Chapter 7-Conversing with a Queen
The memory came back to her in ripples. His face in shadow, his hand brushing her hair back as tears ran down her face. She could feel his breath on her body. It was just a rush of memory and she couldn't even attach it to an event.
She rushed to her lady's room in the King's house. She hoped the lady was at home. When she knocked on the door, however, she was pleasantly surprised to see the face of the beautiful Arwen Undomiel staring back at her.
"Lote, my dear friend, how fare you?" she was the only person who still called her Lote. It was not unwelcome, though. She needed more than anything to feel small again to this woman who could make anything better.
"Well, my lady, but I come now for consoling."
"Consoling? Have you found yourself in a difficult situation, Lote?"
"No, nothing like that, my lady. It's… it's about the Lord Éomer."
"Oh…" she paused as if thinking, "you find favor in him, child?"
"Oh no…no," she tried to convince herself. "You misunderstand, my lady, we just met."
"It only took one meeting for me to fall in love with Estel."
"Perhaps, my lady, but that is not my concern."
"Please speak freely," the Queen said as she took her friend to a seat across from her. They both relaxed before Lothiriel decided to start speaking again.
"I have been having strange dreams lately. They come more in day dreams, so I know not if what I see is real, but they grow more frequent."
"Continue," Arwen said after Lothiriel seemed to stop completely.
"I most recently had an image, that seemed like it was real, of the King Éomer."
"It must have been very recently."
"Yes, it was."
"And this is not the first?"
"No, well, I have had some strange dreams lately about horses and fair folk."
"It sounds very much like the Rohirrim."
"That is what bothered me. What if this recent image of Éomer that seemed so real was, in fact, real?"
"Why does this image scare you so?"
"Because, my lady, if it was real the King knows my greatest secret."
"What do you mean? What secret?"
"I hope you have a lot of time, my lady," she said and then took a deep breath and plunged into the story of her life. "When I was 15 I was young and ambitious and longed to be free of the bondage of my family title. The first opportunity I had I ran away with a boy I grew up with. We were free together and we love each other very much. We went to Belfalas for exactly one week before my father came and took me back home. My family's domination and authority drove us apart, but the year of the war he came back. He enlisted in the army and was stationed in Dol Amroth for a time. We met again and found that our feelings hadn't changed. He asked for my hand and my father, after much persuasion, agreed for he had developed into a very respectable man. We carried on our engagement and my father started to get suspicious of his intentions. He approached me about it and tried to convince me to break it off, but I was certain he loved me as much as I did him.
Time went on and he had to leave for combat in this very city. I was a spunky spitfire, and I feared being kept up in a castle while the fate of middle-earth crumbled around me. So I went in disguise to Minas Tirith. When I got there I volunteered in the houses of healing. So I tended the ill to ease my breaking heart. After the battle of the Pelennor heard of a great warrior being injured. I was crushed when I looked down on the sweating face of my fiancée. He had lost some limbs and fallen under the shadow. I spent the rest of my time in Minas Tirith by his side. When I went home I told no one of my escapade. Not even my fiancée knew everything. But, my lady, going to Minas Tirith may have been the worst choice of my life because when we returned my love changed. He started taking advantage of my love and his handicap. My father hired someone to spy on him and found out he had been gambling with my father's money. Needless to say I made a bad choice of mate and we ended up apart. I've lived a sheltered life since, but I have continued to hide my past from everyone. If anyone knew of my ex- fiancée it would destroy my reputation. That and my chastity are the only things I have left."
Arwen took a few moments to collect herself after the story, and then with those big blue eyes looked down on Lothiriel with compassion. "Oh, my dear, I didn't know."
"That was the point, my lady."
"So, this dream—what did you see?"
"His face in the dark. I keep getting this picture of him sitting in a doorway. I can't tie it to anything, but the walls are gray and he is dressed in a bloody tunic."
"Strange. It must have been right after battle. Either that or he hadn't changed yet. I have to say, my lady, your elvish blood betrays you."
"Yes, I know. I should remember more, but it was a very traumatic time for me."
Arwen took a long time to consider her next comment and when she finally spoke it was smooth and relaxed. "Advice is not well favored among my people but I can see the question in your eyes. You want to know where to go from here. I say go on like normal. You have a better chance of him not remembering you. The King has never had a very good memory, quite like you, my lady. And even if he remembers, as long as he keeps his lips pursed it would be better for you to pretend you never recognized him."
"Thank you, my lady, you always know what to do."
"I try, young one."
A/N: OOO...the plot thickens. Ok, well the next chapter wont be up for a while. I'm going to be without internet for 8 days. Maybe I'll get it up sooner, but probably not. Until then, bye!