Forgiven 03

“Marshal Gamling! A word!”

Gamling stopped what he was doing and looked up, holding a hand to Cynn, the blacksmith. Now that Éothain had arrived, he was ready to leave for the Wold within the next few days and informed his wife of such. His first stop that morning was to have all the horses they would be taking with them checked and trimmed.

“A word? ‘A’ word?” For those who didn’t know the Marshal, one would have thought he was chiding the young captain. “You are not capable of ‘a’ word.”

“Okay.” Éothain sidled up to the taller, older man. “I need a lot of words. A bunch. Your command center?”

Gamling started to laugh. His ‘command center’ was out in the open. Éothain wanted to talk, talk a lot, and didn’t want to be overheard. Considering what he witnessed in the yard the afternoon before and what his wife was furious about that evening in the privacy of their chambers, he was expecting this chat. “Saddle up.” He looked at Cynn. “Mine can wait. Make sure Adenydd is good, as well as-“

“I got this, Gamling.” Cynn was bent over Willan’s draft horse and didn’t look up. “We’ve been planning this and I’ve been doing this too long.”

Gamling stood up and saw Éomer in Firefoot’s stall. Quickly, he made his way over. “Éothain is going to ask about Eadlyn,” he whispered. “How much should I tell him?”

Éomer straightened up, pitchfork in his hand. He tossed the stray straw and sawdust into a muckbucket. To look at him, it was hard to believe this sweaty man in the dirty tunic and loose leggings, with his long hair tied back in a messy thong was the King of Rohan. “Why?”

“Just a feeling.” Gamling looked around the barn. “Aefre said Éothain went healer on her arse and fed Eadlyn while she was in the tub last night.” Éomer’s eyebrow went up. “She had a towel drapped over her! But when she went down this morning, Eadlyn was still asleep and Éothain was watching guard in a chair.”

Éomer rubbed his jaw in thought. “Rumor has it Aefre beat the sawdust out of her yesterday.”

“No more than a new page.”

Éomer snorted and returned to picking his horse’s stall. “Your discretion. He’s going to the Wold. He’ll hear rumors, he’ll hear truth, he’ll hear fanciful tales, tales that nightmares are made of and he’ll hear lies. What would you prefer he hears?”

Gamling shook his head and turned. “Damn.”

~~~…~~~

Everything hurt.

Everything.

After completely breaking down and crying until there was nothing left, Aefre had given her yet another cup of something and told her to drink it, as it would make her sleep. She was right. She found herself tucked in the bed and the candles out in minutes, Captain Éothain firmly ensconced in one of the chairs. No amount of pleading could get rid of him. She vaguely recalled him singing, quietly under his breath. He had a nice voice and it lulled her into completely relaxation.

Along with whatever it was Aefre gave her.

She woke up stiff, hurting, groaning. That man was by her side in a second, more oil, massaging it into her arms, her shoulders. He would have done her hip had Aefre not arrived and shoed him away. His final words, before heading out the door was to wave a finger at the women. “No yard work! No sword work! No! Got that?” He looked at Eadlyn. “I will carry you off the field over my shoulder!” And with that, he sauntered out of the room, loudly wishing the chambermaids a merry morning.

“That man has no sense of propriety!”

“He’s been very kind,” Eadlyn spoke up.

It crossed Aefre’s mind to admonish her, treat her as a much younger woman, but after looking at her, she decided against it. Eadlyn was a young woman, but she had seen much grief and suffering – so much suffering. Perhaps, the boyish and playful Éothain was exactly what she needed.

He was definitely attentive.

“Where are we going, Aefre?” Eadlyn was moving slowly, only out of bed because Aefre and Éothain insisted that movement was exactly what she needed.

“We,” Aefre slowed down for her sister-in-law, “are having some quiet time in the Queen’s solar this morning.” She laughed at Eadlyn’s confused look. She reshouldered Léoma and waited for Eadlyn to catch up. “Éowyn has opened it up for the first time in years, to ready it for Lothiriel. The servants have been cleaning for a week to make it presentable.” Eadlyn followed the unusually chattering woman as they twisted and turned.

Finally, they came to a door. Aefre opened it and the two stepped into bright sunshine.

~~~…~~~

“Permission to speak, man to man and not Captain to Marshal.”

Gamling smirked and rolled his eyes. This was bad.

“We are friends, Éothain. Have been for quite a few years. I trained you and Éomer together. Speak.”

“What happened to her?”

“Her?”

“Eadlyn.”

“Eadlyn?” Gamling was ambling slowly, much to the disgust of his charger. In Dréogan’s world, when one went riding, there were two speeds: running all out and charging all out. One did not amble or stroll. “She’s Aefre’s sister-in-law; widowed-“

“I know that!” Éothain was borderline disgusted. “Damn Gamling, we all know you’re pretty methodical about things, but I need to know! I want to know what’s going on!” It was quiet for a moment.

“Why don’t you tell me what all is on your mind, and I can answer your questions a bit more fully. What exactly do you want to know?”

Éothain growled. “Alright. I know she’s widowed. I’ve heard rumors that there was ugliness in the Wold and it involved her garrison and the garrison you are taking over. The garrison you are taking charge of belonged at one time to Aefre’s first husband and then it belonged to Eadlyn’s brother.” He spun his horse around to face his superior. “That’s a lot of changing hands in a few years. I show up and your wife is beating the shite out of her on a practice field in front of Béma and everyone and no one seems to be the least bit upset about this.”

Gamling kept quiet. According to well-known signs, Éothain wasn’t done.

“She is malnourished to the point of starvation, which makes me wonder again why Aefre is being allowed to… to…”

“Beat up on her.”

“I didn’t want to say that!” Éothain was quite upset. “I met her son this morning. That child is too pale-“

“He’s greatly improved-”

“I have never seen such excitement on one’s face over learning to ride. He thinks you’re a god-”

“Nothing wrong with that-”

“And I’m your right hand because when we reach the Wold, not only am I in charge of the garrison, I’m to take charge of his Rider training. Not that I mind, he has no father to speak of and could probably-”

“Use a father figure in his life.” It was spat drolly.

“Gamling!”

The Marshal sighed and sighed heavily. This was something he did not want to discuss, but Éomer was right. Éothain was going to hear things and he might as well hear the truth.

“She’s beautiful.”

Uh oh. This would make it harder.

“How old is she? Do you know if she’s seeing anyone? How long has she been widowed? Is she betrothed?”

Gamling looked the young captain in disgust. “If you wish answers, you would be wise to be quiet in order to allow one to do so.”

If he felt admonished, Éothain did not let on. He simply looked back. “Well?”

“In answer to the last four questions, twenty three or twenty four summers, I doubt it, five summers and no. Her husband died just before her son was born.” Gamling swallowed hard. “In fact, her husband’s death caused the boy to be born over a moon early. He is lucky to be alive.” He held up his hand to keep Éothain from going on.

“As for the rest, I am sure she would rather not have it bandied about, however people talk and you should know the truth. Eadlyn’s husband – Aefre’s brother – Aefre’s father and Aefre’s husband were killed at Yule before the boy’s birth in what appeared to be a Wild man attack. It was not. It was Eadlyn’s brother Gifre. In short, he was a sick bastard, no conscious, and it is suspected he killed his and Eadlyn’s parents.” He continued despite Éothain’s gasp. “I do not enjoy taking a life, was sickened by what I experienced in Gondor and at the Black Gate, so it disturbs me greatly that I took such satisfaction in carrying out that monster’s execution.” He stared hard at the young rider. “I enjoyed watching him die.” He allowed those words to sink in. “There is one other thing and this is not well-known. Gifre abused Eadlyn, in every way imaginable while they were growing up.”

“You mean he-”

“Yes. It began when she was a child. Éomer said he can only imagine the perversions he practiced on her starting when she was young. She is terrified of her own shadow, jumps at everything, was terrified he would do the same thing to her son if he knew she were alive.”

Éothain was horrified, for her, her child… “Éomer ordered Aefre to teach her to fight back.”

“Yes. Also,” Gamling shrugged, “Eadlyn and Aefre are estranged. Aefre didn’t know about much of this until recently and she blamed Eadlyn for the deaths of the men in her family.” The Marshal allowed his words to sink in. “Remember, you are the captain of the garrison. It is not demanded that you have any type of working relationship with the estate that is nearby, but it is helpful. I am assuming you wish to court the lady. Remember, there can be consequences, especially if it does not work out.”

Éothain calmly looked his superior in the eye. “Did you think of consequences when you courted your lady wife?”

Gamling stared at him, as if to consider answering the young man. Finally, he shook his head. “Impudent.” And he rode off, back towards Edoras, effectively ending the discussion.

“Impudent? IMPUDENT? DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS?” Éothain turned his horse and prepared to follow him back. “I don’t even know what that means.”

~~~…~~~

There was laughter. Lots of laughter. Not the mocking kind, but the joyous, infectious type that made one want to join in.

“Ladies!” Éowyn materialized in front of them. “I thought you would never get here!” She reached for Léoma, taking her from her mother’s grasp. “Let me see this baby! Look how much you’ve grown over night! We have a cradle for you right next to me!” And the king’s sister wandered off with Aefre’s daughter into a gaggle of women.

“Oh, this is going to be a long several hours,” Aefre hissed jovially. Before she knew it, Eadlyn was pulled into a circle of women, lounging about. Some were sitting on pillows, others on couches. Many were sewing, separating yarn. Much to Eadlyn’s surprise, she watched Aefre sit down next to a young woman, with hair like spun gold. She picked up two long needles and a bright red ball and began to knit.

All the years she thought she knew her sister-in-law. She didn’t know she knitted.

Léoma was being passed around, silken material spread and draped around Éowyn. Obviously, this was much a wedding trousseau party as anything else. Eadlyn felt very out of place.

“Eadlyn.” Aefre nodded to her. “Come sit and meet Eabæ, Éothain’s sister.” Gingerly, Eadlyn sat down next to the young woman. She was rolling yarn into a neat ball. “Eabæ, this is Eadlyn. She is the lady of the hall where Éothain’s garrison is near. She has agreed to allow you to live in the hall, rather than the garrison.”

She lifted her chin, a beautiful smile on her face. “Eadlyn. Yes, He told me when he came to get me for breakfast this morning. Thank you so much for your kindness.” Her fingers continued to wind, now seeming to focus on the ball in her hand. “I had to live at the garrison once, some years ago. It is an experience I do not wish to repeat.”

Aefre’s head was down, counting the threads on her needles. “I can imagine.”

“One of the men became a bit… fresh… Éothain set him right quickly enough.”

“He protected you?” It was a whisper, out of Eadlyn’s mouth before she realized she thought of it.

“Oh yes.” She finished with the ball and set it down. A serving woman brought her another basket, whispering this pile was in a knot. Eabæ smirked and with nimble fingers began to work through the mess. “He has always been protective of me, protective of anyone he felt needed a champion.”

Eadlyn’s heart soared. A champion. She had never had a champion. Was that was he was being last night? As unconventional as their meeting was and the fact the he spent the night in her room last night, she wasn’t afraid of him… bathing… felt… strange… but she never had the feeling he was ogling her or trying to take advantage.

“You are the one he stayed with last night.”

At that, Eadlyn’s head dropped, ashamed. People would talk. “Yes,” she whispered. “It was not-”

“He said,” Eabæ whispered back, “that you were in a great deal of pain last night and went to sleep before you could drop the dropbar down on your door, so he stayed to make sure no one disturbed you.” Her fingers were working the knot out of the pile with alarming speed. “Isn’t he wonderful? In the past when I’ve been ill or scared, he would sit in my room and watch over me all night. Did he sing to you? He has a beautiful voice.”

“Yes. He does.” Eadlyn realized that this young woman wouldn’t berate her for what had transpired the night before; that she described a brother that she herself wished she had.

Suddenly, the basket with the yarn fell out of Eabæ’s lap and spilled on the floor. Quickly, Eadlyn bent over and scooped the yarn up, putting it back into the basket. As she handed the basked back to Eabæ, she realized Éothain’s sister was blind.

Forgiven

Chapter 01

“I appreciate the foot rub,” Aefre wriggled her toes, “but I wonder what it is you want?” She pushed her right foot forward into the cup of his hand. “You’re missing the arch.”

Gamling smiled, but continued to massage the foot. They had swollen horribly during her pregnancy and Aefre enjoyed the attention he gave them. He reached over to the flask in the floor next to the footstool he was sitting on and poured another palm-full of oil into it. “It’s not what I want, but what Éomer wants.”

Aefre’s eyes narrowed in thought. “He sentenced Eadlyn earlier today, didn’t he.” It was statement, not a query.

Gamling nodded.

“Why wasn’t I informed?”

Gamling appeared to be concentrating on the small foot in his hand, his thumb making pressured circles into the arch she recently accused him of ignoring. “You were feeding Léoma-“

“Gamling!”

He blinked hard once, but continued to work the arch. “I did not wish you there. I had no idea what he would do and the last thing I wanted was the two of you at each other’s throats.” The circles he was making on the bottom of her foot grew larger. “The last time was bad enough,” he mumbled

Aefre snorted. “So Éomer wants you to massage my feet.”

Gamling’s head was bent over, his long hair hiding his features, so she missed his small smile. “No.”

Aefre lifted her foot, the positioning of it making Gamling’s masculine parts shrivel in terror. “Then what does he want?”

With a deep inhalation of breath, the Rider reached for the foot, grasping it calmly, but firmly. “He wishes healing between the two of you.” There was silence. Ever persistent with his task, he continued. “Éothain is to be the captain of the garrison there, and as Marshal, the garrison will answer to me. In addition, I am her over-lord.” Deftly, his well-oiled fingers now moved between her toes. “He… noted problems in her running of her hall and has removed her as chatelaine, for a time.”

“Gamling,” Aefre leaned forward, whispering as if she were in a crowd of people in the Great Hall, “he really doesn’t have the right to do that.”

Gamling looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “He is king. He does as he wills.” He set her foot gently on the floor and tenderly pulled the footstool towards her, settling between her legs. “He’s trying to help. Éowyn will marry soon and move to Gondor, leaving him alone.” He rubbed up her legs under her skirt, caressing the calves. “The thought of losing his sister so far is killing him and with Eadlyn’s son being your only blood relative of your father’s house…” His voice drifted off.

“And she has none.” Gamling nodded, his hands never ceasing their circular motion, slowing moving to the juncture of her knees. Aefre’s sigh was audible through their rooms. “Anything else?”

Gamling continued to massage the backs of her knee. “We will be fostering young Glædscipe when he comes of age.”

Léoma, who had been sleeping in her cradle, began to fuss. Waving Aefre off, Gamling rose to retrieve her. “I have not seen him in almost five summers.” Léoma’s whimpers went silent. “Is she not hungry?”

“Nasty swaddling.” Gamling peered around the doorway. “I’ve got this.” Aefre heard murmurs and cooing and she snickered to herself. If only his men, or worse, the king could hear that bonehead…

Eventually…

“Gamling? Do you need help?” She heard her husband thrashing through the bedroom, mumbling and gagging to himself, before coming back into the main area, Léoma draped belly-down on his arm, her head cradled in his hand. “Who taught you to carry a baby?”

“She’s safe. She’s comfortable.” He plopped down in his own chair; his leg slung over the arm and deftly flipped the little girl into the crook of his arm. “Eadlyn’s son is in desperate need of friends. He has spent every waking moment in the barns with Beornia’s fosterlings and shadowing Cynn. I have never seen one so pale.” He smiled down at his daughter. “Look at you!” Her arms and legs waved in the air as the baby attempted to focus on his face and mimicked his facial expressions. “He has your eyes, Aefre.” Changing subjects sharply, he completely caught his wife off-guard with his next pronouncement. “Éomer wishes you to guide Eadlyn into being a more efficient chatelaine.”

Aefre snorted, a most inelegant sound. “Does he wish me to wipe her arse as well? I already have one baby, Gamling.”

“I think,” he noticed his little Shield Maiden’s face was starting to scrunch up, her fists, tiny white balls, a sure sign of a quickly coming explosion if not handed to her mother immediately, “he knows she has difficulties and is hoping to use this excuse for the two of you to make amends.” He stood and handed the baby to her mother, Aefre already untying her front laces.

There was a quiet in the room, while mother positioned and bonded with child. Léoma’s fist was curled around her mother’s pinkie. “Why,” Aefre’s voice was an understated calm, “should I forgive her? She cost me much.”

“And look what you have gained!” While Gamling’s voice was soft, it was terse, Aefre’s eyes jerking upwards to meet his. “You are strong, where she is weak. You would fight, where she would run and hide. I know you have compassion, yet you hold it back from the one person who needs it most.”

Aefre returned her concentration to her daughter for a few minutes. “You are right. I’m being petty.” Gamling now snorted at her sudden contrite manner. “Knowing you, you’ve already arranged a visit. Or Éomer has. When should I expect her?”

One moment, he was in his seat, the next he was leaning over her. “After dinner. She is bringing her son with her. She’s wanted to see Leoma, send her congratulations, but she was frightened you would deny her.” He kissed her forehead, stroked his daughter’s nose, before standing full up. “Speaking of dinner, I’m going to go down and bring it up. The noise in the Hall these days is a pitch that drives me insane!” With that, he left their rooms, the door whispering shut behind him.

Aefre continued to focus on her daughter’s suckling and listening to her husband’s bootfalls echoing down the hall. When it was quiet, she raised Leoma’s little nightgown, checking the knotted mess that were her diapers. “Béma! Who taught you to swaddle a baby?”

~~~…~~~

Footfalls echoed up the long hallway, their shadows grotesquely thrown on the walls. As they approached the doorway to the apartment, Eadlyn’s feet became heavier and heavier.

Why had the king demanded this?

She clutched Glædscipe’s hand, the child bouncing around, attempting to look down every hallway possible. “Mama! You squeeze too tight.” Eadlyn loosened her hold slightly.

“I don’t wish for you to scamper off and get lost.” Old habits die hard.

Glædscipe immediately began to push and pull as small boys do. “I won’t ever leave you!” Eadlyn’s heart clutched at the innocent pronouncement, knowing the King of Rohan planned just that. “Where are we going?”

Second hall, turn left.

“We are going to meet your Aunt Aefre, her husband Gamling, and their new baby, Léoma.”

“Oh.” More arm swinging. “How is she my aunt?”

First hall, turn left.

“She was your father’s sister.” Eadlyn sounded very bored, distracted. “Her husband is the new Marshal. They will be moving to Woldenfeld in the spring.”

“Marshal!” Glædscipe exclaimed excitedly. “That’s almost like King!” Unlike his mother, the child had no fear of Éomer; rather like many of the other children in Edoras, he found him to be an attentive, if more or less over-grown, playmate.

Not to mention, the incredibly tall man knew how to build a well-fortified snow fort and could pack enough snowballs to win a battle! And horses! He knew all about horses. To Eadlyn’s young son, anyone who knew Horse was like a god. Éomer had promised Glædscipe that he would send someone to his home to teach him to ride, to teach him everything about Horse and Glædscipe intended to make sure he kept that promise!

“Will Marshal Gamling teach me to ride?” His excitement was barely contained.

Eadlyn swallowed painfully. “Aye, one of several,” she croaked. “Although your first teacher will probably be Captain Éothain.”

“Captain who?”

“Éothain.” To the end of the hall, turn right, chambers on the very end. “Captain Aldhelm is retiring and he will be taking his place.”

“Is he nice?” Her son stopped suddenly, to inspect the large tapestry on the wall. It showed a former king of Rohan and his éored, all on splendid steeds.

“I do not know, I have not met him. Hurry along, we’ll be late.” Too quickly, they reached the end of the corridor. Suddenly, Eadlyn stooped down, so she was eye to eye with her son. She began to fuss, dust non-existent lint from his collar. “Glædscipe, please be very careful what you say. Your Aunt Aefre… has reason to dislike me.”

The little boy confusion was obvious. “Why would she dislike you?”

Eadlyn blinked back tears. “She… blames me for some bad things that happened to her.” She shushed him before he could protest. “Someday, when you are older, I will tell you, someone will tell you, I am certain. But right now… we are in need of her good graces.” She smiled ruefully and ruffled his hair, something he hated. “You’re a smart lad. Let’s show your Aunt Aefre how smart you are!” She stood back up and stepped up to the door, settling her heartbeat and breath before she raised her hand to knock.

~~~…~~~

It was, to say the least, a most awkward introduction. The Marshal opened the door, his daughter slung on his arm, on her belly, with her head cradled in his hand and her arms and feet dangling over his arm. “Don’t say it,” he snarled. “Aefre has told me twice it’s wrong.” He glanced down at the small one standing next to the woman, before nodding his head, bidding them to enter. Eadlyn felt like a cowed mouse.

Aefre stood by the living quarters’ fireplace. Unlike the small room Eadlyn and her son shared, the Marshal’s quarters were spacious. At a quick glance, she surmised two rooms, this main one quite large, with largish chairs close to a warm fire and a small side table against the wall, large enough for a few people to eat intimately at. A cradle sat between the chairs, within easy reach of either occupant and Eadlyn wondered idly if there was a bathing chamber somewhere within the rooms. While hers had a chamber pot, behind a screen, bathing was done in a communal building away from the Hall and she found it uncomfortable and gauche to traipse through so many hallways and buildings to get to it. She watched as the huge Horse lord gently placed his sleeping daughter in the cradle, before cleaning up what few dinner items were on the table. “Glædscipe,” he nodded towards the wine glasses, “if you would get those, we’ll take them down to the kitchen. I hear,” he added conspiratorially, “that the cook still has sweet bread from dinner with powdered sugar.” With his next pronouncement, he lowered his voice. “What say, we snitch some for us and your mother and your aunt?”

The child’s grin said it all and within seconds, the two males were gone, the door scraping closed behind them. Eadlyn dropped her head, while Aefre smiled mirthlessly. “I believe that is our cue to talk.”

Eadlyn’s jaw flapped twice. She had rehearsed this conversation, her apology over and over and now her mind was blank. “Aefre, I cannot begin to apologize enough-“

“No, you can’t, so don’t.” Eadlyn’s head shot up, horror on her face. Her sister-in-law was her only hope of getting control of her own hall back; the king made that quite clear. If Aefre wasn’t going to cooperate… Gamling said she would see her; he said nothing about her trying to aid her. “Oh, stop looking like a beaten puppy! I’m not going to take your head off.” Aefre slung her arm to the huge chair that obviously belonged to her husband. “Sit!” The order was clear and the two women sat down, the silence, over-bearing.

Aefre sighed heavily. “Look, I’m not any happier about this than you are, but I’m informed the King brought up something that after I pondered on, I agree with.” Eadlyn looked at her through hooded eyes. “Your son is the only blood relative I have left… well, not including Léoma.” She smiled indulgently at the sleeping babe in the cradle. “He’s the only relative left of my father’s house. I… was informed… of some of the things you suffered at the hands of your brother-“

“Does EVERYONE know?” Eadlyn gasped. Both hands went to her mouth. “My shame-“

“It’s not your fault!” Aefre snapped. “And no, not everyone knows what your brother did.” She exhaled sharply. “I don’t even know what or why he did! I’m not saying I would have done what you did to protect my nephew, but you were trying to protect him. I would seriously hurt someone if they raised a finger to my daughter!”

“You’re a fighter.” Eadlyn whispered. “I’m not.”

“You needed to be! You still can be.”

For a time, there was no sound in the room, save the crackling from the fireplace. Eventually, Léoma wiggled and began to suck on her fist in sleep. Aefre caught Eadlyn looking over into the cradle. “She is beautiful, Aefre. I’m very happy for you, you know,” her voice was almost a whisper. “I know you and Lufian wanted children so badly.” She cocked her head sideways, mentally counting backwards. “You were One of the Blessed, weren’t you?”

“She was conceived in Dunharrow, so yes.” Aefre watched as her sister-in-law folded her hands in her lap, her fingers stroking air. “Would you like to hold her?”

“You would let me?” Eadlyn looked shocked to her woolens.

“I don’t think you’ll run and if you did, the drop from our bedroom window is pretty nasty and you wouldn’t get far down the hall.” Aefre nodded towards the cradle. “Go ahead.”

Tenderly, the disgraced chatelaine picked up the babe. With as much affection as Aefre had ever seen from the woman, she cradled her in her arms. “Oh, she fits perfectly.” Quickly, the small fist wrapped around a finger, much to the delight of her aunt. “Who taught your husband to hold a baby?”

“Not me and he is hard-headed, so that’s how he’ll hold her. There is no moving him when he makes up his mind. Such a man.” The last sentence was said more to herself than for communal listening.

Eadlyn was smiling and seemed completely at peace. In that moment, that second, Aefre realized without a shadow of a doubt, why her brother had fallen in love with the woman. “You know,” she whispered, “babies are Béma’s way of saying the world needs to go on.” Almost immediately, her smile fell. “You intimidate me, Aefre. I will never be you, I don’t know how you do what you do. All I know is I want my hall back. I want my hall and the garrison’s respect and I don’t know how to do that. That’s up to you. My everything is in your hands.”

So long moments, the two women stared at each other, before Aefre quietly replied. “I’ll not lie. I was angered beyond all reasoning Éomer King dumped you on me. But, thinking about it now, I see why. You should know,” her eyes narrowed, “I don’t regret slapping you and I’ll do it again if you give me cause.” She let her words sink in. “As for running your hall, I was quite lucky when I married Lufian. The cook took me under her wing and taught me much. There is more to running the hall than setting a nice table. There is the business of running it, inventory of everything from food to linens, the storerooms, what day laundry should be done, not letting servants ride roughshod. There are the barns, the garrison, the crofters, the fields, the gardens. There are the upstairs maids verses the kitchen maids, the gossip, the intrigue. It is a delicate dance, hard work, and one you must become an expert at.” Aefre turned to glare into the fireplace. “What happened to your parents’ home?”

“I…I don’t know. They went on an errand to a neighboring home and did not return alive. Beadorouf was courting me, although I was quite young. I… liked him well enough.”

“It wasn’t hard to convince him to marry you.”

“No.”

“And you were how old?”

“I had just turned sixteen summers.”

Aefre shot up like a loosed arrow. “Béma’s Mother’s Milk! You were scarce a babe yourself, between your brother’s abuse and then thrust into a hall… let me guess,” she thrust her forehead into the crook between her thumb and forefinger, massaging the bridge of her nose, “… my brother and father doted on you and let the steward’s wife run everything and all you had to do was sit around, look pretty and sew in your solar!”

Eadlyn had the decency to shrug. Aefre threw her hands up in vexation. “Every time I tried to do anything, someone would say, ‘That’s not how Lady Aefre did it, that’s not how Lady Aefre liked it, that’s not how-“ she stopped at Aefre’s raised hand.

“No wonder you hated me,” she exhaled. “They threw me in your face at every chance.” Aefre exhaled between her teeth. “And you’ve not been back to your parents’ home?”

Eadlyn had the grace to look perplexed. “No. I’ve not been back in years. Why do you ask?”

Aefre shot her a look of pure annoyance. “Your son is why I ask. He is the heir to my father’s house. Your family’s holdings would be his as well, if you do not remarry.” Eadlyn shuddered at the thought. “Of course, if you did remarry and have children, it would become your dower house and the children from that joining would inherit it. Was there farmland to go with it? Horses?”

“Your father brought all the horses to your home when I married into your family, Aefre.” She shrugged again. “Truly I knew very little about what all was owned.”

Aefre was glaring at the banner of her father’s house, hanging above the mantle, next to Gamling’s, and shaking her head in disgust. “So much work,” she grumbled. “So little time.”

“I’m confused.”

Aefre still had her back to the woman holding her baby. “I intend,” she gritted between teeth, “to make sure Glædscipe inherits a strong and healthy homestead. Putting my father’s homestead in order will be your school; your own homestead will be your test.” She turned to her sister-in-law, arms lashed across her chest. “And I intend to make sure you pass it.”

“I… will work hard.”

“Béma!” The Marshal’s wife turned on her, full force, “Stop acting like some timid thing! I believe I prefer your arrogant even if you know nothing act!”

Eadlyn lost her temper at that point. “What do you want?” She unwittingly clutched Léoma, causing her to wake and scowl, “My life is in your hands and if I don’t crawl or beg, you have it in your power to see I never regain it!” Her face was red and quickly she realized, Léoma was fussing at the furious temper that surrounded her.

Aefre smiled. “Good. You still have some temper in you, yet. We will use it to carve you a backbone. Now,” she gestured towards the squirming baby Eadlyn held in her arms, “if you clutch her any tighter, she will scream. Please give her to me.”

Eadlyn exhaled, all the energy drained from her body. Reluctantly, she handed the baby over. As soon as she was in her mother’s familiar embrace, Léoma immediately settled back down into sleep. It was quiet for several minutes, the only sound, the crackling of the fireplace.

“There is a lot to running a hall, especially a hall with a garrison,” Aefre whispered. “There are the men; the men’s needs…” her voice trailed off. “At times, the men can be rather… earthy.”

Eadlyn saw where her sister-in-law was heading and considering they were alone she decided to clear the air. “I was never afraid of your brother. He always treated me well and gently. I didn’t become afraid again until Gifre returned. He… threatened me, Aefre. I thought for certain your men would repel him. After… after you left,” she hung her head, “I made certain several Riders were with me when he came. We hid my son.” She began to choke up. “Sometimes, I still have nightmares… that he’s still alive, that one of them still lives and they’re waiting…” She felt a gentle hand on hers.

“He’s dead, Eadlyn. There will be no retribution. Gamling said he is dead, therefore he is.” For the first time, Eadlyn looked into her sister-in-law’s eyes, recognizing her son in them. “Gamling wouldn’t lie. He said they are all dead. His word is his oath.”

“I believe you.” It was whispered, barely breathed.

The door slammed shut behind them, making both women jump. Gamling and Glædscipe stood just inside the door, mischief chiseled into their faces. Their hands were full of powdery sweet breads and both had tell-tale sugar all over their mouths.

“Let me guess, you ate one first.” Aefre wagged her finger at her husband.

Gamling shrugged, his nephew by marriage doing his best to imitate the tall Rider. “Taste test. We had to make sure they were edible.”

Glædscipe nodded enthusiastically. “Aye. We had to make sure they tasted all right.” He looked up at Gamling. “Isn’t that right?” Gamling nodded once in affirmation. His mother had no doubt that if she scolded him, he would duck behind the man. Realizing he needed to appease his mother, the little boy handed the slightly squashed sweetbread to her, powder all over his hands. “It’s very good, Mama.”

For a moment, time hung on the air, a powdered treat hanging in the balance. Suddenly, Eadlyn smiled, years of pain falling from her face and she took the offered treat. “Sit with me by the fire so we can enjoy it together.”

Gamling and Aefre both watched in fascination as mother and son sat by the crackling fireplace and giggled over sugar and Glædscipe’s plans to become a great Rider.~*~

As Eadlyn and her son made their way back to their room, Gamling followed steadily behind. It was obvious he wished to speak to her, but the boy’s non-stop chattering kept him from doing so. Apparently, the Marshal promised to start his riding lessons on the morrow, rather than wait until their return to the Wold. Eadlyn was more than aware that she would be expected to spend time with Aefre, jumping to her command.

They reached Eadlyn’s room in short order. As Eadlyn opened the door, Gamling, spoke up. “Glædscipe, go on in. I wish to speak to your mother about something.” Seeing the boy’s questioning look, he continued. “I’ll see you in the barns in the morning after you break your fast. We’ll get a pony saddled for you and start your riding lessons.” He waited until the child entered the room, before pulling the door behind Eadlyn to a close. He looked up and down the hall to make sure no one was listening.

“There is something you need to understand, Eadlyn,” Gamling spoke quietly, “I am not just your overlord, or the Marshal, where you are concerned. I am not just the foster father for your son and I’m not just the man who will oversee his Rider training.” He took a deep breath, closing his eyes, carefully weighing his words. “You are my wife’s kinswoman, the mother of the only family left of her father’s house.” When he opened his eyes, Eadlyn felt as if she had been nailed to the door. “That makes you MY kinswoman and my responsibility.” He looked down at his hand, still clinched in a fist. “I heard what you told Aefre, your fear of Gifre. He is dead, he isn’t coming back, none of his men survived the run to Fangorn.”

“But-“

He held up a hand. “I was a member of the death éored that executed Gifre and cleaned out Woldenfeld.” Eadlyn’s breath caught, her eyes wide. “When a death éored executes a prisoner, we undergo certain rituals so that no one knows who actually carries out the order. We draw straws and the short straw…” he let his voice trail off, noticing that Eadlyn’s head dropped and she now stared at the mortared stones of the flooring. “Gifre’s executioner put him on a long tether. His death was drawn out and very painful.” He tucked a gentle finger under her chin and lifted it so she was looking at him. “It took him hours to die and when he did die, it was the executioner’s duty to strip the body and burn it.” He let the words sink in, before continuing, observing her trembling lip. “You are my kinswoman. You are my responsibility. It is my duty to make sure you and yours are safe and protected. It is a job I take seriously.” Tenderly he took her hand and dropped something in it that he held so tightly in his fist. He pushed the door open. “Go on in with you. Drop the bar behind me.”

Eadlyn did as he bid, exhaling the breath she had been holding the entire time the man spoke. As she turned her back to the door, she opened her hand to inspect what Aefre’s husband had dropped in it. She squinted as she looked closely at the token, lifting it finally to inspect it in the light.

It was a small, very short, broken stick.