Okay, I'm going to say this once. No, I repeat, no flames! I am very emotionally stressed out right now and I am taking it very personally. It's not like I want to, I can't help it.

G----G

Lothiriel

After we returned from Helm's Deep, Glamdris told me that he has joined the army. He wishes to help them with their struggle against the Dark Lord. I told him that I will not learn anything with him gone, and he said that he has secured the services of Eowyn's old tutor. Great. Another stick in the mud. When he left, he said "Perhaps after the war, you will think better of me." He frightens me. Father will deal with him, I hope. He should not ignore his duty.

G----G

August 7, 3019 2:40 p.m.

I sat on my chair in the throne room of Edoras and my heart pounded in my throat. A scout had just informed the court that the king was on his way back to Edoras.

I went back to my sewing, but my mind could not sit still. I was not worried about how the war had gone. The thing that worried me was who had fallen during the great battle. Six months ago, I would have jumped up as soon as the group came into the room, but during my visit, I had learned the ways of court. A lady did not rush to anything.

'As soon as father comes in, I will rejoice silently at his safe return. Eowyn will come in and hurry to my side, and then we will hug and share stories. And then I will look out of the corner of my eyes to see Eomer walk in and greet the court.' My hands could hardly sew as I anticipated it.

The heavy wooden doors creaked open and Eomer walked in. Behind him were two coffins carried by his best soldiers. I kept my head down and continued sewing. Eomer walked straight to me.

"Lothiriel," Eomer said, as I looked up. "My sister told me I would find you here." His gaze was soft and it was as if he wasn't even there. He took my hands and helped me stand up. "I'm afraid I have grave news. Two kings fell at the great battle. King Theoden and Prince Imrahil." My face showed no emotion as I looked over at the coffin that held my father. A ship and a silver swan marked his coffin. The symbols of Dol Amroth. My grey eyes turned a darker grey as I dropped my sewing and tears trickled from my eyes. I looked at Eomer with a blank stare and a sob escaped my lips. In a flash, I ran out of the room to the tiny chamber by the throne.

Eomer followed me into the room and found me leaning over the cot crying. I waited for him to react like the King of Rohan and tell me to stop crying and bear my burden, but he didn't.

"Lothiriel," he managed to get out. I looked up at him with his hands turned towards me and quickly fell into his embrace. The sound of my tears made his hidden feelings pour out. He let his tears fall onto my neck and both of us cried for our fallen kings.

When my tears were finished, I pulled away from him. "Does the king of Rohan find comfort with a lowly princess?" I smiled.

"You are far from lowly. You are Prince Imrahil's daughter. You are next in line to his throne." He did a small bow. "Princess Lothiriel." I laughed and brought a smile to his face. "The Princess has a beautiful smile." I blushed so he continued. "How many men have kissed that smile?" My smile faded as he drew close to me and touched a strand of my hair. My heart beat so loud, I was sure he could hear it.

Eomer's head guard walked in the room. "My lord, your guests have arrived."

Eomer turned to him. "Thank you. Start preparations for the feast immediately." The soldier left, so Eomer turned back to me. "You will sit beside the king tonight." He held out his arm and I took it.

G----G

The great feast began that night and as Eomer had promised, I was by his side the entire time, with the newly arrived Glamdris standing behind me and watching my every move. Eowyn sat on his other side with her betrothed, Faramir of Gondor.

As the Hobbits entered the room, I marveled at them. "Could these be halflings of the Shire?" I walked to them and observed. One of them had a bandaged hand, one wore the armour of Gondor and one wore a simple tunic. The fourth caught my attention. He was wearing the armour of Rohan and was solemn. "Halfling, what is your name?"

He looked up at me. "Meriadoc Brandybuck, my lady. But my friends call me Merry."

"There is no need to be solemn this night, Merry. Would you sit with me during the feast?"

Merry shook his head. "No thank you, my lady. I'll sit with my friends."

I smiled. "Very well, Master Hobbit." I left him and took my place by Eomer. Merry continued walking with Pippin.

"She was only trying to help, Merry," Pippin said.

"What does she know about it?" Merry said roughly. One of the soldiers overheard the conversation.

"Do you not know who she is, young Hobbit? She is the daughter of one of the fallen. Prince Imrahil was her father."

G----G

Eomer's POV

I started the feast off by a toast to the triumphant dead. Lothiriel drank deep of her wine and was soon drunk from it. Glamdris was drunk as well from tasting her wine before she drank it. I realized this a little too late, but I quickly dismissed myself, told my guards to take Glamdris to the barracks and carried Lothiriel to her chambers.

I kicked open her door and laid her on her bed. I figured that she wouldn't want to sleep in her dress, so I quickly exchanged it with a white shift.

I turned to leave, but she grabbed my arms. "Eomer, Eomer." Her vision was blurry, so she couldn't that I was holding her.

I reached out and touched her hair. "Lothiriel, I'm here. Eomer's here."

She swallowed and closed her eyes. "I didn't tell him this, but no one has ever kissed my smile. If Eomer wants to kiss me, he doesn't have to hesitate. I want him to kiss me. I want him to love me." My mind told me to leave, but she wouldn't let me go, so I sat on the bed next to her.

"Eomer does love you, pet." I stroked her brown hair. "Eomer wants you to be his queen."

Lothiriel smiled. "Really?"

"Really." I continued stroking her hair and talked to her. "Lothiriel, my beautiful princess. If you only knew what you do to me." I smiled. "During the war, I could hardly wait to get back here and see you. I imagined the scene. I walk up to you and sweep you into my arms. I say to you, 'Princess Lothiriel, would you be my queen?' And then Glamdris comes up behind me and yells, 'Put the princess down! This is most undignified!'" I laughed. "Then we fire him and live happily ever after."

Lothiriel laughed and cuddled up against me. "That's a wonderful story, Daddy. Tell me another one."

My smile faded as I realized what I was doing. I settled Lothiriel on her pillows and covered her up with a quilt.

Slowly, I leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Good night, my beautiful Queen." Before I went back to the feast, I put my most trusted guard at her door and ordered him that no one was to bother her.

G----G

Lothiriel's POV

I woke up the next morning with a headache. I looked around the room and recognized my quarters, but not what I was wearing. My head spun as I remembered something about Eomer and being his queen, but everything else was blurred. I wrapped a sheet around myself and went to my door.

"Guard."

He opened the door and looked in. "Yes, my lady?"

"Who brought me here last night?"

"It was King Eomer, my lady. You had too much wine, so he brought you to your chambers."

"Was I wearing this dress when he took me in?"

"No, my lady."

"How long was he in my room?"

"About fifteen minutes, my lady." I ran out of the room and headed towards the throne room.

I found the same scene at the feast that I had left the night before. I stomped up to Eomer and threw my sheet covering at him.

"How dare you take advantage of me!" I shouted at him.

He took the sheet off of his head and stood up. "Lothiriel, I never-"

"I don't want to hear your excuses. You have insulted the kingdom of Dol Amroth! A sad day it will be, indeed, when our kingdoms draw swords together again." Upon hearing this, Prince Imrahil's men from Dol Amroth stood up and took their place beside me. I addressed them. "Where is Glamdris?"

"Glamdris is still in the barracks, princess."

"Get him, we're leaving. Get the men together and ready our horses." I looked straight at Eomer. "We shall not be returning." Eomer winced. For a split second, I felt sorry for him. The feeling soon passed as one of the soldiers handed me Prince Imrahil's sword and scabbard, which I tied around my waist.

Eomer tried again. "Lothiriel, please-"

"King Eomer, I have nothing further to say to you. And unless you wish to make amends for your error, I suggest that you do the same." I shoved the sword into the scabbard. With one last look at Eomer, I left.

After I dressed in a green tunic, Glamdris waited for me at the head of my army. After I touched my father's coffin and said a prayer, I mounted my horse, Aldor, and started moving the army with a blow of my father's horn.

Glamdris started his speech that I knew was coming. "A princess does not let personal feelings get in the way of her judgement."

I held back my tears. "And a soldier does not lecture a princess on what to do. I did not do this out of personal feelings. It was personal feelings that made this happen."

"You should know, your highness, that I never trusted him for a second. I don't see why anyone would ever trust him." My tears started flowing, but I said nothing. "This was most undignified," he muttered.

G----G

Eomer

How could she accuse me of harming her virtue? I have never harmed her ever! She is too precious to me. During the war, all I could think about was the odd sensation I used to get when I was around her. When I saw her again at Helm's Deep, she was beautiful. Her dress was plain and mussed. Her hair was sweaty and tangled. She carried a baby on her hip and stood beside Eowyn, who was doing the same. I realized at that moment that I loved her. I wanted her to be my bride. And now this. No. It won't stop me. I shall have my prize, no matter what the cost.