A/N: 14/04/04 i would like to dedicate it to fairion, my youth minister, and his wife, balaneth, who recently went through a miscarriage. the stuff with harrana and riordan is for them.
**disclaimer** you know by now that i don't own any of this except for my oc's and ideas.
Chapter XVII
May, T.A. 3021
The company of riders arrived in Dol Amroth a few days later. Lothiriel was surprised, for there were many dark-skinned people in the city, more than she remembered. She leaned over to Elphir and said, "Have we at last reached a truce with Harad?"
He smiled grimly. "Nay. Not yet. One day, last fall, I suppose it was, three ships arrived at our bay. They bore the mark of Harad, the black lion. Their leader was a woman with a three-year-old boy. She said her name was Harrana--" Lothiriel gasped at this, recognizing the name immediately "-- and she asked that they might stay here to wait for the Rohirric lord and his bride. I do not know why, but I'm guessing that you do."
"I don't know why, but I do know who she is. She is--or was--the lover of Riordan, one of Eomer's advisors. He's been waiting these past three years for word of her." Lothiriel sighed. "I suppose she's forgotten him by now if she has a child. I will go tell Eomer, so he can decide how to tell Riordan." She slowed her horse, waiting until Eomer fell into step with her.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"I thought you would want to know that Lady Harrana is here," she said quietly. "With her son. Elphir just told me that they arrived last fall with three ships of Haradrim to wait for us."
"Does Riordan know?" he asked quickly.
Lothiriel shook her head. "I don't think so." They rode the rest of the distance to the palace in silent thought, neither sure of how to break the news to their friend.
************
A group of nobility awaited the riders at the steps to the palace. Lothiriel immediately recognized her father and her other two brothers. Her father, Lord Imrahil, had nearly all-white hair now, and a silvery beard to match. He still had a look of youth about him, despite his aged appearance. Her brothers, Erchirion and Amrothos, looked slightly less-gangly than Lothiriel remembered them, and Amrothos now sported a short beard. Three ladies stood with them. One lady Lothiriel recognized as Lady Niphredil from Edhellond, Amrothos' wife. There was also a blonde-haired lady who had a little girl clinging to her skirt. Lothiriel assumed that she was Elphir's wife. This assumption was confirmed when the little girl ran up to Elphir crying, "Papa! Papa! You're home!"
The third lady stayed in the shadows. Her hair was black as coal, as was her skin, and she had a mystical aura about her. She held a little boy in her arms. The boy fascinated Lothiriel. He seemed to be as dark as his mother, but his eyes were the color of sandalwood. The eyes of the Rohirrim. A slightly strangled cry came from behind Lothiriel.
"Harrana!" It was Riordan. He immediately leapt off his horse and ran to the woman. "I thought I'd never see you again," he whispered, holding her tightly.
"I told you I would come back," she said, tears in her dark eyes. The two stood in bliss, completely unaware that there were other people present. "And look," she said, pulling away from him, "I brought someone with me. Riordan, I want you to meet Kedar, our son." She handed the little boy to him.
"Our son," he whispered. "You mean I'm a father?" She nodded. "I'm a father! Eomer, I'm a father!"
Eomer smiled sheepishly. "Congratulations, Riordan. When's the wedding?"
The bard laughed. "Soon, my friend, soon! But first, I must learn all that has taken place these past three years with my lady-love." He took Harrana's hand, and the two walked into the palace, together again at last.
"Well, now that the long-lost lovers have been reunited, I'm glad you're back, Lothiriel." It was Imrahil who spoke.
Lothiriel grinned and dismounted. "It feels wonderful to be near the sea again."
"What about us?" asked Amrothos, mock pain seeping into his voice. "Didn't you miss your dear brothers?"
"Oh, yes, I suppose I missed you, too," she said.
"That's good," said Erchirion. "I can finally get married now."
"You mean you waited all this time to get married because of me?" Lothiriel exclaimed, engulfing her middle brother in a hug.
Erchirion coughed. "I seem to remember a certain younger sister threatening my manhood if I got married before she came back from the Elf Haven."
"Oh, that's right! Now I remember!" Lothiriel smiled sweetly up at him. "I suppose you can get married now."
"Well I'm glad that's cleared up, then," laughed Erchirion. "I'll be sure to go find a lady to marry."
Lothiriel laughed as well, and the siblings went inside, the other nobility following them.
************
Her rooms were much the same as they were ten years earlier, Lothiriel mused as she unpacked her belongings from Rivendell. Nothing had really changed. At least not at first glance. And yet, everything was different. Two of her brothers were married and had children, and she was preparing to marry as well. The War had taken a toll on all of her family. The greying hair of her eldest brother was one indicator of that, as were the wrinkles around her father's eyes.
Someone knocked at the door. "Who is it?" Lothiriel called.
"It's me," Mista said, entering. "Your father wants you downstairs for the evening meal." She flopped on the bed. "It's strange being home, isn't it?"
"I was just thinking the same thing," replied Lothiriel. "Everything seems the same and completely different all at once. I don't think I'll ever get used to it."
"You won't have time to. You're getting married, remember?"
Lothiriel sighed. "Yes, I know."
"You'll be happy in Rohan, I promise. You like Eomer well enough. And even if you didn't, you'd be able to beat him if he tried anything." Mista grinned. "Come on, let's get some food. I'm starved."
************
The meal that evening was relatively quiet. Lothiriel was seated between Lady Niphredil and Lady Rona, her brothers' wives. Eomer was on the other side of the table, with the three brothers and Sarn. Neither enjoyed themselves. Rona and Niphredil tried their best to make small talk, but Lothiriel was tired and made no effort to reply. Eomer, on the other hand, was forced to listen to Amrothos and Sarn debate about creating faster ships, a craft that he had no interest in whatsoever, seeing as how he had only seen the ocean from a distance (the fact that sarn was taking part in the debate did not improve eomer's mood either). The only person out of the travelers from Rohan that seemed to be enjoying himself was Riordan. He was playing with his son and enjoyed every moment of it.
At last, Imrahil decided to end the dinner with an announcement. "Tomorrow evening," he said, rising from his seat, "I would like to invite everyone to a ball in honor of the betrothal of my daughter, Lothiriel, and Eomer of Rohan. Now, I shall let you all take your leave so you may rest for tomorrow's festivities. Good eve to you all!"
A/N (again): urk. that was a bad chapter, but i had to have some kind of transition from their arrival to the party. and i also wanted to get the harrana/riordan spoiler in there. up next: more beer, more fluff (though between whom has yet to be decided), and more HIM (you thought i'd forget to cause problems, didn't you? admit it, you did.)........
**disclaimer** you know by now that i don't own any of this except for my oc's and ideas.
Chapter XVII
May, T.A. 3021
The company of riders arrived in Dol Amroth a few days later. Lothiriel was surprised, for there were many dark-skinned people in the city, more than she remembered. She leaned over to Elphir and said, "Have we at last reached a truce with Harad?"
He smiled grimly. "Nay. Not yet. One day, last fall, I suppose it was, three ships arrived at our bay. They bore the mark of Harad, the black lion. Their leader was a woman with a three-year-old boy. She said her name was Harrana--" Lothiriel gasped at this, recognizing the name immediately "-- and she asked that they might stay here to wait for the Rohirric lord and his bride. I do not know why, but I'm guessing that you do."
"I don't know why, but I do know who she is. She is--or was--the lover of Riordan, one of Eomer's advisors. He's been waiting these past three years for word of her." Lothiriel sighed. "I suppose she's forgotten him by now if she has a child. I will go tell Eomer, so he can decide how to tell Riordan." She slowed her horse, waiting until Eomer fell into step with her.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"I thought you would want to know that Lady Harrana is here," she said quietly. "With her son. Elphir just told me that they arrived last fall with three ships of Haradrim to wait for us."
"Does Riordan know?" he asked quickly.
Lothiriel shook her head. "I don't think so." They rode the rest of the distance to the palace in silent thought, neither sure of how to break the news to their friend.
************
A group of nobility awaited the riders at the steps to the palace. Lothiriel immediately recognized her father and her other two brothers. Her father, Lord Imrahil, had nearly all-white hair now, and a silvery beard to match. He still had a look of youth about him, despite his aged appearance. Her brothers, Erchirion and Amrothos, looked slightly less-gangly than Lothiriel remembered them, and Amrothos now sported a short beard. Three ladies stood with them. One lady Lothiriel recognized as Lady Niphredil from Edhellond, Amrothos' wife. There was also a blonde-haired lady who had a little girl clinging to her skirt. Lothiriel assumed that she was Elphir's wife. This assumption was confirmed when the little girl ran up to Elphir crying, "Papa! Papa! You're home!"
The third lady stayed in the shadows. Her hair was black as coal, as was her skin, and she had a mystical aura about her. She held a little boy in her arms. The boy fascinated Lothiriel. He seemed to be as dark as his mother, but his eyes were the color of sandalwood. The eyes of the Rohirrim. A slightly strangled cry came from behind Lothiriel.
"Harrana!" It was Riordan. He immediately leapt off his horse and ran to the woman. "I thought I'd never see you again," he whispered, holding her tightly.
"I told you I would come back," she said, tears in her dark eyes. The two stood in bliss, completely unaware that there were other people present. "And look," she said, pulling away from him, "I brought someone with me. Riordan, I want you to meet Kedar, our son." She handed the little boy to him.
"Our son," he whispered. "You mean I'm a father?" She nodded. "I'm a father! Eomer, I'm a father!"
Eomer smiled sheepishly. "Congratulations, Riordan. When's the wedding?"
The bard laughed. "Soon, my friend, soon! But first, I must learn all that has taken place these past three years with my lady-love." He took Harrana's hand, and the two walked into the palace, together again at last.
"Well, now that the long-lost lovers have been reunited, I'm glad you're back, Lothiriel." It was Imrahil who spoke.
Lothiriel grinned and dismounted. "It feels wonderful to be near the sea again."
"What about us?" asked Amrothos, mock pain seeping into his voice. "Didn't you miss your dear brothers?"
"Oh, yes, I suppose I missed you, too," she said.
"That's good," said Erchirion. "I can finally get married now."
"You mean you waited all this time to get married because of me?" Lothiriel exclaimed, engulfing her middle brother in a hug.
Erchirion coughed. "I seem to remember a certain younger sister threatening my manhood if I got married before she came back from the Elf Haven."
"Oh, that's right! Now I remember!" Lothiriel smiled sweetly up at him. "I suppose you can get married now."
"Well I'm glad that's cleared up, then," laughed Erchirion. "I'll be sure to go find a lady to marry."
Lothiriel laughed as well, and the siblings went inside, the other nobility following them.
************
Her rooms were much the same as they were ten years earlier, Lothiriel mused as she unpacked her belongings from Rivendell. Nothing had really changed. At least not at first glance. And yet, everything was different. Two of her brothers were married and had children, and she was preparing to marry as well. The War had taken a toll on all of her family. The greying hair of her eldest brother was one indicator of that, as were the wrinkles around her father's eyes.
Someone knocked at the door. "Who is it?" Lothiriel called.
"It's me," Mista said, entering. "Your father wants you downstairs for the evening meal." She flopped on the bed. "It's strange being home, isn't it?"
"I was just thinking the same thing," replied Lothiriel. "Everything seems the same and completely different all at once. I don't think I'll ever get used to it."
"You won't have time to. You're getting married, remember?"
Lothiriel sighed. "Yes, I know."
"You'll be happy in Rohan, I promise. You like Eomer well enough. And even if you didn't, you'd be able to beat him if he tried anything." Mista grinned. "Come on, let's get some food. I'm starved."
************
The meal that evening was relatively quiet. Lothiriel was seated between Lady Niphredil and Lady Rona, her brothers' wives. Eomer was on the other side of the table, with the three brothers and Sarn. Neither enjoyed themselves. Rona and Niphredil tried their best to make small talk, but Lothiriel was tired and made no effort to reply. Eomer, on the other hand, was forced to listen to Amrothos and Sarn debate about creating faster ships, a craft that he had no interest in whatsoever, seeing as how he had only seen the ocean from a distance (the fact that sarn was taking part in the debate did not improve eomer's mood either). The only person out of the travelers from Rohan that seemed to be enjoying himself was Riordan. He was playing with his son and enjoyed every moment of it.
At last, Imrahil decided to end the dinner with an announcement. "Tomorrow evening," he said, rising from his seat, "I would like to invite everyone to a ball in honor of the betrothal of my daughter, Lothiriel, and Eomer of Rohan. Now, I shall let you all take your leave so you may rest for tomorrow's festivities. Good eve to you all!"
A/N (again): urk. that was a bad chapter, but i had to have some kind of transition from their arrival to the party. and i also wanted to get the harrana/riordan spoiler in there. up next: more beer, more fluff (though between whom has yet to be decided), and more HIM (you thought i'd forget to cause problems, didn't you? admit it, you did.)........