Seven years later...
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"The thundering sea
Is calling me home
Home to you..."

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A slim hand brushed through the long grass, feeling about for any flower that may be nearby. The wind was strong that day...a little colder then usual as well, but she didn't mind. Hardly did she even notice, in fact. Cool air by the ocean wasn't really that cold. Her sea-colored eyes looked up at the clear sky, then shut, to soak in the day. Suddenly, something pricked her fingers. Looking down, she smiled. A thistle. She added it to the growing bunch of wildflowers in her hand. And then her fair footsteps took her over the dunes and to the shore, just out of reach of the breaking waves.

"Happy birthday, Mama." Lothiriel whispered, dropping the flowers slowly into the water. "The day is beautiful. Sunny. Fair." She looked around. "The April I have come to know and welcome. I hope you and Da are doing well." She smiled again, thinking over the past year. "Edemer is so handsome, you'd be so proud if you saw him! He is 22 now, and fancies himself quite the battle ready young man." He smile faded.

"Battle...when first we came to live here the word seemed very far off, but it grows nearer I know. Uncle is often worried, letters being sent to him from Minas Tirith almost every week. The times are troubled, Mama." She sighed, "I pray that no hurt will come to my beloved brothers but I feel little assured." She tried not to let a tear fall.

"But, happier thoughts there are to dwell on. Imrahir married the eldest daughter of the border guard captain last month, it was a fine celebration." She smiled again at the memory. "They have fancied each other since they were children, it made my heart light to see this good day finally come." Lothiriel's eyes were cloudy for a moment. "I...I know I am young yet, Mama, but so were you." She whispered. "I wish I held the heart of someone. I suppose every young woman does though, until she finally falls in love." She laughed. "Ah well. I suppose my time will come when it comes."

"You'll be glad to know I can ride and spar with the best of Imrahil's men." She went on, grinning, her eyes sparkling, "Not that I'll need much of it I suppose, but it is rather nice..." She found herself glancing behind her, eastward. "But again, one never knows. Well, I must go now..." She shook her head, looking back to the flowers that were drifting away with the tides.

"Give my best to Da, and I love you muchly Mama." She kissed her fingers, and blew it toward the sea. And then The Princess Lothiriel turned, back to the dunes, and back to the beautiful seaside halls...
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Lothiriel brought an armful of flowers inside, to set on tables and by chairs and remind those who lived there that spring was in full bloom. Entering the library, she smiled to see her aunt, who stood looking out at the sea, and her uncle who was frowning at another letter in his hand. At the entrance of his niece however, Imrahil looked up and smiled.

"I trust you wished my sister a fine day, on this the second of April?" He asked. Lothiriel nodded. "Yes, and she wishes a fine day back," her eyes drifted to Deliann, who touched her forehead, looking slightly faint.

"Is all well this morning?" Lothiriel asked. Imrahil looked at Deliann, seeming to be slightly alarmed. "Yes, I believe I am just feeling a touch of a headache." Deliann replied, but Imrahil rose and took her arm.

"Just the same, I think I shall take her to rest." He said, and Deliann nodded. They left the room, Lothiriel just looking after them. And then she caught sight of the letter, left on her uncle's desk. Without a second thought, she picked it up and read.
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To The Lord of Dol Amroth, be wary. Our border guards are all but being driven back, and now we hear rumor of attacks upon Rohan. Your offer of readiness is well met. May this pass.

The Lord Denethor of Minas Tirith
Steward of Gondor

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Lothiriel caught her breath, looking around. 'Your offer of readiness'? "No..." she found herself whispering, shaking her head. Minas Tirith could take care of it's own problems. It did not need the blood of her brothers. But then.... attacks on Rohan. She shook her head again. No hurt could come to the sea, no hurt would come to the sea, and no hurt would come to her family.

"No face should look as such on a day so bright!" A teasing voice startled her. She looked up to see Edemer grinning at her, though his eyes showed worry. Lothiriel looked down, trying to force a smile back. None came. Edemer came to her side and took the letter from her hand. After looking at it for a moment he looked back to her. She looked a bit mad.

"Why would he say such a thing?" She asked. Edemer licked his lips. "Well, Imrahir and I were both there when he penned the offer." He said, "We sent the same to King Theoden, though no reply has been given." Lothiriel looked out the window, unbelieving.

"Why? Why can't we just let the world have it's own troubles?" She laughed, without amusement. "We are the Sea People. We are not in danger."

"I'm surprised at you Lothy." Edemer told her quietly. "I would think you'd be behind this. You do know the shadows creep near? You do know there are evil things creeping throughout the world? That if the madness in Mordor so chose it could easily come for us?"

"Stop." She shut her eyes. And then Edemer had an arm around her. "It may pass." He whispered. But somewhere within her, Lothiriel knew better...
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Riding took her mind off of things. Brought them back to something simple. The feel of a horse beneath her, the sound of the wind in her ears, along with that constant, distant crashing of waves. She stopped a ways onto the grasses, near the groove of trees where she often went to be alone. Lothiriel found herself letting her mind wander as soon as she stopped. Her eyes drifted to the East, and the ever-present black clouds far in the distance. She forced herself to look away.

Dismounting, she let her mare wander the grass, herself settling under a tall willow. Since they had been children that first summer, Edemer, Imrahir and herself had sat under the trees in this groove by a stream that trickled to the ocean. They'd let her tag along, even thought she was young, and she would listen to them talk of hunting and riding...and now they were grown men, and she sat under the trees alone. Or so she thought.

"Are you mad at me too?" She looked up, and smiled.

"I would think a married man would have better things to do then pass time with his little sister." She said to Imrahir, who was letting his stallion wander off as well. He sat beside her. "Normally yes." He grinned, ruffling her hair. "But I am to meet Edemer soon for our afternoon rounds. I thought I would see you as well...Edemer said you were rather low in spirits today." She didn't answer. "Lothy, there have been orcs and fell things for hundreds of years. It passes. It always does."

Lothiriel kept her eyes on the far-off sea. "Someone always dies though." She whispered. Then shook her head. "Can we talk of something happier?" She looked at him, pushing long dark hair from her face. Imrahir's smile returned. "Care to come patrolling with us, sister?"

She grinned. "Imrahil will have your neck." He laughed. "I'm an old married man, father can say nothing!" And with that, he stood, pulling her from the grass. "Now, where did those horses go?" .
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After throwing on the clothes she had stolen from Edemer a few years before and tying back her hair, Lothiriel was riding out to the borders with her brothers. Her golden brown mare was rather frisky that afternoon, aching for a nice run. She looked to Edemer, who smirked, and urged his horse forward. Lothiriel let her mare have her way, and the two raced over the grasses. Lothiriel held onto her steed tightly, as her strong legs pounded below. She grinned as she reached the tree line far ahead of her brother.

"Did you even think you had a chance?" Lothiriel asked Edemer with an air. He glared. "It's the blasted horse." He was sure. Lothiriel rubbed her horse's neck. "Aye, Bela is a fast one." She grinned as Bela tossed her head, showing off.

"All right children." Imrahir faked a glare, "Let's look lively and get to work, eh?" Lothiriel sighed and fell behind him, watching the trees for anything out of place. As was usual, there was nothing...
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"I don't get it, Imrahir..." Lindenna, Imrahir's new wife was saying, setting food on the dinner table along with her house servants. "You'll let your young sister ride along with you to the borders and yet I, who have done so since childhood, am told to remain at home?" Imrahir gulped nervously...until he saw the grin on her pretty face.

"Just teasing, I don't want to go." She assured him, kissing his cheek. From her spot at the table, Lothiriel smiled. She loved Lindenna, who was a lot like Deliann, if not a bit lighter and merrier. Indeed, it had been a while since Deliann had been merry...

"There's not much on the borders anyway." Edemer noted as they began to eat. Lothiriel noticed the spark in his eye as he said it, as though he were wishing there was. "Seems everything's happening in Rohan and Minas Tirith these days..."

"And let's pray it stays that way." Lothiriel cut in, "There are few ways for Mordor to invade our borders without the other lands falling first." She reminded him.

Imrahir eyed them both. "I think..." He said after a moment, "That we will be fine...here. But it will not be long before we leave to aid our kin." He looked right at Lothiriel, who sighed. He was right. They were both right. They could not be children and ignore the need. She blinked back a tear and kept eating. But under the table, Lindenna took her hand. Someone else understood her feelings.
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