A/N; This is just a filler chapter, really, because I'm going to the beach tomorrow till the seventh, so it'll be a little while before I can update. Sorry! But, if you're interested, the greatest journal community for writers of E/L, E/F, A/A ships, is located under the username on greatest journal called sandcastles. A link is in my profile.

I'm going to finish the layout for it when I get back. See you then!

-Elegant couture

Lothíriel released a sigh as she finished writing a letter to her brother, Amrothos. She gazed blankly out the window of her chambers, her encounter with Éomer looping in her mind. Perhaps she had been too quick to anger, and no doubt he was questioning why he really had married her. All she wanted was for him to come back to her, to hold her and tell her it was better now.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts, and she turned to see Eowyn hurry in. "The defense council wishes to speak with you."

Lothíriel rose and followed her sister to the Great Hall, where a group of men stood looking at a table, Éothain already in deep discussions. She froze on the spot when she saw Éomer standing amongst them.

Eowyn cleared her throat, nearly dragging Lothíriel over to where they stood. "Gentlemen, your Queen."

They all gave her a bow and she nodded in return, her tongue darting over her lips. "What is it you wish to speak with me about?"

"Larger numbers of Orc's and Wild men have been spotted near villages, but never threatening them. The most they have been doing is stealing crops, but we fear they may be planning something more." Éothain explained as he stepped back, allowing Lothíriel to look down at the map where they had marked the movement of Orc's.

"Stealing crops..." Her fingers idly traced the pattern of the Orc's movements, her brows furrowing for a moment. "They would be benefiting themselves more if they were simply attacking these villages, for they are still weak and badly protected."

"Do you think they are stealing food for someone else?" Éomer chose then to step in, and Lothíriel's heart skipped at the sound of his voice. She forced herself to look up at him, her gaze steadily meeting his. Too bad the rest of her did not feel so steady.

"Yes." Her voice was airy. "Perhaps for a larger force.. We cannot send any soldiers out, for this may be a trick to simply draw the army away from here so that they may attack easier. A diversion, if you will." She pursed her lips and looked back to the council. "I think they shall move ever closer to us, especially if they see no sign of our movement. There is little we can do 'till they are close enough. They will not dare to risk losing their numbers by attacking a village. I think they have some greater plan at mind."

The men nodded at this, seeming to follow their Queen's logic. As she looked up from the map again, she found that Éomer was gazing intently at her with the most peculiar look on his face. Choosing to ignore, she looked back to the other advisors. "Is there anything else? We should probably release a warning for travelers and merchants to be on the guard when traveling."

The nodded in agreement again, some of them dispersing off to do as their queen wished. Eowyn stood back, her arms crossed, as she watched the proceedings. She had never seen Lothíriel govern before, and it shocked her at how perceptive the younger woman was. She really was quite the good queen, even though she was a foreigner.

"I should really thank you father for letting you sit in on his councils." Eowyn added as she walked over to her, a small smile on her face. "You make a good queen for Rohan. Come, you look weary; I shall have a hot bath fixed for you. Would you care to dine with Faramir and me tonight?"

Lothíriel nodded quietly, her hand resting upon her forehead for a moment as she looked down at the map.

"The Dunlendings are driven by starvation and the need to feed their children... Is that so horrible? I wish we could figure out a way to help them..."

Eowyn shook her head at that, her eyes looking down at the map as well. "You know that they have long been the blood enemies of the Rohirrim. They will not accept any help you give them, and your people would feel betrayed. I fear there is nothing you can do. Faramir stresses over the Haradrim as well. Now come, you will feel better after you rest."

Éomer had watched the whole proceedings in silence, his eyebrow arched as he watched his sister escort Lothíriel towards her chambers.

Moments later, Eowyn returned to find Éomer standing outside, overlooking the bustling marketplace of Edoras.

"What troubles you?"

"I did not marry for a political alliance, did I?" He turned on her suddenly, and the look in his eyes frightened her. He was utterly anguished; his thoughts on this remarkable woman were so conflicting. She was brilliant, and the way she had yelled at him last night seemed so familiar to him. Everything about her seemed familiar.

"No." Eowyn looked out to the plains, her eyes narrowing slightly. "No, Éomer, You would never do that. You know that!"

"Then tell me.." He murmured, his hands coming up to cover his face for a moment. This was all so exhausting. "Tell me my history with her. Anything. My head hurts from all this.."

"She told me what happened last night and the funny thing is, it is so very typical of you two. You were fighting from the day you met, both of you being so hot headed. King Elessar suggested it was because you were so in love with each other, but frustrated because you were sure the other did not feel the same. And then.."

He stopped listening to Eowyn as a memory jarred his mind, flashing before him as if it was happening then.

He could see Lothíriel a top of a black horse, riding swiftly across a plain. It was certainly not Rohan.. It was a bit blurry, but then he saw the horse stumble a bit and Lothíriel was thrown off. He felt himself running to her, crying her name as he neared her still body.

"Lothíriel.."

"Éomer? Éomer!" And then it faded, and Éowyn's face replaced it. He was laying flat on his back, Eowyn shaking him softly while guards stood around him. He groaned and felt the bump on the back of his head, wincing in pain.

"What..?"

"You fainted. Are you alright?" He could hear the amusement in his sisters' tone. Fainting like a woman.. He sat up slowly, and suddenly remembered his memory. Waving away the guards, he stood with the help of Eowyn.

"What were you saying, before I.. Passed out?"

"About you and Lothíriel.. I was just saying how you had had a nasty argument with her and she had taken off on her horse and fallen, and was knocked unconscious. You were the first to her."

He froze. That had been his memory. He could still remember the panicked feeling as he stared at Lothíriel's lifeless body. She had looked so frail, and he remembered wanting to protect her forever.

"I remembered that.." He whispered, still rubbing his head slightly. "That is what made me pass out. I saw that in my mind, I remember that!"

Eowyn stared up at him and breathed a sigh of relief. "Good.. That is very good. Now, you are going to see the healers." When he began to protest, it was lost due to the look in his sisters' eyes.

See you guys when I get back! :B Don't forget to review!!