Here you go everyone! I'm just going to let you know that I do have an end in sight and it is coming up very quick I'm afraid, so enjoy this while it lasts!


Chapter Eight

When I entered Rhudaur there was uproar as the people cheered for me and called my name. Flowers were thrown under my horse and people reached out to touch me. I smiled and waved and did what I could to please them, but it was very important that I got to the palace.

As I stepped into the palace, before anyone else could get a hold of me, I felt something slam into my knees. I looked down to see Idrahil wrapped around my legs. I scooped him up and placed him on my hip walking deeper into the palace.

"Your Highness!" I turned once more to see one of my father's oldest advisors. "I am so happy to see you!"

"It's good to be back, of course I wish it were under different circumstances." I smiled sadly, I'll admit falsely.

"Of course." The old man nodded sadly. "We have many things to attend to I'm afraid, before your father's funeral."

In Rhudaur there was a long period before the body of a royal was taken care of. This time was when visitors could come and pay their respects before the funeral, the body being displayed in tomb-like room in the bottom of the palace.

"I'm afraid I must ask that I be allowed to settle this evening and then we shall begin tomorrow." I took Idrahil to my old room and settled into bed for a rest with him as my things were unpacked.

I woke in the middle of the night to a pounding on my door. I waved away my ladies who went to answer the door and did it myself, sleepily.

"Yes?" I asked, rubbing my eyes as I pulled the door open.

"Where is my son?" My step-mother demanded roughly.

"He's sleeping in my bed. He didn't want to leave," I replied.

"So you are trying to win my son over even as you are stealing his throne?" She tried to push her way in, but I kept one arm firmly holding the door and the other placed against the door frame.

"Trying to steal his throne? I'm afraid you have my motives mistaken, Your Grace. I have my own throne."

The Princess turned her nose up and stomped away. I sighed and went back to my bed, though I did not get much more sleep. I got out of bed again before the sun, trying not to wake Idrahil with my movements.

I sat in the tub and washed away my travels before my ladies made themselves available. When the appeared they laid out a dreary black dress.

"Must I Tamina?" I whispered.

"Of course. He was your father." Tamina scolded, even though she knew my feelings quite clearly and I was sure she had her own.

I got dressed and immediately made my way to the chamber where the advisors would be waiting. All of the men stood when I took my father's seat at the head of the table.

"It is under sad circumstances that we are gathered here, gentleman, but from I could gain from the letter that I was sent it is most necessary."

The men nodded in agreement and the older man I had spoken to the night before began to speak. "After your father remarried and the Crown Prince was born he changed his will, Your Grace. Instead of leaving you to be Regent he named his new wife."

The old man had not said what side he was on, but like many of his generation, it just wasn't his nature. He would diplomatic.

A younger man stood and addressed me next. "Obviously, the new Princess is in no way capable of handling the throne of Rhudaur. She knows nothing of such things or how our Realm is run. I'm afraid it would be disastrous to our Realm if she were to become Regent until the Crown Prince is old enough to take over."

I nodded my agreement, but then another man stood. The man was in his fifties I would have guessed and he had always been in my father's back pocket. "I feel that we are underestimating the late Prince's judgment. Surely he knew what his wife was capable of or he would not have entrusted her with such a large responsibility."

"Men sometimes do foolish things for love, gentleman, let us not forget," I added with a smile. Most of the men gave light chuckles; however, the debate went on well into the night and well into the next week.

Thankfully, our arguments had to be stopped for three days due to the funeral that was to take place. The advisors and I had gotten nowhere and had accomplished nothing, except exhausting ourselves.

Tamina washed my hair the morning of the funeral and laced into a midnight black dress. My long, blonde curls were braided and coiled on the back of my head and a veil was placed over my face as was the custom in Rhudaur.

I left my room as I was to be in the front of the procession leading to the burial grounds, following the Princess and Idrahil. I walked through the somber corridors, praying the day would go quickly when I heard my name being called.

I turned to see Eomer striding towards me. Looking twice, I was shocked to see that it really was him.

"Eomer!" I nearly ran into his arms. He caught and held me close as I sagged into him. "What are you doing here?" I asked when he held me at arm's length.

"How would it look if I missed this?" He asked, moving my veil. "But really, I missed you." He placed both of his hands on either side of my face and kissed me deeply right in the middle of the corridor.

I was the first to pull away. I looked him up and down. "We need to get you ready." I pulled him back to my room and rummaged through the things his servants had brought, myself. I pulled out dark leggings and a dark tunic and sat him down at the vanity so I could braid his long, course hair behind his shoulders.

Wrapping my arms around his chest, I surveyed us in the mirror. "Thanks for coming," I whispered. "I missed you too."

As we left the room Eomer offered me an arm and we got in line where we were supposed to be and proceeded to the burial grounds. The ceremony lasted too long for my liking and it was nearly dark by the time we returned to the palace to eat and go to bed.

When I came out of the bathroom Eomer was propped up on one elbow in bed watching me. "You don't look good, Dera," he said gently.

I laughed lightly. "That was kind of you."

"I mean it. Are you alright?" He reached out to take my hand and pulled me into bed.

I sighed and lay down. "It's exhausting, this politics thing," I said with a small smile.

He kissed the top of my head. "I know." He pulled me close to him, so my back was to his chest. "But the advisors tell me you are doing a magnificent job."

"Really?" I asked, encouraged.

"Really. They say you are quite the diplomat," he murmured into my hair.

I slept well for the first time since I had arrived in Rhudaur, with my husband by my side. Unfortunately, he couldn't stay long and I went back to the arguments.

My stay in Rhudaur was lengthened due to the fact that the advisors could not come to an accord about what to do regarding the Regency of Rhudaur. Finally, it was decided that the advisors should take over as a group, as they were much more capable than the frivolous Princess.

It took some persuading when it came to my step-mother. We tried to make it very clear that she would not be losing her status as Princess of Rhudaur, as I was now the Queen of Rohan, and that she would still have access to all of the privileges that title guaranteed which was what she had been worried about in the first place.

I had never thought I would be happy to see Meduseld when I had first arrived there almost two years before, but as I rode up to the stone palace I felt a sense of calm wash over me. The sense of calm was replaced by my heart pounding in my chest when my husband stepped out of the palace to greet me.

Eomer hugged me tightly. "Dera, I'm afraid we are just going to miss each other. I must ride out to one of our smaller villages. My advisors have informed me that there have been some uprisings and it would help if I were to go there and take care of it."

I pulled away and looked up at him. "Would you like me to accompany you?" I asked.

"No. You relax, you need it." He kissed the top of my head.

"Be safe!" I called as he walked to the stables.

I smiled to myself as I walked into the palace, for I knew there was no danger in my husband's departure.

A few days later I greeted my husband's sister, Eowyn, and her husband Faramir, along with the King and Queen of Gondor, the four Hobbits, and many other guests that I had arranged to visit. Eomer was still gone and would be very surprised when he returned.

"Alright, the King is on his way back and we shall let him rest this afternoon and surprise him at dinner. So I must ask all of you to stay in your rooms until then," I instructed our guests.

Eomer's thirtieth birthday was that day and I had wanted to do something special for him. I waited for him to return patiently.

He finally returned and we went to our room for some quiet and privacy. Around dinner I woke him gently. "Eomer, you should eat," I urged.

He grumbled into the pillow and a moment later was up and getting dressed. We walked to the dining hall holding hands and I pushed the doors open.

"Surprise!" All of the guests shouted and Eomer jumped a little in his fright. He looked down at me.

I merely shrugged. "Happy birthday."

Eomer wrapped an arm around my shoulders and we went into the dining hall, exchanging hugs with all of guests before sitting down to dinner.

"I hope you took care of the revolts, my friend," Aragorn said with a grin as the plates were being cleared away.

"You know, funnily enough, when I got there everything was calm and the townspeople said they had no idea what I was talking about." Eomer turned to me. "Surely my little wife didn't send me on a pointless trip just to get me away."

"Of course not. I wouldn't do such a thing." I grinned up at him and he laughed loudly.

"Well this is a wonderful surprise."

For the rest of the night music was played and Eomer opened his gifts that his guests had brought him. I had asked Gimli to make me a shield that was inlaid with mithril and Eomer was very taken with it. It was a beautiful piece of craftsmanship and I conveyed my thanks to Gimli over and over again, as did Eomer.

The party died down and everyone made their way back to their rooms for what was left of the night. Eomer got settled into bed and I changed into my nightgown. I got under the covers and Eomer wrapped his arms around me.

"Did you enjoy your birthday?"

"It was fantastic, Dera. Thank you." He kissed my temple.

"I have one other gift for you." I began to unlace the front of my nightgown and I pulled it open all the way to my hips as Eomer propped himself up on one elbow.

My stay in Rhudaur had lasted almost three months and my monthly courses had not appeared at all while I was there. I took Eomer's large hand in mine and placed it on the small bump that was already showing.

"Oh Dera," he breathed. "I couldn't be happier."

I beamed up at him and we stayed like for a very long time, both sending up prayers for this child.


There you have it! I hope you loved it. I would love to know if you did or if you have any suggestions! No hate comments or flames please!

Happy reading

Avonmora