Disclaimer: Still don't own anything.
JadeGoddess - I think I might make you the personal hit woman for the royal house of Rohan or something. Thanks for the review!
Alon - You are too kind! I'm so honored to have you review; your fic "The Princess and the King" is one of my all time favorites and was the first Eomer story I ever read. Thank you so much for the review! I thought about what you said about the ending, and realized how right you are. Hence, the testosterone filled beginning of this chapter. Thanks!
Bean02 - I hope your eyeballs don't fall out, but other than that I'm glad I had you on the edge of your seat! I don't know whether Damrod should be more scared of Eomer or more scared of my reviewers! Thanks for the review!
daw - I totally agree! I always thought that Eomer was one of the most straightforward characters in the books. Thanks for the review!
Lotr_junkie - Ack! You've knocked one of my main characters unconscious! * drags Damrod back kicking and screaming * Thanks for the review!
Evening Nightshade - Thank you for such a nice review! I'm scared for Damrod, and he's not even real!
Isa - Aw, I don't mean to make you suffer! Don't worry. Just remember that I like happy endings….* wink *
TigerLily713 - Thank you so much! That is one of the nicest things I've ever been told!
A/N. A couple of things before I get started…I don't know whether Damrod should be more scared of Eomer or Lothiriel. You guys want revenge, huh? Well, thank you so much for all the reviews!…Go check out Shel Bel1983's fic called "What the Future Holds." Truly excellent.
Eomer walked briskly to the stables. He had sent for his men to be ready to leave immediately. Imrahil and Aragorn had done the same, so Eomer now had a nice collection of Swan Knights and Gondorrian soldiers along with his own Riders.
As he entered Firefoot's stall, he could see that his horse had already been prepared to leave. Hearing a noise in the darkened corner, he spun around with his hand already on the hilt of his sword.
"You shouldn't look so surprised Eomer," Aragorn said. "You didn't really think that I was going to let you go alone?" He clapped Eomer on the shoulder. "Whenever I have called for you, you have come. I will not let you ride alone."
"Nor will I," spoke a new voice, and Faramir appeared outside of the stall door. "Besides, if I do not ride with you, Eowyn would probably try to steal my armor and sneak out with you."
The three men quickly mounted and assembled their men. They were just getting ready to ride out when a rider approached. It was Imrahil.
"Imrahil!" Aragorn said. "Will you not heed you advisors? We are not sure what this threat means. Your entire house could be at risk!"
"I told my advisors to eat dung," Imrahil said bluntly. "I am not only the Prince of Dol Amroth. I am a father. I am a father whose only daughter has just been taken. I cannot sit idle knowing that she is in danger."
They set out immediately, riding through the night. Between Imrahil's protectiveness, Faramir's determination, Eomer's fury, and Aragorn's tracking skills, the party was easily able to pick up the trail that had been left by Damrod and his men. What bothered Aragorn, though, was that they did not even try to cover their tracks.
"This is not right," Aragorn said. "It's almost as if they expected to be followed. Why else would the trail be so easy to track?"
"They expect us to attack," Faramir said. "They want to lead us right into their camp and then ambush us somehow."
"Let us go then," Eomer said. "I am ready to meet them!"
Imrahil placed his hand on Eomer's arm. "Eomer, think of Lothiriel. Think of what they will do to her if we attack."
"How many of them could there possibly be?" asked Faramir. "We are still in Gondor and I would like to think that we would know if there was a large army massing in our own land."
Imrahil looked upon his three companions and then out to where their men followed behind. They all looked ready for battle at the thought of a lady being kidnapped. He sighed and turned to Aragorn.
"It is your call, my King," he said.
Aragorn too was ready to fight. He knew that there could not be many men against them. He was the King of Gondor, and he would know of any such movement. He was eager to get this over with and to have Lothiriel returned.
"We ride on," he said sternly. "We ride to meet them."
Daylight had just begun to creep along the edges of the horizon when they saw the camp.
~
When Lothiriel awoke, she found that not much had changed. She was still alone and still tied to the post. She had desperately tried to stay awake during the night, but exhaustion had taken her. While she was asleep, she dreamed of Eomer. She dreamed that she was with him in Rohan, leaning against his strong chest while they watched the sunset together. She dreamed that he would rescue her in the night, sweeping her up in his arms, and assuring her that she would be fine.
Now the night was over, and none of what she had dreamed had come true. She felt tears slide down her cheeks and didn't even try to wipe them away. How could she have been so foolish? She had always known that there was something mysterious about Damrod, and only now did she realize what that was. Her attraction to him was entirely based on the fact that he was different from every other man she had met. She had only imagined it to be love.
But now she truly knew what love was. She loved Eomer. She knew this in her heart, and she continually prayed that he would come for her. He was her only hope. He had only been trying to warn her of this when she had driven him away. She knew that if she ever got out of this mess that she would apologize to him until she was blue in the face. And then she would spend every day for the rest of her life telling him how she loved him. This thought was the only glimmer of hope that she held on to.
"Thinking of your King, are you?" A voice startled Lothiriel and she didn't have to look up to know it was Damrod.
"Do not speak of him," Lothiriel said, "unless it is in fear. When he comes for me, you will be the one to fall."
Damrod placed his face inches from hers. "He is not coming for you, my dear. So chase that thought out of your pretty head. I have made sure of this. Right now, your maid is riding out to meet him with a story so believable that even your distrusting father will believe it."
"What are you talking about?" Lothiriel said. "Tell me of your plan! I demand it!"
By then she was screaming, but it was no use. Damrod had long since gone.
~
Lothiriel's search party had stopped for a break. With the camp in sight, Aragorn, Faramir, Imrahil, and Eomer needed to plot their strategy. They were laying maps out when a man burst into their tent.
"My lords!" he said breathlessly. "A rider approaches! A lady rider!"
"From which direction?" Faramir asked. If it was in the direction of Minas Tirith, he was sure it was Eowyn. And while it would be interesting to see his pregnant wife atop a horse, he would be most outraged.
"She rides on the trail that we have been following," the man said. "She is asking for Prince Imrahil."
Imrahil was out of the tent before anyone could speak. If Lothiriel had somehow escaped, he knew his daughter would be smart enough to follow their tracks. Pushing aside some of his own men, he came to stand in front of the lady rider.
"My lord!" she said dismounting and throwing her arms around him. "I am so glad that it is really you! The most terrifying thing has happened!"
Imrahil held her as he felt her begin to collapse. As Eomer, Aragorn, and Faramir burst into the clearing, he watched their reaction play out on their faces. Faramir looked stunned, Aragorn's eyes widened, and Eomer's face was clearly contorted in disbelief.
The rider was Aerilyn.
~
They had quickly gotten her to a tent and given her some water. It was then that she began to recount her story.
"I was helping Princess Lothiriel escape from Minas Tirith," she lied. "I am so sorry Prince Imrahil, but your daughter has run away with the horseman."
"So it is Damrod," Imrahil shook his head. "I never trusted that boy. I knew he would have something to do with this."
Eomer had already heard enough. This girl was lying and he knew it. Placing his hands flat on the table in front of her, he leaned over her and looked hard in her eyes. She trembled a bit under his stare, and Eomer smiled inwardly. He was right.
"What then, of the conversation that I overheard that was about Lothiriel being kidnapped? You were there, and I was hoping you would recall it."
Aerilyn hesitated for just a moment before casting her eyes downwards and mumbling, "I do not know what you are talking about."
"Do you not?" Eomer pressed on. "Who sent you? Damrod? Well go back to him and tell him that his plan did not work. Tell him that I don't care how many messengers he sends to make us go away, I will still find Lothiriel and I will bring her back." With that, Eomer began to walk out of the tent. "And tell him when I find him, I will kill him."