Sorry if it took me so long… Anyway, it's finally over. Thanks to everyone who reviewed and waited patiently…
Kat: I'm glad you like it so. I hop you'll like the last chapter too.
lotrobsession: as far away as he could. And seeing how the preparations are going, I can't really blame him.
To Lady Parcifal, Speechless, Fireblade K'Chona, Dinosaur2, Mystik Surreality, Kezya and SperryDee:
Thank you very very much!
Chapter 3: The wedding!
Finally the great day has come! I can't wait to become Faramir's wife… and I can't wait for all of this to be over! It's a wonder that I hadn't lost my mind… But maybe it's a little bit early to speak.
Today is my wedding day and I don't know what's going to happen.
Should I say it? I'm worried. Very worried. If Éomer ruins the most joyous day of my life, then I shall ruin him. Stop. Wait a moment… I can't, he's Lothiriel's fiancée. And then he's my brother and I do love him. I think.
Anyway, now I'm putting on my traditional Rohirric wedding dress. Very traditional Rohirric wedding dress. My brother told me that, since I loved so much horses, I would have surely liked it. Now, my wedding dress is not white or green. It's brown. Brown like a horse-mane. Brown like…something else I really don't wish to think about.
On my gown there are intricate decors made with horse-hair.
My sleeves are decorated with horse-hairs hanging loose.
My high-collar is decorated with horse-hairs.
My bouquet is bound with horse-hairs.
In my own hair they've braided…
No.
They've braided horse-shoes.
I wonder: if our symbolic animal had been a cow, what were they going to adorn me with?
I can't believed this day has come. It seems yesterday that I reached the White City, riding with the Halfling disguised as a Rohirric soldier.
And now here I am, waiting for Éomer to walk me to the aisle.
With bridles and a sugar-plum.
Valar help me: here he comes.
My dear sister, you look beautiful
I'm absolutely stunned. I knew that my brother was not in the best of taste, but…Oh, Valar!
Note to self: never let Éomer near my wardrobe again. And warn poor Lothiriel.
So…shall we go? he asks me. Are you ready? Do you want something? Don't you worry, there's no need to be nervous. Everything will be just fine, just remember to breath. It's not as bad as you think…
As he keeps on babbling, I wonder: is he speaking to me or to himself?
I shake my head. To think that I should be the nervous one…What the Hell will happen on his wedding day? Probably he'll faint…
Finally, I can't take it anymore: Éomer, calm down… I tell him.
How can I? My only sister is getting married!
I roll my eyes: Éomer, get a grip on yourself! You're a King, act like one! I don't mean to be so rough, but if I don't take the matter into my own hands, I won't get married today, nor tomorrow, nor in a million years from now.
You're the King of the Riddermark, a son of the House of Eorl and a noble warrior: you can't loose your self-control for such a small thing! I tell him sternly. Remember the battle of Helm's Deep, and when you fought on the Pelennor fields against the greatest army ever. Attention, soldier! You'll walk you sister to the aisle and follow the ceremony as it was settled! Is that clear, soldier?
Oh my God, I sound like a sergeant.
Yes, sir! Éomer replies – and the worst part is that he isn't joking: he's serious!
Good I nod Now, to the battlefield! I order, giving him my arm.
He takes it and we head to the ceremony.
I can barely suppress a smile: at least I haven't lost my touch… What a shame that Éomer overreacted. We're practically marching more than walking! Just the flourish of trumpet is missing…Wait a moment, was that a horn?
Yeas, it was. Apparently, in the Mark the sound of horns and trumpets salutes the bride.
Is this a wedding or a military parade?
Then I see Faramir, and all my worries disappear. I don't care about the guests, the musicians, the soldiers: all I can see is him. My heart skips a beat when my brother hands me over to him. He's so beautiful and kind and brave and…Oh, run out of adjectives! There are no words good enough to describe him.
He's the love of my life. I can't believe that I'm going to be his and he's going to be mine.
I just wish I didn't look so ridiculous, thanks to my brother's efforts…
Oh, well. Here we are. The ceremony starts and I lost myself in its slow rhythm. Since it's a mix of Rohirric and Gondorian wedding ceremonies, I guess it's going to take quite a long time.
In fact, we go on for about three hours, but I'm too happy to be bored. The only problem is, I have to check on my brother every five seconds, just to be sure that he doesn't fall asleep.
Another problem raise when I am to sing. It doesn't go very well. I think nobody will be so false to compliment us. I don't know how they stand us: first, we are off key, second, we aren't able to start all together and third…everyone of us is playing or singing a different tune.
That was surely the worst part…
Then, suddenly, it's over: Faramir and I are officially man and wife.
We all move to another hall, when there will be the
wedding feast.
When the doors open, my eyes get wide. That's impossible. Probably we took a wrong turn or… No, this can't be our banquet hall!
Unfortunately, it is.
Looks like Éomer decided to surprise us, organizing the decorations of the hall.
All the walls are covered with swords, shields, spears, daggers, knives, bows, arrows, quivers… And right above the table where Faramir and I are going to sit, there's a great axe hanging from the ceiling. That's why I thought when had ended up in the armory.
I swallow hard. This is going to be hard.
As soon as we sat down, Éomer stands up grinning: looks like he's going to hold the traditional speech.
Today… he starts …is a day full of joy, that will be forever remembered Yeah, right. Today my darling sister Éowyn, the white lady of Rohan, will leave forever the house of her family and her beloved country for her new home and her new country. Her loss, however heavy, is soothed by our knowledge that she'll be treasured and cherished by her husband he glares at Faramir He'd better treasure her, if he doesn't want to have the whole Rohan after him
I snort. Did he really have to tell it?
His speech goes on and on for more than one hour…And we are all starving. And bored. And glaring daggers to Éomer, even if he doesn't realize it.
Oh, no. Here goes again. When he starts talking about me, there's no way in Hell he'd stop. And unfortunately, he tends to get lost in his own speech, saying a lot of stupid things.
Éowyn, beautiful white horse…
What?! Where the Hell did he take it?
All right, I know it's terribly un-lady like, but I can't help it: I raise my arms and sniff. Just to be sure, you know….
Faramir leans toward me and whispers: How long will it take him to finish?
I don't know, but I know a way to shut his mouth… I reply, eyeing a sword.
If he keeps on embarrassing me like this, I swear I'll do it!
Thanks God the guests gave up on listening long ago… Except for Lothiriel, who watches Éomer with starry eyes. She's totally head over heels… Either that, or she sleeps with her eyes open like an elf.
Wait a moment, has he finished?
…and now let's celebrate this joyous union!
My brother sits down an Lothiriel is the only one clapping in the whole room: all the others have started eating as soon as he stopped talking.
I don't know who cooked this meal: probably some Halflings. There are so many dishes that we'll never finish them… They're very good but terribly stodgy! I don't know if my stomach will survive… I just hope that my brown dress won't explode.
Faramir and I don't really enjoy our meal: we keep an eye on our plates and the other on the axe above. The more hours pass – looks like this feast will never end – the more nervous we become, and personally I think we have a good reason…
Hours and hours later, dinner is over and the dance finally begins. I sigh out of relief. It's almost over.
I wander among chatting groups of lady, smiling and thanking them for coming and for their compliments.
I swear, defeating the Witch King was easier. And less stressful.
I know that Éomer just wanted to help, but I still think that if he wanted to kill me, he could have used a different and faster system.
A wonderful ceremony, wasn't it, my Lady? a plump lady in yellow asks me.
I wonder who she is – I must be polite, it could be my relative, that Lady Blackwood…
Oh, yes, really wonderful
But if I am born again, I'll devote myself to the Virgin Goddess. One wedding is enough, thankyouverymuch.
This was terrible…yet I know that someday I'll miss this day and I'll laugh of what happened today. Someday.
For now, I'm just happy. Happy to be Faramir's wife. Happy because this mess is over and it'll be a long, long time before I see another Rohirric wedding.
Éowyn!
I turn around and I see Lothiriel coming toward me. Her eyes are sparkling and she looks positively radiant.
Oh, Éowyn, you'll never believe what happened!
I smile at her: Please, tell me
Éomer asked me to marry him! Isn't it won…Éowyn, are you all right? Do you want me to call Faramir? she asks, seeing me grow pale.
Oh no. Not another Rohirric wedding!
The end?
(Just kidding, this is the end)
Bye everybody and happy 2004!