::IMPORTANT NOTE:: everyone needs to go back and re-read the second half of chapter 19 if you read it before friday (11/26). i made an extremely important plot change. if you do not re-read it, you will be very very confused. thank you.

::disclaimer:: i don't own it...unfortunately.

Chapter XX

The next morning, the breakfast hall was quite empty when Éomer walked in. "Good morning!" said Amrothos, the only occupant. "I trust you slept well?"

"Very well, especially considering the reacket you and Faramir were making outside my window."

"Was that your window?" the young prince asked. "I'm sorry. We didn't mean to disturb you." He grinned cheekily, betraying his tale.

Éomer raised an eyebrow. "Indeed."

"But seriously," Amrothos said, "how was my sister last night?"

"I am sure she slept wonderfully in her own bed, since she didn't have drunkards singing bawdy songs outside her room all night," replied Éomer.

Amrothos glanced at him. "Then you and she did not—?" He let the question hang.

"Your sister is as innocent as the day we met."

Amrothos snorted. "And how innocent is that?"

Éomer shrugged. "That, I could not tell you. But I can assure you, I have done nothing to corrupt said innocence."

"What, our singing was for naught?" asked Faramir, joining in the conversation as he sat at their table.

"I am afraid so."

"Well, well, well, look at what the cat dragged in," called Amrothos as Erchirion walked in, a hand on his forehead.

"Please, not so loud," he said, slumping into a chair.

"Had a little too much to drink, brother?"

"I don't remember," he replied faintly. "The last thing I remember before waking is—" he squinted, as if concentrating, "—going to Lothíriel's room to check on her." He looked pointedly at Éomer.

Éomer's stomach did flip-flops. If Erchirion remembered him being there….

He continued, "She was there, and we spoke, and then, nothing." He dismissed it with a wave of his hand. "Amrothos, do you have any of that head-clearing stuff?"

"I'm sorry, I've used it all." Amrothos turned to his cousin. "Faramir?"

"I may have some in my rooms. If not, I know where to get some more."

"Good. I need it."

"Suilad, mellyn!" exclaimed Lothíriel brightly as she waltzed into the breakfast hall. "Manen le?"

Amrothos rolled his eyes. "In an Elvish mood this morning, lovely sister?"

She grinned. "Ú-chenion."

Faramir looked at Amrothos. "I believe she is."

"Tolo, mado go nin!" She seated herself and began to heap food onto her plate. Taking a bite, she said, "Maer aes hen!"

"Lothíriel, please, you are making my head hurt."

"Yes, Lothíriel," Amrothos laughed, "you know what thinking does to Erchirion."

"Bado mîbo orch," he snarled.

"A bit touchy this morning, brother?" asked Lothíriel, speaking Common at last. She sniffed. "I figured you would be after last night."

Erchirion responded by glaring at her from under his eyebrows.

"Do not pester him this morning, Lothíriel," chided Faramir. "Wait until he has gotten rid of his headache!"

"Aye," agreed Amrothos, "and then you should tease him to no end!"

With no small amount of trepidation, Éomer knocked on the door to Imrahil's study. "Come in," said a muffled voice from the other side of the door. Taking a deep breath, Éomer opened the door. Imrahil looked up from the papers strewn across his desk. "Ah, Éomer, what can I do for you on this fine morning?"

"I-I have a question for you, milord."

Imrahil smiled warmly. "Please, have a seat." He gestured to a chair opposite his own. "Would you care for some wine?" Éomer shook his head. "No? Well then, ask away."

His words came out in a rush. "I was wondering if you would allow me to escort your daughter to the festival tonight."

Imrahil sat back in his chair. "Éomer, you know that she is being punished."

"Aye, sir, but it was not her fault. I am to blame."

"You?" said the prince. "If you have lain—"

"Nay, sir, I did not," Éomer interjected quickly. "We were at Saberman's. Amrothos and Faramir were there as well. Lothíriel fell asleep and Aela said they could put her up for the night. I did not realize at the time that it would cause her trouble, or I would have awakened her."

"You're a good lad, Éomer, but stay away from my daughter."

"But sir—"

"Lothíriel is not yet twenty. She is impetuous and naïve. In a few years, she will marry a lord of Gondor. I do not want that compromised."

"Yes, sir." He added in his mind that Lothíriel was not very naïve and had been successfully compromised long before he came to Dol Amroth. Nonetheless, he decided to pursue his request again. "Sir?"

"Yes, Éomer?"

He gulped. "It is for that very reason that I wish to escort Lothíriel. We have been meeting in secret since the festival began. I do not want to go behind your back. Please allow me to escort her tonight."

"Amrothos and Faramir have been helping you, yes?" Éomer nodded, knowing it was fruitless to lie. "Erchirion nearly caught you last night, lad. I don't know what you did to him to make him forget—honestly, I don't want to know—but it certainly worked."

"How did you—?"

"I have ears, too, my boy. I may be old, but I am not deaf." He leaned back in his chair again. "Éomer, because you have come to me and been honest about what happened at Saberman's, I believe Lothíriel can be released from her punishment. You may escort her tonight, and tomorrow, if you like, but if I hear of another rendezvous like last night, I will personally lock you in the dungeons and melt down the key. Understood?"

"Aye, sir." Éomer stood. "Thank you, sir." He bowed slightly and left.

There was no one in the breakfast hall except Saeriel and Alphros. "They were going to the stables, I think," she told Éomer. "Faramir wanted to show off his stallion. They said something about a picnic, so you best hurry if you want to catch them."

"Thank you," he said, and he dashed off to the stables to find the others.

"Ah, Éomer! There you are!" Faramir smiled. "We were just going to send someone to fetch you. Please, come see my horse."

"In a moment," said Éomer, breathing heavily. "First, I must speak with Lothíriel." Lothíriel furrowed her eyebrows, but came over to him. Faramir and Amrothos followed. "Alone," he added, looking pointedly at the men. They backed away.

"What is it?" Lothíriel asked quietly.

"I spoke with your father," he explained quickly. "I told him of our meetings. Shush," he said when she began to speak. "He has given me permission to escort you to the festival tonight and tomorrow, as well."

"Truthfully?" she exclaimed. "That's wonderful!" She hugged him.

"What has happened that is so wonderful?" asked Amrothos, coming up behind them.

Lothíriel let go of Éomer and turned to explain. "Adar has released me from my prison. Éomer will be escorting me for the rest of the festival."

Faramir looked at him gravely. "How much did he pay you?" Lothíriel rolled her eyes and punched him.

"Enough," replied Éomer dismissively. The others laughed.

"If you're done teasing me," said Lothíriel, "can we go on our picnic to celebrate my release?"

"Anything for you, dear sister," answered Amrothos. Lothíriel scowled and pushed him into a pile of dirt.

A/N: next up: a nice, quiet (haha...yeah right) picnic. and please don't be annoyed or anything about the plot change. i had a very good reason for it: they were not ready for it. and thankfully, balrogthane pointed that out to me. so, i made the change. and the story is better for it.

Translations:
Suilad, mellyn! Greetings, friends!
Manen le? How are you?
Ú-chenion. I don't understand.
Tolo, mado go nin! Come, dine with me!
Maer aes hen! This food is delicious!
Bado mîbo orch. Go kiss an orc.

Replies:
lariren-shadow: well, if you read the revised chapter, you know that's not true anymore. but thanks for the review anyways!
lotr-nutcase: take that plot bunny and run with it. it's beyond my scope. and if you are upset about the change of plans, never fear: their time will come.
balrogthane: i've already talked to you. meh. i have nothing else to say except i hope you enjoyed the banter in this chapter.
elvenstar5: teachers just have no appreciation for the fine art of fanfiction..lol. thankies for the review!
blue eyes at night: maybe the change i made to ch. 19 was drastic enough to get more reviews. i hope so, since that's the whole reason for the change..lol, not.
hotdogfish: thankies for the review!
mrsblonde1503: yeah, the song's called "brandy." but don't tell anyone else that. they're supposed to figure it out on their own. and i'll be watching for men in black suits now…::gets shifty-eyed as doorbell rings::
lady hades: well, you can see how it worked out. eomer felt so bad for forgetting you, he made me build a time machine so he could go back and correct his mistakes. unfortunately, he got mugged in the park by some dunlendings and ended up getting going to the er to get stitches. he says maybe next time, ok?
rana ninque: ::blushes:: thank you!
lometari: lol..of course he deserved it! he ruined the moment! but it turned out for the best, because if that hadn't happened, eomer never would have run into erulehton and then never decided to talk to imrahil.