Disclaimer: HAH! I own everything! * does a little dance * Not really…I own nothing. Sorry.
Shel Bel1983 - I like Eomer frolicking around, although maybe not in a blue dress….I thought about using the turtle image, but somehow I think that would damage his credibility!
Isa - What happened on that rug is between Aragorn, Arwen, and the rug…just kidding. Thanks for the review!
daw - Lothiriel is a bit dim, isn't she? Oh, well, I guess she's blinded by love, ya know? She's leading a sheltered life. Or she's just dim. Thanks for the review!
Bean02 - Your review made me laugh out loud! I love your story too! Sorry for making you wait so long, but hopefully this will be worth it! Thanks for the review!
Evening Nightshade - I'm scared of when Eomer catches up with Damrod too and I haven't even written it yet! Thanks for the review!
JadeGoddess - Your review made me laugh so hard! If Eomer doesn't finish Damrod off, can I insert you in there to do it?
Aislin - Thank you for such a nice review! I hope you like this chapter!
Kezya - Aw, don't worry! Even though Lothiriel is a bit girly, she might have a few tricks up her sleeve! Thanks for the review!
Lotr_junkie - I don't know if Damrod should be more worried about Eomer coming after him or you. Thank you so much for the review!
A/N. I'm so sorry for the lack of updates! I have been so busy. And by busy I mean that I have been lying around watching Lifetime original movies. Please forgive me!
The sound of silence was deafening.
Aragorn was pacing the length of his conference room. His guards were searching the city and he was waiting to hear any word from them. He'd given them strict orders to report directly to him the moment they see or hear anything that could be connected to Lothiriel's disappearance. The sun had long since set, but Aragorn knew he would not sleep until they'd been given a sign of what happened. The thought that the princess's abduction might have occurred within his palace walls made him pace harder.
Arwen watched her husband pace and could feel his tension. The room was so quiet and not even Aragorn's footfalls would penetrate the silence. Arwen knew her husband had his guards combing through the city, but Arwen head a feeling that it was all in vain. Whatever Lothiriel's disappearance meant, Arwen knew in her heart that it would not be over soon.
Imrahil stood by the window anxiously. He knew his daughter was stubborn, but he had no idea that this trait of hers would put her in so much danger. He wanted to be out among the soldiers who were searching but his advisors had convinced him otherwise. Imrahil knew they were scared of him disappearing as well, but he didn't care. His only daughter had been taken and he prayed to whomever might be listening that Lothiriel was all right.
Eowyn sat beside Arwen. She was shaking, not out of cold, but from fear. It seemed that her plan was not going as intended and Eowyn couldn't help but to feel very guilty. It was her idea for Imrahil to bring Lothiriel to Minas Tirith. It was also her idea to have her brother court Lothiriel and if it hadn't been for her, none of this would have happened. Eowyn felt a tear slide down her cheek and quietly brushed it away.
Faramir saw his wife's tear and sat down beside her. He carefully reached over to take her hand in his own, and she grasped it like a lifeline. He knew she was feeling guilty and he wished he could o something to ease her mind. But Faramir's heart was filled with worry. He was worried for Imrahil because Faramir could not even begin to comprehend what it must be like to lose a child. He was worried for Lothiriel, of course, and prayed that she was unharmed. But Faramir was just as worried for Eomer, because he really wasn't sure how much longer the King could hold his temper.
Eomer sat alone and was stonily silent. He wasn't sure what he wanted to do most: Ride out and find Damrod and slit his throat or launch an assault on every single object in the room. He's decided that the latter of the two wasn't practical nor would it do any good, but he had not yet ruled it out. He wanted to hit something and hit it hard, but at the same time he could not bring himself to move. If he moved, he was terrified that his knees might buckle under the loss of Lothiriel.
~
They had finally stopped.
It was deep in the night and thought the moon was hidden and there was no light, Damrod and his men had ridden on. As soon as the party had gone beyond the city gates, someone had placed a blindfold around Lothiriel's eyes, and she could see nothing but darkness. She had desperately tried to pay attention to everything around her, but all she really wanted to do was cry. She was cold, she was hungry, and she was tired. But mostly she was confused and scared.
As she was unceremoniously dumped on the ground, Lothiriel's thoughts turned to Eomer. She knew he was her only hope, but she wasn't even sure he would come for her. What if he just kept the information to himself? What if he decided that he didn't care what happened to her?
Lothiriel's thoughts were interrupted as the blindfold was yanked off her face. She was in a tent of some sort. Whoever had removed her blindfold was now busy binding her hands to a post. Lothiriel tried to maneuver herself to see who it was, but they finished quickly and then disappeared outside the tent.
Lothiriel knew that while she was alone, she should take inventory of her surroundings. The tent she was in was basic, with a bed in the corner and a table against the wall. She was sitting in the middle of the tent, bound to a chair.
She had just begun to try and turn around to inspect her bindings when the tent flap opened and Damrod walked in.
He strode over to stand directly in front of her and then softly caressed the cheek that he had hit earlier. There was a dark bruise upon it, and he smiled maliciously.
"This is not as dark as I would like it to be," he said. "But I'm not too worried about it."
"What are you talking about?" Lothiriel said.
"Well," Damrod said. "I suppose I could explain to you why you are here."
He snapped his fingers and one of his men brought in a stool. He placed it in front of her and sat down.
"You are here," he began, "because you are the epitome of everything I despise. While I was fighting in the war for my master, you were safely tucked away in a great castle by the sea. My master fell so people like you could continue living. It disgusts me."
Lothiriel slowly lifted her eyes to his, and hers were filled with fear.
"You," she said slowly. "You fought for the Dark Lord?"
"Yes," he said, "I did. I was there at the Black Gate when his power was destroyed and he fell forever. But now, I shall let everyone know that while my master is gone, his servants still live." He began to slowly walk around her. "And what a better way to do this than to kidnap the Princess of Dol Amroth?" He placed his hands on the arms of her chair and spoke quickly into her face. "You were so easy. You practically begged to be taken. You believed every lie I told you."
Lothiriel felt all her anger and confusion surge to the surface. Leaning forward so that their faces were practically touching, she spit in his face.
Damrod slowly blinked and then wiped the wetness away.
"Keep going, your highness," he said laughing. "Have all the fun you want. In fact, keep your spirit strong. It will much more fun to break you that way."
With that, he stood and left the tent. Lothiriel stared after him with her eyes blazing before she slowly dropped her head and wept.
~
The knocking at the door startled everyone. Aragorn quickly made to answer it and spoke quietly to his guard. As he turned back to the waiting group, he cleared his throat and spoke slowly.
"One of the kitchen servants saw Aerilyn this afternoon. She was leading a woman who had a riding cloak pulled over her head. The description of this woman matches Lothiriel. The cook watched them walk to the stables before heading back to the kitchen." Aragorn took a deep breath. "My guards have further investigated this and I'm afraid it's as we have feared. She has been taken."
His eyes flew to Eomer who was already standing.
"I am leaving right now," he said. "Whoever wishes to ride with me may. I simply cannot sit here and wait for more news. I am not a patient man. And I need to find her."
As he turned to leave, Imrahil grabbed his arm.
"I cannot go with you," Imrahil said. "My advisors have made it clear that I am to wait here. But I beg you, please bring her back."
Eomer didn't even reply, just nodded, and ran for the stables.