Chapter 13: A New Day
"Rise and shine Princess!"
Lothiriel rolled over in bed. She felt as if she hadn't spelt a wink.
"Princess!"
Her legs were aching from the journey to Rohan. She hadn't noticed yesterday, but waking up on it was far too unbearable.
"Lothiriel!"
She got up went to the door and threw her linens from the night before into the woman's arms who stood on the other side of the door. She hadn't even paid attention to who it was until she closed the door and heard a "Hey!"
"Éowyn?" she asked as she opened the door again. The woman was buried under yards of fabric. She seemed to be speaking but nothing could be heard through the clothes. Lothiriel grabbed them back from her and threw them on her floor.
"Well, that was certainly an interesting hello, Lothiriel!" said Éowyn with a wind blown face.
"What time is it?" Lothiriel asked rubbing her eyes from the light that poured in behind Éowyn.
"Just after dawn."
"What are you doing here just after dawn, Éowyn?"
"Figured we'd get a head start on everyone else. Go riding, perhaps. Tell secrets."
"I'm in," Lothiriel said instantly as her face seemed to lighten of its tiredness. She grabbed a cloak and followed Éowyn out of her room and into the light filled hallway.
"So Éowyn, what is this news?" Lothiriel was astride her lovely horse –
"First," said Éowyn stopping her horse and turning Windolfa to face Lothiriel, "I want to know what has happened between you and my brother."
Lothiriel's eyes widened, "nothing."
"Your full of it."
"There is nothing to tell," Lothiriel said getting her horse to begin galloping again.
"Am I your friend, Lothiriel?"
"One of my best."
"Then be honest with me. Just because the subject happens to be my brother doesn't change the circumstances."
"Perhaps, but its still a new wound. I don't know how well I can express it, my lady."
"Now it's 'my lady' huh?" Lothiriel downcast her eyes and stopped her horse. She turned to Éowyn as if ready to say something then thought better of it and turned away.
"Just say it, Loth—"
"I love him, Éowyn."
There was a moment when both women thought they had heard something wrong. "What?" Éowyn said vocalizing both of their thoughts.
"Or at least I thought I did. During your engagement party in Gondor, I started to fall for him. Then he ruined everything."
"He did?"
"Éowyn, I'm going to give you the exact same speech I gave Arwen. I hope you don't mind."
Then Lothiriel poured out her words. With each revelation Éowyn's face responded. When she said, "I was engaged," Éowyn was shocked. When she said, "he left me," Éowyn almost cried. By the time she had finished tears were in Éowyn's eyes. They both had come off their horses and were now sitting in a meadow outside the gates of Edoras. They were dead silent.
After a beat, Lothiriel sighed and laid her face in her hands.
"Ready for another nail biter?" Éowyn asked, while biting her lip.
"What?" Lothiriel looked up and saw Éowyn staring off in the distance with one single tear running down her cheek.
"I'm pregnant."
It took a moment for Lothiriel to realize what Éowyn had said. Then suddenly any solemn feeling she had melted away. She jumped up and screamed, but Éowyn didn't respond.
"Well, that's great, Éowyn!"
"Perhaps."
"Perhaps?"
"I'm sorry Lothiriel, you just confessed something very deep to me, and I'm sorry that my brother is a silly git."
"Éowyn, talk to me," she rested her hand upon her friends arm and waited for her to say something.
After a moment Éowyn looked up and said, "Faramir is away. He has been juggling so much work right now. He's got a huge project in Minas Morgul. They are reconstructing it and cleansing the lands. Faramir just happens to have the best knowledge of the area, and the most experience with this kind of work, having helped in the cleansing of Osgiliath. Not to mention, he has been doing work on our house, and all the while I have been in Minas Tirith with none, but Arwen to converse with. I feel so alone there, Lothiriel, and I fear that I have no one to share this baby with. I fear that my child will miss out on a father."
"Why would you ever assume that of Faramir? He is a good man."
"A very good man. That is what worries me. He would do anything for his country."
"I see. Including prance around all over Middle earth, while his wife is left at home with a baby."
"It is not a selfish wish, Lothiriel. Though I have had many of those in the recent months. I just want my child to have a father."
"Your baby will. Take it from someone who has a father on the go all the time. My father is bound to his land and Gondor, and I have never felt neglected."
"What about my brother? How am I going to break the news to him?"
"Éowyn, everything will be fine. I think what you are worried about more than anything is your husbands safety, am I wrong?"
"No, you are correct. I miss him, Lothiriel. I want to lie in his bed once more."
"Well, no offense, my lady, but I don't think you have been deprived of that too much."
With that Éowyn smacked her and got back on her feet. She stopped before going to her horse. "He will kill him."
Lothiriel knew exactly who the 'he' was. "No, Éomer won't. He will just have to get over it. Plus, you are a grown woman, and a married one at that. I'm pretty sure your husband is safe."
"Lothiriel?" Éowyn asked as the young woman jumped into the saddle.
"Yes, Éowyn?"
"I'm sorry my brother is a horse's behind."
"It's alright, my lady." Then she helped the newly pregnant Éowyn into the saddle and patted her back. "Besides maybe I can find some strapping young fellow here in Rohan to light my fire." Lothiriel laughed as Éowyn's shocked face turned to hers.
"I suppose I was wrong about you," Éowyn said.
"Hmm?" Lothiriel asked back.
"I thought you were a little pure baby doll, but I seem mistaken, you have a wild side after all." With that they began to laugh and Lothiriel, displaying her newly found naughtiness, broke into a full gallop and left Éowyn in a cloud of dust.
A/N: ooooooo... big news on all levels. Well, hope you guys are happy for the new chapter! I'll try to finish the whole story by the end of the month, or at least by mid August. Hope you enjoy it!