"Are you okay, brother?" came the voice of Éowyn beside him. "You look half dead. I've never seen you so uncomfortable on a horse before."
"A horse is a dear friend, not a good bed."
"I hear you about that."
An hour later they would find themselves at the outpost, and an hour after that they would be setting off again for the rest of the journey. It was entirely too uneventful for the group and they began exchanging stories. Éomer leaned in as he heard one man near him discussing a woman.
"She says that her father would never approve of the marriage. I love her, but I don't want to cause any family problems. It's just that I am simply a soldier and she is of nobility. Her father would kill me if I asked to court her. I don't know what to do. I will try anything to be with her. She makes me so happy." The speaker had been very quiet about his declaration of love to the man he rode with, who seemed to be a dear friend, so it came as a shock when his king rode up beside him.
"What is her name?"
"My lord?" he said as he gulped down his nerves.
"The girl? The girl you love, what is her name?"
"Edenwyn daughter of Darhelm."
"That is a high reach. She is a very lovely woman, very intelligent, very respectable. Let me think." The king stroked his beard in concentration and then looked over at his sister.
"I think the word of the king would secure the marriage, don't you, sir?" the king asked.
"Yes, my King, I do." the man said in excitement.
"Are you sure you love her?"
"If heaven has an equal to her, I do not know it."
"He loves her, brother," Éowyn said as she pulled up beside Éomer.
"Yes, I believe it as well. Very well, the king will speak to Darhelm."
"Thank you, your highness." The boy said with a newfound respect for the young king. The look in the boy's eyes made Éomer feel so alone and so envious of this child that he took up a higher pace and galloped ahead of his troops.
The rest of that day was quiet as all could feel the tension in the king. He was a bachelor king, and the thought was scary and sad to everyone who knew it, especially those who cared very much for the well being of their king.
The sun began to set upon the far mountains. Éomer watched it and suddenly felt very cold. The mountains reminded him of something. Something he felt not long ago, but he couldn't place it. He simply galloped along hoping the time would go faster so he could ride into the White City. The faster they got there, the faster he could go back home.
Everyone was in a shamble for the ceremony that was coming up. An official celebration of the engagement of Faramir Prince of Ithilien to Éowyn sister of the King of Rohan. The dress makers were busy filling orders for all the royal women of the court, the shop keepers were stocking their shelves for the rush of people looking for the perfect gift for the couple, and every bakery in the White City was busy with every kind of cake they could develop. The King of Gondor was eager to make this engagement party perfect so no slack was allowed on anyone's part. Their love for their steward also drove their passion in their creations. Everyone had grown to love Éowyn for her fierce beauty and skill with a sword. She had become a celebrity in Gondor since her fight with the Witch King, and everyone knew that if anyone deserved the hand of Faramir, the most stately man they knew, it was her.
Bustle was also in account of the upcoming visitors from Rohan and Dol Amroth. The young ladies of the court were very eager to learn that Elphir, Erchirion, and Amrothos, sons of Imrahil, were coming in the band of Dol Amroth men. They were very noble and respectable men, and they were very attractive as well, which didn't hurt anything. Many girls had fathers already making arrangement for marriage with the men, but the three boys were still eager just to be children and neither wanted nor needed a wife. The girls didn't stop there, though, a lot of women heard of the coming of the King of the Mark, Éomer, son of Eomund. Few knew very much of him but all knew his title and his face. He was a rugged man with strong features and kind eyes. He was a warrior through and through and many of the girls found that very attractive, not to mention the addition of Queen to the beginning of their names didn't sound awful.
The women were not the only ones anxious for the coming of the bachelors of the two cities, but very many men had heard of the coming and thought immediately of two glowing orbs of blue. Lothiriel was a gorgeous sight: a beauty quite like the Queen Arwen. She had long black hair, blue eyes and the fairest skin. Her form was that of a lovely young girl, with a gentle disposition and a very eager mind to learning. The men of Gondor knew that the lady was quite the prize for any man and all were ready to lay their charm on her.
As the night wore away bustle started to wind down as the Prince rode in with the Dol Amroth soldiers and countrymen. No one knew of their coming so none were there to greet them at the gate, but this was all intentional. If any were to know that they had arrived Faramir wanted the King to be the first to know.
So they rode into the city unknown as the streets began to clear at the late hours. The lights of the houses began to glow with firelight as the Gondorians sat down to dinner in their town of stone. The band therefore went straight to the citadel to get a little food in their stomachs as well. Faramir rode in first with Imrahil at his shoulder, and then rode Elphir, Erchirion, and Amrothos immediately behind them. Far in the back of the band rode a young girl with shinning blue eyes. She lagged behind as she took her time examining the land of her childhood.
Éomer was so glad to be looking at the last hill of the journey. He rode to the peak of the hill and looked down on the city of stone. It had been a long time since he had looked at the city from this vantage point. The last time he did was the last battle for middle earth against Sauron. Looking down on it now he could almost see the enormous army of orcs and hear the horns of the southerners. Now the grass had repaired and the green of the land complemented the White seven layer strong hold. It was the city of all cities in Middle Earth and he was looking on it in such longing. He missed his friends, he missed the celebrations, and most of all he missed being simply a man, not a country. The last time he had been Éomer son of Eomund was on this soil, and now he was back as a King.
The ride into Minas Tirith would be relaxed now as the sun was just beginning to rise and he didn't want to rush the travelers. It was a beautiful morning and he wanted to savor it.
Within the castle a lady stirred. She had been dreaming of yellow hair and battle cries and now she swore she heard the cry of a horse. It was a beautiful cry and she feared it was only in her head. She took to her feet, placed a nightgown over her shoulders and looked out the window of her room at the sun upon the mountains. As she did she took in the morning air as she saw a small band clambering down the hill toward the city. Éowyn has finally come, she thought. She had heard so much about the lady from Faramir that she felt she already knew her. The excitement welled inside her and she couldn't keep herself from her curiosity. She dressed and went to the stables immediately to find her horse Windrider.
It was going to be a beautiful day.