All three of us turned red at the sight of the group. Eowyn had a case of the giggles and even the noble Queen Arwen couldn't keep a straight face. Eowyn let go of Faramir's arm and walked over to help me pick up Eomer.

She leaned over and whispered into my ear: "I can see why you never wanted to introduce me to your brothers, sister."

Eomer was still trying to control himself as he leaned heavily against us. "Please giggle excuse our snigger conduct, King Elessar."

Elessar was trying not to laugh as well. "I was actually hoping that Prince Elphir would be our storyteller at the banquet tonight." He saw my horrified face that followed the comment and couldn't hold in his laughter. "King Eomer, I hope you know what you're getting yourself into." He stopped and covered his mouth so he could laugh. Eomer was quickly dropped by Eowyn and me onto his pillows.

Arwen had already controlled herself, so she took both of our hands. "Come, we have much to prepare." She led us away and left the men to finish their laughing.

G----G

I led the two women to my room and collapsed on the bed. Eowyn jumped onto the bed and sat on her knees beside me.

"Sister, Arwen and I were wondering something."

I sat up and looked at them. "Yes?"

Eowyn hesitated for a second. "What colour will your gown be at the wedding?"

I didn't answer. If I didn't wear white, it would mean that I still thought that Eomer had touched me and his people would never trust their king. I didn't want that anymore.

"White. The gown will be white." Eowyn smiled and hugged me.

"If you ladies will excuse me, I have some business to attend to," Arwen said, as she left the room.

We watched her leave, then Eowyn spoke. "You should have seen Eomer after you left. He was a mess. I wanted to write to you, but he wouldn't let me."

I got up and walked to my wardrobe. "He seemed to take a long time to right his error. Or rather, my error."

Eowyn swung her legs over the bed and dangled them. "He stopped eating and locked himself up in his room for three weeks. He became so ill, the doctors didn't know if he would make it. They kept him in his bed for 9 months. After they let him go, he couldn't get here fast enough." I smiled as I thumbed through my wardrobe. Eowyn got off the bed and pulled a package out of her hidden pocket. "Oh, I almost forgot." I turned to her. "Here's a late birthday present." I took the gift and opened it. Inside was a flower crown and a knight's helmet. Eowyn took the helmet. "Remember?"

I laughed. "We would run away from Glamdris and play 'The Princess and the Knight'." I put the flower crown on and ran to stand on the head of my bed. "Oh, brave knight! Come and save me!"

Eowyn put the helmet on. "I'll save you, fair princess!" She pretended to sword fight with a few armies while I cheered her on and then she came over to the bed. "Fair princess, look what I have done for you!" She collapsed on the bed and the force sent me toppling over next to her. We both laughed, but became solemn. We had both grown up in two years. We were different women.

"Promise me something, Eowyn."

Eowyn got up and hugged her knees. "What?"

I rolled over and fingered the designs on my quilt. "Promise me that we'll never be too old to play games."

"You mean games with each other, or our husbands?" I couldn't see her face, but I knew she was grinning.

I looked up at her and laughed. "That's the same old Eowyn!"

She picked up a pillow. "I'm never too old to play games, Princess Lothiriel." With a mighty swing that I didn't expect, the pillow came in contact with my hip.

I looked up at her in mock horror. "Princess Eowyn! Such force for a woman of royal blood! What would the king of Gondor say?" I picked up my own pillow and we started fighting.

"He'd probably say that he wants in on the game!" she said, with a few whacks to my stomach. After a few minutes, I cried "King of Gondor" and Eowyn stopped. (Ha ha, King of Gondor instead of Uncle. Lol) We collapsed on the bed again. "Yes! The Princess of Ithilien triumphs again!"

I rolled over to face her. "Again?" Unfortunately, I rolled too far and with a scream, fell off the bed.

G----G

The celebration began a few hours later. Eowyn was dressed in white and I was dressed in gold. We walked into the throne room together and the room reacted to our beauty. Faramir took Eowyn's hand and Eomer took mine as we reached the front table. The men pulled out our chairs for us and we sat down next to each other. King Elessar started his speech about the engagement, and the men started their silent flirting. Eomer took my right hand in his and brought his left hand around my waist. I almost jumped out of my seat when he started petting my side.

"Eomer," I whispered into his ear. I let go of his hand and started caressing his knee. "There, see how you like that!" I whispered. "That'll teach you to distract me during a feast." He started shaking with laughter, but was silent. Eowyn wasn't excused from the attack and was wiggling from Faramir's attention.

To our relief, King Elessar's speech ended and we started eating. As we ate, Eomer's hand snaked towards the one that I had in my lap and he held it fast, running his thumb up and down it. My body was getting as warm as the stew that I was eating.

When the meal was over, Faramir and Eowyn left early. Eomer tugged my arm, but I wasn't going to leave yet. Elphir announced that the dancing would begin with the new couple dancing a waltz. No easy task when Eomer wants to go run off and cuddle. I dragged him out and we started the dance.

Eomer was a little clumsy, but managed to finish the dance without tripping. As soon as it was over, in the rush of the other couples coming out to dance, Eomer took my hand and we left the room. After he shut the double doors, he leaned against them and looked at me with his playful grin. I shrieked and started running down the hall.

"Princess Lothiriel, your king commands you to stop," Eomer said as he chased me. I opened the door to the balcony and turned back to him.

"You have to catch me first!" I started running up the stairs so I could open the door at the top of them. Without it open, both doors would be closed and there would be no light in the stairwell. Eomer closed the bottom door before I could get half-way up the stairs. The staircase went pitch black. "Eomer!" I shrieked as I flattened up against the stone wall and closed my eyes. I was scared of the dark.

"I'm coming." I heard him start up the stairs and heard his hand feeling the wall for me. I felt his hand run across my stomach. "Lothiriel." I reached out for his hand, but he pinned me against the wall and touched my face. After he found where my lips were, he leaned in and kissed me. I couldn't resist and started giggling against his lips. I couldn't see his face, but I suspected he was grinning as well. Since he couldn't kiss me with me laughing, he started kissing my face. My cheeks, my eyelids, my forehead, my temples and my nose. I thought that he would go back to my lips, but he trailed up my cheek and started nuzzling my ear. I felt his hot breath on my shoulder as he moved my dress strap to my arm and kissed there. My senses half returned so I gave him a playful push and put my strap back where it belonged.

"King Eomer," I said to the darkness. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you are taking full advantage of it being dark in here."

Eomer sighed. "You have found me out, dear lady." I heard him lunge at me, so I moved and he hit the wall. "Lothiriel!" I started running down the stairs and opened the door. "Come back!" Eomer ran down the stairs as well, causing me to squeal and run down the hall.

I wasn't running fast enough to beat a hardened warrior and Eomer caught me. He planted his feet around mine and wrapped his arms around my waist. I started laughing as he lifted me off the ground and then put me back.

"King Eomer, what are you doing to our sister?"

We both looked up to see my three brothers standing outside of the throne room staring at us.

"Excuse me, Prince Elphir, Prince Erchirion and Prince Amrothos. I was escorting Princess Lothiriel to her chambers."

Elphir was so solemn, I almost started laughing again. "See that that's all you do."

Eomer politely took my hand and started walking me down the hall. As we passed my brothers, Elphir winked at me. After Eomer passed a corner, we heard the throne room doors slam and he let go of my hand.

"You know," Eomer said as he walked with his hands folded behind his back. "I noticed that you eat with your left hand. Some people would consider that to be the sign of a witch." I almost got worried, but I saw that he was grinning at me, so I pushed him up against the wall and kissed him. When I let him go, he whispered into my ear: "You've certainly bewitched me."

G----G

Lothiriel

Tomorrow, I shall leave my home and travel to Rohan to be Eomer's bride. I have been so foolish with my feelings. Eomer did not deserve the way I have treated him. Thankfully, he has forgiven me. Eowyn tells me that she helped Eomer remodel his bedchamber in Rohan and she says that it is beautiful and befitting its new occupant. There are shelves for my books and a canopy on the bed. Somehow, I feel as if I am not leaving home, I am coming home.