My computer is still at the shop, but I should be able to get it back today. I hope. Everything's been wiped out, though, so I have really lost EVERYTHING. Extremely sad.

To Medea Smyke: I think they did use envelopes, but sealed with sealing wax instead of our fantastic self-adhesive goo thingys. That's what they showed in the movie, anyway… Gandalf and Frodo put the Ring into an envelope.

To the rest: Thanks for all your reviews!

In this chapter I will include Lothíriel's brothers (Elphir, Erchirion and Amrothos). I can't find much information about them in the books (they're not even listed in the Index) and I only got a teensy bit of info about them online, so I only know that Elphir is the eldest. The rest of the info I had to make up.

Chapter 6 : Arrival at Emyn Arnen

2 months later (from the last chapter)…

Lothíriel entered her father's hall, and quietly took her place at the table. Her three older brothers, Elphir, Erchirion and Amrothos were already seated at the table, as was her father. As usual, the seat next to her father was left empty. No one ever sat there. It was their mother's seat, and would always be.

"Faramir has sent word," Imrahil said as they ate. "Everything is ready in Emyn Arnen, and he invites us to spend some time there."

"Will you be going to Emyn Arnen then, Father?" Elphir asked. Being the eldest, if Imrahil left Dol Amroth, Elphir would be in charge again. Not that that would be a problem, Lothíriel thought. Elphir was always responsible, cool-headed… everything a good ruler needed to be.

Imrahil shook his head. "No, I just returned to Dol Amroth not long ago. I have no wish to leave it again. Elphir, perhaps you could go with your brothers?" Erchirion and Amrothos were not only brothers, but the best of friends, and inseparable. Since they never created much (serious) trouble together, no one ever thought to try to separate them.

Lothíriel had been sitting in silence, thinking, but now she spoke up. "I could go with Elphir, Father."

Everyone went silent, and four pairs of eyes turned to Lothíriel. She looked down at her bowl. "Éowyn would be glad to see me…"

"Did my sister just volunteer to leave the country?" Erchirion asked incredulously.

"I think she just did," Amrothos agreed.

"Are you feeling all right, Lothíriel?" the two brothers asked teasingly.

Elphir cut in, seeing Lothíriel turning redder by the second. "That's enough, the two of you. I see no harm in Lothíriel going to Emyn Arnen, Father, and I would be glad to bring her with me."

Imrahil smiled, and nodded. "Very well, then."

Lothíriel stood next to Elphir two days later, looking on at the dozen soldiers that were going to be with them on the journey to Ithilien. "Do we really need that many soldiers, brother? Ithilien can't be dangerous."

Elphir laughed. "I think they are there more for the appearance of things than for fighting. Don't you worry about danger, sister."

"I'm not worried about danger," Lothíriel retorted. "If there's danger, I could swing a sword as well as you!"

"I wouldn't be so sure of that, Lothíriel," Elphir said, chuckling. "Also, there is a big difference between swinging a sword and actually killing someone with it. But there won't be any need for you to be doing any swinging or any killing on this journey. Sorry if that disappoints."

Lothíriel mounted her stallion. "It doesn't disappoint at all, my dear brother. I was just saying that I could do it if I had to."

"All right. But just to make clear, and be free of your wrath… I would just like to tell you that I am under no orders and have no intentions of marrying you off to anyone in Emyn Arnen." Elphir winked, and rode off before Lothíriel could attempt to drag him off his horse, or scratch him, or anything of that sort.

"I knew I shouldn't have told him," Lothíriel muttered under her breath, riding off after her brother.

A few days later… (A/N: Not exactly very sure how long it takes to get from Dol Amroth to Ithilien on horseback.)

"My Lord, your guests from Dol Amroth are here."

Faramir looked up from his book. "Thank you, Beregond. Could you please inform the Lady Éowyn of their arrival as well? I think she is looking over the condition of the stables yet again."

Beregond and Faramir shared a smile. Éowyn seemed more concerned over the state of the stables than the state of the kitchen, to the great amusement of the men, and the great horror of the elder women. Faramir wouldn't have had it any other way, though. It wouldn't have been the Éowyn he fell in love with if she had suddenly spent all her days occupied with the matters of the kitchen, and weaving and knitting.

Faramir put his book down, taking note of the page, and then left the room.

Elphir and Lothíriel were waiting in the hall. Faramir approached them with a huge smile on his face, and embraced his two cousins. "It's so good to see you again!" he said. "Lothíriel, I'm surprised to see you once more! I was under the impression that it was easier to face an army of Orcs than to get you to leave Dol Amroth!"

Elphir laughed as Lothíriel reddened. "For some strange reason, she volunteered to leave home this time."

"I'm most eager to see your wife again, cousin," Lothíriel explained.

"And so am I!" Éowyn entered the hall, and gave Lothíriel a hug. "You have truly kept to your promise, Lothíriel!"

"I did say I would visit you, didn't I?" Lothíriel replied pleasantly, evidently glad to see Éowyn again. "You must show me around." She turned to the two men. "Could we please be excused to look around?"

Faramir smiled. "I don't see why not. You're most welcome to treat Emyn Arnen as your own home, and come and go as you please."

The two women began to walk away, and as they left the hall, Faramir overheard Éowyn saying, "Oh, I really must show you the stables, I attended to it personally…"

"The stables?" Elphir asked with one eyebrow raised. "Most women I meet begin with the kitchens!"

"Éowyn isn't 'most women', Elphir. That's why I married her."

Elphir laughed and agreed. "If I knew that earlier, I would have joined my sister on her private tour of the area."

Faramir clapped his cousin on the shoulder. "Don't you worry about that, cousin. I will show you around as well. We could always start with the kitchens, if that's what you want."

"Will King Elessar be coming to Emyn Arnen?" Lothíriel asked. "I've never met him before."

"Yes, he will be coming," Éowyn replied. "But he might come later, he has plenty to deal with in his own city." She glanced at Lothíriel as they walked along. "My brother should be arriving today, though. He left Rohan later than you and your brother left Dol Amroth."

"Oh, all right."

"I do hope you've forgiven him for whatever happened in Rohan. Sometimes my brother can offend people without even knowing what he has done."

Lothíriel shook her head. "No, it was all my fault. Some silly misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding? What misunderstanding?"

"I'm still too embarrassed to tell you. But one day I will tell you about it, and then we can all look back on that time and laugh."

Éowyn left Lothíriel after showing her around, and Lothíriel wandered about Emyn Arnen alone. It was truly a beautiful place, and with time it could blossom and become even lovelier.

Her thoughts then turned to Éomer. He would be arriving soon, and she would have to speak with him. She wondered what she could possibly say.

But above all, she was just looking forward to seeing him again.