The next morning came all too quickly, and the entire city seemed to be clustered around the main gates, saying good-byes to the combined army of Gondorians and the Roherrim. Lothiriel stood, back straight as she could force it to be, between Amrothos and Erchirion with their father in front of her. She briefly glimpsed Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, and Gandalf on their horses before her father turned around to look at her.
"Don't worry too much, Lothiriel darling, it's a terrible habit of yours, especially when there is nothing to worry about." Lothiriel smiled wanly, and was unable to hold in a sniffle when Imrahil pulled her into a tight hug.
"I'm afraid I can't make any promises, Father." Imrahil gave a soft chuckle, gave her forehead a kiss, and stepped up onto his horse. Erchirion stepped forward next, and Lothiriel hugged him tightly, burying her face into the crook of his neck.
"No tears, Thiri. You're supposed to be the tough one in the family!" Amrothos teased from behind her. Erchirion said nothing, gave her another squeeze, mounted his horse, and turned his face away. Amrothos picked her up, spun her around, and Lothiriel gave a laughing shriek of surprise.
"No tears, little sister. We'll be back. Those Orcs would have had to prepare for years to beat us! They'll never know what hit them." With two quick kisses to either of her cheeks, Amrothos hopped on his horse, and together the Lords of Dol Amroth rode to join the front of the forces. Lothiriel wrapped her arms around herself, feeling more alone then she ever had in her life.
After the massive doors slammed shut with a haunting clang, the women and children slowly filed away, back into damaged homes and ruined shops. Lothiriel stares at the gates still, willing them to turn invisible so that she could see them, all of them, and never forget the sight.
That's it! She thought, The Houses of Healing! It has the best view in the entire city!
As quickly (but as "properly" as she could, damn Gondorian propriety!), Lothiriel hurried up the winding stairs to the Houses of Healing, and as soon as she was sure she was completely out of everyone's sight, she ran. She ran faster than she had ever run in her entire life, cursing her dress and the well-worn steps that seemed determined in impeding her speed. Finally, after what Lothiriel was sure was days, she reached the top, where the door to the Houses stood open. Gulping air, she slowed down and attempted to act the part of royalty, casually walking through the door and into the gardens. She was completely blown away by the sight that greeted her; Eowyn and Faramir, sweetly kissing, in view of the entire city (and herself included, apparently). Lothiriel whirled around, quickly hiding herself behind the nearest column, hands pressed to her mouth. Her first, sweet thought was How wonderful! Faramir's finally found someone! Her next thought was not so kind; Why must everyone find love but me? And there goes Fara and I's library discussions! Blasted love! Lothiriel shook her head at the last thought; it was too low and inconsiderate to even begin to linger in her brain. She peeked carefully around the column, and once she was sure Eowyn and Faramir were no longer kissing, she hurried towards them.
"Good morning Fara! And to you too Lady Eowyn!" Faramir smiled at her and opened one arm, which Lothiriel gladly tucked herself into; Eowyn looked just as delighted with the younger girl's arrival as the Steward, but when she turned her face back to the army massed on the Fields, Lothiriel noticed some of the light go out of her face. Lothiriel stretched out one hand and took the much paler one of Eowyn in her own.
"They will win, Lady Eowyn. And they will all be fine." Lothiriel said, hoping the certainty in her tone would some how ensure their safety. Eowyn smiled sadly.
"How many times have you watched your family ride off, Lothiriel?" Eowyn asked, in the smallest voice that seemed out of place, coming from the women who had killed the Witch King. Lothiriel sighed.
"I lost count when I was 13. Everyone's so much older than me, so even when I was very young, Faramir and Boromir were old enough to lead Minas Tirith's armies. The first time my father, Erchirion, and Elphir left, I was six. It was the same year my mother died," Lothiriel felt Faramir give her shoulders a squeeze, "and I was furious at them for leaving me and Amrothos. But I've never been so happy to see anyone in my entire life when they got back. Elphir got sick of me, because I would cling to him whenever we were in a room together, but my father and Erchirion seemed just as glad to see me as I was to see them. And you, Eowyn?" She gave Eowyn's hand a tiny squeeze, and she smiled slightly, more warmly now.
"Our recollections of families leaving are very similar. Both of my parents died when I was very young, I may have even been the same age of you. My father died in battle, my mother from grief." Eowyn paused, and Lothiriel did not blame Faramir at all for pulling her into a comforting embrace. Eowyn was silent for a moment, before returning her gaze to Lothiriel. "My uncle and cousin were gone for most of my childhood, and as soon as Eomer could ride a horse and wield a sword at the same time, he was gone too. I daresay I was like a weed to his side when he was around, but Eomer and I have always been very close, and if it ever bothered him, he never voiced it." Lothiriel smiled, noting that this confirmed her opinion that Eomer was especially loyal. Food for thought. Faramir kissed Eowyn's forehead, which Lothiriel chose tactfully to over-look. With one hand in Lothiriel's and Faramir's arm around her, Eowyn and the royal cousins watched as the army became smaller and smaller as they marched away.
The entire city was on edge as days came and went. "News? Any? Anything t'all?" At the sound of hoofbeats, an entire neighborhood would stop; in anticipation and fear, of news they were sure they could never be ready for, but the horse would just be a merchant, selling his wares, or one of the few remaining guards, making his rounds. Lothiriel thought she would die from waiting (had three days ever gone so slowly before?), and the only silver lining to this entire nightmare was that she finally had a female friend her age (she and Eowyn discovered they were only 4 years apart). Gondorian society, even in times of war, did not approve of Princesses that preferred horseback riding and archery to tea parties and nobles; even Lothiriel's love of books and healing was deemed "unseemly", and many other noble women blamed her lack of a mother for the way she was.
"They've never even consider that I'm perfectly happy the way I am. They always say things like 'Oh that poor motherless child in a house of men! Imrahil should have done a better job, at least gotten a nanny or something!'" Lothiriel huffed, much to Eowyn's amusement.
"These women clearly have bad taste if they view being able to defend oneself as 'unseemly'." Eowyn said in a matter of fact tone. "In Rohan, every child knows how to defend itself, at least a little bit." Lothiriel smiled and leaned back in her chair.
"Perhaps I should've been born in Rohan, then."
"No doubt you would make a fine Shieldmaiden! Perhaps I shall just have to marry you off to one of our warriors!" Eowyn teased. Lothiriel pinked slightly; only one Roherric warrior came to her mind, and it was the last one she would ever say aloud.
You're losing it for sure, Lothiriel. You've only met the man twice, and the second time he acted like you had some kind of disease!
Unfortunately for Lothiriel, Eowyn picked up on her distress.
"Hm, mayhap you have someone in mind already Lothiriel? Come on, if he's from Rohan, I must know him, and if he is not, I must meet him!" Lothiriel hid her face and laughed weakly.
"There's no one Eowyn! My brothers don't let any men get within 5 feet of me!" Eowyn rolled her eyes.
"You still have eyes, Lothiriel. Surely your brothers don't blindfold you whenever you go out." Lothiriel peaked out cautiously from behind the pillow she was using as cover.
"If they ever thought of it I'm sure they would. But honestly, there's no one. No one at all!" Eowyn gave her a pointed look but said nothing, just as Faramir came and sat beside her.
"You two enjoying yourselves? The Healers said you were laughing so loud, they could hear you all the way in the Herb Room." Lothiriel threw the pillow at him, and Eowyn nudged him indigently. Faramir smiled (what used to be a rarity came quite easily to his face now), "What were you talking about anyways?" Lothiriel's eyes widened and Eowyn stifled a snicker.
"Well, Lothiriel was just about to tell me-" Eowyn was interrupted by a trumpet blast. All three shot out of their chairs and to the edge of the garden, over looking the city. Just on the horizon, were the tiny dots that the entire city knew to be their army. Lothiriel didn't hesitate this time, but turned and began sprinting to the front gate, Eowyn and Faramir right behind her. When they finally reached the gates (along with every other person in Minas Tirith who could walk or crawl), they were just swinging open. Eowyn and Lothiriel gripped hands while Faramir used his height (and rank among the people) to see what was going on.
"Their coming through the gate…Aragorn's in front with Legolas and Gimil…your brother's with him too, Eowyn…and Merry and Pippen…" Before Faramir could finish, Erchirion was suddenly there, pulling Lothiriel into his arms, and Amrothos was right behind him, grinning all the while. Lothiriel reached around Erchirion to pull Amrothos closer, and pulled back and looked into both of their faces. Except for a few tiny cuts, and a bruise to Amrothos' neck, they were completely fine. Unharmed! Safe! Sound! She hugged them both, tightly this time, before finally registering; her father was not with them.
"Where's Father?" Erchirion looked into her face deeply before saying anything.
"He was injured. He should be fine after a few days in the Houses. We have your brother to thank, Lady Eowyn. He pulled our father to safety after his horse was killed." Erchirion gave a bow towards Eowyn, and was quickly mimicked by Amrothos. Eowyn smiled appropriately, but her eyes were over their heads, glued to the Roherric King. Slowly, the entry way began to lower in numbers as people filed away with their loved ones and the happy news: Sauron was dead, defeated forever. Finally, Eomer rode up towards the small group, flanked by Eothain and two other guards. He climbed down and was immediately grabbed and held by Eowyn, who was now white as the walls of the city. Eomer kissed his sister's head before turning his attention to the other members of the circle.
"Eomer, we could never thank you enough for what you did for our father. Our entire family is forever indebted to you." Erchirion said. Lothiriel eyed the king carefully; waiting for his response.
"I did what any man would do for your father. He is a great man." Eomer said, almost gruff sounding. Eowyn's eyes met Lothiriel's, and somehow Lothiriel knew Eomer must be putting up a front to hide how he truly felt. Amrothos, oblivious as usual, offered his hand to Eomer. Eomer shook it, with one arm still around Eowyn. Erchirion gave Lothiriel a stern look, which she took as her cue to show her appreciation. Letting go of Erchirion, she stretched up on her tip-toes and pressed a kiss to both of his cheeks.
"Thank you, Eomer." She said quietly, casting a quick glance at his eyes. They were brown, a deep brown, and at the moment, filled with emotions too tangled to describe. She moved back towards her brothers, who were eyeing her strangely. "I don't wish to be rude, but I think we should be going to see our father now." Quick good-byes were exchanged, and Faramir went with the three siblings as they began the bothersome trek to the top of the city. Eomer's eyes followed Lothiriel until she disappeared from view. When he turned back to his sister, she was smiling.
"What are you grinning at little sister?" Eomer asked.
"Oh nothing." Eowyn said, a smile still playing at the corners of her lips. As they walked towards the rest of the Roherrim, Eowyn muttered: "At least, nothing yet."