A/N: finally! a new chappie! enjoy!


Chapter 5: Action

"Your Majesty-?"

"Take Leosi," Eomer ordered one of the men that ran toward him as he still held Isolde in his arms, urging his horse toward the stables.

The man nodded without a word and headed toward Leosi trailing behind them to take her reins and lead her after Eomer. He stopped the horse just outside the door and sat Isolde up a bit to dismount before helping her down. She shivered as she stood next to him, the river water soaking her to the bone, her golden curls hanging limply around her shoulders as she clutched the basket they'd taken on their picnic.

Eomer handed his horse's reins off to another man that came to them before turning to Isolde and asking, "Can you walk?"

She nodded shakily, her teeth chattering and he took his cloak from his shoulders to throw around her before wrapping his arm around her shoulders to lead her into the manor. Once inside, he led her through the hall and toward his chamber. She stopped outside the door when he was about to open the door and shook her head, her eyes wide in panic.

"I have a fireplace," he whispered. "We must get you warm."

Isolde only shook her head, her damp curls swinging wildly around her face as she did and Eomer sighed. He didn't want to be caught by Eowyn if they passed by to get to Isolde's chamber. She would have asked about everything that had happened and he honestly didn't want to explain it to her now. In complete honesty, he wanted to spend more time with Isolde…alone.

"Alright," he sighed, leading her down the hall toward her chamber, passing Eowyn's quietly before quickly ducking through the open door of Isolde's room. Eomer shut the door softly behind him before turning to Isolde as she shivered next to him.

"I'm s-s-s-sorry," she shuddered, still shivering. "I j-just-"

"I understand," he cut in gently with a warm smile. "Let's sit you near the fireplace."

He urged her to sit on the bed across the room as he headed to the other side to kneel down and start a fire in the fireplace. Once he had a fire going, he stood and took the chair from the table against the far wall and sat it next close to the fire then turned to Isolde as she stood, taking the hint. She still clutched his cloak around her shoulders as she sat in the chair and he took the basket from her to set it next to the hair she sat in before placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Stay here," he instructed. "I'll find a blanket for you."

One of her hands came up and clutched onto one of his that sat on her shoulder before he stepped away. He frowned down at her as she looked up at him and shook her, making his frown deepen.

"D-Don't trouble yourself over me, p-please," she shuddered, pulling her hand away again and looking to the fire. "I'll be fine."

Eomer pulled his hands away from her shoulders and stepped toward her bed to take the top quilt from it and swept it around Isolde to lay it on top of her. She shot her gaze to his again as he only leaned toward her to whisper into her ear.

"'Tis no trouble, little one," he murmured as a blush stained her cheeks from his breath fanning her face and hair. "I merely wished to remain here with you. However, if you wish me gone, I'll take my leave."

"N-No!" she breathed, turning quickly in her chair to face him as he leaned his hands on the back of the chair and she gave a small gasp when she released he was a breath away from her face. Their eyes locked and she noticed him swallow before she continued, "I…I only meant that…I know you must have other, more important things to tend to."

"At the moment, the only thing that needs my attention is you," he whispered. "Making sure you do not catch cold so that you may keep up with my sister is my only responsibility right now. You must be in full health to be my sister's handmaiden, I'm sure."

"But-"

"Besides," Eomer cut in, standing tall and stepping next to her to pick up the basket and hold it up with a slight smile, continuing, "We never got the chance to finish our picnic."

Isolde gave a small shy smile before casting her gaze down to her lap, still blushing lightly. Eomer stepped toward her and beckoned her to sit forward, which she did. He moved the blanket so that it hung around her shoulders and freed her hands as he opened the basket and set it in her lap.

"Start without me," he smiled. "I'll be back in a moment."

"Where are you going?" she wondered with a frown as she watched him head toward her door.

"The kitchen," he smiled, charmingly as he opened the door. He was about to turn to walk out when he stopped in his tracks and slumped his shoulders with a sigh at the face he was met with.

"And exactly when were you planning on telling me you had returned, brother?" Eowyn asked, her hands on her hips and looking as healthy as a horse.

Eomer lifted a brow to her before looking to Isolde to say, "And you were worried about her. Did I not tell say she was trying to play matchmaker?"

"You have not answered my question," Eowyn pointed out, letting herself into the room and Eomer sneered slightly.

"Please, come in," he retorted, shutting the door behind her as she hurried to Isolde and knelt down in front of her.

"Are you alright, Isolde?" she hoped, taking her hands into her own and Isolde nodded.

"Yes, my lady," she replied. "I'm well, thank you."

Eowyn nodded before standing and turning to Eomer, her hands on her hips again as he stood next to Isolde and nodded, "Now that you've assured yourself that your handmaiden is well, will you go now?"

"What did you do to her?" she snapped.

"I did nothing," he retorted, casually. "I helped her out of the river."

"What was she doing in the river?"

"She fell in."

"Why did she fall in?"

"My lord Eomer was fighting an Orc," Isolde spoke, causing Eowyn to look to her with a wide-eyed gaze of disbelief before looking to Eomer who nodded. "I was behind him as he stood on the edge of the bank and when he moved back for more footing, I fell in."

"And he went after you!" Eowyn grinned, kneeling to hug the younger woman tightly before standing and hugging her brother. "How romantic!"

"Yes, thrilling," Eomer strained against his sister's tight grasp on him, and when she pulled away she hurried toward the door.

"Say not another word! I am off!" she smiled as Eomer leaned a hand on the back of Isolde's chair with a sigh, running a hand down his face in exhaustion. "Enjoy your time together!"

Isolde felt her face flush in embarrassment as she turned back to the basket in her lap and rummaged through it. Eomer sighed again as he heard the door shut behind Eowyn before looking back at Isolde, but she paid attention to what she was doing. His gaze softened as he leaned toward her and pressed a kiss to her cheek, making her freeze and stare ahead, her heart pounding in her ears. His lips lingered on her skin for a moment before her lowered his face to rest his forehead on her head, next to her ear.

"Are you warmer, little one?" he murmured, and she swallowed before shivering.

"Y-Yes," she breathed, unmoving. "A-A little."

"Stay here," he whispered. "I'll bring some hot cider to warm you a bit more."

Isolde only nodded as she still didn't look at him. Unable to help himself he lifted a hand to her chin and slowly brought her gaze to his. Her sea green eyes locked with his hazel-greens, making him swallow. No matter how many times he looked into her eyes, he would never get used to the depth and beauty of them. He loved the way they glowed with the proper light, always causing him to be lost in the glow.

"No matter how many times I look into your eyes," he whispered, closing in on her lips, "they always dazzle me. Do you know what you do to me?"

Isolde shook her head, slightly making Eomer chuckle.

"Shall I tell you?" he wondered before brushing his lips against hers, making her give a shuddered breath, "or shall I show you?"

"My lord…" she breathed, but before he could figure out exactly how to capture her lips for a kiss, a knock on the door made him growl in irritation.

"Who is it?" he snapped, quickly standing away from Isolde so he wouldn't yell n her ear.

"M-My Lord Eomer," a meek, male voice came from the other door, making him sigh in exhaustion again as he continued, "You advisors wish to speak to you."

"Tell them I am busy," Eomer replied, still standing next to Isolde.

"They say it is urgent," the servant on the other side of the door reported.

"They will wait," he shot back.

"If there is a pressing matter-"

Isolde's whisper was cut off when Eomer placed a finger over her mouth and he shook his head when her gaze met his.

"I have better things to do than be told who to marry and when," he muttered, more to himself than to Isolde as he looked to the door and she stared up at him as he called, "Tell them I'll speak to them tomorrow. And bring two mugs of hot cider from the kitchen."

"Y-Yes, Your Highness," the servant sputtered before Eomer and Isolde heard his footsteps heading away from the door. Eomer sighed in exasperation before looking back at Isolde and shifting his hand from touching her lips to cupping her cheek, stroking his thumb over her cheek bone as she stared up at him with wide eyes.

"Forgive me for the interruption, little one," he murmured through a warm smile as he knelt down next to her. "But for now, I would much rather be here with you and keep you from catching cold than speak to my advisors about my love life. A thing which, up to now, has been rather uneventful."

"Up to now?" Isolde breathed in wonder through a delicate frown over her brow and he nodded. She gasped, slightly when his hand slid down her cheek to smooth his fingers over her neck, and she closed her eyes with a small sigh.

"I have no intention of marrying anyone that is chosen for me," he explained, pulling his hand away to gently pinch her chin between his thumb and first finger to keep her gaze on his as she slowly opened her eyes. "I will decide who to marry and when. No one else. Not my advisers, nor my sister." He smiled warmly, moving toward her face as he whispered, "However, my sister has made a fine choice for me."

"H-Has she?" Isolde sputtered, casting her eyes down. "And who, if I may ask, is the fortunate girl?"

Eomer gave a small frown and gently tugged her gaze back to his to look into her now tearing eyes.

"You, little one," he whispered, making her eyes widen to which he smirked. "Why do you seem so surprised?"

"I-I don't think I would be a fine choice for you, my lord," she mumbled, looking away from him. "Perhaps a lady of court would be a more…appropriate match for a man such as you?"

Before she realized what was happening, she was on her feet, the basket in her lap toppled to the ground and she gasped when he pulled her closer. His hands gripped her upper arms firmly, his eyes gazing deep into her wide-eyed, shocked gazed as her hands rested on his chest.

"I think you are a fine choice for me, Isolde," he murmured. "And no matter how many times you tell me you are not, I will not believe you. I only believe what I feel, and what I feel for you is…something I cannot describe just yet. But perhaps…I'll be able to, if you remain by my side."

Isolde gave a frown and Eomer smiled, lifting a hand to stroke the back of his fingers over her cheek, gently. He moved toward her face again as his other hand slid around her shoulders to pull her closer, but a knock on the door made them freeze. Eomer sighed in exasperation, bowing his head to rest his forehead against hers for a moment before he let her go and hurried toward the door to open it.

The handmaiden stared wide eyes at him and sat, barely registering the short conversation he had with the servant who had brought them their cider. She was lost in thought as she looked to the small window across the room to see clouds in the sky and rain pattering on the stone sill. She jumped with a start and looked to her left to see Eomer smiling down at her, a mug of cider in each hand and offering one to her.

"Oh, thank you," she mumbled, taking the mug into both hands and taking a sip.

Eomer stepped toward the window to stare at the rain outside for a moment before saying, "You must forgive my forwardness."

Isolde glanced up at him but quickly looked to her cup when he turned to lean back against the wall with a sigh.

"I sometimes do and say things before I think about the consequences," he explained. "I'm sure you think me a brute."

She said nothing for a moment then shook her head, still gazing into her cup before mumbling, "Far from it, in fact."

Eomer looked to her, but she kept her head down, her fingers rubbing the warm mug.

"If I recall correctly, from my lady Eowyn has told me, King Theoden had the same manner," she continued. "I would expect nothing less from his nephew. A brute would have had me and been done with me by now, I'm sure." She finally looked up and gave a small smile to him, making his heart stop a full second before it began beating out at a rapid pace again. "You are no brute, Eomer, I assure you."

Not being able to contain himself, he started toward her, setting his mug on the shelf above the fire place, making her frown for a split second before she turned from him to hide her blushing cheeks. He stopped in front of her, his intense, green-hazel eyes never wavering from her as he took her mug from her and set it next to his before kneeling in front of her. She finally looked up at him as he slid his hands around her waist, his chest on her lap as she stared at him with wide eyes and a deepening blush.

"You are an extraordinary woman, Isolde," he whispered, his face inching toward hers as his hands slid up her back to her shoulder to pull her closer to his face. "I am a king under the spell of a handmaiden. Who is the servant, and who is the master between us, little one?"

Isolde looked away from him and toward the fire, her blush deepening with every second he was so close to her. Thunder and lightening suddenly clashed in the sky and she gasped in fright, not thinking as she threw her arms around Eomer's neck, but remained in her chair as she buried her face into his shoulder.

"Worry not, fair maiden," he murmured into her hair. "I will protect you from the storm all night if I must."

"Thank you," she breathed, deciding not to object or argue.

They lifted their heads at the same time to look into the other's eyes and Isolde swallowed as Eomer only gave a warm smile. She couldn't hold herself back. Hesitantly, she pressed her lips to his, making him stare at her in surprise for a moment before melting into the moment and pulling her closer to deepen the kiss. She'd never initiated their kisses before, and he took it as a good sign that perhaps she felt about him the same way he felt about her.

Never breaking the kiss, he stood and scooped her up into his arms to walk her toward the bed, where he set her down. He hovered above her as she lay back, his hands supporting him on the mattress but he didn't crawl into the bed with her just yet. He would wait for her to allow it, and not one moment before that. His tongue slipped into her mouth, making her sigh as her hands stroked his neck and he groaned against her lips, his tongue coaxing her to kiss him in return, and she immediately complied.

Finally pulling away for breath, Eomer rested his forehead against hers again, lightening illuminated the room for a moment before thunder clapped in the sky and she squeaked in fright, shutting her eyes and clutching his shoulders. When the thunder faded she looked up at him, trembling, and he felt his heart clench at the sight. He didn't want to see her afraid of anything.

"Can you stay…until the storm is over, at least?" she breathed, hopefully, and he gave a warm smile as he nodded.

"I will, little one," he murmured, leaning forward to press a kiss to her cheek as she sighed again in relief.

With a small smile she turned onto her side, his cloak and the quilt from her bed still around her as she curled up to keep warm, Eomer sitting up to watch her and a moment later she'd fallen asleep. Eomer gazed down at her as she breathed deeply, lifting a hand to lightly stroke a stray curl from her face. He couldn't believe how beautiful she was, even while sleeping, and as he tore his gaze away from her to watch the rain outside the window, he hoped he would see her beauty every morning after waking, and every night before falling asleep if she allowed him to.


A/N: reviews?