I'm sorry it took so long to get this chapter out, but I had a very hard time with it. There's at least eight different versions of this on my hard drive and in a notebook of mine. I'm not entirely happy with this version, but I realized that I had to get something out there to keep anyone who's still interested in this story hooked.
Yay! on the Lothiriel section
And again, I invite everyone to join my Yahoo Group, EomerLothiriel, at YahooGroups.
Chapter 10- Storm Clouds
Immediately following breakfast, Prince Elphir of Dol Amroth went in search of his sister. Knowing of several places she was fond of in the Steward's Residence, he started with the balcony overlooking the Citadel. He had stood there with her a year ago, watching as his cousin sought to throw his life away and his uncle teetered on the edge of madness, all the while being painfully aware that his father and the Swan Company were almost two weeks overdue to arrive.
He was almost relieved when he didn't find her on the balcony. He had no wish to recall that dark time. He had been almost sick with worry and uncertainty for his father and Erchirion.
The royal family of Dol Amroth, stewards of the sea community, had always been known for its close family ties to both each other and their neighbors. While there had not been ties of blood until the Steward of Gondor had married Princess Finduilas of Dol Amroth many years ago, the lines between friendship and family had always been blurred when it came to their neighbors. Elphir had found it rather ironic that Lothiriel had not made the acquaintance of Theoden's niece and nephew before the War of the Ring had come to its climatic end, for Theoden had always been one of Prince Imrahil's closest friends and allies outside of Gondor's borders.
The ties of Imrahil's own family had been strained and frayed following the death of his Princess in childbirth. For a time, the Prince had shut himself into his study and out of his children's presence. Elphir still did not fully understand, for he had been a mere boy of eleven at the time, but he had heard enough times over the years that Imrahil was reminded of his late wife all the time by simply looking into his children's eyes. Perhaps it was too painful in the days immediately following Lothiriel's birth. But for whatever reason, Elphir had become the parent to nine-year old Erchirion, five-year old Amrothos, and the tiny little sister who had changed their lives so drastically.
Erchirion, the second eldest and most volatile of the four of them, had disliked his little sister from the moment he laid eyes upon her. As many nine-year old boys do, he would have preferred another brother to add to the two he had already. He remained convinced until Lothiriel was well on her feet and speaking that another brother would not have taken their mother's life in childbirth. To Elphir's immense relief, Erchirion's feelings toward Lothiriel had cooled to indifference and disinterest, though they did eventually blossom into a grudging protectiveness and concern. But he still remained more interested in the daily doings of the principate than the goings-on of his sister's life.
Amrothos, the more serious and pragmatic of the three sons, had regarded the changes of the household as more a thing of curiosity than an event of any real consequence. He had yet to show any feelings, good or bad, toward the absence of his mother. When pressed, he usually shrugged and remarked that discussing their mother wouldn't change the fact that she was gone and speaking of her only hurt their father anyway. Though he was concerned at first, Elphir eventually stopped questioning his brother and went back to chasing Erchirion around the palace all day and rocking Lothiriel to sleep every night.
Even looking back from an adult's perspective, Elphir found that he did not resent his father for putting him in that position. Perhaps it would have been different had Imrahil allowed his grief to consume him as Denethor's had him. It had not been very long at all before Imrahil started smiling and laughing again and not very long after that before Elphir was running around the palace with Erchirion and not after him as he had done the entire summer after Lothiriel was born. But he had become restless.
He smiled thinking of the day his father had finally agreed to allow him to join Boromir in Gondor's army. The decision had been made with great reluctance, he knew that and he was grateful to his father for letting him go off and be the person he was. The court had wagged their tongues over Elphir's departure from Dol Amroth for quite some time.
"Eliph, there you are."
Elphir blinked as Tanith appeared out of nowhere, joining him on his short cut through the gardens. Lothiriel had always loved Denethor's library, which had prompted Elphir to look for her there.
"Shouldn't you be snoring away by now?" he asked sarcastically.
Tanith smirked at him. "Who can sleep with all the noise?"
"Have you seen Lothiriel about the place anywhere? She seemed... I don't know how she seemed at breakfast, but I didn't like it." Elphir remarked. He had never forgotten that it was he who was Lothiriel's only parent for the first few months of her life. His feelings for his sister became increasingly paternal as she grew up, which was part of the reason he was trampling through Faramir's house in search of her when he could have been taking a rest after riding through the night.
Tanith frowned and Elphir knew he understood what he was talking about.
"She did seem rather subdued, and it is of Lothiriel whom I have sought you out to speak. I noticed some of my father's guards watching her rather obsessively this morning at breakfast." Tanith replied. "I was going to speak to you later, but something has happened."
"Something's happened?" Elphir asked, a small knot of concern starting in his stomach. "Is it to do with my sister?"
"Unfortunately, yes." Tanith sighed. "I went to my guest chamber after breakfast, intending to rest before our fathers' arrival, but was disturbed in the corridor by a pair of courtiers I can only describe as imbeciles."
"Imbeciles?" Elphir repeated, surprised. "You do not throw insults around lightly, my friend."
"Why, you ask?" Tanith remarked grimly, crossing his arms and heading for the bench. "Sit with me, Eliph, you'll be glad of it in a minute. These courtiers were sharing a piece of malicious gossip concerning their Steward in the Steward's own home."
Elphir felt a touch of annoyance on the behalf of his cousin.
"'Tisn't the one in which the bruises on Faramir's shoulders and arms came from his wife rather than the efforts to restore Ithilien, is it?" he asked suspiciously. The Gondorian court had, in general, been having trouble in adjusting to the Princess of Ithilien.
"Think you that I would cut into my valuable 'snoring time,' as you so cruelly mock me, for that bit of idiocy?" Despite Tanith's love of wordplay, there was very little mirth in his tone and his demeanor was anything but playful. "Nay, my friend, this gossip does not involve the Lady of Ithilien."
The knot in Elphir's stomach grew and began to flutter. Whatever Tanith had overheard in the corridor, it was worrying him greatly. Tanith had always loathed gossip and refused to engage in idle chatter or repeat anything he may have heard. If he was breaking that silence, whatever he had heard had the potential to harm. And more than that, Tanith was a rarity who never took anything seriously, having long ago placed his trust in the Valar and the universe at large that everything would unfold as it should.
Of all people, Tanith would never stand in front of him with such a pinched expression of displeasure on his face and yet here he was, eyes narrowed, lips pressed into nothing resembling his usual smile, and worry creasing his brow.
"It's Lothiriel, isn't it?" he asked grimly, setting his jaw. "My willful sister has gone and stuck her foot in it, hasn't she?"
"I only wish it was something she's said." Tanith was just as grim as his friend was.
"I will not be pleased, will I?" Elphir sighed and finally took the seat that Tanith had just offered him. In the back of his mind, he wondered what Lothiriel could have possibly done to elicit this sort of reaction from Tanith.
"I wouldn't imagine so." Tanith replied. "According to some rumor making its way around the palace, your sister was out of the city last night."
Elphir groaned; ever since the war's end, Lothiriel had become increasingly adventurous. She had gone with Eowyn to Rohan to help her with wedding preparations, stayed in Ithilien and even managed to sneak off to Minas Tirith while Faramir and Eowyn were occupied with their house plans.
"Will my sister never take her safety seriously?" he exploded, balling his hands into fists. "She has been told time and again that she must not go anywhere by herself. What was she thinking? Alone, at night? Outside the city? Did anyone even know she was gone?"
Tanith cleared his throat. "She wasn't alone, from what I heard."
Elphir raised an eyebrow in surprise. "What do you mean, she wasn't alone?" he asked, though he had a feeling he already knew the answer to that question. And if his suspicions were correct, Eomer of Rohan would have much to answer for.
"Someone claimed that King Eomer was seen riding into the city with Lothiriel soon after we arrived this morning." Tanith replied, watching as his friend's face went from red to purple.
"I should put Lothiriel on a leash." Elphir muttered, standing up. "And put an end to this nonsense with King Eomer when it was still feasible."
"You sound like my father." Tanith reminded him. "Elessar has nothing but good to speak of King Eomer. And let us not forget that you yourself have regarded the late Theoden King beyond reproach for most of your life. He had a hand in raising Eomer, so he must be—"
"Theoden King raised Theodred as well and I liked not the way he looked upon my sister when she was but sixteen." Elphir growled, his mood growing darker all the time. "Had it not been for his fear of offending my father, I believe Theodred would have bedded her."
"Come." Tanith shook his head. "Calm yourself, Eliph. Theodred was no more thinking of bedding your sister than I was."
"The look in his eyes..." Elphir gazed morosely over the garden.
"Who are we speaking of? Theodred or Eomer King?"
"Erchirion warned me." Elphir began to pace restlessly, running his hand through his hair. "He said that giving her free rein to do as she pleased would leave her vulnerable to gossip and attacks upon her character. He fought against sending her to Rohan with Eowyn and I see now that he was right. I never thought Eomer would sully her reputation like this, but since he has I know what manner of man he is."
"Elphir!" Tanith took the prince by the shoulders to get his attention. "I said calm yourself! Think what you are saying! This is the man you entrusted Lothiriel to for over a month while she helped plan Faramir and Eowyn's wedding! The same man in whose hands Prince Imrahil would place his life! Eomer fought a hopeless battle at Helm's Deep and then at Pellenor and did it again at the gates of Mordor, at your father's side and the side of King Elessar! And you would repay him by turning on him at the word of a few gossips? I only told you this because we both know what this sort of gossip could cause. I did not tell you because I believed it!"
"There's more." Elphir said, somewhat calmed by his friend's words. "On the honor of your father, Tanith, tell me everything."
Tanith's heart sank at the request. It was just like Elphir to use the one thing he did take seriously to get what he wanted out of him.
"There was a person, whose identity I have not yet discovered, who claimed to be outside the city, in the forest, at the same time Lothiriel was outside the city. This person claimed to have seen Lothiriel and King Eomer in the forest together." he chose his words carefully, hoping this answer would satisfy Elphir.
It did not.
"And?" Elphir demanded.
"Eliph, there is no reason you should listen to such—"
"Tanith!" Elphir snapped. "You will tell me immediately!"
Tanith sighed. "According to this person, they were, I'm sorry, Eliph, but they were coupling in the forest."
Elphir turned white as his friend's words sunk into his mind and comprehension dawned upon him. Reflexively, his hand dropped to his hip where the hilt of his sword would have been had he not been in his cousin's estate. When he spoke, it was so quietly that Tanith had to strain to hear him.
"I want my sister in front of me now." he hissed. "If this is true, I will kill him, king of Rohan or not."