Another Seat At The Tabe

Eagan hadn't gotten as far as he wished, he was only a Lieutenant. But he couldn't put this off any longer. Living without her, knowing that Eomer most likely had been throwing suitors at her had nearly drove him over the edge. He loved Narisa and he would have her as his wife if he had to take her without such permission from her father.

It was nice to see Calaren again He seemed to know quite alot about the local happenings and he was thankful for the conversation during the last leg of the ride back, His urge to run his horse to death was strong but talking to Calaren quelled all of that. The city was much like he remembered it, people still went about their business with quickened feet. Blacksmiths hammers rang out in the distance and he was pleased to see that Eomer continued to take the safety of his people as of paramount importance. He asked Calaren to invite him as his guest to dinner tonight. His old friend had said that Eomer had set him up to court Narisa but she had been reluctant to even speak to him much. That troubled Eagan to some degree and he felt that maybe there was more there but seeing her again occupied almost all of his thought and so he was thankful that Calaren would present him at dinner and surprise her.

Narisa's guilt was nearly consuming her. Everyday that she returned from a ride with Calaren she told herself that it would be the last and yet every following morning she would quickly dress to go out with him again. She could not deny that she loved Calaren. He was a good man with a heart of gold and she knew that he truly cared about her. She allowed him to kiss and lightly touch her and returned those kisses. When he returned to the field she was left alone with her thoughts and confusion over what to do. She paced endlessly in her bedroom until her servants became so worried for her that they summoned the head healer to examine her. Of course there was nothing physically wrong with her and everyone secretly thought that she was just waiting with excitement for Calaren's proposal. The healer gave her an herb to use in her tea which helped her to relax and sleep.

A few more days passed and then Narisa received word that Calaren was returning and would be attending dinner that evening with her family. Her servants became almost giddy with excitement and picked out the most beautiful dress she owned to wear that evening because they knew he was going to ask for her hand. Narisa allowed them to bathe her with oils that made her skin practically glow and then dress her. She stood quietly while they fussed about her, trying desperately not to think of Eagan and cry.

OOC-Is Calaren going to fight for her hand?

ooc: He will when he discovers how much he really loves her.

Calaren was late getting to the hall. Eagan had difficulty finding his gold sash that went to his uniform. Calaren thought he looked...nervous and he tried to dissuade his concerns about her father. However he also wanted Eomer to disallow the match but that brought guilt on which he didn't like. He wanted to be happy for Eagan but Calaren truly felt that he was a much better match. Eagan only had time on his side. Time and familiarity. She had much more in common with himself than Eagan.

Eagan looked and looked and looked but it was Calaren that found it inside a shirt. Hastily he put it on and Calaren pulled him to a stop so he could set it right for him. "You're sweating," he said. "I know," Eagan said. "And I can't help it, she means soo much," he said. He had put this off for too long. He knew that now and he would admit to such if put to the question.

Dinner was roasted pork, potatoes and baby greens. The soup was a mushroom barley that Calaren always liked and even the cooks knew that now. Dessert was short cake covered in a wild blueberry compote. All of which he seemed to like as far as the help as concerned.

"Narisa...why do you fret so?" Lindariel asked. The soup hadn't been served yet and she could tell there was something up with Narisa. Her father sat and munched on a thick piece of bread as he waited for the meal to be served. Theodren and is wife whispered together softy and Narisa caught a very naughty word coming from her sister in law. Very naughty and she saw her brother's cheeks blush and shush her. Lindariel almost gaped at what was said but decided to let it pass. There was Calaren's plate next to hers and then a servant came in and whispered something to her father. He shrugged as a response and the servant left.

"So, Narisa I haven't gotten your assessment of the new stock we received from Gehenna, will you at least make an attempt, for me, by the end of the week?" Eomer asked annoyed that he had to ask at all.

OOC-Sorry, I honestly didn't see this post yesterday or I would have replied by now.

IC-Narisa's palms were damp and she kept rubbing them on the napkin in her lap. She was more than a little anxious and didn't even touch the bread on her plate. She kept glancing over towards the door as her mind and heart battled against one another to the brink of driving her mad. What was she going to do? How could she make a decision? There was no longer a clear cut answer...any decision she made was going to affect one of the two men now in her life. She didn't want to hurt anyone...she desperately wanted the guilt she was feeling to go away, but she knew it wouldn't.

Her father's question nearly made her jump. She looked over at him and quickly nodded. "O..Of course Father...by the end of the week."

Lindariel looked at her daughter and started to become concerned. "Narsia, are you ill? You don't seem yourself."

Narisa shook her head. "No, Mother...I'm fine."

Eomer knew that Narisa had done as he asked and allowed Calaren to court her but he wasn’t a fool. He knew she only was doing it to keep him off of her back. He could wait a bit longer but his patience was running thin. He looked at how she fidgeted though with interest. She was normally as cool as a cucumber.

Lindariel was concerned, did all of this have to do with Calaren’s return? She began to wonder if something had happened between them, something...good? She hoped. It would not due for Eomer to call in her engagement. It wasn’t often done in these times but she knew that he was capable of it.

Narisa and Lindariel would notice another plate was being set beside Calaren’s. Eomer had no issue with Calaren’s guest, he knew Eagan to be a capable young officer and that they had been friends. Why he was back now he didn’t know but he never knew of everything or the reasons people did what they did. The servants opened the doors and there stood Calaren and Eagan side by side in their uniforms. Each point polished to a high sheen and their black boots gleamed in the dim light of the room. Eomer only nodded his assent for them to join them but Lindariel’s eyes bulged and then she tilted her head forward and shook her head as if a headache was coming on.

Narisa couldn't help but notice that another place was being set beside Calaren's. She had not been informed of another guest and the fact that the place was being set beside Calaren's indicated that it was his guest. But who would he be bringing? It certainly would not be a woman. It could be one of his brothers, but why would he bring one of his brothers to dinner when she was anticipating a proposal?

It was then that she received her answer. She heard the doors open and she turned around and her face turned nearly white. Calaren was standing there next to Eagan! She suddenly did feel ill and the urge to get up and just leave the room was strong. However, she knew she couldn't and so she forced herself to sit there. She looked at Eagan and a wave of emotions crashed over her. He looked so incredibly handsome in his suit and held himself like that of an officer. She wanted to both run over and embrace him and just sit at the table and cry at the same time. Did he know that Calaren was courting her and ready to propose? If he did would he fight for her? And if both men proposed to her who would she choose?

She knew she needed to do something so she slowly stood up to greet them both.

"Good evening Calaren," she told him before looking at Eagan with soft, loving eyes. "Eagan...it is so good to see you again. I hope you've been well."

Eagan’s eyes moved to hers and it was all he could do to not run to her and pick her up into his arms. Ofcourse that would not do though. Not yet. Her shocked looked was quite satisfying though. The two men sat and soup was brought to them immediately. Calaren let him sit next to Narisa. At first there was very little talk Infact, during soup all that was heard in the room was the clanking of spoons to crockery and the slurping of hot soup. The next course was the roasted pork, candied carrots and baby greens. Lindariel waited patiently for Narisa to look her way. She gave her a look of concern.

Eomer pulled off a piece of bread from the larger chunk he had. “So, Eagan, what brings you back to Edoras? Is Minas Tirith not to your liking? How is your father?” He asked. Eagen saw Narisa stiffen. As if having the question posed now was alot worse than the just the threat of it all coming out looming over everyone.

“Well, My father sends you his regards King Eadig, he is well. I have come to spend time with the woman I love,” he said simply. Lindariel coughed and Eomer’s eyes looked at her concernedly. He didn’t know about him and Narisa and he assumed he meant some woman in Edoras or perhaps the daughter of one of the nobles There were always women near the training yards. “Well you should invite her then...as guest to my table,” he said and seemed quite pleased that at least ‘someone’ around here would act as their supposed to.

Narisa's appetite was non-existent at this point, but she forced herself to eat some of the soup. It was all she could do to keep her hands from trembling as she lifted the spoon. She could feel her mother's eyes upon her and when she glanced over at her she could see the look of concern on her face. A disaster was looming...eminent. The silence was nearly maddening. It made her want to yell out, but before that could happen her father spoke to Eagan. She picked up her water glass and took a sip, thinking that Eagan's response would be appropriate. What he said, however, caused her to breath in sharply and then begin to cough as she nearly choked on her water. Thankfully, her father didn't seem to notice the timing of her coughing fit and was clearly blind to what was going on. His response brought her both relief and dread. She glanced over at Eagan, wondering what he might say.

Her mother gave her a regretful look as if to say, well, you brought this on yourself. “It is good to see you again Calaren,” Lindariel said. “Narisa has been waiting anxiously for you. I feel she has missed those rides you take her on,” she said. Eomor glanced at his wife and raised his eyebrows then back at the two men. Eagan stiffened and then looked at Calaren. Calaren turned and faced Eagan. And then Eagan attacked. “Why you…” He began and lunged at him and carried them both onto the floor. Their chairs rolled away and plates of food were kicked and upended. Eagan punched Calaren then Calaren punched him back. It was a wonder that Narisa hadn’t been kicked herself but she wasn’t. “You flaming goat kisser!’ Calaren shouted then punched Eaga two times hard in the face. Eagan brought them both up to stand but when their arms broke Eagan tried to kick him and Calaren caught his leg on his hip. He punched him again then Eagan punched him. Eomer stood immediately. He was about to say soemthing but looked at Narisa suspiciously to see how she reacted. Something was happening and he thought he knew what.

Narisa glanced over at her mother again, but didn't say anything. She didn't need to because the pin was about to drop...and then it did. Narisa saw the look between Eagan and Calaren as both men realized they were in love with the same woman. Before she could say anything they were fighting like children on the floor. Elisa had quickly stood up and moved back from the table to keep away from the fighting. Narisa jumped to her feet and began yelling at them.

"Stop it! Stop it both of you!"

Eomer looked at Lindariel and she looked back at him. She held her hand up as if to ask him to stay out of it. As the two men stopped fighting he sat back down and grabbed a chunk of bread. Calaren let go of Eagan and Eagan let go of Calaren. They stood up quickly, side by side. They both had bloody noses and Eagan had a cut above his left eye.

“I see now what a promise means to you,” he said angrily as he tore off the necklace that Narisa had given to him. His eyes were clouded with tears and his face was a mask of hurt. He threw it down onto the floor then turned and began to walk away.

It was hardly fair, he had been gone too long but it hurt just the same. More so because it was Calaren. Eagan knew him to be a good man which only made it all worse. Not just standing up to her father then was a mistake. He knew that now but he couldn’t change the hurt and worry that he had lost her. And it was all his fault.

Narisa looked at Eagan as tears filled her eyes. She felt sick to her stomach as she watched him walk out of the room. She knew then that she would always choose Eagan. While she did love Calaren, Eagan was her one true love. The man she would always stand beside. She quickly went after him and caught his arm to stop him.

"Eagan! Eagan please stop! Please...please don't leave," she practically begged him. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...but you left me little choice. I didn't know when you would be back and my father was pushing me. I want you Eagan. There...there's still time!"

Calaren bowed to those at the table then left. Outside in the hall he came up on them. “Eagan, if I had known…” he said as he stepped up and stopped. He had a white cloth to his nose but the blood had already stopped. “The King was pressing her badly. It was a surprise when my father informed me of the situation. Don’t blame her for trying to appease her father, the King,” he said again. Eagan look...conflicted. With her, with himself and with his actions. He had screwed things up pretty badly.

“You’re father will never accept me now, I’ve doomed us. My temper...it’s doomed us,” he started. “Oh come now man,” Calaren said but he backed down when Narisa flashed him an angry look. Eagan just shook his head in disbelief at how much he mess this all up.

Narisa didn't know what to think, or to say. After what had happened in the dining room she wasn't sure her father would even see Eagan now. Her heart broke at the thought. And now Calaren, the man whom she had hurt, was now comforting Eagan. Tears filled her eyes and she felt lightheaded and even more upset and confused than she had been ten minutes ago. Why was love so complicated and painful? Needing some air desperately, she simply walked away from both men and walked outside into the cool evening air. She then hung her head and cried into her hands.

occ: new thread? Not sure what it might be though, any ideas?

OOC-Well, it looks like Eomer, Eagan, and Calaren are all going to have to have a serious discussion. Is Calaren going to fight for Narisa, or just step back at this point?

ooc: He will fight, he really thinks he loves her, to his surprise and want her as his wife.

OOC-Ok, should be dramatic lol