Things had changed a great deal between Amarie and Boromir. They kept seeing each other, smiling and being happy just to be together. But nothing more had happened.

Even if Amarie had understood to be in love with him. She was hiding it with great effort, just to be safe and not become crestfallen.

Today she had been assigned to the main dining room as chaperon. Clad in a simple azure dress, Amarie was standing by the door, looking absentmindedly at the table in front of her.

Aredhel's family was dining with Denethor and his sons.

"I'm looking forward to that marriage. All of my friends are already pregnant and mistresses of great castles..." said girl was telling to her father, pouting.

Aredhel's father, Lólindir, shifted his gaze to Boromir as he replied. "My beloved daughter has a point, Lord Boromir. You've already postponed the wedding once, don't you think that you should at least set a date? I am sure that you would thus make her very happy."

"Aye, I will." Boromir replied quietly, hoping that by giving his agreement the man would have let him be without further arguments. To his great dismay, he didn't.

"You see, my Lord.. there is no hurry, of course, but you know fully well that the whole kingdom is eager to see you married to a worthy maiden."

Boromir merely nodded, concentrating on the food in his plate. He wasn't hungry. And he knew what Lólindir was trying to do. The fact that Denethor was the next to speak merely confirmed that the detestable bore had reached his goal.

"I've talked him into such matter many times" the Steward said quietly, "Fear not, they will be married very soon."

Amarie clenched her fists at such words, looking at him with hurt evident on her face.

It was as if someone had squeezed her heart in an iron grip. He was going to marry her.

So all the caresses and the tiny kisses meant nothing.

It had been just a dream. A beautiful dream. That would have ended soon.

Sighing softly and lowering her head, the girl silently imposed herself to be as cold as she could.

"Oh, well!" Aredhel exulted joyfully. "So, my dear. When will we marry?"

"I--I don't know, Aredhel" Boromir replied, exchanging a quick glance with his brother. "I will decide soon. There is no hurry, as your father was saying."

Lólindir had to force a smile. "Of course, of course. It is just that both I and my wife are very impatient to see our beloved Aredhel as the wife of such a valiant man, and bearing an heir for Gondor. You must forgive us for our eagerness, although I am sure that Lord Denethor is looking forward to it, also."

"Indeed I am."

"I will decide soon." Boromir repeated, and he didn't care if his lack of enthusiasm was obvious. He just couldn't wait for the cursed lunch to be over.

"But I want you to decide now !" a furious Aredhel snapped, looking at him.

"How can you be always so boring? How can you? You spend almost all the day with your weak brother, or with your servant, instead of planning our marriage with me. I look forward to being married, so I'll send that shabby girl away and close your brother in his library!"

At her words, Amarie looked stunned.

How dared she? To offend Faramir like that!

She wasn't that surprised to notice her distaste towards her after what had happened in Boromir's room, but she couldn't see the point in offending Faramir in front of her parents.

"You will wait for my decision, Aredhel." Boromir snapped back, regardless of the presence of her parents. Of all things, he wasn't certainly afraid of them. "And I'm probably spending all my time with Faramir and Amarie because their company is much more enjoyable than yours."

Denethor gave him a quite eloquent warning look. On his part Faramir was staring at his brother, wide-eyed and almost cringing into the chair, thinking with dread about Aredhel's possible reaction to such offensive words.

The girl's mother, quite disconcerted by such a bad behaviour coming from the Steward's son, excused herself and went outside. She didn't want that marriage. She couldn't stand that man.

Aredhel leaned towards Boromir, her eyes full of malice and an evil grin on her face.

"You will wait for my decision, spineless fool. You are the one who has been subdued to his father's will. So shut up. And don't even try and defend your brother or that girl. For Faramir, there, is not even able to defend himself, he's not even worth to be the Steward's son, so weak kneed and coward as he is. And the girl" Aredhel said, turning to Amarie and pointing at her.

"She is not so loved among the servant, for she's seen as some sort of privileged. She could even be in danger. And when I'll be your wife I'll be more than happy to kick her out. She's ignorant, ill tempered and rude... I really hate her..."

To everyone's surprise, Boromir smiled graciously in response. He quietly set his napkin on the table and stood, bowing his head to his father. "I hope you will excuse me, father, but I have something of importance to take care of."

Denethor nodded wordlessly, somewhat relieved to see that his usually heady son seemed to have calmed down. Aredhel's father was unmoving, and still disconcerted.

Boromir bowed his head again, still smiling, and then leaned towards Aredhel confidentially, grey eyes fixed into hers.

"I will make you pay, some day." he said in a whisper, his voice almost as cold as his stare. The urge to close both hands around her neck and throttle her right there was almost overcoming him.

"You will regret dearly to have ever wanted to be my wife, Aredhel."

The next moment he was turning around and striding to the door, his eyes lingering into Amarie's as he passed her by.

Once her duty was over, Amarie almost ran to Boromir's door, hoping that he wasn't too upset and would have allowed her to stay.

For she couldn't stay away from him. Not now. He was going to ruin his life if he would marry such a vixen.

She wasn't worried for her job. To lose it would have meant nothing to her. The only thing that mattered was to see him happy.

Knocking lightly, Amarie peered inside, looking worriedly at him and closing the door behind her back.

"How do you feel?"

Boromir shrugged and sighed from the couch. "Wrathful."

Seeing that Amarie wasn't even daring to near him he smiled, extending both hands in a quite eloquent way. "Come here."

Smiling back, the girl took a seat at his side, enveloping him in a tight embrace.

It was a simple gesture of comfort that they often shared, so at ease between them that it was almost normal by that time.

"Don't be. She was just spitting some of her evilness..."

"I would kill her with my own hands if I only could.." he muttered, sinking a little so that his arms were around Amarie's waist and his forehead resting on her shoulder, eyes closed as he relished the closeness.

"And I don't know what I would do without you."

"Can you believe that it's been almost two years that I’ve worked here?" she smiled, caressing his hair and trying to help him to relax.

"Still I can't believe I'm here with you. I thought it was a dream. My Lord who came to save me from those dungeons. Then you've taken care of me...I've so many wonderful memories about those years. And you?"

Boromir faltered, sighing softly. When he raised his head, moments later, his grey eyes met hers straightaway.

"I just can't imagine my life without you" he said with a small shrug, as though the statement could explain everything. "I'm afraid to be hopelessly addicted to your presence by now, so you'd better resign. I'll never let you go."

"I'm not planning to leave" she said softly. "At least until your wife will kick me out... Until that day I promise you that I'll always be at your side. I swear it to you..."

"And I'm not planning to marry her" he said quietly, his steady gaze unwavering. "Not now that I know what.. being happy and at ease with someone truly means."

"Yet you have to..." was Amarie's answer, before averting her eyes. She was scared. Again. As each time they talked about the matter, or even tried to explain their mutual bond.

They have to be friends. Nothing more. It was wrong to fool herself thinking that everything would sort out.

"I don't want to." Boromir replied stubbornly, untangling himself from the embrace. "I will speak with my father. Or I'll just speak with hers to tell him what I actually think of his beloved daughter, I'm sure he wouldn't allow her to marry such a lout."

"Your father wouldn't be pleased, at all" she just whispered, brushing away a lock of hair from his forehead in a tender gesture.

"And I'm not saying I want you to marry her. I would rather die..."

"So would I." was Boromir's curt reply, as he averted his gaze to stare at the fireplace, crossing his arms across the chest. And almost pouting for the unfairness of it all.

"Listen to me" she said softly, taking his chin with two fingers and forcing him to look at her.

"I am going to get two cups of hot wine. What do you think about drinking it together, relaxing on the couch? Please...don't let her ruin your evening..."

"You'll have to bring up here the whole bottle for that.." Boromir grinned, leaning to kiss her cheek. It was so soft and warm that he had to kiss it again then, smiling.

"Thank you."

"I'll be back in a moment" Amarie smiled back, walking to the door and then into the corridor that lead her to the kitchens.

Gwen gave her a whole pitcher full of a sweet red wine, that had been boiled with some spices.

The girl took it to Boromir's room alongside to two goblets, smiling again at him and handing one at him.

"I hope you like it..." she said, sitting at his side and sipping her wine.

Its taste was intoxicating.

Boromir, too, tasted the wine appreciatively, nodding his approval. "Remarkable indeed."

So remarkable that it wasn't long before his goblet was empty, and before he was filling it again.

"I don't know about you" he smiled, looking at her, "but I'm already feeling much better. And this is what I call a very good idea."

"I'm much better, too" she smiled, filling again her goblet.

That wine had made her less worried about the consequences of her actions. Now she wasn't a maid, nor Boromir was her Lord.

She was just Amarie. He was just Boromir.

No status there. No wives to be. No awkwardness.

Was it good? Had it been a good idea to drink that wine?

She didn't know. Neither was she willing to think about it.

When he set his goblet on the small table next to the couch, Boromir's gaze fell on the pitcher. Almost empty. He grinned, an eyebrow raised amusedly as he turned to look at Amarie, taking the goblet from her hand to settle it next to his.

"We've already had enough wine for one day" he chuckled, snuggling closer to her on the couch. Then he hugged her tight, like so many times before, closing his eyes. The difference was that the warm and reassuring closeness was thrilling him, and quite badly, rather than calming him as it usually did. Before he even realised what he was doing his mouth was fastened to her neck, trailing a path of fiery kisses to her ear, and his hands were roaming eagerly all over her supple back.

At that point Amarie's mind wasn't clear enough to object, and she just giggled, looping her arms around his neck and closing her eyes.

It all felt so good.

Nothing to worry about.

Smiling brightly, she let her hands wander all over his back, already lost in passion.

In the meantime Boromir was already unlacing her dress hastily, his mouth had left her skin and was now searching for hers. He didn't falter at all when he found it, claiming it straightaway for a fierce kiss, moaning softly when her lips parted in welcome.

Valar, he could kiss.

Amarie's tongue explored his mouth, relishing the spicy scent of the wine still lingering in his mouth.

Good. It felt so good.

With trembling fingers, she started to unbutton his black tunic, without breaking the kiss. Craving to feel his skin under her hands.

Boromir helped her, yanking the garment off and tossing it aside carelessly once undone. They were still kissing passionately when he urged Amarie on her feet to drag her towards the bed, slipping off her dress, abandoning it along the way. He held her tight against his bare chest, stopping a few paces away from the bed, already panting and flushed even due to that wonderful wine, when their mouths parted.

"So beautiful.." Boromir whispered on her lips then, caressing the skin of her arms and sides almost reverently. "So beautiful you are"

"You're beautiful, too" she smiled softly, her hands roaming all over his bare chest.

A shiver ran along her spine when she thought of what was to come.

He was the most beautiful man she had ever seen. Godlike in his perfection.

Putting one hand at the back of his neck, she pulled him even closer, touching his lips with hers.

Kissing him again, slowly and gently this time. She just couldn't help but feel somewhat addicted to his taste.

"You're a dream coming true..."

Boromir tightened the embrace in response, moving closer to his canopied bed with her. When she lay down on the soft mattress he didn't join her straightaway, still standing next to the bed and reviewed her attentively for some moments, obviously liking what he was seeing. And he didn't feel ashamed at all when he unlaced his leggings and let the garment slide down to pool around his ankles, exposing him thoroughly. He gave her all the time to look at him, arms abandoned along his sides and his eyes fastened on Amarie's fair face to study her reaction.

Said girl smiled brightly at him, tugging at his hand.

He was waiting for her assent. That wonderful creature standing opposite her was waiting for her assent to join her.

Nonsense. How could he believe that she wouldn't have liked him?

His skin almost glimmered in the trembling light coming from the fireplace.

She could see scars here and there. Clear souvenirs of his many battles.

Even naked and relaxed as he was in that moment, Boromir could seem dangerous to someone who didn't know him.

"Join me..."

"Your wish is my command, my lady" he answered softly, smiling. He climbed onto the bed, gathering Amarie into his arms straightaway as he lay down, and dipping his head to kiss her once more.

It was magic between them that night. It was like both had forgotten about their rank, their background, about all the previous doubts. There was just desire, affection, longing. And possibly love, Boromir thought idly as he deepened the kiss, savoring the sweet taste of her mouth and the shivers caused by the way their tongues were sensuously caressing each other.

He was already burning with desire for her, one of his hands wandering on her back as the other was making its way to cup one of her perfectly rounded breasts, squeezing lightly. Boromir's shivers increased, something very similar to a moan was muffled in Amarie's mouth.

Was it because of the wine?

Eyes closed, Amarie's head was spinning, wriggling from Boromir's hands, which were igniting fires wherever he touched her.

Strangely enough, she felt completely at ease within the strong circle of his arms, forgetting about anything else. All of her worries and doubt had been lost when she had felt his smooth skin brush against her own.

His hands, calloused due to the many years of sword training, knew perfectly how and where to touch her.

There was something stirring up deep inside of her. Something she had tried to suffocate. A strong feeling towards him. Love, maybe.

She had always tried to ignore it, for she knew that it could never be between them.

But not tonight.

Their mouths were still linked together when Boromir shifted his position, so that he was now lying onto his side, one arm circling Amarie's shoulders while the other was resting over her flat stomach, unmoving. His kisses then moved to her chin, dwelling to nibble gently at it, and then to her neck and throat.

He wanted to take it slow. And yet he desired Amarie with all of himself, each and every fiber of his being screaming for her. His raging erection, too, was doubtlessly feeling a bit neglected. He didn't worry too much about that, though, as one of his thighs parted hers enough to slip in between them, and then lifted to press against her center. Boromir's mouth left her skin then, his grey eyes met hers. And his hips started to rock back and forth, slowly, his thigh rubbing purposefully over Amarie's wonderful wetness, their gazes locked.

"I want you." he whispered, his free hand sliding its way upwards to pinch and tease her left nipple. "And yet I don't want this to ever end."

"I want you, too" she smiled softly, wincing at his every move, her gaze unwavering.

It was the most beautiful and intense sexual experience she had ever had. That man, that wonderful man happened to be there to give her pleasure, sweetness, tenderness.

He was gorgeous. He was real. He was her dream come true.

"I've...dreamed about it for a long time but...I've never dared to think that you could feel something for me...yet here you are...and I would like to stop time in that right moment. To be like this forever..."

"I would like it, too." Boromir replied softly, his attentive gaze wandering eagerly all over her face, delighting in the way she tensed and sighed at his every move. The hand that had been teasing her nipple was now moving to her neck, caressing it tenderly and then resuming its slide upwards to rest the palm on her cheek with the same gentleness.

"Will you regret this tomorrow?"

"I-I don't know, Boromir...I don't know.." she sighed softly, finally allowing herself to touch him, for one of her hands began to roam all over his muscled chest and abdomen.

Her eyes never leaving his grey ones while she began to touch his most sensitive area.

"I just know that...this is what I want the most now...no more doubts...no more fears...just you and me..."

Boromir responded immediately to Amarie's caresses, tensing slightly as a shuddering sigh escaped his lips.

"Let us not think about anything else, then." he whispered, his hand leaving her face to settle over hers, their fingers twining. Just giving in, at last, to his desire for her. There was nothing to worry about, all the worries had been swiftly pushed aside to let room only for the two of them, only for their erratic breathing and fiery, lingering kisses.

When he climbed on the top of her, Amarie's eyes fluttered open, and she entangled her hands in his golden hair, locking her gaze with his while he entered her with excruciating slowness.

But it was too much to bear. That wonderful friction was driving her insane, and she had to close her eyes, gripping at him, a low moan escaping from her lips even before she could try and stop it.

Too beautiful to be true.

Once fully inside Boromir stilled for some moments, slightly clouded eyes searching for any sign of discomfort or repentance in Amarie's. There was none. Only longing, affection, pleasure. It was like it was meant to be.

He found himself smiling at her, right before their embrace tightened and his hips drew back slowly, then forth to meet hers with the same slowness, and he had to finally close his eyes. He set an unhurried pace, wishing to be able to make it last forever, all the while whispering and moaning endearments and tender nonsense in her ear.

Burying her face between his neck and shoulder, Amarie closed her eyes, relishing the tenderness of the moment.

All of her perceptions were enlarged.

The heat of his body. The fine veil of sweat forming on his back. The rubbing of his chest on her erect nipples and the soft silk of the sheets on her back.

Her legs were wrapped around his sides, tightening the grip whenever he touched a particularly sensitive area inside of her.

His smell. Pipeweed. Cinnamon. Spiced wine.

She would have never forgotten it.

Without noticing, she was clutching at him for dear life. Afraid that she could wake up and see that it had been just a wonderful dream.

The pace Boromir had set increased slowly, a little at a time and only whenever Amarie lifted her hips to meet his thrusts with a little more impact, as if asking for more. Was it for him, he wasn't likely to hold back at all. He would have made love to her with no restraints, to exhaustion. Yet all he wanted in that moment was to make it perfect for her, he wanted his Amarie to enjoy that as much as she could, he wanted to give her all the pleasure he could give.

His pace increased further when she started to shudder and tense in time with every thrust. Though lost in pleasure, in between a moan and a sigh Boromir could see clearly that she was close. He just hoped to be able to hold back long enough.

It was magic. Like some sort of spell.

She had always thought he was a dashing lover, but now he was taking it slow and she felt as if her brain had melted in a mush. The wine, maybe.

All she could think about was the pleasure building in her belly.

It took just a few good more thrusts for her to come violently, arching her back and throwing her head on the pillow, eyes tightly shut. Moaning his name over and over again. Shudder after shudder.

In the meantime Boromir was engaging quite of a private battle with his own will. His thrusts were even harder and faster than before and his groans becoming louder, the tremors that were shaking his whole body getting fiercer with every plunge in. Breath was coming in quick, erratic gasps. And said will was going to crack unrelentingly.

So very close. It would have been so easy to let go, so easy to just surrender to the heat that was spreading from his loins to his whole body.

And he was about to actually let go when the barest hint of consciousness he'd left suggested him again that he couldn't risk to compromise Amarie.

So he did.

He drew back completely at once, sliding down her body until his head was resting on her breast, her arms still wrapped tightly around him. He didn't even have the time to regret her warmth or use his hand. A moment later everything burst into fierce pleasure and violent throes as Boromir came, moaning loudly his release and shuddering helplessly into her arms.

Amarie tightened her grip on him, barely aware of his gesture, for her eyes were closed and her head was spinning.

Maybe she had drank too much wine after all.

And she was tired. So tired.