A/N: I think I found it! EruntaleofRohan was the first to review this story, and I got curious to see if she had written anything. She has a story posted called A Jewel of Dol Amroth, and in ch. 4 gives a story summary that sounds very much like what I remember using as the inspiration for this: After his coronation, Prince Imrahil asks the King of the Mark to let his young daughter stay a few months in Edoras, without knowing both the consecuences… Can't say for certain this is the story, but the first chapter seemed familiar when I reread it tonight, so I'm going to give her credit for the plot bunny that led to this. I built this whole story out of wondering why Imrahil would ask Eomer to let Lothiriel stay in Edoras. You might like to go read her story to see where she went with the idea.
Also, my bouncing all around is a bit confusing, so just so we are all on the same page - Secrets IS part of the Elfwine Chronicles series; Diplomacy (this one you are reading) IS NOT connected to the Chronicles. It is a stand-alone story.
Chapter 2
The next day, Eothain stood waiting patiently to be summoned into Eomer's study. He had been sent for just after breakfast, and he was curious what Eomer might have in store for him. Even so, when he was finally shown in and seated across from the man with whom he had been lifelong friends, he was not in the least prepared for the request made of him.
"Eothain, I...need a favor." Eomer paused, thinking for a moment, and Eothain waited for him to continue.
"You have met Lothiriel of Dol Amroth, the Prince's daughter?" At Eothain's nod, he added, "She is to be our guest for the next few months, at least until Eowyn's wedding and possibly longer. I need someone to be her escort and guide during that time. I am certain I will not have adequate time to do it properly, and Eowyn will likely fill most of her days, but I would like for her to have someone she can call upon whenever she wishes. And she wants to learn to ride a horse."
Eothain stared at the king, rather dumbfounded, and haltingly said, "Let me get this straight – you would like me, a roughshod soldier, to be the escort of a Gondorian Princess? Are you mad?"
Eomer laughed softly. "No, but I can trust you. The lady is not unattractive and I can be certain your manners will be impeccable when you are with her. I know it is not the sort of duty you might wish, but I need someone I can rely on completely and not have to worry about her. She is a pleasant girl, and I think you might actually find you enjoy this task."
Eothain shook his head in disbelief, but shrugged. "If that is what my king desires of me, then that is what I will do." A flare of mischief lit his eyes and he inquired, "Am I to assume that, regardless of the temptation, I am not to corner her in the stables and taste her lips?"
He held an expressionless face, but Eomer was not fooled and burst out laughing. "If you dare risk open war with Dol Amroth and her three irate brothers, by all means venture inappropriate behavior with her! Though perhaps I should warn you – Eowyn has already discovered her inability to defend herself and has started teaching her to use a blade!"
Eothain grinned. "Understood, my lord. I will restrain my manly desires with the lady!"
"Join us for the midday meal and I will formally introduce you and tell her what I have arranged. You can let her know how to find you when she desires your presence. And thank you, my friend. I greatly appreciate this."
Lothiriel seemed amused when he presented his idea, and Eothain, over the meal, but she withheld any comment and just smiled. "I welcome Eothain's company, my lord. Thank you."
As Eowyn was occupied that afternoon, Eothain offered to show Lothiriel about the town more fully. She had seen some of it already during her time here, but that had mostly been wandering with her brothers. Eothain would have more knowledge of the place and know where to find things of possible interest to her.
They strolled down the main thoroughfare from Meduseld on the bright, sunny day. After a few moments of silence, Lothiriel said, "So, Eothain, tell me what terrible crime you have commited to be so punished by having to play nursemaid to a spoiled noblewoman of Gondor."
Her eyes twinkled in amusement as she looked inquiringly at him, and for a moment he was unsure how to respond to her directness. Something about her felt honest and real, though, and he risked embarrassment by telling her the truth. "I am not being punished, Lady Lothiriel. I am merely the one man the king most trusts to behave himself and not act in an unseemly fashion with a fair noblewoman!" He gave a mocking half-bow, and then looked up for her reaction.
With a laugh, she told him, "How disappointing! But since the king did indicate he wishes me to enjoy my stay in Edoras, perhaps you would be willing to introduce me to those fine men who have not your scruple in such matters? Or must I corrupt you if I wish to have a man behave in an 'unseemly' manner with me?"
Eothain almost choked trying to hold back a snort of laughter. "My lady!"
"My name is Lothiriel, Eothain. I will not spend my entire visit here with you fawning deferentially over me!"
"My apologies – Lothiriel. And as long as you promise not to tell the king, I will introduce you to anyone you wish!"
With the ice broken, they lapsed into amiable conversation for the remainder of their stroll.
xxxxx
It had been three days since her family departed for home. During the day, Lothiriel was able to keep her smiling facade in place, but nighttime always found her with an aching loneliness for her loved ones. It was not that she did not like Rohan, or the royal family or Eothain, but her homesickness overwhelmed her reason, particularly when she was tired. Too often her fretfulness kept her awake at night. Finally, she determined to tackle the matter head on.
Lothiriel moved silently down the dark hallway to the kitchen. Her candle made only a scarce penetration of the blackness around her, but it was enough to find her way. A nice mug of hot tea ought to settle her so she could sleep. She did not intend to spend her entire time in Rohan weeping behind closed doors and dragging exhaustedly through her days. As Faramir had pointed out, this should be an adventure and she would make it so.
When she reached the kitchen, however, she unexpectedly saw a light already shining there, and discovered Eomer sitting beside a lantern and mug at a worktable. For a moment, she hesitated, not wanting to disturb him, but apparently he had heard her footsteps, soft though they were. He cast a weary eye at her and straightened. "Lady Lothiriel. What keeps you up this night?"
He started to rise, but she stayed him with a gesture and came to sit across from him. "I was too restless for slumber, so I thought some tea would help."
He rose and moved over to the fire, pouring her a mugful and bringing it to her. "You are in luck. I just fixed some for myself."
As he reseated himself, she eyed him curiously. "And why are you still up? You look quite weary."
He nodded, carelessly running his fingers back over his head, shoving his hair away from his face, as he hunched over his mug. "I am, but there is too much that troubles my mind to let it rest."
"Perhaps a fresh perspective would be useful. I often sat at my father's side during council meetings, and am well acquainted with his methods of dealing with various situations," she offered, sipping carefully at the hot tea.
He was reluctant to burden her, but possibly she was right. Maybe she would have some ideas that would help him resolve some of the problems Rohan was facing.
With a sigh, he leaned back in his chair and told her, "I do not know how much you know about the war in Rohan, but Saruman not only sought to kill our people, but waste the land so it was useless to us. Much of it has been burned over and will take years to regenerate enough to support crops. Livestock was killed. Homes were destroyed. Forests were pulled down and water polluted. Here in Edoras we do not suffer so much, for Saruman's forces never got that close to us, but the outlying villages are in dire straits. Not only that, so many of our men were killed that there are few left to hunt for food, rebuild homes, put their lives back together. Women and children have been left alone to fend for themselves. And they are not even entirely safe. Bands of orcs still roam about, attacking whenever the opportunity presents itself, and robbers are starting to take advantage of the situation."
Eomer lapsed into a morose silence. His voiced concerns seemed even more insurmountable than they had as mere thoughts.
After a moment of contemplation, Lothiriel commented, "So Rohan's strength lies in Edoras."
The king looked up, somewhat surprised by her remark, but nodded at its essential truth. "Yes. I suppose that is accurate. We suffered least here, we are most protected, we have more ready access to food, water and shelter."
Again, Lothiriel considered his words, then asked, "Is Edoras full? Are there empty houses, rooms, stables?"
Eomer shook his head. "Many buildings are empty. Some are still occupied, but part of the family is dead. Many soldiers and horses did not return. Their spots are vacant."
"Then I would recommend bringing the people in from the villages as much as possible, and finding them a place here for the time being. Perhaps those who have room in their homes will take them in. When there is no more room to bring them here, bring them to the villages as close to Edoras as possible that still remain useable, and focus your rebuilding on those villages and towns. Concentrating your people into a smaller area will make it easier to provide for their needs during the coming winter. With them scattered all over, if you have bad weather, it will be difficult to get to them."
For the first time in at least a week, Eomer felt a spark of hope. "Yes," he murmured. "That would help a great deal. And it would make it easier to protect them as well. The orcs are less likely to strike close to Edoras where so much of the army is located."
Looking up, he gave her a grin. "My thanks. Your father suggested I seek your counsel. I see I should have paid more attention to his admonition."
She smiled in return and drained the last of her tea. "I am pleased to help in any way that I am able. Do not hesitate to make use of me. And, now, I think I will attempt once more to get some sleep before the night is gone."
She stood, and Eomer did likewise. "Perhaps I will be able to rest also, now that you have eased my mind a little. I will walk you back."
xxxxx
Since Eomer was now seeking Lothiriel's counsel as well as Eowyn's, they fell into the habit of discussing matters over dinner. This enabled them to share ideas, and work out any obstacles to them, before Eomer carried them into the council meetings and presented them for implementation.
They had begun determining how much space was available in the city for people and animals, and then systematically began bringing the most far-flung villagers to Edoras. Some were reluctant to leave their homes, even though many were little more than burned-out shells, but finally gave in when assured this was only a temporary solution until homes could be rebuilt and crops resown.
Edoras had not seen so many people since Theoden's funeral, when the large number of guests had attended the ceremony. There were some squabbles and difficulties but, in all, the whole influx went much more smoothly than Eomer had dared hope. It was a slow process to bring in each village and then start on the next, all the while stockpiling what could be salvaged from the villages in the way of wood for fuel or building, and any food that was left untouched.
Several livestock corrals and shelters were built just outside the city walls to house the animals that were brought, and gradually the housing of refugees fell into a familiar pattern.
Lothiriel found her days too often idle, which was not to her taste, so she sought Eomer's permission to work on the royal garden behind Meduseld. It had fallen into disarray, and was overgrown with weeds and unkempt plants. Gardening had not been foremost in mind during the time Wormtongue and Saruman had held Theoden under their sway, and it was a low priority for Eomer to focus his attention. He was rather pleased, though, that the garden would be cared for once more. He remembered it during his growing up years and thought it sad to see its present decline.
And, as a week became a fortnight, Lothiriel realized she had begun to settle into life at Edoras. True, it was far different than her experience at home, but in many ways she preferred the more relaxed atmosphere that prevailed here. Even though Eothain often accompanied her when she ventured into town, she did not sense a need for his protection. In recent years, she had not dared move far from the castle in Dol Amroth without her guard attending her.
xxxxx
Though Eowyn was kept busy, helping her brother learn his role as king and preparing for her wedding, she was making good progress on her studies about Gondorian culture and society. Lothiriel found she had a quick mind and, as a member of Rohan's royal household, was already familiar with many protocols. Still, the stiffer, more formal regulations in Gondor's society, which Lothiriel had often considered somewhat stifling, were something of a sore point for Eowyn.
"I am not sure I can walk two steps behind a man, bowing and scraping like a servant," Eowyn said sullenly. "Especially if he is my husband."
Lothiriel thought for a moment, then asked, "Did you walk in front of King Theoden?"
Eowyn looked startled. "Of course not! He was the king; it would not be proper to set myself above him!"
"Yet you did not consider that servile, even though he was your uncle. This is the same thing. You are not showing deference to Faramir because he is a man or because he is your husband. You are showing honor and respect for his office as the Steward of Gondor. Walking a little behind him, and curbing your tongue in public are just a part of that. Faramir neither expects nor wants you to behave so with him in private. Indeed, his injunction to me was to teach you Gondorian protocol, but not to lose Eowyn in the process."
Eowyn considered this and nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, I see your point. But what if I have a valid suggestion to offer to 'the Steward'?"
"Just as with your uncle, you politely ask permission to speak, which he will no doubt grant you if he can, and then you leave it in his hands. He may accept and use your suggestion, or he may reject it. Likely he will not be able to discuss his reasoning with you at the time, but I am certain he will be happy to explain in private if he has reason to reject it and you wish to know why."
Eowyn sighed. "I could live with that, I suppose. It just seems odd to treat my husband so, but perhaps if I keep reminding myself to compare him to Uncle in these matters, I will more readily understand how to act."
Lothiriel smiled at her. "And do keep in mind what I said. Faramir does not wish to turn you into a placid, servile wife who hangs on his every word and has an empty head. He loves you as you are, and he is eager to keep your fire and spirit burning brightly. He would be very disappointed if you never challenged him on anything. Indeed, I have never known him to give a second glance to such a tame woman. It seems to be one of the things that attracted him to you!"
Eowyn put her arms around Lothiriel and hugged her tightly. "I am so grateful to have you here to guide me! You know the protocol of Gondor, but you also know Faramir. You will show me the happy medium that I will find tolerable and that Gondor will find acceptable."
That proved to be their biggest hurdle and from then on they had few difficulties. However, one day as they sat sewing on Eowyn's wedding garments, the White Lady brought up a new subject for discussion.
Laying her sewing down in her lap, she watched Lothiriel a moment, and then asked, "Lothiriel, do you know how to cook?"
"Cook? Yes. Why?" Lothiriel responded, not looking up.
"It is just...I was never very interested in learning that sort of thing. People pretend to like what I fix, but I have caught glimpses of their faces and I do not think they have been honest with me. And it is for certain I have never found my food desirable to eat."
Lothiriel looked up at her and smiled. "It is no matter. As Faramir's wife, you will have servants to prepare the meals, so you will not have to do so. I chose to learn simply because a dear friend of mine enjoyed it. Do not let it trouble you."
Before she could return to her work, Eowyn blurted out, "But I would wish to do so!"
Lothiriel gazed calmly at her, awaiting an explanation that was soon forthcoming. "I...surely there will be times when Faramir and I wish to be alone, and it would please me to be able to fix my husband a meal that he did not have to choke down." Eowyn bowed her head in embarrassment. "I want him to be proud of me."
Thinking a moment, Lothiriel finally answered, "Cooking a meal for him will not make Faramir proud of you, Eowyn." Her friend's head came up in surprise at these words, and Lothiriel continued, "Faramir cares not about such things. He loves you, just as you are. If you wield a sword well enough to kill orcs, but cannot cook, he is proud of you. If you know court protocols, but cannot sew, he is proud of you. If you speak fluent Rohirric, but know nothing of Elvish, he is proud of you. He has spent his whole life trying to win the approval of a father who rarely acknowledged his worth. He would not dream of focusing on any of your shortcomings and overlooking your strengths. And your strengths, whatever they may be, will be enough in his eyes. In that, you are marrying the best man that ever was."
Tears filled Eowyn's eyes, as she smiled tenderly listening to Lothiriel's words. Wiping at them with the back of her hand, she cleared her throat, but said, "Even so, I should like to be able to cook for my husband, as a token of my love. Will you teach me?"
"Of course! Not only that, I happen to know some of his favorite foods. You can surprise him some time with a meal of all his particular likes!" The two shared a conspiratorial laugh and returned to their sewing.