Lord of the Rings/Hobbit Oneshots (Requests Closed!)

May I Help You?

      Hey everyone!  This was a request by TheSpottedCreature, who also has her own book.  Go check it out!
      Anyways, this got really long, so I hope that's okay.  I'd never written for Éomer before, but I have to say I enjoyed it!  Just a reminder, requests are still open.  I've got a few that I got recently, but I'm still taking more!  Hope you enjoy.
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      After a long day of work in your father's shop, you were pleased to finally have some free time.  Your father was a sword smith under King Theoden, so he was often busy and required your aid in his workshop.  However, you had just helped him finish a huge order of swords and knives, and now you were free for the afternoon. You made your way into the stables, stopping in front of your horse and reaching up to pat his nose. 
      You prepared the saddle, bridle, and other equipment, strapping them onto your horse.  Gathering your brown skirt in one hand, you used the other one to grab on and hoist yourself up into the saddle. 
      "Alright, where shall we go today?" you muttered, patting your horse so he started off through the outskirts of Rohan.  You rode through the streets, smiling at neighbors and friends as you went.  Eventually, you found yourself at the edge of town and decided to go for a ride through the hills.  There a nice stream there that you could stop and rest your horse at, if need be, and it was still fairly guarded from most danger.       
      As your horse galloped out toward the stream a few miles off, you closed your eyes and enjoyed the feeling of freedom- the wind rushing through your hair, whipping your sleeves and cloak back.  After about half an hour of riding, you noticed a figure on the horizon.  It was on the ground, leaned against a rock- was it a man?  If it was, he was lying very still. 
      "Whoa," you called, pulling the reigns of your horse until he came to a stop.  "Excuse me, sir?" you called, looking for any sign of movement.  When he stirred, you swung your leg around and dismounted your horse.
      "Is everything alright- oh!  My Lord Éomer!" you gasped, coming to a halt as you recognized the man lying there.  He appeared to be unconscious- what were you supposed to do?  Your mind began racing as you cautiously stepped a little closer.  Leaning over him, you placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and patted him gently, trying to wake him up. 
      "My Lord?" you whispered, crouching down beside him.  He groaned, turning his head ever so slightly and opening his eyes.  After a moment he caught your gaze and looked at you in confusion.
      "Who are you?" he spoke gruffly, causing you to startle.  "Where did you come from?"
      "My name is Y/N, of Rohan.  My father is a sword smith for your uncle.  I came out here for a ride and found you here..." you trailed off, gesturing to where he lay.  "You, er- you looked hurt.  I wanted to help, if I could.  May I-?" you asked softly, reaching out to remove his armor.  He gave a slight nod and you proceeded to remove some of his armor plated to get a better look at his possible injuries. 
      "Why did you stop to help me?  There is much danger in these lands, you are putting yourself at risk," Éomer said, watching you intently as you checked him for any broken bones. You adjusted your position and moved to feel his calf, causing him to hiss in pain.
"Sorry, sorry," you said quickly, jerking your hand away. "It looks like you've hurt your leg. No wonder you couldn't stand on your own... May I help you stand up?" you asked, rising to your feet and extending a hand to him.
Looking up at you, Éomer reached up and took your small hand in his large, calloused one and started to push himself off the ground. You pulled on his arm at the same time and, with the help of the large rock behind him, he was eventually on his feet. However, no sooner had he gotten upright than he swooned and you had to grab his waist awkwardly to keep him from falling down. 
      "My Lord!" you cried, helping him to lean against the rock again and regain his balance.  "You must have hit your head.  How did you injure yourself?"
      "My horse- he got spooked by something when I was on a patrol," Éomer said faintly, closing his eyes and resting a hand on his forehead.  "I fell off, and remember feeling a pain in my leg before I hit my head on something and went unconscious."
      "Perhaps you ought to stay put, then," you decided, sitting him back down again and getting him comfortable.  "Are you hungry?"
      Éomer nodded, so you went back to your horse, who was still standing a short distance away, and retrieved your pack.  Sifting through it, you found an apple that you had packed for yourself and handed it to him.
      "Here you are, my Lord," you said and he took the apple, smiling at you.
      "There's no need to call me that, Y/N," Éomer chuckled softly, "Éomer will do just fine.  I am in your debt."
      "Nonsense," you waved him off, grabbing some bandages from your bag and a small tree branch that lay nearby.    "If you don't mind, I'm going to bandage your leg and then we'll see about getting you on my horse and starting for Rohan."  With that, you took out a knife, cut Éomer's pant leg, and started wrapping his calf so that it wouldn't move too much.  You could tell that he was in pain, but he was clearly trying not to let on so you said nothing about it.
      "Alright, my L- Éomer, I know it may make you a bit dizzy but I'm going to need you to try and climb up on my horse."  Éomer nodded and you helped him up again, taking it slower this time.  When he had his footing, you helped him take a few steps toward the horse.  When your horse caught sight of Éomer, you were afraid that he would startle and not let him on.  To your surprise, though, he trusted the man completely and you had a relatively easy time getting Éomer in the saddle. 
      Once he was secure, you swung up in front of him and spoke softly to your horse, causing him to break into a run.  As you galloped toward the city, Éomer spoke to you over the wind.
      "You are quite a good rider, Y/N," he called from behind you, his voice nearly getting lost in the wind.
      "I've been riding practically since I could walk," you called back, turning and flashing him a smile.  "We should be back soon- I think perhaps you should stay with me tonight.  My father has a large enough house behind the workshop- we have a spare room for you, if you'll stay.  We'd be honored to have you, and then I could care for you and you could rest up before you go back to the castle tomorrow."
      "Oh no, certainly I couldn't trouble your family that way," Éomer said quickly in reply, shaking his head.  "I'm not that injured, surely I can take care of myself."  At that moment your leg bumped against Éomer's injured one and he winced, causing you to shake your head.
      "No, it would be no trouble at all," you stated firmly, reaching back and placing a hand on his knee.  "We're almost here- my father's house is just over here."  You slowed your horse to a trot and pulled up in front of the stables.  "Here, I'll tie up right here and we can get you inside.  Then I can take care of my horse." 
      Before Éomer could protest, you slidd off the horse and moved around to the front, knotting the reigns to a nearby post.  You then came along beside him and extended your hand for him to take.  He carefully dismounted and stood on the solid ground once more, leaning heavily on you for support. 
      "Please, allow me to do something to help before I go inside," he said, and you sighed. 
      "Alright.  Here, you can sit out here and keep an eye on my pack while I take care of my horse."  You helped him to sit on a rickety bench and placed your belongings there for him to look after while you led the horse to his stall and got him settled back in.  When all was finished, you came back out and helped Éomer up, putting his arm around your shoulder so you could support him on the walk to your home. 
      "It's not much, but it's home," you said with a small smile as you approached the front door.  Éomer nodded in response as you gestured for him to wait one moment and opened the door.  "Father!" you called, "we have a guest for tonight.  Is that alright?"
      "Well, I suppose that depends- my Lord Éomer!" your father started in a friendly tone, stopping in his tracks as he realized who it was. 
      "He's been hurt, I was hoping perhaps he could stay the night with us so that I can care for him and he can get some rest.  He's been stranded in the plains all day," you explained the situation quickly, your father looking awestruck the entire time.
      "Of course he is welcome in our home!" he exclaimed, quickly showing you and Éomer to the chair next to the fireplace.  "Here, Y/N, sit him right here," your father said and you complied.  "Go find your mother- she was out in the garden with your siblings earlier.  Surely she will want to know that we are having company."
       With that, you rushed out the door again, leaving Éomer to talk with your father, and went to find your mother.  After a moment, you saw her with your younger brother and sister, gathering vegetables from the garden for dinner.
      "Mother, we're having company for dinner," you said as you approached them, and your mother straightened up and turned around.
      "Ah, Y/N, good to see you arrived home safely.  Who is coming?  Is it a friend?  Is it a suitor?" Your mother's eyes lit up hopefully- it was no secret that you had recently reached courting age, and your mother was eager for you to settle down.
      "Actually, mother, it's Éomer, the King's nephew," you muttered awkwardly, unsure of what your mother would think of that. 
      "Éomer?" your mother gasped, dropping the basket of vegetables she was holding.  "What on earth brings him here?"
      "Well, when I was out riding I found him injured.  His horse had thrown him and he was stranded several miles from the outskirts of town.  So I thought he could come back here to get some rest before going back to the main part of the city tomorrow."
      "Well, that's just wonderful!" your mother exclaimed, bending over and scooping up the vegetables that had fallen.  "Y/N, why don't you and Y/S/N go start cooking the meat?  Y/B/N, go clean up and then set the table.  See if Lord Éomer needs anything, won't you?"  Your mother sent the three of you in the house with your tasks and you beckoned for your sister to follow you as you headed to the kitchen. 
      As the two of you entered the house, Éomer looked up and caught your gaze with a smile.  You blushed, smiling back before you turned to start a fire in the kitchen hearth.  Your sister nudged you, raising her eyebrows at the interaction you had just had with the King's nephew.  Y/S/N was five years younger than you, with the same e/c eyes and h/c hair and the same sharp wit that you had. 
      "What was that, Y/N?" she murmured as you bent intently over the food you were preparing, trying to ignore her.  When you didn't respond, she simply smirked and got to work beside you.
      "We're very proud of Y/N," you heard your father say from behind you.  "She's a wonderful sword smith, makes the most beautiful swords.  She's an excellent cook too, and sharp as a whip, of course..." You glanced in the men's direction and caught a look of your father's proud expression. 
      "Indeed," Éomer said, glancing over at you.  As you turned back to the fire, you thought you caught a glimpse of red on his cheeks, but you cast the thought aside.  "You have quite a lovely daughter," his voice piped up again and you froze, heat rushing to your face this time as you tried to avoid eye contact with your sister, who was looking completely aghast.  You didn't know how much longer you could listen to this without exploding from... Emotions.
      Thankfully, at that moment your mother came inside with your brother and she joined you in the kitchen.  With three people working, dinner was done fairly quickly and before you knew it you found yourselves seated around your scrubbed wooden table.  You and your father had helped Éomer to his seat, right next to yours upon your father's insistence.  There was a brief moment of awkward silence, once the food had been served, before your father cleared his throat and started talking to Éomer again.
      "So, if you don't mind my asking, have you considered settling down yet?  Surely you will be assisting the king's son when he assumes power, and I just thought perhaps..."
      "Oh, father," you jumped in quickly, sparing Éomer the awkward (and rather inappropriate, given the situation) questioning.  "Could you please pass the butter tray?"
      Your father complied and there was a bit more silence before Éomer spoke.
      "You all have been very kind in allowing me to stay here for the night," he said, addressing the family but looking directly at you.  "If Y/N hadn't found me, I could have died."  With that you turned a bright shade of red, turning away bashfully.
      Your mother puffed up proudly, reaching over and patting your hand.  Your father beamed, and you could feel his eyes hovering on you and Éomer.  You knew what he was thinking, but you knew there was no chance.  Was there?  As you turned and looked into Éomer's eyes, you thought perhaps you were wrong.  He smiled, placing a hand on your knee under the table, which caused both of you to flush.  Maybe there was a chance after all...
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      2389 words
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