Prompt: "How did you first meet?"

Bedtime had come. Éomer was pretty much ordered to put the eldest, Elfwine, to bed. After accidently ripping Elfwine's nightgown and turning the room upside down just to find a stuffed horse that was sitting on the mantel, Elfwine was tucked into bed.

"Mama always tells me a story or sings to me. But she never told me how she met you," Elfwine stated. "How did you meet Mama? Did you like her right then and there? Did she look different?" At the age of eight, he wanted to know almost everything.

"Slow down, son," laughed Éomer. "Well, I first met her at Aunt Éowyn's wedding…"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ {FLASHBACK} ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The streets were packed with people eager to see Éomer King and Éowyn, Slayer of the Witchking. Yet, Éomer's mind was distant from the music and festivities around him. Fields of green and rolling hills. Whinnying horses on the plain and the cool breeze in his face. Villages ready for the winter. Rohan presided, as always, in his heart and mind.

Noticing her brother's thoughtfulness, Éowyn remarked, "Brother, you are rather quiet. Are you thinking about…?"

"Nay, not our good uncle and cousin, but of home," Éomer responded. "I wish we could have had the wedding in Rohan."

"I spoke with Lothíriel about that. She said, 'You are becoming a Princess of Gondor and wife of the Steward of Gondor. You are being grafted into Gondor's society. It only makes sense to at least…'"

Éomer interrupted, "Wait, who is Lothíriel?"

"Prince Imrahil's daughter," responded Éowyn. "I thought I told you."

"You only told me that she was working on combining Rohirric and Gondorian traditions and organizing the wedding. What kind of person is she?" Éomer answered. His mind whispered, "She must be one of those airheaded butterflies who say they'd do something when they can't. Or a very cold-hearted lady who doesn't know what life is."

Before Éowyn could answer, the deep, booming voice of Aragorn called, "Welcome, friends! It is so good to have you in our midst once again."

Pleasantries were exchanged, and, pretty soon, Éomer settled into a pattern. Mornings were busy in nodding his head to his sister's questions. The afternoons he spent with Firefoot, councils with both Gondorian and Rohirric officials. The councils with his own officials usually involved finding a bride. They almost always ended with the suggestion of the Lady Lothíriel of Dol Amroth. They reasoned that if Lady Lothíriel could arrange a wedding, she'd make a decent queen.

Two days before the wedding found Éomer pacing in Prince Imrahil's office. "You see, my council has been pestering me since me coronation about…er…an heir and a queen. None of the ladies of the Rohan have interested me…"

Imrahil interrupted him with a merry gleam in his eyes, "I understand how you're feeling right now, my friend. You are asking for my permission and blessing to wed my daughter. Correct?"

"Yes, sir," Éomer responded.

"Lothíriel is still young," continued Imrahil. "She is mature, as she should be at her age, but there are still many things she has yet to learn. It may be only a father's pride that tells you that she might be the best qualified for Rohan and yourself. I tell you what I'll do. I will go ahead and draft the document, but I will make no agreement until you speak with her as soon"

"Thank you," Éomer said with a sigh of relief. "May I ask if she has…favored anyone before? I mean, had any other suits?"

"Yes, plenty of offers, but she and I refused them all for three very good reasons," said Imrahil. Seeing the Éomer's unasked question of "What reasons?" in Éomer's eyes, he added, "Reasons that only she will reveal."

What have I gotten myself into? Éomer thought to himself as he exited Imrahil's study. As far as I am concerned, Lothíriel might not even be suitable as a queen, much less as my…wife. What a frightful thought. Not knowing the character of his prospective spouse.

The day of the wedding arrived. The indoor ceremony blended both Rohirric and Gondorian customs in a very satisfactory manner. The outdoor festivities afterward was typical in both lands, though. Food, drink, music, dancing, and other typical things to be found at a wedding. The starlit sky and the rising moon, along with the many lamps and torches, added a romantic atmosphere. Ribbons of gold and blue paid homage to the uniting of the two nations in addition the white flowers with an abundance of green foliage. Lady Lothíriel really payed careful attention to the blending of customs and colors of Rohan and Gondor.

"Standing alone?" Erchirion, Prince Imrahil's middle son, asked. "I'm sure there are plenty of ladies wilting without some attention from you."

"What about yourself?" responded Éomer. "I believe I heard you once say that there's a certain lady you admired."

"You really should try the next dance," continued Erchirion, ignoring Éomer's sarcastic comment. "It is the closest we have to Rohan's lively dances. I'll fetch a partner for you."

Before Éomer could protest, Erchirion was off. He soon returned with a lady taller than any of the Gondorian giggling geese he met. She wasn't quite as tall as himself, but an elvish aura surrounded her. A humored smile lit her face, and her silvery eyes sparkled like stars.

"Éomer, this is my sister," began Erchirion. "Lothíriel, you are familiar with the King of Rohan."

"In name, but not acquaintance," she responded. "It is a pleasure to meet you, sire." She curtsied gracefully.

Bowing in return, Éomer said, "As it is to meet you, Lady Lothíriel. Your brother recommends this next dance. Would you honor me by being my partner?"

The lady addressed inclined her head and took Éomer's offered hand. She whispered, "I am afraid my brother has trapped you into the hardest and longest of all our dances."

Éomer murmured, "I think I will survive."

As the music started, memories of his mother's dancing lessons came to his mind as he figured out the dance. Noting her contracted brow, getting down the rhythm of the steps also occupied Lady Lothíriel's mind. Eventually, he saw that she could converse without worrying about tripping over her feet.

"Did the ceremony please you, sire?" Lady Lothíriel suddenly asked. Then she colored and added, "If I am too forward in my speech, I ask your pardon."

Éomer answered, "Do not worry about your 'forwardness.' I prefer direct speech rather than the round-a-bout pleasantries. Yes, I enjoyed the ceremony. Both countries' customs were very well woven together. I also noticed that both Gondor and Rohan are represented in the decorations."

"Oh, I am really relieved to hear that it turned out so well. I was so worried that officiator would not get it right," she said. "I suppose your sister informed you of all the plans?"

"Yes, she did. I actually owe you an apology."

"Sire, you have done nothing to offend me."

"True, but I prejudged you as one of Gondor's social butterflies or a stern-faced lady with dull wedding plans. It was wrong of me to jump to conclusions."

"Then pardon is granted," she said with a merry sparkle in her eyes. "Though, I daresay that is a trivial wrong. When do you return to Rohan?"

He answered, "Next week, but I hope that we will become better acquainted before then."

Their talk drifted to the differences of Gondor and Rohan until Lothíriel was called away by Prince Imrahil. Éomer was left to muse on the elf-like lady who inadvertently awoke his heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ {FLASHBACK END} ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"That's it?" interrupted Elfwine. "I thought it'd be more like you saving Mama from something. I think that's how I would like to meet my girl."

Eomer laughed, "Perhaps you will, but every hero must get some sleep."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I hope you enjoyed this approach to Éomer and Lothíriel's first meeting. I am still working on a lot of writing issues, such as developing plot, characters, etc. If you have any advice on improving my writing style, please p.m. me! Also, please leave a review if you have some constructive criticism or thoughts regarding this particular oneshot. One more thing, if you have a writing prompts or information regarding for Éomer/Lothíriel stories, I'd love to know as I intend to write of series of oneshots of Éomer and Lothíriel. Thank you!