"Eowyn, are you ever going to come out of there?" Lothiriel asked. She and Arwen had been waiting in the large sitting room for nearly two hours now, waiting for the bride-to-appear. The Elvish Queen joined Lothiriel by the door and both started as a quiet sniffle met their ears. Lothiriel wrenched open the door and caught side of Eowyn, who was sitting in front of the mirror, eyes red from crying. Lothiriel rushed across the room and knelt in front of Eowyn and put her arms around her.
"What's wrong?" Lothiriel asked. Eowyn shook her head.
"Nothing, nothing. I'm just being foolish." Lothiriel scoffed.
"Eowyn, if something is making you, a Shieldmaiden of Rohan and slayer of the witch King, cry it is not nothing. Speak." Eowyn put her face in her hands and Lothiriel smoothed her hair.
"I am getting married today." Eowyn said. Lothiriel giggled despite herself.
"Excellent observation dear, I should hate to inform Faramir otherwise." Eowyn gave a slight chuckle and nudge Lothiriel, but her face quickly fell back into lines of sorrow.
"I am marrying today," she turned to look directly into Lothiriel's eyes, "without my father to walk me down the aisle, without my mother to fuss over my dress, without my uncle to make me smile. None of them will ever meet my husband, my children, or who I have become. I have no family to offer Faramir or our children. I am alone." At this, Eowyn began crying again, and Lothiriel hushed her.
"Oh Eowyn," Lothiriel sighed, "they may not be here physically, but I have no doubt that wherever they are, they are watching you and they are so proud. So proud, and happy, and excited for you! You are marrying a man who loves you more than he's ever loved anyone. Faramir's parents will not be here either, but I know that they are also watching, and they both would have loved you so much for making Faramir as happy as he deserves to be. And what of Eomer? I am certain your brother would not take too kindly to you saying you have no family to offer." Eowyn gave a tearful laugh and Lothiriel brushed away her tears.
"Do not grieve for those you have lost, Eowyn." Arwen said gently, putting her hand on Eowyn's other shoulder. "They would want you to be happy, and look forward to those you will gain." Eowyn nodded and allowed both to hug her.
"Now," Lothiriel said, smiling, "let's get you wedding ready."
oOo
An hour later, it was if Eowyn's crying and confession had never happened. Lothiriel had never seen her friend so joyful. Eowyn seemed to be quite literally glowing (though Lothiriel wasn't sure if she should attribute that to the beautiful Dwarvish necklace Gimli had given her as a pre-wedding gift that seemed to glitter even in the dark). Arwen was adjusting Eowyn's veil one last time, and motioned for Lothiriel to come towards them. Lothiriel crossed the room and stood next to Eowyn and both women smiled at their reflections in the mirror. Eowyn was a vision in white (with the exception being the green ribbon on her waist, something she had forced the dressmaker to add a tiny bit of Rohan into her dress), with her long blonde hair only held back by the intricate white veil Arwen had made. Lothiriel was the only bridesmaid, and Eowyn had insisted upon her wearing a gown of blue and light green and her dark hair was freely flowing in the Rohirric style. Arwen wore a simple gown of light green, and still managed to look every inch of the royalty that she was.
"This is hardly fair." Eowyn teased, looking back and forth between Arwen and Lothiriel. Lothiriel gave her a confused look. Eowyn smirked. "Between you two, I'm sure to be outdone at my own wedding!" Lothiriel rolled her eyes and Arwen laughed musically.
"I doubt Faramir will have eyes for anyone but you." Lothiriel said, leaning her head against Eowyn's. Eowyn smiled wickedly.
"I can say the same for my brother and you, Lothiriel." Lothiriel flushed and gave an indignant squeak as Eowyn and Arwen laughed.
"Eowyn!" Lothiriel said, giving her friend a scandalized look. Eowyn waved her away.
"It's not like it was a big secret, Lothiriel. Arwen has known for months now." Arwen nodded and Lothiriel huffed, unamused. There was a knock at the door and Merry and Pippin's head poked inside.
"All ready, my ladies?" Merry asked, enjoyment evident on his face.
"Poor Faramir's getting a wee bit anxious, Eowyn! Do you need us to warm your feet?" Eowyn laughed and opened her arms; the Hobbits ran into the room and hugged her tightly.
"My feet are quite toasty, Master Hobbits." Eowyn said warmly. "Go and tell them I'm ready." Merry turned to go but Pippin stood stock still.
"I think we have earned a reward, my lady." Pippin said, grinning impishly. Eowyn rolled her eyes and kissed his forehead and then Merry's; both blushed and dashed back out the door. Lothiriel and Arwen laughed.
"Those hobbits." Lothiriel said, shaking her head. "They're incorrigible!" There was another knock, and Eomer appeared, scowling.
"Arwen, if your husband sticks me with the blasted Elf one more time, you may not have a husband by time this wedding is over." Eomer grumbled. Arwen laughed while both Eowyn and Lothiriel suppressed groans.
"Eomer, you can't kill the High King of Gondor or a Prince of Mirkwood, no matter how much they may delight in tormenting you." Eowyn reasoned. "Especially not on my wedding day." Lothiriel laughed from where she was adjusting Eowyn's dress one last time.
"Don't give him any ideas on how to prevent your wedding, Eowyn. He already forced you two to wait six months." Eomer's retort died on his tongue as Lothiriel stepped out from behind Eowyn. Arwen and Eowyn exchanged a knowing smile and Lothiriel turned a bright pink under Eomer's intense stare. Eowyn finally cleared her throat causing Lothiriel to duck her head in embarrassment and Eomer to shoot his sister a look. Arwen moved and gracefully kissed Eowyn's cheek and the Lothiriel's.
"I'm afraid I must return to my seat for the grand event." Arwen said, and she vanished out the door. Lothiriel smiled as Erchirion ducked his head in the door.
"You look beautiful, Eowyn." Erchirion said, kissing Eowyn's cheek. "I'm here to claim the maid of honor." He offered his arm towards Lothiriel, whose eyes darted helplessly towards Eomer, before sighing and taking her brother's arm. "What's wrong, Lothy?" Lothiriel flushed.
"Nothing, 'Chirion! Let's go." Eowyn laughed at Eomer's expression as Erchirion and Lothiriel left the room. Less than a minute later, Eowyn heard Lothiriel cry, "I forgot my bouquet! I'll be right back!" And Lothiriel reentered the room, ran to Eomer, flung her arms about his neck and kissed him. Eomer scooped her off her feet and held her tightly to him. This continued for a few minutes and Eowyn suppressed a laugh.
"Hey, if you two don't mind, I'd like to get married before the end of this Age…" Lothiriel blushed and Eomer reluctantly set her down. Eowyn smiled and winked at Lothiriel before handing her her bouquet. Lothiriel dashed back out of the room and Eomer turned to Eowyn.
"It's not too late to back out of this you know." He said, a teasing glint in his eyes. Eowyn swatted him.
"You like Faramir, Eomer." Eomer grunted earning another smack. "You do, and you know it." Eomer grudgingly nodded and Eowyn smiled radiantly up at him.
"I like him. But if he ever does anything to hurt you, I will not hesitate to kill him, damn the consequences for killing a man of Gondor." Eowyn laughed and took his arm. They walked down the hallway in comfortable silence. They finally reached the courtyard, and Eomer felt Eowyn's grip on his arm tightened. He looked down at her. "You look beautiful, Eowyn." He whispered. Eowyn gave him a quick and he saw her face light up as she caught sight of Faramir, and Eomer knew he had nothing to worry about. Eowyn began walking down the aisle and Eomer chuckled quietly at his sister's quick steps. "Eowyn, slow down a bit, it looks like a wedding run instead a wedding march." Eowyn shot him a look but did slow the pace down. When they reached Faramir, Eomer gave him a stern look before pressing one of Eowyn's hands into his. There was a silent exchange between the two men; one that has happened at thousands of weddings; a passing of responsibility of someone much loved. There was the sound of a throat being cleared; all three exchanged an embarrassed look and Aragorn covered his laugh with a cough from somewhere behind them. Eomer moved off to his seat and the wedding continued. Eomer had only been sitting for a few minutes when he felt a slight tap on his shoulder.
"Don't they look beautiful, Eomer?" Merry whispered, with Pippin grinning behind him. The Hobbits nodded towards Eowyn and then Lothiriel, both grinning widely. Eomer rolled his eyes and gave Merry an affectionate pat on the back.
"Yes." Lothiriel caught his eye and winked; all three smiled back at her.
oOo
"I don't think I've ever seen a couple this happy on their wedding day in all my years." Gandalf chuckled as he watched Faramir spin Eowyn in a graceful dance. Aragorn raised an eyebrow in mock offense and Gandalf tapped his forehead. "Ah, of course you and Arwen were just as happy, Aragorn."
"I do not think you should write off future couples, Gandalf." Gimli said, a twinkle in his eye as he watched Eomer and Lothiriel deep in conversation at the end of the table. Gandalf laughed.
"That's if our dear King of Rohan can escape three angry and protective brothers." Aragorn chortled, nodding towards Erchirion, Amrothos, and Elphir who were all watching their sister and Eomer through narrowed eyes.
"At least their united apprehension about their sister's perspective suitor has put Erchirion and Amrothos' fighting to a standstill." Legolas noted with a smirk.
"You're just happy because you're not being used as bait by Aragorn to provoke Eomer, Elf." Gimli snorted. Legolas glowered at him and stood up abruptly. Aragorn, Gandalf, and Gimli looked at him in confusion until he reached Lothiriel and offered her his hand.
"Might I have a dance, my lady?" Legolas asked. Lothiriel scarcely had a second to nod yes before he had spun her out to the dance floor, leaving an enraged looking Eomer behind.
"What is Legolas up to?" Arwen asked, intertwining her fingers with Aragorn's.
"Retaliation, I believe." Merry said, smirking. Pippin nodded.
"I suspect he's right sick of being used as a pawn," Pippin gave a nod towards Aragorn, who shrugged helplessly, "and being treated like a criminal whenever he so much as looks at Lothiriel by Eomer." The group looked down the table at Eomer, who was looking positively green. Aragorn got up smirking and got up to go Eomer's end of the table but was halted by his wife's hand.
"Oh no you don't. You owe me a dance." Arwen laughed, pulling Aragorn after her.
Meanwhile, Lothiriel was dancing with Legolas and finding it impossible to have a good time whilst Eomer was staring daggers at her dancing partner.
"Legolas, might I ask you a question?" Lothiriel asked. Legolas gave her another spin and dipped her before he could respond.
"Of course."
"Do you have a death wish? I know you're an Elf and you can't die naturally, but I do think a sword through the head would not be stopped by the blood of the Valar!" Lothiriel hissed. Legolas smiled before dipping her again. "Stop doing that!" Legolas chuckled.
"Lothiriel, I can assure you, no swords will end up in my head. I shall return you to your horsemaster in a just a few moments." Lothiriel flushed.
"He's not my horse master." Lothiriel whispered. Legolas smiled benevolently at her.
"Not yet, mellonamin. But you cannot deny that he soon will be. It is as clear as the sky on a spring morning." He spun her again, but much slower and more gently than before. "As I've said before, you both deserve much happiness. As soon as your horse master gets it into his thick skull that we are merely friends, the better off you both will be." Lothiriel grumbled, but nodded. Legolas smiled, took her for one last turn, and then bowed over her hand. "My lady." Legolas said, and pressed a kiss to the top of her hand. Lothiriel laughed and shook her head at him.
"Legolas." As soon as he had bowed and returned to the table, Eomer took his place, looking stony. Lothiriel sighed and put her hands on his shoulders. Eomer said nothing, but held her as close to him as they could get with propriety remaining intact. Lothiriel looked up at him. "For Valar's sake, Eomer, it was just a dance." Lothiriel nearly winced as she felt Eomer's hands tighten on her waist.
"Just a dance?" Eomer growled, and Lothiriel sighed.
"Yes, Eomer. Just a dance. I actually think he was doing it just to mess with you." Lothiriel giggled, in an attempt to lighten his mood. Eomer was not amused.
"I'll kill him." Lothiriel rolled her eyes.
"Honestly, Eomer, give it a rest!" Eomer stared at her and Lothiriel pinked. "He doesn't think of me like that. He was paying back Aragorn for using him to fluster you, and you for being so rude to him. I can hardly blame him. You've been positively beastly to him since you've gotten here." Eomer was still staring at her and Lothiriel had to drag him around the dance floor to at least give the appearance that they were still dancing. Giving up on dancing, Lothiriel grabbed one of Eomer's hands and pulled him along behind her, out to the hallway, away from prying eyes. She turned around to continue her argument, but didn't get a single word out before he was kissing her. Lothiriel feebly tried to push him away before she decided kissing far outranked arguing. These kisses were fierce and possessive and quite unlike any other. She was vaguely aware of being lifted and then placed on the stone railing behind her. His lips were suddenly gone and she felt them on her jaw, her throat, her cheeks. With every kiss he was saying something, and Lothiriel had to focus with all her might to make out what he was saying:
"I hated watching him dance with you…those spins…no right…mwyn…" Eomer was muttering, and Lothiriel could barely breathe; by the Valar where was he kissing?
"Eomer…" Lothiriel gasped, her heart thumping wildly in her chest as he kissed the same spot on her neck again and again. She let out a soft whimper and put her hands on either side of his face and dragged his face back to hers and kissed him. He felt him groan into her mouth and she pulled away to duplicate his previous kisses. One to each cheek, then a string of them along his jaw, then his neck. She had to repress a giggle when he groaned. She kissed his lips again and felt her stomach drop when he opened his eyes. Their usual dark brown was replaced by the black of lust and she gulped. "Enough proof that Legolas is not to be fretted over for you?" Eomer half smirked though his eyes did not clear and he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.
"Eomer, you're missing-" Amrothos stopped dead and Lothiriel's eyes went wide. Eomer cursed in Rohirric and moved away from Lothiriel. Amrothos was still staring and Lothiriel rushed over to him.
"Am, don't do anything stupid-", had apparently been the wrong thing to say, and Amrothos began yelling.
"Don't do anything stupid? I've just walked in on my good friend violating my baby sister-"
"I was not being violated, you great brute!"
"Well what do you call that then?" Amrothos yelled, pointing to Lothiriel's neck. Lothiriel put her hand to where he had pointed and sighed as she felt a raised spot.
"It's a hickey." Amrothos turned five shades of red and began to splutter. "Yes, I know what those are, Amrothos. How could I not with you in the house? The point is, I am NOT a child, and do not deserve to be treated as such." Amrothos shot Eomer a dirty look and was surprised when Eomer did not shrink or look ashamed.
"I'm telling Father." Amrothos said. Lothiriel paled.
"You would do that? After all the times I covered for you, after what you pulled with Luthien and Erchirion?" Lothiriel asked, staring horrified at her brother. Amrothos glared at her.
"It's not the same!"
"Of course it's not the same!" Lothiriel cried, crossing her arms.
"I am not you, Amrothos!" Amrothos glared back.
"It's not you I'm worried about being false, Lothiriel!" Eomer bristled at that and moved to stand beside Lothiriel, pulling her to him.
"Amrothos, I have spent many days with you, and I know how you are with women. I can assure you there is no area in our lives that we are so different." Eomer said icily. Lothiriel looked back and forth between her brother and Eomer; the tension could cut with a knife.
"You swear to me that she is not just some fling, not just another notch in your bedpost?" Amrothos said, eyes never leaving Eomer's. Eomer snorted.
"She is much more than that." Lothiriel could not ignore how her heart fluttered at his words and she looked up at him, beaming. Amrothos grumbled.
"That doesn't mean I'm okay with this…but I won't say anything to Father. At least not tonight." Amrothos said grudgingly. "And you," Amrothos reached out and tugged Lothiriel out of Eomer's grasp. "You're coming with me." Lothiriel sighed but did not protest and allowed Amrothos to pull her back inside. "Eowyn's looking for you anyways, Eomer." Lothiriel managed to shoot Eomer one last half smile before returning inside. Eomer hit his head against the nearest column and groaned.
Bema curse the Princes of Dol Amroth for their horrible timing…
He went back inside a few minutes later and found Eowyn waiting for him, a grin on her face.
"Where have you been? I've had to put off our dance for nearly an hour now, brother." Eowyn teased. Eomer did not return her smile and she frowned. They began dancing and Eowyn kept looking at him worriedly.
"Amrothos knows." Eomer said. Eowyn took in a breath sharply.
"And I'm assuming he didn't find out by either of you telling him, did he." Eomer shook his head. Eowyn sighed and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Considering you're not missing limbs or dead, he seems to have taken it fairly well."
"He threatened to tell Imrahil."
"He won't. If our dear Hobbits and Dwarf can perhaps convince Amrothos to partake in ale, there is a good chance he won't remember in the morning…" Eowyn smiled and Eomer laughed.
"I hope Faramir knows what he's gotten himself into with you, sister." Eowyn beamed over Eomer's shoulder at Faramir, who was dancing with Arwen.
"Don't tease, Eomer." Eomer smiled.
"At least in Gondor they spare you our tradition of cat-calling as the groom and bride leave." Eowyn let out a breath of relief.
"Small mercies. And you must swear to me you will not try to instill that tradition whilst we are leaving." Eomer frowned.
"I loathe that tradition; I would never wish it on you."
"You just don't want to think of me as a married woman." Eowyn laughed and Eomer grinned.
"That may be part of it." Faramir caught Eowyn's eye and motioned to the door.
"I do believe it's time for me to go…" Eowyn said, a blush coloring her cheeks. Eomer stiffened and Eowyn gulped. Lothiriel and Arwen appeared and both hugged Eowyn, effectively moving Eomer away from her. Eomer opened his mouth to protest but was cut off by Arwen.
"If they don't leave now, they'll never get out of here, Eomer. The men of Gondor may not practice the same pre-wedding night festivities as the men of Rohan, but after many pints of ale they may change their minds." Arwen said. Lothiriel linked arms with Eowyn and they gracefully (and inconspicuously) made their way across the room; Lothiriel returned by herself a few minutes later.
"I'll take him from here, Arwen." Lothiriel said and the Elvish Queen kissed her cheek, smiled, and went back to Aragorn. Lothiriel took one of Eomer's hands and gave it a squeeze.
"She'll be fine." Lothiriel whispered and she stretched up to put her hands on his shoulders and he put his hands on her waist.
"I know. And Faramir already knows the consequences should she not be." Lothiriel laughed, and Eomer finally admitted to himself that there was a very large chance that he was completely in love with this woman, angry brothers be damned.
oOo
Author's Note: Sorry for the delay! I had a big production at school (I'm in the choir) and I have been COMPLETELY swamped for the past week.
Anyways:
Wow Chapter 11! I can't believe it! And hooray, Faramir and Eowyn are married. I love them as a couple. Both of them have earned their happiness! Anyways, as for our favorite couple, fear not. Amrothos won't remember anything the next morning (which they'll have to thank Merry and Pippin for) but unfortunately he may or may not have blabbed to Erchirion. I haven't figured out a definite ending point for this story, but I don't expect to go past 20 chapters. Maybe even less.
Thanks for the wonderful favorites, alerts, and reviews! Y'all make me so happy :)