Éomer looked up from the mass of paperwork crowding his desk as he heard yelling and other noises of a scuffle in the Hall. While fights were common in Edoras, they were rare enough in Meduseld as anyone caught fighting in the Golden Hall could expect severe punishment – a fate that Éomer knew all too personally. As the noise approached his study, Éomer stood up and headed towards his door to see what the matter was.

When he was nearly to the door, it burst open, admitting the dishevelled shape of someone that Éomer did not expect to see by any means – Amrothos, third son of Prince Imrahil of Dol Amroth. Said Princeling, panting and quite red in the face, was accompanied by what Éomer assumed was his brother Enchirion (whom Éomer had had described to him but had never met as his role during and after the War had been primarily naval, and so was often at sea), and a group of soldiers wearing the blue-and-silver of Dol Amroth's soldiery. When Amrothos had straitened from forcing the previously locked door, he looked up, saw Éomer, rushed towards him in concert with Enchirion, and together the princes grabbed him by the shirtfront.

Taking a deep breath, Amrothos said, "You, sir, are a lying blackguard."

"A truly most despicable cad," Enchirion added.

Eomer, by now quite confused by the two princes' strange behaviour, looked at Amrothos.

"It's good to see you too, Amrothos, but why are you here? And why in Béma's name are you insulting me so?"

Amrothos and Enchirion shared a meaningful glance.

"That's it."

"Is it time for the back-up plan, little brother?"

"I should think so. On three?"

"Three."

At this, the two dropped Éomer, Amrothos turning to give his men a hand signal, at which they turned, left the room, and made preparations to guard it. Amrothos turned back to Éomer, nodded to Enchirion, and the two set upon Éomer, clearly attempting to cause him as much pain as they could without causing permanent harm. Éomer's reaction – after a few seconds of stunned disbelief – was quick. He fought back, though with a mind more towards defense than attack. He still didn't know why his good friend Amrothos, and his brother who he'd never met, let alone knowingly offended, would be doing this.

Soon the fighting noises inside the study were joined by similar noises outside as Éomer's guard realized that their kind was under attack. The Dol Amroth men, outnumbered by men more heavily armed, were soon overcome. The Rohírric guards entered the royal study, led by their captain Éothain, and quickly separating the three combatants despite several minor injuries among the guards. Assisted by one of him men, Éomer stood up from where he had been laid low by Enchrion's fierce right hook, which had a moment ago given him an impressive black eye.

"What," he thundered, "is the meaning of this?"

"Don't say you don't know, you ass," spat out Amrothos as he was held between two of Eomer's guardsmen. "You took advantage of my sister, the Lady Lothíriel, in the basest way. She's carrying your child – and you, you don't even care, do you?"

Éomer looked at the two Dol Amroth royals with an expression of stunned disbelief.

"What are you talking about?"