Eomer rode the horse into the stables. Jumping down, he took the reigns in his hands. Lirah looked down at him from where she was sitting and smiled.

"How soon?"

"As soon as you want it to be. I'm not exactly ecstatic when proposed with the idea of a long engagement, but we can take as much time as you need."

"Well, I don't want to wait, but at the same time let's not rush it either. I think a month would be sufficient time to plan and hopefully my mother will wish to come and that will provide enough time for her to make up the necessary excuses for herself, Tristo, Eowyn, and Faramir to come."

Eomer held out his hand, which Lirah took. Helping her down he asked "So you don't want your father there?"

"No. Not that he'd want to come, but I'd prefer if he didn't even know about it. It would just make it easier for everyone else to come I think."

Eomer nodded. Then he put his arms around Lirah's waist and pulled her close to him. Their faces were an inch apart. "You…" he began, giving her a peck on the lips. "…are the most incredible…"he gave her another kiss. "…the most beautiful…"and again, kissed her. "…and the most intelligent woman I've ever known." He pulled her up against him and kissed her, the heat in his loins traveling through his body.

"I love you."

"On October the sixteenth all citizens are invited to attend the royal wedding of our King, Lord Eomer to his elven princess. All members of the royal court must respond within this week as to whether or not they will be attending the ceremony and feast," announced the royal herald.

The gossip in the city was deafening.

"…an elf?"

"…didn't even know he was looking…"

"…I hear she's pregnant…"

"…must have enchanted him with her evil magic…"

The women of the court were the worst, and seeing as they had only a month to turn the king's attention to themselves, lowered their necklines a good two inches and threw themselves at him every chance they got.

No had seen the mystery woman. The only change in the king was that he seemed less introverted and was smiling a great deal more. His fiancé's name was not revealed though, and he had not allowed the public or even the court a glimpse of her.

All the while, Lirah sat in her room, planning the wedding. She decided on the decorations, the location, and was determining the guest list.

The seating arrangement was complicated. She had no idea of where to put people, never having actually met the majority of them.

The only thing that mattered was that her mother would sit next to her, on her left.

Someone knocked at the door.

"Who is it?"

"Me."

"Come in," called Lirah. She was sitting at her desk, writing a letter.

Eomer opened the door and stepped inside. Closing it behind him he asked, "Is it finished?"

She folded the letter and sealed it. Handing it to him, she nodded.

"Good. My most trusted servant will bring it to him, and he'll give it to your mother."

He leaned down and kissed Lirah's forehead. "The tailor will be here in half of an hour to fit you for your wedding dress."

Her eyes lit up. "I'm so excited. I wish the wedding was tomorrow. I don't want to wait another two weeks…"she whispered, her hands moving down his chest.

Eomer took her hands, stopping their progress to his belt. "No…we must wait. I want our wedding to be pure, and I want you to have something perfect." His face was perfectly controlled, and his voice steady, when in reality he wanted to throw her on the bed and make violent love to her.

"Go then, or I'll stop listening to you and just do what I want," Lirah sighed, and slapped his arm playfully.

Eomer laughed and kissed her, and then walked out the door.

The young man stared at the serious face of the king. "Do not let anyone else get a hold of this letter. Do you understand? It's for Faramir's hands only!"

The boy bowed and put the letter in his breast. Eomer slapped the horse's rear and both steed and messenger were gone instantly in a flurry of hooves.

There was a knock at the door of Faramir's study. He got up from his desk and opened it.

A young boy of about sixteen stood before him, panting.

"Come in boy! Where have you come from and what business requires such exertion?" exclaimed the steward.

"Lord Faramir?"

"Yes?"

The boy stepped inside, and closed the door behind him. He looked up and whispered "What I carry comes from the King of Rohan, and I was instructed to deliver to you only. If there is to be any sort of answer you will find me at room fourteen at the Squatting Dwarf Inn."

And suddenly the door banged shut and the boy was gone.

"Odd."

Faramir sat down at his desk and opened the letter.

"Dearest Faramir,

I am writing to you and ask you to convey this message to my mother. His lordship, King Eomer, and I would like to alert you to the fact that we are engaged to be married. The wedding will take place on October the sixteenth, and we would love for you and Eowyn to join us for the occasion. If it would be at all possible, I would like for my mother and brother to be there, but understand if they cannot attend.

Please pass on my apologies to my mother for the distress I caused, and thank her for sending me to Rohan. Eomer and I would also like to ask that you not alert King Aragorn to the fact that I am alive, and especially that we are to marry. If the four of you are to come to our wedding we would appreciate it if you were to make some sort of false excuse as to why you traveled to Rohan.

With much love,

Lirah"

"They're out of their minds!" whispered Faramir. How could they risk the Gondor - Rohan alliance that had lasted for 500 years?

But then, he imagined the two of them together. He knew that if anyone needed some form of happiness it was Lirah. And Eomer was a good man; besides that, Lirah could make Eomer happy.

He tucked the letter in his breast, he would show the queen the next morning.

"Married?"

"Yes my lady. They are to be married and wish for you and Tristo to attend the ceremony."

Arwen sat down. "I've spent no time with my own daughter, and now she's to be married?"

Faramir looked down. He knew the queen would be happy for her child. She had not done a terrible job at concealing her disgust for her husband either. She sat with him, and spoke civilly with him. She was not warm or intimate though.

And yet, Faramir knew that one day she would forgive him. She loved him.

"Do you think they're happy? Do you think Lirah's happy?"

Faramir took a deep breath. "I don't doubt it. Eomer is a good man and neither of them are the type to jump into marriage unless they were absolutely sure about what they were doing."

Arwen smiled. "Then I shall make my excuses to my husband and we shall go to Rohan on October 10. Tell your wife, I am sure she will be pleased to hear of her brother's happiness."

"Yes madam."

Lirah looked into the mirror. The silver dress flowed like water. It was sleeveless, and the waist was a thin circlet of gold on her hips, which would be matched by the one she would wear on her head. It was simple, and was made in the elven style rather than that of Rohan.

Eomer had just gotten the reports on the status of all wedding preparations. The servants had been working on the decorations for days, and cooking for a week.

Lirah's dress was ready, and he had been fitted for his new clothes. Queen Arwen was minutes away, along with her son and Eomer's sister and her husband.

A servant walked up to him and bowing, said "My lord, the queen and prince of Gondor, along with the steward and stewardess, have arrived. Their belongings have already been brought to their rooms, and they await an audience with you."

Eomer nodded. The servant led him to the room where his guests were waiting.

"Eomer!" cried his sister, running forward and embracing him. "I can't believe it! It was such a surprise, and she's such an amazing girl."

Eomer nodded, and smiled. Faramir nodded. "I must agree, when I brought that girl here I had no idea you two would have feelings for one another," he said laughing.

The king felt something hit his leg. Looking down, he saw Tristo with his arms wrapped around it. "Uncle Eomer! I wana ride you horsey with you, and then can we go see Lirah? Is she better yet? 'Cause she was real sick before."

Eomer laughed, and patting the little boy on the head responded "Of course we can ride my horse, this afternoon if you wish. Your sister is feeling much better now, and you may see her after your mother."

"My sister?"

Eomer looked to Arwen. "We hadn't quite told him that part yet," she whispered.

"I'm sorry, I had no idea."

Arwen called out the door for Tristo's nurse. She took him, and the adults were left alone.

Arwen looked at Eomer and smiled, "Don't worry, he was going to find out soon enough. I think once you're married it will be safe to tell Aragorn. If Lirah permits me."

When she spoke her daughter's name, the queen's eyes filled with tears. "Can I…?"

Eomer bowed "Please!"

He called for Lirah's maid.

"Take her ladyship, Queen Arwen, to Princess Lirah's room."

The old woman bowed and led Arwen out the door and down the hall.

There was a knock at the door.

Lirah called "Eomer, how am I supposed to make sure everything is ready for the wedding if you keep coming in and distracting me?" She began to laugh.

Getting up, Lirah walked to the door and threw it open.

Her mother stood there.

"Oh!"

Within seconds the two women were holding eachother, sobbing.

"Do you love him?"

"So much that it hurts me sometimes."

Arwen looked into her daughter's eyes and knew she spoke the truth.

"Then I'm glad you're getting married. I want you to be happy."

And then it was the rehearsal.

The night before the wedding there was great excitement throughout the city. The wedding would take place the next day in the Golden Hall, and then the King would make his wife Queen of Rohan. After that there would be a great feast for the court and guests of the couple inside the Hall. Out in the streets there would be free food and games so that all the people could celebrate the great day.

That night though, at the rehearsal, the court would finally see the princess and learn who she was.

The king was distracted all afternoon, his mind on the next day, and did not notice the anxious court.

And then it was six o'clock. The horns blew, and Eomer stood up and walked over to his throne and sat erect.

Everyone was silent.

"Presenting, Princess Lirah of Rivendell, betrothed to King Eomer!"

The doors opened, and the Golden Hall was bathed in the orange light of the setting sun.

A tall, slender, beauty glided in. She was clothed in red and gold silks, and had long chestnut tresses. She resembled the Queen Arwen of Gondor in physical appearance and mannerisms.

This was made all the more obvious by the fact that Arwen herself followed the young maiden into the hall.

Even the women who had been jealous only minutes before they had seen Lirah were stunned into silence and awed by her beauty and grace. No one spoke.

Lirah made her way to the King's throne. She bent low before him. "My lord," she whispered.

He took her hand and she stood up. Turning her to face his court he cried out "This is the woman I have chosen for my wife and to be your queen. What say you?"

A cheer immediately erupted from the nobles.

"I think they love you almost as much as I," whispered Eomer.