The night was cold, the wind colder, and Héodis wrapped her arms about herself. 'What am I going to do...? Should I speak with Éomer before I leave..?' she wondered, but her thoughts were interrupted when a heavy warmth encircled her.

"You'll catch your death out here, dressed like that."

Héodis looked behind her as Éomer stepped back, his cloak draped over her shoulders. "My lord?" She could see that he was dressed warmly enough, but she was surprised that he would offer her his cloak.

Éomer met her gaze, seeing the surprise in her eyes muddled with something else. Before he could speak another word, however, a gust of wind ripped through the city- catching Heodis off guard and nearly sweeping her off her feet. Éomer managed to grab her hand and pull her back as she slipped, surprised at how much smaller her hand was compared to his.

"Are you alright?"

Héodis nodded. "I am, thank you."

They stood there hand in hand for a moment before Éomer spoke next.

"I'm sorry..."

Héodis looked up at that, her brow furrowed a bit. "My lord?"

Éomer sighed, meeting her gaze and holding it. "I shouldn't have made a promise I could not keep..."

Héodis' chest tightened as she was still unsure if she was ready to discuss the battle. "Éomer..." she sighed, squeezing his hand slightly. "It wasn't your fault... as much as I could keep blaming you, I know it in my heart that there was nothing you could have done..." She felt tears brimming in her eyes. "It is enough to know that you were with him in the end when I could not be, so for that I thank you."

Éomer reached up to wipe the tears from her cheeks. "Your brother saved my life, Heodis, and I will be forever in his debt. I only wish that I knew how to repay it."

Héodis leaned into his hand as it came to rest on her cheek. "There's no need, he would not have wanted you to feel indebted to him."

Éomer managed a small smile at that and a gentle chuckle as he imagined what Héoláf would have done had he had said the same thing to him instead. "That is true."

Héodis found herself smiling as well, for the first time in weeks, but her brow furrowed again for just a moment as she asked, "Are we OK, now?"

Éomer nodded, seeing the relief in her eyes. "I do believe we are."

Héodis embraced him, her arms wrapped around his mid-section. "I am glad to hear it. I was worried about leaving things as they were before leaving."

Éomer had returned her embrace, but her words caught him off guard. "You're leaving?"

Héodis stepped back at his tone and looked up, seeing a muddled mess of emotions reflecting in his golden eyes. "I've been invited to join the caravan as it travels to Gondor. Heimer and Ric offered me a place with them in Ethring where they know a skilled healer who is looking for an apprentice and I've decided to accept."

"I see."

Héodis felt her chest tighten as Éomer turned away from her. "Éomer, there is much that I could learn from this healer, things that I can bring back to Edoras and use to help our people."

"And what of your duties here?"

"Éowyn assured me that they could manage without me until I return."

"So my sister knows, then?"

"Yes, I sought her counsel on the matter earlier." Héodis looked at him, her stomach beginning to churn with nervousness. "Éomer, why are you upset? It's not as though I am running away."

"Aren't you, though?" Eomer turned towards her, letting his emotions get the better of him at that moment. "You avoid me like a plague for weeks, unwilling to speak about anything. You were so worried about the roads being too dangerous for you to take your brother to be buried with your parents, yet you seem more than happy to go with a caravan of strangers on a journey three days longer than it would have been to return to Néaron."

Héodis couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I had just lost the only family I had left in this world and I could not even be there with him in his final moments! I have been grieving and angry, and just being near you..." She looked away a moment, trying to control her emotions.

"'Just being near me' what? Sickened you? Infuriated you?" Éomer demanded.

"Just being near you has been a constant reminder that I could have lost someone else that I loved!" Héodis retorted. "I could not bear the thought of losing you, too..."

Éomer fell silent and his eyes widened at her remark.

"But it seems that I have been foolish in hoping that you could be understanding, let alone supportive of my decision." Héodis slid his cloak from her shoulders and shoved it back into his arms. "I will take my leave, my lord." She barely offered him a courtesy as she hurried off towards the nearby stairway- stopping only for a moment to wish for his safety and health in the days to come.

Hurt, Héodis returned to her chambers and prepared her things for the journey before informing Heimir that she would accept his offer. Heimir was pleased to hear it, as was Ric, and welcomed her to the caravan.

Throughout the rest of the night, however, Ric had noticed that Héodis seemed off- at least from what he knew of her- and after some time, he decided to ask her along for a walk. Héodis agreed, falling step beside him as they strolled through the city.

"What's on your mind, Héodis?"

"I don't know what I was thinking..."

"About?"

"How could I be foolish enough to believe he would understand why I am leaving?"

"Lord Éomer?"

Héodis nodded and sighed. "I thought we were close, despite these past several weeks, but I guess I was wrong..."

Ric thought over everything he knew about Héodis, from the brief insight into her childhood to her brother's death, and what her relationship with the king and his family was like.

"Am I making a mistake by leaving..?" Héodis wondered aloud. "Am I just running away..?"

"Do you feel as though you are?"

Héodis stopped and stared up at the sky, clouded as it was. "I don't believe so, but it seems my judgment as of late has been as clouded as this night is."

Ric chuckled at her metaphor for a moment and turned his gaze skyward as well. "Well, if it were me, I would be upset to suddenly be caught off guard by such news. I think the young lord may feel a sense of fear in your departure, even if you plan on returning. He likely worries for your safety and wellbeing, and regrets that you will be out of his reach of protection."

"He was so angry, though... I've never seen that look before..."

"There have been a great number of changes as of late, it's only natural that one would react in such a way," Ric added. "Though I would not say that it condones such behavior, even as understandable as it may be." He looked at Héodis, a question popping into his mind. "May I ask you something personal?"

"Alright?"

"Do you love the young lord?"

Héodis was caught off guard by his question, but as she sighed and looked down at the pendant hanging above her chest- one that was a gift from Éomer for her birthday- she nodded. "I have for a long time, perhaps from the very moment I lay eyes on him." She touched the pendant lightly, feeling the familiar engraving of a rearing horse that had given her much comfort over the years. 'But I am lowborn, and he is nobility. Even if he felt the same for me, we would not be a good match for that fact alone; he has a duty to continue his family's line and strengthen it for the sake of the kingdom, as did his forefathers.'

"Then perhaps you can understand why he may have reacted the way he did. Put yourself in his shoes and imagine how you would feel if he were to suddenly leave without a word."

Héodis knew he was right and leaned into him with a small smile. "Thank you, Ric..."

Ric wrapped an arm around her and held her closely. "It helps to hear an outside perspective sometimes, which I am happy and able to do for you any time you should need it."