Edoras, 1442 SR, 21 FA
The Prince of Rohan paced up and down the halls of Meduseld, thinking to himself. He was feeling many things, but fear was the biggest feeling of all. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he did not notice his mother approach him. Queen Lothíriel smiled and placed a hand on her son's shoulder.
'Come, Elfwine, you are going to wear a hole in the floor. What is the matter?'
Elfwine sighed. 'Oh, Mama...' He shook his head. 'It does not matter.'
'You know you cannot get rid of me that easily,' Lothíriel said as she led her son to her private chamber. 'What is troubling you, my dearest? You know you can tell me anything.'
Elfwine sat down in a chair, his eyes cast down to the floor. 'It is a maid.'
Lothíriel grinned. 'Ah yes,' she said thoughtfully. 'The most beautiful yet terrible beings on this earth, the downfall of many a great king.'
'Mama, you're not helping.'
'I'm sorry, son. Do go on. Who is she? What is her name?'
Elfwine sighed but as he spoke his eyes shone. 'Her name is Frëahild, daughter of Frëawine. She is a friend to Morwen and she is the fairest maiden I have ever seen.'
Lothíriel nodded. She knew this maid through her daughter Morwen, and she knew that she would be a good match for Elfwine. She was beautiful and intelligent, plus one of her foremothers was a legendary Shieldmaiden. She was the perfect mirror to Elfwine, who had begun to ride with the border patrols much like his father did when he was younger.
'She sounds perfect, Elfwine,' Lothíriel said after much thought. 'But do not be too eager. Wait for a while and see. Sometimes love comes to you in a way you might not expect.'
Elfwine nodded. 'Thank you, Mama.'
Lothíriel stood and kissed her son. 'Now be off with you. I'm sure Aldor is waiting for you to take him for a ride.'
Elfwine smiled. A long ride with his horse Aldor would do him a lot of good. He left the room, seeming a lot happier. Lothíriel returned to her husband's side in the main hall of Meduseld. He turned to her, concerned.
'What's wrong with Elfwine? He seems very sad.'
'He's in love, that's all.'
Éomer looked at her sharply, shocked. 'Who is she?'
'No one you need to worry about. She's a beautiful maid who would be perfect for him. Don't worry. He'll be fine.'
'But he is my son.'
'I know, but he's on the verge of adulthood. It is best to let him go, Éomer. Let him find his own path.' Lothíriel leaned in to whisper. 'I think you'll find it's Morwen you have to worry about.'
Éomer chuckled. 'She loves her books too much to look for a husband. She is too young anyway.'
'She is young, but she is nearly come to full womanhood as well. As for her books...' Lothíriel trailed off with a smile. 'That's what we always used to say about cousin Faramir.'
That silenced Éomer. Lothíriel smiled. 'Just let them go. They have to fend for themselves now.' As she spoke, Morwen walked through the doors with a few of her friends, who politely curtsied to the King and Queen. Éomer smiled. Morwen was the living image of her mother, brown haired and grey eyed, also looking a great deal like her namesake, Éomer's grandmother. However, she had not the temperament of Morwen Steelsheen. That was passed to her aunt Éowyn. She had inherited her cousin Faramir's love of books, and she often came with her small group of friends to study what she felt was needed for a Princess of Rohan to know. These girls were Morwen's closest friends and her family liked them all.
'Good day, young ladies. I trust you have come to use the library?'
'If that is all right with you, Pap-, er, my lord,' Morwen said.
Éomer smiled. 'Of course it is, dearest, but take care!'
The group of five curtsied once again and left to go to the library, slowly building up with generous contributions from Gondor. However, one maiden tailed behind, hesitating over something. She eventually built up the courage to approach the King and Queen once again. She knelt before them and offered a piece of parchment.
'If I may be so bold, my lord and lady, may I request that this be given to the Lord Elfwine when next you see him?' The maiden raised her head, uncertain of the King and Queen's response.
Lothíriel smiled and gently took it from her. 'Of course, my dear. I am sure that Elfwine will be glad to hear from you. Rise now, and join the others.' The maiden smiled and rose to her feet, quickly scampering off to join the others.
Éomer was thoroughly confused. 'What was that all about?'
Lothíriel looked at him and grinned. 'That maiden, my love, is the future Queen of Rohan.'
The Prince of Rohan paced up and down the halls of Meduseld, thinking to himself. He was feeling many things, but fear was the biggest feeling of all. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he did not notice his mother approach him. Queen Lothíriel smiled and placed a hand on her son's shoulder.
'Come, Elfwine, you are going to wear a hole in the floor. What is the matter?'
Elfwine sighed. 'Oh, Mama...' He shook his head. 'It does not matter.'
'You know you cannot get rid of me that easily,' Lothíriel said as she led her son to her private chamber. 'What is troubling you, my dearest? You know you can tell me anything.'
Elfwine sat down in a chair, his eyes cast down to the floor. 'It is a maid.'
Lothíriel grinned. 'Ah yes,' she said thoughtfully. 'The most beautiful yet terrible beings on this earth, the downfall of many a great king.'
'Mama, you're not helping.'
'I'm sorry, son. Do go on. Who is she? What is her name?'
Elfwine sighed but as he spoke his eyes shone. 'Her name is Frëahild, daughter of Frëawine. She is a friend to Morwen and she is the fairest maiden I have ever seen.'
Lothíriel nodded. She knew this maid through her daughter Morwen, and she knew that she would be a good match for Elfwine. She was beautiful and intelligent, plus one of her foremothers was a legendary Shieldmaiden. She was the perfect mirror to Elfwine, who had begun to ride with the border patrols much like his father did when he was younger.
'She sounds perfect, Elfwine,' Lothíriel said after much thought. 'But do not be too eager. Wait for a while and see. Sometimes love comes to you in a way you might not expect.'
Elfwine nodded. 'Thank you, Mama.'
Lothíriel stood and kissed her son. 'Now be off with you. I'm sure Aldor is waiting for you to take him for a ride.'
Elfwine smiled. A long ride with his horse Aldor would do him a lot of good. He left the room, seeming a lot happier. Lothíriel returned to her husband's side in the main hall of Meduseld. He turned to her, concerned.
'What's wrong with Elfwine? He seems very sad.'
'He's in love, that's all.'
Éomer looked at her sharply, shocked. 'Who is she?'
'No one you need to worry about. She's a beautiful maid who would be perfect for him. Don't worry. He'll be fine.'
'But he is my son.'
'I know, but he's on the verge of adulthood. It is best to let him go, Éomer. Let him find his own path.' Lothíriel leaned in to whisper. 'I think you'll find it's Morwen you have to worry about.'
Éomer chuckled. 'She loves her books too much to look for a husband. She is too young anyway.'
'She is young, but she is nearly come to full womanhood as well. As for her books...' Lothíriel trailed off with a smile. 'That's what we always used to say about cousin Faramir.'
That silenced Éomer. Lothíriel smiled. 'Just let them go. They have to fend for themselves now.' As she spoke, Morwen walked through the doors with a few of her friends, who politely curtsied to the King and Queen. Éomer smiled. Morwen was the living image of her mother, brown haired and grey eyed, also looking a great deal like her namesake, Éomer's grandmother. However, she had not the temperament of Morwen Steelsheen. That was passed to her aunt Éowyn. She had inherited her cousin Faramir's love of books, and she often came with her small group of friends to study what she felt was needed for a Princess of Rohan to know. These girls were Morwen's closest friends and her family liked them all.
'Good day, young ladies. I trust you have come to use the library?'
'If that is all right with you, Pap-, er, my lord,' Morwen said.
Éomer smiled. 'Of course it is, dearest, but take care!'
The group of five curtsied once again and left to go to the library, slowly building up with generous contributions from Gondor. However, one maiden tailed behind, hesitating over something. She eventually built up the courage to approach the King and Queen once again. She knelt before them and offered a piece of parchment.
'If I may be so bold, my lord and lady, may I request that this be given to the Lord Elfwine when next you see him?' The maiden raised her head, uncertain of the King and Queen's response.
Lothíriel smiled and gently took it from her. 'Of course, my dear. I am sure that Elfwine will be glad to hear from you. Rise now, and join the others.' The maiden smiled and rose to her feet, quickly scampering off to join the others.
Éomer was thoroughly confused. 'What was that all about?'
Lothíriel looked at him and grinned. 'That maiden, my love, is the future Queen of Rohan.'