Part 97 of the Elfwine Chronicles. The Elfwine Chronicles are a series of one-shots built around the family group of Eomer, Lothiriel and Elfwine. The total number will depend on how many ideas I get for new vignettes.
A/N: Danwen and Amrothos showed up one night and wouldn't give me any peace until I did another story about them, so here it is. Don't blame me for the content – it was their idea!
Resolution
(May, 3 IV)
"Welcome!" Lothiriel exclaimed, handing Elfwine to Eomer and rushing forward to embrace her youngest brother.
She wrapped him in her arms, clinging tightly to him. Of her three brothers, she had been closest to Amrothos and, other than her father, he was the most difficult person to be so far away from now that she lived in Rohan. It had been over two years since she had last seen him, and despite their long letters to one another, she was more than ready for an extended visit to catch up.
It was evident Amrothos' sentiments were similar, for he held her a long while, pleased to have her close once more. "I have missed you greatly, Thiri," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her head. Pulling back, he held her at arm's length and looked her up and down. "You look well, so I suppose I do not get to kill your husband."
She laughed, and assured him, "Brother, I have seen both of you fight – be glad you do not have to challenge Eomer! I fear you would not be the victor in such a match!"
He shrugged indifferently as his wife moved forward to join them. For a moment, Lothiriel hesitated, then pulled Danwen into a hug also. "Welcome," she said quietly.
None were surprised that her greeting of her sister was much more restrained. The women had been at odds initially, and though Lothiriel had come to believe Danwen was sorry for her actions, and had acted under duress from her father, she still had not warmed to her completely. Not having seen her in the two years since her marriage to Amrothos had not helped to bridge the distance between them. Lothiriel was determined to put in some effort on this visit to get to know the woman better and try to act more familial with her.
Now the attention of the visitors fell upon Eomer and his heir. "So, here is my newest nephew!" Amrothos exclaimed, moving toward them. He held out his hands to Elfwine in a friendly manner, and the child had no qualms about going to this nice man.
As they made their way into the Golden Hall and toward the guests' room, laughing and talking about how their journey had been, Amrothos began telling Elfwine, "Just wait, nephew! I have all sorts of things to teach you that will greatly annoy your mama! I am an expert at getting her goat!"
"Amrothos!" Lothiriel chided. "Stop that! You had better not dare get into mischief with my son!"
"But, Thiri, I am his uncle! It is my duty to spoil the boy and teach him all my tricks!"
Reaching over, Lothiriel plucked her son from Amrothos' arms as they entered the guest chamber. "Clearly you are unsuited to being around children and, therefore, I do not intend to let you within ten paces of Elfwine, dear brother!" Lothiriel asserted.
Amrothos was looking greatly affronted, but Lothiriel caught his eyes glance at Danwen, so she added, "And do not think you will involve your wife in your evil schemes either! If I see any hint that you are attempting to corrupt my child through her, I will cut her off from his company as well! Now that she knows this, she will never fall in with you!"
Danwen hid a snicker behind her hand at the expression on Amrothos' face. Her husband turned to Eomer, who was also chuckling, and demanded, "My word, Eomer, why did you turn my sister into such a spoilsport?"
"Me!" Eomer choked. "Do not blame me! She was like that before I married her! I seem to vividly recall in particular her interference in a little Rohirric amusement regarding the newly wed Prince of Ithilien."
Amrothos' eyes went wide. "That was her doing? I should have known! They would never have escaped otherwise!"
"Aye," Eomer laughed, "but when she explained her reasoning, I could not fault her!"
"Her reasoning?" Danwen interjected, trying to piece this tale together, but not having all the details. Likely Amrothos would need to tell her much.
"To ensure someone rescued us from a similar fate in the not-so-distant future!" Eomer elaborated, as Amrothos broke into hearty laughter.
"No wonder you were so complacent with such inducement! Little worry anyone could have attempted something similar with you, given all the shenanigans you two pulled!" Amrothos snorted, flinging himself into a chair. Then, realizing Danwen was a bit lost, he amended, "I will explain all this to you later, my love. Suffice it to say, your king and queen are not nearly so dignified as they try to appear!"
The royal family excused themselves to allow their guests to freshen themselves and get settled in, agreeing to meet them in the Golden Hall later.
Once they were gone, Danwen wilted slightly and settled on the side of the bed. Noticing her posture change, Amrothos moved over to sit beside her and take her in his arms. "Are you all right, dearest?" he asked solicitously.
"Yes," she assured him, with a wan smile. "I see there is still tension between your sister and I, but hopefully we can improve our association while I am here. I will do my best to win her favor."
"Danwen, you do not need to prove yourself. You have already done that. Just relax and allow her to come to know the woman I am privileged to know, and she will warm to you, I am sure."
His wife nodded, less certainly than he would have liked, but he decided to drop the matter for now. Changing subjects, he broached a topic they had avoided all during their planning of this visit. "Will you go to see your father while we are here?" he asked quietly.
Danwen bit her lip and nodded. "Yes. I…I hope his heart has softened somewhat in my absence and he desires a reconciliation as much as I do, but I do not hold out much hope that it will be so. My father is not known for changing his ideas about anything. Once he makes up his mind about something, it tends to remain made up, regardless of the consequences."
Amrothos had moved across the room, but now returned to draw her to her feet and into his arms. Holding her close, he told her, "I will accompany you. But know this – I will not let him abuse you, beloved. You have done nothing to deserve his censure, and I will not allow it. I hope he will reconcile with you, but if he does not, do not let it make you unhappy. He hurts only himself by his actions. We will be happy in spite of him."
Her arms slid around him and she clung tightly to him, her face pressed against his chest. "I could never be very unhappy so long as I have you, my love! Your family has been most generous in welcoming me at Dol Amroth and making me feel quite at home. He is my father and I should like for him to share in my joy, but if he will not, I will turn to those who will."
xx
The house had changed little in two years' time. For several moments, Danwen stood silently staring at the home she had known for the vast majority of her life, and which had been so brutally ripped from her by her father nearly three years ago.
Amrothos' arm around her shoulders tightened slightly, seeking to bolster her courage, and it drew her from her reverie to smile at him. Taking a deep breath, she stepped through the gate and onto the porch to knock at the door. It did not take long for the servant to appear, blinking in recognition of her but clearly made nervous by Danwen's presence.
"May I see my father, please?" she asked formally, and the woman drew a hesitant breath but nodded, opening the door wider to admit them into the hall.
Gesturing toward the parlor, she told them, "If you will wait here, I will fetch Lord Grimdred." She appeared about to say more, but seemed to think better of it and closed her mouth firmly, moving away from them.
They settled on the couch, and Amrothos took her hand in a reassuring clasp, pressing a kiss to the back of it and giving her a wink. The gesture had its intended effect; she relaxed slightly.
A shuffling was heard in the hall just then, however, and she tensed again, involuntarily rising as her father entered the room. For a long moment, he stared at the two of them, then moved over to settle in his chair and stare impassively at them. "You wished to see me?" he asked coldly.
Time had not been good to him. He had aged considerably, and did not look well. Lothiriel had warned them that he was not often seen about court much anymore since he had failed to achieve the status he desired there. Rumor had it that he had suffered a lengthy illness the previous winter, and had never fully recovered from the effects of it. The canker of his soul and his body showed on his face. This was a disagreeable, unhappy man, and he did not care who knew it.
Struggling for words, Danwen finally ventured, "It is good to see you again, Father. I am sorry we could not visit sooner, but Amrothos' business has kept us in Dol Amroth until now."
Lord Grimdred merely grunted at these comments, and said nothing in response. Amrothos' eyes narrowed in annoyance, and he told the man, "Your daughter has truly been a blessing in my life, my lord. And she is very well received in the royal court at Dol Amroth. My family adores her. I thank you for your part in making this possible." He fell short of crediting the man with anything other than paternity.
Lord Grimdred's eyes shifted to Amrothos and he sniffed dismissively. "Why are you here? Do you come for my blessing on this travesty of a marriage? Do you expect to collect Danwen's inheritance by pretending affection? Well, it will not happen! I disowned my daughter and I stand by that. I do not need her or you or anyone else!" Wheezing slightly, he heaved himself to his feet, and exited the room without any sort of farewell to them.
Danwen sat in stony silence, tears trickling down her cheeks. When he was gone, Amrothos reached for her hand and drew her to her feet, then guided her out of the house and quickly away from such a benighted place. Steering her toward Lothiriel's garden behind Meduseld, he sought solitude for them until his wife could recover her composure. Though he settled on a bench, she moved to stand a short distance away, staring off into the distance. After several moments, he went to join her.
Danwen sighed heavily, as Amrothos came up behind her and slipped his arms around her, drawing her back against him. Softly she told him, "I suppose somewhere deep inside me I still have love for him, but it is now buried so deep that it might as well not exist." She turned to face her husband, raising a hand to stroke his cheek, and added, "But I was fortunate to find someone who would let me love them, with all my heart. And, more importantly, I found someone who loves me in return – more than I deserve."
"No," he murmured, kissing her gently, "not more than you deserve; not nearly so much as you deserve, but I am trying and will continue to do so all of my days." This time his lips claimed hers with all his passion, and she could not doubt the sincerity of his declaration.
They remained in the garden quite awhile, unwilling to face anyone else just yet and needing the time alone.
xx
Despite the sojourn in the garden, Eomer and Lothiriel could not miss the solemnity of Danwen's demeanor, nor the concerned glances Amrothos kept throwing her way. They had been aware that Danwen was going to visit her father today, and it was evident that the meeting had not gone well.
Not until Elfwine had been put to bed, and the four of them were gathered in Eomer's study, did Lothiriel venture condolences. "Danwen," she said, seating herself beside the other woman, "this is not truly about you." Danwen looked up in surprise at the comment, waiting for the queen to continue.
Sighing, Lothiriel added, "Your father is an unhappy man, and rather than honestly admit the reasons for that unhappiness, and his own fault in them, he seeks to blame them on everyone else. As his daughter, you made a convenient scapegoat, and continue to do so. He does not even realize that his actions will only bring him more unhappiness rather than the turnaround in his fortunes that he desires." She paused, collecting her thoughts, then finished, "I think it unlikely he will ever come to a realization of all this and reconcile with you. The best thing for you to do is come to terms with that, and not let his approbation, or lack thereof, color your own joy. You cannot make him happy, but you can be happy yourself."
The queen reached and drew her sister into her arms, and Danwen was overwhelmed by the kind gesture, particularly from someone who had herself been wounded by Lord Grimdred's ambitions. Sniffling, Danwen fought back the tears and smiled gratefully at Lothiriel. "Thank you!" she murmured softly. "I appreciate your words. All my life I have tried not to care so much what he thinks, but it is difficult to let go of all the same. Yet, now, I have the sort of family I had always hoped for. I think in time that will heal my heart in this matter."
Lothiriel smiled, stroking her head and then pressing a kiss to Danwen's temple. "Hold to that thought. I would not have all your time in Rohan be tainted with unpleasantness."
Amrothos swallowed hard, watching these two women he loved so dearly sharing this gentle moment. He had worried that Lothiriel might not ever warm to his wife, and that would have hurt him cruelly, though he understood fully the reason for her previous enmity. He should have given his sister more credit; she had always had a generous heart, and clearly it would not allow her to linger in anger. If nothing else, she was rejecting living her life as Lord Grimdred was determined to live his – bearing grudges against any who displeased.
xx
Over the next week, one thing was certain – both Amrothos and Danwen loved children. They doted on Elfwine, though the child did not always appreciate their attention. Amrothos had promised to behave himself, so Lothiriel had relented and let him spend time with her son, though she kept a close eye on them. She didn't altogether trust her brother not to teach the boy bad habits if she didn't monitor them, but Danwen had assured her she would not allow it even when Lothiriel had to be absent. Even so, there was the danger the both of them would spoil the child rotten. And in that, Lothiriel could hardly blame them, even if she did not particularly desire it. Fortunately, Elfwine was a well-behaved child and not given to misbehavior anyway, so she had an easier time of it than she might have otherwise.
Certainly Lothiriel was enjoying her brother's visit. Erchirion had come to see them the previous year, and that had been pleasant, but she saw far too little of her family to entirely satisfy her craving for them. Much as she loved her new home and family in Rohan, her heartstrings still tugged toward the south on occasion, and she greatly missed her father and brothers being in closer proximity.
The issue of her family situation juxtaposed against that of Danwen made her feelings all the more poignant. She almost felt guilty about her selfishness in merely missing her family, and knowing they missed her as well, when Danwen had nothing so substantial. She had only one living relative and he wanted nothing to do with her. Consequently, Lothiriel was careful to confine expressing her feelings to when she was with Eomer, or alone with Amrothos, rather than risk pricking Danwen's emotions through her callousness.
In a way, the situation resolved itself somewhat in the visitors' second week at Edoras. A servant from Lord Grimdred's house appeared late one afternoon at the Golden Hall, seeking Danwen. As she was with Lothiriel and Elfwine, they accompanied her to speak with the woman, and offer moral support if needed, depending on the message.
The servant curtsied nervously as she entered and glanced around hesitantly. "May we speak privately, my lady?" she asked.
Danwen nodded stiffly and waved her off to the side, but gestured for Lothiriel to accompany them. Once they were away from anyone else, the servant drew a deep breath, then announced firmly, "I…I have come to tell you…my lady, your father – he is dead."
Danwen blinked with lack of comprehension, and Lothiriel took charge. "What do you mean? How? When?" she asked.
"He…died this morning, my lady. He never quite recovered after his illness of the winter, and he has been failing the past few days. We offered to summon his daughter, but he would not allow it," she explained apologetically.
As Danwen was looking unsteady on her feet, Lothiriel pressed her down on a nearby bench. Turning back to the servant, she said, "Thank you for informing us of Lord Grimdred's passing. Is someone making funeral arrangements?"
The servant nodded. "The housekeeper was instructed what to do in the event of his passing, my lady. She is taking care of things."
Lothiriel considered this a moment, then said, "I will send Gamling back with you and he can get more details on the situation, and offer assistance if it is needed. Come with me."
While Lothiriel explained the matter to Gamling and sent him off with the servant, Danwen continued to sit, staring at the wall opposite her. Several moments later, Lothiriel returned to find her position had not altered, and gently took her arm, drawing her to her feet. "Come, dearest. You should lie down for a while and give yourself a chance to adjust to this news. I will find Amrothos and send him to you." She led Danwen to her room, and saw her settled on the bed, before leaving to do as she had promised.
xx
The day of Lord Grimdred's funeral was overcast and gloomy, somehow very fitting. The clouds gave every indication that heavy rain was imminent, and the funeral service was kept brief, both because of the weather and because there were few to mourn the deceased.
Back in their chamber afterwards, Danwen stared out the window at the torrential rain that had begun only moments after they reached the shelter of Meduseld. Perhaps the skies were weeping on her behalf, since she could not dredge up any tears. It was over. He could not hurt or reject her anymore, and she no longer had to feel compelled to seek reconciliation.
Amrothos gathered her into his arms, pressing a kiss to her head. "Are you all right, beloved?" he inquired gently.
"Yes," she replied, surprised at how true her answer was. "I am…far better than I had thought I would be. There is some measure of finality in this. I am sorry he could not find happiness for himself, but at least he may no longer withhold it from others."
She turned to face her husband. "Now there is only us, and nothing may taint our joy from here on. I will not allow it." She kissed Amrothos tenderly, and then laid her head on his chest, and he welcomed the peace she unexpectedly had found.
Amrothos had little doubt his wife would still struggle with this from time to time – such ongoing heartaches were not so easily put to rest – but he had every confidence she would eventually be free of it. When they had set out from Dol Amroth over a fortnight ago, he had hoped this journey would bring some resolution to various problems they were facing. Certainly it had begun the process, and he felt a weight lift from his own spirit as well.
THE END
9/2/06 – 9/4/06
Elfwine is 2 years old.
End note:
It is best that you read the Elfwine Chronicles in the order they were written. The more of them that I wrote, the more likely I was to make reference to one of the previous ones and something that happened there. If you want to read them in order, go to the top of this page and click on my name (Deandra). That will take you to my profile page. Scroll down and you will find all the stories I have written. The Elfwine Chronicles are in order from bottom to top since ffn shows them in the order they were posted. A few were posted out of number order (#15 came after #17, I think), but you can read them in posting order or number order since those few won't be affected in the story content.