Any fool can know. The point is to understand.
- Prince Galador of Dol Amroth
Chapter 9
It was a beautiful day for sailing. The skies were clear and the air was already warm, though it wasn't yet midday. On the riverbanks of Anduin the world was in full bloom; Aredhel had insisted they enjoy breakfast on the deck that morning.
She and Imrahil's four children had departed for Dol Amroth two days after the Rohirrim had left the city. Father would soon follow them, but only for a little while: he had much work in the White City, and King Elessar needed his help in many things.
The day was indeed fair, but Lothíriel found her mood was not the brightest kind. Her mind was back in Minas Tirith, the night of the farewell feast, and the goodbyes exchanged the next day... a few days later, she and her family (excluding Father) had set sail for Dol Amroth. After all the excitement in the White City it truly did feel good to go back home. For one, she expected everything to be calmer there, and she could concentrate on things that didn't include horselords and causing scenes with them.
And still... the air was oddly still, the quiet more profound. It had all sizzled and blazed back in Minas Tirith, and every moment had felt... every moment had been but movement towards the next meeting. Future, fortune, fate...
When he had taken his leave, he had looked like he had wanted to ask if she'd come with him. And the way he had kissed her hands would probably have made her say yes if he had indeed asked such a thing out loud...
"You look positively morose", called Amrothos' voice from behind her but she didn't give him the courtesy of turning around and acknowledging his statement. He came to stand beside her and Lothíriel could feel his eyes on herself.
"One can't be positively morose, dear brother", she commented nonchalantly.
"It's a manner of speaking, O great depressed one", he told her sweetly.
"Just keep up with that and I'll toss you into the river", she shot back and gave him a glare. He was acting far more smug about the affair than she liked.
"Don't worry, sister. You'll see him again soon. And you'll see more of him than you could ever possibly hope for, what with your agreement to travel to Rohan when he comes back to take his uncle home", Amrothos said, softer this time, and he rested a hand on her shoulder.
"You're never going to let go of this matter, are you?" asked Lothíriel wearily. He grinned unashamedly.
"Of course not. I've invested too much in it – I'd hate to see all my hard work go to waste", he said, sounding far too cheerful for her tastes. For a moment she considered very solemnly the possibility of actually tossing him into the river.
In the end she just snorted and refrained from making any more sharp comments, although dozen cutting remarks had already come to her mind. Sighing, she leant her elbows on the rail and looked towards the way upriver.
"You know, it's going to be very strange going home. It's like so much has changed that one expects our home must have transformed too", she said softly.
"Yes. I don't suppose anything will really feel same again now. But I'd think that's for the better. It's nice to not wonder every day when the war will break out", Amrothos agreed.
"Hmm. It's going to be really difficult to explain people why I should wield a bow now..." she muttered, half to herself, and then sighed. She didn't think King Éomer would have thought so, however. Whatever anger he had expressed upon first seeing her practice archery had apparently long since died.
She never noticed Amrothos leave her side, for her mind was now travelling north, to the green plains of Rohan...
"How is our little dragon?" asked Aredhel as Amrothos sauntered from the rear of the ship where his sister still stood lost in her thoughts. Elphir's wife was sitting under a sun shade and was writing letters; no doubt she was reporting the voyage to her sisters back in Lossarnarch.
"I think she's missing you know who", said the prince and grinned. Aredhel answered the expression similarly.
"The two of them are going to turn Dol Amroth upside down, now that she has agreed to let him court her. That's truly a major accomplishment when it comes to Lothíriel", she commented. Amrothos nodded and smiled to himself. In the end, it was beautifully simple: if you couldn't tame a wild thing, just show it to another of its like.
"I think she's going to tell him yes", Aredhel spoke again and put aside her quill.
"Oh, she will, sooner or later. She just hasn't figure out that yet", he agreed and tossed himself on the seat beside her and picked up an apple from a bowl. He gave his sister-in-law an appealing smile, "Want to bet how soon she does?"
Aredhel let out a soft snort.
"I know better than to gamble with you, Amrothos", she said, though she couldn't quite hide her smile. She returned to her letters and the prince enjoyed the sunlight on his face, already thinking about all the Rohirric girls he'd meet... and the change that had come to their life in the shape of King of Rohan.
"... have you heard a word I've said, Lothíriel?" asked Aunt Ivriniel, bringing back the princess from her thoughts. Her aunt was frowning and looking strangely like Father, and blinking Lothíriel saw she wasn't too pleased.
"I'm sorry, Aunt. I was just thinking", she answered with some embarrassment and sat straighter on her seat by the window. Her father's sister had asked her today to join for a cup of tea and they were sitting in Aunt's own parlour which was a part of her chambers.
They had come home a couple of weeks ago and somehow she had expected things would go back to ordinary here, but she had quickly noticed that would not be the case. Instead, time would go slower and she felt restless, and no amount of sparring with Amrothos or riding on the beach could fully rid her of that feeling.
"You're doing a lot of that lately, niece", Aunt noted dryly and sipped her tea. "I was just talking about all the preparations that we ought to make."
"Preparations? For what?" asked the princess and slumped again on her seat; the older woman was probably talking about some ball or something of the sort. It seemed that the celebrating the fall of Sauron would not cease any time soon.
She was on the brink of falling back into her musings, but Aunt reached over to her and poked her with a closed fan.
"If you would sit straighter, please. A queen should not have such a lousy posture", she said pointedly.
"What!" Lothíriel exclaimed (her posture did become very straight). "Aunt, I already said I haven't told him yes, and anyway if he wants a queen who sits straight and drinks tea looking like she has just swallowed a pole or whatever it is you've been trying to teach me lately, then I'm the last person he should marry."
Aunt sighed and looked slightly exasperated.
"I just think maybe the King of Rohan would like something nice and sophisticated, Lothíriel", she tried. The princess scoffed.
"We're talking about the man who made his horse leap into a moving ship just so that he could talk with me, Aunt. I don't really think he would care if my dress was made according to the latest fashion or not", she informed her aunt. She smiled then as she thought of that little feat back in Harlond. The memory of his kiss still made her toes curl.
But she could think of that later, and she gave a sharp look to the older woman, "Just come to Minas Tirith when he returns. You'll see for yourself."
"Hmph. The more I hear of him the more I wonder if this is a good or a bad thing", Aunt said and put down her cup of tea. "If he has the habit of making his horse jump into places, I have a feeling Dol Amroth might not survive his visit."
Lothíriel could but grin at that, and suddenly she felt enthusiastic for the idea of courtship. Aunt noticed and shook her head and made a noise at the back of her throat as though she was the most abused person in the whole of Gondor... but even then, she was not able to hide a small smile.
The couple months spent back in the Mark had made it clear: this was not a passing fancy. Each day, the memory of the Princess had been there, and sometimes Éomer had found himself looking at something and thinking how much he'd like to show it to Lothíriel. He'd imagine her here, not as a guest but as the mistress of the house, and the image was both appealing and maddeningly frustrating, because she had yet to give him an answer. However, he had left Mundburg in a hopeful mood and he returned with it as well, and the prospect of courting her did bring him some very nice ideas.
It was only hours before their arrival to the White City that Éothain lead his stallion closer, and the young king could recognise the look wishing for a private talk. He gestured his Riders to fall back, and swiftly they expanded the escort.
"Well, old fellow? What is it?" he asked then, glancing at Éothain.
"Just wondering. So the princess is going to meet you in Mundburg, correct?" asked the captain.
"Aye. She's also travelling to Rohan with the company", Éomer answered, looking ahead. "Is there a problem with that?"
"No, of course not. But I can't help but wonder what happens if she says no in the end", Éothain spoke softly. That possibility sounded perfectly dreadful... but it was a possibility. Who knew what Princess Lothíriel would decide? She was unpredictable enough at least.
"I'll worry about that then", Éomer muttered, though he couldn't help the frown that had come to his face.
"You could spare yourself a lot of pain if did not take the risk, though", his friend pointed out. "And a lot of effort, too."
"Éothain, I'm not concerned about effort or pain. She's worth it... the best ones always are", Éomer said and sat a bit straighter in his saddle. Had it been Uncle who had told him that? No, it sounded more like Erkenbrand.
"Hmm. Aye, I suppose that's true. Not to mention I personally rather enjoy it when a lady keeps you on your toes", the captain stated and grinned.
"You've always had a sadistic mind, old fellow", chortled the young king in mock contempt. Éothain chuckled and the two men rode forward in silence for a while, before his second in command spoke again.
"Honestly speaking though, anyone who can deal with you and isn't scared of your moods should be a magnificent choice", he commented. But then he smirked, "And I will never forget the look on your face when she screamed at you in the woods of Ithilien."
"She's one of a kind", said Éomer softly and smiled to himself. Hopefully, soon all of the Riddermark would know that too.
"Why aren't they here yet?" asked Lothíriel for the umpteenth time that day, and for the fifth time since the horns of Gondor had announced the arrival of the King of Rohan at the gate of Minas Tirith.
"You know it takes a while to ride all that way up here, sister", Amrothos reminded her patiently. He gave her a sweet smile then, and continued, "You know, once we get to Rohan it would be a wonderful chance for you two to announce your betrothal."
"Amrothos! I thought I made it clear already I'm not just going to make up my mind like that without a proper courting", she snapped to him. He sighed theatrically and leaned on the rail at the edge of the Court of the Fountain, where she had dragged him because apparently she didn't want to gaze down alone.
"One could think you would, considering how jumpy you are being about his return", he pointed out. "Who wants courtship anyway?"
"I do!" Lothíriel announced and lifted up her chin. "I'm not just going to marry any man I like. And the fact that I like him doesn't mean I should just rush into it right away. That's what Father said too – he told me to enjoy the courtship."
"You've been listening too much to Aunt's stories about how Father wooed Mother", Amrothos said, shaking his head.
"Yes, I have, and there's no reason we can't have as much fun", she said stubbornly.
"Of course. Just as long as you don't have too much of it", he said, but she wasn't listening to him anymore. And the reason for that wasn't lost to him: there was the sound of many hooves nearing the Citadel and a voice shouted: "Make way for the King of Rohan!"
Just tell him yes already, damn you, Amrothos thought to himself as he watched his sister jump to hug King Éomer.
"It just won't end", said Lothíriel, gazing out to the plains of Rohan in wonder. Great green land extended before her, vast like the sea. The wind chased clouds towards horizon behind the hills. And the sun! The way it enveloped the scenery was something she had never seen before.
"Is that a good or a bad thing?" asked the voice of King Éomer beside her. They were both horseback, standing on the top of one hill and studying this fair land of wind and sun and grass. The great company, a menagerie the kind world had not seen before, had stopped to water the animals and enjoy some lunch. Lothíriel had found it impossible to just sit back though: she had wanted to take a look around, and the King of Rohan had happily offered to come along.
"It's a good thing", she decided and cast him a smile, "because it makes me want to race for the horizon and never stop."
She frowned then, "Though most people might consider that a bad thing."
He chuckled, turning to gaze upon his kingdom. These were the lands which had given birth and raised him, and looking at him, she felt he belonged here. In Minas Tirith, he had always been such an alien sight, but in Rohan he was fully at home.
"Maybe, if they're not Eorlingas. You needn't explain me the joy of racing your horse... I do not know of any other instance when you can feel as free", he said and his voice became softer.
"That's why I've always loved riding", she said and spied a fond look on his face from the corner of her eye. Lothíriel sniggered, "Father mostly gave up the fight with me when it came to bows and swordplay with my brothers, but he never really got over the riding thing. He still thinks I'll get myself killed in some ridiculous riding accident."
"I truly doubt that, Princess. Even if I had not observed your horsemanship during this journey, I would already be thoroughly convinced. What you did in Ithilien was rather impressive", said the young king, and Lothíriel grinned at him. A compliment like that from the King of the horselords was not an idle comment.
"Thank you, your kingship", she said and bowed her head at him. Then she narrowed her eyes, "Do you think you could maybe tell that to my father?"
King Éomer gave her a sly smile.
"Only if you agree to race me down there", he said with the air of conspirator, and "down there" was a delightfully vague concept. He may have said he thought her a good rider, but Lothíriel had no illusions as to how a race with him would end; she could be better at it than most people she knew, but King Éomer was a man of Rohan and he had practically grown up in saddle. Nevertheless, a race did sound very tempting.
"Will we be in much trouble if we do that?" she asked.
"Oh, yes."
The princess grinned again.
"I must say, Sire, I like how you think. Shall we go on three?"
The nights in the camp were always a cheerful time. So much was going on, and there were so many little camp fires you could join and listen to all kinds of adventurous tales. They would arrive to Edoras tomorrow or the day after it, and Lothíriel knew she'd miss this special atmosphere once the company disbanded and people would go their own ways. The Elves would return to their own realms and likely never come this way again, the Hobbits would carry on their journey, and Legolas too would leave with Gimli... so, whenever she was able she'd go and see if she could travel with the Elf for a while. He told her about the great journey he had made from his own home in north to Rivendell, and then through the wilderness all the way to the Black Gate. Apparently he was planning to settle down in Ithilien for a while, to help with the task of healing the land, so she could visit him as often as she liked.
Now the time of travel was nearing its end, and soon they'd see the capital of the horselords. King Théoden would be laid to rest and the rule of King Éomer would officially begin. To her it seemed the natural way of things, considering he had been king as long as she had known him, but there were instances when she could see how he struggled with it, and she remembered this was something he had not expected to happen.
That evening Lothíriel was returning from her tent, from where she had fetched a cloak to keep her warm against the chill of the night. A polite male voice spoke from her right: "My lady. May I join you?"
Turning to look at the speaker she saw Marshal Elfhelm. King Éomer had introduced them and she had seen the man in the city close to his lord at times. He wasn't as tall as his king – then again, few men were – and his hair was dark gold as was his beard. His eyes were bright blue, his nose had been broken at some point, but his expression was always friendly and cheerful. In some ways he reminded her of Amrothos, but she also sensed that behind the light countenance there was also readiness and strength.
"Of course, my lord Marshal", she replied, nodding at him. He smiled and joined her side.
"How are you liking Rohan so far, Princess?" he asked.
"It's very beautiful here. I must confess the descriptions don't do it justice", Lothíriel said, letting out a small sigh. "I wish I never had to leave."
The Marshal quickly looked at her and there was a searching look in his eyes.
"You know what to do, if you truly wish that, my lady", he said quietly. She looked down, unsure of what to say. The princess knew Marshal Elfhelm was not only a good friend to the King, but perhaps also had sight of things his lord himself didn't perceive because of his feelings for her. So she glanced at him and sought his eyes.
"And you would have me do that, my lord? You wouldn't find it strange or unwelcome?" she asked, unable to hide uncertainty from her voice. Because truth was, she hadn't given much thought to what Rohirrim would think in case she did say yes. What if King Éomer's people wouldn't like her? What if they thought her nothing but an unwanted foreigner?
Elfhelm seemed to know what was going on in her mind, for he gave her a gentle, reassuring smile. He lay a hand on her shoulder and patted it warmly.
"My lady, since my king met you, he has been smiling and laughing more than I remember him doing in a long time. In my eyes you do not need any other credentials than that", Elfhelm said solemnly. His expression turned softer then, and when he continued to speak the affection he had for his king was unmistakable.
"Life has not always been kind for our new lord, you see; he and Lady Éowyn lost their parents when they were but children, and I do not suppose that is something he could ever really forgive or forget. He was angry for a very long time, though that did not prevent him from becoming a valiant warrior and eventually a Marshal. And then came these twilight years and things got worse in our land as Saruman's power grew, orcs raided our homes and murdered our people, and Wormtongue manipulated Théoden King into doing nothing about it. You can't even imagine what a difficult time it was for Éomer", Elfhelm said softly. He shook his head and sighed. But then he looked at her again and there was a hint of smile now, "You, however, have reminded not only him but us others too that it wasn't always so. Perhaps you don't realise it, and maybe he doesn't either, but I think you give him hope."
That surprised her very profoundly. Her eyes widened as she stopped to stare at the Marshal. He was still smiling, though there was something slightly embarrassed in the expression now.
"I'm sorry, my lady. I'm being much too forward with you, and my king would probably rough me up for speaking like this", he said apologetically.
"No, no, it's fine. I'm glad you told me this, my Lord Marshal", she said hurriedly as soon as she got back her voice. "I just... I hadn't realised it was like that."
"My lady, I... what I said was not meant to push any feelings on you that you should consider yourself somehow responsible for anything. You must do as you deem best. The reason I said any of that was so that you might understand him a bit better", Elfhelm told her gently.
"I see", Lothíriel replied. She remained silent for one moment more, and then she turned to give him a smile. "Thank you, Marshal Elfhelm. I believe it does help me to understand."
She had not really expected this land to be so beautiful. It was different from her home, but somehow also similar. The vast space of the rolling hills of grass reminded her of the sea. As she sat on the stone terrace and watched how the moonlight bathed the plains and idly listened to the noises of funeral feast from inside the Golden Hall, she could very well see why King Éomer so loved this realm of his. It was a lot like the man himself: wild and lively and free.
The travel from Minas Tirith had been long but she didn't mind. Getting to ride every day, spending nights in the camp, seeing all kinds of marvellous things from Elves to Halflings... and of course there had been spending time with the King of Rohan when he wasn't busy with the duties of a host. As far as Lothíriel had observed it seemed like he handled the king business pretty well for someone who had not expected to inherit the throne.
Now Edoras was full of the bustle of feast, and all guest chambers and houses were filled. As the land itself, the capital of horselords was unlike what she was used to, but Lothíriel found she rather liked this place, and especially people here. They were so alive, so full of laughter and song, and their world seemed to have fewer inhibitions than she was used to in her own home.
There were steps behind her, distracting the princess from her thoughts, and then King Éomer sat down beside her.
"You didn't enjoy the feast?" he asked, glancing at her quizzically. She gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile.
"Of course I enjoyed it. I just meant to come out and catch some air, but then I saw this and got stuck here admiring it", Lothíriel answered, gesturing at the landscape. That softened his expression and he pulled a flask of ale, which he offered to her. She received it with quiet thanks and took a sip; this Rohirric brew was just as good as he had implied back in Minas Tirith.
"Aye, it is a beautiful sight... especially on a night so clear", he agreed and regarded the lands extending around Edoras. Suddenly, she could see something sad enter his face.
"I'm sorry about your uncle", Lothíriel said gently. This was the day he had watched them carry the old king into his grave... and they had called him the new king. Much that had been had come to an end tonight.
The Rohir nodded slightly, keeping his eyes fixed in the horizon.
"I miss him so much."
Unsure what to say, she picked up his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Then, moving a bit closer to him, she asked, "Would you like to tell me of him, Sire?"
A sorrowful little smile touched the face of King Éomer, and quietly he began to talk of the man he had regarded father... and they sat away the night, until it was very late and he suggested she go and get some rest.
She did, but not before she had kissed him there under the moon and stars.
Truth be told, Éomer did know that traditional courtship, especially the Gondorian sort, consisted of nice and mild things
He did know it was expected he bring her flowers, ask her for romantic walks, or write some overly sentimental poetry for her, but he was fairly certain Lothíriel would not really appreciate things like that. No, she expected something special – something just as unconventional as they both were by... by Gondorian standards at least. And perhaps they were unconventional by Rohirric standards too.
So, in the end, Éomer resolved the matter by just following his instinct. As to what his instinct told him on that day after the Elven guests along with the heroic Halflings had taken their leave was to ask to spar with her.
"I would love to!" said Lothíriel when he made the suggestion during the breakfast, her face lighting up with excitement. "See you at the training grounds in half an hour?"
He was not sure how and why that was, but by the time he got there and spotted his wild princess there going through some stances of swordsman, an audience had already gathered. There were a few men of his own éored, couple of servants of the royal household, and Amrothos and Erchirion; two brothers were grinning far too much for Éomer's tastes.
"There you are, Sire!" Lothíriel exclaimed at the sight of him and looking like she was completely oblivious as far as the audience went. Her expression wasn't entirely unlike to that of her brothers. "I was starting to think maybe you wouldn't dare to face me."
"On the contrary, my lady. At this point I do not fear defeat in your hands", he informed her and picked up a practice sword from the stand, same as the one she was wielding. She had good posture at least and her figure betrayed no sign of being uncomfortable with the sword. But then, he expected nothing less.
She grinned at him, "You should maybe get used to it, Sire."
"I will do my best, Princess", he replied, and then fell the first stroke of swords. Conversing became unnecessary then, as they were both concentrating on the sword-fight, and he paid little heed to the shouts of cheering that rose from the audience.
The princess was not a bad with the sword actually; Éomer had met worse swordsmen during his time. She was fast and agile and she took full advantage of that. Still, as their practice swords continued to meet and he tested her technique, he did perceive that her true gift lay with the bow. He had seen how she had charged and shot her arrows, and even though back then he had been angry, he had not missed the great skill this woman had.
Little by little he began to add in some challenge to his blows, though he did not use the full range of his strength and skill, and Lothíriel was forced to back away from his offence, until at last he was able to knock off the practice sword from her hand. Threatening her with the tip of the weapon, he asked: "Do you surrender?"
"Never!" announced the princess, and proved her endurance or agility were not at their ends yet: she leapt to a side, landed in a crouching position, and grabbed her sword. He followed her in an attempt to disarm her again... but when he placed the sword close to her neck he found her blade against his side. His bafflement was then broken by the wild cheering of the audience, which had by now grown into a proper crowd.
Well, that's what you get when you underestimate your opponent.
Éomer grinned at the warlike princess. He asked, "Shall we call it a draw, my lady?"
She smiled.
"We shall."
October 3019, Dol Amroth
The day had been spent in socialising with the nobility of southern Gondor. Imrahil had invited some of the more important lords and ladies of these parts to introduce them to the King of Rohan. While Éomer had seen the sense in that, he had still been slightly disappointed for not having a chance to spend more time with Princess Lothíriel; she was, after all, the reason he had come to visit the city by the sea.
There was much for him to do in Rohan, but not a day went by without him thinking of her, and the absence of the wild princess was something to drive him nearly mad some days. It had been only a couple of months since she and her family had departed from Edoras, where they had attended the funeral of his uncle, and about as soon as the company had started for the road and her riding shape had started to grow smaller, Éomer had began to wonder when he'd see her again. At least she had agreed to accept his correspondence, and there were times when the arrival of her letters was the high point of his day.
But now he was here in Dol Amroth, it was a late night after the second day of his stay, and it felt like he had barely got a chance to see her.
Having put aside his coat, he wandered to the balcony of his chambers and stopped by the railing to regard the sea. The moon was almost full and the night was clear, though there was a chill in the air. In few weeks or so the winter storms would come, which was apparently a time of year his princess did not love very much.
"You really should come here next summer. We'll go sailing, and maybe swimming, and I can show you the caves down the beach", Lothíriel had chattered away cheerfully. "Amrothos and I always used to play there when we were children, because we were convinced there was a pirate treasure buried in those caves. It's very nice during the summer months."
"Did you ever find that treasure?" he had inquired. She had smiled and shook her head.
"Sadly, no", she had said, but that conversation had ended then as some female relative of hers had approached them and put them both under sharp interrogation. Of course, by now the matter of their courtship was a common knowledge, and Éomer had quickly learned that at least half of the society considered it something they had every right to participate in. Few elderly ladies had even informed him it was a poor decision to court someone as wild as the Princess of Dol Amroth, and it had taken him some severe self-control to remain quiet.
When he had asked Amrothos why this all was such big news, the prince had chuckled.
"It's because you're virtually the first man – and a lord of high standing – to even consider asking Lothíriel's hand in marriage. Most lords seem to think she must be an orc-girl in disguise. But then suddenly nothing less than a king decides to court her. That's not something they're just going to understand so easily. You're going to leave an entire generation of accomplished maidens of noble birth wondering what it is about her that could possibly catch the eye of one of the most eligible bachelors in the western kingdoms", Amrothos said, looking like this all was very amusing to him. The young king had rolled his eyes and grimaced; he had decided that if Lothíriel said yes he'd be eternally grateful to her just for saving him from the said maidens.
Suddenly, a voice from above distracted him from his thoughts: "Psst!"
Éomer looked up, and there dangling from one window was the Princess of Dol Amroth, grinning at him.
"Hello there, your kingship", she greeted him.
"Evening, my lady. May I inquire what you are doing?" he asked jovially.
"I'm going stargazing and I thought to ask if you'd like to come along", she replied. Well, there was something he hadn't expected. But any activity at all with her was something he could appreciate, especially if it meant some privacy. He had come here for her and none else, after all.
"Gladly, Princess", he said and answered her grin.
"There's a good man. Meet me upstairs in the gallery in ten minutes?" she asked.
"I will be there."
As promised, King Éomer did appear in the gallery in ten minutes. Lothíriel waited for him in the shadows, and when he was about to pass by her, she grabbed his hand and pulled him in between the two great statues of her ancestors. He didn't object to the kiss she gave him – rather, he pulled her close and answered it in a way that could have lead into something more had she been some air-headed thing.
"I did not know you meant this when you said stargazing", he said when she had pulled back, his voice low and husky.
"Of course not, silly. I just wanted to tell you hello before that", she informed him and winked. She took his hand then, "Now, come along. We've got some climbing to do."
She lead him through some hallways and corridors, which were quiet now as the inhabitants of the palace had gone to enjoy their nightly rest, until they reached a heavy wooden door. From behind it a round staircase began to rise upwards: she lit a candle to show them way. The King of Rohan followed her quietly, and for a man of his size he made very little noise as they climbed the stairs.
Up in the tower it was rather dusty, as no one came regularly here anymore. On walls there were some old star charts and on tables there were a thousand little objects, from sextants to books and scribbled notes. Things were mostly in the exact places left by the last user of the chamber.
"My grandfather built this tower long time ago. He loved nothing better than studying the stars, and I suppose he was trying to get closer to them. It's the way he left it, because Father doesn't seem to know what to do with this place", she explained to King Éomer, who was looking around with a quizzical look on his face. She turned to the door leading into a small balcony and pulled it open. Smiling at her companion, she beckoned him to follow, "Come here. The views are better outside."
"I'm sure they are, but I would not like to see you falling into your death", he said reluctantly.
"Of course I won't fall. I wasn't born yesterday, you know. And anyway Grandfather built railings here", she told him and though he still looked kind of doubtful he did follow her out. That look only deepened when she made him climb after her on the slanted roof of the tower, but as soon as they were both settled on their backs there and the only thing before them was the night sky, Lothíriel could see the tension leave the form of the man beside her.
"I used to come here often when I was a child. My grandfather taught me just about everything I know of stars... he was a really good teacher and he loved talking about the night sky. My brothers weren't so interested, so I suppose it was just my and Grandfather's thing", Lothíriel said softly, looking far above.
"Really? I wouldn't have thought of you as an avid stargazer", remarked the King. She smiled at him.
"Well, maybe it's odd. But I just liked all these stories he told me about the stars. Did you know they were the first thing Elves saw when they woke up in this world? That's why they love stars and Elbereth above all. For their love of Elbereth's lights they also called themselves the People of the Stars", she said. She lay silent for a bit and let out a soft sigh. "There's countless stories up there, you know. Each star is a part of an asterism, and together they form a picture."
He frowned at that.
"I don't see any pictures there", he said dubiously.
"Oh, I don't mean literal pictures. They're mostly arbitrary, you see. Our scholars have studied the night sky since the time when Númenor was young – they came up with the idea that together stars make up pictures. My grandfather and I used to come up here and we'd make up all these stories about the star-pictures and their adventures", she explained. She moved closer to him, almost so close that her cheek was against his. Gently she lifted his arm and placed her hand under the palm of his, and then lead his forefinger with her own. "Look at there. These stars are called the Queen in the honour of Elbereth Gilthoniel. Beside her is the Handmaiden. Here's the Great Eagle, look at how he soars! And those two are the Twins. We made up stories where they'd get into so much trouble, but the Eagle would save them in the end."
"This one", she said, speaking more softly then, "is the Huntress. She's my favourite."
"Is there anything about horses up there?" he asked, trying for a light tone while attempting not to stare at her for too long.
"Oh, yes. There's the Horseman, not too far from the Huntress. It looks a bit like he was pursuing her... chasing her across the night sky", Lothíriel answered softly, tracing the imagined lines of the star constellation with their fingers.
"Does he ever catch her?" asked Éomer, though he wasn't looking at the stars anymore.
"I don't know. The stars don't say that", she said; she hadn't noticed the way he watched her.
"Hmph. How ignorant of them", he muttered in mock displeasure, which made her laugh softly.
"Hmm. Maybe they are. They're just lights after all. But they're beautiful nevertheless", she sighed and lay down her arm and hand. He didn't move his own from hers.
"Aye", said the King of Rohan, and he was still watching her rather than the stars. The princess turned to give him a smile.
She asked, "You want to retire for the night already?"
"Not at all. I have waited to see you too long to waste time by sleeping", King Éomer replied.
"I'm glad to hear that, Sire", Lothíriel said and settled more comfortably there on the roof of the tower. For a while, they lay there in silence. Eventually the young king spoke again.
"You know, I would not mind it if you dropped those Sires and my lords. I do have a name, after all", he said then, turning his head so that he could look at her more openly and straightly.
"You do?" she noted, trying to hide the awkward tone from her voice. Really, it was just his name! It was stupid to feel like this about it... then again, names made this all the more real – brought him even closer somehow.
"Oh, I do. Would it be really so wrong for you to use it, at least in private?" he asked softly.
"No. I suppose not", Lothíriel agreed in a quiet voice. She regarded him quietly for a moment and then spoke, "... Éomer."
He smiled.
"Not so difficult in the end, is it?" he asked lightly.
"Hmph. Next time we go to the beach, I might just push you into the sea", she said cheekily.
"And I might just like it, Lothíriel."
Amrothos had been the one to help to achieve it: he had asked the King of Rohan to come for a riding trip with him, to which the horselord had readily agreed to. Together they had left for the beach... and that was where Lothíriel waited for them with her own horse.
"Subterfuge is sometimes needed", she informed the young king as they rode forward, leaving Amrothos behind. "You know my aunt would insist she or someone else come along as a chaperone, and I doubt either of us really have patience for that."
"You are very right, my lady", Éomer agreed.
"I am always right", she said, at which he snorted, but he couldn't hide his smile.
In companionable silence they rode forward, over the shores of Dol Amroth. It was very pleasant: there were no relatives or servants or overly curious nobility around. It was just two of them flying over the beach, doing something they both enjoyed, and free of all cares. As always, it was a pleasure to watch the horselord ride, because he took that skill to another level entirely. It looked like the man and his horse were completely in tune, and the animal seemed to obey rather his master's thought than any gesture. She nearly rode into the sea watching him ride.
Éomer noticed of course and though he said nothing, he did grace her with a most charming and slightly smug smile. He certainly deserved being pushed into the sea for that.
After a while, Lothíriel had her steed slowing down into a trotting pace that bordered on being a walk. The King beside her followed the example and cast her a questioning look.
"Those caves I told you about", she said then, "They're just ahead. Would you like to see?"
"Most certainly, fair lady", he replied.
After dismounting and leaving their horses outside, she lead him into the cave. It's mouth was just at the shore, and waves gently pulled in and out of it. As it was low tide they could enter the opening into the dim of the cave.
"Watch out the rocks", Lothíriel told him. "They're slippery, and I don't want you falling and knocking your head and then drowning in the sea."
"Did you perchance ever tell your father that you regularly came here with your brother?" asked the King of Rohan in a slightly doubtful voice. She grinned at him.
"Of course not. He'd have been furious", she said nonchalantly as she took support from the wall and offered him her hand to help him stay in balance as they moved from one rock to other.
"Hmph. I should have known", he grumbled but followed her nonetheless.
"Now, where's your sense of adventure?" she asked sweetly.
"About here", he said as caught her and made a leap to the solid ground (well, as solid as sand got). Then he kissed her. A lot, actually.
When it ended, she was out of breath and he was too, though he also looked rather pleased.
"I've wanted to do that ever since I got here", Éomer told her in husky tones. "Do you know, my dear princess, that you have the most kissable mouth I've ever seen?"
"I do know now", she answered and couldn't hold back a giddy little grin. "And I fully intend to use that knowledge to my benefit in devious ways."
"For your information, I would expect nothing less of you", he said and would probably have kissed her again had she not spoken then.
"Do you... did you ever think this would be where you were going when you first saw me in the woods of Ithilien?" she asked softly.
"Did I think I would end up in a cave by the sea with an impossible princess?" he asked teasingly, but seeing her expression, his face too became solemn. "No. I did not think this would come out of it. I was half convinced you were some sort of a wood spirit, and our paths would not cross again."
"Hmm. And that was what I meant to try and achieve, even if it would have turned out infeasible eventually. You made it difficult to focus on that from the very beginning", Lothíriel mused. She smiled at him then with some embarrassment. "I never apologised for my horrible conduct in the woods."
"It doesn't matter. One could say I deserved it", he said and grimaced. However, it quickly made way to a smile, "Though I also admit you do have a way of making an impression. It was quite unforgettable, especially the part where you spied on me swimming."
Lothíriel let out an awkward little chuckle.
"I swear it was an accident", she said. He was right to say it was unforgettable. Yet even if it had caused her mortification at the time, now she could only smile at the memory.
"To be honest, I didn't mind..." Éomer murmured and gave her another kiss, a small and brief one this time. He didn't pull away that much, though; his face was very close when he whispered: "Say yes."
"... I'll think about it", Lothíriel was just about able to answer. She spoke again, slightly stronger this time: "I would like you to court me a bit more."
"How am I managing so far, anyway?" he asked. If he were disappointed with her answer, it didn't show.
"Splendidly, my dear King. Just keep going", she told him and he'd have kissed her, but she placed a finger on his lips, "but perhaps not right now. Otherwise stopping might be very difficult."
"... aye. You're right", he agreed.
They didn't linger in the cave much longer than that, and when they left, it was holding hands. And afterwards her mood wasn't even dampened when Aunt Ivriniel finally found her and rightly guessed she had been all alone with her royal suitor, and without a chaperone attending to them.
When she watched him ride away a week later, Lothíriel knew what was the truth.
Seeing the group of riders, with their long green mantles fluttering in the wind, and him leading them... the white horsetail of his helmet flew behind him as his figure grew smaller and smaller...
It felt wrong, watching him go like that. Moreover, she felt like she should jump on her own horse and race after Éomer, though she wasn't sure what she'd do when she caught them (if she ever would – they were Rohirrim after all).
Lothíriel bit her lip and knew why she felt like this. She understood why his departure wasn't right. It had been easy to ignore when he had still been in the city. But now, when he wasn't there filling up the space and laughing and teasing her, it could not be ignored any longer.
He had asked for future, fortune and fate. What she hadn't realised was he would give her the same thing in turn, just as he had already given her his heart.
And at long last, Lothíriel understood what extraordinary privilege it was to receive the love of a man like him.
Her answer was long over due... but now she was ready to give it.
A/N: And at last I return with an update! I'm sorry it took this long. I've been terribly busy lately and for one my Muse has been in hiding (that's a first), so I havent' been able to get much writing done. Oh well, here's the new chapter at last! Hope you all like it.
I decided to write this one a bit differently, so that I could show you a bit of their courtship. This is of course not all there is to it, but I had to draw a line somewhere and this was it. In the next chapter we just might move into something else.
I didn't include large amounts of Lothíriel's time in Rohan, as you can very well see. I considered doing that but eventually chose not to, because that might just have distracted me, and anyway it wouldn't have really fit in with the structure of this chapter. Let us just say that the time she spent there was very enjoyable to her, but the regular people didn't have too many chances of really having reactions towards her; I'd imagine that with all the guests in Edoras, the common folk had not really time to notice one little princess, no matter how boisterous she is.
Thanks for reading and reviewing!
Quote in the beginning originally by Albert Einstein.
kitkitmaria - The real life has just been a bitch lately, unfortunately!
Le Pleiade - Well, we don't really see here anyone else's reactions than Éothain and Elfhelm. I considered writing more of her dealings with Rohirrim while she was visiting Rohan, but that would probably just have lead me on a different road than what I meant to do with this chapter. Hopefully this doesn't disappoint you at least.
Concrete63 - You're very right about that. I think anyone would be scared when faced with a change so great.
Wondereye - Hopefully you liked those bits in Rohan at least!