A/N: another short and sweet chappie! enjoy!


Chapter 3: An Invitation

Isolde breathed heavily as she leaned back against her chamber door. She couldn't believe what he'd said the things he had…while looking at her. Maybe it was all in her head? She tended to think something was about her when it wasn't, whether good or bad. Maybe this was another time when she thought it was one thing when it was very much another? Either way, the way he'd stared at her, the way he'd spoken and the words he used, it had made her begin to tremble all over.

You cannot feel this way, she warned herself. He is the King! You are nothing but a handmaiden! His sister's handmaiden at that! Pull yourself back to reality, Isolde!

A knock on the door made her jump with a gasp as she whirled around to stare at it with wide eyes filled with wonder.

"Isolde?"

Why did he come after me? she groaned inwardly, but knowing it was wrong to deny the king anything she quickly straightened herself out and tried to control her trembling before slowly opening the door. She lowered her gaze and stepped aside to allow him to enter if he wished, murmuring, "Yes, my lord?"

"Please, do not be so formal," he insisted, walking into the room and facing her to place his hands gently on her arms, making her jump slightly, but she kept her gaze down, not wanting him to see the blush starting to spread over her cheeks at him being so close. "Especially after my words at the table. I did not mean to make you uncomfortable in any way, Isolde."

"I…was not feeling well, my lord," she lied, hesitantly. "I am feeling better now."

"I see," Eomer nodded, his hands still on her arms and running up to settle on her shoulders and she held back a moan at feeling his warm hands on her half exposed shoulders. "Are you well enough to rejoin us at the table?"

She swallowed but instead of speaking, she only shook her head, her gaze still lowered.

Eomer nodded again and stepped closer to gently take her chin in his hand, bringing her gaze to his to murmur, "You will tell me if you require anything, won't you?"

Her mouth hung open as she tried to look away but was unable to, his green-hazel gaze holding her sea-green one in a trance.

"I…I would not wish to impose-"

"I am offering this to you," he cut in gently. "My sister's handmaiden must be feeling her best if she is to take care of her mistress's needs, should she not?"

"Y-Yes…but I should not be a burden to her brother, that King of Rohan," Isolde argued, gently.

"Isolde, I may be king, but I am only a man, mortal and feeling," he replied, and the hand that had not left her chin suddenly had a mind of it's own as it trailed up her cheek to press his palm to it. "I am flesh and blood, the same as anyone else. My rank makes me no different from any other man."

"Forgive me, my lord, but it does," Isolde insisted.

"By way of respect, yes," Eomer agreed. "But I am not divine. There is no reason you should fear me. I've given you no reason to do so."

His thumb stroked against her cheek, involuntarily and Isolde's eyes fluttered shut at the gently caress. Eomer couldn't resist himself.

He slid both his hands to her neck, gently pulling her closer by the back of it as he lowered his face to hers. His lips met hers ever so gently, and he felt his heart flutter when she gave a small sigh he was sure sounded like contentment. Pressing his lips fully against hers she gave a slight squeak of surprise but didn't pull away. Taking a chance Eomer ran his tongue along the seam of her lips and she opened to him without argument. He deepened the kiss, pulling her closer as she finally lifted her hands to settle on his sides, almost wrapping them around his arms.

A moment later they pulled away for breath, and Isolde felt lightheaded, as if her legs would give way beneath her. Apparently Eomer sensed it, and before she realized she was falling, he scooped her into his arms. She rested her head against his shoulder as he stepped toward the bed and set her upon it, leaning over her to press the back of his fingers to her cheek.

"You feel feverish," he murmured as she swallowed, their eyes locking as his hand moved around to the back of her head. He pulled the silver comb still holding her curls back from her hair and set it on the stand next to the bed before sitting next to her at her side. "You are excused from your duties for the rest of the evening. What could my sister possibly need a handmaiden to do at this time of night in any case?"

"Many things, my lord," Isolde replied, trying to sit up, but Eomer placed a gentle hand on her shoulder to keep her still. "I brush her hair, fix her bed, set out her clothes she is to wear the next day-"

"Things she can, and has done on her own," Eomer smiled, warmly. "Surely Eowyn is not one you pamper constantly. She would not allow herself to be waited on hand and foot, would she?"

Isolde opened her mouth to reply but stopped short and thought for a moment before replying, "No, she wouldn't. She absolutely refuses to let me help with certain things. Dressing her, for one, which I was required to do for the last lady of court I served when Gondor was under the rule of the Steward."

"As you have proved, she can take care of herself," he smiled again and placed a hand over hers as it sat on the bed. She looked to their hands and swallowed, her heart thumping in her chest as her gaze turned back to his. "Now, rest well tonight, Isolde. You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow."

"My lord?" she frowned as he stood and started toward the door, but stopped when she called to him, finally sitting up on the bed. "Forgive me, but I'm afraid I don't understand."

"Eowyn and I are going riding again all day tomorrow, and I wish you to accompany us," he explained, making Isolde's eyes shoot wide at him in shock. "Is that agreeable for you?"

"I…" she breathed then looked away and turned to twiddle her thumbs in her lap as she murmured, "Yes, my lord. That is agreeable."

Eomer sighed and stepped back toward her as she didn't move and stopped next to the bed. He lifted a hand and tugged her chin to pull her gaze to his, his heart skipping when he met those deep, sea-green orbs.

"Call me by my name when we are alone, Isolde, please?" he requested, softly. "As my sister was so quick to point out, I am still unaccustomed to formalities."

"If you wish, my-" She bit her lip as he lifted a brow at her expectantly with a slight smirk before she sputtered, "E-Eomer."

"There is one more request I'd like to make of you," he said, lowering his hand from her chin as she swallowed, this time keeping his gaze.

"Yes…Eomer?" she replied, just above a whisper.

He smiled warmly and leaned toward her, her eyes widening with every inch that closed between them before he stopped a breath away from her lips, and whispered, "I would very much like to see you smile, little one."

Isolde's eyes met his again as he observed, "You've not smiled once since I've met you. Am I that frightening?"

"N-No, of course not," Isolde breathed, shaking her head slightly, craning her neck back a bit to do so. "I-I do not know why I've not smiled in your presence."

"Well, tomorrow, I wish to see a genuine smile adorn those pretty lips on our outing," Eomer smirked. "I shall know if it is fake, so don't think you can pull the wool over my eyes, understood?"

Isolde couldn't help but give a small frown of wonder at his behavior but nodded her reply and he nodded in return before closing the gap between them to press his lips to her cheek and causing her to blush deeply, her eyes closing in bliss at the touch.

"Sleep well," he murmured against her ear and she couldn't help but shudder, slightly as he stood tall.

"Y-Yes, my-Eomer," she breathed, feeling her face on fire and her heart thumping in her chest. "Sleep well."

"Thank you," he nodded with a small smile and stepped toward the door, but stopped short of walking into the hall. He turned to look at Isolde who gave a small frown f wonder at him from her place on the bed. "Do you know what 'Isolde' means?"

She shook her head mutely, making him smile slightly before replying, "It fits you very well, actually. It means 'she who is gazed upon.' I believe it is very appropriate for you."

He smiled warmly as he strolled out the door, Isolde staring at him the entire way, and then at the door after he closed it. She flopped back onto the bed and breathed deeply to slow her racing heart.

"For a man who is rather stoic, he can be very…romantic," she sighed.


Eomer tried to hurry past his sister's chamber door only to be caught by the arm and dragged into it. Eowyn pulled him into the chamber and shut the door behind him before turning to him.

"Well?" she whispered excitedly, grinning as she stepped closer to her brother. "What happened?"

"Eowyn, if I am standing here, and not in there, then nothing extraordinary has happened," he retorted and Eowyn gave him a blank stare before lifting a hand and slapping the back of his head. "Ouch! What are you-?"

"Not everything extraordinary has to do with coupling, brother!" she snapped before taking his hand as he rubbed the back of his head with the other as she led him to the table in her room and sat him in the chair. "Now, tell me everything that happened and spare no detail."

"Sister," he sighed, lowering his hand from his head. "I am no gossiping woman. This is my business. I am tired, and wish to go to bed. You should go to bed as well. We will be riding all day tomorrow, and we all need our rest."

"All?" Eowyn frowned in wonder as Eomer stood and headed toward the door. "What do you mean all?"

Eomer opened the door and replied, "I invited Isolde to ride with us tomorrow."


A/N: more fluff. i figured Eomer would be a romantic sort of guy, i mean, come on, you can't go wrong with a horse lord, right? reviews?