Chapter 6

It was her own fault, really.

Lothíriel had known she had lingered with the King far too long, making it more and more likely she would be discovered in the cells where she had no business being. But talking with King Éomer had been so nice, because there was something incredibly warm and forthcoming about him even when he sat there studying her every move. She had known he was assessing her, but it had not made her feel insecure or awakened any defensive instincts. Momentarily it almost felt like she could spill any secret to the man and have faith he would still treat her with respect.

And there was the unfortunate fact she had not made sure her hair was properly fixed under the cap... granted, the reveal had given her a precious second to improvise, and maybe, if King Éomer was as good as his reputation, he'd make best of the chance she had given to him.

Now, thanks to her sloppiness, she was being dragged up to the deck and then towards the captain's cabin. Things were not looking good for her, but she hadn't yet run out or tricks. And though there was some apprehension, much of it passed when she took in her surroundings and realised the ship was already sailing upriver; the banks of Anduin were lit by bright moonlight. They were in Gondor!

Oh, this is good.

Now, if King Éomer could just get himself out of the cells...

But she couldn't worry about him now, because the door of the cabin was thrown open. The three men dragged her inside unceremoniously, their fingers digging into her arms. That was surely going to leave a nice set of bruises.

Dagalur was leaning over his maps when the company burst inside. He scowled at the disturbance, but was also quick to take note of the long braid that now tumbled down Lothíriel's shoulder.

"What is this supposed to be?" he snapped loudly.

"We've caught a rat, Dagalur. This one had sneaked to see the prisoner and it looks like he has been lying about more than just one thing", Shanum stated victoriously. The way he put emphasis on the word "he" was dripping with sarcasm. They tossed her down on the floor, where she remained, trying to look as meek and helpless as possible. It should make these men feel powerful in contrast... and accordingly arrogant.

Arrogant men are surprisingly easy to play, Aunt's voice seemed to whisper in her memory.

"I was just trying to -" Lothíriel said in a weak, trembling voice, but once more she was interrupted, this time by a kick against her back. She cried out.

"Silence, girl", Shanum hissed.

Lothíriel complied, bowing her head and fighting against the urge to peek up at Dagalur's face. But if she did, he'd know she was not as terrified as she was trying to act. Why wasn't he saying anything?

"I say we pass her around. Have some fun while we wait for the uproar to die", said one of Shanum's companions. Lothíriel winced and bit her lip. Aunt had told her it could come to this if she was caught. Some men became veritable monsters when they had a helpless woman under their mercy. Aunt Ivriniel had not told her what to expect; she had merely stated this was something no one could prepare for beforehand.

"Of course you would", Dagalur spoke at last, sounding so condescending that Lothíriel felt tiny bit of relief. While the captain was hardly most decent of men, at least his reaction implied he was not that kind of a villain.

He went on, "But perhaps if you were not so steeped in your dimwitted ways, you would stop and wonder how this girl not only successfully joined our crew, but also gave us an escape plan that could actually work, and managed to fool the entire crew this long."

Now she felt a little hopeful. If Dagalur wanted to interrogate her, then maybe she could buy some time – and let King Éomer free himself as she kept the captain busy. Fewer members of the crew would be around now: they were already in Gondor and it would make them feel less on the edge. Most of them would be below the deck, getting some rest after a couple of harrowing days. It was the best chance she and the king of the horselords were going to get.

She only hoped he was not going to ruin it for them both.

Dagalur made a shooing gesture at the three men and spoke, "Get going. I will interrogate her alone."

"Is that wise, captain?" Shanum asked. He did not sound particularly pleased with the decision. But the princess was glad, because already she knew her act did not work as well with this servant of the Black Serpent. It could have been impossible to fool both him and Dagalur at the same time.

"What is a slip of a girl going to do?" Dagalur asked back dismissively. "Now get out."

There was some grumbling, but Shanum and his companions did comply, and soon Lothíriel was left alone with the corsair captain. She remained on the floor, attempting to come across as vulnerable as she was able.

"Now, girl, tell me – why are you here?" Dagalur asked at last.

"I told you the truth. I want to get to Pelargir", she answered and kept her eyes down.

"And why is that?" asked the captain. His tone revealed she would have to work hard to convince him of anything.

"I was trying to get away from my family. They have arranged my betrothal with a horrible old man, who is a drunkard and a wife-beater. So I ran away and dressed as a boy for my own safety. My aunt lives in Pelargir and she has promised to take me in", Lothíriel replied at length. Still she kept her eyes down, but now she felt cool metal beneath her chin, and the sharp tip of a dagger forced her to look up. Dagalur's gaze was critical.

"Why should I believe anything you say?" he wondered out loud and narrowed his eyes.

She met his stare blankly. To be honest, she hadn't expected to persuade him by words.

"I didn't suppose you would", she stated at last in a small voice. "I can only say I lied to protect myself."

She let out a small sob and added, "At least the way your men acted... I don't think I was wrong in the first place."

Dagalur snorted out loud and pulled back the blade from under her chin.

"Well, I can't say you are wrong there", he muttered and toyed with his dagger as he considered her. "And what about the little scheme you offered to us in order to escape Prince Imrahil's fleet?"

"I just wanted to get away from my family – at any cost", she whispered. The longer this went on, the easier it became to conduct her act. But so it often was. Once she got comfortable with the role she was playing at the moment, it also grew less and less difficult to appear convincing. Controlling her voice was the hardest part.

"Even at the cost of horsemaster's life?" Dagalur asked her.

"Y-yes", Lothíriel answered and felt a faint shiver run down her spine. That was not acting anymore.

She breathed deeply and closed her eyes momentarily before continuing, "Better him than me."

The captain lifted one eyebrow. Was now a moment to change her tactics a little? She could try.

"Please. I need you to help me. I will do anything", she said in a choked voice and blinked hard at him, as though to dispel tears. It was soft and pleading – the vulnerable request of a girl who is all alone in the world. She leaned forward just so slightly it could be dismissed as a natural shift in one's posture, though at the same time it caused Dagalur's eyes moving to her neckline.

He brought the dagger closer to her again, but she read no threat in his body's language, and so she held still when the sharp tip pressed against the lowest point of the tunic's neck. He cut down, revealing the topmost layers of the binding around her chest. She looked up at Dagalur with wide eyes, lips parted, and breathed in shallow little gasps. Just the way the lady in the house of red veils had taught her.

The captain's eyes darkened. The dagger dropped from his hand, and then he gripped her shoulders.

She had him now – hook, line and sinker.


As soon as he was left alone, Éomer began to work on his escape.

Candir – or whatever the girl's name was – had indeed left him a fair chance of doing just that. There was one problem though: he couldn't reach the keys through the bars of the cell. But almost at once he realised he could use his belt to try to get them by throwing the buckle at the keys, getting them to catch, and dragging them to himself. When his fingers closed around the means to his release, he hissed in accomplishment. Finally, something was going his way.

He unlocked the door of the cell and stepped out with a breath of relief. Of course, this did not mean he was out of danger yet, but it felt good to be free again and have a measure of control over his situation. He swept the small knife Candir had left for his use: a light but well-balanced thing. It was a suitable weapon for a crafty little spy.

Once outside the cell, he pondered how to proceed. Should he try and get straight to the captain's cabin? At least, he assumed that was where the three men had taken Candir. Béma knew what they were doing to her now – they could be torturing her to get answers, or even some worse atrocities. So Éomer made up his mind: it was now his turn to help her, and he needed to do it as quickly as he could.

But could he get there? He guessed it was night already, and so perhaps fewer members of the crew would be around. Yet he had no idea of how many enemies stood between him and Candir. If he just barged out recklessly, one of them might raise the alarm.

He could not wait. Candir relied on him to help her and he could not waste time, standing about. So he took a deep breath, adjusted the knife in his hand so that he could strike quickly and efficiently in case foes appeared, and pushed the door open as quietly as he was able.

It was dark in the narrow corridor and quiet, too. The only sounds were the small creaks and cracks of the ship and the waters lapping against the hull. He supposed it was a good sign. At least the captain had not yet decided to throw Candir at his crew for them to do with as they pleased. With a shudder of disgust he imagined such an event would have caused some kind of an uproar.

Éomer felt the same as just before launching an attack: he was on the edge, each sensation was heightened, and he was highly aware each second could be the one he'd burst into action. Having to sneak around like this did not feel right, though. He preferred to meet the enemy face first. However, much depended on his stealth now. Éomer smiled grimly to himself when he thought of Éothain and what the man would advise him to do. The captain would briskly tell him he could not waste time in heroics right now, but make every effort he possibly could to get off of this ship alive and unhurt.

Even if it meant deploying tactics he'd rather not use.

At last he reached the narrow stairs leading up to the deck. It was night indeed, and the moon shone so brightly that a shadow of one night guard standing there was cast down where Éomer now was. For a second he hesitated. Would the stairs creak under his weight, and could he make it up fast enough? Could he surprise the guard before he was exposed?

Well, there was nothing to it. He had to try.

Éomer leaped up three stairs at a time, knife at the ready, and reached for the guard as he turned. His free hand covered the man's mouth and thus muffled the cry before it got out. Meanwhile, the blade cut into the pirate's exposed neck and ended his life in one quick slash.

The Rohir caught the man's body as it fell, easing it on the deck silently. He laid the body in a sitting position. He noted the man was one of the three who had dragged Candir to the captain. A quick glance around confirmed others were not nearby - maybe they were with the captain, or had gone under the deck to do whatever corsairs did at this time of night. At least he hoped they would not be returning soon, or notice the unfortunate end of their comrade. Until someone came to inspect the matter more closely, the dead man might pass as a sleeping one. And Éomer had a feeling they needed those extra minutes right now.

Thankfully, there were no one else on the deck at the time. Finally some luck.

Quickly he made his way to the captain's cabin; however unpleasant their conversation had been, at least he knew where to find the man. Luck remained with him, as he met no one else on the way. He guessed the entirety of crew must be resting – except for the poor devil he had just slain. But even so, he was not going to take any chances here.

In the minutes before Éomer opened the door of the captain's cabin, he wondered what he would find there. What if the pirate leader was torturing Candir right now? Or inflicting another kind of violence on her? The mere thought made his blood boil. On the other hand, Candir had shown she had skill in deception. Maybe she had found a way to stall the man…

Whatever he expected, it was not what greeted him when he slipped inside. Candir had the captain on the flat of his back in the cot and she was straddling his hips. And she was kissing the man in a way that did not look at all like she was being forced to do it.

Éomer stopped on his tracks and blinked. But Candir let out a groan and she made a light punch at the captain's throat, leaving the man to gasp for breath while she got up in a swift motion.

"Finally! I was starting to think you had got yourself caught again", she said crisply as she wiped her mouth and brushed back her hair, which was now flowing open down her shoulders.

"What… are you doing?" he asked at length and glanced at the gasping man.

"Keeping him distracted, of course. I had to improvise", said the girl dismissively. "Come, let's get going. We need to get off of this ship."

She made a movement towards the door, but Éomer did not follow.

"Perhaps we could take the captain along as a hostage, at least until we get to the land?" he suggested warily. He'd rather have some kind of a bargaining chip in case they were cornered again.

"We don't have the time", said Candir anxiously.

"How else are you going to make sure we get to land safe and undisturbed?" he pointed out. "Or are you just going to row us across the high seas?"

"We aren't even close to high seas! Uinen is with us, you oaf – we are already sailing up Anduin. We can make it to the land quite easily, provided we don't just wait here like sitting ducks", she answered with a hint of temper.

"Well, excuse me for not observing that event from my cell", Éomer said wryly. "But I still think we should get the captain just to be sure."

"Oh, all right then", she muttered, and he thought she was quite the overbearing little thing for one so young. Did she get like this with Imrahil, too?

He grunted, refraining from commenting on how disturbing it was to have such a slip of a girl supervising his safety. Now was not a time for smart comments – nor interrogating her, though there were a fair number of questions he would have liked to make.

They found a bit of rope and she stuffed some piece of garment she had found in his mouth to keep him quiet, while Éomer watched over and kept his borrowed blade close to the man's neck. His scheming little companion worked quickly and efficiently, and soon the pirate's hands were tied together behind his back. His feet they kept free, as they needed him to walk. Éomer returned the knife to Candir and took possession of the captain's own sword – a curved blade with richly jewelled pommel. It was not his style at all, but it was best these circumstances offered. He didn't particularly like having to rely on another man's weapon, but neither did he fancy meeting a bunch of angry pirates armed with nothing but a small knife. And who knew what else would come their way, even if they were able to get to land? It was clear they were still a long way from safety.

"I'll go ahead and clear the way. You get him to the deck", she said as soon as she was ready. Éomer frowned; it was years since he had been ordered around like this. But considering she seemed to know what she was doing, and this was apparently a far more familiar environment to her than it was to him, he followed her lead.

So they continued. The woman lead the way and swiftly cut the throat of one corsair they met on the way, and Éomer, following and threatening the captain with the newly acquired sword, thought to himself that this lass was not merely a spy. His heart raced in his chest, and each second he expected someone to sound the alarm. However, whether it was by sheer chance or by the guidance of some benevolent Power watching over them, they reached the deck. Thankfully, no one had yet noticed the body of the man he had slain while trying to get to the cabin. Candir only threw a passing glance at the slain pirate. There was something a little chilling to her calm indifference.

She also got them a boat while Éomer steered their prisoner, his hand gripping the man by the back of his neck and the blade against his back. One sharp thrust would be enough to end his life.

Gazing over the railing he saw the vixen had been right: they were now sailing upriver and the banks of Anduin were at rowing distance. In his previous concern to get to her, he had not paid attention to this fact. If they made haste, they could get to land well before the night ended. He also noted the ship had indeed taken some serious damage. He was no sailor but he wondered if the vessel even was seaworthy anymore.

She started to lower the boat in swift, sure movements. Éomer frowned to himself; was there anything she couldn't do? Then again, if she was what he suspected, it was no wonder she had an impressive set of skills. And wasn't Amrothos fond of telling him how everyone from Dol Amroth was practically born with the gift of handling boats? Eventually he decided he would sleep his nights better if he did not know the extent of this maiden's abilities.

While Éomer stood and kept watch, both over their hostage and the deck to make sure they wouldn't be taken by surprise, he spoke to her again.

"May I know your name, lass? Your real name, that is, for it's clearly not Candir. I would like to know whom I owe my gratitude", he said, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

"Don't thank me yet. There are still plenty of ways this can go wrong", she answered, and the captain made a muffled sound as though he fiercely hoped just that. The Rohir slapped the side of his head and the man stumbled, falling quiet again.

"In that case, I'd like to know the name of the person I'm going to die with", Éomer said dryly, at which she snorted in laughter.

He saw her glancing at him and their prisoner, and then to his surprise, she spoke in Rohirric. Granted, her choice of words was unusual and her accent wasn't pretty, but she managed to convey her message.

"I am sister to the three men you were visiting", she told him, and though he supposed at this point, he shouldn't be surprised at anything she said or did, Éomer was still astonished.

"Daughter of -" he nearly spluttered out her secret, but she hissed in warning. Obviously she didn't want their prisoner learning anything about her identity. And rightly so – he guessed that to these pirates, being able to catch a member of Imrahil's family would be a dream come true.

"Yes, yes. I'm his daughter", she announced with some annoyance and continued to lower the boat. Éomer shook his head. If the Princess Lothíriel went on releasing captured kings and stabbing corsairs, it was no wonder she had no time to appear in court or participate feasts.

"I don't suppose that's yet another trick?" he asked her doubtfully.

"I'm afraid not, Sire. But this is not the time or place to prove it, and truly it's not relevant as long as I can get you to safety. You are welcome to interrogate my father about it when you see him again, though. He should be glad to do anything you ask after this mess", she said impatiently. For whatever reason, her answer did actually convince him. Not to mention, ever since the moment she had leaped up from the corsair captain, Éomer had perceived almost a brutal air of honesty about the strange young woman. Was this now the real version of her?

"So he knows you have these... hobbies?" he asked at length.

"Of course he does. But that's a story for another time", said his companion, and at last the boat fell down. It splashed mightily when it came into contact with water, but remained afloat.

"We must hurry. Someone will have heard that. I do not know how much more we have time", she said, and he knew her words were truly spoken.

With some effort, they were able to lower their hostage in the boat, though not before he had quickly bound his feet. They didn't need him rocking the boat into capsizing. Éomer climbed down by a rope somewhat clumsily, but Princess Lothíriel followed suit as swift and agile as an elf.

She looked like she would have grabbed the oars, but Éomer prevented that.

"Let me row. I imagine I'm stronger than you, my lady, and I have barely got to use my strength tonight", he said firmly, still speaking in Rohirric, and surprisingly she agreed. He had rather expected she would object, what with the way she had been ordering him around since the moment he had burst into the captain's cabin.

So Éomer began to row while she sat guard and kept an eye on their hostage and on the ship they were now fleeing from.

"Care to tell me how the lady of your standing came to be captured by corsairs?" he wanted to know at first. There was still some way to row and the current created some resistance, which provided time to ask a few questions. He continued to use his own language, though, as their hostage didn't need to be partial to this conversation.

"Because it's what I do. If my brothers are the swords of Dol Amroth, then I am the hidden blade. Just like my aunt before me", she answered, not meeting his gaze.

"What does that mean?" Éomer asked with a frown. Somehow the thing that surprised him least about this whole thing was that Lady Ivriniel was some kind of a spy and assassin, too. He had not forgotten the cold force of her eyes when they had met.

He received a brief account on how she had been watching the pirates, and seen him brought in. Then she explained how she had decided to follow them, and upon realising that he was going to be taken into the ship, she had surrendered herself into their hands. But like Éomer himself had at first, they had taken her for a boy.

"It's one of my disguises. If you thought of me as a boy, it's because I wanted you to", she said nonchalantly.

"And what about the captain? Why wasn't he trying to make you tell everything?" he inquired her and shot a quick look at the pirate lying on the bottom of their boat.

"Well, I spun this tale about trying to escape my family, and insinuated I was ready to do anything if he would help me. He thought I was going to perform some very unladylike acts on him, which made it remarkably easy to keep him occupied while you freed yourself", she explained and flashed a victorious little grin.

The young king could only shake his head. Truly, this woman was extraordinary! But he could still not understand how a lady of her status could be doing something so dangerous.

"Tell me, how does a Gondorian lady become a spy and an assassin?" he asked her.

"That's a long story. I'll tell you some time", she told him firmly. Éomer frowned again and was silent for a while as he kept rowing. The princess peered into the night, while he was thinking about all that had happened until now.

"I see movement on the ship. Lamps and men running. Either they have found one of the bodies, or noticed their captain is missing", she said suddenly.

"Then we must hurry", said the Rohir in low tones and he began to row faster. It was not a long way to the bank of the river now, but the current was stronger here; he adjusted his pulls to keep the brow of their little boat from sliding downriver.

Éomer glanced at the corsair lying on the bottom of the vessel. The man stared back with huge, furious eyes.

"What about our prisoner?" he inquired the lass. Perhaps, if they let the man go, he'd decide enough was enough and let him and the princess go their merry way. On the other hand, the look in the captain's eyes did not promise good.

"I say we dump him in the river. We can't drag him along once we reach the land, and if we leave him in the water, his men will have to tend to him. It will buy us some time", she said, casting a grim look at the captain.

"He could die", said the young king quietly and looked up at the Princess, who sat opposite him. He was surprised at how cold her eyes seemed.

"Yes, he could. But that is no more than what he and his ilk have given to the innocents of my land. And he would have sold you to the highest bidder if I had not interfered", she said. Then, before Éomer could say anything more, she rolled him over the board. It swayed the boat but their vessel stayed upright.

"Princess! He might drown", Éomer felt obliged to point out.

"Or he might not. Pirates usually are very good swimmers and in any case, it's no less than he deserves", Princess Lothíriel said firmly.

Éomer still did not feel pleased. While he fully understood what she had said, that these pirates wouldn't have hesitated to sell him like a fine piece of meat, he still didn't feel right with just pushing the man into the river. When Éomer fought and killed, especially when battling another Man, he preferred to do it when both he and his opponent had equal chances. But on the other hand, it was becoming more and more clear that this princess had been trained to slay in an entirely different manner.

"I don't think you should have done that. They might have taken the plan you gave them and leave us be. But if he dies, they may want to get revenge for their leader", Éomer said gravely.

But the princess shrugged.

"Why would they? They're corsairs, they don't have that kind of loyalty between themselves", she said dismissively.

"Are you sure about that?" Éomer asked evenly. "Orcs have no loyalty. They would sell their comrades in a heartbeat if there was something in it for them. But Men who have fought and bled together usually have some kind of a code. You didn't just betray these pirates: you also lead them deep into enemy territory, stole their only bargaining chip from them, and now you have left their captain to drown. They have plenty of reason to hate you."

Moonlight was bright enough for him to see the way she was frowning. Perhaps his words had got through to her? But then she shook her head and the frown vanished from her features.

"Well, what is done is done. Unless you want to row down after him, and so waste our chance of getting away… I understand if you don't feel good about it, but that man would not have hesitated to kill you, if you had been in bonds. I need to get you somewhere safe, Sire, and I will not let anything compromise that", she said gravely and glanced downriver. Éomer did not look.

He knew what he needed to do. He could almost hear Éothain's voice, demanding him to stay alive and get somewhere safe. Was one man's life worth more than the future of Rohan? Especially when that one man was a pirate and a villain? He knew what his council would tell him. And so, though his heart was uneasy, he kept rowing.

In less than two minutes they reached the riverbank and the King and the Princess climbed hastily out of their boat. They did not bother dragging it ashore, but let the current take a hold of the little vessel. Glancing back at the ship, which rocked slightly askew on the waves, he could see dark shapes in the distance.

"Do you have any idea of where we are?" he asked her.

"I think we are still in Lebennin. We have a good chance of making our escape. And there's a fair chance the corsairs will give up as soon as they realise we have vanished. They know they can still make it back to Umbar, if they are careful", she said, gazing ahead to where a low shrubbery began and eventually turned into a fragrant wood.

"Then what do you suggest? I have no knowledge of these lands, and so I cannot say where we should head", Éomer said. He felt a little anxious, for he knew this very moment boats were readied and soon enough the corsairs would flood this shore.

"I say we head for Pelargir. My father's ships will be looking far and wide for you, and one of them is bound to dock there sooner or later. Moreover, my aunt has a safe house in Pelargir. We can take cover there. The city is large and good for hiding", Princess Lothíriel said after considering it for a moment. She made the proposition quickly enough and he knew she was used to thinking on her feet.

Perhaps she was not a warrior in the sense he understood the word. But by now, Éomer had realised that this was a woman one wanted to have around in a pinch. She was quick, she was brave, and obviously she was quite resourceful. There was much yet he wanted to learn about her, but as of now there was no time. They had to make their escape.

"The lead the way", Éomer said to her, knowing enough to brace himself for a long, arduous flight.

She flashed him a smile in the light of the moon.

"Let's get going."

To be continued.


A/N: And here's an update! I hope you enjoyed it. :)

This was a bit difficult chapter to revise, but it was also fun finally getting Éomer out of his cell and starting to show his captors what is what. It seemed to me he wouldn't be entirely undisturbed, though. All this sneaking around and stabbing people in the dark is pretty far from his comfort zone, though I assume he had his share of that during Wormtongue's reign. But maybe that's why he resents it so much. Even so, he does recognise this is necessary for him to survive.

It was also fascinating to portray Lothíriel from his perspective and show how she would appear to someone else. He admires her bravery, surely, but he is also noticing some things about her that may not be so attractive. More on that later, though!

In case you wonder why she reveals her identity to him so easily, that is also something I mean to elaborate soon.

Thank you for reading and reviewing! If you got time, let me know what you think!


Lykz - No problem! Thank you for your interesting comments! I love it when my readers go in depth to their thoughts like you did. :)

I agree with you that in a lot of fanfiction, characters do seem to be OOC and they do things that aren't believable. I personally resent stories that paint Éomer as a bad guy because that is so, so far from who he is. But I'm also often concerned about my own writing and if I've managed to keep the characters true to the original.

It's fun to write Lothíriel having bit of a rebellious spirit in her, though. I think there's plenty of that in her in this version, but like I said before, she hasn't been active that long and she's still very young. So I'd say she hasn't really got to her full potential yet. Anyway, I do hope you continue to like her. Like I said in my A/N, Éomer is maybe noticing some not so attractive things about her in this chapter, but that's because I'm trying to make her well-rounded character!

Merakia - I'm glad you liked it! :)

Also happy to hear the pacing was good - I was a bit worried about that. And it was fun to be inside her head!

The Ladies of the Hidden Blade aren't actually called spiders. It's just Lothíriel's own little thing - a private joke, if you will. It's about how all these great warriors and Houses have these beautiful and noble animals in their emblems, but she's so different from them and her methods are wildly unusual in comparison, so she's figured out that if she'd have a banner, it would have to be a spider!

Katia0203 - Glad to deliver! :D Oh, she has a few tricks left indeed, and Éomer is not entirely helpless either!

Jo - I hope this answered a few of them at least!

EStrunk - I wouldn't say it was a grand plan of hers, but she managed to make something decent out of it. And Éomer does quite a bit with the keys and the blade! :D

Wondereye - Thank you!

Anon - The suggestion to do just that is on the table, but while Dagalur isn't my most developed OC, he never stroke me as that kind of a villain.

Nerdanel - That she is! :D But yeah, it's a better story if things happen more because people's active decisions rather than sheer happenstance. I admit this story had too much dumb luck going on before I decided to revise it, and I believe it does run smoother now than before.

sai19 - It was a tight spot, but they have managed to manoeuvre their way out if it! But we'll see how things go for them now.

It really just is a better read and I'm more satisfied with the end product when I see more effort. Sure, it may take more time, but at least it doesn't bother me after so much! :D

Doranwen - Yes, it was good to have him taking an active part in things, too! I hope you enjoyed their conversations in this chapter. :) It was actually very fun to write!

alia00 - I'm glad you like the story! :)