I don't own LOTR or anything to do with it!
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It was very dark outside when she left, and had trouble seeing the path, but the illuminated windows of Meduseld guided her along the way.
When she entered the main hall she was ushered into the dining room, where she saw King Theoden sitting at the head of the great table, along with the children who played at his feet hours before, and the infant, now awake, on both his sides. Other men were seated at the table, but none Lorna could recognize, except for Odel, whose stern face peered at her from the nearest seat.
"Welcome, Lorentia!" the king bellowed over the chatter of the two young boys. At once they quieted and looked at Lorna. She felt embarrassed at the attention directed towards her, and blushed, but was welcomed heartily by the guests as she sat down opposite the king.
"We were expecting you sooner, but that doesn't matter." He continued. "To avoid confusion, let me introduce you to my other guests," and he said, going down the table: "The Marshalls of the Riddermark, Faran, Ormod, Ryce, and of course, Raedan." Raedan was the closest to Lorna's seat, and he smiled broadly at her. Lorna noticed, though, a queer look in his eye, and a bit of sadness. He seemed young, but not as young as Lorna herself. He had long golden hair that fell in waves just past his broad shoulders. His eyes were of bright blue, and his voice was deep when he spoke.
"Wonderful to meet you!" Raedan said and grasping her hand, he kissed it softly. Lorna noticed that his hands shook, and smiled a little, half from amusement, and half to ease his anxiety a bit.
"Pleasure." Lorna breathed and noticed very faintly that his eyes diverted from her direction and went instead to where Ardith stood, waiting to serve a platter of meat.
"Well then, now that we've all met, let us feast!" the king called and several servants brought steaming platters of many wonderful meats and vegetables to the center of the table.
The feast was grand, and eventually Raedan eased up and began a conversation with Lorna about Minas Tirith.
"I have never been, but soon I think my duties in the mark will draw me close." He said between mouthfuls of rabbit.
"It indeed is a great city, and has persevered through many years of war. But Edoras is indeed a great city as well. Have you lived here all your life?" Lorna asked.
"Yes," Raedan nodded. "My father was Marshall of the Mark as well, and when he died I replaced him."
"Died? I'm sorry to hear that." Lorna empathized. "My father is dead as well. he fell in battle, alongside my older brother, many years ago. Ere my teenage years, I am afraid. Have you any family?"
"Yes, my mother lives just outside Meduseld's gates, and my sister is almost a teen. I once had an older brother as well, but he too fell in battle. He had the glory of glimpsing Minas Tirith once." Raedan bowed his head, as if recalling bad memories. "It seems we have some in common, though. Shall we talk later?" he asked.
"Indeed we do have some in common, and I would love to talk later, perhaps after our meal?" Lorna replied and wiped the side of her mouth with a napkin.
They were excused and walked together through the halls of Meduseld.
"When I agreed we had some in common, I believed it to be true," Lorna said, "But not only in family."
"What do you mean?" Raedan asked. He looked worried.
"Well, there is one I left behind in Minas Tirith when I came here. A man." She said. They sat down on a small bench in the hallway. "And I dearly love that man, but am being forced to marry, or consider marriage, to you. Now, I believe that you love another, and think it absurd to be fixed to marry me. Am I wrong?" Lorna asked and looked deep into his eyes. He avoided her glance and blushed. After a while he answered.
"How did you know? Was it Ardith, did she tell you?" he asked.
"So it is Ardith! Ha! No, she didn't tell me, I merely guessed. You should know I'm quite good at things of this manner." Lorna replied and laughed. "But love her if you will, I take no offense. I am merely here to escape my mother, and stop her pestering!"
Raedan laughed. "So you care not if I see Ardith frequently?" he asked.
"Of course not, but the king might. And if he finds out he may force me to leave, if you get what I'm saying. You may please Ardith, but not so openly. If you ever call on her, do so through me, and you will not be found out before you wish!" Lorna suggested and they walked off.
It was very dark outside when she left, and had trouble seeing the path, but the illuminated windows of Meduseld guided her along the way.
When she entered the main hall she was ushered into the dining room, where she saw King Theoden sitting at the head of the great table, along with the children who played at his feet hours before, and the infant, now awake, on both his sides. Other men were seated at the table, but none Lorna could recognize, except for Odel, whose stern face peered at her from the nearest seat.
"Welcome, Lorentia!" the king bellowed over the chatter of the two young boys. At once they quieted and looked at Lorna. She felt embarrassed at the attention directed towards her, and blushed, but was welcomed heartily by the guests as she sat down opposite the king.
"We were expecting you sooner, but that doesn't matter." He continued. "To avoid confusion, let me introduce you to my other guests," and he said, going down the table: "The Marshalls of the Riddermark, Faran, Ormod, Ryce, and of course, Raedan." Raedan was the closest to Lorna's seat, and he smiled broadly at her. Lorna noticed, though, a queer look in his eye, and a bit of sadness. He seemed young, but not as young as Lorna herself. He had long golden hair that fell in waves just past his broad shoulders. His eyes were of bright blue, and his voice was deep when he spoke.
"Wonderful to meet you!" Raedan said and grasping her hand, he kissed it softly. Lorna noticed that his hands shook, and smiled a little, half from amusement, and half to ease his anxiety a bit.
"Pleasure." Lorna breathed and noticed very faintly that his eyes diverted from her direction and went instead to where Ardith stood, waiting to serve a platter of meat.
"Well then, now that we've all met, let us feast!" the king called and several servants brought steaming platters of many wonderful meats and vegetables to the center of the table.
The feast was grand, and eventually Raedan eased up and began a conversation with Lorna about Minas Tirith.
"I have never been, but soon I think my duties in the mark will draw me close." He said between mouthfuls of rabbit.
"It indeed is a great city, and has persevered through many years of war. But Edoras is indeed a great city as well. Have you lived here all your life?" Lorna asked.
"Yes," Raedan nodded. "My father was Marshall of the Mark as well, and when he died I replaced him."
"Died? I'm sorry to hear that." Lorna empathized. "My father is dead as well. he fell in battle, alongside my older brother, many years ago. Ere my teenage years, I am afraid. Have you any family?"
"Yes, my mother lives just outside Meduseld's gates, and my sister is almost a teen. I once had an older brother as well, but he too fell in battle. He had the glory of glimpsing Minas Tirith once." Raedan bowed his head, as if recalling bad memories. "It seems we have some in common, though. Shall we talk later?" he asked.
"Indeed we do have some in common, and I would love to talk later, perhaps after our meal?" Lorna replied and wiped the side of her mouth with a napkin.
They were excused and walked together through the halls of Meduseld.
"When I agreed we had some in common, I believed it to be true," Lorna said, "But not only in family."
"What do you mean?" Raedan asked. He looked worried.
"Well, there is one I left behind in Minas Tirith when I came here. A man." She said. They sat down on a small bench in the hallway. "And I dearly love that man, but am being forced to marry, or consider marriage, to you. Now, I believe that you love another, and think it absurd to be fixed to marry me. Am I wrong?" Lorna asked and looked deep into his eyes. He avoided her glance and blushed. After a while he answered.
"How did you know? Was it Ardith, did she tell you?" he asked.
"So it is Ardith! Ha! No, she didn't tell me, I merely guessed. You should know I'm quite good at things of this manner." Lorna replied and laughed. "But love her if you will, I take no offense. I am merely here to escape my mother, and stop her pestering!"
Raedan laughed. "So you care not if I see Ardith frequently?" he asked.
"Of course not, but the king might. And if he finds out he may force me to leave, if you get what I'm saying. You may please Ardith, but not so openly. If you ever call on her, do so through me, and you will not be found out before you wish!" Lorna suggested and they walked off.
