August - Aldburg - Replaced

Lothiriel watched the banners of the wains in the breeze, ashen. The last time a great procession like this had gone by, had been King Theoden's funeral cortege. Lothiriel's mind went back to that last summer, when Aldburg had emptied to watch and join the funeral procession. Crippled men in streaming green cloaks, widowed women, mothers, children, and sweethearts had all ridden or been carried out to pay their respects. Lothiriel and Malath, new and foreign-tongued, had kept their dark heads well back in Aldburg. They had spent the day filling in the chinks of Captain Fanbern's cabin with mud.

This year the wagons brought happier tidings. Lothiriel strained her eyes to see her father and brothers at the front of the procession.

"You miss home, Niniel?"

In response, Lothiriel buried her face in Malath's wide shoulder.

Malath waved down to Althwyn, who had Ecthelion on the horse in front of her.

"I want to go home, but I can't," Lothiriel sobbed indistinctly. "I'm a loose woman. I oughtn't have done..."

"Now stop right there. You said yourself, you loved your lord, and you thought to bring him happiness as he was riding to doom. And same with Captain Fanbern."

"But you said - you said that-"

"And I think I was wrong. Haven't we seen enough of suffering?" Malath hugged Lothiriel. "Now dry your tears and tell me what you know about this Princess Lothiriel. I could use some gossip."

"She is not the Princess of Dol Amroth," Lothiriel said a little spitefully. "Not as in the daughter of Prince Imrahil. That's just what they're having people think. The real princess is still missing. The one Eomer King is marrying is a niece once removed to the Prince. But obviously they think it will help to style her as a princess. She was probably awarded an actual title by King Aragorn for just this purpose."

"Ah. The confusion will make it easier for people to accept her?" Malath asked.

Lothiriel nodded.

"I can see that. The Prince and his sons are well-loved here."

"I can't see how they would have gotten her to come here, though. Everyone knows she loves another, but he was sent to the Pelennor before they could marry."

"Well, perhaps she is trying to do her best for two countries recovering from war."

Lothiriel thought of the pickled carrots and beets with which her neighbors had generously paid her. She knew they were finding it difficult to plant this spring, with many men gone or recovering; and that the herds had suffered greatly. She minded old Fenulf showing her his meager catches, telling her how the rivers used to be teeming with fish to dry. Her heart beat fast as she thought of bare shelves and another winter. She tried to set aside her resentment at being so easily replaced. "Yes, I think you are right. Dol Amroth was hardly touched in the war. We- they- have plenty of fish, and lots of wool."

Malath squeezed her shoulder and they watched the dowry wagons trundle off.

August - Aldburg - Brotherly visit

The brothers picked their way through the forest path silently. The guards were a short way behind, with orders to go no further.

Amrothos nodded to Erchirion as the cottage came into view.

As they had expected, there were several washtubs in the yard and many more clotheslines than a household of three might need.

As they had also expected, a young boy's voice shouted, "Rider!" in Rohirric.

It was one thing to expect, and quite another to receive, in this case. Erchirion blinked rapidly as a small dark-haired toddler came running around the house, and a young woman with a long black braid laughed indulgently as she followed.

"You're here early," she said with a throaty chuckle. She secured her toddler in her arms and turned a wide, happy smile on them - which dropped right off her face.

"Amrot," Lothiriel breathed, paling like the winter sea. "Erchi."

Erchirion cleared his throat. "King Eomer is welcoming his new bride - Cousin Elle - you may have heard." He stopped talking as Lothiriel's son absorbed all his attention.

"We were 'in town,' shall we say," Amrothos finished. He stared at his sister. That lush, laughing look had been meant for a man. The reports they had received had been correct. "And who is this, sister?"

Lothiriel licked her lips. "Ecthelion, son of Boromir," she said quietly. She gave them a small smile. "So you see why I could not return home."

Erchirion rumbled, and his horse shifted uneasily.

He said nothing, but his look was censure enough, and Lothiriel drew her wiggling Ecthelion closer. "You would not understand," she whipped out, the words lashing like loose rigging. "No one cares how your exploits go. But I would not shame Father, nor our family name, nor myself. Nor Boromir," she concluded in a whisper. She let Ecthelion go, and he started romping around behind her skirts, peeking out at the men.

"Ah, Lot." Amrothos jumped off his horse. "We understand. We do. It is good to see you."

Lothiriel clung to his embrace, and then to Erchirion's, who followed suit.

The reunion was interrupted by the loud, fast arrival of a young man riding hell for leather down from the hillside way. "Niniel," he shouted in accented Westron. "We're back! The others are right behind."

Lothiriel was as surprised as the rest as the young roan and rider pulled up in the courtyard. Althwyn's brother slid down off his horse noisily. "Hello, Niniel," he said familiarly, sizing up the other men. "We're back," he repeated with emphasis. He had an axe clutched in one of his gangly hands.

Erchirion flicked a glance up the path and then cut a look at Amrothos, who nodded. "There's no 'we' about it," Erchirion said pleasantly, calling the young man's bluff. "You're alone."

Wulfstan wasted no time switching tracks. "Well, she's not," he said. "And I can take you."

Lothiriel was surprised he knew phrases like that in Westron. The Swan Knights and their squires must have been visiting more often than she knew.

Amrothos eyed him incredulously, and then he blinked his long black eyelashes rapidly. "Can you now?" he murmured.

"Oh, Amrot, stop," Lothiriel said. She brushed a leaf off of Wulfstan's shoulder, noting his mussed up hair and his sockless riding boots. "Althwyn sent you, did she?"

The boy nodded.

"Thank you," Lothiriel said. "These men aren't here to take advantage. These are my brothers."

Wulfstan gave them a disbelieving look which started to look a bit impressed, as he took in the filigreed sword handles and the velvet-and-jacquard suits. He whistled under his breath. "Niniel, if these are your brothers, what are you doing here?"

Lothiriel clicked her tongue thoughtfully. "There are many rules in Gondor," she said slowly, "And I broke one, so I had to leave."

Wulfstan looked at her, and at little Ecthelion, and back at her. There were some rules in the Riddermark, too.

There was a noise up the hillside path.

The brothers exchanged a look and mounted their horses.

"Lothiriel, if you change your mind..."

Lothiriel rested a hand on the bridle of Erchirion's big horse. "I know." She blinked. "Are Father and Elphir here?"

"Father is here, and Elphir is managing affairs back home," Amrothos answered.

"Could you tell them hello for me?"

"Of course." Amrothos waved halfheartedly to Ecthelion. "Goodbye, little man."

"Thank you." Lothiriel patted the bridle, then stepped back and watched as they rode away.

Althwyn and Malath rode into view a few moments later in the donkey cart.

"Your brother did well," Lothiriel called in Rohirric.

"I'm sorry," Wulfstan muttered under his breath, switching languages as well.

"What's that?" Lothiriel asked. "It was good of you." She had been surprised that a young man who had heretofore seemed to dislike her had been so willing to come to her supposed rescue.

"I haven't been very nice to you. I thought you were - well - a loose woman," he said, blushing a little. At least that was what Lothiriel thought he said. She was pretty sure she had the gist of his statement. "I didn't want Althwyn to hang around you."

Lothiriel shrugged. "I think I am that kind of woman, by any definition."

"You're some kind of a lady, though. High-born."

"I was a lady," Lothiriel corrected. "Now I'm just Niniel." She gave a little laugh. "It was good of you to ride up anyway."

Wulfstan flushed at the praise. "I would have done it for Malath or Mistress Angwen or any of the others. But Althwyn thought word might have gotten around about you and," he swallowed, "Captain Fanbern, and that they might have gotten the wrong idea."

She tapped him lightly on the shoulder. "And Fanbern, well, he's a Captain of Riders, and maybe saving his girl would put in a good word for you?" she joked.

Wulfstan was staring at her again. "Yes," he said at last. "I would do anything for him."