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Rider of the Mark	By : ZeDrippyVessel Category: Lord of the Rings Movies > Het - Male/Female Views: 23044 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Lord of the Rings book series and movie series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Rider of the Mark 28
Of an old love, well remembered.

***

Aefre did not speak to Gamling for two days.

He awoke late the next morning, well-refreshed. He stretched and reached for the familiar, soft body next to him.

She wasn't there.

***There is much to be done; Aefre is an early riser...***

He went to the antechamber, going through his morning ablutions, vaguely aware of an emptiness in the small room. He scrutinized the tub - water still in it, chilled with the oils floating in the top... the chamber pot...

***Something's missing...***

As his eyes raked the shelf, it dawned on him.

***Her things-***

...were missing; her soaps, her...

***odd...***

...things. He pulled a clean tunic and leggings from the hook and perused the room as he dressed.

***Nothing. No sign of her at all.***

Strange.

All that lingered was her scent in the antechamber, a waft of apples.

Gamling made his way to the Golden Hall, not noticing the curious side glances cast his way. He grabbed several small loaves of bread and a small wedge of cheese, sending Haleth into the cellars for milk. As he went through the kitchens, the cook smacked him twice for sampling the strawberry tarts for the evening. The woman blushed furiously when he grabbed her and kissed her playfully.

"B�ma! I missed your cooking! You could teach the cooks in Gondor a thing or two," a rare smile creased his features. "Where's Aefre?"

The cook averted her gaze. "Why, I don't know, M'lord." She turned and became engrossed in her pastry dough, hammering it with unusual vengeance. "Alardis? Do you know where Lady Aefre is?"

A young girl, peeling potatoes looked up from the pile. "Well, I think she went to oversee the laundry."

"No," a young woman with a baby tied to her chest looked up from the flour she was sifting. "I heard she was in the fields overseeing the amount of moisture in the crop soil."

"The rain?" the cook bellowed. "It's rained for days! Of COURSE they are wet!"

The woman ducked her head, cradling the now fussing child to her. "I'm only telling you what I heard."

Gamling palmed an apple, a carrot, and two more strawberry tarts before sliding towards the door, "Never mind, I"ll find her." He went past the herb garden, looking, down the yards, past the barracks. The contented feeling he had awakened with was fast dissipating into a quickly escalating irritability.

Several Riders were lazing about outside, playing cards, throwing stones.

"Ho! Gamling!" Ab�odan looked up and smiled. "Good to see you up and about! Come join us!"

The warrior settled within, already rising fury quickly intensifying at the shiftless attitude and stances of the Riders. He looked at them with disdain.

"Get you lazy carcasses off the bench! " he growled. "Are we resting on our laurels? Every one of you, to the barn in five minutes!"

Cards and stones were gathered, grumbling heard as Gamling made his way to the barn. "So much for battle wounds mellowing him," one Rider fumed.

He gave his and Aefre's mounts their treats, checking Adenydd closely.

***not showing yet.. too soon... babybabybabyba...***

Within minutes, the barn was bustling with activity, the doors, windows, thrown open. Horses were checked carefully; Cynn was called to check hooves and other minor maladies. Even though he knew each Rider inspected their animals thoroughly upon arrival home, Gamling was angered at the lack of exercise the equines had been given in the previous days. Growling in frustration, he had several put to the turnstile, to exercise stiffening muscles. Feed and tack were inventoried, exercise and guard rotations set. Haleth was running back and forth, running errands, moving horses, eyes wide at the suddenly glowering man who had become larger than life.

"B�ma, Modig! Your stallion has a stone bruise! Didn't you notice the shift in his gait? He's not my horse and I could see it! Are you sure you're a Rider?" Men scrambled, rousted from a too-long reverie, Gamling standing in the middle of the thoroughfare, scowling, furious at the lack of initiative. "Have there been any reports form the Eastenmet? The West? The Wold? Does this not seem odd to you? There is a rain leak in the northeast corner of the eastern stall. The ground is soaked! Why is there a horse in it? Was I so close to death's door, you waited to see if I lived or died and you lost sight of the Riddermark?" Both fists were firmly planted on his hips, hair flying wildly, as he pointed an accusatory finger here and there, yelling at this... that... he was exhausted by sundown, before sundown, truth be told, but he wouldn't admit it to anyone.

Dr�ogan hung his head forlornly over the stall door, gazing at the ornate saddle hanging on its assigned peg. Gamling stroked the soft nose. "Sorry, big lad. Maybe tomorrow." The large warhorse nudged his Rider's hand in resignation. Slowly, Gamling made his way to the Hall, looking still for Aefre and settling at the table with his men. He was sullen, miserable company, and the Riders left him to his grousing solitude. Exhaustion finally set in, and signaling for Willan to take a pitcher of water to his rooms, he made his way, much to the relief of the Horse Lords dining with him.

It was as he was stripping that he remembered Aefre's things had been removed from the room. It crossed his mind while he rinsed down and removed sweat and grime from the barn, to go to her rooms and look for her, bring her back or to sneak down, but fatigue overrode his ability to make his way into his own chambers and he fell into a worn out, fitful sleep, rife with nightmares, alone in the big bed.

The next day, he made his way posthaste to her chambers, only to find it empty, neat and smelling of nothing. No apples, no floral. Gamling had been acutely aware of her scent, her smell that had surrounded him, cocooning him as he had recovered. For a moment, there was a whisper of her touch, in the breeze from the open window, the hint of her breath...

***B�ma! Poetry! What next? Flowers? Standing outside her window, singing sappy love songs to her beauty?***

He scowled at his inner voice.

***I DON'T SING!***

He turned from the room, growling at the chambermaids, grabbing green apples and a chunk of cheese as he crossed through the kitchens. He again strode to the stables, giving curt orders, nodding and waving off Riders being sent across the Mark to check for problems, the pressing needs of �omer's people. After giving Dr�ogan and Adenydd their treats, he grabbed his saddle.

***OUCH!***

The muscle pulled, but he grimaced and slung the saddle pad and saddle over a now excited Dr�ogan. Adenydd was watching with interest, looking for Aefre.

***Where is your mistress? She won't be able to ride much longer, nor will you ...***

He tightened the girth and slid the bit and bridle over his horse's muzzle and ears.

"Sir?" Haleth's voice was tentative, Ab�odan standing remorsefully behind him. "Are you sure you should be-"

"No, I should not be." Gamling put a foot in the stirrup and pulled himself up. It hurt and for a moment, he didn't think he would make it into the saddle, but he managed with a quiet groan. "But I'm going to anyway! Move aside."

Haleth and Ab�odan stepped back, giving the Rider and his mount space. Dr�ogan chomped at the bit, anxious to be out, out in the air. People moved aside, as he made his way towards the gate. The two went through, Dr�ogan carefully treading the rocky path downhill. Upon reaching the bottom, he tugged excitedly at the reins. Gamling reached over and stroked the mane of his horse.

"Easy boy. Don't know what I can do." If horses could shrug, this one did. For precious hours, man and beast roamed - not far from the walls; Gamling knew his limitations. A few times, Dr�ogan nudged into a trot, but Gamling halted him soon enough, his side still mending, still aching. His thoughts ran rampant - would this wound ever heal properly? How badly would it pain him? How long?

***A baby! Will I ever be able to hold him... her... teach him to ride... I'm goingtobeafather... a...***

"Da! Da!" Scenes of Haleth as a toddler, golden curls and chubby fingers, pulling Hama's beard. And Hama caring less. He realized he had been envious of his friend and was too dense to acknowledge it.

"Da! Da!"

For the millionth time, he questioned his ability, his patience. Gamling considered his role model - his own father; a stern, patient man, who rarely raised his voice. A careful, strict, but loving disciplinarian. Even his mother rarely crossed him; the domains carefully marked each respecting the other's opinion and place. He imagined it must be hard work, this marriage thing.

***She never answered. Never agreed.***

She loved him - he knew that. Why had she not agreed to marry him?

***

"You can't hide from him forever, Aefre."

Aefre stood in the corner of the guest chamber, dusting, cleaning an already spotless table. "Certainly I can. Watch me."

Aelwydd sighed and sat in the chair. "Talk to me."

"No."

"Great Steed of B�ma!" the woman exclaimed. Eyes the same shade of blue as Gamling's glared up. "You are as stubborn as he is!"

Aefre spun around. "Please do not insult me!"

Aelwydd stared at her thoughtfully for a moment before finally smiling. "Ah, she does have her limits. Good. You are going to need to know them." She gestured to the chair across from where she sat. "Sit. You've dusted that table countless times. I believe no speck of dust will dare venture into that corner for quite sometime. Sit. You've earned a rest."

Aefre glowered before slinging her dusting rag across the chair, and plopped sullenly into it. "There! I'm sitting!"

Aelwydd sighed dramatically, causing Aefre to raise an eyebrow in disdain. "This is not good for my grandchild. You cannot hide forever and you can't be angry forever. Now, what in all of Arda did my hard-headed son do to tax you so greatly? Come now!" She tapped a lone fingernail on the wood of the chair arm. "You might as well get it out!"

Aefre knew it was useless. She would have to tell sooner or later and face him sooner than later. "He... he... asked me to marry him."

It was quiet for a moment, Gamling's mother blinking in surprise. "And you hid from him? Aefre! I'm shocked! I know you love him-"

"Yes, I do! It was how he asked, although!"

Again, there was a pained silence. "Well, don't leave me in suspense!" Gamling's mother finally spat. "What did he say to set you off?"

Aefre swallowed painfully. "Stud fee."

"Stud fee?"

Aefre nodded. "Stud fee."

"Stud... fee..."

Aefre nodded again, ashamed. "Stud fee."

"I'll kill him, " Aelwydd whispered. "To demand your hand just because he managed to plant a babe in your-"

"NO!"Aefre jumped up with her hand waving, only to sit back down with an audible thud, dizzy. She dropped her head in her hands, eyes squeezed shut. "No. Not me. My mare!"

Aefre could hear the scrape of the chair as Aelwydd moved it next to hers. "Your mare? Child, you are a most forgiving woman." Aefre's head jerked up, her mouth forming a perfect �o', to see the woman smiling evilly at her. "So, tell me how that happened?"

It took a moment before Aefre could catch her breath. She told Gamling's mother of sneaking off with the Eorlings, to Gondor, being caught, an angry, angry Gamling -

"And well he should be! Good girl for trying!" Aelwydd patted her reassuringly on the knee. Aefre continued on, telling Gamling's mother of arguing, of Dr�ogan servicing Adenydd.

"They were our parting words... stud fees. When couriers came from Gondor, that was his message to me... We had stud fees to discuss." She smiled a little. "Well, that, and I knew where he expected to find me upon his return."

Aelwydd was still grinning fiendishly. "Naked in his bed?" She laughed heartily at Aefre's gasp. "His father would say that to me, every time he went on campaign or on a buying trip." She settled back in the chair, smiling serenely. "Gamling is just like his father; a good man, a solid man, good heart and intentions. Not a romantic bone in his body." She chuckled once, a dry sound. "So he has decided that the required stud fee for your dapple's colt is marriage to him. Could be worse."

"Oh?"

"You could have been caught sleeping with him in his cloak."

Aefre narrowed her eyes. "You haven't..."

"I haven't what?" Aelwydd sat back with a smirk. "That boy of mine has never understood what a door latch was for! Yes, I have! And yes, I could!" She finally sighed in resignation. "I could shout it from the rafters and just get it over with for the two of you. I'd rather not do that. He isn't going to change, Aefre, but would you want him to? Go... yell at him." She gestured towards... somewhere. "Tell him off! And then get on with life! B�ma, Aefre. I might be a bit prejudiced, but I don't think you'll do better!"

"You, madam," Aefre smiled, "are very prejudiced. Right, but prejudiced."

The old woman got up slowly and patted the younger woman on the knee. "Don't dawdle about it Aefre. He's out riding-"

"He's WHAT?"

Damn, the woman was hovering. "I said, he's out riding."

"DAMN HIM! He's not ready, he's still-"

"Apparently," and with this Aelwydd made her way slowly towards the door, "he thinks he is. He's been a veritable bear to his men and I suspect he'll be spent and hurting when he comes back in. He will be ripe for a nice argument when he gets back. Now go wait for him in the barn and make sure the quarrel is a marvelous, loud one." She stopped at the door. "Have I told you how his father and I met?"

"No, ma'am."

A sweet smile graced the woman's features. "Our farms were at a distance and our fathers traded horses on occasion. " She braced herself against the back of her chair, fully engrossed in her tale. "The early spring of my 19th summer there was a horse fair and tourney; jousting and horse racing. It was a chance for the men to show off their skills and superiority of their horses, as well as widen the bloodlines of their herds. I was angry because my father wouldn't let me race the men and I knew my horse could beat them hands down!" She smiled self-consciously. "I got angry and rode off - alone. Just as the sun went down, I realized how far I was from the gathering and on my way back, my mare not only threw a shoe, but strained a muscle. So there I was, far from anyone, it was growing dark, and me, alone, walking a lame horse."

"You must have been quite frightened."

"Quite frightened?" Aelwydd asked incredulously. "Try scared out of my mind! I was surrounded by strange sounds. I just knew I was going to be attacked by mountain men or Orcs. I prayed to B�ma for my Da to find me and blister my behind. Instead," she paused for breath, "a red-headed, grouchy Rider I had seen rudely staring at me for two days thundered up on the biggest brute of a mount I'd ever seen. He jumped off his horse, ignored me and ran his hands over my Bella's leg. He had brought liniment and some bandages; he took care of her and proceeded to gather twigs and small branches from a nearby copse of trees."

"Didn't he even speak to you?"

The older woman snorted inelegantly through her nose. "Only after he had hobbled his mount and mine together and started a fire. He informed me in no uncertain terms that I was too far from anywhere to get back safely with a gimpy mare. He told me I was a spoiled, selfish little girl and the poorest excuse for a Shield Maiden he had ever seen! He then tossed his bedroll by the fire, handed me a few dried beef strips and his water skin, and informed me I had a choice; I could freeze my arse in the cold that night or I could share his roll and cloak."

Aefre was indignant. "Well, that's awful! He should have offered you the roll-"

"Should have, but didn't! Said I wasn't worth his sleeping frozen on the rocks!" She shrugged good-naturedly. "I sat on the rock, teeth chattering, for I don't know how long. He finally dragged me bodily to his roll and placed me between the fire and himself. Said I was keeping him awake with my teeth clicking together like pebbles sliding down the hill! He said he wouldn't touch me, but he certainly held me tight that night and he was much warmer than the rock, that's for sure!" She smiled, a sweet memory, lovingly remembered. "We were found the next morning at dawn, sound asleep, wrapped in his cloak, by my father and two of his Riders."

Aefre's eyes widened, shocked at the revelation. "Ah...nooooo.... Surely, they didn't... it's just a wedding tradition!"

"Aefre," Aelwydd began gently, "to be wrapped and to sleep with a Rider in his cloak, is marriage by ancient Rohirrim practice. It is not just a wedding tradition. For all intents and purposes, when my father rode up and found us, we were married according to early tradition."

" I was given a reprieve of sorts." She was toying with the edging on the chair, lost in thought. "Gamhelm allowed me two months to come to terms with our indiscretion. He visited our farm often. My parents - who I thought would beat me - instead were ecstatic. Seems I had won the hand and possibly the heart of one of Thengel King's Advisors and the Marshal's eldest son, one who would some day command armies and stand in his father's stead with Th�oden. I had done quite well. It was the strangest wooing I've heard of, much less experienced. No poetic or tender speeches, no flowers, no... romance. Instead, I learned more about my horse than I thought possible. He taught me to be a better rider, a better Rohirrim. He taught me the ins and outs of a garrison, what a Rider in a garrison expected in the Hall. He was quiet, thorough. Marriage, as you know, is work, and we worked at it. There were times I hated that man and there were times he hated me. But we stuck it out."

She raised a thin hand, skin stretched like fine parchment over spidery veins. "I realized one night, as I sat by the fire, nursing our second babe, that the man sitting across from me, staring so intently in the fire, was one Rohirrim I trusted. And with that trust, I loved him." She set her hand back down, obviously finished with her intense inspection of it. "I told him so. Right there, nursing Beornia, I told him, I loved him. He grunted." She smiled ruefully. "He grunted and said �Do you now?' Ah, me. I wanted to hear it back. Instead, after putting Beornia in her cradle, he showed me, with the respect with which he treated me, the honeyed sweetness of his kiss, the gentle way he touched me when we made love."

Aefre was staring at the woman in awe. "Did he ever tell you he loved you?"

Aelwydd smacked the back of the chair lightly. "Once. He told me once. The day our first grandson was born. He was holding him - inspecting him, much as he had done our own and he told me that he fell in love with me the moment I rode into the tourney with my father. He fell in love with the way I sat my horse, the way I looked down my nose at everyone. He fell in love with my sassiness, my high-spiritedness. He told me he had watched me brew into a fine temper and knew I would take off in a huff. He purposely loosened my mare's shoe and waited until I had been gone a while. When the alarm was raised that I hadn't returned, he pointed everyone in different directions and then tracked me with my horse's loose shoe straightaway. In short," and with this, she gave Aefre a big smile, "that man set me up! He thought I needed the right man to gentle me and he was it."

Aefre was still skeptical. "One should not marry another in order to change them."

"You are correct. One should not." Aelwydd fixed Aefre with a lengthy stare. "He decided he loved my spunkiness, my spit. He loved me. He told me once." There was a short silence, the woman clearly not finished. "A month later, I was singing him to B�ma's arms. Don't waste time, Aefre. Go yell at him, but stop being childish. Your name means 'forever.' Go be Gamling's forever."

There was no sound but the door sliding shut, as Aefre sat, contemplating her words.

***
tbc
***

Pandorag - sorry about the long wait. Full real life. I'm working with The Gathering of the Fellowship in a charitable venture called Operation Bruce - check out our webpage www.operationbruce.com - as well as dealing with a now VERY serious job hunt and still reeling that You Know Who is reading You Know What. I do have the next 2 chappies done as well as an additional "Rider MisAdventure", so hopefully the next few updates should be rather timely. I also have my major monster fic back on the docks again.

Crye 4 me - Gamling's a funny guy. He just doesn't KNOW he's funny. Then again, he IS a man...

Juliette - Well, who knows if there will be a wedding. I think Aefre's pretty mad right now, and we all know how weird pregnant women are. I was weird when I was pregnant. What am I saying? I'm weird NOT pregnant...

Seansbeanie - Thanks so much! It's STILL scary thinking of Bruce reading along... really! As for our two lovebirds... heh! I am supposed to go to The Gathering next year - along with the entire Operation Bruce team. Hopefully. we can hook up over a coffee or something. I'm hoping to meet a lot of my online friends there!

Thanks everyone for staying with this silly fluffy fic!

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Rider of the Mark