Chapter 6: The Funeral
The funeral of the King and Queen was a solemn event. Lothien saw Men, Elves, Dwarves, even several Hobbits mourning Aragorn and Arwen's deaths.
The ushers had directed her to sit with the other Elves – which looked like the entire population of Imladris and Lothlorien combined – but Lothien knew few of them, and the ones she had met before had only been brief, formal introductions. Legolas had always been the ambassador.
Eowyn sang a lament for the King and Queen. It was in words Lothien could not understand, but the woman did have an exceptional voice – for a Human of course. The funeral passed without any incident except at the very end. The guests were beginning to file past the urns that held Aragorn's and Arwen's remains when a short, greasy – haired Man stood up and addressed the group.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he announced, "I interrupt your grieving with some good news. The royal family's assailant has been captured and is on his way to Minas Tirith as we speak!" Some applause and scattered cheering was heard from the crowd. The Man waited for it to die down before he continued. "He is an Elf by the name of Legolas, and will reach the city within the week. I just thought the population of this fine city would like to know that the King's and Queen's deaths will soon be avenged."
Lothien caught up to Eowyn, the only human who knew her by name, and asked, "Who was that disgusting idiot who announced my brother's arrest?"
"That was Meclan," Eowyn replied, wiping recently fallen tears from her eyes. "He controls the legal system in Gondor."
"How incredibly rude! What an inappropriate thing to say at a funeral!"
"Excuse me, Mistress Elf," Lothien looked down and saw a fair-haired Hobbit looking up at her. "Did you say that Legolas was your brother?"
"I did, Master Hobbit," she replied.
"My name," the little man said, bowing low, "is Samwise Gamgee of the Shire. Hobbiton to be exact."
A smile tugged at the corner of the Elf maiden's mouth. "A pleasure to meet you, Samwise Gamgee. I am-"
"Begging your pardon, m'lady," Samwise interrupted her, "but I must introduce you to Mr. Frodo," and the Hobbit scurried off into the crowd. He came back with another Hobbit, this one with dark hair. "Lady Lothien, allow me to introduce you to Frodo Baggins."
Lothien nodded at the Hobbits. "My brother speaks very highly of both of you. It is an honour to have finally met you in person."
Frodo just looked at her, his eyes seeming to pierce her very soul. "Legolas didn't kill Aragorn, nor Arwen. They were too close of friends for something like this to happen."
Lothien sighed. "This is all a huge misunderstanding. You're right. It would have been impossible for Legolas to commit the crime his is accused of. He love-" Lothien stopped. She couldn't reveal the secret her brother had told her during a moment of pure vulnerability. Luckily, she thought fast and recovered quick enough so the Hobbits weren't suspicious. "He loved both Aragorn and Arwen as dear friends and would do nothing to harm them."
"Lady?" Frodo asked her, "Would you grant the rest of the fellowship including Sam and myself the pleasure of you company this evening at dinner?"
"It's not all that important," Sam added, "but since we're all in the same place now, we figured we'd all get together over hot food and a glass of ale and remember our journey, and pay our respects to the... lost members."
"Oh!" Lothien said, surprised by the impromptu invite, "I wouldn't want to intrude on any of your-"
"Nonsense!" Sam interrupted, "We'll just set an extra place for you. Someone needs to represent the Elves, and since Legolas is... indisposed, if you catch my meaning, his sister would be the next best thing."
"Well, if you're going to insist on it, I accept your offer, and look forward to seeing you and your offer, and look forward to seeing you and your comrades this evening."
"The feeling is mutual, my lady," Frodo said. "Now if you'll excuse us..." That said, he turned and joined the now-thinning stream of people, Samwise following closely behing.
Lothien turned and almost started when she saw Eowyn and her husband still patiently waiting to walk with her.
"So," Eowyn said, her face now dry, but her eyes still red and puffy, "You're having dinner with the fellowship."
The funeral of the King and Queen was a solemn event. Lothien saw Men, Elves, Dwarves, even several Hobbits mourning Aragorn and Arwen's deaths.
The ushers had directed her to sit with the other Elves – which looked like the entire population of Imladris and Lothlorien combined – but Lothien knew few of them, and the ones she had met before had only been brief, formal introductions. Legolas had always been the ambassador.
Eowyn sang a lament for the King and Queen. It was in words Lothien could not understand, but the woman did have an exceptional voice – for a Human of course. The funeral passed without any incident except at the very end. The guests were beginning to file past the urns that held Aragorn's and Arwen's remains when a short, greasy – haired Man stood up and addressed the group.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he announced, "I interrupt your grieving with some good news. The royal family's assailant has been captured and is on his way to Minas Tirith as we speak!" Some applause and scattered cheering was heard from the crowd. The Man waited for it to die down before he continued. "He is an Elf by the name of Legolas, and will reach the city within the week. I just thought the population of this fine city would like to know that the King's and Queen's deaths will soon be avenged."
Lothien caught up to Eowyn, the only human who knew her by name, and asked, "Who was that disgusting idiot who announced my brother's arrest?"
"That was Meclan," Eowyn replied, wiping recently fallen tears from her eyes. "He controls the legal system in Gondor."
"How incredibly rude! What an inappropriate thing to say at a funeral!"
"Excuse me, Mistress Elf," Lothien looked down and saw a fair-haired Hobbit looking up at her. "Did you say that Legolas was your brother?"
"I did, Master Hobbit," she replied.
"My name," the little man said, bowing low, "is Samwise Gamgee of the Shire. Hobbiton to be exact."
A smile tugged at the corner of the Elf maiden's mouth. "A pleasure to meet you, Samwise Gamgee. I am-"
"Begging your pardon, m'lady," Samwise interrupted her, "but I must introduce you to Mr. Frodo," and the Hobbit scurried off into the crowd. He came back with another Hobbit, this one with dark hair. "Lady Lothien, allow me to introduce you to Frodo Baggins."
Lothien nodded at the Hobbits. "My brother speaks very highly of both of you. It is an honour to have finally met you in person."
Frodo just looked at her, his eyes seeming to pierce her very soul. "Legolas didn't kill Aragorn, nor Arwen. They were too close of friends for something like this to happen."
Lothien sighed. "This is all a huge misunderstanding. You're right. It would have been impossible for Legolas to commit the crime his is accused of. He love-" Lothien stopped. She couldn't reveal the secret her brother had told her during a moment of pure vulnerability. Luckily, she thought fast and recovered quick enough so the Hobbits weren't suspicious. "He loved both Aragorn and Arwen as dear friends and would do nothing to harm them."
"Lady?" Frodo asked her, "Would you grant the rest of the fellowship including Sam and myself the pleasure of you company this evening at dinner?"
"It's not all that important," Sam added, "but since we're all in the same place now, we figured we'd all get together over hot food and a glass of ale and remember our journey, and pay our respects to the... lost members."
"Oh!" Lothien said, surprised by the impromptu invite, "I wouldn't want to intrude on any of your-"
"Nonsense!" Sam interrupted, "We'll just set an extra place for you. Someone needs to represent the Elves, and since Legolas is... indisposed, if you catch my meaning, his sister would be the next best thing."
"Well, if you're going to insist on it, I accept your offer, and look forward to seeing you and your offer, and look forward to seeing you and your comrades this evening."
"The feeling is mutual, my lady," Frodo said. "Now if you'll excuse us..." That said, he turned and joined the now-thinning stream of people, Samwise following closely behing.
Lothien turned and almost started when she saw Eowyn and her husband still patiently waiting to walk with her.
"So," Eowyn said, her face now dry, but her eyes still red and puffy, "You're having dinner with the fellowship."