Warming herself near to the wide fireplace, Amarie waited for the milk to boil. She then poured the hot liquid into a mug, sighing softly at the warmth of it.

It was only when she was walking past a little saloon, barely lit by a few candles, that she noticed someone approaching. Freezing in place, the girl frantically searched for a spot where she could hide herself. It was dark but she could see that it was a man. And she was dressed only in her nightgown. Dangerous. Too dangerous.

Running behind one of the heavy curtains, Amarie tightened her grip on her mug, trying hard to not let the situation scare her away.

The man halted in front of the curtain, and didn't falter at all before he pushed it aside hastily. The next moment the blade of a knife was pressed against Amarie's throat, and a pair of bewildered grey eyes were meeting hers. Boromir recoiled almost instantly, though, removing the blade from her delicate neck at once.

"I--I am so sorry" he muttered, "I though it was--"

"It's--it's me, milord" she finally managed to whisper, gulping and trying to regain her composure, gripping the mug, desperately trying to keep herself from trembling. For a split second she had thought she was going to die. And it had been enough.

"I-I was just going back to my room. It was dark and I didn't recognize you. That's why I was trying to..."

"You don't have to hide, 'tis your home too.." Boromir replied, putting the knife back in the small scabbard fastened to his belt as he took a deep breath, allowing himself to relax. It was just then that he noticed that she was trembling.

"I didn't mean to frighten you.. I am sorry, it's just that you are not supposed to hide behind curtains" he smiled, "I thought you were a.. robber, or something."

"It's not safe to walk alone in the dark, milord" she answered with unsteady voice. "It...It could have been someone else, and I'm just...with my nightgown for I have nothing else to wear. What if it had been some ill-intentioned servant?"

Boromir nodded, and without a word he started to unlace his leather vest. Then he took it off, and settled it carefully on Amarie's shoulders, smiling slightly.

"You will return it to me tomorrow."

"N-No, I can't take it milord!" she immediately told him, slightly backing away. "I am not allowed to do such a thing. Should I be discovered I could even be...flogged..."

"Nonsense." he replied, shaking his head. "I'm giving it to you, you certainly didn't steal it. Tomorrow I'll see to it that you have a proper coat, there are many in the wardrobes that are being unused."

Having said that, he tugged gently at the sleeve of her nightgown, prompting her to follow him. He went to sit on the couch in front of the fireplace, staring intently at the flames for some moments before he turned to look at the girl again.

"Why are you still awake?"

"I was freezing" she softly confessed, lowering her eyes in shame, even if she was thrilled that he had been so gallant towards her.

It was something that she surely wasn't expecting. But now her situation and her poverty burned her with shame.

What did he think of her? A poor peasant, with no money. A mere maid without even a coat to wear.

"I thought that maybe some hot milk would have helped to warm me at least a little bit" she forced herself to continue. "What a ragamuffin I am...You shouldn't be here, wasting your time with me, milord."

"Do not even say that" Boromir scolded kindly, knitting his eyebrows and gesturing for her to sit at his side. "I do not use possessions to measure a person's worth, Amarie. And I will give you one of my blankets before we go back to bed, I have some spare ones in my closet.. you should have asked, you must be freezing in that bed with just the sheets to warm you..."

Smiling again, Amarie sat at his side, feeling a little awkward for she had never been that near to him.

"Where I used to work before... I slept without even the sheets" she said then, turning to look at him. "I wasn't allowed to ask. And so... it's just that maybe I'm not used to your kindness, milord. But... but I want to thank you. For all you're doing to make me feel at ease. But now pray tell me. Why are you still awake? Do you want me to prepare some milk for you?"

Though Boromir was grateful for the kind offer he shook his head, leaning back onto the couch. "No, thank you." he smiled, eyeing her. "I've slept a few hours in my room. To say the truth I've fallen asleep without even taking my clothes off, I suppose I had not realized how tired I really was. But I'm fine for right now. Plus, there are too many thoughts are rambling into my mind.. I don't think I'd be able to sleep again this night, anyways."

Shifting on the couch, the girl braced her knees, revealing her little, naked feet, but still looking at him.

"Is there something wrong?" Amarie asked after a while, smiling again and suppressing the overwhelming urge to rest her head on his broad shoulder. It was madness. To ruin everything and risk being exilied just because she felt too much at ease with him.

"I know that maybe I can't help you, or maybe I should mind my business but... You look so...upset tonight..."

"I was just pondering about the future, nothing more" Boromir shrugged, shifting his gaze to the wide fireplace in front of them. "Sometimes it all seems so.. unfair that I just wish to be leagues away from this place. I know it's folly, but I find myself hoping for a war, a huge battle.. the one thing that would keep me away from here for a good while; to keep me from having to deal with my duties.. and with that spoilt shrew.."

"She is really ruining your life, milord" Amarie stated, shaking her head. "If you're wishing to leave your beloved land just to stay away from her...well the situation is serious. Haven't you tried talking to your father? I doubt he'd be happy to see you so sad and upset because of her..."

"Father doesn't like her, either. But he's very close to Aredhel's father, and he's expressed many times that he wishes to have her married to me. That's why he agreed to the betrothal."

A small smile appeared on Boromir's face as he turned to look at the girl, and carelessly pushed aside a lock of blondish hair from his forehead. "You should try to sleep."

"Tomorrow is my free day" she smiled softly, shrugging.

"I can sleep all day if I want to. Right now I'm just happy to be here. I would like to...do something to make you feel better, milord. But...have you ever tried...fighting with her? If you were to be harsh or detestable, perhaps she'll tell to her father to break the engagement..."

Boromir shook his head and sighed, but the small smile was still there. "It's no use. Can we switch subjects before I get really depressed?" he grinned then, eyeing her amusedly and slipping off his boots, then dragging his legs up against his chest, completely at ease with her.

"Why don't you tell me about you?"

"There's not so much to say, milord" she grinned back, happy for he seemed to enjoy her company.

"I've never known my father, he was a coal miner. My mother was a maid, and she died when I was five. My brother Istion took care of me. He's four years older than me. Maybe you've seen him, he works as a stableman. And...well at eighteen, I was sent to Rohan to work as maid in a nobleman's house. I worked there for many years before my master..well he tried to abuse me. When I refused him, he told to his wife that I had tried something on him. So I was sent away. Then Istion told me that the Steward was searching for young maids, and well...here I am. As you can see there's nothing interesting at all..."

"I know your brother." Boromir smiled, nodding. "He takes care of my horse; a very willing and good-natured young man, I'd say. I didn't know he had a sister, but we have never really talked. I suppose he's as scared of me as the rest of our servants..."

"He shouldn't be scared of you" was Amarie's answer. "You're really a wonderful person, Lord Boromir. I've told you before and I meant it. I don't know how the others can think ill of you or your brother. But... well...I suppose that it's because of that...maid..."

"Aranel?" Boromir asked, grimacing. "One of the worst mistakes I've ever made in my whole life was to allow her to get... close to me. I don't know how and why I let it happen, but I'm regretting it dearly."

"Yes. Aranel" Amarie answered, "She-she's my supervisor. And I think she's fuming because she's jealous of me. But..I'm not like her, milord. I would have thought better before to do such a thing. It's foolish. Nothing good can come out, even when there's true love. Just sorrow, shame and...maybe a child that would never know his father..."

For some long moments Boromir said nothing, merely gazing at the fire as it crackled and spit, just hugging his legs pensively, holding them tight against the chest and sighing now and then, his chin resting upon his knees.

"I know you are not like her, Amarie." he said softly after a while, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips, though he didn't turn to look at her.

"I have no doubts about it."

Many months had now passed since the first time she had met him, her new master.

And here they were sitting on the couch together, in the middle of the night, looking at the fire crackling in the fireplace, talking about their lives.

If they would have told her that she would get to be so close to her new master, Amarie would have probably laughed out loud. It was just so foolish to think that such a thing could really happen to her.

Maybe the worst thing of all was that she liked him. A whole lot. But he was her master. He wasn't supposed to look at her with that glow in his eyes, or smile softly whenever their gazes met. He had a noble girlfriend to think to.

Sighing softly, Amarie couldn't help but smile at his tender words.

"I'm happy you've understand that...."

That being said, just a glance and a smile were exchanged before they became silent, completely content with eachother's closeness. There was a quiet understanding passing between them, due maybe to the late hour and the deserted corridors, or perhaps to the confidences they'd exchanged. But they didn't bother to ask themselves how or why it was happening to them, and resigned to just enjoy the moment and the warmth of the fire.