Chapter 4 : Just A Misunderstanding

Lothíriel dressed and stepped out of her room. Opposite, her father's room's door was slightly ajar, and she could hear him speaking with Isindil. Curious, she crept over so she could make out what they were saying.

"We should be returning to Dol Amroth, Isindil," Imrahil was saying.

Just then, a serving girl came down the hallway, and Lothíriel went over to her room's door so as to seem as if she had not been doing any eavesdropping. The girl dropped her a little curtsey, and she nodded in acknowledgement, and waited till the girl disappeared from sight. Then she continued her eavesdropping.

"They seem to like each other," Isindil said.

"Yes, I'm just absolutely delighted that things have turned out this way…"

Lothíriel felt her cheeks heating up in anger, and she hurried away from the door, not wanting to hear anymore.

"I'm just so glad that they're getting along," Imrahil said to Isindil. "They're just like sisters, Lothíriel and Éowyn. And I daresay that Faramir's really happy about that too. I knew that Éowyn and Lothíriel would be able to understand each other, but I have to admit that I did have some doubts when Lothíriel seemed so unhappy about coming to Edoras."

"Everything's all right now, then."

"I think we should return to Dol Amroth soon, Éomer," Imrahil said after breakfast.

"But you've only been here for a few days!" Éomer protested.

"I've left my country too long, and it's time that I return to take charge of matters once more," Imrahil replied.

Éomer nodded. "All right, then. When are you planning to leave?"

"We'll prepare for the journey today, and I suppose we will be ready to leave tomorrow morning. I must confess that I long to see my country again. The last time I returned it was only for a day, to bring Lothíriel to Rohan."

Lothíriel sat in silence, fuming.

Lothíriel looked over suspiciously at Imrahil and Éomer speaking in a corner of the hall, and turned to Faramir and Éowyn. "Come, let's go riding again!"

Imrahil and Éomer fell silent as they walked past. Plotting something? Lothíriel thought to herself. At that moment she felt like screaming at them both, but she swallowed her anger once more, and followed behind Faramir and Éowyn to the stables.

Lothíriel looked out over the plains of Rohan, the grass rippling in the breeze. Faramir and Éowyn had ridden off a distance away, and Lothíriel had no intention of trying to catch up with them yet. Perhaps she just needed to have some time alone to think things through.

"I have never seen my sister so happy," someone said from behind her.

Lothíriel almost fell off her horse. She turned to see Éomer smiling at her, holding onto the reins of his stallion, and dismounted immediately. "You startled me," she said sharply, recalling her anger.

Éomer frowned. "I had no intention of doing so, and I'm sorry I did. I just thought that since you're returning home tomorrow, I would at least join you today. I'm sorry I wasn't able to join you yesterday."

"I was all right yesterday," Lothíriel said coolly. "Riding is truly a lovely thing to do."

Éomer cleared his throat. "I… I noticed that you did not seem too happy at breakfast today, when your father said that you would be returning to Dol Amroth. I spoke with him… and… you would be most welcome to stay on a little longer, if you're reluctant to leave Rohan."

Something in Lothíriel snapped. The nerve! She spun around to face him. "I wish you would not jump to conclusions, my Lord Éomer! Just because I was not smiling through the whole breakfast does not mean that I want to stay in Rohan! In fact, I am most pleased that I am going home! I simply cannot wait to get away from sneaky, conniving kings!" She mounted her stallion and rode away from him, not bothering to look back.

Éomer stared after Lothíriel, too stunned to think about chasing after her. What on earth have I done? He could find no answer to that question; he thought that he had treated her with utmost respect.

Frowning, he stroked his horse's mane. Perhaps she needs some time to cool down? Women are really strange creatures.

"Goodbye, cousin," Faramir said, giving Lothíriel a hug. "It's been good to see you again. One day you must come to Ithilien to visit us."

"I will… someday," Lothíriel promised. Then she went to give Éowyn a hug. "You settle down in Minas Tirith well when you get there, Éowyn, it's a beautiful city; and when you go to Ithilien, I will visit you there." Then she went to stand next to Isindil, behind her father.

"Thank you for your hospitality," Imrahil was saying to Éomer.

"Not at all, it was my pleasure, and my honour, to have you as guests. Have a good journey back to Dol Amroth, and may we see each other once more in times of peace," Éomer replied smiling. His gaze then fell to Lothíriel. "Goodbye, my lady, and may you have a good journey back home."

Lothíriel nodded coolly and went to her horse. Yesterday, after her outburst, Éomer had not chased after her to apologise, and for some reason, that only made her angrier.

She did not look back as they rode away. Good riddance, she thought.

"Lothíriel?"

"Come in, Father," Lothíriel called. Imrahil nodded and entered. He needed to speak with his daughter; she had behaved most strangely in Rohan.

"I just wanted to speak with you, daughter."

Lothíriel raised an eyebrow. "What about, Father?"

Imrahil cleared his throat. How do I say this? "Well… I noticed that you were… not yourself in Rohan. Is everything all right?"

Lothíriel's gaze turned icy all of a sudden. She certainly didn't inherit that from me, Imrahil thought to himself. Though that gaze would be rather useful for governing countries. "I behaved exactly as a person insulted would behave, Father."

"Insulted?" Imrahil thought that he had braced himself for all sorts of replies, but he had obviously thought wrong. "How could you be insulted?"

"I don't know, but I suppose finding out that your own father is planning to marry you off to the new king of Rohan could have that effect." Lothíriel actually glared at him, but Imrahil was too stunned to get angry.

"What do you mean, Lothíriel?"

"Aren't you going to admit it?" Lothíriel asked, standing up. "I've heard you and Isindil speak about it! You wanted to marry me to Éomer!"

Imrahil stared at his daughter, wide-eyed. Then a smile spread across his face, and he began to laugh. "Oh, my daughter… you couldn't have believed that… why would you…" he gasped helplessly. "That's simply ridiculous…"

"Ridiculous? Then what was it that you were doing in Rohan? You seemed to trying to make Éomer like me!"

"What's wrong with a father being proud of his daughter? I was just giving you the praise you deserve." Imrahil managed to stop his laughing. "Listen to me, Lothíriel. I would never force you to marry anyone. I would never, ever do that to you, all right?"

"You wouldn't?" Lothíriel looked at him, surprised.

"Never," Imrahil confirmed.

"Oh."

The waves crashed against the sides of the cliff, and Lothíriel smiled at the sight. It was wonderful to be home. The journey back to Dol Amroth had been much like the journey to Rohan: uneventful, except for one revelation.

Lothíriel frowned, remembering the revelation of the journey home. She had spent the rest of the journey feeling incredibly embarrassed, and the fact that her father and Isindil could not look at her without bursting into laughter did not help at all. Then she had spent the past three days at home wondering what to do about it. I really must do something. I can't just pretend it didn't happen! She told herself that time and again, despite wishing that she could pretend that it had never happened. However, it was too big a mistake to ignore.

And I treated Éomer so terribly! Her cheeks turned red at the thought, and turned even redder when she recalled her outburst. He must have been so shocked by my behaviour!

She looked down at the paper she had brought out with her, and the quill she was holding in her hand. Write and apologise, she ordered herself. You owe him that. She sighed and began to write.