Ice Fishing
The days following Midwinter brought much celebration for Eomer and his guests. However, after waking early one morning to find his friends either sleeping or already engaged in activities, Eomer snuck out of Edoras to indulge in an activity that he had not been able to enjoy since his youth: Ice Fishing.
The cold lake to the north of the city was frozen over this time of year, and when Eomer was a boy, he and his cousin Theodred would ride their horses across the ice and go fishing for the few hours of light before it got dark and too cold to be outside. Eomer was not a boy anymore, and knew that his weight, compounded with the weight of his horse would most likely crack or break the ice. Instead of riding across the lake, Eomer tied his steed to a post and set to creating a hole near the shore. He dropped a line down into the frigid water and waited. The sun crept higher in the sky, and despite near freezing temperatures, Eomer was quite warm. He laid back in the snow and wet grass and eventually dozed off. This is how Aragorn and Imrahil found him an hour later. Aragorn spotted Eomer from a hundred yards away. The former ranger crept up silently, and was nearly on top of Eomer before the young king realized what was going on.
"How dare you steal fish from the king's lake, peasant! Wait, my goodness.Imrahil! It is the king!" Aragorn shouted. Eomer woke with a start, and scooped up a handful of mud which he chucked at Aragorn.
"Orc-loving scoundrel! Sneaking up on me and ruining my nap like that.I should have you flogged and sent back to Gondor sitting backwards on a lame mule." Eomer nagged. He slowly got to his feet as Aragorn brushed the mud off his shoulder.
"And I should have you tried for treason for throwing mud at me. Now is not the time for idle threats, Eomer. You should know better." Aragorn prodded further.
"I would think that you, above anyone, would be used to the feeling of being muddy and dirty. You spent a good part of your life completely filthy, and underneath all that grime you turn out to be the king of men, and marry a gorgeous elf princess. How do you do it Aragorn?" Eomer asked. Aragorn dismounted his horse, and moved to stand at Eomer's side.
"I'm just lucky I guess. And so are you that I did not retaliate back there." Eomer surrendered and ceased any more arguing. He arranged himself and stood at his full height.
"What business would allow you to wake the Lord of Horses from his nap?" Eomer demanded.
It was Imrahil who spoke up. "Well, my lord, Elessar and I have a matter to discuss with you."
"Can the matter be discussed here? I don't want to go back home without even one fish to show to my guests."
Aragorn seemed to consider his request for a moment and then plopped down on the ground next to Eomer's pack. "Oh I don't see why not. It is a lovely day, and it would do us good to be away from those irritating advisors for a while." Aragorn stretched and Imrahil soon followed him down to the shore. Eomer sat as well, taking hold of his fishing pole and checking to see if he still had bait attached to his hook.
"What is it that needs to be discussed, gentlemen?" Imrahil and Aragorn looked at each other.
"It seems that you have taken a liking to my daughter, Eomer." Imrahil stated.
"It is not the way you think, Imrahil. I like your daughter and I would like to get to know her better. I am not ready to do more than that." Eomer's tone suggested he had heard too much of that issue and was tired of stressing his intentions.
"I am well aware of your thoughts. But it seems that my Lothiriel has taken a liking to you as well, horsemaster. She told her brothers that she thinks you are handsome. Of course looks are nothing to base a courtship on." Eomer turned beet red at Imrahil's statement. He was more than a little curious as to Lothiriel's other feelings, for he was sure there had to be something more.
"You are absolutely right, Imrahil." Eomer stammered.
"And I don't want to rush things, but if you need more time to get to know my daughter, it will have to wait. This party from Gondor will leave again in two days, taking your sister with us. You have a country to run, and therefore would not have time to run off to Dol Amroth without a valid reason." Eomer listened carefully and began formulating a set of ideas. He was silent for a moment before he spoke again.
"Lothiriel has asked to meet with me, alone, just for friendly discussion. If this meeting goes well, I will ask Lothiriel to exchange letters with me when you leave. If, during the course of our correspondence, I still feel attracted to her, I will make arrangements and come to Dol Amroth to formally ask permission to court her. Is that agreeable?"
"A good idea, Eomer. How does a warrior like you learn to be savvy with his heart and the women he chooses?" Aragorn asked.
"Honestly Aragorn, I thought there was to be no further teasing. Besides, I've grown up with Eowyn and her silly notions about love in fairy tales and legends. Something would really have to be wrong with me if I didn't learn something from all that. Now, back to the real issue at hand. You two are lucky that I brought extra supplies. Grab a pole and some bait and we'll see if it is more fun to hook women or trout."
Eomer, Aragorn and Imrahil returned to Edoras together just before sundown, with a great deal of trout and bass between the three of them as well as being completely filthy. As they arrived at the front steps, Arwen was waiting for them and literally dragged her husband from his horse, upstairs and into a waiting bathtub. Imrahil was careful to slink by the room where his sons were staying, and Eomer, having no one to greet him, trudged back to his room and sat down heavily on his bed.
"So this is what the life of a bachelor king is like. A castle full of guests and not one comes to greet you.no concerned wife or insatiable children. Just me, and the servants.and the horses." Eomer chuckled to himself. He called a servant in to draw him a bath and set to soaking, nearly falling asleep again. The sound of a nightingale on the branches of a tree outside brought Eomer back to reality. He sat up with a start and remembered that if he waited any longer, he would be late for his meeting with Lothiriel.
Eomer ran about his room, hurriedly getting dressed in garments befitting a king. He managed to give himself one last check before calming himself and confidently leaving his room to meet Lothiriel in the library.
As he arrived in front of the library, Eomer stopped to straighten himself yet again and quietly opened one of the large oak doors. Looking around, Eomer saw that he was probably early. Though the servants had not failed to notice what Eomer had planned, and someone had come in to the library earlier to clean it up and set out some drinks and fruit. Eomer opened the doors that led onto the balcony of the library and stood basking in the cool winter breeze. A slight knock at the door and Eomer was back on his toes, almost running for the door.
Casually, Eomer opened the door and smiled. On the other side, Lothriel drew back her hood and beamed up at him.
"It was good of you to arrange this, Lord Eomer. I'm sure you will prove to be much more entertaining than my family and everyone else. I trust that you did not put off any other engagements for me?" Lothiriel walked into the room and shut the door behind her. Eomer escorted her to a seat by the fireplace and took his place across from her.
"I did not postpone anything that cannot be done later. Just trivial things really.damsels in distress, a lame horse, and the son of my advisor who got his cat stuck in a tree." Eomer explained. Lothiriel laughed cheerfully and relaxed in her chair.
"I am flattered that the king would put off such important duties just for me."
"Aye, and I would do it a second time if you asked. There is one thing that I ask in return. Tell me why you asked me to meet you here tonight. What are we to discuss?" Eomer waited for a response as Lothiriel seemed to have been caught off guard. Slowly, she stumbled over a reply.
"Well, Lord Eomer, I do not know if you have noticed, but you and I are of an age. There are not many people around my age here in Meduseheld at this time. Save you and I, there is Amrothos, Faramir and your dear sister. However, Amrothos spends all his time with my brothers, or with Faramir. And when Faramir is not with Amrothos, he is with Eowyn. No matter the combination, I always feel as if I am intruding on something private that either pair, or all three might have formed. With you, I feel more at ease. And I would like to think that perhaps you and I have formed our own connection over the past few days, have we not?"
Eomer began to suspect that her feeling out of place around her cousin and Eowyn had more to do with jealousy than being uncomfortable. He also suspected that she might have been taking the first steps in initiating a relationship. Then again, Eomer could only suspect. He'd never felt like he was being pursued by a woman before.
"We have, Lothirel. I'd like to think that we are friends. You need not be so formal with me. Please, call me Eomer. Think up some sort of nickname if you like." Eomer suggested.
"A nickname? You mean the ones you and my cousin have for each other. You call him Fairy."
"Yes, and he call's me Horses's Rear. We are rude with each other now and then, that's how much I respect the man."
"I shudder at the thought of the nickname you might give me then." Lothiriel added.
Eomer was quick to reassure her. "I would never think of calling you something that is unbecoming of a princess, or a friend. With that said, I have a favor to ask of you."
"Name it, Eomer."
"I only ask that when you leave Meduseheld in three days time that you continue to keep in contact with me. I shall write a letter once you have arrived in Dol Amroth and I would hope that you would write me back and I promise to keep up the correspondence, even if I must sacrifice some time from other activities. Will you do that for me?" Eomer looked at her with pleading eyes and waited. Luckily, Lothiriel wasted no time in answering him.
"I would love to. Despite what my father or brothers might tell you, there isn't much need for me in Dol Amroth. I do perform ceremonial duties at times, but my everyday life does not consist of much excitement. I would very much like to write to you."
"Thank you. I will try very hard to make sure you are not disappointed. Now what else did you want to talk about?" Eomer asked.
"Well, considering we are friends, there is still much that I do not know about you, Eomer. Tell me about yourself."
Eomer and Lothiriel's conversation went on into the wee hours of the morning. It was nearing dawn when they finally bid each other goodnight. Eomer would have liked to have escorted her to her room, but she knew that her brothers would be getting up for their early morning training with the Rohirrim. She kissed him lightly on the cheek outside the library door and disappeared. Eomer practically floated back to his room and drifted off to sleep, not bothering to answer the knocks on his door for breakfast an hour later, or for lunch that afternoon.
The days following Midwinter brought much celebration for Eomer and his guests. However, after waking early one morning to find his friends either sleeping or already engaged in activities, Eomer snuck out of Edoras to indulge in an activity that he had not been able to enjoy since his youth: Ice Fishing.
The cold lake to the north of the city was frozen over this time of year, and when Eomer was a boy, he and his cousin Theodred would ride their horses across the ice and go fishing for the few hours of light before it got dark and too cold to be outside. Eomer was not a boy anymore, and knew that his weight, compounded with the weight of his horse would most likely crack or break the ice. Instead of riding across the lake, Eomer tied his steed to a post and set to creating a hole near the shore. He dropped a line down into the frigid water and waited. The sun crept higher in the sky, and despite near freezing temperatures, Eomer was quite warm. He laid back in the snow and wet grass and eventually dozed off. This is how Aragorn and Imrahil found him an hour later. Aragorn spotted Eomer from a hundred yards away. The former ranger crept up silently, and was nearly on top of Eomer before the young king realized what was going on.
"How dare you steal fish from the king's lake, peasant! Wait, my goodness.Imrahil! It is the king!" Aragorn shouted. Eomer woke with a start, and scooped up a handful of mud which he chucked at Aragorn.
"Orc-loving scoundrel! Sneaking up on me and ruining my nap like that.I should have you flogged and sent back to Gondor sitting backwards on a lame mule." Eomer nagged. He slowly got to his feet as Aragorn brushed the mud off his shoulder.
"And I should have you tried for treason for throwing mud at me. Now is not the time for idle threats, Eomer. You should know better." Aragorn prodded further.
"I would think that you, above anyone, would be used to the feeling of being muddy and dirty. You spent a good part of your life completely filthy, and underneath all that grime you turn out to be the king of men, and marry a gorgeous elf princess. How do you do it Aragorn?" Eomer asked. Aragorn dismounted his horse, and moved to stand at Eomer's side.
"I'm just lucky I guess. And so are you that I did not retaliate back there." Eomer surrendered and ceased any more arguing. He arranged himself and stood at his full height.
"What business would allow you to wake the Lord of Horses from his nap?" Eomer demanded.
It was Imrahil who spoke up. "Well, my lord, Elessar and I have a matter to discuss with you."
"Can the matter be discussed here? I don't want to go back home without even one fish to show to my guests."
Aragorn seemed to consider his request for a moment and then plopped down on the ground next to Eomer's pack. "Oh I don't see why not. It is a lovely day, and it would do us good to be away from those irritating advisors for a while." Aragorn stretched and Imrahil soon followed him down to the shore. Eomer sat as well, taking hold of his fishing pole and checking to see if he still had bait attached to his hook.
"What is it that needs to be discussed, gentlemen?" Imrahil and Aragorn looked at each other.
"It seems that you have taken a liking to my daughter, Eomer." Imrahil stated.
"It is not the way you think, Imrahil. I like your daughter and I would like to get to know her better. I am not ready to do more than that." Eomer's tone suggested he had heard too much of that issue and was tired of stressing his intentions.
"I am well aware of your thoughts. But it seems that my Lothiriel has taken a liking to you as well, horsemaster. She told her brothers that she thinks you are handsome. Of course looks are nothing to base a courtship on." Eomer turned beet red at Imrahil's statement. He was more than a little curious as to Lothiriel's other feelings, for he was sure there had to be something more.
"You are absolutely right, Imrahil." Eomer stammered.
"And I don't want to rush things, but if you need more time to get to know my daughter, it will have to wait. This party from Gondor will leave again in two days, taking your sister with us. You have a country to run, and therefore would not have time to run off to Dol Amroth without a valid reason." Eomer listened carefully and began formulating a set of ideas. He was silent for a moment before he spoke again.
"Lothiriel has asked to meet with me, alone, just for friendly discussion. If this meeting goes well, I will ask Lothiriel to exchange letters with me when you leave. If, during the course of our correspondence, I still feel attracted to her, I will make arrangements and come to Dol Amroth to formally ask permission to court her. Is that agreeable?"
"A good idea, Eomer. How does a warrior like you learn to be savvy with his heart and the women he chooses?" Aragorn asked.
"Honestly Aragorn, I thought there was to be no further teasing. Besides, I've grown up with Eowyn and her silly notions about love in fairy tales and legends. Something would really have to be wrong with me if I didn't learn something from all that. Now, back to the real issue at hand. You two are lucky that I brought extra supplies. Grab a pole and some bait and we'll see if it is more fun to hook women or trout."
Eomer, Aragorn and Imrahil returned to Edoras together just before sundown, with a great deal of trout and bass between the three of them as well as being completely filthy. As they arrived at the front steps, Arwen was waiting for them and literally dragged her husband from his horse, upstairs and into a waiting bathtub. Imrahil was careful to slink by the room where his sons were staying, and Eomer, having no one to greet him, trudged back to his room and sat down heavily on his bed.
"So this is what the life of a bachelor king is like. A castle full of guests and not one comes to greet you.no concerned wife or insatiable children. Just me, and the servants.and the horses." Eomer chuckled to himself. He called a servant in to draw him a bath and set to soaking, nearly falling asleep again. The sound of a nightingale on the branches of a tree outside brought Eomer back to reality. He sat up with a start and remembered that if he waited any longer, he would be late for his meeting with Lothiriel.
Eomer ran about his room, hurriedly getting dressed in garments befitting a king. He managed to give himself one last check before calming himself and confidently leaving his room to meet Lothiriel in the library.
As he arrived in front of the library, Eomer stopped to straighten himself yet again and quietly opened one of the large oak doors. Looking around, Eomer saw that he was probably early. Though the servants had not failed to notice what Eomer had planned, and someone had come in to the library earlier to clean it up and set out some drinks and fruit. Eomer opened the doors that led onto the balcony of the library and stood basking in the cool winter breeze. A slight knock at the door and Eomer was back on his toes, almost running for the door.
Casually, Eomer opened the door and smiled. On the other side, Lothriel drew back her hood and beamed up at him.
"It was good of you to arrange this, Lord Eomer. I'm sure you will prove to be much more entertaining than my family and everyone else. I trust that you did not put off any other engagements for me?" Lothiriel walked into the room and shut the door behind her. Eomer escorted her to a seat by the fireplace and took his place across from her.
"I did not postpone anything that cannot be done later. Just trivial things really.damsels in distress, a lame horse, and the son of my advisor who got his cat stuck in a tree." Eomer explained. Lothiriel laughed cheerfully and relaxed in her chair.
"I am flattered that the king would put off such important duties just for me."
"Aye, and I would do it a second time if you asked. There is one thing that I ask in return. Tell me why you asked me to meet you here tonight. What are we to discuss?" Eomer waited for a response as Lothiriel seemed to have been caught off guard. Slowly, she stumbled over a reply.
"Well, Lord Eomer, I do not know if you have noticed, but you and I are of an age. There are not many people around my age here in Meduseheld at this time. Save you and I, there is Amrothos, Faramir and your dear sister. However, Amrothos spends all his time with my brothers, or with Faramir. And when Faramir is not with Amrothos, he is with Eowyn. No matter the combination, I always feel as if I am intruding on something private that either pair, or all three might have formed. With you, I feel more at ease. And I would like to think that perhaps you and I have formed our own connection over the past few days, have we not?"
Eomer began to suspect that her feeling out of place around her cousin and Eowyn had more to do with jealousy than being uncomfortable. He also suspected that she might have been taking the first steps in initiating a relationship. Then again, Eomer could only suspect. He'd never felt like he was being pursued by a woman before.
"We have, Lothirel. I'd like to think that we are friends. You need not be so formal with me. Please, call me Eomer. Think up some sort of nickname if you like." Eomer suggested.
"A nickname? You mean the ones you and my cousin have for each other. You call him Fairy."
"Yes, and he call's me Horses's Rear. We are rude with each other now and then, that's how much I respect the man."
"I shudder at the thought of the nickname you might give me then." Lothiriel added.
Eomer was quick to reassure her. "I would never think of calling you something that is unbecoming of a princess, or a friend. With that said, I have a favor to ask of you."
"Name it, Eomer."
"I only ask that when you leave Meduseheld in three days time that you continue to keep in contact with me. I shall write a letter once you have arrived in Dol Amroth and I would hope that you would write me back and I promise to keep up the correspondence, even if I must sacrifice some time from other activities. Will you do that for me?" Eomer looked at her with pleading eyes and waited. Luckily, Lothiriel wasted no time in answering him.
"I would love to. Despite what my father or brothers might tell you, there isn't much need for me in Dol Amroth. I do perform ceremonial duties at times, but my everyday life does not consist of much excitement. I would very much like to write to you."
"Thank you. I will try very hard to make sure you are not disappointed. Now what else did you want to talk about?" Eomer asked.
"Well, considering we are friends, there is still much that I do not know about you, Eomer. Tell me about yourself."
Eomer and Lothiriel's conversation went on into the wee hours of the morning. It was nearing dawn when they finally bid each other goodnight. Eomer would have liked to have escorted her to her room, but she knew that her brothers would be getting up for their early morning training with the Rohirrim. She kissed him lightly on the cheek outside the library door and disappeared. Eomer practically floated back to his room and drifted off to sleep, not bothering to answer the knocks on his door for breakfast an hour later, or for lunch that afternoon.