A/N: Gah, so excited! Just start reading!

Chapter 7 Keep Me Waiting

Winifred was not sure how much time had pass while she was in Eomer's arms. She knew that she never wanted to leave them. They were strong and secure, they brought her comfort and warmth. It was a different experience than Denny. They were not comparable. Eomer felt like coming home after a long journey. He eventually let her go, much to her displeasure. Insisting she get to bed, he tucked her in while she complained about being treated like a child. Leaving her after a swift kiss to her forehead. Winifred found sleep fleeting. She could not stop replaying the kiss. The kisses, she blushed at this thought. She could still feel them against her lips, which were somewhat puffy. When sleep did find her they were full of Eomer.

The next morning, Winifred was woken abruptly by the maids. They brought in breakfast. It was more than she could ever eat but an explanation came when Eowyn breezed into her room.

"We are going to eat breakfast with you before the feast starts." She said simply. She directed the maids on where to set everything up. Winifred tried to get out of her bed to put on clothes but Eowyn put a quick stop to that. Ushering her back into bed.

Just after the maids left Eomer and Theodred came in, they both greeted the woman. Eomer's eyes lingered longer on Winifred, smoldering her. She tried to hide the blush that spread through her cheeks, she had to look else were to regain control of her motor skills.

Soon enough they all had plates of food and surrounded Winifred, who was being held prisoner in bed, much to her chagrin. It was just like Christmas at home, a tree in the corner, surrounded by loved ones, having a leisure breakfast. Winifred was feeling… blessed. To have them go through all this trouble, on top of the feast, was heart warm. They spent a long time exchanging stories and reliving memories, Winifred smiled at the stories including her. Thinking to herself how she now had become apart of them.

Just after they all had given up eating any more, Théoden King entered the room. All stood, aside from Winifred, she tried but Théoden indicated for her to remain in bed.

"I am glad to see you awake and in good spirits, Winifred." Théoden said to Winifred slowly. "The halls have seemed quiet and bare since you have been taken ill."

"Thank you, my King." She said bowing her head. "I do not see that happening again. Soon your halls will be filled with merry-making from the feast, though I do not think I will partake in it this year." He nodded at her answer before addressing his family members.

"It is time to start the feast." He said before turning and slowly walking out of her room and towards the hall. Theodred dutifully followed his father, Eowyn was just behind Theodred. Eomer lingered in Winifred's room for a moment. She smiled when she noticed this.

"I can stay…" he began to say. Winifred cut him off.

"No, go enjoy yourself." She smiled up at him. "I am exhausted from all the activities from yesterday and will sleep most of the day away."

Eomer looked intently down at her before accepting her words as truth. He leaned down and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips. She beamed up at him after this. He returned her smile and swiftly left to join the rest of his family. Winifred spent the rest of the day lounging and napping. Catching up from what she missed the day before.

The next day Winifred did not wake until early afternoon. Her room was empty. And no food was left out for her. She patiently waited an hour until her hunger became too much, though she was glad for the excuse to leave her room.

She dressed in a plain lavender dress. Keeping her hair down and long. She brought a dagger with her, tucked in her belt, not wanted Grima to catch her without protection.

It took her a moment to get comfortable being upright after so long in bed. Slowly she ventured out of her room and down the hall towards the merry marking. She entered and kept to the dark corners, she enjoyed watching everyone. The king was not present. Theodred and Eowyn were both being occupied on the dance floor as Winifred assumed they would be. Eomer was on the opposite side of the hall, surround by both men under his and Theodred's banner and the locals of Edoras, all drinking deeply. She spent many minutes here enjoying the energy of the room. Slowly wandering further into the hall, but keeping to the outskirts.

She almost passed by Grima before she realized it was him. He was leaning against a pillar watching the dance floor in a particularly dark corner. Winifred watched him for a moment, his eyes seemed keen on Eowyn. Winifred pranced on this opportunity. She slowly came behind him.

"You thought you were so clever. You thought you could out match me." She hissed in his ear so no other could hear them, repeating his own words to him. He stiffened when he heard Winifred.

"Oh no. You are very unmatched to go against the likes of me, Grima." Grima made a move to leave the dark corner to escape her but Winifred saw this. She grabbed the back of his collar jarringly, pressing her dagger to his back. She made a clicking sound with her tongue, and continued to hiss harshly into his ear.

"Do not fear me Grima, for I have foreseen your miserable future. I have the gift for foresight. I would dare not cut that future down. No, you need not fear any in this hall to be the hands to end your short life. You will betray your country as you already have done, even after Théoden King shows mercy and offers you an opportunity to return to your kin. No, you remain with your true master, who treats you as a slave. With time, his abuse becomes too much for you." She brought a hand to his neck, pressing a finger into it, dragging it leisurely across his neck. "You will slit his throat for good measure." She could feel Grima breath shortening at this prediction. "Your life will end in a manner befitting of your crimes. After turning your back on your people, you will perish with many arrows stuck in yours, to be forgotten.

"This is your future, Grima worm-tongue, but if you continue to try to take me down, I see your death at the hands of many in this hall." She hissed, further pressing her dagger into his back. "They know you are behind my illness. I am now beyond you. You will do well to remember this. Enter my room again, and I will not hesitate to lodge this into your skull." With that Winifred stepped back. Moving away from Grima. She enjoyed using her knowledge of the future to put Grima in his place. He would not share this information with Saruman, since Grima would be telling Saruman that he would be the one to kill Saruman. He placed his own life above his master, this she knew with certainty.

This conversation seemed to have affected him how she expected and he nearly ran from the hall, bumping into many people in his rush to get away from Winifred. She grinned to herself as she moved around the hall. Soon enough she came to Eomer's table. Cyfarwydd was taking a break from his singing to eat and drink with Eomer. She sat next to Eomer. He turned to see who was next to him, and smiled widely at her before he gave her a disapproving look.

"You should be in bed." He said to her. She greeted Cyfarwydd and the others sitting at the table. She recognized most of the men in one way or another.

Winifred did not want to get the maids in trouble. They were busy with this feast, of course they forgot about one person in the back. "I have rested enough. I needed to walk around a little. I don't planning on being here for long." She said softly to him, putting her left hand on his forearm, trying to comfort his uneasiness. He seemed to be pleased with this answer. Then grabbed her hand, turning it over to inspect her small tattoo.

"I never noticed this mark until yesterday." He said looking at it. "What is it?"

"It's a tattoo of a small heart." She answered him. He seemed confused with this answer. "Its ink that's been embedded into the skin, it will be there forever. The shape is the symbol my people use to represent the heart." This explanation made more sense to Eomer. Suddenly Cyfarwydd spoke up.

"May I see?" he asked extending his hand to Winifred. Winifred had not noticed that others had listened to their conversation. She gave her hand for him to see, feeling impending doom.

"Hmm, such a strange mark." He mumbled. Winifred was starting to feel her stomach drop, then Cyfarwydd said the words she prayed he would not.

"It reminds me of an old legend, a long forgotten prophecy my grandmother once told me…" Winifred seemed to turn to marble, not knowing what to do, her hand still in Cyfarwydd. Cyfarwydd started telling the prophecy of the blessed queen in rohirric. Soon, many crowded around the table to hear this close to forgotten tale.

It was similar to the one Gandalf told but one detail had been misunderstood or forgotten by Cyfarwydd. He was under the impression that the Blessed Queen would marry the next King in line, not that her love would be the next king, a major difference with huge implications. She did not know whether this over look on Cyfarwydd's part was a blessing or a curse. The people of Rohan would think she would be destined to marry Theodred, the next in line, when her heart belonged to Eomer, though she had yet to admit this to herself. This mistake protected the future in some sense but made the present more complicated. With Eomer telling Winifred just the other night that he cared for her, Winifred was in horror at the timing of everything. She noticed Eomer's face turning grave while Cyfarwydd came to the end.

Once he finished his tale many whispers sprouted up among the crowd around her. All pointing and talking of her. Slowly the noise grew before the entire hall seemed to halt the feast to focus on what was happening around her. She heard people yell "The blessed queen has been found." Others yelled, "She bares the mark on her hand." Soon the crowd turned into a mob. Pressing closer to her. One man grabbed her hand to look at it better, nearly yanking her off the bench. Eomer jumped into action, grabbing the man, and pushing him away from Winifred. He roared an order at his men. They helped to push the crowd back. Eomer and his men started pushing a path towards the back of the hall. People where reaching for Winifred. She had never been so overwhelmed before.

Soon the Kings Guard had come to help. Theodred and Eowyn came to see what was going on.

"Eowyn, get Winifred to her room!" He called to his sister while he and Theodred tried to calm the people in the hall. The Kings guard had blockaded the entrance to the back hallways of Meduseld and quickly got Eowyn and Winifred to their hallway. Winifred could still hear the crowds yelling. Winifred and Eowyn entered her room, leaving the door wide opened.

"What are they talking about?" Eowyn asked Winifred. Winifred had begun to pace her room. Not hearing Eowyn. Both her hands on her forehead, panicking.

"What have I done. What have I done. What have I done." She whispered to herself, her voice growing with desperation. Eowyn came to halt Winifred's pacing. Stopping Winifred in her tracks, placing her hands on both of Winifred's shoulders, trying to shake her out of it.

"What are you talking about?" Eowyn asked her, alarm in her voice. Winifred opened her mouth to answer her, but no sound came out. Tears started to fall from her eyes.

"Winifred talk to me!" Eowyn exclaimed. Winifred was looking wildly around the room. Trying to find an answer.

"I don't know what to do. I don't know. I don't know how to fix this." She was whipping her tears away hurriedly, trying to regaining control of her tears and getting out of Eowyn's hold. She continued her pacing. Soon both Theodred and Eomer entered the room. When Winifred saw Eomer's face, her heart dropped. He looked forlorn. Eowyn turned to her brother.

"What happened Eomer! Winifred has not been able to say a word on the matter." Eowyn asked, worry in her voice. Eomer looked long at Winifred, looking like he desperately wanted to take her into his arms.

"Cyfarwydd saw the mark on her hand and remembered an old legend, a prophecy. The prophecy states that the woman who bares a dark mark on her hand, like Winifred, will be fated to marry the next King of Rohan. This King would be the one to bring hope to his people during dark times. They would bring peace and prosperity to the people of Rohan." Eomer said in a monotone. Winifred could not take her eyes off Eomer. She could feel Theodred and Eowyn's eyes on her.

"Have you heard of this prophecy before?" Eowyn asked. Winifred broke eye contact to look at Eowyn. Nodding her head in shame.

"When I woke in Helms deep, Gandalf inspected my hand and informed me of a similar myth, though his telling is different then the one Cyfarwydd has just told." She choked out.

Eomer stepped forward, gaining her attention again. "What knowledge does he have of this prophecy that Cyfarwydd failed to remember?" he asked with a desperate anger in his voice. Theodred almost moved to hold Eomer back, Eomer pushed his hand away. Winifred was slowly shaking her head.

"I can't, I don't think I can say." She stammered, asking him to understand her with her eyes.

"WHY." He demanded. Eowyn and Theodred seemed surprised at the way Eomer was responding. Winifred winced but held her ground.

"Gandalf told you to trust me, please Eomer. If I can't say, there's a good reason why." She took a step closer to Eomer, reaching a hand out to him. "This changes nothing between us. I promise. You are the man I care for, no other." She did not see Theodred flinch uncomfortably.

Eomer hesitated before slowly taking her hand and pulling her into a tight embrace. Eomer's anger was renowned to those under his command. Sometimes when Winifred sat with them at meals they would tell her stories. Eomer always tried to change the topic when he was there to hear them. Many warned her of his anger, and stubbornness. Winifred did not have the heart to tell them she never saw this side to Eomer, Winifred decided that he spent all his compromising and patience's on her.

Winifred understood his anger. He was not angry with Winifred, but the situation that they found themselves in. Winifred was angry too. They had finally been open with their feelings and now this. She was mad at the time they could have had together before she left. But that would be impossible now that she had gained the notoriety of all of Edoras as the next Queen.

"Then what can we do?" Theodred asked. Regaining the attention of Winifred and Eomer. Winifred stepped to Eomer's side, he put an arm around her shoulders holding her close, roughly daring Theodred to say something. Theodred smartly ignored this, knowing his cousin all too well. Winifred and Eomer had never been so open about their feelings in front of others before, she blushed at this. She could barely look Theodred in the eyes.

"We had decided to give Winifred a guard because of Grima, but now after the prophecy…" Eomer trailed off, him and Theodred shared a look, thinking.

"If the people believe her to be the next Queen, she should have more protection if she ventures down into Edoras, or if she leaves the city." Theodred said to her, Eomer nodded at this.

"The people would never hurt me." Winifred said.

"Maybe not on purpose, but you saw them in the hall. You are of great interest to them now. I am afraid you must have guards with you until everything settles down." Theodred explained.

"No one can know the bond you have for each other." Eowyn said to them. "For all they know she will be Theodred's bride." Winifred looked up at Eomer in misery, He returned her look.

"It is getting late we should all retire for the night. We can discuss this more tomorrow if needed." Theodred said. Saying goodnight to everyone and departing the room.

"May I have a moment with Winifred?" Eomer asked Eowyn, she pursed her lips.

"Only a moment." She left. Eomer turned to Winifred cupping her face in his hands, she wrapped her hands around him.

"What are we going to do Eomer. I don't think I can hide my feelings for you." Winifred said. "On top of everything else…"

"For now we must. We will wait and see what happens." He tried to soothe her with his words. Resting his forehead against hers.

"I wish you could tell me everything. I wish I could know how to protect us. How to navigate this." Eomer murmured giving her forehead a soft kiss. She tightened her arms around his waist.

"The fact that you blindly trust me is all the confidence I need to know that we can weather this storm. You are so steadfast and definite. It means more than you could ever know." Winifred told him. "You are the man I care for Eomer, please don't ever doubt that." Eomer kissed her swiftly after that.

"Nothing could make my feelings towards you waver." He murmured against her lips. "You have enthralled me mind, body, and soul." These words were music to Winifred's ears.

"I must protect us for now Eomer. You will be away from Edoras most of the time. I will figure this out. But there is something I feel that I must tell you." She said to him.

Eomer pulled back slightly to see her face better, listening intently.

"Come early fall I will leave Edoras. There is something I must see too. It will keep me from Rohan for just under half a year. It is something I must do. It is what I have prepared for since my arrival here. You can't stop this. Or dissuade me." Eomer was not happy to hear this news. He looked like he was about to argue with her, but she put a finger on his lips.

"I am telling you this because I don't want it to be a shock when the time comes. You must stay here. Rohan will need you more than ever, you will need to be its most faithful servant. It will be hard but I know you can do it. And while I'm away you can't make your decisions based on me. You must do as you would as if I was safely tucked away in Edoras, or better yet, if I didn't exist to begin with. Does that make sense?" She kept her finger on his lips, after a moment he begrudgingly nodded his head. Winifred smiled at him.

"And whatever you do when I'm away, do not let your anger gain control over you!" She laughed at him. He growled at her, bringing her in for a hard kiss.

Eowyn broke up their moment shortly after this. Theodred and Eomer left Edoras a couple of days later. It had been their longest stay since Winifred came to Edoras. They had much to organize, especially with the blessed queen prophecy coming to light.

When Winifred was in Meduseld, or in any of the royal buildings close to it, the royal stables being one of these structures, she only needed one guard. Unfortunately for Almund, this often fell onto his shoulders. He was so quiet, sometimes she would forget he was there.

If she traveled any further down the hill she would need at least three guards. Winifred hated this, but made a promise to herself to travel around Edoras at least twice a week. So the presence of 'Blessed Queen' would not be something to cause great excitement, much to the displeasure of the guards.

Her daily life had changed with the new-year. She no longer went for rides outside the gate but once every other week. Mostly she was in the fenced in area practicing with her bow and arrow.

She still spent the better part of her time in the training area. She needed no guard when here. Ever since Eomer had left, her training had become even more intense. Sparring multiple people at once, or having a constant stream of people coming at her with no break. During this time the men that had guarded her down in Edoras the day before would take out their annoyance with her. Getting her back for spending too much time talking to the recently widowed woman, or spending too much time in the market inspecting every stand, or if she tried to give the guards the slip.

She no longer had time devoted to learning rohirric, now that she had become proficient in it. Cyfarwydd would still sometimes shadow her throughout the day. Winifred did not hate Cyfarwydd for telling the story, she hated herself for not ignoring Eomer's question. Instead she used this time to wander around Edoras, with her guards, or she would be with Eowyn.

Eowyn had insisted that if some part of the prophecy were correct then she would have to learn what it means to be the Lady of Meduseld. Winifred hated Eowyn's logic and unfortunately started doing more traditional activities of woman of the court. Making blankets for the poor, organizing meal plans for the week, looking after the king, learning the role of each person that worked in the hall, helping widows. There was always a new task Winifred had yet to do.

Physically and mentally Théoden had major set backs, he leaned heavily on Eowyn when walking, and followed Grima's advice without listening to any other. Winifred continued to try to keep his mind with him but soon there was nothing she could do. Winifred only hoped she had prolonged this outcome, kept Grima's influence at bay. Grima steered clear of Winifred, her conversation with him at yuletide had been enough to get him off her back. Though he would bear her presences when the king was near.

By spring, Gamling admitted that Eomer had insisted on increasing the pace of training. He still got updates on her training progress when he was in town. Which was very rare much to Winifred's misery. Theodred and Eomer rarely were able to come to Edoras. They often sent someone in their place. Eothain, a captain of Eomer's came in his place. Winifred always hated seeing Eothain, and did a poor job of hiding her displeasure. It got so bad that when Eomer had been able to come to Edoras he had asked her about it when they had sat next to each other for dinner. The only time they could have brief whispered conversations. Since Eowyn had started making it near impossible for them to have any stolen moments.

"Why do you dislike, Eothain? He has mentioned it more than once that you do not act yourself when he is there." He asked her with trepidation. Winifred was not expecting it and answered with the most candor reply.

"Because when he is here, it means you're not, and it means I have to wait even longer until I can see you again!" She huffed to him quietly, keeping her voice down. Eomer barked with laughter at this answer, drawing attention from everyone at the table, ending any private conversation they could have for the rest of the night.

Summer happened before Winifred realized it. She was starting to get apprehensive about what was about to start. She was quieter and more solemn, keeping to herself. A memorable moment did happen when she arrived to training in early summer. She walked in to see grand armor similar to Eomer's that looked her size, completed with a helmet, a bow and quiver, a shield, and a note.

She grabbed the note rapidly. It read:

I would have you stay, and remain safe in Edoras. I wish for you not to feel the need to pick up the sword to counter the evil that is growing in this world. I pray for a time when you can at last know peace. I dream of the day you let me be your protector.

Before you told me of your intentions to leave Edoras for your mysterious undertaking, I had ordered for these to be made. I had a feeling you would find yourself in need of them.

I only ask that you come back to me, with all due haste. Come back into my arms. For they will feel empty until you return.

He had not signed it. Winifred held the note close to her heart, taking it all in. She trained in full armor after that. Gamling had told her the fine quality of it all. Not asking why a woman would need such equipment. He was good at not asking unwanted questions.

Soon Winifred found herself packing, getting things ready for her journey. She needed to pack light. She packed her small emergency kit and her water

Pump, the only things from her world she packed. She packed spare leggings, tunics, and simple dresses that had slits up the sides that required leggings underneath, her favorite outfit to wear when training. She found a spare mat she hid in her wardrobe. She would bring Eomer's note. The rest would have to be packed the night before, including rations, and her weapons. She hoped she did not forget anything of great importance.

Eomer did make it to Edoras at the end of summer.

"I wanted to make sure I saw you incase you were not here when I came back." He whispered to her, holding her in a tight embrace. They had snuck off at night to have some time outside the watchful eye of Eowyn.

"I'm so glad you did. I have barely seen you since yuletide, it's not fair." She said into his chest. He leaned down to place a soft kiss on her head.

"Do you know when you will leave me?" He whispered. She hated how he asked the question.

"I'm not leaving you." she said. Her need to see Eomer one more time overcame her reason. "If you are a betting man, I'd say 20 days." He made a distressed sound and held her closer. He left before sunlight the next morning, since he was planning to come back so quickly. Though no one but Winifred knew this.

Winifred stopped training after that. She wanted to spend the last remaining days here with Eowyn, and planting seeds for things to be looked after when she was gone. She had entrusted Eldwyn with one such task, he was no longer the young man who Winifred had met when she first come to Edoras. He had grown a few inches and now could look Winifred in the eye. She could see his whiskers coming in.

"Eldwyn this is very important. I need your help." She pulled him out of the stables, into a quiet corridor.

"Soon I'll be taking a trip away from Rohan. I'll be gone for quiet some time and things will get dangerous here in Edoras." Winifred knew she could trust Eldwyn, he still blushed easily around Winifred. "I'm depending on you to look out for Eowyn, and keep your eyes open to any trickery of Grima. When they are here, update both Theodred and Eomer of the situation, but it must be done in secret. It is imperative you do this for me, Eldwyn. Do you understand?" he nodded like a bobble-head, like this was his first task as a man of Rohan.

She told Gerard to inform her if any odd strangers were barred from entering Edoras.

All she had left to do was wait.

Just like clock work, it was sunset, Winifred was milling around in the golden hall waiting to eat when Gerard came rushing in, clearly he had run uphill to tell her something. He was out of breath. She gently led him to the side of the hall.

"What did you see?" She asked Gerard in a hurried whispered. It took him a moment before he answered.

"A beggar man came seeking entrance. We did not let him pass. But I felt like I had seen the man before." He said still not grasping how important the information was that he had given her.

"That's because you have." She answered before turning around. She just caught sight of a black cloak disappearing into a doorway. 'Well that will get ride of Grima for a day or so' she thought to herself.

Gandalf was here. What Gerard described was what Winifred remembered happening in the books. Winifred told Eowyn she would eat in her room tonight, not feeling well. She waited until it was pitch black and the entire city was in a deep slumber. She pulled on her dark blue dress and wrapped herself in the matching cloak. She had a small satchel with her of possible things Gandalf might need. Carefully she slipped from the golden hall using the servant's entrances. She walked in the shadows of buildings, taking a winding path before she approached the gate. The gate was monitored day and night, torches where light from above the gate and on either side. She watched from the shadows until the men seemed at ease.

Wrapping the cloak ever tighter and slipped past them, they didn't even notice anything move. Once she was free of the gate she started looking for clues to where he might be. She was looking for some time before she found him.

"I was wondering when you would make an appearance." His voice came out of the darkness.

"Gandalf! Are you alright?" Winifred said. Rushing to his side. He had a small cut on the side of his head but he did not look as bad as she had expect.

"No, I was long-delayed in Isengard." He said wearily sitting on a rock, She handed him a water pouch and some bread then inspected his cut. He thanked her for the provisions. Winifred unpacked some bandage from her satchel and set to work.

"I can not linger here I must get to Frodo!" He huffed, more to himself then her.

"Come to Edoras, collect a horse and be on your way." She said to him, mopping up the dried blood.

"Saruman is not the wizard he is meant to be." Gandalf said dejectedly after a long draft of water. "I did not see this happening. I fear we may already be too late. Lord Elrond and Lady Galadriel must know of this duplicity."

"Saruman is very good at hiding his true intentions. And I think deep down you always knew that. That's why you never told him about the strange ring Bilbo had all those years ago, and why you never told him that Bilbo gave the ring to Frodo. Lady Galadriel I think had some suspicions as well. Why do you think she wanted you in charge of the white council when Saruman is your superior? We still have the upper hand. But you are right, time grows thin. Not a moment must be wasted." She said absent-mindedly. She finished his forehead and looked at him. Gandalf gave her a hard look.

"Hmm." He looked at her in wonder. He seemed to have remembered that he was conversing with a person whom had deep knowledge of what is to happen. " You already know what I will do. I am much more curious to know what you will do, now that the board is beginning to set?" Winifred paused, wondering if she should tell Gandalf her plans.

"The day after tomorrow, I will also make a journey." She said.

"My destination is Rivendell."

A/N: queue intense movie music. All right, so this chapter sets up a lot for the rest of the story. This is the chapter I've been writing to get too! (Yes, I meant writing and not waiting) So much happens, and the quest begins!

Possible confusions that non-book readers may have: Ok, so Grima really does slit Saruman's throat, and Grima really does die with many arrows in his back. Also, following Gandalf escape from Isengard, the eagle drops him off in the plains of Rohan and he does make his way to Edoras and gets turned down because he looks like a beggar. Yes, Lady Galadriel did want Gandalf to be the head of the White council, Saruman clearly become in charge instead. (If you watch the Hobbit, in the first one, when you see the white council meet and Saruman plays off the blade, its Lady Galadriel that is behind Gandalf investigating the mater further. Peter jackson is trying to show that even this far back Saruman's mind had started to turn to power, the evil bastard.)

Enough for now! Hope you loved it! -C xoxo