Part 47 of the Elfwine Chronicles. The Elfwine Chronicles are a series of one-shots built around the family group of Eomer, Lothiriel and Elfwine. The total number will depend on how many ideas I get for new vignettes.

A/N: More fluff for the holidays. My home computer is in a dispute with Internet Explorer, so I keep getting kicked out. Otherwise, you would have seen this over the weekend.

The Tea Party

(Sep, 19 IV)

Gamling handed the neatly folded parchment to Eomer with an amused grin, then bowed and left the room. Curiously Eomer eyed the paper, noting the childish scrawl that had written "Eomer King" across the front of it. He carefully opened it and began to read, his mouth twitching at the words of the missive. Quickly he rose, straightened his tunic and strode out of his study and down the hall toward the nursery.

His knock at the door brought running steps and the door was eagerly pulled open. Eomer's five-year-old daughter, Morwen, beamed up at him in delight.

Bowing formally, he said, "I have received an invitation from Lady Morwen to join her for tea."

Morwen giggled, then tried to appear grown-up as she curtsied to him, saying, "The King is most welcome to enter. We have been expecting him." She pulled the door open wider and made a gesture, not unlike her mother did, to wave him into the room.

Spread on the floor was a blanket, and laid upon it was a teapot, two mugs and a plate of sweet biscuits. "Will you not be seated, my lord?" Morwen suggested, indicating his spot on the blanket, and with difficulty Eomer folded his long legs to sit cross-legged where she directed.

She hurried to the other side and picked up the teapot. "May I offer you some tea, my lord?"

"Certainly," he nodded in a stately manner, and she hastened to carefully pour out a mug for him.

Outside the door, that Morwen had not completely shut, Theomund had been passing and looked curiously in at the sound of his father's voice. Stifling a laugh, he kept out of sight as he observed the ritual taking place within.

"This is excellent tea, my lady! You do yourself proud!" Eomer flattered Morwen, and she giggled shyly before thanking him.

The two sat drinking their tea in silence a moment before Morwen decided that conversation was in order. "We are honored that you were able to find time in your busy schedule to visit with us, my lord. I am sorry my family is unable to join us, but they all seem to have other business to see to at this time."

Eomer nodded in understanding. "That is perfectly all right, my lady. Your company is more than sufficient, though I am sorry to miss them. Do give them my regards."

In the hall, Lothiriel and Elfwine were moving by when they caught sight of Theomund hunched at the door, peeking inside. Elfwine started to call out to his brother but, upon hearing their footsteps, Theomund looked up and signaled them to silence, then gestured for them to quietly join him. The two glanced at one another as they softly made their way to his side and peered in the slit of the door to discover what held his attention.

"I shall, my lord. They will be very sorry to have missed you. It is very kind of the King to favor us with his presence." She paused, trying to think what else she was supposed to do and her eyes fell on the biscuits. Scooping up the plate, she offered it to him, "Would you care for a biscuit, my lord? They are quite good. Our cook is excellent."

"Then by all means, I wish to sample her wares." Noting the different kinds on the plate, he asked, "Which do you recommend?"

Morwen considered this and then pointed to one of the darker ones. "The molasses biscuits are especially good. I think you will like that very much."

Taking it up, Eomer bit into it and rolled his eyes with pleasure. "Mmmm, that is wonderful, my lady! My compliments to your cook. And you are a very thoughtful hostess to offer me such excellent treats! I fear you will spoil me!"

Morwen again giggled shyly, and ducked her head, missing her father's tender gaze upon her, but the trio at the door could see it clearly, and a tear came to Lothiriel's eye at the sight. Eomer had always been affectionate and caring toward his children, and she knew that he showed more tenderness behind closed doors than most were aware the tough soldier-turned-king possessed. Still, to see him go to such lengths to humor his youngest daughter, and spend time with her on Morwen's own terms, touched Lothiriel beyond words.

Inside the nursery, the tea was drunk and the biscuits eaten, so the party was drawing to a close. Smiling regretfully at his daughter, Eomer told her, "I fear, my lady, I cannot tarry. I am needed back at Meduseld. But I thank you for your excellent hospitality and do hope you will invite me again."

Morwen jumped up and curtsied. "Of course, my lord. You are welcome in our home anytime!"

Stiffly, Eomer made his way to his feet and bowed low. Catching his daughter's hand he lifted it to kiss her knuckles. "You are most gracious, Lady Morwen. Perhaps next time my family will be able to accompany me."

"I should like that very much," Morwen assured him. She waved him before her toward the door and the trio in the hall scurried a short distance away to try to pretend they had been chatting there, unaware of what was going on in the nursery.

When Eomer exited the room and said his final goodbyes to Morwen, who then closed the door behind him, he looked up and spied his family. Flushing red at his suspicion that their presence was not so innocent as they were feigning, he turned away and hurried back to his study.

Once safely hidden, he shook his head ruefully. He was going to take a ribbing for this one, he was certain. Lothiriel was unlikely to let it pass without comment. Still, he could not help grinning at his proper little lady of a daughter. For the most part, she had been quite correct in her manners and speech, and it was clear she did not mind her instructions in such things quite so much as her siblings had.

A soft knock came at his door and before he could respond, his wife's head appeared around it. "May I come in?" she asked.

Knowing there was no escaping this, he nodded resignedly and watched her walk toward him. Her expression was difficult to read, but didn't seem nearly so amused as he had expected it to be. Settling herself into his lap, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him fervently. When the kiss ended, he blinked in some surprise.

Her hand came up to stroke his cheek and she murmured gently, "Today I fell in love with you all over again, dearest. You never cease to amaze me with your depth."

Snuggling closer as she laid her head on his shoulder, he tightened his arms around her. This made it all worthwhile.

THE END

12-9-05

Elfwine is 18, Theomund is 9 and Morwen is 5.

End note: It is not essential that you read the Elfwine Chronicles in the order they were written, but there is an advantage to doing so. The more of them that I wrote, the more likely I was to make reference to one of the previous ones and something that happened there. If you want to read them in order, go to the top of this page and click on my name (Deandra). That will take you to my profile page. Scroll down and you will find all the stories I have written. The Elfwine Chronicles are in order from bottom to top since ffn shows them in the order they were posted. A few were posted out of number order, but you can read them in posting order or number order since those few won't be affected in the story content.