By the time she was 10, Tolwyn was a vibrant and active young girl, very stubborn and adventurous. She had sparkling green eyes and golden hair, and when she was happy she would grin in the most carefree way.

But in the coldness of January of 3038, the Queen got sick, and was bed-ridden. Tolwyn would still run away from lessons. But when she was caught, she was punished and sent to bed without supper, for her mother wasn't there to intervene for her and protect her. Lothiriel's condition got worse and worse; by the middle of March, the King Elessar had come to Edoras, to try healing her. It didn't work; the King went back to Minas Tirith and Lothiriel was still sick.

On March 17th, the doctors and healers had begun to talk amongst themselves, and they told King Eomer what they knew and how likely it was that Lothiriel would die. Eomer was silent- he sat motionless on his throne the rest of the day, and was not himself. Tolwyn ran away from lessons again, and when she was captured and brought before the King, he only waved his hand and mumbled "Guards, the usual punishment for her." Eomer did not even look at Tolwyn.

So Tolwyn was sent to her room. Through a window there she watched the sun set, and eventually laid down and fell asleep, her stomach growling in protest. But she was troubled by nightmares that night, something that had never happened before. They were horrible nightmares too, of massive bloodshed and of those she loved dying. She awoke startled, and began to cry. She decided to go to her mother for comfort- and also, she had seen the healers talking, and wanted to know what was happening.

So, bare-footed and in her nightdress, she snuck down the hallway to the healing room. She soon reached it, and went in. Although her footsteps were quiet, the Queen soon woke up, coughing. Tolwyn said quietly, "Mother, I had a nightmare, and- it was awful. And I saw the healers talking too… are you going to be well soon?" Lothiriel replied, "My dear daughter, come and stand by the bedside, and we shall talk." Tolwyn crept over and stood next to the bed, and looked expectantly at her mother. Lothiriel said solemnly, "Tolwyn, I will be taking a journey soon… a long journey, and I shall not come back."

Tolwyn suddenly looked excited as she asked, "Are you going to Ithilien? To Dol Amroth? I want to see the ocean! May I come, mother, may I?"

Lothiriel started to laugh, and the laughing turned to coughing. After the coughing fit was over she explained to Tolwyn, "No, dear, you cannot come. No one can… I am going alone."

Tolwyn started to cry again. She asked, "But when will I see you again? Why can't you just stay here?"

"I cannot stay, it's just impossible, dear- but you will see me again, after you have grown up to be the beautiful young woman I know you'll be, and after you have died. Right now, let us spend as much time together as we can, for I feel I am leaving soon…"

The night was frigid, and by that time Tolwyn was trembling, her tears falling silently to the cold stone floor. Lothiriel said lovingly, "Oh, you're shivering! Come here, and lay under the quilts, and go to sleep. Your nightmares are gone now, don't worry…" Tolwyn slowly climbed onto the soft bed, and buried herself under the many warm quilts. She started to sob quietly on her mother's shoulder, as her mother held her and comforted her. After a few minutes, Lothiriel said, "Sleep now, morning will come before you know it." She paused, and then whispered, "My dear daughter."

Lothiriel held her daughter until Tolwyn drifted into a peaceful sleep. She then slowly took off a necklace that around her neck, and placed it around her daughter's neck. She was careful to hide it under Tolwyn's nightdress, so whatever healer came in the morning would not see it. Tolwyn didn't know what journey her mother was talking about, so she slept calmly, curled up by her mother's side, her small hand held by her mother's graceful one. Lothiriel also drifted into sleep, never to wake again. The last thing she gazed upon in life was her daughter's innocent face.

The Queen of Rohan died peacefully that night in her sleep, a solemn and beautiful expression on her face. Her features had the same appearance in death as they had in life- graceful and noble. Tolwyn woke up the next morning, and squeezed her mother's hand, saying, "Mother, mother, wake up, it is morning-" but Lothiriel's hand was pale and cold, her eyes sealed closed with death. The healers and doctors came in and pulled her away from her beloved mother, kicking and screaming and sobbing uncontrollably all at the same time. She was handed over to her mother's servants, who dressed her and did her hair. Tolwyn was now silent, emotionless, her face blank- they dressed her in black.

Tolwyn was led to the throne room, and sat beside her brother; they both sat on the steps next to her father's throne. Elfwine was wearing black also, and crying. Tolwyn could not believe it; her brother had never cried before. She silently tapped him on the arm and looked into his eyes, and then she started crying too. They both sat on the steps and sobbed, holding each other. But they both wiped their tears and looked up as Lothiriel's funeral bier was carried in.

The Queen was dressed in rich, royal purple robes, her crown on her head and her hands folded upon her chest. Everyone was silent as her bier was carried in and laid in the middle of the throne room. There were candles around her lifeless body, casting flickering shadows on the wall, for the morning sunlight was shut out of that mournful room. Tolwyn looked up hopefully at her father, seeking comfort in some loving gaze- but he instead frowned at her, and glared. In some insane, jealous part of his mind, Eomer thought Tolwyn had in a way killed Lothiriel, for Tolwyn was the last to see her alive. Tolwyn turned and sobbed into her brother's shoulder, thinking sadly, she is gone, gone forever, now no one will comfort me, no one will save me, no one will love me…

Elfwine had suddenly realized as he held his sister that Lothiriel was the only one that had made Tolwyn feel loved, the only person that really cared for her. He vowed that from that day on he would love her and comfort her, and be her caretaker and teacher. So he held Tolwyn, patting her back and letting her cry on his shoulder. Just as Tolwyn was thinking that no one would comfort her anymore, she stopped crying, for she had noticed that Elfwine was there, holding her. She held him at arms' length and asked quietly, "Why do you comfort me now? You never have before."

Elfwine answered sullenly, "Our mother has never died before…" He took a deep breath, wiped his eyes, and continued, "We must stay together now, for Father has lost the one he loves most. He barely knows you, he is only training me, he loves neither one of us as he should…" Elfwine put an arm around Tolwyn, and she started weeping again. He whispered to her, "From now on I will care for you, my sister, and if you cry it will be on my shoulder, and if you learn it will be from my teachings- I will love you, and protect you, Tolwyn, as mother loved both of us…" Elfwine then stopped, and looked at Lothiriel and began crying silently.

So it happened that the Queen Lothiriel died on the night of March 17th, 3038, and was buried among the mounds of simbelmyne outside the gates of Edoras.