calm. "Where I am from tattoo's are normal for people my age. A lot of my friends have them."

"Why that creature?" Eowyn asked, considerably calmer.

"It's a wolf, and it reminds me of my father. He died a few months after I turned 18." Karri looked towards the floor.

"Eomer and my parents also passed. Uncle Theoden took us in and adopted us. We've been living as his own ever since."

"I'm sorry." Eowyn just smiled at her. The rest of the ladies, including Eowyn, left the room and Karri settled down into the warm bath. After she finished her bath and got dressed Eowyn returned. Karri learned she would basically just be Eowyn's personal assistant. If Eowyn needed anything Karri would get it for her, and she didn't mind. She was just grateful to be alive.

"Follow me Karri." Eowyn said softly and she led her back into the hallway and into the next room which was a smaller bedroom where Karri's book-bag was laying on the bed.

"Here's your room." She said softly. "I suspect you'll want to get some sleep and I am heading to sleep myself."

"Again, thank you Eowyn." Karri said sincerely. Eowyn just smiled at her.

"I shall see you in the morning. I rise when the sun's up, so I expect you to be up then too."

"That's no problem." Eowyn smiled at her before leaving the room. Karri sat on the edge of the bed and took a deep breath. Her exhaustion was beginning to over-whelm her and she laid down quickly falling into a deep sleep.

She awoke a few hours later and her room was pitch black. For one moment she allowed herself to imagine she was in her apartment in New York, but everything was too quiet. She sat up rubbing her eyes before standing and feeling around for the door. Once she did she opened it quietly and made her way back towards the Golden Hall. She didn't know if it was alright to be roaming this late, but she didn't really care. The Golden Hall was partially illuminated and a table sat in a far corner. She walked over to it and sat down, her elbows resting on the table, and she out her head in her hands.

"What have I gotten myself into?" She asked aloud.

"What have you gotten yourself into." The voice startled her and she stood quickly to find Eomer staring at her. She felt herself blush.

"My Lord." She said softly before bowing.

"Why are you still awake?"

"I got some sleep, but I just woke up. I'm not going to sleep anymore tonight." Eomer sat down at the table.

"You may sit with me." He said casually. Karri sat down but folded her arms over her chest. "Have I upset you in some way?"

"No my Lord." She said with an icy tone. He laughed slightly.

"Come on, tell me."

"Ok, I don't mean to be offensive, please remember that." He nodded. "Where I come from no man could tell a woman when to sit or to be respectful and get away with it. You could not hold spears to someone's throat or tie them up for an entire night. It's insulting. So I am not a princess or queen or whatever you people look up to, but I am a person."

"Are you finished?" He asked. She just looked away. "You are in the Kingdom of Rohan now. You're no longer in your country, and you have to abide by our rules."

"I never asked to come here." She put her head back into her hands. "I miss my family."

"Your husband?"

"Husband?" Karri laughed. "Are you serious."

"You seem to be of the age where you should be married by now." He said calmly.

"I'm 23."

"As is the correct age." He said confused. "A little old actually."

"No, where I'm from you don't usually see people in their early 20's getting married. The age to marry is more near 30."

"I see."

"I am guessing you are older than me, why aren't you married." Karri briefly wondered whether she had crossed a line.

"Normally I wouldn't be answering these questions of a chambermaid. However, if you must know. My duty is to my country. I don't have the time."

"Not even to date?"

"Date?" He seemed confused.

"Yeah, you ask a girl out then take her to dinner or for a walk and just talk."

"If you do that here it's likely that the two of you shall be getting married soon." Karri just shook her head. "You look beautiful in that dress." Her eyes caught his and he looked away quickly, seemingly embarrassed. "Forgive me. I should not have said that."

"Why not? I'm flattered."

"It was too personal." Eomer said softly.

"Wow, you wouldn't survive 5 minutes where I am from." Karri said with a smirk.

"Could not survive?" He asked a little offended.

"I don't mean physically. I mean... Ok, I didn't mean to offend you."

"Then what did you mean?"

"I don't know how to say it without getting to personal." Karri said honestly.

"I would ask that you try." He leaned a little closer to her as if she was going to tell him a secret.

"Well, My Lord... You're... ummm... very good looking. You're tall with a kind smile, when you smile, and beautiful eyes. Women where I come from would be throwing themselves at you with little to no modesty about it." Even in the dim light she could see Eomer blush.

"Thank you." He said sitting back. Their eyes connected for a moment and Karri felt herself blush and she could hear her heart beating. The two sat and talked for what must have been hours. Neither of them had laughed that hard in some time.

"Your culture is fascinating Karri." Eomer said with a smile after she finished explaining baseball.

"As is yours my Lord."

"I feel as if I have known you since childhood and yet I know little to nothing about you."

"Yeah, people tell me I am complicated."

"Extremely, but it's a challenge which is my specialty." His eyes averted again. "My mouth has run away with me again." Karri just looked at him and shook her head.

"I should go back to my room." Karri said quietly. Eomer nodded and Karri stood. "Thank you for talking to me my Lord." She turned to walk away but he grabbed her arm softly.

"Karri, I... I'm sorry about your wrists."

"I've had worse, but thank you anyway." She smiled at him before walking back down the hallway.