::disclaimer:: you know i don't own this. now read the story.
Chapter XXI
It was nearing noon when the four companions at last drew their horses to a halt. They had come upon a wide creek, and Lothíriel had begged them to stop their ride there. "It's so beautiful!" she gushed. "And the creek will be perfect for a swim after!"
Rolling their eyes, the men agreed, though Amrothos could not stop from teasing her. "Lothíriel, you know that Adar does not want you to swim for at least half an hour after you've eaten!"
"Then we should swim first and then eat," she replied sweetly.
"Oh no we shouldn't!" said Faramir. "I'm famished!"
"Amrothos, I believe you could just forget to tell your father that you ate first and then swam," cut in Éomer.
Lothíriel grinned at him. "I agree with the horse-lord," she said.
"As do I," added Faramir.
The three looked at Amrothos, who furrowed his brow. Finally he sighed. "Just this once," he conceded, grinning. "Now let's eat!"
The meal was wonderful and full of laughter. Faramir and Amrothos entertained Éomer with stories of their cousin and sister, to Lothíriel's embarrassment.
"And then there was the time when she asked Uncle Denethor if—"
"Do you have to tell that one?" she wailed.
"Yes, he does," answered Faramir. "It's a good story."
"As I was saying," Amrothos continued, "Lothíriel asked our uncle if he would play kings and queens with her. She would be Tar-Míriel and he would be the evil Ar-Pharazôn, who forced her into marriage."
"Needless to say, my father was not terribly excited with the role Lothíriel chose for him," cut in Faramir.
"I daresay not," laughed Éomer.
"Adar was very amused by it all," said Amrothos. "And you should have seen it! Lothíriel over-dramatized the story a bit—"
"A bit?" snorted Faramir. "A bit? She called my father a pile of horse-dung in Elvish! I don't think I've ever seen him so angry at her before or since!"
"Anyway," said Amrothos, "she also changed the end of the story. Of course, Tar-Míriel actually did marry Ar-Pharazôn, but Lothíriel decided it was a bad ending, so she added a new one."
Éomer raised his eyebrows. "What sort of ending?"
"I stabbed him in the eye by accident," Lothíriel answered, determining that it was time she took over the tale.
"She claims it was by accident, but everyone knows she was angry because Uncle didn't want to play the bad guy."
"It was an accident, Amrothos. I was aiming for his neck," she huffed indignantly. "But while we are on the subject of embarrassing stories," she said, turning to Éomer, "I will tell you about Amrothos and the horse." She grinned wickedly.
"No, Lothíriel, I've expressly forbidden you from telling that one!" exclaimed Amrothos.
"Oh, so you can tell stories on me, but I can't say anything about you? 'Tis only fair, brother of mine."
"She has a point, you know," whispered Faramir.
"Well if you insist on telling that story, I'm leaving," said Amrothos. He began to walk towards the horses and promptly stepped into a gopher hole, tripped, and fell flat on his face. "On second thought," he said from the ground, "I think I'll stay."
Lothíriel raised an eyebrow at her brother as he hobbled back toward the group. "See what happens when you try to dodge consequences?" she said. "They just double up on you." Amrothos merely glared in reply. She smirked cheekily back and turned to Éomer. "Amrothos and the horse. When Amrothos turned—what was it, ten?—Adar gave him a horse. Really, it was just a little mountain pony, the kind with broad backs that are good for ten-year-old boys. Anyway, the very first day he had the pony, he wanted to go riding alone. Adar said he could, but only if he could saddle and mount it on his own. So he did. Except no one ever taught Amrothos to properly saddle a horse, so he had it both backwards and loose, and when he finally tried to mount the poor animal, the saddle slipped, and he ended up face-down in the mud. Of course, when he tried to get up, the beast began to move, dragging him along behind it."
Éomer looked at Amrothos, who scowled at both the memory and his sister. "No wonder you mislike horses," he said. "Though you should have been taught to saddle one long before your tenth birthday."
"Hmph."
"I think I've had enough embarrassing stories for one day," said Faramir, sighing. "I'm ready to head back to the palace."
"I'll come with you," said Amrothos.
Faramir turned to his other cousin. "Lothíriel?"
She shook her head. "I want to go swimming, remember?"
"Ah yes." He turned to Éomer. "Need I ask?" Éomer shook his head slightly. Faramir grinned. "Don't stay out too long; it looks like it might rain, and Uncle will be angry with you if you are late for dinner."
"Do not worry, my dear cousin. We're only swimming." Lothíriel smiled sweetly at him.
Faramir smiled back. "I only worry when you give me reason to worry, dear little cousin." She scrunched up her nose and stuck her tongue out at him. Faramir just laughed and rode off.
Lothíriel turned to Éomer. "You can kiss me now, or thank me later tonight," she said and then grinned. "Or you could do both."
"Or neither," he answered.
She sniffed. "You are no fun."
"I am going swimming," he said, and he headed toward the water.
Lothíriel flounced past him, quickly undoing the laces on her dress. "Then I'm coming with you," she proclaimed, pulling off all but her last layer of clothing, and leaped into the water, splashing Éomer in the process. She surfaced and smiled up at him, treading water. "Are you coming?" she asked. "The water feels wonderful!"
He sighed dramatically. "I suppose I shall." He took a step toward the water.
"Wait!" Lothíriel called.
"What?"
"You may want to take some of your clothes off. Otherwise, you might get dragged away. The water is much faster than it looks."
Éomer snorted. "I hardly think that I will be dragged away in trousers and a shirt, Lothíriel. Might I remind you that you are the one wearing a petticoat, something that is far more likely to be snagged by a wayward branch or caught in an undercurrent?"
"Yes, but I've been here before. I know how to swim in this water," she said. "You have not. You don't know where the dangerous spots are."
"Then why don't you tell me?"
"I can't remember them all. And besides, where's the fun in that?" She gave him a look that revealed her true intentions—intentions that were not as innocent as being dragged away by the rampaging waters.
"Oh, no you don't, Lothíriel. You are not getting me in that water now." Éomer glared at her. "I know what you're up to, and I know what it will lead to. If you try anything, we'll be caught, and I will be the one taking most of the responsibility. We are not going to get ourselves in trouble."
She sighed. "You are right of course," she said, swimming back to the shore. "Erchirion, or maybe Elphir, would ride up just when we both came up and would get the wrong impression. You would be sent back to Rohan, and I would either be sent to Minas Tirith with Faramir or forced into marriage with Lord Aermaethor." She climbed out of the creek and stood in front of him, close enough that he could feel her proximity. She looked up into his eyes and whispered, "You would be worth marriage to Lord Aermaethor."
Éomer looked into her grey eyes and knew she was quite serious. He leaned down to kiss her, but stepped away abruptly. He shook his head. "We cannot. I promise you, Lothíriel, when the time is right…." He drifted off.
She looked toward the city. "When is the time ever right?" she whispered.
A/N: yeesh, that took me a while. over a month! sorry that it took so long, guys, hopefully the next chappie will be up faster. but it might not. i've got a bunch of stuff coming up for english class, and a huge admissions thing to a top-notch summer program that has to be sent in before the 24th (it's free, but only 86 students out of about 900 submissions are accepted). and after that, i'm in a play in february. so the next one may not be coming for a little while. i should have the next chapter to hazy dawn out by the end of next week, though, so there's always that. and my christmas story, if i ever get around to it. anyways, enough about my hugely busy life. here's some replies to all of your wonderful reviews….
Replies:
balrogthane: first off, i thought it might be a good idea if i mentioned the fact that this is a slightly AU story and that it starts roughly (in fact, almost exactly) two years before the battle of the pelennor. and no, you're not in trouble..lol. glad you liked the re-write on 19!
lariren-shadow: ah yes, the singing. i couldn't help it…i read another fic once where eomer and a few of his soldiers gathered outside faramir and eowyn's window to sing bawdy songs on their wedding night, so that's where that idea came from.
blue eyes at night: haven't read your story yet, but maybe one day, when i need something thoroughly out-there, i will. sorry again that this has taken so long.
elvenstar5: this is probably later than you would have liked, but at least i did (finally) update!
lotr-nutcase: don't forget, eomer's got another week in dol amroth (he's there for political reasons, not recreational)! and we're not getting to after the war until the last chapter (or possibly epilogue)…i have that part figured out at least.
rana ninque: you are right, of course. he should have. i admit, that little plot twist about the real reason for coming to dol amroth was due to an evil plot bunny attack on my person. fear not, i have come up with a solution (albeit a slightly illogical one) that shall be revealed in due time!
lometari: yes, she's free! but this update took me forever because i didn't know what to do with her new-found freedom. luckily, it came to me while i was on vacation. sort of.
mrsblonde1503: sexy, yes, v.v. sexy. i don't think i'd want to tie him to my bed, though. i'd be scared of lothiriel finding us (which is why he only visits on weekends and holidays).
hotdogfish: i hate ants, too. none at their picnic, though. no aunts either..lol.
gypsyswordgoddess: i hadn't even thought of that! ooh! a new idea! let's see, how else can elphir make eomer's life miserable? ::starts making list::
dancin' over the edge: glad you liked the change…it ended up being a much better chapter. also very glad you liked the appearance v. reality (aagh! english is taking over my brain! help me!!!). hope you enjoyed the picnic!