:disclaimer: hmm…still don't own it.
Chapter XXVI
Éomer awoke early the next morning. He climbed out of bed and dressed quietly. He slipped out of his room and made for the stables. He needed to think clearly, and the only place where that was possible in Dol Amroth was in the stall of his closest companion.
Firefoot snorted at him as he entered the stable. "Hello boy," Éomer whispered. "I'm sorry I haven't been here much. Things have been…chaotic." The horse chuffed. "She's beautiful," Éomer told him as he began to brush the animal's coat. "She is also quite mad. I was with her last night, in her room. She had everything so perfect, and I left her there." He sighed. "I couldn't do it," he told the horse. "I just couldn't. Despite whatever she did with Erulehton those years ago, she is too innocent. We don't match. We are not meant to be together. Besides, I leave in less than a week. I will never be back."
The horse rolled his eyes at its owner as if to say that was a ridiculous way of rationalizing his actions. "You are right of course," Éomer told him. "I'm afraid, Firefoot. Uncle is not well, and Théodred takes more and more risks with every battle he rushes into." He sighed. "He makes me think of Father, and that scares me more than anything. If Théodred were to die without an heir, that would make me next in line for the throne. I cannot handle that responsibility. I could never be king."
"I think you would make a better king than you give yourself credit for." Éomer turned, startled by Erchirion's voice. The prince grinned at him. "Adar wants to see you. You are here for more than just a festival, after all."
"How much did you hear?" Éomer asked as the two men walked back toward the palace.
"Enough," answered the prince.
Imrahil was waiting in his study along with Faramir, Elphir, and Amrothos. Éomer and Erchirion took the remaining two seats. "Suílad," said Imrahil.
"Suílad," Éomer returned.
"Shall we begin?" asked the prince.
"By all means, please do," answered Éomer.
The meetings went well into the afternoon. It was nearing dinnertime when Éomer and Amrothos were walking down to Saberman's. "That went well, didn't you think?" said Amrothos.
Éomer nodded. "Better than it might have." They had reached an agreement fairly quickly, and Éomer planned to leave the city the next morning. He could have stayed longer, but he needed to leave. He would never admit it, but he did not want to be around Lothíriel any longer than necessary. It would be that much harder to leave her. "I will be sad to leave this place," he told Amrothos.
"Why is that? Because of my sister?" The prince gave him a sly grin.
"Not just that," Éomer answered. "Dol Amroth is far more peaceful than any other city I've ever been in. I don't know if it is the sea or just that it is so far away from any immediate dangers. I feel safe here."
"You've obviously never been here during a squall or an attack from the Haradrim," said Amrothos as he ushered Éomer inside the pub.
"Afternoon, boys," said Aela. "What'll it be today?"
"Your best ale," called Amrothos. "It's the horse-lord's last night in Dol Amroth. We have to make it a good one."
Aela blinked at him and turned to Éomer. "You're already leaving us? You've hardly been here two weeks!"
"That is true, but I'll still be here," piped up Faramir, who was already seated at a table with Erulehton, Erchirion, and Lothíriel.
The barmaid raised an eyebrow at him. "Is that a promise?"
"You know it is, my fair darling."
"Faramir, the sun's not even set, and you're already drunk," Lothíriel said.
"Am not!" the steward's son protested indignantly. "Besides, it's only to celebrate the going away of your good friend Éomer."
Lothíriel shook her head. "Come on, you three, have a seat," she called to Aela, Amrothos, and Éomer. "It's a while yet before anyone has to leave."
It was quite late when Erulehton decided that everyone had had too much ale and needed to go home so he could close up the pub for the night.. He and Aela bid Éomer farewell, telling him he was welcome in their establishment any time he was in Dol Amroth. Éomer thanked them for their hospitality and promised to bring them some real ale if he had the chance.
"Take care of yourself," Erulehton told him. "And come back for your lady."
"I mean to," answered Éomer.
The five people from the palace split up. Erchirion was keeping Amrothos in line (the younger prince was drunkenly praising the attributes of a statue), Faramir was giving Aela a rather lengthy goodnight kiss, and Éomer and Lothíriel trudged up the hill, the least-drunk couple of them all.
"I'm sorry about leaving you last night," Éomer said.
"Don't be. I was being…impetuous. I am a fool, Éomer."
"You are anything but a fool, Lothíriel."
She shook her head. "I am a fool, and a dreadful one at that. Few things are worse than being a fool and knowing it. Trust me, I know. I am one." She smiled sadly at him. "Maer dú, rochir. Losto mae. And if I do not see you before you leave tomorrow, sílo Anor bo men lín. Cuio mae!" She kissed each of his cheeks once and began to leave.
Éomer grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him. "I will never forget you," he promised her yet again. "I will come for you someday. I do not know when, but I will."
"Do not make promises you cannot keep," she whispered, tears falling from her eyes.
"I never have," he replied. He kissed her soundly, deeply, and released her. Lothíriel put a hand to her lips, smiled weakly at him, and slipped away.
Lothíriel was not there to bid him farewell in the morning. Éomer was not particularly surprised. Faramir, Erchirion, and Amrothos were there, all of them looking worse for the wear.
"You'll have to bring me one of your prized horses," said Faramir. "And one for my brother as well. He loves horses."
"I'll do that someday," answered Éomer.
"Take care of yourself, Éomer," said Erchirion.
"Visit soon so Lothíriel doesn't mope too much," interjected Amrothos.
"I can make you no promises on that," Éomer reminded him. "I will visit sometime, though."
"Good. You're fun to have around."
"Thank you, Amrothos. I think." Éomer grinned. "Keep the suitors away from Lothíriel for me, would you?"
"I think we can manage that," answered Erchirion.
"Navaer!" called the princes as Éomer rode out of the palace gates. He turned in the saddle and waved, catching a glimpse of a figure standing on a balcony in a midnight blue gown. Éomer thought he saw the figure blow a kiss at him, but he could not be sure, so he waved again and turned back to the road. "Let's go home, Firefoot," he said as he and his horse clattered through the streets of the silver city.
translations:
Maer dú, rochir: Good night, horse-lord.
Losto mae: Sleep well.
Sílo Anor bo men lín: May the Sun shine upon your road.
Cuio mae: Live well.
Navaer: Farewell
A/N: i told you guys that the second week would be considerably shorter than the first. i bet you didn't believe me, did you? it's not as long as i would have liked, but it is considerably shorter than the first. and i have an announcement to make: there's only one chapter left. that's right. one chapter. really, it could be termed the epilogue, but since this didn't have a prologue, i decided to just have it as the final chapter. but don't worry. i won't post it until at least sometime next week. and then i can get started on my next endeavour concerning the delightful children of prince imrahil and the dastardly duo of rohan (plus a little faramir on the side).
Replies:
lariren-shadow: but you should know by now that lothiriel never tells the entire story. she went other places than the dressmaker's…places she may never tell us about.
quizzabella: is this soon enough for you? lol..hope you enjoyed it!
lometari: but he'll never find eomer in lothiriel's bed! at least, not until after the dynamic duo is married. and good luck on your exams!
ladyarian: you can claim amrothos if you like, but that man is tied down by no one lady! i myself prefer the slightly-more-reserved erchirion.
faer little meg: she is naughty, but i doubt this was what you were expecting.
fandun: i couldn't help it. it just wasn't right. not with this particular story. i apologize. maybe someday i'll write a story with a more…roguish eomer, but it wasn't this time around.
starnat: i thought the dress was clever, too. i wish i had one like it.
blue eyes at night: but don't you know eomer's color-blind? green and red are brown, so he never knows whether he's good to go or not.