Chapter 20: Tell Me About It

"Ow! That hurt!"

"Serves you right you arrogant pig!"

"I was protecting your honor, you ungrateful little—" but before he finished she was coming very closely to him with harsh looks and harsh words.

"It was not he who pursued me but I who pursued him." Éomer almost collapsed at her words.

"Come you two, not here," Éowyn said shortly grabbing both of their arms leaving the young soldier on the floor to be tended to by his people.

They rushed into the hall and before Legolas could ask what was going on Éowyn pulled the two into a broom closet and lit a candle. As she waved out the match she spoke strongly, far older than her age, "what was that, pray tell?" Her hands were on her hips, which they knew meant she was out for blood.

"Why don't you ask Lothiriel, since she seems to know exactly what she is doing to herself and her family."

"I have done nothing to my family. There has been nothing dishonorable about my behavior or my intentions."

"And yet you keep it a secret?"

"Oh don't think yourself so clever," Éowyn knew what she would say next, "you are the only person who didn't know and that is simply because you do not open your eyes. Or perhaps everyone was afraid to tell you for fear you would react like this."

Éowyn closed her eyes waiting for the harsh male voice to respond. "ÉOWYN! Tell me she is lying."

"Oh, I'm not," Lothiriel added before Éowyn's mouth was even open. "You were too busy trying to lead me on to even consider there might be some consequence."

"That sharp tongue will get you in trouble woman."

"Oh shut up." Éowyn almost choked on Lothiriel's words, but the young girl continued without even the slightest notice of her friend's attack of coughs. "You are not my father, brother or lover. You have no business telling me or anyone I like what to do."

"Well I may not have control over you, Princess, but I do over him; I am his King—my word is law."

"Damn you and your stupidity. You conceited pig! You have more pride than you have worth." What followed was a calamity of speech thrown back and forth.

"Oh and what would you have me say?"

"Don't be so stupid."

"What did I do?"

"You know exactly what you did."

"Well apparently I don't so educate me."

"You stepped on my heart and threw it out to the birds!"

Her words were followed by silence and sniffles. Éowyn saw that there was much more to this story than she thought. She took a long look at both of them in silhouette to the candlelight. Then she sighed and walked to the door.

"The two of you need to talk. That is not an option; it is a demand. I'm leaving you two here to talk it out. And don't give me any of this 'I'm king' bull—you will stay here until I say you can leave. Do you understand me?" Through the tension of the room she saw two heads bob up and down. "Good. Now stay." Then she closed the door and locked it behind her.

After a couple long moments Éomer turned on Lothiriel and spoke, though his voice did not fully cooperate. "So that is what this is all about?"

"No, this is about you beating up a boy I like."

"Lothiriel, don't kid yourself."

"About what, Éomer? Your interference with my life…again!"

"You don't care for him, Lothiriel."

"And who are you to tell me that?"

"You know how I feel."

"No, NO!" she yelled and covered her ears. Éomer could have sworn he saw a single tear in her eye. "You tried to break my heart once, but now that I have gotten it back you will not tell me whom to give it to. I like him, Éomer, what more can you want?"

"Like is not love."

"And where can I find that? In a fairy tale? I've searched for love my whole life." She recalled the images of her ex fiancée all those years ago. He had left and now Éomer. Before he broke her heart she would put him in his place. She would secure no pain followed his leaving. "Remember? I have not been so lucky in my life to find such a thing. And you know why? Because it doesn't exist."

"Lothiriel, I'm standing right here and I'm telling you—love exists because I feel it in my heart, I dare say you feel it too."

She ignored his last words. It was too painful to think of her feelings. She still didn't know what she felt. But her rage was so great she barely heard the words. "You? Love? Eomer your life is built on impulses. You love now, but where will your heart be in 5 minutes? I want someone I can spend the next 35 years with without tearing out my hair. Eomer, I can't even stand you for 35 minutes."

"Well, I think that's what love is." He thought of his mother and father, and how they had fought, but as fiercely as they had fought, they had loved just as fiercely.

"Oh well there's a happy marriage." Her eyes began to grow hazy and the single tear he had seen in her eye fell, followed by many.

"Lothiriel…" words did not come to him, but he had to say something to her sudden tears.

"No!" she said as she pushed him away, "You've done it. You have ruined whatever friendship we had. You have made me believe in false hopes, and I will not let you break my heart again!"