Ok so part 2 is up! I hope you like this, I'm a bit less intro here, there will be Eomer/Lothiriel soon. I thought it could be a nice spin if there was a little Legolas/Lothiriel too. rubs hands together enjoy. Disclaimer: LOTR: not mine!
The Tale of Éomer and Lothíriel.
PART TWO.
They passed on up through the gates, to the small welcoming party at the inner doors; Prince Imrahil and his younger daughters, who were also tall and dark haired but could not yet be of age, unlike their sister Lothíriel, who stood out tall and proud and strong in the dying light.
"Father!" Lothíriel gave the soldiers' salute, the right fist knocking once on the upper chest, before embracing her father like the daughter she was, and then her two little sisters. Imrahil inquired for a moment after any losses and injuries. The three companies had clearly just marched in from a mission. He stepped forward to greet his old comrades, and said:
"Well met my liege and my friends! You're first of a large party! Blessed are you all for answering our call of battle! Our scouts estimate your men only an hour behind you, my Lord Aragorn! And we shall expect the riders of Rohan before midnight. I am truly in the debt of all other powers of men."
"Nay, you offer me a chance to repay my own debt to you, at the Pelennor Fields, my friend," said Aragorn, grasping his arm, "and all of my army is at your service."
Greeting over, they entered the hall and sat down for a while in counsel, but more reminiscing about their last encounters than plotting strategies for the new battle on their doorstep. They gathered close to the fire in large armchairs, and Lothíriel sat crossed-legged on the hearthrug, rapt with attention while they related past adventure.
"The troops from the White City and Ithilien are come, my Lord."
Lothíriel leapt lightly to her feet and rushed to the balcony to count the soldiers entering the city. There were at least eight hundred. Not many. Troops had been lost dearly in the War of the Ring. The men began to section off to camp in the large fields that had been cleared for their arrival, leaving those furthest to the city free for the riders of Rohan, due to arrive in later hours. A small troupe entered the city gates, their flags bearing the tree and stars of the King of Gondor.
"They're not as many as you were expecting?"
She jumped slightly, and turned to face Legolas who had crept up behind her. "I have many. My father has his knights. Rohan are yet to come. There are enough. It is enough that they love my father so much that they would help defend a small port such as this. But I wonder that an Elf would return here. You should be wary. Do not go to the sea just yet." She left him in the shadows.
"Faramir!"
"My cousin Lothíriel." They embraced warmly. "You're charged to keep me safe for my wife, cousin."
"You should have brought her. We're in need of tough women. Oh, you look well cousin. Married life looks good on you!" They laughed and hugged again, and he tugged her away from the crowd for a moment while Aragorn greeted his advisors.
"Lothi... I have brought you something." He produced a box. She frowned. It was not heavy. The cloven horn inside brought tears to her eyes. They prickled there. She inhaled sharply. "Had you married, he would have given it to your son. Lothi? Lothíriel please don't –don't cry for him. He died with honour and-"
She thought she might be sick as she looked down into the box at the last memory of her cousin. The only thing connected with him. "He- it didn't seem real. He really is dead. He's dead, Boromir is dead."
"Lothíriel..." Her head swam and she knelt on the stone. Faramir took one of her hands in his. It was limp and cold. "Please. We need you to be strong now."
"Leave me. Go to your counsel. I will stay here 'til the Rohirrim come. I just need some air."
He regarded her for a moment. "As you wish." He kissed the top of her head and was gone.
Lothíriel sat on the steps of her house and ran her fingers over the horn, fitting it back together so that it appeared whole again. She dried her eyes firmly and stared out into the night, which was glimmering with the light of the camps and the city taverns. Her hair hung over her shoulders to pool in her lap, blowing on and off her forehead in the light breeze floating up from the sea. The air smelt of salt and weeds. The reassuring smell of home. There was a footstep to her left. Legolas leant on a railing, staring out at the stars. Without looking at her, he said.
"Your cousin was a brave man."
"I know."
"You were lovers?"
"We were best friends. We were warriors. We passed our youth between the White City and Dol Amroth, learning our 'trade'. He said no woman but me would ever command an army. And now I have three."
"But you were to marry him?"
"It was arranged. It was to bring closer alliance to our cities. And it's not your business."
"I know." He moved over to sit next to her. "Look at the stars. I have seen so many ages of this world and I don't think they have ever changed. Did I really miss you? When I shot that arrow this afternoon."
She laughed. It sounded like a wave rippling in a rock pool. "It's my party trick. Catching the arrow just before it hits home. I hone my reflexes every day to manage it, but it's rather useful."
"I can't believe it." She challenged him to try. They stood up and Legolas fitted an arrow. He was at point blank range. "If your guards are watching it'll be my neck." He fired. "That's insane."
"You can't hit me. It's easy if you're concentrating. But you have to know you're being shot at and that's hard in battle. Your arrow, my Lord."
"You're right. About the sea. Lady Galadriel sent a message to me when we travelled through Fangorn Forest. She said that if I saw the sea I would never return to the forest again. I fear I will not. But I don't plan to leave yet."
They were close in the dusky light. Both were aware that this rendezvous looked like a lovers' scene. They were almost matched in height because of the Elvish blood in Lothíriel. But she was hardly as graceful, though she possessed a beauty to only be compared to Queen Arwen. And that was rare. Legolas was aware that they hadn't spoken for fully two minutes and were dangerously lost in each other's eyes. Then she broke away.
"Hooves," said Lothíriel. Her eyes roamed over the horizon and picked out spears. "Rohan has come. Cerahil! Find my father and tell him the riders of Rohan are approaching." The guard disappeared into the house and she pushed her hair back from her face, regal and authoritative again. Legolas respected her pride. "What of the King of Rohan? I hear he is a magnificent commander with a short temper and a will of iron. I hope I'm wrong, or we will certainly not get on."
Legolas chuckled. "He's headstrong but wise, a great strategist and a good friend."
"Great strategist? I don't wonder." Aragorn, Gimli, Imrahil and Faramir joined them. Lothíriel sat on the stone balustrade and feigned indifference, which made Legolas smirk secretly. The guard Cerahil went and slouched beside her and she rolled her eyes at him in the manner of old friends.
"Éomer, you old horse, you're late and we've eaten all your dinner!" called Gimli. They all laughed and embraced the last of their old friends.
"Greetings Faramir! How fares your wife?"
"Your sister is well Éomer and sends a message to come and visit and bring her back her horse!" They all gripped each other's arms and embraced like brothers. In all the commotion Lothíriel could not see the object of greeting, and leaned on Cerahil who offered her his pipe. The noise died down eventually and she could hear Imrahil saying,
"Where is my daughter? You haven't been introduced to my chief commander! Lothíriel? Oh. I introduce to you Éomer son of Eomund, King of the Riddermark. My daughter Lothíriel, commander of the three companies."
There was a short pause.
"You have a woman commanding your armies?" said Éomer. Lothíriel bristled.
"Just as you have a horse master commanding yours, son of Eomund."
please RnR and no I haven't forgotten about my HP fic I'm just having a little writer's block. love to everyone, skinnyrita xxxxxxxxxxx
