Author: Here I go again…thanks for the reviews! Love y'all. Sorry it took me so long to update, but I've been distracted lately by a certain guy I work with...sigh
It took me a long time to get to sleep that night, despite my fatigue. Eomer loved me! All right, he 'cared' for me…but coming from him it was as good as the L word. I lay in bed, grinning up at the molded ceiling for what seemed like hours. Would he ask me to marry him? Did he truly love me, or was he just trying to have his way with me? What would Father say? I thought guiltily of the family I had left in Dol Amroth. They must be worried about me, but surely Father wou7ld be appeased with the possibility of Eomer as a son-in-law…
Finally I drifted off to pleasant dreams. Dreams that were filled with wildflowers, golden-haired brown-eyed children, and Eomer.
Bright sunlight fell through the high southward-facing windows that opened onto a balcony overlooking Minas Tirith. It splashed lightly down onto my bed, waking me gently from deep slumber. Utterly relaxed, I opened my eyes and looked around the room I had been too tired to appreciate the night before.
The walls were sponged a deep gold over bright yellow paint. The ceiling was elegantly molded, and the wooded trim was painted white. It was a large chamber, with a massive fireplace taking up most of the eastern wall, a tall armoire and matching carved dresser occupying the northern end. My bed was tucked against the southwest corner, flanked by tables bearing huge bouquets of yellow and white roses. Several paintings of ships hung on the walls, and a thick carpet of white, woven in the shape of a flower, covered the floor. Altogether it was a bright, cheerful sort of room, and it suited me wonderfully. I was only sorry I would not be staying in it longer!
Horrified, I realized that I was a guest of the King and I was lying about in sloth. Goodness- I looked through gauzy curtains out the windows- it must be two in the afternoon, and I was still abed! What would Elessar think of me? I hurriedly threw back the covers and got out of the exceedingly comfortable bed, Rushing to a wash basin set on a pedestal table in front of the hearth, I frantically scrubbed my face and began yanking a comb through my hair.
"Oh, good, you're awake!" I turned to see the owner of that calm, musical voice just entering the room. It was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen, not a creature at all, but an elf-woman. Arwen Undomiel, wife of Elessar and queen of Gondor. She had midnight hair and dark eyes, paired with very delicate features and pale skin. A thin circlet of mithril and pearl was set about her head, and she was dressed in a lovely blue robe embroidered with white stars.
"My lady," I curtsied. "Please forgive my appearance, and my idleness through the morning, I fear I overslept…"
"Nonsense." Queen Arwen waved aside my apology. "I expect you have ridden yourself half to death these past few days, you deserve as much rest as you need. However," She glided to the armoire and threw open its doors. "I took the liberty of unpacking what few things you had with you, and neither of your dresses are suitably, shall we say, wearable today, so I came to help you dress. I hope you don't mind?"
"N- not at all, my lady." I stammered, watching in fascination as Arwen produced a magnificent array of dresses, all miraculously in my size, from the wardrobe. She selected a leaf-green gown with a gently flaring skirt and thin sleeves. Before I knew it, I was dressed and sitting at the table eating spiced fruit while the Queen of Gondor did my hair. Quite surreal.
Arwen kept up a steady stream of conversation throughout. She was really a very friendly, kind lady, I thought, despite her nobility and lineage, rather like the King in that respect. Before long I was considering her a friend. When she finished with my hair (It was in a lovely assortment of braids and curls pinned to fall around my face just so) she escorted me through the palace to the throne room, where Elessar and Eomer were stooping over a table full of maps and charts.
"Ah, the lady is awake at last! Good afternoon, Lothiriel." The King greeted me with a warm smile.
"Please, my lord, call me Ria. 'Tis what my family has named me for short. And I do apologize for sleeping so long, I'm afraid I was tired after the journey…" Once again, my explanation was cut short.
"Not at all, I would have been upset if you hadn't slept late! Now then, Eomer and I are looking over the terrain charts concerning Dol Amroth to better plan our trap. Is there anything we are missing?" Elessar indicated a large, detailed map spread in front of him. I stole a glance at Eomer, who was being uncharacteristically quiet, as I bent over the chart. He was studying me intently- or rather, my dress. I remembered that he had never seen me in nice clothes before and blushed.
"Good afternoon, Eomer." I smiled shyly. Just how public was he going to be about our new…dare I call it an 'understanding?'
"Ria." Eomer nodded at me. "You look…beautiful." The words spilled from his mouth as though he hadn't meant to say them. I blushed a deeper red.
"Thank you. After so long wearing the same two dresses, I must admit it is nice to be garbed in something different!" I tore my eyes away from Eomer long enough to smile in thanks at Arwen, who was watching my exchange with the King of Rohan rather amusedly.
"It suits you." Eomer added simply, taking my hand unobtrusively as we again studied the maps. I marveled at their accuracy. Each ridge, hill, and stream for five leagues around Dol Amroth was noted on the parchment. Elessar pointed to a small rise just to the east of the main city gate.
"I think this would be a good spot for the troops to hide. From here we should be able to see you, Princess, and we will be close enough to come immediately to your aid at the first sign of trouble. What do you think?"
"I think that sounds fine, my lord. I don't foresee any problems." I stole a glance at Eomer. Someone had seen to it that he received clean clothing as well. Black leggings and boots, a crisp white shirt and silvery tunic, paired with clean, tied-back hair made him look every inch the king.
Elessar nodded. "Excellent. Well, then, now that that's settled, I have an expedition to arrange, so if you will excuse me?" With a smile, he took his leave. Eomer and I stood next to each other in silence for a moment.
"What- " He began
"Did you-? " I said at the same time. We both laughed. "You go ahead." I offered.
"No, you." Eomer insisted
"Perhaps," Arwen suggested with a twinkle in her eyes. "You would like a walk through the gardens?"
The gardens of the King in Minas Tirith were, to my eyes, like a piece of Valinor in Middle-Earth. Trees and flowers I had never seen before bloomed side by side with native plants. An entire walled section was dedicated to roses, and I recognized the bushes from which the flowers in my room had been plucked. Paths twined leisurely through plot after plot, past fountains and benches, under trellises and over small brooks. Tucked away in one corner of the vast complex of gardens was my favorite piece: a delightful tangle of wildflowers surrounding a small green pool. Alone, (Arwen having pleaded a previous engagement, though not without a wink at me) Eomer and I sat by the pool.
"It's lovely here." I said, dipping my bare feet into the water. It was warm from the sun.
"Yes. It reminds me of that little patch of wildflowers we found you in the midst of. You looked so beautiful sitting there, it was like walking into a song."
I melted. He was good.
"I hope I did not wake you last night?" Eomer continued, taking my hand.
"No." I hesitated before blurting out, "And it would have been worth it, even if you had interrupted my sleep."
"I meant it, Ria. I care about you a great deal." Eomer rose and tugged me to my feet. "The more I think about you riding into danger in a few days, the less I like it, but I know you feel you need a chance at some sort of vengeance. I will say no more on this matter. However," He knelt in front of me, both my hands captured in his. "There is some risk involved in our plan. If something were to happen, I would not have you left wondering, whether in the face of your danger or mine, what the depth of my regard for you is. So I, Eomer Eadig son of Eomund, Lord of the Mark, do ask you, Lothiriel Princess of Dol Amroth of Gondor, will you do me the highest honor and become my wife?"