Dol Amroth, Bay of Belfalas, South of Gondor
Her brothers had not lied. They kept Lothiriel occupied for the most part of her days, taking her for walks in the city and strolls on the beach, showing her the improvements they had made at the docks. The reinforcements she had instructed the men to build at the ports during the war to guard the city against corsair attacks had been finished, and Lothiriel realized that Elphir had just been jesting with her when he told her that they had "not touched her unfinished business".
During her strolls in the streets, she would converse with the city folks and they would congratulate her on her impeding wedding to the King of Rohan, wishing her happiness and giving her parting gifts. The children would follow her, holding her hands and clutching at her dress, telling her they would miss their Princess Lothiriel. At the castle, the servants and maids would help her pack her necessities and prepare for her departure, and, after a few glorious, sunny days in her native city, Lothiriel felt she was ready.
On a cool, breezy night brightly lit by the moon, Lothiriel stood on the balcony outside her bedchamber overlooking Cobas Haven. She stared at the sea she loved so much, wondering if she was going to miss it while she dwelled in Rohan. She had loved staying in Edoras but had missed her home a great deal. Although this time, things would be different. She would not just be visiting. Edoras was going to be her home, and she was going to be with the man she loves. She knew Eomer was going to do anything in his power to ensure her happiness, and she had no doubt she was going to be very happy.
"Having second thoughts?", a familiar voice asked from behind her.
She turned to look at Amrothos who came to stand by her side, followed by Elphir and Erchirion. They had been searching the castle for Lothiriel and, passing her bedchamber, had caught a glimpse of her long, ebony hair shining in the moonlight, their sister standing alone on the balcony. Elphir looked down at her and wiped a tear from her face with his thumb.
"It is worse than we believed.", he smirked.
Lothiriel had not even noticed that tears had begun to stroll down her cheeks.
"You want to talk about it?", Erchirion asked her, and Lothiriel smiled at her brothers.
"Everything is fine.", she simply replied. "No, I am not having second thoughts, and yes, I want to talk about it."
She paused for a moment before continuing, and her brothers waited patiently for her to go on.
"I had a dream last night.", she said, and paused again. "I dreamed of our mother.", she continued, and her brothers glanced at one another with looks of compassion on their handsome faces. "I saw her as clearly as I can see you now. She was so beautiful.", she whispered as more tears strolled down her cheeks. "I told her I was worried, worried about becoming a queen and a wife."
"And what did she tell you?", Elphir asked softly, running a comforting hand over her back.
"She said she could not think of anyone better suited than me to become Queen of Rohan, wife to Eomer and a loving mother.", she said as she smiled weakly.
"And she is right.", came another voice from behind the siblings.
Imrahil had been passing in the corridor and heard his four children talking on Lothiriel's balcony. They turned around to look at their father who was smiling and looking admirably at his daughter.
"You look so much like she did.", he told her as he walked toward her and caressed her cheek with his hand. "Dol Amroth is losing its most precious jewel, and Rohan is gaining one.", he said, still smiling.
"Thank you, Father.", she whispered as she embraced him. "I love you so much."
"And we love you also. Never forget that. And never forget that Dol Amroth will always be your home.", he assured her, returning her embrace tenderly. "To you and Eomer… and your future children.", he added with a hint, to which Lothiriel laughed quietly.
"I will miss you every day.", she replied as her brothers embraced her each in turn, planting kisses on her cheeks and forehead.
"Lothiriel,", her father continued. "I was looking for you as there is something I want to talk to you about.", he said, a bit of concern in his voice.
"What is it, Father?", she asked him curiously.
"Well, nothing really to worry about I would imagine, but I have just arrived from the harbor and the sea captain told me that while he was out in the bay this afternoon, he had a glimpse of a couple of corsair ships nearing the city.", he explained.
Lothiriel gasped and her brothers were immediately alerted, but their father held up a hand and reassured them.
"Do not be alarmed, my children.", he told them. "I do not believe the threat is too great, but nevertheless, I was thinking it might be safer for Lothiriel to travel to Edoras first thing tomorrow morning with a dozen knights while we make sure the city is secure before leaving for the wedding ourselves.", he explained, to which his sons nodded, and he looked at Lothiriel who was nodding as well.
"Of course, Father.", she assured him. "I will be ready in the morning."
"Very well.", he replied. "I have already sent a messenger to Meduseld to inform Eomer of your arrival and explained the situation. And to make the voyage faster, once you sail to Linhir, you will travel northwest through the towns of Ethring and Calembel into the Blackroot Vale and pass through the Paths of the Dead, which King Elessar informed me was now a safe passage. Eomer will himself travel to Dunharrow with a few of his riders and wait for you there to accompany you to Edoras.", he explained.
And so that night, the port city of Dol Amroth went to sleep on full alert. The next morning, Lothiriel made her way to the stable and secured her belongings on Windhiril's saddle.
"We will see you shortly, daughter.", her father whispered in her ear as he embraced her, and Lothiriel proceeded to embrace the rest of her family and was on her way, surrounded by a dozen knights.
Meduseld, Edoras
After a messenger from Dol Amroth had arrived the day before to announce that the princess would travel alone with a few knights, Eomer and a dozen riders from his eored were getting ready to ride out to meet the princess at Dunharrow.
"Eomer King!", shouted Widfara, the wanderer, who had been sent to scout the valley of Harrowdale to ensure the safety of the future queen and the knights.
Eomer looked up at Widfara who was approaching the stable.
"What did you see?", Eomer inquired his scout.
"The messenger!", he called breathlessly, and took a long, steady breath. "The messenger from Dol Amroth. He has been slain.", he informed Eomer, who immediately tensed. "I saw his lifeless body at the entrance of the Dimholt woods. It was pierced with a dozen of these arrows.", he said to the king, tossing him the end of a broken arrow.
Eomer caught the arrow, and recognized its feathers.
"Dunlendings.", he murmured angrily, and then mounted Firefoot. "Riders of Rohan!", he called out to his eored, loudly and meaningfully. "Your future queen may be in danger!", he informed them, showing them the broken arrow. "We ride swiftly!"
He clicked his heels into Firefoot, his men followed, and they were gone in an instant. The people of Edoras had lined on each side of the pathway, concerned and silently praying that their king would bring their beloved future queen safely home.
Southern Gondor
Lothiriel and the knights had been travelling along the Ciril River after they had passed the town of Calembel. They arrived at the Hill of Erech early before midday on a sunny day, and made their way to the entrance of the Paths of the Dead in the Blackroot Vale.
Lothiriel had never been in this region and was a bit uneasy when they rode into the mountains. It was dark and gloomy, and she could not suppress a shudder when she thought of Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli entering this path to summon the Dead.
"King Elessar informed your father that this path was completely safe, My Lady.", the leader of the knights assured her, feeling her uneasiness.
"I know.", she replied, and paused. "Do you suppose trees and plants will eventually blossom here once again?", she asked him, and he shrugged.
"I suppose.", he simply answered. "It would certainly make the voyage through less haunting.", to which Lothiriel nodded in agreement.
The remainder of the ride through the path was made in silence, and, after a while, Lothiriel and the knights emerged through the other side, into Dunharrow. Lothiriel looked around and smiled. "Home.", she thought to herself. "Finally." And they made their way down the Stair of the Hold to the valley of Harrowdale, passing the statues known as Pukel-men at each turn.
Once at the bottom of the zigzagging pathway onto the valley, Lothiriel suddenly heard high-pitched hissing sounds, and, without warning, Windhiril rose on her hind legs, so quickly that it threw her mistress on the ground. Lying prone on the grass, Lothiriel rubbed her head as she raised it, and let out a loud gasp. She looked around and saw the lifeless bodies of her guards, arrows sticking out of their backs and chests.
She got up as fast as she could to remount Windhiril, but as she grabbed her horse's reins, another arrow came darting past her head and pierced through the animal's chest.
Lothiriel let out a loud shriek, and the next thing she knew, a dozen tall, dark men in black hooded cloaks were approaching her. Her head screamed at her to run, run as fast as she could, but she knew she would not be able to escape too far before they caught up with her. So, she did the next best thing she could think of. She stood up straight and strong, and looked them in the eyes.
"Who are you and what do you want?", she asked firmly and with authority.
One of the men, whom Lothiriel sensed was the leader, approached Windhiril, unsheathed Lothiriel's sword from the saddle, and walked threateningly toward the princess. He lifted the sword up to her throat and made a slicing sound with his mouth.
"Who we are is none of your concern, and what we want is to take the beautiful Princess of Dol Amroth captive so we can have the barbaric King of Rohan at our mercy.", he spluttered in her face.