Two updates in one day! Well, I hope you enjoy both chapters. This one may be more filler, but I don't know. Let me know what you think! Love to hear from you as always.
Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Lord of the Rings. I only own Lilly.
Chapter 10: Traveling and Arriving
They had been riding for two days and the dawn of the third day approached. Eomer had left Gamling in charge when he left Edoras and they took Rabryn, a rider that rode with him and back from Aragorn's coronation, and Gaellyn. Eomer was the first to wake, and Rabryn had been on watch. He stood from his bed roll and stretched out his back. He took a deep breath and smiled at Rabryn. "Good morning, your majesty," Rabryn said with a smile. Eomer nodded his head.
"Good morning," Eomer said. He looked over at Faramir who still slept and then glanced at his sister who laid next to Lilly. His eyes then moved to Lilly. Her brow was creased and her head gently shook. He moved over to them, kneeled down, and reached out to her and touched her shoulder gently. She did not wake but spoke quietly.
"Please don't, I promise I'll be good. Please not the belt," she said quietly as tears escaped her eyes. Eomer furrowed his brow and gently shook her should her and called her name.
"Lillyana, Lillyana, wake up," he said. Suddenly, he heard her take a sharp breath and she sat up quickly covering her face with her hands. He stayed where he was and watched as she kept her face in her hands for a moment longer. "Lillyana?" he asked quietly. She quickly turned and looked at him and then wiped away the tears that fell from her eyes. Eomer moved so he was right beside her and looked intently at her. "Are you alright?" Lilly looked up at him and gave him a small smile.
"You always seem to ask me that," she whispered so she would not wake Eowyn or the others. He smiled and nodded waiting for her to answer his question. "I'm fine. It was just a dream." Eomer nodded and stood. He held out his hand to her and Lilly took it. She smoothed out her skirt and sighed. Eomer chuckled quietly and she smiled at him. "Do you have any idea how difficult it is to ride in this thing?" Eomer gave her a look and shook his head.
"I'm afraid I don't have that knowledge." Lilly laughed quietly and nodded. Soon, the others woke and after a small meal, they began their last day's ride to Minas Tirith.
Evening approached and soon Minas Tirith came into view. Lilly looked up at the White City and took a sharp breath. "Wow," she said under her breath. Eomer smiled, and though slightly confused by what she meant, knew that it was something good.
"It is beautiful," he whispered into her ear. Once again, Lilly had to fight the chills that racked her body. Ever since her birthday and she kissed him on the cheek, she was lost to the King of Rohan, but knew that nothing could be done of it. Even though, she thought that she was brought to Middle Earth for him, she figured to she had to be wrong. Another was meant for him, Lothiriel daughter of Prince of Dol Amroth. Lilly's heart ached at the thought, but it was meant to be. Snapping from her thoughts she smiled.
"It is, your majesty, but I do believe Rohan and Edoras are more beautiful than the stone walls and bare plains that I have seen so far," Lily said as she turned to look up at the king. He smiled down at her and nodded before turning his attention back to the road ahead. Rabryn had rode ahead to inform the palace of their arrival and Lilly was suddenly very nervous because she was about to meet Aragorn and Arwen.
They entered the city and began to make their way up the endless levels of the city all the way to the top. The people of Minas Tirith were all inside their homes and Lilly assumed were resting from a hard days work. They reached the top and Lilly smiled when she saw the White Tree of Gondor growing beautifully, and full of life. Eomer dismounted and wrapped his hands around Lilly's waist before lifting her to the ground. Once she was on her feet, she kept her hands on his forearms and just looked up at him. He smiled at her. The smile he gave her was warm, and it was unlike any smile she had ever seen. She returned his smile and was about to say thank you when she heard doors open and Eomer let go her before looking to his left and Lilly looked to her right towards the entrance of the palace.
At the opened doors stood a man, who looked to be about forty with dark hair and kind eyes. A smile lit across his face as he made his way to the tired but smiling party. Lilly stepped back and stood behind Eomer who had turned to face the approaching man. "Eomer," the man said as he stopped in front of him. "It is good to see you my friend." Eomer bowed slightly and stood straight.
"It is good to see you as well, Aragorn," Eomer replied. Eowyn and Faramir moved up to stand next to Eomer and Rabryn and Gaellyn led the horses away for feed and drink. Lilly stood behind Eomer waiting for one of them to remember her presence. As if readying her mind, Eomer looked down to where she once stood and furrowed his brow when he saw she was not there. He looked over his shoulder and smiled at her. He took her hand and pulled her forward. Aragorn looked from his conversation with Faramir to Lilly.
'She is much smaller than I thought her to be, but more beautiful,' Aragorn thought to himself. "Who is this?" Aragorn asked although a smile lit his face because he knew full well who she was. Eomer smiled as well.
"Aragorn, this is Lady Lillyana. The woman I had written you about," Eomer said. Lilly curtsied before the great king and stood.
"It is an honor to meet you, King Elessar," Lilly said as she turned her deep blue eyes to the kind grey eyes of the king. He bowed his head and smiled.
"The honor is mine, milady," Aragorn said. Lilly blushed and bowed her head so she was looking at the stone ground. Aragorn smiled and looked at the others. "Do come in for something to eat and drink. I know you are weary and would like to wash from your travels, but you must nourish yourselves as well." He chuckled and they all laughed with him as they followed him inside. Eomer laced Lilly's arm with his and smiled down at her as they walked. Lilly looked up at him and smiled.
"These upcoming weddings shall be events to remember, don't you think?" he asked her quietly as they followed Aragorn. Faramir and Eowyn talked with Aragorn as they walked and Lilly nodded at Eomer.
"Yes, they will be," she whispered. Lilly had a feeling that things would never be the same after the weddings, because something told her that Lothiriel would be there. Eomer would meet her and she would be forgotten, something that she was all too familiar with. Tears somehow found their way to her eyes but she willed them away. Eomer smiled and glanced down at the woman on his side but frowned when he saw her saddened expression.
"Lillyana," Eomer began but stopped when they entered the dining hall and a soft voice welcomed them.
"Welcome, my friends," said the musical voice. Lilly looked towards the voice and smiled when she saw the Evenstar. Arwen was truly more beautiful than she could have even imagined with her dark flowing hair and soft bluish-grey eyes, truly a sight to behold. Faramir and Eomer bowed while Eowyn and Lilly curtsied before the future queen. Arwen's eyes stopped at Lilly and she smiled kindly at her. Arwen walked over to Lilly, her cream skirts making little sound as she moved across the stone floor. "You must be Lady Lillyana. I have heard much of you from Gandalf the White. He speaks highly of you." Lilly blushed and nodded her head.
"It is an honor to meet you, Lady Arwen, and I thank both you and King Elessar for allowing me to attend your wedding," Lilly said quietly. Arwen smiled and laughed quietly before she nodded her head.
"I do hope you enjoy your stay in Minas Tirith, Lady Lillyana." Lilly nodded and Arwen and Aragorn led their guests to the table for conversation and a light meal.
After they ate, a maid led Lilly and Eomer to their rooms. Eowyn and Faramir's rooms were in a different wing, but Eomer's was across the hall from Lilly's. "Thank you," Lilly told the maid who smiled and bowed her head before quickly leaving Eomer and Lilly in the empty hall. Lilly smiled at Eomer. "Good night, your majesty." Eomer nodded and opened his door.
"Good night, Lillyana," he paused and looked at her as she opened her door. "Lillyana." She stopped before she stepped inside and turned to face him. "If you should need anything, do not hesitate to call upon me." Lilly smiled and nodded.
"Thank you, your majesty." With that Lilly stepped inside her room and Eomer sighed before he stepped inside his own room and went towards his washroom to ready for bed.
Lilly stepped inside the candle lit room and walked over to the bed. Her travel bags as well as the satchel that held the two dresses Eowyn had made for her sat on her bed. She emptied her bags and hung the dresses carefully in the closet before she went into the washroom to find a tub of hot water ready and waiting for her. She smiled, removed her dirty dress, and sighed as the hot water relaxed her tired muscles as well as her tired mind full of sadness knowing that she would soon lose the only person she has ever truly loved in a matter of days.
