Parmasambe

Rider of the Mark

Chapter 10

Drinking 'bout you.

***

"You, my friend, are a dog!" The tall blond stood in front of the fireplace, contemplating life, the world and the depths of his ale. "You are a hard taskmaster, cruel, a right bastard even!" He looked over his shoulder at the Horse Lord his insults were being aimed at "Thank Béma I am NOT under your command!"

"And when you grow up, youngling, you want to be just like me." The older man was sitting, studying the nasty weapon in his hand.

The standing man snorted and turned back to the flames. "Digging down to the foundation? Fresh dirt and sawdust? Firefoot won't know what to do, Gamling!"

"Shut up and move over, …omer!" Gamling shifted in his chair "You are blocking the light."

…omer scowled and fitfully slung himself into the other chair. He raised his mug to his lips, taking a deep drink before continuing, "Fyren hates you."

Gamling was slowly turning Aefre's morningstar, examining it closely.

***According to Nerian, there are 243 refugees in the tents. That includes 129 elderly, 74 children and 52 widows. They are vulnerable... A morningstar.... a damned MORNINGSTAR! Where in Arda did she get a morningstar?... Who made this for her?... It had to be...***

"Fyren hates everyone," Gamling continued to turn the foul weapon carefully, before his eyes finally rested on her weapons belt.

*** A broadsword, a short sword, a variety of daggers.... Béma! The woman is a walking arsenal-***

"Well, Fyren REALLY hates you now!" …omer cocked an eyebrow and toasted the elder Horse Lord. "He will make your life misery, mark my words. Mucking the Royal Stalls? That makes me shudder. I haven't had to muck out a stall since-"

Gamling finally laid the morningstar at his feet and steepled his fingers. "He will muck out the stables, or he will go home and plow his fields!" Gamling stated firmly. "Or plow his next wife, poor soul," he muttered.

…omer chuckled and proceeded to rifle through Aefre's weapons, which were laid out on the small table between him and Gamling. "No woman should be armored thus. Honestly, Gamling, I don't think what they said was that bad..."

"Imagine they said it about your sister."

…omer nodded once. "They should die." He lifted his mug again. "But Fyren-"

"- had been disrespectful before you arrived." Gamling was holding her small dirk - the same one she had nicked him with - and was turning it over and over idly in his hand. He made a mental note how sharp it was, how clean. In fact, all of her weapons were well kept, oiled, sharpened.

***She might be out of practice, but she still takes care, takes pride.... dammit dammit dammit..***

"You know, you are going to have to return these to her." …omer motioned to the weapons belt and the morningstar lying on the floor. "Eowyn is right fascinated with the ugly thing. I wish Aefre had not shown it to her." The king's nephew stood up and began to gather Aefre' belt and weapons together. "In fact, I'll return these and have a word with her-"

Gamling's large, calloused hand slammed down over …omer's. "Leave them. I'll deal with them. And her."

"Oh? You are going to return them?"

"No." Gamling's visage was grim. "I know Aefre. She will come to me."

…omer smiled mischievously, pulling his hand from under Gamling's. "Have her trained already?"

Gamling picked the morningstar up and laid it in his lap gently. "I would not use the word 'trained' when it comes to Aefre."

…omer learned over, pulling Gamling's hair away from his face. "Obviously not. She got you good. Perhaps you should go to the kitchens and get a slab of meat for that. There's a freshly slaughtered cow in the smokehouse."

Gamling pulled away from the questing fingers. "I"ll take care of it later." His fingers tightened on the rod of the weapon he held in his lap.

"You know, I feared for your life when she pulled her fist back at you." …omer meandered back in front of the fireplace, and Gamling shook his head ruefully. "It's unseemly a woman should fight. And with weapons!"

**What did you expect them to fight with? Pins and needles? Frying pans?***

Again, the younger Horse Lord looked over his shoulder. "You must talk to her. She is giving Eowyn ideas!"

"Eowyn had ideas before Aefre," Gamling muttered. He lay the morningstar down on the floor before standing up to stretch. "Béma, …omer! Why did you come to my room with only one mug of ale for yourself?"

…omer was again scrutinizing the fire. "You've not been down to the Hall in ages. Or the brothel." …omer raised his mug. "Let's go down together. I'm sure one of the girls would be more than happy to attend to your eye."

"No."

…omer sighed and tried a different tactic. "You don't have to partake in any... carnal... pursuits. Come down for a drink, a game of cards-"

"There is nothing there that interests me." Gamling made his way from the fire to the window, pulling back to curtain to stare over the small fire lights and lanterns of the tent city

***What to do...***

"You are becoming more and more introverted in your dotage. You *know* that?"

Gamling leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. His eyes never left the scene outside. "I tire of fleeting moments, of temporary sating, …omer. Someday, you will too."

…omer's voice came hissing in his ear. "Not until I'm dead!" He inhaled to say something else, but was interrupted by someone knocking... no... kicking at the door.

Gamling nodded to …omer, who shrugged in acknowledgment and opened the door as it was being kicked again. Gamling's attention returned momentarily to the refugee camp.

"Milady Aefre. " …omer sounded surprised - and pleased. "Whatever brings your dainty slippered foot banging at this crass Horse Lord's door at this hour?"

***Dainty slippered foot? Let me tell you about that dainty slippered foot...***

Gamling moved away from the window and turned towards her fully.

Aefre looked from Horse Lord to Horse Lord. "If I am interrupting, I can come back later." She began to back out - with the ale and what appeared to be a platter of raw meat -

***blessblessbémablessyou***

- out the door.

Gamling reached out and took the pitcher and mugs from her, keeping her from leaving. "See, …omer, someone who knows how to bring more than enough for him or herself! …omer was just leaving, weren't you, …omer?"

"I was?" Gamling glared over Aefre's bowed head. "Oh! I was!" …omer smiled knowingly. "Yes, I was leaving." …omer dipped his head to Aefre ­ who, Gamling noticed with wry amusement, was looking at the King's nephew as if he was deranged. …omer winked at the elder Horse Lord and quietly slipped out.

For several seconds, the room was quiet, save for the crackling of the burning wood in the fireplace.

***Glorious cascading hair hothothotsweethot***

"I take it you wish to share a drink with me?" The sound of his own voice in the still air sounded foreign to him.

Aefre had the good sense to blush. "Actually, no, I wish to tend to your eye, but Willan insisted I bring additional... bribery."

"Willan is a wise man." Gamling nodded sagely before turning to the table and setting down the tankards and pitcher of ale. He picked up her weapons belt and set it on his bed. Turning, he gestured to the platter she still held. "Are you going to cook that for me or did you have other plans for it?"

Aefre blinked.

Twice.

"It's for your eye." Finally, she looked up at him. "If you will sit down, I will tend to it." She stepped over and stood by his chair, expectantly.

"Aefre, you don't have to-"

"Would you PLEASE stop being a man and just sit down?" Aefre slammed the platter down, the slab of meat jiggling dangerously. "I can't reach you all the way up there, you over-grown behemoth!"

***new word new word will she ever run out?***

She tapped her foot impatiently.

Smirking at her ire, Gamling sat down with a heavy thud. He watched in amusement as she went to the water pitcher and poured a small amount into the bowl. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small square of linen that was tied in a knot. Carefully picking out the knot, she shook what looked like dirt into the water.

"What are you doing?"

"Mixing something for your eye."

"Are you trying to blind me?" he glowered.

Aefre scowled back at him, using her fingers to mix the water. "Suspicious man! For your information, it is willow bark, which is a pain killer, and comfrey, which will soothe the abrasion."

***Aye suspicious you gave me this bruise to begin with...***

She grimaced at the dried blood and dirt on the washcloth laid to the side, and picking it up in a wad, stormed from the room. She returned a few moments later with a fresh cloth and dipped it into the tepid water.

"I washed it already, Aefre."

"Not to my specifications, you didn't!" she muttered hotly. She wrung the cloth out and approached the now sitting Rider with a rather murderous glint in her eye.

"What are you so angry about, Aefre?"

"I'm not-"

"Or should I say *who* are you angry at? Your knuckles are white." Gamling nodded towards her hands.

Aefre's mouth snapped shut and she loosened her hold on the wet cloth. "I'm not-"

"If someone is going to tend to my eye, I would prefer a gentle hand."

"But I'm not-"

"Because, it's quite tender-"

"Béma! Would you shut up?" He smiled rather cheekily at her. Her cheeks were flushed red, her brows drawn down.

***Oh is she madmadmadhothotsweethot**

"If you do not stop grinning like a madman-" Gamling immediately put on his sternest face, reserved for errant squires and disrespectful Riders. "You are making it impossible for me to tend to your eye!" She gently raked his hair away from his face and he heard her hiss in anger. "Tell me if I hurt you." Aefre gently stroked around the abraded flesh.

***Owowowowowow***

"It's fine. You are not hurting me."

Fingers turned his face to the side, as she continued her ministrations. He heard her mumbling, swearing under her breath and he realized she could probably teach his men a thing or two about hair - curling epithets.

***Funny little witch OUCH pops me for swearing DAMMIT yet she-sweetsweetfinger ah-***

Again she threaded her fingers through his hair, gently holding it back.

His eyes opened to slits and he realized she was leaning over him and his nose was directly-

***Ah bliss sweet breasts of Elbereth! Béma, Remember what you said to Eomer.... I tire of fleeting... temporary sating... temporary NOTHING! Ah sweet...***

Gamling forced himself to refocus; anything else but her-

***BREASTSBREASTSBREASTS***

A dark long tendril of hair curled over her shoulder. Usually, her hair was pulled back, pinned away and braided, but tonight it was down, draping over her shoulder, glistening damp strands of ...

***In Théoden's rooms was a chair; an exotic chair made of dark sandalwood that the king had bought for his Queen, Elfhild. Its scent was unique, the wood rich and polished, where the queen had unconsciously rubbed the satiny wood. Even to this day, when Théoden was troubled, he would sit in this chair, deep in thought and stroke the knob of...***

Gingerly, he reached out, his intent to wrap the moist lock around his finger.

"I'm sorry, Just Gamling. I should not have struck you."

***What?***

"Excuse me?"

Aefre stepped back and reaching over, grabbed the steak and laid it over the side of his face. "Leave that there for a time. I said I'm sorry. I should not have hit you."

Gamling sat up straighter, holding the steak to his face. "Yes, you should have. I tackled you; you had no idea who I was. You did the right thing. Béma, this feels strange!"

Aefre was pouring a mug of ale and she handed it to him, "What feels strange? The steak?"

"No. Well, yes, it does... but... you apologizing to me. That is strange and unnatural and something is most definitely wrong in the Riddermark if it is not me apologizing to you!"

Aefre was smiling, pouring herself an ale. "Oh? And do you think I am incapable of apologizing if I have erred, Just Gamling?"

***damn saucy woman prissy witchy BREASTS sitting in my chair, in MY room, like you belong here...***

"I do not see it happening often."

Aefre laughed, again a very open, honest sound, and she raised her mug to him. "No, it does not happen often. In fact the last time I apologized was to my husband on our wedding night."

"Your husband?" Gamling asked humorously. "Dare I ask why?"

"I... nipped him too hard."

***OUCH!***

Wince. Gamling pulled his legs together in reaction. Aefre had the audacity to laugh at his reaction.

"No - it wasn't *that*! It was his fingertips."

Gamling leaned back and relaxed with a sigh. "Then remind me never to put my fingers in your mouth."

Again the air was bent with the sound of her laughter.

"Aefre, may I ask you a question?"

Her nose was deep in her mug. "Hmm hmmm," she waved him on, in what looked like an affirmative motion.

"Where did you get your morningstar?"

She froze. "Hmm?" Her voice echoed strangely in the mug.

"Where did you get your morningstar? I would have an answer. It is unusually light, so I suspect it was made for you." He repositioned the raw meat on his face and slid around, throwing a leg over the armrest of his chair. "Who would make such a weapon for a woman and why?"

Aefre set her mug down and with a well - practiced thumb, wiped her mouth. "My father. And because I asked it." She poured from the pitcher again and raised the mug.

Silence while he watched her drink. She finally drained the tankard and she set it down with a convincing thud. The look she gave him was...

... heated...

***hothothotohBémahothothot...***

"You don't believe me."

Gamling shrugged and refocused on the fire - it was safer to stare at the flames - and raised his own half full mug. "I believe you. I just wonder why any man would give his beloved daughter something so vile."

Aefre chuckled as she stood up and came over to him. She pulled the steak back and inspected his face. "It's still red and a little swollen. It might bruise, it might not. Leave it a little longer." She laid the raw meat back in place over his eye. "Have you ever been to The Wold, Just Gamling?" He shook his head. "I thought not. It is an unforgiving place, a mean place. Only the strong survive. My father gave me such a weapon because I was a beloved daughter. He gave me the means and instructed me on the ways to survive." She bent down and picked the morningstar up. "And survive I did." She then picked up her weapons belt from the table. "For a time, at least." She shouldered her weapons belt and smiled down at him. "I hope it doesn't bruise too badly. I am truly sorry." She turned to leave.

"Aefre." Gamling waited for her to stop. "Do you know Fyren?"

He watched as she shifted thoughts, searching...

"The older Rider; the one with the dozen or so children that run amuck?"

"Aye." Gamling stood, removing the meat and laying it back on the platter. "Stay away from him. In fact, go nowhere without an escort. He has a rather unsavory reputation and I do not wish for you to be... upset or put in an uncomfortable position."

She smiled. "Should I hit him if he propositions me?"

"Right in the mouth." Gamling thought for a second. "And yell. Loudly."

Aefre chuckled quietly. "Alright. Anything else?"

***dammit dammit …omer leavemetodothis...***

"When you spar with Eowyn tomorrow, leave your morningstar in your rooms."

This upset her. The smile slid from her face, replaced by a look of confusion. "But why? It's a..."

"…omer does not wish it."

***oh Béma just look at her just puff up...**

"…omer does not wish it? What do I care-"

Gamling's hand for the second time that day covered her mouth. "Do not forget he is our future king. You do not wish to rouse his ire. He has good reasons. Leave it be."

Aefre scowled, reared up in anger and opened her mouth...

"That is an order... My Lady."

Aefre did not back down. "That is twice today you have given me a direct order as if I were in your command, Gamling!" He heard the anger, the accusation. The fact that she didn't call him Just...

"I know. I will not apologize. It is for your own protection." Gamling reached out and cupped the side of her face, caressing her cheek. "Thank you for the ale and tending of my eye."

She stared hard at him. Then after a moment, she backed down, relaxed, closing her eyes, enjoying the contact. Finally she smiled, and turned her face in, kissing the palm of his hand.

"Put the steak back on your eye, Gamling. Goodnight." In a blink, she was out the door, leaving him with a peculiar tingling and a familiar well - recognized throb.

***tingling.... Béma... you are just... needy...***

The next morning, he rose early, the stinging in his face gone, the swelling greatly reduced. As he stood at the window, watching the sun rise over the mountains, he saw Aefre alone, stealing through the front gates of Edoras.

***

tbc

***