Éomer woke as his wife rolled away from him and got out of bed. Still bleary from sleep, he heard the tiny, but persistent wail of a hungry child --- his son and heir. Damn it, he thought; he had had the most sensual dream he had had in a while and now he awoke, almost painfully aroused, also from feeling his wife's subtle body so close to his.
It had been a while now, almost five weeks since the birth of their son and before that a couple of weeks more that they had not made love. At the beginning it had been quite all right; he had been content just holding her. He knew that she was tired and had to recover from childbirth, but the past couple of weeks it had been almost painful to him, feeling her so close to him and not being able to … damn it, he thought again.
As he was now watching his wife sitting in one of the high-backed chairs in their bedroom, giving suck to their child, he felt ashamed that he could feel that way. You have gone without a woman longer than that before – give her the time she needs one part of him said. Yes, but then you never slept so close to any of those women – under such circumstances and for longer periods of time, another part of him said. Sleeping close to Éothain certainly never awoke this kind of feelings.
He smiled to himself as he watched his wife as she caressed her son's little face. Her dark hair was tousled and her cheeks still blushed from the warmth of their covers – and perhaps from feeling him close to her? Her shift had fallen down over one shoulder so that her breast was exposed. She looked so serene and peaceful as she sat with their child that he almost felt shameful at the throb that he felt in his loins.
Behave yourself, man - he thought. Just then Lothíriel raised her eyes to look at him. She smiled as if she knew his thoughts, and a faint blush rose in her cheeks. Oh, yes she knew him well enough by now to know what he was thinking of. He grinned at her.
"Well, it is early yet, but as my son seems to think that it is time for his parents to get up, we had better do so," he said. Lothíriel smiled at her husband.
"He has been a very good boy, our little prince," she said, "he has slept for almost six hours since he was last fed."
"No wonder then that I feel so well rested," Éomer grunted sarcastically and swung his long legs out of bed. He put on his robe, which lay by the bed and went over to kiss his wife. She smiled and put a hand to his cheek.
"I will go get dressed – and then I will go to my study and do some reading, before my counsellors find it suitable to burden me with almost every little problem there is to be found in Rohan." Éomer said as he went into the adjacent room. "It is not often that I get the time to do the reading that I am supposed to."
"I will call you when breakfast is ready," the queen said. "And besides it is not that early, my love." She giggled as she saw him stomp into the dressing room. She knew what ailed him; she had seen his face just now as he were looking at her – and she had also felt him against her just before she got up. There was no mistake that he was frustrated by now.
No wonder, she thought. Éomer was a passionate man – and although he had been away a couple of times during their first year of marriage, he made sure that she was fully sated when he was at home. Doing several weeks without sharing more than just their bed during the last couple of weeks of her pregnancy and the weeks after her childbirth had taxed him – and her, too, for that matter.
She smiled to herself. I miss you, too, she thought as she watched him leaving their bedroom. She smiled to herself as she raised their child to her shoulder to burp him – which he did obligingly.
"You are such a good boy," she said to her son as she carried him into the next room, which served as the nursery, to change him. She preferred taking care of her child herself. She knew that other royal women had wet nurses to care for their children, but she wanted to be like other Rohirrim women – and they certainly needed no one else to take care of their children. Besides, she had an easy life compared to many women of her country – so taking care of her own child was the least she could do.
She put him in the basket where he slept most of the day instead of in his cot. Thus she could carry him with her wherever she went. The little boy was almost asleep again; he was an easy child – except for the fact that he ate greedily at all meals – and protested when she was not fast enough to feed him. Must take after his father, she grinned. He has grown so much these past weeks; he will be as big as Éomer in no time.
She went to the dressing room to wash and get dressed. The weather was warm now that they were far into spring and she chose a light cream-coloured cotton dress, which she knew that Éomer particularly liked. She smiled to herself as she brushed her hair. She considered braiding it as she usually did, but then decided just to tie it back with a ribbon so that it flowed down her back.
She smiled deviously to herself. What Éomer did not know was that she had spoken to the midwife Freda yesterday, asking her when it would be all right to resume their conjugal life? Freda had examined her and had declared that it would be all right to do so – if she felt like it.
"Feel like it," she had said to Melia, Éothain's wife. "I can hardly wait."
Melia grinned. "I know, I remember what it was like to me – to us. Éothain stomped around just as the king is doing now. I do know that many women revel in the fact that they are left in peace, but I have certainly never felt that way – and I have had three children."
The queen had looked at her companion. "That is what I have heard as well ---- but then other women may not be as fortunate in their husbands as we." The two women looked at each other and burst out laughing, which caused some raised eyebrows from their surroundings.
When they got their breath back, the queen whispered to her friend. "I have a favour to ask of you." Then she pulled Melia out of hearing distance of the others and told her of her plans.
Lothíriel smiled to herself as she picked up the basket with her sleeping son and carried it to the kitchen. Fréalin was busy overseeing the preparation of the breakfast. She looked up when the queen entered the kitchen.
"Did you have a good night, my Lady?" she asked. Lothíriel nodded, "yes, thank you, Fréalin. Elfwine is such a good boy; he sleeps most of the night and he eats soundly."
The housekeeper came over to look down at the sleeping boy. "Most certainly takes after his father then," she chuckled. "I have never known Éomer not to eat and sleep."
"Will you look after Elfwine for a moment while I go call the king to breakfast?" Lothíriel smiled.
"Of course," the housekeeper nodded.
Lothíriel went down the corridor to the king's study. She knocked lightly on the door and entered. Éomer was sitting at his desk, apparently consumed by his reading. He looked up as she entered. "Yes?" he said, taking in the sight of his queen.
She went up to him – and sat down in his lap. "Breakfast is ready, my Lord," she said, putting her arms around his neck. He breathed in her scent. "Good, I am hungry," he replied with his face buried in her hair.
She giggled. "I know you are." She rose from his lap. He groaned. "Lothy, please do not tease me so."
She looked at him; her green eyes sparkling with mirth. "It was not my intention to tease you, I just wanted to give you a good start to the day; I know that you are having your morning council meeting just after breakfast."
She bent to kiss him and pulled him out of the chair. "Come now, my love. You will need to eat to keep your strength for all the tasks of the day."
Éomer looked at his wife with a puzzled look on his face. She was definitely up to something – he could tel that a mile off, but he did not want to spoil anything by asking questions, so he just followed her out of the room.
Fréalin had served breakfast in the small dining hall adjacent to the great hall, and she had carried in the basket with the sleeping prince and sat him on a window bench beside the dining table. The king and queen entered the room, holding hands as they usually did. She smiled at the sight. It still pleased her tremendously that they loved each other so dearly, and she knew that Éomer was truly happy – happier than he had been for a very, very long time.
Éothain, Melia and Gamling joined them for breakfast. Melia and Lothíriel exchanged glances and smiled as they heard the men discussing the topics of the council meeting. It sounded like most tedious subjects and Melia could tell from the king's face that he found these a mite boring. Well, I should think that he will be distracted soon enough, she mused as she saw the look on the queen's face and the looks she cast her husband. Apparently, the looks seemed to puzzle the king, who raised one eyebrow quizzically as he looked at his queen.
After breakfast, the men left for the council meeting. Lothíriel and Melia went to the queen's chambers. The young prince had awoken and demanded a change and something to eat. As Lothíriel gave her child suck again, she and Melia conversed quietly.
Finally, when Elfwine had had his fill, Melia took charge of him. "Take your time," she said, looking knowingly at the queen. "If need be, I have enough to feed him as well." Her son, Hama, was only a month older than the prince, and she had enough milk to breastfeed an éored, as she put it.
Lothíriel grinned and set about bringing her plan into action. She looked about the bedchamber to their bed, which she had had made up with clean sheets. "But I need to get him into the study first, alone." She giggled. Well, that should not be too hard.
Councils were usually held in the council chambers, but as it was a warm day, and the council chambers could get rather stuffy on such days, the council had been moved to the great hall. It usually meant a bit more disturbance as people moved to and fro there, but as the topics of this day were not of that great importance, it did not matter much.
At the time when the council meetings usually would end, Lothíriel entered the hall and as she passed the spot where the council was seated, Éomer looked up. She sent him a heated look from half-lowered eyes, holding his gaze for a moment and then went close past him, leaving a scent of lavender in her trail.
Éomer's gaze turned very dark and she sensed the confusion in him. Obviously Éothain and Gamling had noticed it, too, and shared a knowing look. Nothing certainly went past these two, Lothíriel mused. Well, they would certainly not begrudge their king this.
She made her way to the door again, and as she was on her way out, she turned and let her gaze meet her husband's again. The neckline of her dress was quite low, but held with a ribbon and she had deliberately "forgot" to tie it so that it fell down over one shoulder as she turned. She could feel her husband's eyes follow her. Hmm, not much attention on court matters, have we?
I have got his attention now. Good. Now to phase two. She paused in the doorway. "Éomer," she said, "I have something urgent that I need to talk to you about, so if the council meeting is almost over …?" she asked suggestively.
Éomer looked at his council members, who shook their heads. "No, my Lord, there is nothing more." Gamling said. He did not dare look at Éothain for fear that he would burst into laughter. The others shook their heads as well and they all took their leave of the king, Gamling and Éothain with their shoulders shaking from confined laughter. Éomer did not seem to notice; his whole attention was directed at his queen.
Éomer went to Lothíriel, loosening the clasps of his tunic as he went. "Phew, it is not in here today," he said. "What is it, Lothy. Is anything wrong?" his voice showing a bit of worry. Never had the queen interrupted a council meeting in this way before. Luckily she had, his thoughts had been everywhere but at the topics of discussion ….
Lothíriel smirked. "No, not really. But I have something to show you in your study." She took him by the hand and led him down the corridor. Beginning to catch on, Éomer followed. She is definitely up to something, I am sure of it …. And I bet that I will find out in a minute …, Éomer grinned smugly to himself.
Inside the study, Lothíriel turned the key in the lock. "Now we will not be disturbed." She put her arms around his neck and kissed him, letting her tongue glide over his lower lip.
Éomer looked at his wife. She never ceases to amaze me. He grinned as he let himself be led to his desk and set into his chair. "And what are we doing in here?" he asked, one eyebrow quizzically raised, but passion beginning to show in his eyes. Oh, he caught on all right.
Lothíriel stood in front of him, her eyes twinkling. She put her hands up to remove the band that held her hair and shook it loose. Then she began loosening the laces of her dress. "No," she said, as Éomer moved to help her, "just you sit back and watch." She undid the laces excruciatingly slow and then let her dress fall to the floor with a seductive look in her eyes.
Éomer drew in his breath. Oh, sweet torment. "Why --- oh, I know why, but why here?" he said huskily. He felt his body reacting in the well-known way.
"Because – I have always wondered what it would be like to use a study for other purposes than work." Lothíriel giggled softly. "And after you have told me what this place has meant to you ever since you were a boy; I wanted to give you other memories of this place, too."
Éomer grinned. "Does that mean, my Lady, that we are ….. allowed to assume our married life in that respect, too?" He reached out for her, but she evaded him and just remained where she was.
"Do you not think that you are a bit overdressed, my Lord?" Éomer grinned. He stood and removed his outer tunic and his shirt. He moved over to her and she put her hands on his chest, letting her nails gently rake through his chest hair. She moaned softly as he put his mouth on hers and kissed her gently, but thoroughly.
"Um, this is good," he grunted, as she let her hands move over his nipples – but then moved away from him again. "You are teasing me, woman," he growled.
"Yes, I am," she giggled. "And what about your breeches, my Lord, do you intend to keep those on?"
"I suppose not, but I think that I will need a bit of help with those." Éomer looked at his wife, his eyes almost black from lust and need.
Lothíriel giggled as she helped him undo the laces of his breeches and pull them down over his hips. His aroused manhood sprang free. "Oooh," he moaned, "if you only knew …"
"Oh, but I do, my love." Lothíriel knelt in front of her husband as she helped him remove the breeches. She looked up at him from her position. "Sit down," she whispered huskily. He obeyed and sat down in his chair, for a moment remembering all the times he had seen his uncle sitting in it. He closed his eyes, but opened them quickly as he felt his wife's mouth on him.
"Lothy, what ….", he growled and a loud moan escaped him. Lothíriel looked up at him with glittering eyes. "What I am doing? I think that you should know by now." She resumed her ministrations.
"Lothy, I warn you – if you keep doing it like that, I will not last long ….," Éomer threw back his head as he felt his wife's tongue gliding up and down his shaft and continuing to encircle him with her mouth and her hand – as much as she could. Lothíriel just laughed huskily.
"But you needed that, didn't you?" she said as she moved up to sit on his lap. He shivered. "Lothy, my love ---" His breath caught and he could hardly speak.
Then he kissed her. She giggled softly, enjoying her little moment and whimpered as she felt him against her. Her ministrations had left her most aroused, too, and she could not wait to get him to their bedroom. By no means was she finished with him.
Éomer kissed her neck, letting his emotions roll over him. She had done this to him before, but never like this ---- and certainly only in the darkness of their bedchamber. Not in the light of the day – and not in here. He grinned. Full of surprises as always, she was; his study would certainly never be the same again to him!
He let his hands glide over her, kneading her hips and again up to her breasts. He bent down and brushed one nipple with his mouth. She whimpered and pressed against him. Then he rose, taking her with him. With one arm he cleared the contents of his desk and with the other he sat her down. Then he kneeled, and parting her legs, he put his mouth against her most sensitive spot. She moaned loudly, and she shuddered violently as she felt his tongue on her.
She moved one leg up to rest on his shoulder and placed her hands in his hair. "Éomer," she whispered. The softness of her voice almost undid him. He continued what he was doing; she whimpered and squirmed. He rose and, pulling her against him, he slid easily into her.
They cried out simultaneously, as he entered her. Oh, this was better than he had imagined it would be. Her warmth encircled him. He thrust into her a couple of times and felt her response, hot and moist. After a while he stopped and looked into her eyes. He lifted her from the desk, still holding himself inside of her. She moaned softly and put her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist as he held her.
His eyes were dark and liquid. "I love you, and this was an excellent idea --- to start with," he said, short of breath. "But - do you not think that we should continue elsewhere, my love?" he asked. "I will have enough difficulty as it is now to work in here anymore."
She giggled. "Yes, my Lord – you might. But how do you imagine that we would be able to slip into our bedroom. Will you carry me down the corridor like this? It would certainly add to the entertainment, I am sure."
Éomer grinned huskily. "I am sure that not everybody would approve – although my men would most certainly find it entertaining. But – you forget something. I was brought up here – and I know Meduseld like my own belt pouch." He slipped out of her, much to her chagrin and set her down for a while. He picked up their clothes and unlocked the door.
Then he put their clothes in her arms. He looked down at himself and smirked. "Ah, no – not the corridor. Not like this." Then he picked her up in his arms and carried her towards the wall where the bookshelves were. He pulled a hidden handle and a door opened in the wall. She looked up at him.
He sent her a content grin. "This corridor leads to the stables – and to the king's bedroom," he said, "and I could find my way with my eyes closed." He took one turn and pulled another handle. They stood in their bedroom.
Éomer carried his wife over to the bed. "And why have you never told me this before?" Lothíriel asked. "To be honest, my love. I have not given the hidden passages much thought lately, but they are, indeed, convenient, do you not think?"
He put her down. "Now, where were we ---- ah, yes." He grinned as he lay down beside her, continuing where he left off. "I was trying to satisfy my wife …." He put his mouth over hers, ravishing her mouth with his tongue. His hands moved down her body to her hips, pulling her to him.
"I think that we need warming up a bit ….before we continue," he growled with his mouth against her throat. Then he suddenly raised his head. "Elfwine ….. where is our son?" He looked inquisitively at her.
Lothíriel giggled. "He is with Melia. Do not worry."
"With Melia? So she knows about this?" Éomer asked.
"Yes, I had to tell her. Otherwise my plan would not have worked and we would not have several hours at our disposal."
Éomer hid his face in the pillows and groaned. "Then Éothain knows – and Gamling! By Béma, I will never hear the end of it!"
Lothíriel raised his head, pulling gently at his hair. "So what if they know? Do you really think that those two – or their wives – would begrudge us our privacy? I think not!"
Éomer groaned. "It is not that they will begrudge us. The Valar know that they would do just the same, if they got a chance – but you know them; they will tease me for ever and ever."
"So would you, given half a chance." Lothíriel grinned. "But – now, husband of mine. I will not spend my time discussing such subjects. I want you – now!"
Éomer grinned helplessly. "Your words are my command, Your Majesty!" He pulled her down and kissed her. "Yes, I believe that we had unfinished business here!"
"Keep still, my Lord," she murmured. And rolled over so that she came to straddle him. He moved into her. "Oh, yes – unfinished business ….," he moaned as he felt her warmth. He moved against her and then he reached up to cup her breasts, pulling one of the nipples into his mouth.
She threw back her head and moaned. Oh, for the love of Béma. She opened her eyes and looked at her husband, her eyes very green and glittering. "I missed you so," she whimpered. "That is mutual," he whispered.
After several more thrusts he was so ready that he was afraid that he would burst, if he did not seek his release. He rolled his wife over so that he lay on top of her without slipping out of her. He growled in pleasure as he felt her legs encircle his waist and whispered softly into her ear, as he was nuzzling the lobe. "Are you ready for me?"
All he heard was a moaned "yes, yes ….. please," and then he thrust violently a couple of times more before allowing his release to flow through him and into her.
He kissed her fiercely in the throes of his passion and then settled against her neck. After a while he rolled off her, bringing her with him to rest against his chest. He could feel her smile against it.
"Béma, it was as good as I remembered it – even better – but then I may have a short memory."
"Exactly my words. It has not been that long, has it?" Lothíriel inquired, raising herself on her arms to look into his face.
"It seemed like forever, love." Éomer let his hands glide lazily down her back. After a while he stated. "I am hungry."
"Then it is good that I have had Fréalin prepare something to eat for us," she chuckled.
"Ye Gods, does she know, too!" he exclaimed. "How many did you tell that you were going to seduce me?"
"Enough – but I suppose that the rest would have guessed by now." Lothíriel giggled. "As usual, you are not very quiet, my love." She got up and put on her robe. "I am hungry, too."
She went into their sitting room, leaving Éomer lying on the bed wondering about the mixture of young mother and minx in his wife. He got up and put on his breeches before he followed her into the sitting room.
He found her sitting on the floor with some bread, cheese, ham, and wine in front of her. He sat down beside her. As they ate, they continued their flirtations, kissing in between bites and sips, and they, of course, ended up on the fur rug in front of the fireplace, making arduous love again.
As Éomer lay spent looking up at his wife, who leaned over him, a thought struck him. "And what if this means that we have already started a new life in you?" he inquired. Lothíriel smiled. "Then we will have another child in nine months' time," she said. "And then you shall have to suffer yet another pause."
"It is not the pause, I particularly fear," Éomer grunted, "I am more concerned about you – and your behaviour. I do not think that I will much appreciate you yelling and cursing me as you did when Elfwine was born."
Lothíriel laughed. "I will not promise that I will not curse you, but if you feel that I repeat myself, you can always teach me some new curses in Rohirric."
Éomer sat up, shaking his head. "I do not whether I know any more than you already know. Now, woman - I will go and get washed and dressed. I still have work to do, you know. The things I left behind when you staged that – ahem – surprise attack."
Lothíriel sat up as well. "Then I think that I shall fetch our son, feed him and get some rest. I do not think that you will leave me much rest now that you know that we can resume the intimate part of our married life."
They both rose and got dressed; Lothíriel smiled as she caught her husband singing softly as he dressed.
Before they parted, Éomer took his wife in his arms and kissed her tenderly. "I will always miss making love to you – no matter what the circumstances. The best thing is, however, that you are here with me. I need you to be – and I do like being taken by surprise from time to time – but only by you."
He caressed her cheek as he went out the door to meet the requirements that he had to meet as the King of Rohan. Lothíriel went to find Melia – and her son – to meet her requirements as queen and mother.