To all my reviewers on both stories: You guys are so sweet. Any writer knows how wonderful it is to get an email Review Alert, and the fact that many of you are writers yourselves just makes your thoughtful and kind words that much more meaningful. Thank you so much! Cookies for all of you!
I stretched languorously and opened my eyes, a smile already gracing my face at the thought of the night before. We had stayed up really late, but I had always been an early riser, so I was up now with the sun. I hummed to myself as I went to the wardrobe and pulled out a simple gown Rose had bought for me to wear until my dresses were completed.
It was incredibly strange to think that I, of all people, had a mystery man calling on me at night. I had always been 100% dedicated to my work, and though I had had one or two boyfriends, it had never been anything serious. That I was inviting him up to my balcony was completely unheard of behavior for me, but I had to admit that I sort of liked it. I enjoyed being this new fanciful woman, and I was determined to enjoy the mystery for as long as possible. So long as we met at night, and didn't know each other's identities, it was like a dream or a fairytale, but dreams and fairytales rarely stood up well against the harsh light of day and logic.
Shaking my head at the thoughts, I skipped downstairs to my hostess' office, my scientifically inclined mind already skipping ahead to the modifications we could make to the Printing Press. "Good morning," I greeted cheerfully as I entered. Rose was sitting at her desk, listening as a man read to her from a long piece of parchment.
Rose gestured for the man to stop and looked up at me with both eyebrows raised. "You're in a good mood," she commented.
"I slept well. What are you working on," I asked to change the subject. The man was thin and wiry, clearly more scholar than soldier, and he didn't look pleased to be interrupted.
"The glorious duties of the Steward's wife," she said dryly. "Since I can't read Common, Ungoliant was given the dubious honor of reading my fan mail."
"My Lady, with all due respect, these are important letters of State," the man interjected. "And we have not finished."
She snorted. "Yeah, 'important'. The trick to this is to cut through all the fluff. They word it nicely, but in the end, this is just another request by a matron with marriageable maidens to have a ball so they can all get married off. They want Boromir and I to attend because they know more eligible Lords will come. Tell them we're busy with something," she said, flapping her hand at the poor man. He thinned his lips in displeasure.
"My Lady….oh, nevermind," he sighed before scribbling something on the paper before bringing out another page and scanning it. "The Scribe Laureate has requested permission to formally document your role during the War."
"Granted," Rose said, standing and walking to a pitcher in the corner. "Tell him I would like to meet with him, but that it will have to be in August when Boromir and I return to Minas Tirith."
"You're leaving," I asked, trying not to panic.
"Don't worry, you'll be coming with," she said, offering me a cup of water, which I accepted. "Part of the Steward's duties, I'm afraid. We have to tour the kingdoms of Gondor so that we can see what state the War left them in, and to tell everyone 'hey, we're alive, well, and riding the party train through Gondor!'" She emphasized the last part with a little hip action.
I smiled. "So when does the party train leave?"
"You and I are leaving first, in a week or so, and then Boromir will meet us at Dol Amroth. He has to stay here to see off Theoden's funeral escort."
"Theoden," I asked. The name sounded familiar, but I couldn't place it.
"The recently deceased King of Rohan. He will be escorted back to Meduseld, Rohan's capital, with full honors, which means the entire Rohirrim, as well as Aragorn and a contingent of Gondor's soldiers. The Fellowship will also be joining them, since the hobbits will be returning to the Shire. Boromir and I have to stay in Gondor, though, since we can't leave the kingdom without some sort of ruler." She sat back down before adding, "That's also the reason that both of us have commissioned new wardrobes. A) because neither of us has anything to wear for summer, and b) because we have to impress upon the people the wealth and splendor of the Steward's household."
I raised my eyebrows and opened my mouth to respond, but Ungoliant beat me to it. "My lady, we still have things to see to," he said, irritation evident in his tone.
"I'll just go see if I can scrounge something from the kitchen," I said, waving off Rose's apologetic look. I left for the kitchen, and lingered over breakfast, hoping that my hostess would be done by the time I returned. This was not the case, however, as Rose and Ungoliant were still deep in paperwork, so I decided to do something practical with my time, instead.
I returned to my room and changed into a sturdy riding dress and breeches that Rose had insisted on getting for me, saying that she had worn a version of it throughout her journeys with the Fellowship. It was lovely but practical, the skirt and petticoat made of two panels that gave the illusion of a dress, but would allow the wearer to sit comfortably astride a mount. If we were really going to tour Gondor with the Steward, then it was entirely likely horses would be involved. If that were the case, then I should probably acquaint myself with them. I had never even seen a horse in person, let alone ridden one, so now was probably the best time to fix that. So, my shoulders squared in resolve, I found my way to the stable.
The massive building was bustling with activity, just another day in the capital of Gondor. Rows and rows of stalls and horse heads and people and horses tethered outside as they were saddled or their stalls cleaned gave the place a lively feel, and I hoped would grant me a certain amount of anonymity. Unfortunately, books and movies hadn't given me a true sense of how bloody massive the beasts were, and I almost chickened out right then. But instead, I raised my chin and approached a monstrous brown horse tethered outside his stall.
The horse eyed me warily, as if it were judging how many meals it could make out of me.
"Good pony," I said soothingly. "Pretty pony." I tentatively reached out a hand to pat its side, but recoiled and jumped about a foot in the air when the monster swung its head around to look at me. I collected myself and grit my teeth. "If I can learn to change my car's oil, then I can do this," I muttered in English. Maybe they were like dogs, and you just had to show them you were dominant.
"Horsey, you will let me touch you," I said firmly. "You are just an animal. That's all. Just a really, really big animal with enormous teeth and sharp looking hooves and outweighs me by at least a metric ton."
The horse snorted and shifted his weight at me as if to say, "Run away, stupid human girl."
I nodded and backed away with as much dignity as I could muster. "You know what, you're right. Walking is great exercise. Builds character." I turned to flee with what little remained of my pride, but ran into a wall.
A wall that chuckled and grabbed my shoulders to steady me. "Easy there," Romeo chuckled. "I did not mean to startle you. I could not believe my luck when I saw you, and I came over to greet you."
"Of course you did," I sighed. How great that the guy I lusted after witnessed my humiliation.
"I also came to see what you wanted with my horse," he said, raising his eyebrow at me.
"Your horse? Super. This day just keeps getting better and better," I said. His grin widened.
"I noticed you were seemed to be having difficulty," he commented, obviously amused.
"No, no. No difficulty. At all. Totally fine. The horse and I have reached an understanding."
"An understanding," he repeated, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "You've reached an understanding with my horse."
"Yep. He told me that he was really big and that he didn't like me, and I understood," I said with a nod.
"Firefoot told you this, did he? And here I thought he was a gentlemen," Romeo said dryly. "Come. We cannot let him treat a lady thus."
"No, no," I said, backing away. "It's totally fine. He's entitled to his opinion."
"Nonsense," Romeo replied, his eyes glinting with humor. "Unless, that is, you are afraid of him." The challenge was obvious, but I wasn't proud enough to take the bait.
"Terrified," I agreed. "Never seen a horse before, and I've decided that walking is much safer."
He looked startled at my bluntness. "Truly?"
"Scouts honor," I said, holding up the Girl Scout sign.
He smiled again, though this time it was kind, not mocking. "Come. They only look fearsome," he said, holding out his hand. For a moment, I hesitated, biting my lip as I looked from his hand to his horse. Then I squared my shoulders and firmly grasped his hand, his calloused palm rough as it engulfed mine, and let him pull me to The Monster.
"First, you introduce yourself," he said. He turned my palm up, but kept a hold on my hand, holding it in his as he guided it under Firefoot's nose. The horse sniffed our hands and snorted softly, his breath warm and gentle. Romeo put my hand on the horse's muzzle.
"It's so soft," I murmured as I began to stroke his nose. "I didn't expect that." Romeo stayed close, but let go of me as I began to run my hands over The Monster. The horse shifted his weight again, but I didn't startle like I had last time. After all, Romeo knew how to handle the horse, and I knew he wouldn't let anything happen.
"Let me take you for a ride," he said, watching me. I bit my lip as I weighed the idea and stroked The Monster's neck, eyeing Romeo out of the corner of my eye. On the one hand, I absolutely had to learn how to ride a horse, and I doubted a more perfect opportunity would soon fall into my lap. On the other hand….well, I was scared of the stupid horse.
"On one condition," I said. He arched an eyebrow. "If I don't like it, I get to leave. No arguments." Romeo inclined his head in agreement of my terms.
I watched as he went about saddling The Monster. His movements had the grace and speed that only came from years of repetition. I frowned when he kneed the horse in the stomach as he tightened the girth, and I wondered if I had misjudged the man before me. Romeo must have caught my disapproving look, because he explained, "Horses are smart, especially those of the Rohirrim. Firefoot has developed the bad habit of holding his breath when I saddle him, making the girth too loose." I shrugged, satisfied with the explanation, and followed him out of the stable.
"Now, place your left foot in the stirrup," he said, holding the The Monster's reins in one hand and a long rope in the other, "and then swing yourself up. Make sure to keep your other leg high, that it does not catch on the saddle." I eyed the stirrup warily. It was very high, and I wasn't sure I could get my leg up that far, let alone use it to push myself up. I managed to place my foot awkwardly in the stirrup, but unable to jump high enough to swing my other leg over the horse. After another two unsuccessful tries I gave up, my cheeks flaming from embarrassment. "Let me give you a leg up," Romeo said after a moment.
"No, I need to figure it out myself," I said, my eyes narrowing as I studied the stirrup. "Work smarter, not harder," I muttered under my breath, my scientific mind buzzing with ideas to make mounting easier. "I wonder." Turning the stirrup, I positioned myself so that my back was to the horse's head, put my foot in the stirrup, and grabbed a hold of the saddle pommel with my left hand. Then I jumped, the stirrup turning me as it unwound, and I landed in the saddle. I resisted the urge to fist pump in victory.
Romeo smiled up at me as I gathered the reins in my hands, but kept a grip on the reins below the horse's mouth. "Very clever," he complimented. "I have seen many riders mount so, but never have I seen someone simply come up with it." I smiled brightly at him, pleased with myself. He rolled his eyes, but he was smiling, so I let it go. "I thought we might go down to the training rings just outside the city. You will control Firefoot, but I will walk beside you should you have any trouble. Your stability comes from your thighs, not the stirrups. Remember to keep your heels down and your back straight." I adjusted my posture accordingly. "When you want him to move or speed up, kick him. At your pleasure, my Lady," he said with a smile.
Trying to ignore how incredibly far off the ground I was, I tightened my grip on the reins, and kicked the horse lightly. Romeo smirked when nothing happened, but didn't offer to help me. I frowned and kicked again, harder this time, and finally The Monster began walking. We made our way through the city slowly, my companion occasionally offering directions and advice as he walked beside me. By the time we had reached the training rings he had mentioned, I felt pretty confident in my ability to ride and was even feeling friendlier to my mount. At his instruction, I guided the horse through the gates, which Romeo closed behind us, and into the middle of the ring. Romeo attached the long rope to Firefoot's bridle.
"Now, I have Firefoot on a lead," he said, "and we're going to start some faster movement. I want you to walk him around me in a circle." I urged the horse forward, and we began a slow rotation. After a lap, Eomer, nodded. "Good, good. You are doing well. Let us try a trot." I kicked Firefoot, and he began a loping, jostling stride, and it was all I could do to stay on him. "Move with the horse," Romeo instructed.
"'Move with the horse'," I muttered sarcastically in English as I tried to keep my seat. "What does that even mean?"
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Several hours later, Romeo finally decided it was time to return and unhooked the lead rope before mounting up behind me. Finding myself suddenly engulfed by the huge man, I was hyper aware of every point that our bodies were pressed together. His arms wrapped around me to take the reins, and I couldn't resist ogling his strong forceps and enormous hands as he urged the horse forward.
Nervous giggles threatened to bubble forth, but I suppressed them. I was a grown woman, for Pete's sake!
As we rode, I let myself enjoy the feeling of being pressed against his strong chest. "So, my Lady, are names still forbidden," he said as we approached the stable, his breath hot on my ear, and I shivered involuntarily at how intimate it felt.
"I suppose it would just be rude at this point," I choked out.
"Indeed, it would be" he said, and I could hear the smile in his voice. He dismounted behind me and turned to lift me off the horse.
"I'm Leigh Stanton," I said distractedly, focused on the hand placed on my lower back as he led both me and Firefoot into the stable.
"I know," he replied cockily. I frowned and slapped him on the arm, and his grin widened exponentially. "It was incredibly easy to discover the identity of the redheaded kinswoman of the Steward's wife."
I rolled my eyes at the laughter in his voice. "Wow," I said sarcastically, "you should become a masked crime fighter with those powers of deduction. Then I could finally use all those Batman jokes I've been storing up. "
"Might I remind you, Lady Disdain, that I know your identity, but you are no closer to knowing mine," he retorted.
"And here I could have sworn it was Bruce Wayne." I shook my head. "Alright then, Romeo, what is your alter ego when you aren't in the Mystery Machine with Scooby?"
For a moment, he hesitated. "They call me Leona," he replied, watching me to gauge my reaction.
I frowned. The name rang a bell, but I couldn't place it. I had a sinking suspicion that he was someone important, but it wouldn't come to mind. "I feel like I have heard the name before, but for the life of me, I can't remember where," I said apologetically, shrugging.
He seemed relieved for some reason and smiled again, running his hands through his hair. "Do not trouble yourself with it, for it matters not. Would you join me for the evening meal," he asked over his shoulder as he took the tack off of Firefoot and led him into the stall. I leaned over the closed gate and watched him deftly brush down the horse.
"No, I think I should get back to Rose. Pregnancy and planning long journeys don't mix well."
He nodded. "Word has reached me of their happy tidings. I have seen the Lady in passing, and she seems happy and glowing. Pregnancy seems to agree with her."
"Yeah, tell that to the bucket she's constantly hurling into," I said under my breath. Louder, I said, "I'll be sure to tell her you said so. Will I see you tonight, then, Romeo?"
He cocked an amused eyebrow at me. "I am still Romeo, then," he said in amusement.
"I like my name for you better," I said with an apathetic shrug. "I can call you Leona if you wish, though."
He shook his head, smiling. "Who am I to deny a Lady her want? I shall be Romeo."
I smiled and winked at him before leaving. As I walked, I hummed a little.
A/N: Read and review!