confusing feelings are confusing [eomer]

"Théodred, we have things to discuss."

"Speak quickly if you can Ḗomer, I am busy."

I looked around the hall obviously, despite already knowing what Théodred was 'busy' doing; watching his guest again. That girl was fast becoming the bane of my life. I paused for a moment when my gaze reached her, she sat cross-legged on the floor across at the far end of the room with Ḗowyn, playing with her strange squares of parchment again.

She had brought them out the first day Théodred had brought her back to Medulseld, ten days ago, the day she had dubbed me a table. Théodred had tried to convince me she was merely excited at the prospect of using the new words she'd learnt and eager for me to hear her speaking them, but I knew. Her tone of voice left me in little doubt that she had meant to insult me, though her choice of words had baffled me.

Ḗowyn had been thrilled to meet her and had little left her side since their first encounter, even at night Rory shared Ḗowyn's room and Ḗowyn's' bed at Théodred's insistence. He was afraid she might be frightened to be alone again.

Not that my sister minded, she seemed to be as easily taken in as most of the others that had spent time with her. Flyn and William had visited her three times here, and Grimbolds daughter Frea had also, once.

Though Rory was pleased every time she received a visit she liked Ḗowyn best I think and followed her nearly as much as Théodred after the first day. I should have been glad that Ḗowyn had something other than caring for our sickly uncle to occupy her days, but I still couldn't bring myself to trust our guest's intentions and she left my thoughts little. I'd known soon after meeting her that she was not from any lands within ten thousand leagues of Rohan, I wondered perhaps if she had come from over the sea or whether some of the Elves in the west had meddled with her mind somehow.

It was hardly surprising I thought of Rory often, with the amount Théodred spoke of her. Everywhere I went she was there, with her strange ways.

The first time she had brought out her set of cards I had taken them from her, much to her annoyance. I had the feeling she still cared for me little more than I cared for her, though her moods were hard to predict, she smiled at me some days and ignored me the next, women were very strange indeed.

Ḗowyn had decided after spending time with her she was not as we had first thought a child, she did look older than at our first encounter now that she was clean finally and I had grown accustomed to her wearing proper clothes. Ḗowyn had guessed Rory was no less than a few years younger than herself, eighteen or nineteen perhaps. If Ḗowyn had seen her irrational behaviour during the first few days she might have agreed she acted no older than a twelve year old, the memory of having mud thrown at my face in front of nearly fifty men hung bitterly in my mind.

After inspecting the strange cards, Théodred had insisted they be returned to her, I had never seen anyone looking quite so smug as her in that moment. There had been more than fifty, none of them were the same and all bore strange markings and drawings, all were white with red and black markings. She had sat with them in front of them the first day, over and over again she would go through them, some in her hands some on the floor picking them up and putting them back down again. If that hadn't been odd enough the second day she had started building towers out of them on the tables and floors, adding more layers with every few cards until the wind blew them down forcing her to start over.

Even I had watched her curiously when she chose to build her towers, a few days ago she had somehow invited Ḗowyn to join her building game. Though Ḗowyn had steady hands, she was little good at stacking and balancing the cards right and her piles fell very often. She didn't seem to mind though, I hadn't seen my younger sister this happy in many years, and I'd started warming to Rory a bit since acknowledging the joy she brought with her to my family.

Théodred had been sat with the two girls for a few hours before pressing news had reached my ears, news that I trusted next to no one but himself with.

"There is news Théodred, tracks have been found, near the river Isen."

For the first time in days Théodred looked worried, turning his full attention to me after a moment's hesitation.

"Orcs?"

I nodded stiffly at him, I could feel Ḗowyn's face turn in our direction, away from her newly collapsed cards.

"Saruman is getting brave of late, Isen is little less than a day's ride away, if orcs are wandering to close to Edoras we are in more trouble than we had first thought..." His gaze, still deeply troubled wandered back to the two girls. They were both watching us now, though Rory could still, no doubt understand none of what we were saying.

"Grimbold has been told also and volunteered to lead his Eored. Let me go his stead Théodred, if only on a patrol, to see these tracks for myself. You should stay with Ḗowyn...and Rory...and mind them, while I am away."

We both knew how unwise it was to leave Grima alone in Edoras for too long and that one of us needed to stay, I hadn't expected Théodred to refuse easily, especially if it meant suppressing his growing infatuation with Rory and leaving her without him for a few days. I would rather myself go than risk Théodred's wellbeing after all he was still my young cousin and I felt responsible for him - prince or no prince.

"You stay with them both Ḗomer, I know how you hate to be away from Ḗowyn. Send a message to Grimbold, we will leave within the hour, I will take only a few men for a patrol, not a full eored.

I repressed my shock somehow as Théodred stood and walked to Rory and Ḗowyn beckoning them to follow him to his room to help him pack for his journey. I rushed about choosing men with Grimbold and helping as much as I could, daunted at the prospect of being left behind, before joining my sister and cousin in his chambers.

Théodred and Ḗowyn had taken Rory aside to try and explain to her that Théodred would be gone for a while, but would return again soon. It took a long time, I watched as Théodred used his hands trying to motion leaving and returning.

I was quite shocked at the hysterical response Théodred received from Rory. She spoke many words that none of us understood and threw her arms around Théodred tightly shaking her head so wildly her hair became loose from the knot that Ḗowyn had tied it in that morning.

I stepped in to pull her away from my distressed cousin, with much effort holding her tightly in my arms, out of the way.

"Please don't go, please. You'll get hurt, there are orcs and you'll get so badly hurt, please don't go- Send someone else, send anyone else, please stay Théodred, I'm begging you. The Fords of Isen aren't good. The fords of Isen are bad, you can't go, you have to stay here, and be safe. Please Théodred. Ḗomer, please make him stay here."

The only word any of us had understood had been Isen, she no doubt repeated it after hearing Théodred's explanation, though she continued ranting on fighting my grasp in front of a viably upset Théodred while Ḗowyn stood next to us stroking her arm trying her best to calm her.

"Take care of her Ḗomer, she doesn't seem to have understood, when I return we should start teaching her to speak I think, it will make our days much easier. I will return within the week, stay well Ḗomer, Ḗowyn." I watched as he touched Rory's cheek swiftly but gently before smiling wistfully at Ḗowyn and I and striding out of the door, clicking it shut after he'd left.

After Théodred had gone Rory calmed slightly, though I ended up on the floor with her face pressed into my neck. I could feel her tears against my skin and couldn't bring myself to be angry with her. I hadn't thought until this moment how lost and afraid she must still be feeling. She had obviously paid attention as Théodred geared himself up with his swords, armour and readied provisions, perhaps she believed as Théodred thought that he meant not to return. Ḗowyn left after a while to fetch water for Rory, leaving us alone.

I felt awful and awkward as I she leaned shaking against my shoulder, this was not a man's place ever. Unless I'd been her husband. I shook the absurd thought of being wed to such a demanding, abnormal girl from my head. I could now for the first time see why Théodred had become so besotted with her, she looked nothing like the women of Rohan, but there was a hollow beauty of sorts in her face. I wondered why I had thought her ugly for so long. Her blue eyes glowed bright as the tears flew freely down her face, lip quivering. I lifted my hand brushing a fresh tear away with my thumb as Ḗowyn walked back with Rory's water.

I dropped my hand a moment too late, Ḗowyn raised her eyebrows at me knowingly before closing the door gently behind her, pausing to lean against it.

"You are fond of her too Ḗomer, I've seen you watching her so you need not deny it. Not as Théodred watches, but she draws your gaze too...There is no shame in caring for people, especially if they need you as Rory does. She really does seem very sweet, even though she cannot speak. You should spend more time with her."

I clenched my teeth in annoyance with my sister, people did not often get away with telling me about my business, especially when it came to strange gypsy's prone to lashing out and attacking me in front of my men. I pulled myself away from the girl again, needing to be away from all these women and emotions. Rory needed to be shaken from my shoulder which seemed to snap her back out of her desperate outburst. Ḗowyn stepped closer towards the wall stopping to stand next to me, holding the goblet of water kindly offering.

Although her hand was a few feet away from Ḗowyn and the goblet of water she held, Rory flicked her hand in my sister's direction shaking her head, as most would if they were wordlessly refusing something, trying not to be rude.

The goblet remained firmly grasped in Ḗowyn's hands, drawing it back towards her. Suddenly within the space of few seconds an oddity occurred, rendering me speechless. As Ḗowyn started pulling the goblet away while Rory waved her hand vaguely in our direction, a bird sprang forth from the cup, a translucent bird made from the water within leapt from the goblet. I watched astonished as the bird flew from beside us, slamming into the closed door with a splash.

All that was left to assure that the bird had been in no way my imagination was a small puddle at the foot of the door, the candles around the room reflected from the pool leaving a twinkle in the water.

Rory seemed as shocked as any of us at what had just happened, a trickle of blood fell from her nose which she wiped away with her fingers. Ḗowyn and I stood still not daring to be the first to voice what had just happened. Ḗowyn regained her composure eventually, rushing into Théodred's cupboards to fetch some towels to dry the floor with.

Rory was the first to break the uncomfortable silence that had looked up sadly speaking a few words and my name before pulling her legs up to rest her chin on her knees, leaning her face against them, hidden.

"I'm sorry Ḗomer, I forgot..."

Ḗowyn and I told no one of the incident, at least until Théodred had returned we had agreed, Grima finding out would be the worst thing that could happen. Rory was never left alone, I even neglected training and delayed responding to letters and sorting affairs wherever I could so Ḗowyn could have some time alone to think or spend with our uncle.

Her attitude aggravated me less now that I'd spent so much time with her. At first her mood swings had caught me by surprise, one hour she'd be quite happy sitting with Ḗowyn, learning how to sew among other things and the next, she'd be wandering off to sit alone in a corner curled into herself once again.

I began to recognize the way her face changed with her moods and learnt what activities to avoid doing with her, she seemed to enjoy the few hours we spent walking one day, but the time we had taken her to the stables to see the horses had sent her into an awful mood. She also seemed to enjoy being in quiet than when Ḗowyn, who had followed Théodred's lead babbled incessantly whenever it got too quiet.

Sometimes Rory spoke Théodred's name along with a few nonsense words, but she mostly remained silent over the few days that followed. One evening a few days after Théodred had left, Ḗowyn was nowhere to be found, I'd tried occupying Rory with her cards again, and building stacks on the table in the hall. It was hard for me to be left alone with her because of how much I hated sitting still, especially in doors. All I thought about was being out riding Firefoot again, slaying orcs, without having to worry about Théodred's girl. I was beginning to feel useless.

"Ḗomer."

I was a little surprised to hear my name being spoken, it was the first time Rory had said any words in front of me since the previous day. She lifted her middle finger nervously and poked it into the cup of water in front of her. I'd suspected something strange would happen, like it often did when Rory was around, thus managed to keep my face blank as little butterflies, made from water fluttered out of the cup and flew around the card tower we'd been building together.

Her nose bled again, more than last time and I knocked the cards over wiping the blood from her face with my sleeve, much to her surprise. I pulled her finger out of the cup, wrapping both of her tiny hands into mine, the butterflies didn't stop floating around until she looked back into the empty cup, at which point they glided swiftly back to land where they had just emerged from filling the goblet to the brim.

"Rory, you must not do that again. Not when there are people around, do you understand?"

I managed to speak calmly without frightening her, hoping she already understood how dangerous and wrong it was to meddle with magic, especially these days with Saruman and Grima plotting against us from within Rohan.

I started to pull my hands away until Rory pulled them back, wrapping both hands around two of my fingers, gauging my reaction. Her cheeks flamed red, but she carried on looking at me blue eyes wide, until finally she sighed. Without letting go of my fingers she let her shoulders fall to rest her chin on the edge of the table and closed her eyes.

I wasn't sure about anything at that moment after spending the last few days believing that Rory still resented my presence to have her show affection towards me was unnerving. I wished Théodred were here to speak with, to deal with Rory's' magical tendencies, to occupy her time.

Her grip loosened a bit before her hands fell away and she breathed in deeply clearly asleep.

It was in that moment I decided I couldn't take any more waiting around. Watching her sleep, I felt a sudden surge of protectiveness towards her that I hadn't felt before. Even while Ḗowyn was growing up I'd grown use to caring for her and dealing with situations that no man should have to deal with, looking after Rory was completely different. I had to take care of Ḗowyn, no matter what happened because I needed her as much as she needed me.

Ḗowyn was right I had grown fond of the absurd, strange, impossible gypsy girl who'd thrown mud in my face, broken my nose, and shouted items of furniture at me. I think Rory had grown fond of me while Théodred had been away. It was obvious from the tints in her cheeks she liked me, and also how innocent she was and how young she seemed to be. Barely a woman despite her body.

I felt disgusted with myself as I felt a twinge in my stomach at the thought of touching her face again.
perhaps with my mouth.
and more than just her face...

The self-disgust won over the surge of lust running through me. Watching her as she slept, fantasizing, like a perverted wild man. No Rory was off limits, at least in that way. There were other women who satisfied me enough without involving Rory.

I thought at first, that I had been looking after Rory because I knew how much she'd come to mean to Théodred and Ḗowyn. But if someone caught her doing magic, even as harmless as water butterflies, I'd aren't think what might happen to her. There was only one person I knew of to help take Rory and her magic somewhere far away and keep her safe, the Wizard Gandalf Greyhame. Though finding and convincing him would be no easy task, he had visited Rohan only a few months ago, and offended our people by taking one of our prized horses Shadowfax.

My priorities needed to be in the right order to do things properly however, first I needed to bring Théodred back. Ḗowyn walked in the room conveniently and we discussed what best to do together in front of the sleeping Rory until we at last decided Théodred needed to return to Edoras.

"Will you not wait until morning Ḗomer?"

"There is no time to waste Ḗowyn, Wormtongue has spies about Medulseld and Rory has as little tact as a drunken scoundrel, it won't be long before she sprouts more animals in front of witnesses. It will be in our favour to leave during the dark regardless, it will arouse less unwanted attention, I should pack now I think. Do not rouse her, let her sleep" I stopped Ḗowyn who had leaned towards Rory as if to shake her awake.

"Be careful Ḗomer, take no risks." Worry filled her face as she leant across the table to embrace me in farewell.

"Take care Ḗowyn. There is little need to worry, all shall soon be well again." I turned on my heels to fetch men before they retired for the night without a backwards glance.

gwakk, thanks for reviews and shizzle! i'll totally reply to them asap, but now i am off to bed!

one did catch my eyes though, because it was a total paragraph and gave me really good advice, MAN, i don't remember who it was, but THANK YOU, you said about how rory was being quite childlike, its because she is a bit scared and socially awkward, but after this little awkmoment with eomer, she's totally gonna snap out of it. i was trying to make her a bit goofy to be honest, because i like goofy people, theyre amusing and also i do like innocent people in stories because they make me want to not be such a brat! but rory has been a brat over the last few chapters and i will have to fix that :D

wowa. BED, NEED BED. see ya guys!