Author's Ubiquitous Note: THIS IS IT! OK, not quite, but pretty darn close. In this chapter, If all goes according to plan, the first seeds of my PLANS will be sowed. :: uproarious evil/maniacal laughter ::
Please review :) And special, special, wondrous resounding thanks to everyone who sent me encouragement after I whined about a review that, upon further reflection, wasn't really so negative after all. ::hugs to all::
Oh, and I have no idea how long it would take a healthy (wink wink) male to recover fully from two arrow wounds, probably longer that I'm going to put in my story, though. If you know, tell me.
For three days, I again avoided Eomer.
Most of these days, I assure the reader, were spent not only in riding, sewing, cooking, and basically enjoying my freedom, but in contemplating why exactly I was avoiding Eomer. The man would not leave my thoughts alone! Everything I did reminded me of him. While serving meals I wondered if he was eating enough cloistered in his chamber. As I embroidered to the sound of Calla chattering about her wedding plans, I debated the wisdom of interfering with the healers to make sure they were caring for the King adequately. I rode through the city frequently, exploring its lively tavern districts and quiet residential areas, thinking of questions about the country I would have liked to ask Eomer, and how nice it would have been if he had ridden with me. Every night I fell asleep with the memory of a kiss and deep brown eyes.
Officially, the assassin was declared to have been a renegade acting alone. My place with the servants (who were proving remarkably adept at keeping secrets from their employer), however, afforded me a glimpse at inner-palace gossip that most citizens did not enjoy. Thus I knew that many of the King's Council were worried about the situation. If the man had succeeded in killing Eomer, the country would have been thrown into turmoil, with no clear heir to the throne. In such a position, Rohan would have been dangerously vulnerable to any strong outside force that might try to overrun it. It was the opinion of the Council that the assassin had been sent expressly to kill the King for such a purpose. The only question was, where had the man come from? Without proof, they could do nothing but wait.
It was Eomer's wish that life continue as close to normal as possible during is amazingly short convalescence. Calla and Seith's wedding was to take place as planned, so there was still plenty of work for us to do. The couple would have the added pleasure of eating all the food that the very disgruntled head cook had prepared in advance for the ambassadors.
And so the days passed all too swiftly for me, and the day drew near when I knew I had to leave.
"I, Calla of Rohan, daughter of Moeth, do hereby swear in the presence of my King and country, that I take to husband Seith, son of Eovard, and that I will honor and be faithful to him until death parts us."
"I, Seith of Rohan, Fourth Guard to the King, son of Eovard, do hereby swear in the presence of my King and country, that I take to wife Calla, daughter of Moeth, and that I will honor and be faithful to her until death parts us."
The couple stood with their hands clasped on the dais at the western end of the Hall. With a smile, Eomer stepped forward and loosely bound their joined hands with a white and golden rope, then placed a goblet of wine in their palms.
"Eomer King of Rohan recognizes this union and blesses it. I bid you, Seith and Calla, husband and wife, to drink to your marriage."
Never taking their eyes off of each other, Seith and Calla slowly raised the cup. First Calla took a sip, then did Seith. Eomer reached to take the goblet away and set it on a nearby table, and the second it was gone Seith let out a great yell (something between a laugh and a shout of delight), grabbed Calla and kissed her for all he was worth.
Cheering and laughing, the crowd dispersed to eat, dance, eat, and congratulate the newly wedded couple. I watched the proceedings from a shadowed corner of the Hall with a sad smile. Though I was truly happy for Calla, I could not help but feel regret at witnessing her wedding. My own, I knew, would be much different. 'Twould be somber and dull, with many speeches about peace and prosperity and accord between two countries, and nobody would be in the least concerned that I would be selling my future for political prosperity. With a sigh, I stepped forward to offer my regards to Calla and Seith.
Many people stopped me on my way, and by the time I reached the dais I was two glasses of wine less practical than usual. I was not too far-gone, though, to not notice that Eomer had disappeared. It should have been relief that I felt, but it was instead disappointment. I should have liked to say goodbye to him, I mused.
"Ria!" Calla broke away from Seith long enough to hug me. "Thank you so much for the veil. It's gorgeous! I shall treasure it forever…but whenever did you find the time to make it?" She gestured happily to the silver-embroidered white gauze that covered her hair.
I laughed. "I hardly slept last night, that's how. But it was worth it if you like it. I just stopped by to tell you how happy I am for you two…and to say goodbye."
"Goodbye?"
"Yes…I don't want to ruin your night, but I must leave this evening. I have lingered in Rohan too long already. I shall slip out quietly as soon as I leave here."
"Ria…you are going to tell the King, aren't you?" Calla looked worried, and I felt a pang of guilt at causing her stress on her wedding day. So I gave her the answer she wanted.
"Of course, of course. Don't worry. We'll part in honesty, I assure you."
"Of course." Calla echoed suspiciously.
There were more people in line behind me to speak to the bride and groom. "I will write to you!" I said, edging away.
"Wait!" Calla grabbed my arm and I turned back to face her. Her stern features softened a little. "I'm sorry I was hard on you at first, Ria. You've proven yourself many times over here, and…well, if you ever come to your senses and decide not to marry that oaf Kutheia, you'll always have a place with us, if you need one. Goodbye." Silently, we embraced again, and then I ran to my room.
I could have sworn I had doused the lamps, yet my chamber was lit as I entered it after leaving the Hall. Cautiously, I stepped into the doorway. My things were as I had left them, strewn about the room and half-packed into my bag, yet something was not right. Hesitantly, I walked into the room.
Click. The sound of the door being shut and the lock turned caused me to wheel around. Eomer leaned casually against the closed door. Finding myself much too close, I took a hurried two steps backwards.
"My…my lord! What are you doing here?" There was a strange look on Eomer's face. Puzzled, almost angry, and yet oddly…hurt.
"I might ask you the same, Princess."
The blood left my face. "How did you find out?" I whispered, half to myself.
"Via this most revealing scroll, addressed to me, which I was quite shocked to find laying on top of your things when I came in here looking for you." Eomer uncrossed his arms and walked until he was directly in front of me. "Might I ask when you were planning on informing me of this? After you had ridden out by yourself and been attacked, perhaps? When you'd tired of slumming and decided to resume your royal lifestyle?"
Nervously, I backed away again. "Never."
He blinked. "I beg your pardon?"
"I wasn't ever going to tell you. It would have ruined the whole adventure."
"Adventure? Is that what this was? Taking your life in your hands, running away from home, risking war the whole while? Just an adventure?"
"Yes." I snapped. "An adventure. You know, one of those things that men have all the time, but women are expected to forego. Something I can look back on with interest after I'm married."
"Ah, your fiancee. I'd forgotten about him. And who is he? A king disguised as a soldier?"
"I'm not even going to respond to that. Now if you will excuse me," I walked over to my bed and started throwing things into my bag, "I have to finish packing. Which you should know, since you took it upon yourself to go through my personal belongings."
"Why here? For your adventure, I mean." Eomer still sounded angry, but he was restraining it to satisfy his curiosity. Reluctantly, I answered.
"When Eowyn described you to me, I thought you sounded like the sort of person that would always be in the middle of something exciting. She said that Rohan was beautiful, and I had never been here. And," I laced up my bag and set it on the ground next to two large paper-wrapped packages. "This was the only opportunity I had to leave Dol Amroth. But I am returning tonight."
"Tonight?" Eomer looked at the bag on the ground, and appeared to notice for the first time that I was leaving. "You will do no such thing. A proper escort will be arranged to accompany you home tomorrow."
"Ah ha!" I triumphantly pointed at the confused King. "You see? THIS is why I didn't want anyone to know who I am. You're going to start treating me like a princess now. I can't just be Ria, the friend that you kissed in the stables, the girl who saved your life, I'm Lothiriel, princess of Dol Amroth now. I have to be treated like glass."
"That is who you are."
"But it's not what I am!" I cried. "All my life, my father and my brothers have planned and scheduled my very existence. Just this once, for these few days, I wanted to live like a normal person without guards and chaperones and…and….propriety. And I have, and it has been the most wonderful experience I have ever known." My voice dropped. "Please, Eomer. Don't ruin it for me now."
Then Eomer looked into my eyes, and spoke, and I knew why I had seen hurt in his face before.
"And what of us, Ria?" He said angrily. "Do not pretend you haven't felt it, this spark between us. Would you leave that behind? Do you feel nothing for me?" He gently clasped my arms.
"N…no. No, I don't."
Eomer kissed me. I melted into his embrace, and for blessed moments I didn't think of Dol Amroth, or Kutheia, or what I was leaving behind in Rohan.
"You lied." We broke apart, breathless. I stepped back. Refusing to look at him, I forced myself to remember what I had to do.
"Eomer, I will admit that I feel something for you. But my city needs my service now, and my father wishes me to wed another man. And that is why I must leave. Because…if I stay another moment, I will fall in love with you."
I was out the door and racing down the hallway before Eomer recovered enough from his shock to chase after me. At the stables, I found Gwen saddled and ready, and I allowed myself a second to smile and think of Easa. Leaving the two packages that contained Eomer's robe and leather tunic in her empty stall, I rode out into the night towards home.