Aredhel was quietly walking to her betrothed’s bedchamber, deciding to catch him unexpectedly and finally letting him understand that she didn't care if they still weren't married. She wanted him; a whole lot.

But Boromir was way too shy and gentlemanlike to take her to his bed; worried maybe, for he didn't know that she was deeply, madly in love with his cousin, Elphir. The one who had initiated her to sexual pleasures.

Her father had decided her life for her, and now she was willing to find her pleasure with the Steward's son. Not because she really loved him, but because Aredhel needed some fun. And she couldn't stand the fact that he didn't seem to desire her; behaving like an old bore instead jumping on her as every guy with normal desires would have done.

Without even bothering to knock, she opened the door, grinning to herself when she found him in bed, seemingly naked.

"Good morning, my love!" she told him with a false smile. "Your sunbeam has arrived to brighten your day. Aren't you happy?"

A still slumberous Boromir merely opened his eyes for a moment, flashing her a quick glance without actually realizing that he wasn't sleeping anymore. It took him some moments to realize that no, it wasn't a dream.

It was rather a nightmare.

What by the Valar was she doing in his bedroom?

He jolted to sit up, now fully awake, dragging the blankets up in an attempt to cover himself. How pathetic, he thought. But the very last thing he wanted was to force any sort of strange thought into her mind.

"A--Aredhel.." he muttered, clearing his throat awkwardly. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you..." she said softly, sitting on the edge of the bed, shifting to let him see her almost naked breasts, utterly satisfied for that particular dress she was wearing had charmed many men before.

"And... I must say I've missed you a lot during those days... I was thinking that...I could show you the extent of my love for you..."

"Now that's really a good idea." Boromir replied, coercing a strained smile and still holding the sheets. "You could wait for me down in the hall while I get dressed, and then we could have a.. ehr.. a walk, or a ride somewhere. Just me and you. Does the idea appeal you?"

"No..." she whispered, shifting to lay at his side, putting her hands on his, looking longingly into his eyes. "That's not what I had in mind, you know? I-I would like to be... yours. Completely yours. Show me...show me what love really is, Boromir..."

He was quite aware that his face had probably become dangerously pale. He forced another meaningless smile, when all he wanted to do was to sprint out of the bed and put his clothes on just as quickly, the mere idea to engage in such activities with her making him abhor sex at once.

The only thing he could do was to put up the same old rigmarole, scattered with the same old lies and apologies here and there.

"Listen to me.." he said softly, doing his best not to avert his eyes. "I want you, too. You know I do. But.. we shouldn't even consider such things before marriage, 'tis not.. fair, and your father wouldn't certainly be happy if he should ever know.."

"He will never know...I swear it to you...show me how much of a man you are" she said then seductively, slipping the blanket from one of his hands and uncovering his naked chest, leaning to kiss it, without even noticing the light knock at the door.

When Amarie entered the room, her broom fell to the floor, seeing Boromir naked in his bed, apparently ready to make love to what seemed to be a wench, even if she was dressed as a Lady.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"What are you doing in here?" Aredhel screamed, furious for someone had dared to interrupt her seduction. "You...you stupid shabby! Didn't your mother teach you to knock?"

"But...but I did knock...no one answered and..."

Aredhel wasn't in the mood to listen to her lies, and she just cut her off, shifting from the bed, afraid that someone from the corridor could see her.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking, your mother was probably a squalid tavern whore!"

"My mother died when I was five!" Amarie snapped at that point. "Don't you ever dare to say such a thing again, or I'll have you wriggling and begging me to stop beating you long before I'm finished with you!"

The noble woman was now baffled and utterly horrified for that simple maid had addressed so rudely to her. Boromir just sat on the bed, staring at her, without uttering a word.

"You...You..."

"I am going away!" Amarie cut her off, stalking decidedly to the door, clenching her fists and trying to hold back the tears that were forming in the corners of her eyes. She swiftly walked past Faramir in the hall, and locked herself in her room.

Boromir stared blankly at the door for quite a while. He couldn't find anything to say. Well, nothing to say aside from curses and that sort of boorish speech.

"What did you think you were doing?" he eventually snapped, glaring at his betrothed as he slipped out of the bed to get dressed. "I can't tolerate such behaviour in my home."

"You can't tolerate such behaviour?" Aredhel snapped back, standing to face him, dragging him closer in a quite rough fashion.

"She is a mere servant, Boromir! Servants need to be scolded and offended to maintain the chain of command. You know that! Didn't you hear? She didn't knock. What if she had found us making love? What then?" Aredhel's eyes narrowed, " And you... you coward! You neither reproached her, nor defended me! Me, the woman that will spend the rest of her life at your side!"

"She did knock! 'Tis not her fault you didn't hear!" Boromir retorted angrily, freeing himself from her grasp and reaching for his leggings. "And you know what? She is a person just like you and me. I bet you have never considered the idea before, have you?"

"She is not as we are! Get that into that stubborn skull of yours! She is a servant! She can't be compared to me, for I'm of the blood. I'm beautiful and rich. And I can sing, paint, read and write, as every girl worthy of living here should be..." Aredhel just explained, as if it was a normal thing to her.

Then, seeing that he was about to grab his tunic that lay on the floor beside the bed, she turned to face him again, blocking his hands with hers and pressing her body against his naked chest.

"Don't let her ruin our first time together, my love... I want you... and you know I hate to be refused what I want..."

Quite unexpectedly both of Boromir's hands suddenly grasped her buttocks, squeezing, as he ground his hips against hers roughly.

No regards for her ladyship, at all. Since all his previous attempts to dissuade her had failed, he had to try his last resort.

"And is this all that you want of me, Aredhel?" he asked then, grey eyes challengingly fixed into hers. "I thought you were too much of a lady to fancy such a lowly treatment. Such treatment is reserved to whores, not to noble betrothed and wives to be."

“How dare you?” she snapped immediately, slapping him hard on his right cheek and backing away.

“You… you depraved…perverted…boorish man! I told my father that you were too much like that to be actually a good husband. I…I hate you! Can’t you see that? You…you monster! I’ll tell him what you’ve done! Then you’ll see! You’ll see!”

She was still screaming at him when she slammed the door at her back, stalking away to talk to her father, fuming and raged.

"Well.. it actually did work." a quite smug Boromir grinned to himself, while lacing his leggings and scanning the room for the rest of the clothes. Once he was fully dressed he exited to the corridor, and took a deep breath before knocking lightly at Amarie's door.

Said girl wasn't willing to open the door, but was staring blankly at the window, wiping her tears while she tried to remember her mother's face. But she couldn't. Yes, she could well remember her tenderness, the sound of her voice and the sweetness of her touch. Her face was just a blurred memory.

"Go away. I'm packing my things, there's no need to ask me to leave".

Boromir merely shook his head, turning around at once and stalked to Faramir's room. He didn't bother to knock this time, knowing that there was no need at all, and when he opened the door he found the other sitting by the window with a large book laid upon his knees. As usual.

"May I stay over for a while? I think I've had enough of women for one day.."

"Suit yourself."

That evening Amarie peered outside of her room, sighing in relief for the corridor was deserted.

Entering again, she took hold of her bag, settling it on her shoulders before turning to walk outside, closing her door behind her.

She was walking to the stairs but she stopped dead when she heard that door open.

Boromir.

He would have been surely mad at her, for she had refused to simply bowed her head when that devilish creature had offended her mother. Amarie was used to nobles' behaviour, and she wasn't willing to let him scare her.

"Where do you think you are going?" he asked quietly, leaning against the doorframe and folding his arms across the chest. "No one's sending you away. If you intend to leave by your own will, father is expecting at least a forewarning, so that he can properly replace you."

"I'm going to Rohan" she replied. "I don't want to be abased by you or your girlfriend. You have no right to offend my mother, and let me assure you that I'll always complain if things are not right. That may be an odd thing for you nobles to hear coming from a servant, believing that poor people should just bow their heads and accept things silently, to never complain about how they're treated. Milord, I am not an object, nor a whore. I can barely remember my mother but I'll always have her in my heart. And you can be sure that she wasn't a tavern whore either. Not at all".

"I am not the one who said such a thing." Boromir replied resentfully. "I can't barely remember my mother, either, so you should know that I understand the way you feel about such a terrible insult. And how it hurts." He paused, looking at Amarie.

"And if you're feeling brave, you can try to knocking some sense into Aredhel's idle brain yourself, since I seem incapable of doing so." Boromir continued, " I'm sure you heard her yelling this morning. Didn't you?"

"But I knocked at your door!" she tried to defend herself, looking stubbornly at him. "I didn't know that you were too busy to answer..."

"I know you knocked, I heard you. But do not lay the blame on me because she didn't."

Boromir sighed then, eyeing the bag she was carrying, suddenly feeling very apologetic for the morning's events; and very angry at Aredhel, who had treated Amarie so harshly without any reason. So much for the fine and polite noblewoman, indeed.

"I'm asking for you to stay, Amarie" he said softly then, "I am sorry for what has happened this morning and I hope that you will accept my own apologies, since Aredhel will never excuse herself. I am deeply sorry."

Amarie looked at him, clearly baffled and wide eyed. She was even tempted to ask him to repeat what he had said.

Had he asked her to stay? Was he sorry?

This wasn't certainly the way she thought he would have acted upon that matter.

"I will stay" she finally told him. "And I'm sorry if I've been harsh to you, for you have always been kind to me. I-I know that you've lost your mother, too..."

Boromir had to lower his eyes for a moment at the mention of his beloved mother. He still missed her terribly sometimes.

"Mishaps can happen to anyone" he said quietly, meeting Amarie's eyes again. "You can see her downstairs, on the right wall as you enter the hallway leading to the stairs. She was very beautiful. And I am sure that your mother was, too."

"You are very lucky, indeed" she smiled softly, sighing. "You've got her portrait. I've got nothing and...and I can't remember her face". Yes, she had actually said it out loud for the first time. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears. "It's all...blurred and confused... I remember her smell. That of Jasmine. Her tenderness. The sound of her voice and the way she sang to me and my brother. But... not her face... and it hurts, for I feel as if I'm... a heartless daughter..."

"You were very young, 'tis not heartless to not be able to remember." Boromir replied, smiling slightly. "I wouldn't remember my mother's face either, would it not be for her portrait.. and I was nine when she died, only four years older than you were."

"You are not supposed to talk to me like this, milord" she smirked then, nearing him, "They told me you were a horrible person, but I am very pleased to see that you're one of the best Lords I've ever worked for. Thank you for your words. It's been good to share my sorrow with you, even if just for a while..."

"Yes, it has been good" Boromir agreed, nodding, a grin slowly appearing on his fair face. "And I can't even imagine all the horrendous things they say about me and my brother down in the kitchens and in the laundries.. I'd rather not know, really.."

"Yes, it would be best for you not to know what they say" she grinned back, amused by his behaviour and for the first time feeling completely at ease in his company.

"I was almost frightened to meet you two..."

At those words Boromir couldn't help but chuckle softly, shaking his head as he folded his arms again and raised an eyebrow amusedly.

"Oh Valar, is that so?" he smirked, "And pray tell me, young and gentle maiden, do I really look so crabbed and ill-natured to you?"

"Well, milord..." she began, pretending to be serious, even if she was struggling not to smile at him. "I would say that you are not as crabbed and ill-natured as your girlfriend, at least".

All Boromir could do was shake his head, laughing loudly, greatly amused by both her straightforwardness and her accurate assessment of Aredhel's bad temper. But of all things, he certainly couldn't say that Amarie was wrong.

"I am indeed glad to not be compared to her, believe me."

Just then a grinning Faramir, who had obviously eavesdropped the whole conversation, peered into the corridor from his bedchamber's door, eyeing the two with patent interest and an eyebrow dangerously raised.

"You two are most likely to wake up the whole palace with all that cackling." he said sternly, and doing his best to appear surly and vexed despite the unbearable urge to laugh, or at least chuckle uncontrollably.

"Oh, are we?"

Amarie looked at him, grinning mischievously, clearly amused by these two brothers being so funny and kind.

It was only hours ago that she had planned to leave, and was now laughing and chatting with her two Lords. Indeed it was a great change. She hadn't been punished for her behaviour, instead Boromir had offered his apologies. Maybe she wasn't willing to move to Rohan, afterall.

"I am sorry, milord. I was just explaining to your brother that he's not ill-natured at all. At least not as ill-natured as his girlfriend. Yet I still haven't heard rumors about her...Now isn't fair, isn't it?"

"Aredhel?" Faramir chuckled, glancing at Boromir. "The one woman who jumped on my brother and has been miserably refused? I bet she's fuming right now..."

"Cut it out, you rascal! 'Tis not polite to speak of such things in the presence of a young maiden.. you should know better."

"No, seriously.. did she actually jump?" Faramir wanted to know, the grin on his face widening even more, while Boromir was snorting and rolling his eyes with annoyance.

"Yes, she did. Do you feel better, now that you know?"

"Indeed." the mischievous rascal nodded, turning his attentions to Amarie. "Our young maiden would probably be quite amused to know that in a whole year you haven't even laid a single finger on your beloved--"

"Faramir! I said cut it out!"

"No, no, I wasn't finished." Faramir replied quietly, thinking that it would have been safer to sway the conversation towards other shores, since Boromir was glaring at him in a less than reassuring way. "I was meaning to say that.. ehrm.. that should explain how very little you like Aredhel, that's all."

"Then next time just say it and spare the details."

"And you're going to marry her anyhow?" Amarie frowned, looking at Boromir. "One can't waste his life like that, milord. I've always thought that outside there, somewhere in this world there's the perfect match for everyone of us. It just takes us to find it. To live a whole life with someone you don't love and don't get along well with... It could really be a nightmare..."

"Believe me if I say that 'tis already a nightmare to see her almost everyday." Boromir muttered, smiling bitterly. "But there's not much I can do, so be it. There are worse things in life, after all."

Faramir couldn't help but grimace at the mere thought. "Were she the last woman on earth, I could never marry such a pretentious and spoilt creature. Not at all."

"But I'm the one who's supposed to marry her, not you. Though, I would gladly hand her over to you if I could, anyway."

"Do not even think about that." Faramir retorted, almost shivering with terror at the idea of spending the rest of his days at Aredhel's side.

Amarie just looked at him, the frown still in place, an eyebrow raised. How could Boromir be so blind?

“So you’re just going to ruin you life?” she asked, arms folded. “You will have to deal with her bad attitude everyday of your life, listen to her screams and second her fancies… Moreover, if you don’t like her and you have refused her for one year, and well... in the future, you’ll have to deal with even more of that. Aredhel will be the first one you’ll see in the morning and the last one in the evening before you close your eyes”.

It was clear that the girl was desperately trying to understand why was willingly going to ruin his life by wedding Aredhel, even if he didn’t like her.

“Why can’t you just send her away?”

One of Boromir's eyebrows raised almost instantly at the question. "Because.. because my father has chosen her for me; because she's the only daughter of one of our best allies. I can't just send her away, I am not allowed to. Only father could."

"Then it's funny how father doesn't like her either." Faramir commented amusedly, eyeing his brother. "But Aredhel's father likes you very much. He seems very proud to have his daughter betrothed to the best man in Gondor."

"I just hope he's not expecting any grandchildren." Boromir grinned, "In that case I will have you doing my job, my dearest Faramir."

The other didn't seem amused anymore, though. "I'd rather die."

Boromir's smile didn't falter, as he turned to look at Amarie, bowing his head slightly. It was obvious that he was somewhat resigned to spend the rest of his days with Aredhel, though the idea didn't appeal him even the slightest. He was merely doing his duty.

"Please put your belongings back in place." he said gently to the young girl then, "And have some rest, 'tis quite late."

"All right milord" she smiled, bowing her head and eyeing Faramir. "Thank you. To both of you. It's been good to talk to you. Have a good night".