A/N: yes, yes, bad lsoa for not updating ANYTHING. but i have a valid excuse: i marched at disney last saturday (24/04/04). plus, i've had really major writer's block. on both of my stories. especially the other one. i'd appreciate it if you would read it and give me suggestions on where to go (after you read this, of course). please? *makes puppy-dog eyes*
**disclaimer** oh how i wish i owned eomer. but unfortunately, i do not. so i must write about him falling in love with a woman who is not like me in any way, form, or fashion (except that she is in love with eomer).
Chapter XVIII
May, T.A. 3021
The ball was quite amazing to Eomer. He had never seen anything like it. Not in Rohan, not in Rivendell, and most certainly not in Minas Tirith, where the festivals and banquets were more formal than the Rohirric funerals. This was completely different from everything he had ever encountered. For one thing, it had started in the late afternoon rather than the evening. Lothiriel told him that it was because the fishermen had to set sail in accordance with the tides. "It would not do to set sail in shallow tide; the boats would get stuck in the sands beneath the waters," she had said. Eomer had given her a confused look, to which she replied, "I will show you what I mean in the morning. We will go to sea then. For now, let us enjoy the night!"
And so he was enjoying it thoroughly. The lower classes of the pearly city danced alongside Lothiriel and her brothers, apparently unconcerned that they were among nobility. Eomer was glad for this dismissal of the class system; it would make life in Rohan easier for his bride-to-be. Not that she would ever have trouble fitting in. She had already succeeded in garnering the respect of his soldiers when she had trounced him in the dueling ring. He smiled.
"Something pleases you, my friend?" Eomer was shaken from his thoughts by a voice. He turned. It was Erchirion who was holding two goblets of wine.
"I was thinking of your sister," he answered.
"Ah." The prince smiled and handed the king a goblet. "She's beautiful, isn't she?" He indicated where Lothiriel, wearing a long green skirt with a white blouse, danced alongside some boys from the city. Sarn was with her, the young king noted.
"Aye," Eomer replied, sipping his wine. "Your customs are different from any I have ever seen. They are not nearly so dismal as those in Minas Tirith."
"Of course not! We were never governed by Stewards!" Erchirion laughed. Then his voice grew serious. "But honestly, I think that in a city where one's life and livelihood depend solely upon the whims of Ulmo, one cannot be too serious when given the chance to celebrate. Besides, we have not had quite so many sorrows bestowed upon us by the Enemy." Eomer could see the prince's eyes darken. "I think the Dark Lord believed that once Minas Tirith fell, we would be an easy target. He was wrong, but I suppose it no longer matters, does it?" Erchirion turned back toward the king. "But we should not dwell upon the past. Let us instead enjoy the festivities!" He drained his goblet and stepped into the dance. Eomer soon followed suit, joining hands with a maid from the city and, to his surprise, Lady Harrana.
"Milord, it has been several years since I spoke to you last, has it not?" the Haradrim lady asked.
"Aye," he replied. "I trust you returned to your people safely?"
"I did indeed." She briefly related all that had happened since she had last seen the king in the Houses of Healing in Minas Tirith. "...And so, Kedar and I lived in my father's house until last winter when I learned that you would be coming here. We left almost immediately. I knew Riordan would be with you."
Eomer smiled. "He traveled throughout Gondor for news of you for nearly three years. I think he had almost given up on ever finding you again. I tried to convince him to travel to Harad, but he would not. He said you would come to Gondor if you wanted to see him again."
"I would have come sooner, but I was unable to do so." The song ended, and the two began to walk away from the center of the hall. The dark lady looked up at him. "I suppose it matters no longer. We are together again, though what I shall do after you leave for Rohan, I do not know."
"You will not come with us?" Eomer asked, leading Harrana towards the refreshments
She shook her head. "I cannot. I am the only heir to my father's seat. If I do not take my rightful place on the throne, my country will go to ruins. I cannot allow that to happen."
Eomer nodded in understanding. "Then I suppose Riordan will have to go with you. I do not think I could stand to see him mope around Edoras any more. If any questions are asked, I will say that he is my ambassador to your people. That will silence my advisors."
"I thank you," Harrana said. "You and your sister have shown me many kindnesses. I only hope that someday I shall be able to do the same."
"Actually, there is something you could do for me." Eomer leaned down and whispered in her ear.
The Haradrim grinned. "I will do my best."
************
A/N: eeps! this is an extremely short chapter! but, i just got over an extra-horrible bout of writer's block (you know, the kind that comes right after a really big inspiration). sorry it's so short, but next up, you'll get to see what our young rulers (the king of rohan and the lady of harad) have in store for the rest of the nobility (as soon as i figure out what it is...). i think erchirion's my favorite of lothiriel's brothers...he's the middle child, so he always gets forgotten...and the original title of my story was "forgotten lovers," so i suppose the forgotten part carries over to any other characters left out of the movies..lol. this was a loooong a/n. stay tuned for next time! same horse-time, same horse-channel!
**disclaimer** oh how i wish i owned eomer. but unfortunately, i do not. so i must write about him falling in love with a woman who is not like me in any way, form, or fashion (except that she is in love with eomer).
Chapter XVIII
May, T.A. 3021
The ball was quite amazing to Eomer. He had never seen anything like it. Not in Rohan, not in Rivendell, and most certainly not in Minas Tirith, where the festivals and banquets were more formal than the Rohirric funerals. This was completely different from everything he had ever encountered. For one thing, it had started in the late afternoon rather than the evening. Lothiriel told him that it was because the fishermen had to set sail in accordance with the tides. "It would not do to set sail in shallow tide; the boats would get stuck in the sands beneath the waters," she had said. Eomer had given her a confused look, to which she replied, "I will show you what I mean in the morning. We will go to sea then. For now, let us enjoy the night!"
And so he was enjoying it thoroughly. The lower classes of the pearly city danced alongside Lothiriel and her brothers, apparently unconcerned that they were among nobility. Eomer was glad for this dismissal of the class system; it would make life in Rohan easier for his bride-to-be. Not that she would ever have trouble fitting in. She had already succeeded in garnering the respect of his soldiers when she had trounced him in the dueling ring. He smiled.
"Something pleases you, my friend?" Eomer was shaken from his thoughts by a voice. He turned. It was Erchirion who was holding two goblets of wine.
"I was thinking of your sister," he answered.
"Ah." The prince smiled and handed the king a goblet. "She's beautiful, isn't she?" He indicated where Lothiriel, wearing a long green skirt with a white blouse, danced alongside some boys from the city. Sarn was with her, the young king noted.
"Aye," Eomer replied, sipping his wine. "Your customs are different from any I have ever seen. They are not nearly so dismal as those in Minas Tirith."
"Of course not! We were never governed by Stewards!" Erchirion laughed. Then his voice grew serious. "But honestly, I think that in a city where one's life and livelihood depend solely upon the whims of Ulmo, one cannot be too serious when given the chance to celebrate. Besides, we have not had quite so many sorrows bestowed upon us by the Enemy." Eomer could see the prince's eyes darken. "I think the Dark Lord believed that once Minas Tirith fell, we would be an easy target. He was wrong, but I suppose it no longer matters, does it?" Erchirion turned back toward the king. "But we should not dwell upon the past. Let us instead enjoy the festivities!" He drained his goblet and stepped into the dance. Eomer soon followed suit, joining hands with a maid from the city and, to his surprise, Lady Harrana.
"Milord, it has been several years since I spoke to you last, has it not?" the Haradrim lady asked.
"Aye," he replied. "I trust you returned to your people safely?"
"I did indeed." She briefly related all that had happened since she had last seen the king in the Houses of Healing in Minas Tirith. "...And so, Kedar and I lived in my father's house until last winter when I learned that you would be coming here. We left almost immediately. I knew Riordan would be with you."
Eomer smiled. "He traveled throughout Gondor for news of you for nearly three years. I think he had almost given up on ever finding you again. I tried to convince him to travel to Harad, but he would not. He said you would come to Gondor if you wanted to see him again."
"I would have come sooner, but I was unable to do so." The song ended, and the two began to walk away from the center of the hall. The dark lady looked up at him. "I suppose it matters no longer. We are together again, though what I shall do after you leave for Rohan, I do not know."
"You will not come with us?" Eomer asked, leading Harrana towards the refreshments
She shook her head. "I cannot. I am the only heir to my father's seat. If I do not take my rightful place on the throne, my country will go to ruins. I cannot allow that to happen."
Eomer nodded in understanding. "Then I suppose Riordan will have to go with you. I do not think I could stand to see him mope around Edoras any more. If any questions are asked, I will say that he is my ambassador to your people. That will silence my advisors."
"I thank you," Harrana said. "You and your sister have shown me many kindnesses. I only hope that someday I shall be able to do the same."
"Actually, there is something you could do for me." Eomer leaned down and whispered in her ear.
The Haradrim grinned. "I will do my best."
************
A/N: eeps! this is an extremely short chapter! but, i just got over an extra-horrible bout of writer's block (you know, the kind that comes right after a really big inspiration). sorry it's so short, but next up, you'll get to see what our young rulers (the king of rohan and the lady of harad) have in store for the rest of the nobility (as soon as i figure out what it is...). i think erchirion's my favorite of lothiriel's brothers...he's the middle child, so he always gets forgotten...and the original title of my story was "forgotten lovers," so i suppose the forgotten part carries over to any other characters left out of the movies..lol. this was a loooong a/n. stay tuned for next time! same horse-time, same horse-channel!