3# A Long Kiss Goodnight

Éomer walked Lothíriel to her chamber that night, apparently somewhat reluctant to let her out of his sight now that it was finally settled that they would marry indeed. She couldn't blame him, but the night was growing late and she was rather tired after the long journey.

At the door of her chamber she turned to look at him, finding herself suddenly reluctant for this day to end yet. Even if she was exhausted, she didn't want to tell him good night yet.

"Well", Lothíriel spoke up, smiling up at her betrothed. Of course she had yet to give him a ring as the customs demanded and they needed the formal consent of her father, but for her those were only peripheral matters, as jewellery was but trinkets and Father had never been anything but approving towards the matter of courtship (and as far as she knew it, he endorsed an outcome that would result in a marriage).

"It's been quite a day", she continued, though that was something of an understatement.

"Aye, it has been, and I still find myself astounded... you truly are a precious madwoman", he murmured. A soft enduring light danced in his eyes when looked at her then. "Nevertheless you have made me a very happy man, dearest Princess."

Gently, he reached over to her, to push back an errant lock of hair from her face, and then his fingers fell to rest against her cheek.

"As much I enjoyed surprising you so, I am starting to think I should have made up my mind long ago already. This waiting isn't going to be very easy, is it?" she mused, frowning slightly. She knew it was equally difficult for him, as he had told her of how his captain had lectured him just before the supper.

"I suppose not", he agreed. "But we will endure."

"Hmm. In that case I will try for now", Lothíriel grumbled. She chased away those thoughts and gave him a small smile, the kind that perhaps was somewhat sly, "Kiss me goodnight?"

"Gladly, my Lady Archer..." Éomer agreed, his dark eyes capturing her where she stood, and momentarily she considered perhaps it was not such a good idea to encourage that on the very door of her bedchamber. But then he moved the back of his fingers across her skin in a touch light as feathers, and thinking became mostly unnecessary.

He took a firm but gentle hold of her neck, letting his fingers fall there as a caress, feeling the warm delicate skin under her hair... the rough texture of his hand made her tremble against his touch and she breathed; she didn't know if she wanted to move closer to that touch or him. He solved that problem by leaning towards her, and his hand settled by the back of her neck, propping up her face ever so gently.

Her King was so close now and Lothíriel could feel his breath against her skin, teasing and inviting and savouring the moment before the kiss, and it was too much for her to resist. So she crossed that remaining space and caught his lips with her own.

Their kisses of before had often had the tendency of being rather insane, born of long partings and having to conceal their passions on the front of other people. Now Éomer did not show that urgent need. Instead when her affections threatened to turn impatient he answered them instead in soft, slow fashion, and she followed his lead... just feeling him, and letting him feel her in turn. She focused on the warmth of his cheek under her fingers, the texture of his mouth, the softness of his lips when compared to his beard... the hot, rich taste of his kiss that had the flavours of ale and something that was undeniably him.

As though moving on their own she placed hands on his waist, feeling the contours of his battle-hardened body through the layers of clothing he wore; she had never touched him so but it didn't feel wrong at all... and there was a soft groan at the back of his throat... he moved closer even, cradling her head with his both hands. Somehow, it felt like he was now closer to her than he had ever been before, and she decided it was right and how it was supposed to be. In his closeness there was something she had never known to need before, but now she did.

It was no wonder that Amrothos' clearing his throat awkwardly did not occur to either of them, and by the time Lothíriel finally became aware of the noise, his attempt to distract them had already become a proper coughing fit.

"Sweet Elbereth, are you choking on something, brother?" she asked – her voice was rather husky, but that couldn't be helped after being so thoroughly kissed – when Éomer pulled back and turned to see what the noise was about.

"I just came to tell you good night, Lothíriel", said her brother, who looked very uncomfortable.

"Oh, I was just doing the same", said the King of Rohan lightly, flashing a wide smile to the poor prince.

"Ah, yes. I can see that", Amrothos muttered and gave his sister a pointed look. She held back a chuckle and turned to smile at her dear horselord.

"Good night, then. I'll see you tomorrow", she told him, which Éomer answered with planting a very chaste kiss on her brow. Only when he sauntered away, carrying himself like only a very happy man would, Lothíriel could really breathe properly. She watched him go and when he was gone did she turn to look at her brother. Unsurprisingly, he was frowning.

"You shouldn't let a man kiss you like that", he scolded her half-heartedly.

"Is that what you tell girls when you kiss them?" Lothíriel asked back, which did take him aback. "Really, first you won't stop throwing the man at me and then you're upset that I kiss him? One must wonder which one of us really is the absurd one."

Amrothos snorted, but she knew when she had beaten him.

"Just don't get pregnant before Father has given you his consent", he muttered, obviously aware he was fighting a lost cause.

"You would love that, wouldn't you?" she sniggered. Hugging him would have been too strange after the recent kissing, so she just patted his arm. "Good night, brother."

"Good night. Lock your door. Your windows, too", he advised, which she rewarded with a rude noise.

"I said good night!"

A/N: I was in the need of some fluffiness because the next chapter of A Light that Endures is being troublesome and also because I have lost control of my life. Hope you liked this little bit as much I liked writing it!