Staying

"I'm staying."

I looked up from checking the chin strap on my helm and found my wife, Amdiriel, standing in the doorway of the kitchen, her arms crossed over her bosom and wearing an expression that dared me to say her nay.

I sighed and set the helm atop the mail hauberk that I had yet to inspect. "Amdir--"

"Don't 'Amdiriel, my love' me, Galhras. I am not going to be put in an over filled wain and dragged to who knows where in the mountains where I'm going to have to listen to Terris' new bride moan and whine about how he's going to get himself killed and that she should have insisted they move to Dol Amroth when they wed. You know that once she starts all the others will begin whining as well. There's no reason to go and hide--"

I silenced her by wrapping her in my arms and kissing her soundly. After a few very pleasant minutes I pulled back and laid my finger on her lips, forestalling any further argument for the moment. "Shhh, my love. I would prefer if you would go to the Refuge, but--shhh!--I will not make you go if you truly want to stay." I paused and saw the relief in her eyes then continued, "However, if you do stay, you'll be up in the Houses of Healing helping my Great-aunt Ioreth."

I think that the look she gave me at that piece of news could have killed Sauron himself.