April - The Restless Brothers
"That was quite the row that almost-was," Faramir remarked lightly.
Elphir grimaced and motioned to his squire to get his things ready. Erchirion was conversing shortly with one of his captains, and Amrothos was going over some ledger and marking it with great forceful punctuation.
"We're bound to do our duty, of course," the Dol Amroth heir remarked ruefully, "but I fear in this my Lord Father is mistaken. Surely one of us could be spared to visit Lothiriel." He dropped his voice. "Her letters to us were odd. Father noticed nothing amiss, for he does not often send or receive letters from her. Nor do I, to tell the truth, but my lady wife is concerned, and I trust her judgment in this. And Amrothos, he swears she must be under some great duress."
"Perhaps I do not see why Amrothos is so upset," Faramir offered in confusion, "for your father assigns him to the fleet at Dol Amroth. Can't he see your sister there?"
Amrothos flung down the ledger and joined the conversation. "'Dear my Lord Brother'!" he quoted incredulously. "What kind of water are they drinking in Lossarnach, that she addresses me like that?"
"To be fair, it could be that she must write through her maid," Elphir mused. "Her hand was injured, some mishap," he explained to Faramir. "Perhaps she feels the need to be more formal. But what were you saying, Faramir," he added with a frown. "About Dol Amroth?"
But Faramir had been listening to the conversation in growing confusion. "What do you mean, Lossarnach, cousin? Do you mean that Lothiriel is in Lossarnach, and not in Dol Amroth?"
The brothers looked at him in bewilderment. "Of course," Elphir responded. "Your father-" he looked at Faramir apologetically, but Faramir waved him off. He could grieve for his father, and Boromir, in his own time, privately. "Your father evacuated her to Lossarnach," Elphir continued.
"Are you saying she's not in Lossarnach?" Amrothos cut in.
"Quiet, let him speak." Erchirion had dismissed his man and was now frowning in concert with his brothers.
"We requested all men at the last," Faramir replied slowly, made slightly uneasy by the hedge of black eyebrows confronting him. "Lord Beren of Lossarnach reported with some cavalry. He heard from her maid that she remembered some tasks in the city, and then was going on to Dol Amroth."
"She is certainly not in Dol Amroth. Aunt Ivriniel would have told us, and the townsfolk know her on sight." Elphir pulled a rolled map from his belt. "Erchirion. Amrothos."
Faramir would never have guessed the unruly youngest prince could be pulled so easily in line by his eldest brother, but Amrothos snapped to attention.
"The both of you will ride to Lossarnach. Take Amrothos' company, or what is left of it. Erchirion, inform your man on the way down; I will take control of your company and mine, and search the city."
"But Father-"
"I will make our excuses to Father," Elphir said, forestalling the middle brother's protest. He nodded to Faramir. "By your leave, Captain?"
"I'd better come, too. Angborn!" Faramir's lieutenant came over. "Send Lieutenant Darien with the princes of Dol Amroth. They ride to Lossarnach, and he has family there."
The lieutenant nodded and hurried after Amrothos and Erchirion, as Faramir strode to catch up with Elphir, who was already nearly back to the tower.
"What good was it all, if we couldn't even keep our little sister safe?"
"I couldn't keep Boromir safe, and he wouldn't have wanted it." Grief made Faramir's words pointed, and Elphir looked ashamed.
"I am sorry. But if you'd had a sister..."
Faramir thought of the Lady Eowyn, and of her brother's concern over her. "We will find her."
April - Lossarnach Again
Henneth had been dreading this day every day for months. But today, when it came, when the door was thrown back violently on its hinges and the warriors stormed in, she stood her ground like a true daughter of Gondor.
She lifted her chin. "My lady is not in."*
April - Deception at Minas Tirith
Lothiriel studied the miniature dispassionately. She recognized this captain from Dol Amroth, of course, even though he was dressed in Gondorian livery. He was one of Elphir's men. But he didn't recognize her, without her paints and fine dress, and the miniature would not help him there. The only thing similar was the hair color, but her hair today was grey with soap scum from the boiling air.
"Who is it, Niniel?" Malath came over.
"A captain of the City. He seeks a lady. Here is her picture." Lothiriel did not bother to cover her breast, and Ecthelion sucking healthily on it. A washerwoman wouldn't care, and a captain of Swan Knights would not be embarrassed by a washerwoman. In fact, yes, the good captain was ogling her chest.
Malath looked at the portrait with a frown.
The miniature had been painted directly after Lothiriel's betrothal to Lord Boromir. The court painters had taken a few liberties. Lothiriel knew that the red rosebud lips, the porcelain pale skin, the carefully stenciled arched black eyebrows, and the elaborately braided crown of hair of this beauty – never mind the pretty turned-up nose and the long, patrician oval face with its pointed chin - would in no way call to mind the plain-faced apprentice washerwoman that Malath had taken in.
"No, I am sorry, we haven't seen her, good sir," Malath said.
The man bowed, disappointment in his features. "Good day to you, mistresses," he said. He waved to the men behind him, one of whom made a tick mark on some scroll, and they continued down the inlet to Casma's house.
A/N: *Like Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, but a little more polite...