Author's Note: Another chapter. Read previous Author's Note.
Disclaimer: Forgot it in the last chapter so I'm putting it here. I don't own anything.
A Moody Monarch and a Prancing Princess
Eomer awoke the next morning upset and withdrawn. After all his attentions to the young and vivacious princess from Dol Amroth, he had learned that it was all for naught! Slowly, Eomer began to get dressed, wearing his royal garb rather than his usual hunting/riding outfit. He didn't care if anyone would think it amiss. He didn't really care about anything anymore, except for getting out of Gondor as quickly as possible.
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Lothiriel opened her eyes to a most beautifully inviting day. She smiled as she heard the birds singing. Jumping out of bed, she quickly donned a comfortable riding outfit, intent on spending some quality time with her horse, when she almost ran straight into her father.
"Lothiriel! Where are you off to this morning?" her father asked, suspicious at her hasty exit.
"Papa!" Lothiriel sang, in an indestructibly good mood. "It is a beautiful day, and I want to prance on my horse all the way around Gondor!"
"Lothiriel. Have you forgotten what has happened recently? It's not safe to ride alone. I would accompany you, but I have important matters concerning Dol Amroth to deal with this morning. Perhaps I should have Eomer King ride with you?"
"Of course, father. As you wish, although I much rather prefer your company. However, I shall not refuse the protection of the King of Rohan, especially when I owe him my life."
"Well then, that settles it. Now then, let's go down to breakfast, shall we?"
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"Aaah! Eomer! Just who I was looking for!" Lord Imrahil called out genially, as he escorted her daughter to her seat. Eomer bowed at both.
"How can I be of service to you, my lord?" he bowed formally.
"Eomer, boy, how many times must I insist that you call me Imrahil? Drop the dodgy court manners! You're practically family!" Imrahil clapped his hand on the young monarch's back. "Now then, I have a rather particular request to ask. Lothiriel wishes to take advantage of this beautiful weather, however I do not trust her to ride alone on the Pelennor so recently since her kidnapping. I cannot accompany her. So you see the dilemma? Would you be a gentleman and watch out for her? I trust none other besides Faramir, but I'm afraid he will be tied up with the same messy business I will be."
Eomer bowed, then answered. "I should not like to deny the princess of any pleasure she might take in riding." He bowed to her, then sat back down to his meal.
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Lothiriel walked briskly to the stables, to find that Eomer had saddled both their mounts and was waiting for her.
"Eomer! How glad I am that you agreed to accompany me! We shall have great fun racing through the Pelennor!"
Eomer could not say anything, but merely bowed. Lothiriel was perturbed at his lack of speech, but did not think much of it. It is true, then. He does not fancy me. Indeed, I must merely be an ornament to be trifled with, then abandoned. she thought. Instead, she mounted her horse and led them both out of the city and onto the vast fields.
During the entire ride, Eomer kept much to himself. He answered only when absolutely necessary, and tried to ignore the princesses' lively chatter and contagious smile. Remember Eomer. Don't get attached. She will never be yours. he kept telling himself.
Finally, Lothiriel began to grow weary from the afternoon exercise. She requested that the pair return to the city for some dinner. Eomer was more than happy to oblige, and the pair raced up the city circles to the hot meal that was awaiting them.
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When Eomer and Lothiriel entered the citadel, they were both surprised to find Eowyn awaiting their arrival.
"Eowyn! I am so happy to see you! Did you see us riding on the Pelennor? It's a beautiful day!" Lothiriel bubbled, as she rushed up to hug her dearest friend.
Eowyn laughed at her enthusiasm. "Of course I did. I wish I could have joined you."
"Hello sister," Eomer said, as he kissed her cheek.
"Eomer! So glad you're out and about instead of at that dreadfully droll council meeting," she winked. "Now," she said, turning back to Lothiriel, "there is something I came to speak with you about. Your brothers are looking for you. Apparently, you promised them all a match of swords? I do believe that they are rather miffed you forgot."
"Oh no! It completely slipped my mind! How could I have forgotten? They shall think me so terribly dreadful! Oh, and I promised them so faithfully!" she fretted.
"I'm sure they shall forgive you. Actually, they sent me to tell you that as punishment, you shall face all three of them—at the same time..." Eowyn trailed off, not sure how her reaction to that would be.
"Oh lovely! I'm glad they're not too upset, then! I shall look forward to sparring with them!" Lothiriel smiled. "I suppose I better go inside and mollify their hurt feelings." She turned to Eomer. "I thank you for accompanying me on my ride today. 'Twas very kind of you, especially since it is I who owes you my life."
Eomer merely bowed, as Lothiriel ran off to find her brothers.
"Now then," Eowyn turned to her stoic older brother. "What has you in such a ruffled mood?" she asked, tauntingly. "Did the Princess of Dol Amroth beat you in your races again?"
"No," he said glumly, as he began to walk toward the gardens.
"Eomer, wait! I did not mean you any hurt! I simply inquired what the matter was, since you are rarely this out of spirits," she said.
"What's wrong?!" Eomer roared, losing his cool. He had enough of mindless women for one day. "I shall tell you what is wrong. You had a talk. Yesterday. With Lothiriel. She told you that she would never marry. Instead of directly informing me, you let it go! I heard it! With my own two ears!"
"Aaaah. So you ache from matters of the heart. I see," Eowyn mused. She smiled at him.
"I don't know what you find so amusing. You women are completely annoying," he muttered.
"Eomer. I don't think she realizes what she was saying. She's young! Only nineteen. Besides, it isn't as if you have exactly been aggressive in seeking her feelings. You have not even verbally announced your intentions to court her!" Eowyn defended Lothiriel. "And how many times I told you not to eavesdrop on conversations not meant for your own ears? You did not hear the conversation in its entirety, no doubt!"
"Still, if she cannot read through my actions..."
Eowyn cut him off. "You dolt! She has had many, many suitors. All of which were much more aggressive than you ever were towards her. They brought her gifts, wrote her poetry, sang her songs. To her, spending time with her isn't the mark of a suitor, but of friendship. I am sure there are several times when you two became very close, both in actions and in conversation. However, in her eyes, she feels as if you are merely using her as your pawn. You haven't really given her feelings much consideration, have you? She may act mature for her age, but she is still innocent and vulnerable in love. And I am sorry you could not see that." Eowyn finished her speech, and left her speechless brother gaping in the gardens as she headed inside in search of her husband.
Disclaimer: Forgot it in the last chapter so I'm putting it here. I don't own anything.
A Moody Monarch and a Prancing Princess
Eomer awoke the next morning upset and withdrawn. After all his attentions to the young and vivacious princess from Dol Amroth, he had learned that it was all for naught! Slowly, Eomer began to get dressed, wearing his royal garb rather than his usual hunting/riding outfit. He didn't care if anyone would think it amiss. He didn't really care about anything anymore, except for getting out of Gondor as quickly as possible.
8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 88
Lothiriel opened her eyes to a most beautifully inviting day. She smiled as she heard the birds singing. Jumping out of bed, she quickly donned a comfortable riding outfit, intent on spending some quality time with her horse, when she almost ran straight into her father.
"Lothiriel! Where are you off to this morning?" her father asked, suspicious at her hasty exit.
"Papa!" Lothiriel sang, in an indestructibly good mood. "It is a beautiful day, and I want to prance on my horse all the way around Gondor!"
"Lothiriel. Have you forgotten what has happened recently? It's not safe to ride alone. I would accompany you, but I have important matters concerning Dol Amroth to deal with this morning. Perhaps I should have Eomer King ride with you?"
"Of course, father. As you wish, although I much rather prefer your company. However, I shall not refuse the protection of the King of Rohan, especially when I owe him my life."
"Well then, that settles it. Now then, let's go down to breakfast, shall we?"
8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 88
"Aaah! Eomer! Just who I was looking for!" Lord Imrahil called out genially, as he escorted her daughter to her seat. Eomer bowed at both.
"How can I be of service to you, my lord?" he bowed formally.
"Eomer, boy, how many times must I insist that you call me Imrahil? Drop the dodgy court manners! You're practically family!" Imrahil clapped his hand on the young monarch's back. "Now then, I have a rather particular request to ask. Lothiriel wishes to take advantage of this beautiful weather, however I do not trust her to ride alone on the Pelennor so recently since her kidnapping. I cannot accompany her. So you see the dilemma? Would you be a gentleman and watch out for her? I trust none other besides Faramir, but I'm afraid he will be tied up with the same messy business I will be."
Eomer bowed, then answered. "I should not like to deny the princess of any pleasure she might take in riding." He bowed to her, then sat back down to his meal.
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Lothiriel walked briskly to the stables, to find that Eomer had saddled both their mounts and was waiting for her.
"Eomer! How glad I am that you agreed to accompany me! We shall have great fun racing through the Pelennor!"
Eomer could not say anything, but merely bowed. Lothiriel was perturbed at his lack of speech, but did not think much of it. It is true, then. He does not fancy me. Indeed, I must merely be an ornament to be trifled with, then abandoned. she thought. Instead, she mounted her horse and led them both out of the city and onto the vast fields.
During the entire ride, Eomer kept much to himself. He answered only when absolutely necessary, and tried to ignore the princesses' lively chatter and contagious smile. Remember Eomer. Don't get attached. She will never be yours. he kept telling himself.
Finally, Lothiriel began to grow weary from the afternoon exercise. She requested that the pair return to the city for some dinner. Eomer was more than happy to oblige, and the pair raced up the city circles to the hot meal that was awaiting them.
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When Eomer and Lothiriel entered the citadel, they were both surprised to find Eowyn awaiting their arrival.
"Eowyn! I am so happy to see you! Did you see us riding on the Pelennor? It's a beautiful day!" Lothiriel bubbled, as she rushed up to hug her dearest friend.
Eowyn laughed at her enthusiasm. "Of course I did. I wish I could have joined you."
"Hello sister," Eomer said, as he kissed her cheek.
"Eomer! So glad you're out and about instead of at that dreadfully droll council meeting," she winked. "Now," she said, turning back to Lothiriel, "there is something I came to speak with you about. Your brothers are looking for you. Apparently, you promised them all a match of swords? I do believe that they are rather miffed you forgot."
"Oh no! It completely slipped my mind! How could I have forgotten? They shall think me so terribly dreadful! Oh, and I promised them so faithfully!" she fretted.
"I'm sure they shall forgive you. Actually, they sent me to tell you that as punishment, you shall face all three of them—at the same time..." Eowyn trailed off, not sure how her reaction to that would be.
"Oh lovely! I'm glad they're not too upset, then! I shall look forward to sparring with them!" Lothiriel smiled. "I suppose I better go inside and mollify their hurt feelings." She turned to Eomer. "I thank you for accompanying me on my ride today. 'Twas very kind of you, especially since it is I who owes you my life."
Eomer merely bowed, as Lothiriel ran off to find her brothers.
"Now then," Eowyn turned to her stoic older brother. "What has you in such a ruffled mood?" she asked, tauntingly. "Did the Princess of Dol Amroth beat you in your races again?"
"No," he said glumly, as he began to walk toward the gardens.
"Eomer, wait! I did not mean you any hurt! I simply inquired what the matter was, since you are rarely this out of spirits," she said.
"What's wrong?!" Eomer roared, losing his cool. He had enough of mindless women for one day. "I shall tell you what is wrong. You had a talk. Yesterday. With Lothiriel. She told you that she would never marry. Instead of directly informing me, you let it go! I heard it! With my own two ears!"
"Aaaah. So you ache from matters of the heart. I see," Eowyn mused. She smiled at him.
"I don't know what you find so amusing. You women are completely annoying," he muttered.
"Eomer. I don't think she realizes what she was saying. She's young! Only nineteen. Besides, it isn't as if you have exactly been aggressive in seeking her feelings. You have not even verbally announced your intentions to court her!" Eowyn defended Lothiriel. "And how many times I told you not to eavesdrop on conversations not meant for your own ears? You did not hear the conversation in its entirety, no doubt!"
"Still, if she cannot read through my actions..."
Eowyn cut him off. "You dolt! She has had many, many suitors. All of which were much more aggressive than you ever were towards her. They brought her gifts, wrote her poetry, sang her songs. To her, spending time with her isn't the mark of a suitor, but of friendship. I am sure there are several times when you two became very close, both in actions and in conversation. However, in her eyes, she feels as if you are merely using her as your pawn. You haven't really given her feelings much consideration, have you? She may act mature for her age, but she is still innocent and vulnerable in love. And I am sorry you could not see that." Eowyn finished her speech, and left her speechless brother gaping in the gardens as she headed inside in search of her husband.
