Part 51 of the Elfwine Chronicles. The Elfwine Chronicles are a series of one-shots built around the family group of Eomer, Lothiriel and Elfwine. The total number will depend on how many ideas I get for new vignettes.

A/N: I replied directly to lindahoyland but the rest of you may also be interested to know that yesterday's post, Goodwill, was also somewhat based on the idea that Eomer was called Eomer Eadig during his reign because of Rohan's prosperity during his rule. I posted that story before this one since it tied more directly to the holidays than this one did.

Negotiations

(May, 9 IV)

"Finally!"

Lothiriel looked up from brushing out her hair for the night, to see her husband leaning against the bedchamber door he had just closed behind him.

"You at last escaped that pack of ravenous wolves?" she inquired, laying down her brush.

"Yes, by the hardest," he bemoaned. "I had to bluntly tell them we could talk further tomorrow, and that I was going to bed. Hints did not suffice." He pulled off his tunic and shirt in one quick motion, dropping them on the floor as he moved over to get his nightshirt.

Lothiriel rose and went to pick up the discarded clothing. When he turned back to face her, she held them out to him on the end of her index finger and cocked an eyebrow at him.

Flushing red, he mumbled sheepishly, "Sorry!" Taking the clothes from her hand, he tossed them in the basket with dirty laundry, then went to seat himself on the bench Lothiriel had vacated and began pulling off his boots.

As he sat up, after removing the second one, his wife's arms snaked around his neck and she kissed his head. "Well, you are home now, bathed, fed and done your duty to kingdom and children. All that remains is for your wife to welcome you home, and then you may get some much-needed sleep, beloved."

With a grin, he rose and came around the bench to pull her into his embrace. "This is the part I like best," he murmured, before claiming her lips.

When they parted after a fervent greeting, Lothiriel laughed, "So it would seem, my lord."

Chuckling, Eomer moved away from her and began dousing the candles. Lothiriel stood by the bed watching him wander the room, and at length he returned to pull her close once more. After a few more heated kisses, he smirked, "I believe I shall have to make it a point to go away from Edoras more often!"

Lothiriel pulled back, and gave him a puzzled look, "Indeed? You enjoy being away from your family, do you?"

Rakishly he grinned and snugged her back against his chest, looking down into her eyes, "No, but I do like the way you welcome me home! That makes it all worthwhile!"

Two kisses later, his wife murmured, "I have a better idea. I will 'welcome' you even when you have not gone away, and then you will have no added incentive to leave. Are we agreed?"

He shrugged. "That would work also."

She laughed as he bent to blow out the final candle on the bedstand. "You do not fool me, horse lord! You were hoping to negotiate such a treaty all along!"

"Perhaps," he murmured against her forehead, "but it worked, did it not?"

"Aye, it did," she answered with a giggle and set about upholding her part of the bargain.

THE END

12-24-05

End note: It is best that you read the Elfwine Chronicles in the order they were written. The more of them that I wrote, the more likely I was to make reference to one of the previous ones and something that happened there. If you want to read them in order, go to the top of this page and click on my name (Deandra). That will take you to my profile page. Scroll down and you will find all the stories I have written. The Elfwine Chronicles are in order from bottom to top since ffn shows them in the order they were posted. A few were posted out of number order, but you can read them in posting order or number order since those few won't be affected in the story content.