A/N: first of all, i'd like to say **WARNING: MAJOR FLUFF ALERT. IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO FLUFF, PLEASE SKIP EVERYTHING ABOVE THE FIRST SET OF 12 ASTERISKS. EVEN THEN, YOU MAY NOT BE SAFE.**
this is dedicated to niko, who drew a picture of me beating up chasm, and is going to draw chibi eomer for me because she is nice.
**disclaimer** if i owned eomer (*sigh*), then i would not need niko to draw me a picture of him because he would always be right next to me (always...hehe...we all know what that means *winkwink*)(-oh yes, i'm bad).
Chapter XV
April, T.A. 3021
Lothiriel lay wide awake that night. Even if she had wanted to go to sleep, she knew she wouldn't be able to. The thought of that kiss kept her thoughts from quieting. Ah, that kiss. Even now, she was not entirely sure *why* she had returned it so...so intensely. It felt wonderful, though, and was a euphoria like none she had ever known. Was it just the pleasant surprise of the moment, or was there truly something between them? She could not decide. So Lothiriel lay in her bed, reliving the evening (conveniently skipping the part where eomer hit her in the head with the glaive), trying to decipher both her and the king's emotions while the rest of Rohan slept peacefully. Or so she thought, because...
...On the other side of Meduseld, another soon-to-be-married nobleperson lay restlessly in his own bed. He also was reliving the evening, though his thoughts were aimed at figuring out a way to explain the black eye Lothiriel now sported to her father. Eomer sighed. He was an imbecile for trying to throw the thing into the hill. And then he remembered what had come afterward. Ah, that kiss. He had not really planned for it to happen that way. He smiled, remembering the enthusiasm with which it was returned. Could she truly have meant everything that seemed to be in that kiss? Was she in love with him? Eomer had not been able to fathom how she would ever love him after all that had gone on before they reached Rohan. But now, now, he was not so sure it was impossible.
************
Lothiriel awoke with a throbbing pain by her eye. The spot where the glaive had connected with her head was tender, and more-than-likely purple. Sighing, she climbed out of bed and put on a dark brown dress. The morning was grey and dismal, the air heavy with the scent of rain. Lothiriel was slightly upset at the thought that she would not be able to go riding. Instead, she would have to stay in Meduseld and do embroidery--something she loathed. Mista had not awoken, so she quietly slipped out of their room and headed toward the dining hall.
There were few people in the hall, mostly riders who were having a quick breakfast before leaving for their patrols. Lothiriel didn't really recognize any of them, so she prepared to have her meal alone when one of them stood and came toward her. He was a handsome man, his skin darker than most of the others'. His eyes were a rich hazel, very beautiful, but they seemed to hold sadness in their depths. He nodded at her, saying, "Good morning, Lady Lothiriel. How do you fare?"
Lothiriel smiled. "I am well, thank you. Would you care to sit with me, sir...?" She let the word hang in the air.
"Riordan, milady." He bowed slightly to her and seated himself. "I am one of Eomer's advisors, though precisely why, I am not sure. Before the War, I was merely the court bard."
"There must be a reason. Did you play an important part in the Great Battle?" Lothiriel's curiosity had been piqued, and she had no intention of letting the man leave without telling her his story.
Riordan leaned back in his chair. "I was not so important to have been appointed king's advisor. In fact, I really did not have much part in the battle at all. Actually, I think it is more from who I found on the battlefield than anything else."
"What do you mean?"
"You have heard the tale of Lady Eowyn, yes?" Lothiriel nodded.
"Did you find her?" she exclaimed, her eyes alight with excitement.
"Nay, milady, I did not. Rather, I found a more curious woman. Her name is Harrana, which means 'Wanders South' in her people's tongue. She was the only living Haradrim woman we found on the field that day." He paused. "Lady Eowyn and I helped her escape from the White City so she could return to her people. I still await news that she made it."
Lothiriel understood then why he looked so sad. He was in love with the Haradrim woman. "She will find you someday, I am sure."
"I hope so." Riordan breathed deeply. "But let us not dwell on the sad stories of the War, milady. I wanted to commend you on your fine dueling yesterday." Lothiriel blushed slightly, causing Riordan to smile. "It was a good alternative to the bloody duels your people take part in." This caused Lothiriel to blush even more.
"Might I confide in you, Riordan?" she asked. He inclined his head. "I have never seen a duel in my home. My father would not let me go." She moved her head slightly out of the shadows, revealing her eye.
Concern filled Riordan's hazel ones. "Milady, what happened to your eye?"
"Oh, that?" She touched the tender spot softly. "I was teaching Eomer to use a glaive, but he hit me with it on accident. It doesn't hurt, but I suspect it looks terrible."
"You may want to get some salve from the healer. Your family will think that someone had hit you." This new voice came from behind Lothiriel. She turned and gasped slightly. It was Eomer, dressed in breeches and a loose, unbuttoned tunic.
"G-good morning," she stammered, her eyes never leaving his chiseled muscles.
"Good morning to you," he replied. "Riordan." He nodded at his friend, who silently stood and left them alone. Eomer sat down and took her hand in his. "Would you take a walk with me?"
"Certainly." They rose, and Eomer led her outside.
"I could not stop thinking about you last night."
"Nor I you," she whispered.
He turned and looked at her. "Then you will be happy here, with me?"
"Aye." Lothiriel spoke quietly. "I believe that I would be happy anywhere, so long as you are with me."
"I am glad." He smiled. She was suddenly aware that they had walked to a secluded place by the city wall. "Lothiriel," he said, "you have made me the luckiest man alive." Eomer kissed her, echoing his pronouncement and causing her to nearly melt in his arms. If she had not known it before, Lothiriel knew now that she could indeed live the rest of her life beside this man.
A/N (again): balrogthane, thank you (again) for telling me that it was odd when i'd said lothiriel was a clumsy oaf only to have her beat up eomer (hehe). i have come up with a solution, but it shall have to wait until the welcome feast in dol amroth. i know, i know, i can hear you all groaning, "not *another* feast! we've had two already!" but never fear, it shall be the last (at least until my next story...hehe). and besides, if it weren't for the feast in dol amroth, you'd never meet HIM.......
this is dedicated to niko, who drew a picture of me beating up chasm, and is going to draw chibi eomer for me because she is nice.
**disclaimer** if i owned eomer (*sigh*), then i would not need niko to draw me a picture of him because he would always be right next to me (always...hehe...we all know what that means *winkwink*)(-oh yes, i'm bad).
Chapter XV
April, T.A. 3021
Lothiriel lay wide awake that night. Even if she had wanted to go to sleep, she knew she wouldn't be able to. The thought of that kiss kept her thoughts from quieting. Ah, that kiss. Even now, she was not entirely sure *why* she had returned it so...so intensely. It felt wonderful, though, and was a euphoria like none she had ever known. Was it just the pleasant surprise of the moment, or was there truly something between them? She could not decide. So Lothiriel lay in her bed, reliving the evening (conveniently skipping the part where eomer hit her in the head with the glaive), trying to decipher both her and the king's emotions while the rest of Rohan slept peacefully. Or so she thought, because...
...On the other side of Meduseld, another soon-to-be-married nobleperson lay restlessly in his own bed. He also was reliving the evening, though his thoughts were aimed at figuring out a way to explain the black eye Lothiriel now sported to her father. Eomer sighed. He was an imbecile for trying to throw the thing into the hill. And then he remembered what had come afterward. Ah, that kiss. He had not really planned for it to happen that way. He smiled, remembering the enthusiasm with which it was returned. Could she truly have meant everything that seemed to be in that kiss? Was she in love with him? Eomer had not been able to fathom how she would ever love him after all that had gone on before they reached Rohan. But now, now, he was not so sure it was impossible.
************
Lothiriel awoke with a throbbing pain by her eye. The spot where the glaive had connected with her head was tender, and more-than-likely purple. Sighing, she climbed out of bed and put on a dark brown dress. The morning was grey and dismal, the air heavy with the scent of rain. Lothiriel was slightly upset at the thought that she would not be able to go riding. Instead, she would have to stay in Meduseld and do embroidery--something she loathed. Mista had not awoken, so she quietly slipped out of their room and headed toward the dining hall.
There were few people in the hall, mostly riders who were having a quick breakfast before leaving for their patrols. Lothiriel didn't really recognize any of them, so she prepared to have her meal alone when one of them stood and came toward her. He was a handsome man, his skin darker than most of the others'. His eyes were a rich hazel, very beautiful, but they seemed to hold sadness in their depths. He nodded at her, saying, "Good morning, Lady Lothiriel. How do you fare?"
Lothiriel smiled. "I am well, thank you. Would you care to sit with me, sir...?" She let the word hang in the air.
"Riordan, milady." He bowed slightly to her and seated himself. "I am one of Eomer's advisors, though precisely why, I am not sure. Before the War, I was merely the court bard."
"There must be a reason. Did you play an important part in the Great Battle?" Lothiriel's curiosity had been piqued, and she had no intention of letting the man leave without telling her his story.
Riordan leaned back in his chair. "I was not so important to have been appointed king's advisor. In fact, I really did not have much part in the battle at all. Actually, I think it is more from who I found on the battlefield than anything else."
"What do you mean?"
"You have heard the tale of Lady Eowyn, yes?" Lothiriel nodded.
"Did you find her?" she exclaimed, her eyes alight with excitement.
"Nay, milady, I did not. Rather, I found a more curious woman. Her name is Harrana, which means 'Wanders South' in her people's tongue. She was the only living Haradrim woman we found on the field that day." He paused. "Lady Eowyn and I helped her escape from the White City so she could return to her people. I still await news that she made it."
Lothiriel understood then why he looked so sad. He was in love with the Haradrim woman. "She will find you someday, I am sure."
"I hope so." Riordan breathed deeply. "But let us not dwell on the sad stories of the War, milady. I wanted to commend you on your fine dueling yesterday." Lothiriel blushed slightly, causing Riordan to smile. "It was a good alternative to the bloody duels your people take part in." This caused Lothiriel to blush even more.
"Might I confide in you, Riordan?" she asked. He inclined his head. "I have never seen a duel in my home. My father would not let me go." She moved her head slightly out of the shadows, revealing her eye.
Concern filled Riordan's hazel ones. "Milady, what happened to your eye?"
"Oh, that?" She touched the tender spot softly. "I was teaching Eomer to use a glaive, but he hit me with it on accident. It doesn't hurt, but I suspect it looks terrible."
"You may want to get some salve from the healer. Your family will think that someone had hit you." This new voice came from behind Lothiriel. She turned and gasped slightly. It was Eomer, dressed in breeches and a loose, unbuttoned tunic.
"G-good morning," she stammered, her eyes never leaving his chiseled muscles.
"Good morning to you," he replied. "Riordan." He nodded at his friend, who silently stood and left them alone. Eomer sat down and took her hand in his. "Would you take a walk with me?"
"Certainly." They rose, and Eomer led her outside.
"I could not stop thinking about you last night."
"Nor I you," she whispered.
He turned and looked at her. "Then you will be happy here, with me?"
"Aye." Lothiriel spoke quietly. "I believe that I would be happy anywhere, so long as you are with me."
"I am glad." He smiled. She was suddenly aware that they had walked to a secluded place by the city wall. "Lothiriel," he said, "you have made me the luckiest man alive." Eomer kissed her, echoing his pronouncement and causing her to nearly melt in his arms. If she had not known it before, Lothiriel knew now that she could indeed live the rest of her life beside this man.
A/N (again): balrogthane, thank you (again) for telling me that it was odd when i'd said lothiriel was a clumsy oaf only to have her beat up eomer (hehe). i have come up with a solution, but it shall have to wait until the welcome feast in dol amroth. i know, i know, i can hear you all groaning, "not *another* feast! we've had two already!" but never fear, it shall be the last (at least until my next story...hehe). and besides, if it weren't for the feast in dol amroth, you'd never meet HIM.......