Summary: Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli take Eldarion down the path of the fellowship to teach him of sacrifices made and things forgotten.
Disclaimer: I do not own them, a pity
A/N: This is an AU fourth age fic, the times to get to many places may not be exact.
Chapter 9
The group rode all night. As the sun rose they found themselves tired, but also staring at the Golden Hall of Meduseld at the bottom of the valley.
"The sight of the Golden Hall lightens my heart," Aragorn said. Before he and the rest of them could make it to the bottom of the hill, however, they once again found themselves surrounded.
"Does this not remind you of something, Legolas?" Gimli remarked as he stared at the elf whose arrow was once again notched and ready to take out the first person who dared to step any closer.
"King Aragorn, is that you?" an rider approaching asked. At a nod from Aragorn the captain spoke to his troops. "Lower your weapons, you fools. 'Tis King Aragorn you have drawn spears upon," he yelled.
"Do not fret, for your men were only doing what they have been trained to do. It was I who lacked in judgement by not sending word ahead of our arrival."
The captain of the guard came and led Aragorn and his group through the valley and up through the streets of Edoras. Gimli chuckled as he saw children out playing in the walkways and women tending the laundry. They were all smiling and happy, unlike the last time he and Legolas had ridden through. They group waited outside the door while the guard went in to announce their arrival.
"Are we to give up our weapons again as we did before, perhaps?" Gimli quiered
"Why would you give up your weapons? Is that not folly?" Eldarion asked, his hand on the dagger at his side.
Before Aragorn could answer the doors were flung open and Eomer stood before them.
"My friends, long has it been since my eyes have seen the likes of you. Come and join us, for we are about to have lunch."
Legolas watched as Gimli's eyes lit up at the sound of lunch. He could swear the dwarf spent far too much time with the hobbits and had acquired some of their habits.
"You have not met my wife, Lothiriel." Eomer introduced them to a lovely woman. "And this is my son, Elfwine. Before them stood not a boy, but a man of perhaps thirty summers. Aragorn gasped out loud.
"Has it truly been that long since last I visited Edoras?"
"I am sorry to say it is true. It was not long ago I ventured to Minas Tirith, but my family did not accompany me then."
Eldarion ate and listened to stories about the olden times between the adults, but soon he found his mind wandering. He only looked up when Elfwine tapped him on the shoulder.
"Would you care to go out to the stables with me? I will show you my horse and perhaps we can find a bit of mischief to get into."
Eldarion's eyes twinkled as he followed Elfwine out of the room. His father had told him to be back inside before dark, but Eldarion had overheard King Eomer saying something about retiring to have a bit of beer after dinner.
"It has been many years since I have seen you, Master dwarf. Are you up for a bit of beer an ale?"
Gimli's mouth watered. He did not like to admit it but he enjoyed the beer an ale of Rohan almost as much as he enjoyed the ale from The Shire. He and the others walked back to the grand hall and sat down to hear music played on a harp by Lothiriel. The music was soothing and soon Legolas had started to sing an elvish tune, his beer forgotten. Gimli, however, was not to be drawn from his beer. Mug after mug he downed until he was quite drunk.
"Master dwarf, perhaps you should retire as I am now," Lothiriel said.
"I thank you, good lady, but I shall stay here and enjoy the company of your husband for a while longer."
Lothiriel spoke her goodnights and went to check on her son an Eldarion. Both had returned muddy and had been sent straight to the bathing chambers to wash.
"Tell me again this story of dwarf women, for Eowyn says that only a dwarf can tell the difference," Eomer asked to Gimli.
Gimli swayed as he stood, but soon he struck up a merry tune. The tune started out to be rather lovely, a melody about one's true love and how she had been lost, but as Gimli paused to swig the beer once more the tune turn rather vile.
"Dwarf women are beautiful they say, but dwarf women are loveliest dancing nude in the sun's morning rays," he sang. From there the tune made even Aragorn blush, and he had heard many a wild tale. It was at this moment that Elfwine and Eldarion came in to bid their father's goodnight, an Aragorn leapt up to cover Eldarion's ears before he could hear the next verse.
Eomer helped Aragorn carry Gimli over to the chaise lounge and cover him up, for with the last swig of beer he had fallen face first to the floor and was now snoring.
As they walked down the hall to the bedrooms, Eomer turned to Aragorn. "Will Gimli be all right to sleep as he is?"
"Fear not, Legolas will watch over him, and come morning he will regale the dwarf with tales of his misdeeds tonight."
