Spoils of War
Chapter 7
Eowyn was a beautiful bride, and Lothiriel had never seen her cousin so blissfully happy. It both thrilled and pricked her to see it. She could not help feeling envious of what the couple had found in each other, particularly since she was beginning to seriously doubt that she could hope for anything similar. Her eyes had wanted to twitch toward Eomer at that thought, but she refused to allow it. He was no longer an option. He did not love her, and now that she had rejected him there was no chance of an alliance in the future. She must look elsewhere for some semblance of the love she desired, something vaguely resembling what she was witnessing today between the happy bridal couple.
The entire City celebrated long into the night, and though Morwen attended the wedding itself and the wedding feast, she did not linger for the dancing and merriment afterwards. Only because she thought it might raise questions she was reluctant to answer did Lothiriel remain most of the evening rather than retire when Morwen departed on Elphir's arm. She smiled and danced and sipped wine, but under the circumstances her heart could not fully be engaged with the activities. Eomer did not approach her to dance, for which she was grateful, though to be fair he danced very little with anyone. She had seen him dance before, even been his partner on several occasions, and knew he was quite good at it, so clearly it was not lack of ability restraining him.
Lothiriel had received with mixed emotions word from her father that the young king would be coming to Dol Amroth during the summer. Imrahil had spent a great deal of time at Minas Tirith, counseling with King Elessar as they got all in order, but by then it was expected that the Prince could finally return home. Occasional visits and regular correspondence would likely suffice going forward, though Elessar confessed a reluctance to release Imrahil.
It seemed all of Middle-earth was seeking to find its place in this new world. With Imrahil spending so much time in the north, Elphir had taken on a more active role in ruling at Dol Amroth, and the Prince had admitted he was hoping to see his heir continue even once he returned home.
Morwen had recovered quickly from her indisposition, and after the wedding, Lothiriel accompanied her back to Lossarnach for a fortnight's visit. Once there, she saw how much the lady and Morlach enjoyed being reunited, and on impulse she invited them both to come to Dol Amroth when they sailed in two months' time.
"I am not sure that is wise, dear," Morwen said with a smile. "Remember what Morlach did to your garden at Minas Tirith."
"Yes, but we have kennels where he can stay. There is plenty of room for the dogs to run, or the kennel boys take them for walks. And I can take Morlach down to the beach to let him really stretch his legs and work off his excess of energy. Besides, I know you will be happier if he is nearby so that you can visit him more often. I was aware of how much you missed him while we were in the City for the wedding," Lothiriel explained.
"I did miss him, you are right," Morwen acknowledged, stroking the little dog's head as he sprawled contentedly in her lap. "I know he can be disagreeable, but I adore him. He has proven to be a devoted companion to me." Her eyes misted at her words, and Lothiriel could guess the reason – that perhaps he had been the woman's only true companion for some time. She had never said so, but it was clear that the enmity with her grandchildren hurt her a great deal. When she couldn't be with them, it was not so hard, but now that they kept seeing one another, it was difficult not being able to overcome their bruised feelings and establish a new, better relationship.
"Then it is decided!" Lothiriel asserted. "Both of you will come with us. I know you will enjoy the sea, and likely Morlach will love being able to so easily dig in the sand!" They both laughed then. The little dog did seem to take inordinate pleasure in making holes in the ground.
"You are too kind to me, my dear, but I thank you for it. I have so enjoyed having you with me. I shall be sorry when life is back to its usual routine and we are parted by distance without reason for such frequent visits," Morwen said, sorrow tinging her voice.
Lothiriel felt her regret and was no less lamentful of the separation that would eventually come. "Well, then I shall simply have to make greater effort to come north and visit," she said decisively. "And you are always welcome in our home, in Dol Amroth or Minas Tirith, whenever you wish it. You do not need an invitation – I make one to you now that stands forever. You need only make sure we are not already overcrowded with other guests." She smiled at the little dog and added, "And I will even invite Morlach, whatever repairs I need to make to the garden afterwards!"
Morwen laughed, but understood that the offer was most sincere. "Ah, dear girl, you are a delight! I am so very glad your father did not leave you at Dol Amroth during the War. You have been a ray of sunshine during much bleakness. Now, come, help me up and let us go decide what I need to pack for the seashore, not that I am likely to actually spend much time on the sand – I have enough difficulty on solid ground!"
xxxxx
The two months had passed quickly. Morwen remained in Lossarnach until a week before their expected departure, and arrived in the White City only a few days before Eomer returned. Faramir had been desirous of sharing the seashore with his new bride, so they were also planning to accompany Imrahil south. When it was learned that Morwen was to be in their company, Eowyn expressed her displeasure to her brother. "Are we never to be free of her? She seems determined to foist herself on us at every turn!"
"Eowyn," he replied warningly, "she is dear friends with Lothiriel. It does not necessarily have anything to do with us. We cannot avoid the association now that we are once more closely allied with Gondor. You must accept that."
She shrugged in annoyance and dropped the subject, though Eomer was sure he had not convinced her.
At least for most of the boat ride they were little in Morwen's company, and so Eowyn did not have to pretend cordiality. Eomer still had not worked out, despite all the time that had intervened, how to apologize to Lothiriel. At least she seemed more relaxed with him, perhaps accepting his offer as merely ill-advised rather than with an intent to offend.
It had surprised him how often his thoughts had turned to her while he was at Meduseld. Somehow she had become the voice of his conscience, and several times when he had reacted before he thought a matter through, he heard her voice in his head, suggesting he be more judicious in his decisions. It was good advice; he could not deny that. In battle, one had to make hasty choices, but situations were not always so well-defined in politics. And he was discovering that it was far easier to take his time in responding than to change his stance afterwards. His pride did not permit him to readily admit he was wrong, so it was much better to choose wisely at the outset – just as she had recommended.
Their first day on the water, Eomer had found that few people ventured to the stern of the boat, and so he claimed the spot for his own, settled on a bench and watched the water slide away behind them. It was peaceful there, and he had time for contemplation that had never before been part of his daily activities. Having always been a person of action, being still was a new experience, but he found that it helped more than he would have imagined.
In his time spent alone, he formulated ideas for how he wanted to proceed with his reign, and what he hoped to accomplish in the Mark. The prospect of trade with Gondor and Dol Amroth opened up possibilities that had long been non-existent in his land, and he hoped it would help his people recover their lives and prosperity more quickly.
Another place he found solitude was in the hold with the horses. He was pleased that they had adapted so well to being transported on a boat. There had been some initial nervousness, but they had quickly settled. They were, however, restless after being cooped up for so long, and Firefoot clearly appreciated his visits, especially since he usually came with an apple or carrot secured from the galley.
"So this is where you have been hiding," Amrothos remarked, coming to stand at the door to Firefoot's stall.
"I have not been hiding," Eomer replied with a grin. "You thought I would go the entire trip without checking on my horse?"
"No, but you do seem to disappear quite a bit. Are you spending all that time down here?" his friend asked.
Eomer shrugged. "Some of it. I have also spent some time alone, in thought. This trip is proving quite restful, but it also has given me a chance to consider many things without others pressing for my attention."
"Like annoying friends trying to track you down?" Amrothos asked with a chuckle.
"You are not annoying," Eomer assured him with a laugh. "Did you need something or are you merely bored and seeking someone to amuse you?"
Amrothos presented his most innocent expression. "Me? Need someone to amuse me? What would make you ask that?"
"Experience!" Eomer asserted. "I have noticed how easily you are bored if you are not kept busy. Come – show me about the boat and explain how it all works. That should keep you amused for a few minutes."
"A few minutes? Exactly how much do you want me to tell you? It is a big wooden wagon without wheels that floats down the river, or is rowed up the river, carrying goods in each direction. What more could you possibly want to know?" Amrothos questioned.
With a laugh, Eomer replied, "Somehow your version of it is far less eloquent than Erchirion's! He goes on and on about how wonderful it is to be sailing."
"Whoa! Hold on, now! That is sailing, and it is wonderful. This is not sailing!" Amrothos firmly avowed.
When Eomer arched a questioning eyebrow at him, he continued, "This…this is trotting sedately around a ring on a magnificent warhorse for a couple of minutes and then giving him to a stablehand to put away. This is just…getting from one place to another. It is dull and uninteresting!" Amrothos protested.
"Very well," Eomer chuckled, crossing his arms, "then you think of something interesting. I have made my effort to amuse you."
Amrothos did keep them occupied, if not entertained, the rest of the day, and thereafter took it upon himself to seek Eomer out each day, thus curtailing the solitary sessions at the rear of the boat. As they were to arrive at Dol Amroth the next day, that was not a great burden.
The view of the ocean from the deck of a ship had been astonishing, when they cleared the mouth of Anduin and sailed past Tolfalas into the bay. In some respects, being surrounded by water on all sides was unnerving, but it also gave a great sense of freedom. Eomer realized he had missed that feeling. As evil had encroached on the Mark, it had become unsafe to travel alone and unfettered, wandering at will. And now that he was king, he was rarely unaccompanied by a guard. Though sleeping on a wide plain under an infinite expanse of sky had its pleasures, nothing quite evoked the feeling that all this horizon did. He stood gazing at it for a very long while.
"Glorious, is it not?" a voice asked from his right, and he turned at the sound. Lothiriel was not looking at him; her head was raised as though she were drinking the view into her very being, as a thirsty plant draws water.
"Yes," he replied, returning his gaze outward.
"My family has lived on the shores of this bay for many generations," Lothiriel remarked quietly, "and I grew up seeing this view every day. But it never ceases to touch something deep inside of me."
Her words drew his thoughts to his own homeland, and he realized he felt something similar for the Mark. Gazing upon herds of horses roaming plains filled with tall grass had always been…reassuring to him. And every day that he awoke and saw it made him more determined that none would ever take it from the Eorlingas.
Lothiriel had spoken very little to him since his proposal, so he was rather surprised by her conversation now. "I am sorry," he murmured quietly. "It was not my intent to presume too much by my offer to you." He had not meant to speak of that just now, despite his intention to apologize, but he supposed it was just as well that it was finally said.
He watched her from the corner of his eye as she remained silent for several long minutes. At length she replied, "No offense was taken, my lord, but I thank you for the apology."
With a slight curtsy in his direction she moved away, and he sighed, not entirely convinced her response was fully truthful. He felt sure his proposal of marriage had unsettled her; certainly it had distanced them from one another. Until that moment, he had enjoyed her company and thought she felt the same. Now, however, she seemed cautious when he was near and he had no doubt of the reason. In some respects, it surprised him. Why would she be so discomposed by a mere offer? She had declined, they were the only ones that knew it had taken place, and there was no ill-will over the matter. But something more had to be at play here, for her to react as she did.
His musings were interrupted by the boat making its way inside the sea walls, causing his gaze to shift to Tirith Aear and the castle on the hill. Like Minas Tirith, it was built of white stone that glistened in the sunlight, but this building had a more ethereal look to it, lending credence to the rumors of an Elvish heritage for the princes of Dol Amroth.
Though eager to look around, Eomer and his escort were first concerned with seeing to their horses. Amrothos suggested, "Get them saddled and we will go for a short ride, to let them stretch their legs, and I can show you the shore as they do." This was agreed upon, so they prepared their mounts as their belongings were loaded into carts to be ferried to the castle.
It did not take long for the horses to get their feet under them once more, and they were soon ready for a run to work off their unexpended energy. The riders were no less eager to accommodate them, though they noted that it was more difficult for their mounts to run on the sand. After only a few minutes, Amrothos recommended, "Rein them in! This will prove more taxing than you or they realize. After standing for so long in one place you do not want to overdo it at the outset."
Recognizing the wisdom of the advice, the men drew in for the walk up the hill to the castle, as Amrothos pointed out various sights of interest along the way. Once they had seen their horses settled in the stable, Amrothos directed the men to their quarters before taking Eomer inside to his room.
The building was light and airy, and a balmy breeze blew through the many open windows. It was far different than all the dark wood of Edoras, but Eomer found that he liked it very much. This looked to be a most pleasing visit. Lothiriel was coming down the stairs as they started up, and paused to inform them, "Everyone is settled in their room already, but some are intending to gather in the library in a short while to discuss activities, if you would care to join us, Eomer King."
It bothered him to have her revert to the more formal address, but Eomer decided now was not the time to request a change. Perhaps eventually she would be more willing to return to the informality they had previously achieved. "I will do that," he acknowledged with a nod, continuing on as Amrothos led him upward.
The gathering proved to include his sister and Faramir, Imrahil's three youngest children and Eomer. Morwen had laid down soon after arriving, and Imrahil was behind closed doors with Elphir, catching up with events during his absence. No one was surprised when Erchirion immediately offered to take everyone out on his boat. "We can explore some of the smaller islands nearby or merely enjoy a day on the water," he enthusiastically suggested.
Despite his friend's fervor, Eomer was not entirely eager to leave land so soon after their four-day journey, even if Amrothos was correct about the far greater appeal of sailing on the open water rather than along the Anduin. He saw an equal hesitancy in Eowyn's eyes, and Faramir apparently sensed their reluctance, saying, "I am sure we would all enjoy that, Erchirion, but as we have just landed perhaps we should give our guests a chance to recover first. Sailing is not a natural pursuit to the Eorlingas."
Erchirion could not fully conceal his disappointment, but accepted the suggestion with good grace. Other activities were discussed, and several settled upon. They whiled away a couple of hours, sipping wine, discussing the possibilities and then enjoying a cold dinner before each departed to their own interests.
Eowyn and Faramir made their way to Imrahil's private beach, and Eomer might have joined them had he not suspected they preferred to be alone together. Imrahil's family members each had things to claim their attention, but Eomer had been assured he was welcome to wander at will around their property or into town.
He explored the castle for a short while, meandering all the way to the uppermost floor where he found a solar with a glorious view in all directions. Standing there, it occurred to him how isolated and alone he was. Everyone in their party had someone or some thing to occupy their time, but he was separate from them all. Imrahil's family had each other, Eowyn now had Faramir, and Morwen had both Lothiriel and Morlach for company. Over the course of his life, Eomer had formed friendships – good ones, such as Eothain – but that was not entirely the same as the companionship he now was desiring. It came back to finding a wife, he supposed, though how he could expedite that he was not certain. Amrothos had indicated there would be a few parties during his visit, so perhaps he would meet a young lady then who appealed to him.
Not wanting to dwell further on such thoughts, he turned and made his way back down to the lower levels. The sound of voices drew him to a room off to his right, and from the door he spotted Lothiriel giving directions to the head housekeeper about supper that evening. He watched them unnoticed for a few minutes, then slipped away. Morwen was right about Lothiriel being very capable. Initially he had not had occasion to see her present herself while fully acting as the mistress of Imrahil's household, but over time he had seen more and more how well she ordered things at Minas Tirith. It was evident that she was no less capable here at Dol Amroth. She was surprisingly young for such a role, but he could not deny her aptitude.
When he exited the front of the castle, he found his guard, Walda, conversing with Imrahil's door guard. Instantly the man became alert and moved to join him. With the barest gesture of his head, Eomer directed Walda to accompany him, and they made their way down the long drive and out the gates. They wandered the town for more than an hour, idly looking in shop windows and walking along the waterfront. Two fair-haired men drew considerable notice, and many of the townspeople stopped to watch them go by, or whisper to their neighbor.
As the supper hour was nearing, they trekked back toward the castle, and Eomer released the guard for the night. By the time he had washed and returned downstairs, others were already gathering in the small family dining chamber. The meal included more seafood than Eomer was used to seeing offered, but other meats were made available for those who might not care for such things. All of it looked enticing, and Eomer was tempted to stick with the more recognizable fare, but on a whim decided to sample everything he had never eaten.
Morwen and Lothiriel were sitting across from him and each eyed him in surprise as he began to dish his plate. The first thing he took was a salmon filet – a familiar, safe bet – but he added some sauteed scallops and a few vegetables. When that was eaten, he reached for a small lobster and gingerly placed it in front of himself. Morwen had been slowly enjoying some soup as he devoured the salmon, but now she also claimed a lobster, drawing his notice. Without a word, she carefully and methodically worked her way through the process of breaking the creature open to retrieve the meat. Eomer snuck furtive glances as she progressed, following her example of how to proceed. In the end, though he found it tasty, he decided it was far too much work for him to be inclined to indulge very often.
As he leaned back in his chair, pushing the plate away from him, he glimpsed Lothiriel. She was carefully avoiding looking at him, but a smile twitched at her mouth and he suddenly realized she must have noticed his mimicking Morwen's movements. He could feel his face getting warm, though luckily his perpetual tan concealed any obvious sign of embarrassment. Still, he felt justified in his actions – he could have asked for assistance but it had been unnecessary, so why draw attention to his inexperience?
His gaze flicked to Morwen and, to his surprise, she met and held his eyes. After a moment, she looked down as she dabbed at her mouth with a napkin, and he understood that she had known he needed guidance and had provided it without fanfare. A surge of gratitude shot through him, despite his astonishment at her courtesy.
After supper, Lothiriel was again pressed to entertain them, and her performance was enhanced by the familiarity of using her own harp as accompaniment. Since Faramir owned his mother's harp, Eowyn moved closer to observe Lothiriel's playing. When Lothiriel ended her song, Eowyn asked, "Would you be willing to give me instruction in playing? I learned a little about playing lap harp as a child growing up at Meduseld, but never had sufficient interest to pursue it at the time. I think I should like to do so now, that our home may be filled with music."
"I would be happy to do so, though I do not know that I am especially expert at it," Lothiriel replied with a laugh. But for the remainder of the evening she alternated between performing, and offering instructions to Eowyn.
Just as at Edoras, Eomer found the music relaxing and absorbing. He did not recall ever before being so aware of music. "Your daughter has considerable talent," he remarked to Imrahil as the Prince took a seat nearby.
"Indeed," Imrahil agreed. "My sister taught her, using my wife's harp. Lothiriel was only seven when she died, and quite bereft at the loss. I believe she needed a connection to her mother, and thankfully Ivriniel saw that. My daughter has not always been the best pupil, but she does appear to have a natural bent for it. And certainly we all benefit from her skill."
Eomer bit back a smile at the warm fatherly accolades, but they did strike him as fully warranted in this case. He settled more deeply into his chair and let the music wash over him. Life had changed greatly when a consummate warrior could find such pleasure being entertained at a recital. Good music and good conversation with friends – he had much for which he could be grateful.
xxxxx
Though the visit to Dol Amroth was intended for rest and relaxation, there was also business to be attended. Imrahil had charged Elphir to arrange meetings for Eomer with many of the tradesmen so they could begin discussions on future trade. On the journey home, Eomer and his escort would travel via the Dimholt Road and assess its potential as a shortened route with the coastal cities. With an eye to not overtaxing their guest, Elphir had kept it to just a couple of meetings a day, leaving Eomer much free time to enjoy himself.
Having lived most of his life, it seemed, moving at full speed, Eomer found it difficult to adjust to such a relaxed pace. The few meetings required his attention at specific times and places, but the remainder of the next couple of days were far more discretionary. He could not, and did not, expect Eowyn and Faramir to keep him amused, and they often were gone before the others had gathered for the morning meal. Occasionally they returned before day's end, but no one counted on their presence.
Even his hosts had other concerns to occupy them now that they were in their own home. While Eomer felt sure he could request their company, for the most part he preferred to let them offer when it was convenient for them to spare the time. He and Eothain had walked about the town several times and were well acquainted with the place now. It had not taken long for his captain to sniff out the best taverns – the ones he claimed served reasonably good ale and had the prettiest girls working there.
After they had been in Dol Amroth a few days, Erchirion again pressed to take everyone out on his boat, and this time the party was more amenable to the idea. They made plans for the following day, but a storm blew in that evening and it was clear they would need to delay until a later time.
Over drinks after supper, Eomer eyed Erchirion curiously and asked, "My friend, something puzzles me. I have been down to the harbor a few times since my arrival, but all the craft I see there seem intended for commerce. Amrothos pointed out your boat to me on one occasion, but I do not see others who appear to use such vessels for…amusement."
Erchirion grinned sheepishly and admitted, "True. Most do not use them for pleasure. That is my own invention. My boat is actually a fishing boat that has been altered for more comfort. I simply enjoy being on the water, and so I found a means to accomplish it. One can make a practical use of the boat if necessary, but that is no longer its primary purpose."
Everyone chuckled at his confession, though Faramir offered, "While you may presently be the only one doing so, Cousin, I do not think that will always be so. I have heard comments by those who are aware of your enjoyment in pleasure sailing, and some have considered copying your actions. Who knows but what the years ahead will bring many more such craft onto our waterways."(7)
"I welcome the company," Erchirion avowed. "It is always pleasant to share such an avocation with other enthusiasts!"
His further comments were intended to spur similar enthusiasm in his new friends, but as the weather continued stormy all the next day, the outing had to be postponed indefinitely. For the time being, they had to take his word for the pleasure to be had on such a venture.
The rain itself was intermittent over the next two days. Around his meetings, during the times when there was a reprieve in the weather, Eomer seized the opportunity to be outdoors. Since becoming king it seemed he spent entirely too much time inside buildings and inactive, and that was not his preference. He had gotten in the habit of at least one daily walk along the Prince's private beach. Since the borders of it were already well-protected, he did not need a personal guard attending him and it allowed him a rare seclusion from others.
Today's walk was one of discovery. The storm had deposited a great deal of debris on the beach, and Eomer wandered idly along, pausing occasionally to look more closely at odd things washed in from the sea. Though the rain had temporarily stopped, the day was still mostly cool and overcast, and the wind was whipping white caps in the water. He breathed deeply of the sea air, letting it fill him completely. There was something exhilarating about the sea after a storm, and he had a clearer idea of why his friends found it so appealing.
A flash of color among the rocks off to his right drew his notice and he moved curiously in that direction to investigate its source. As he came closer, he saw that it was a woman, standing among some rocks and bent over a pool of water left behind by the receding water. After a moment, he realized it was Lothiriel, but this was Lothiriel as he had never seen her. She had mentioned to him that she was often to be found barefoot on the beach, and this clearly was one of those occasions.
Her long, loose skirt had been pulled forward between her legs, and then up to be tucked into a sash belt around her waist. The effect was to almost turn her skirt into short trousers, such as the Hobbits wore, baring her lower legs all the way to the knee. It was his experience that an attractive female's clothes either accentuated her womanly charms or concealed them. As a brother, he favored concealment, though Eowyn had never much cared what his opinion was on the matter. But, as a man, he much preferred the accentuating. In this particular instance, Eomer was not sure he found Lothiriel's attire to be very attractive, no matter how well she wore it, but there was no question that it could not disguise her beauty. Not to mention that her carefree, windblown appearance drew attention to her innate naturalness of manner. There was something almost wild about her as she stood in the water, tousled and completely at one with her surroundings. He was fairly certain it was rude for him to be perusing her so while she was unaware, but he did not turn away. A grin twitched at his mouth. Such a glimpse of shapely calves and well-turned ankles was rare. He could not quite bring himself to waste it.
He wasn't sure how long he had stood there watching her, unsure what precisely she was doing, but at length, she straightened up, resting her back, and noticed him. Seeing he was discovered, Eomer moved toward her, calling out, "What occupies your attention there?"
Lothiriel's cheeks had pinked as she realized her disheveled appearance, but she made no move to improve it. She was not going to jump through hoops to please this man and win his approval. "It is a tide pool," she finally responded, gesturing toward the rocks and water behind her. "When the tide goes out, it leaves water trapped in pools where various creatures live and some plants grow."
He considered this, but persisted, "Yes, but what were you doing? You seemed to be studying something."
She nodded, and fished a small starfish from her collection, holding it out for him to see. "I am collecting a few samples. I thought if Lady Morwen could not visit the sea, then perhaps I could take a bit of the sea to her." Eomer reached out a tentative finger and touched the thing in Lothiriel's hand. It was softer than it appeared, and he grinned in fascination as Lothiriel added, "I think she will enjoy seeing these." She replaced the creature gently into her bucket of sea water.
"She is interested in such things, is she?" he asked reluctantly, not particularly wanting Morwen to be part of their conversation. For a moment, it had almost seemed they might manage a cordial discussion without bickering over his relatives.
"She has an agile mind and is interested in a great many things," Lothiriel replied pointedly. He had stiffened at the mention of his grandmother, not wishing another argument with the girl on the subject, but even though she had not been looking at him she seemed to sense his resistance to her remarks. She lifted her eyes to meet his gaze, and tilted her chin defiantly upward. "Does it bother you that others enjoy Lady Morwen's company when you do not?"
This dispute was growing tiresome, but moreover it suddenly occurred to Eomer that his sister had given no indication of receiving similar chastisements from Lothiriel. Moving to the offensive, he retorted, "Tell me, Lothiriel, is there a reason that you only take me to task over this matter? Eowyn has not mentioned your doing the same to her."
She faltered at that, not expecting the response, but also suddenly conscious of the truth in his words. Why hadn't she spoken to Eowyn about her behavior, but had done so to the king on several occasions now? Why did it seem so much more important to persuade him to yield? In her heart, she knew the answer, even if she did not wish to admit it aloud, especially to him. No, dwelling on that would only bring her more pain.
Glancing away, she shrugged and told him, "It…has…never come up, that is all. And, besides, between the two of you, you have always seemed the least resistant to the idea of a reconciliation. For the moment, Eowyn closes her ears to anything having to do with Lady Morwen."
That much, Eomer could not deny – Eowyn was strong-willed and not likely to yield any time soon. But he still found it curious that Lothiriel persisted so in arguing with him. The trouble was, he was not sure he truly minded that she did. It irritated him at the time, but he knew she was only telling him what he needed to hear, and what no one else was likely to dare saying to him. And, more than that, he knew that she cared – about him, about Morwen – and only wanted to help put to rest the grievances of the past. She was not attacking him for any proud or selfish reasons, and he was…grateful for her concern.
The atmosphere had become uncomfortable during their exchange, and he thought hard what to say that might ease it. "Do you need help carrying anything?" he finally queried, completely changing the subject.
If she was startled by the abrupt new topic of conversation, she hid it well. "I…am not yet ready to go in. The tide will be out a while longer so there is still time to collect shells. But I can manage on my own, though I thank you for the offer."
Her reply was formal and polite, and thoroughly unsatisfying. How had he gone from admiring her trim legs to bickering with her? He stood on a remote beach with a beautiful woman before him, and instead of more pleasant pursuits they were arguing. With a sigh, he nodded and turned away. The earlier peace that had filled him had evaporated, and it felt as though clouds had blocked the sun. When would there ever be more to his life than gloom and shadow?
For several minutes, Lothiriel silently watched him walk down the beach. More than any other man she had ever known, she was drawn to this one. No one else had ever inspired her to give true thought to matrimony, nor hurt her so much by the way he approached her, clearly without feelings similar to her own. Had the enmity with Morwen bled into his relationship with her, and had she somehow caused that to happen? Should she have kept silent on that issue and let them handle the matter as they saw fit, without her interference?
Even as she considered these questions, she knew she could not have acted any differently. What good was having his love if she was unable to speak her mind? And how could she avoid being caught between him and Morwen when both had come to be so very dear to her?
With a sigh of her own, Lothiriel turned back to her earlier pursuit, though much of the joy had gone out of the activity after talking with Eomer. While it would grieve her not to see him, she would be glad when he returned to Rohan and she could avoid such unhappy encounters.
Eomer did not return directly to the castle after leaving Lothiriel. He was too out of sorts to want to have to explain himself to anyone. He had thought the subject of his proposal was behind them, but now he suspected it was part of the difficulty they had being in each other's company. Morwen was at the root of it, but there was more. He had been surprised and frustrated when Lothiriel refused his offer of marriage; and, yes, even a little angry. Only now did he realize he still harbored some resentment about it. Was marriage to him such a terrible notion?
He rubbed a hand over his face in aggravation – a ridiculous question! It had not been about that at all; Lothiriel simply had not wanted to marry a man who clearly did not love her, indeed was not even demonstrating any real affection for her. He could not fault her on that. Morwen had been right – he had badly muddled the whole thing. He should never have allowed others to make him feel pressured into acting in haste. What if he had chosen someone else, someone eager to marry a king even without affection? He might have found himself trapped in a loveless marriage all of his days. He would have done his duty to the Mark, but not to Eomer of Rohan. Lothiriel's words came back to him: 'I have always desired to marry for love. I choose to wait a while longer for that to happen, before necessity drives me to consider another course.' Did he not owe it to himself to do the same. Perhaps he might one day have to settle for less than that as a matter of expediency, but was that day truly upon him yet?
He had walked some distance down the shore, but now he stopped and looked back in the direction where he knew Lothiriel was, even though he could not presently see her. It bothered him to have them at odds. Even if they were not to marry, he would have liked to claim her as a friend. Except when discussing his grandmother, he had enjoyed her company, and found she lifted his spirits with her cheerful manner.
Morwen. His jaw clinched with determination – it was time to find out the truth. If he must continue to argue his stance with Lothiriel, he at least wanted to argue it from a position of strength, knowing all the facts. Perhaps knowing would change his opinion, and perhaps it would not, but he was resolved to find out the truth.
TBC
Spoils of war - Any profits extracted as the result of winning a war or other military activity.
Halgeth – "tall woman" – maidservant to Morwen
Zimran – "adorned man" – Forlong's heir (Tolkien never named him so I did)
Minleoth - "my song" - name given to 1st dau of Thengel & Morwen
Ethelwyn – noble joy - name given to 2nd dau of Thengel & Morwen
Tamleoth – "gentle song" - name given to 3rd dau of Thengel & Morwen
Morlach – "black fire" - Morwen's dog
Betersel – "more happiness" – Eomer's housekeeper at Aldburg (also used in previous stories, ie. Juxtaposition)
Haldor - "sound door" – Eomer's manservant
Ungaphel – "daughter of shadow" – backbiting Dol Amroth noblewoman
Pethraen – "wandering words" – airheaded girl flirting with Eomer
Gaermith – "grey sea" - Lothiriel's horse that pulled a stifle
Frame of reference (details from Tolkien with gapfiller by me):
Aglahad, Prince of Dol Amroth, had two sons: Angelimir (the heir and grandfather to Imrahil) and a younger brother who was the father of Morwen. Morwen was born about 2922 and married Thengel in 2943. They had Minleoth (b 2945, m 2975, d 2989 – no children); Theoden (b 2948, m Elfhild 2976, d 3019 – one son, Theodred, b 2978, d 3019); Ethelwyn (b 2951, m 2982, d 2994 – one daughter, b 2986, died 2994); Tamleoth (b 2956, never married, d 2992); and Theodwyn (b 2963, married Eomund 2989, d 3002). Thengel became king in 2953 whereupon he and his family moved to Rohan, where he died in 2980.
ch 7: (7)As ever, many thanks to Lady Bluejay for her guidance on all things nautical. I don't think she realized her remarks in response to my question (about what kind of boat Erchirion would have) would be incorporated into the storyline to this extent!