Lore was worried, no two ways about it. She'd gone and done something silly and wasn't sure what to do now. "Damn that man and his soft lips." she lamented silently, sitting quietly in the shadows near the war camp where the Eagle Guard had settled during their expedition.
Since the trip to Rivendell in his company, her mind had been in a turmoil, twice leaving her vulnerable during the many skirmishes they'd fought with the angmarim in these lands. Despite that, her biggest concern now was how to face that circle of silent faces again when she returned home to report. The last meeting after finally coming back from Elrond Half-elven's libary had been bad enough.
"Yer young and sassy, girl's will flirt...' were the words of Mother Athalmer, uttered in her calm voice. It had changed then, gone flat and stern in the blink of an eye. '..but, ye'r o' the first families an' ye'll no be bringing a first-born ta us wi'out our blessing. Is that clear?"
She'd nodded meekly, Mother Athalmer was her favorite and she suspected the Mother felt the same about her. To have that kindly woman's eyes boring into her own matched with that stern and unyeilding tone had frightened her more than she'd expected.
She hadn't broken her vows yet, but it had been a close thing. The frenetic pace of their battles, the eruptions of sudden violence and the knowledge that death could be behind any tree, any outcropping of rocks or within the not so friendly walls of Ost Foroth itself made each moment of time they had that much more precious.
Things had taken an unexpected turn after the last bloody fight, supporting the Ranger's of Annuminas in the ruins of their ancient stronghold. She'd been hit, enough to make her think she'd been staggering out of the Prancing Pony after a night of heavy drinking, but he'd taken a crossbow quarrel in his arm, straight through his shield. They'd won their fight, Lore's dagger had tasted the blood of the enemies leader herself and they'd returned to camp where she'd been helping to remove the bolt from his arm.
An ambush from the darkness outside of camp, another crossbow fired to hit one of the mercenaries who accompanied them had set the Eagle Guard into turmoil. She and Bjornbryt had dashed out in the dark to scout and find the ambusher, though it had been Bjornbryt who'd found and confronted the man. She had found naught but two bandits who would never be stealing again, but no sign of the one whose bolt had shattered the peace of the camp.
They'd decided to seek out the ambusher and find Bjornbryt who'd not returned yet. Of course, the great lummox had insisted on going, despite still having the bolt buried in his arm and so they'd set off on horseback to search, eventually meeting Bjornbryt along the road leading up the hill across the lake from the camp. At High King's Crossing, the blood loss finally caught up to the stubborn Rohirric lout and he'd collapsed, nearly falling from his horse.
Sergeant Fuerlan Grimblade leading the way with herself sitting behind Dernfrea and holding him in his saddle, they'd finally reached the Eagle Guard's camp and taken him to his tent and the care of Sergeant Cyla Grimblade, who'd remained behind due to her own severe injury.
Cyla was nothing if not observant and she and Lore had spoken privately, resulting in Lore being left to tend to Dernfrea's wounds and warn Cyla if his condition worsened. Thankfully, they hadn't and the man had slept for nearly a day and a half while she tended to his needs and cleaned and repaired his gear and her own.
Lore and Dernfrea had spoken privately by the shore of the lake the night he woke. Things had not gone well. Lore had pressed him, wanting to know more about him and she'd learned more than she'd expected. Now she was torn. He'd done things that scared her, but her heart told her he was a good man. He'd been with the Eagle Guard since before she'd been sent to them by the Family and he'd risen through the ranks and was known, liked and respected by them, good people all. She had found herself drawn to him and allowed herself liberties she'd never considered before because of him.
Unless things changed before they returned to Bree and she was called to report before the Mother's, she expected she'd be told in no uncertain terms to stay away from Dernfrea from then on. Away from those strong arms, the broad chest that seemed tailor made to rest her head on and the soft lips that set her heart to singing. Things were not looking good....
