Lothiriel blinked blearily as she slowly returned to consciousness. The room was darker than the last time she had had her eyes open (though the light had been far from the top of her priorities then), and there was most certainly an arm wrapped around her. She smiled softly and moved as gently as possible so she could look at the man holding her.

Her husband.

By the Valar, there had been a time when she had never expected to ever call anyone that, much less fall in love with someone like Eomer. Her smile grew when he murmured her name in his sleep and his arm around her tightened.

Hah! Take that Teleri! Lothiriel thought. She knew for a fact that her fellow Gondorian "lady" had nearly keeled over when she had been informed of Lothiriel's engagement to the King of Rohan; she could only imagine Teleri's face upon hearing about Lothiriel's wedding, which she had been "accidentally" not invited to. Lothiriel gave her head a shake; she should not be thinking about that harpy on such a happy morning as this.

Slowly, she inched her face towards Eomer's and gently pressed a kiss to his lips. She waited, grinning like a fool for him to wake up, and then frowning when he didn't.

Should I…? I suppose it's only fair, it's not as if he let me get much sleep last night…

Lothiriel blushed at the thought, before kissing Eomer again, this time on the shoulder. Still nothing, though Lothiriel was almost positive his mouth had nearly twitched into a smile. Watching him closely, she pressed a kiss to his neck. This time, she was completely certain she'd gotten a response. Smirking, she kissed the same spot on his neck, lingering this time. Quite suddenly, his hands found her wrists and he somehow managed to pin her beneath him. Her eyes widened and he stared back at her.

"Little minx." Eomer growled. "Are you going to allow me to sleep at all?"

Lothiriel shook her head, grinning up at him.

"It's not as if you let me sleep, a'melamin."

Eomer opened his mouth to remind her that their lack of sleep had gone two ways when he abruptly stopped. Lothiriel looked at him questioningly. "What is it?"

Giving her a slight glare, he gave the nightgown (which she had put on sometime in the night without him noticing) a tug. Lothiriel reddened. "I was cold!"

Eomer smirked.

"Well we can't have that, can we?"

Lothiriel was looking at him in confusion, a look that was ruined by the not-so-innocent emotions clearly sparkling in her eyes.

"Whatever do you mean, Eomer?"

And the offending nightgown was gone, replaced by Eomer's hands, and that was the last either of them said for a few hours.

oOo

"So, do you think we should be expecting wee bairns anytime soon?" Gimli asked in a low tone. Merry smirked.

"From which couple?"

"Ah, well all three of them are still in the honeymoon stage…"

"You two make bets about entirely too many things." Legolas interjected, giving the Hobbits an amused look. Gimli waved Legolas' insult away while Merry flushed ashamedly. Pippin joined the table, handing mugs of ale to Merry and Gimli.

"What are we betting on now, gentlemen?" Pippin asked.

"Children." The three friends answered in unison, though it sounded more like a groan from Legolas. Pippin's eyebrow quirked in confusion.

"Children?"

"Aye, children. If I had to take a guess, I'd put money on Lord Faramir and his White Lady. Elves aren't a fertile breed." Gimli chuckled, earning a disapproving noise from Legolas, who glared at the Dwarf.

"What of the recently married couple?" Merry asked.

"Who have yet to make an appearance. Is that normal?" Pippin asked, concern coloring his face. Gandalf gave a snort as he sat down.

"My young Hobbits, I keep forgetting how little you two know of marriage outside the Shire."

Merry and Pippin gave indignant scoffs.

"I don't see how it would be any different!" Pippin cried. Merry nodded in agreement. Legolas rubbed his eyes, muttering something about the small world of Hobbits while Gimli roared with laughter.

"My dear Master Took," Gimli chortled, "I am not sure about the customs of Hobbits, but for Elves, Men, and Dwarves, it is customary for newly married couples to, ah, not appear for quite some time after they are wed."

Merry and Pippin gawked at their friend.

"You mean…" Merry stalled off, going even more red in the face. Pippin blathered on, asking:

"They don't come out for breakfast?"

A chorus of "No's".

"Second breakfast?"

More "no's".

"Supper? Dinner? Anything?"

A few laughs, followed by more "no's."

"Well that's just unhealthy!" Pippin squawked. The table laughed. "I mean, what could they possibly be doing to not come out for meals?"

The laughter abruptly cut off as the table realized Pippin was not attempting to make a joke. They stared at him, slack-jawed. Pippin looked back at them. "What? What did I say?"

oOo

Eomer's eyes flew open and he nearly shot up in alarm, but a warm pressure across his chest held him in place. He blinked a few times and looked at his surroundings. The walls of his room. The sound of a fire crackling tiredly behind him. Soft puffs of air on his collarbone. The last was what relaxed him after the nightmare he'd just woken from.

Just a dream. Nothing more. He reminded himself. Lothiriel shifted in her sleep and nuzzled closer to him; Eomer smiled and ran his fingers through her hair. When he closed his eyes, however, it was not his wife's peaceful face that greeted him, but the faces of the countless friends and family who had been killed over the years. Eomer suppressed a groan.

Why, why of all nights to have this old nightmare, did it have to be this night?

This nightmare had haunted him since Theodred's untimely demise and had been occurring more and more frequently since Theoden's death and Eowyn's marriage; but as his own impending marriage had approached, the nightmare had all but disappeared.

Until tonight.

Mumbling curses under his breath, Eomer contemplated his options.

One: he could sleep, which would lead to another nightmare.

Two: he could get up, most likely disturb Lothiriel, and have to face his men's never ending amusement that their King could not withstand more than one night of "newly-wedded bliss"

Three: he could wake Lothiriel up and continue where they had left off.

Of the three, the last was the most preferable by far, but as he contemplated it, the less appealing it was. She looked so at ease, so wonderfully at home, arms wrapped tightly around him, head lolling gently on his shoulder. It would be wrong to wake her (though she would berate him later, "As if I would object being woken up by you on our honeymoon! The entire point of a honeymoon is to sleep as little as possible, a'melamin.")

Two was out as well, as his getting up would lead to disturbing Lothiriel, something he was loathe to do as well.

His only option was sleep.

Eomer closed his eyes and thought of the most pleasant things he could imagine; riding Firefoot on a clear summer's day, Eowyn and Theodred laughing when he fell down the stairs while trying to impress a girl; Lothiriel's face after the first time they'd kissed…

oOo

"Eomer, get out of here!"

Smoke, blood, the screams of dying horses, the groans of dying men, all blending into a horrible mix, Orcs running past, cackling. His best friend falls, an arrow in his chest; the boy's brother yells and chases after his murderers, only to be felled by the jab of a sword.

His sword is drawn, he runs after them, revenge the only thing on his mind, "I'll kill them, I'll kill them!"

The dream changes;

His father's body is laid in the hall of their house; his mother's wordless scream as she collapses to her knees beside it.

"E-Eomer?"

His sister, tiny Eowyn, is looking up at him, clinging to his arm. "Where is Papa?"

He pushes her away, unable to answer, shuddering as his mother continues crying, Bema, when will she stop…

Another shift;

Theodred's body is before him, the usually carefree and happy face marred by blood and dirt. He can hear Theodred, he swears, his cousin's teasing voice echoing in his head.

"Come now, cousin, how will you grow big and strong if you won't pick up a sword?"

"Girls are both the sweetest reward and the worst punishment. You'll understand one day, Eomer."

"Help, Eomer, your sister's got me pinned!" (Eowyn had corned Theodred by the stable door with a fairly sharp piece of wood and was grinning evilly)

"That's an order, dammit! Go back to Edoras and tell Grima my Father is King, not him! And for Bema's sake, keep him away from Eowyn!"

"Eomer, don't let your temper—"

"Eomer, catch—"

"Eomer—"

"Eomer!"

Eomer's eyes flew open with a start and he realized Lothiriel had his face between her hands and was staring at him anxiously.

"What is it?" He asked. She gave him a pointed look.

"Don't play coy with me, Eomer. You were having a nightmare."

"Don't be ridiculous, Lothiriel."

His heart was pounding in his chest; he would rather die than force those images into her mind, no one should ever have to think of them, let alone his Thiri…

"Eomer." His eyes snapped back to her. "You were talking in your sleep."

Eomer muttered a curse. How much had he said? What had he said? He looked at her again. Lothiriel's eyes were steady and he was extremely relieved to find no fear or apprehension in them.

"I don't wish to speak about it."

Lothiriel's eyes narrowed, obviously showing her displeasure.

"That's hardly fair, I am not a child, I can handle—"

Eomer cut across her with a snort.

"I am well aware that you are not a child, Lothiriel." A blush filled her cheeks and Eomer chuckled despite himself. "I do not want to speak about it now. I did not say we would not speak about it ever. It's not something that should be discussed at a time such as this."

Lothiriel huffed, but the anger was gone from her eyes and she snuggled back into his arms.

"You will tell me." She said stubbornly. Eomer chuckled.

"Later."

"How much later?" Lothiriel asked, fixing him with a stare.

"Much."

Eomer kissed her, and grinned in triumph when she let him distract her, and suppressed a groan when she leaned backwards, pulling him along with her.

oOo

"And just where have you two been?" Artanis asked, giving Amrothos and Erchirion a dirty look. It was well past noon, and neither had been seen since the wedding party two nights before. Both brothers shrugged.

"Oh, you know, Artanis dear." Amrothos said.

"Around." Erchirion elaborated, earning a grin from his younger brother.

"As long as they're getting along, I don't care where they've been." Elphir muttered, rocking Eilvir in his arms.

"You should care if one of them winds up with a half-Rohirric baby and a farm girl as a wife!" Artanis hissed. Amrothos and Erchirion's faces suddenly sobered and Elphir chortled.

"Then they will only have themselves to blame, and Father, Lothiriel, and Eomer to deal with."

Amrothos' face went white and Erchirion mumbled curses in Elvish, earning a swat from Artanis, who pointed to Alphros.

"Uncle 'Chirion, what's rhaich mean?" Alphros asked innocently.

Amrothos laughed, Erchirion groaned, Artanis let out a horrified shriek, and Elphir crooned to the baby in his arms;

"We're the only sane ones left in this family, little one."

oOo

"And just where do you think you're going?"

Lothiriel looked up guiltily from where she was pulling a clean dress over her head. Eomer was still in their bed, glaring at her across the room.

"It's been five days, a'melamin. I'm surprised Amrothos hasn't come barging in yet, demanding to know if I'm still alive."

"If he did, it would be his end." Eomer grumbled. Lothiriel laughed and resumed putting on her dress. Arms suddenly appeared and wrapped around her waist; Lothiriel gave a surprised squeak before being pulled back against Eomer's chest. "Are you really so eager to leave, my love?" He murmured, pushing aside the dark curtain of her hair to kiss her neck. Lothiriel gave a shudder.

"N-no…"

The strings of her dress that she had just spent twenty minutes retying were suddenly loose and the dress pooled around her feet, and Lothiriel decided that one more day would not cause any alarm…

oOo

"So, this isn't the longest time a new couple's been, uh, absent?" Amrothos asked worriedly, giving the hallway that led to the King and Queen's rooms anxious looks. Eofor chuckled.

"Not by a longshot, milord."

"And if I know Eomer," Eothain said, a devious grin on his face, "he's trying to break the record."

"Which is how long?" Amrothos asked, his voice a high squeak.

Eofor and Eothain exchanged devilish looks.

"Two months." The pair said in unison.

Amrothos' eyes went wide and the Rohirric men roared with laughter as he jumped from his seat, yelling down the hallway;

"Father, which treaties would I be breaking if I happened to kick the door down?"

oOo

Eomer stifled a chuckle, watching Lothiriel as she tried in vain to keep her dress from falling down. Lothiriel puffed out a breath and whirled around to glower at him.

"Oh, don't just lie there looking at me like that! Help me with this infernal dress."

Eomer laughed softly and got up, and began to lace the string through the loops in the back of the dress. Before he finished he paused, and Lothiriel looked over her shoulder at him. "Yes, my lord?"

"I'm only tying this under the condition that I get to untie it tonight."

Lothiriel smiled and turned her neck to press a gentle kiss to his lips. Eomer's hands went limp; Lothiriel giggled as the strings loosened.

"Tonight and tonight alone, my lord. Now, I fear, would be far too soon." With that, she turned back away from him, leaving Eomer to grumble softly as he retied the strings.

oOo

"...that makes so much more sense now…" Pippin said, looking quite overwhelmed by the information that had just been heaped upon him.
"Glad I could be of service, Pip." Amrothos chuckled, giving the Hobbit a thump on the back. Legolas groaned and put his head in his hands.

Merciful Valar, deliver me from too-innocent Hobbits and devious Princes…

"I do hope I'm not interrupting an interesting conversation…"

Legolas' head shot up as he stared at Lothiriel, who was grinning impishly at the Elf, Hobbit, and Prince. Amrothos was first to react, leaping up and crushing Lothiriel in a hug. Pippin continued to gawk at her (no doubt putting some of the information Amrothos had just given him in context of the Queen and why she had been absent for nearly a week) and Legolas rubbed his eyes. "Am! I'm fine! Better than fine, really! Stop that, I haven't got any 'battle wounds'…" Lothiriel cried, pushing her brother's stifling arms away from herself.

Pippin's eyes had bypassed saucers and were now reaching plate level; Legolas shook his head.

Why did he need to be taught about that aspect of life today?

"Legolas? Are you alright?
Legolas blinked and focused on Lothiriel, who was looking at him expectantly.

"Yes. I am sorry for my rudeness."

Lothiriel waved a hand and sat down beside him.

"Have I missed much?"

Legolas' lips twitched in a smirk; both Amrothos and Pippin were making desperate shushing motions behind Lothiriel's back.

"It certainly was an interesting week, mellonamin."

oOo

"Ah! The besotted King finally emerges!" Eothain cried. Eomer gave him a dark look, which Eothain shrugged off with ease. "How can you be cross when you just spent nigh a week in your marriage bed?"

"Especially with a lady as fine as your own." Frea said dreamily, earning amused looks from Eofor, Eomer, and Eothain. Frea flushed. "No disrespect, Eomer-King."

Eomer chuckled and gave the younger man a pat on the back.

"However, in your absence," Eothain said, "the charming advisors have been griping about a good deal of things."

"The rogue Orcs roaming about." Eofor quipped.

"The renewed alliances with Gondor." Frea noted.

"And.." Eothain paused, and the three soldiers exchanged looks.

"And what?" Eomer asked. None of his friends answered and Eomer gave them all a glare that had not been seen since Theoden's funeral; after that, the men all stumbled over each other, finally saying in unison;

"Heirs."

Eomer stared at them, wanting to erase the word that had just come out of their mouths. They would not lie to him; they were his closest and most trusted friends, and had no reason to mislead him. Eomer rubbed his eyes wearily.

"Remind me why I have advisors…?"

"To keep you from doing something foolish?"

"To protect your best interests?"

"To keep you from killing foreign diplomats, such as the Elf or the Dwarf?"

"Funny." Eomer grumbled, a teasing lilt to his voice. "I thought that's what you three were for."

oOo

"Lothiriel!" Imrahil cried, opening his arms to his daughter, who happily moved across the garden to hug him.

"Good morning, Ada."

"Morning? Selde, it is past noon!"

Lothiriel flushed.

"I suppose I lost track of time…"

"Ah, yes, the first days of marriage will do that to you." Imrahil said warmly, giving her another hug. "Your brother wanted to break the door down about two days ago."

"I knew that was him!" Lothiriel laughed. Imrahil chuckled and held her at arm's length, examining her face.

"Marriage suits you, my child. Never have I seen you so at peace, so wonderfully happy as you are in this moment."

"I am happy, Ada." Lothiriel sighed, smiling back at him. "Truly, deeply, and completely."

Imrahil gave her another tight hug before offering her his arm.

"There are still quite a few people who wish to see you, my Thiri."

Lothiriel's raised an eyebrow.

"Really now?"

Imrahil nodded, and the pair moved inside.

oOo

Lothiriel had scarcely returned to the hall when a pair of arms were thrown about her neck.

"Little sneak! They told me you'd finally emerged and I searched the whole palace and found Eomer first!" Eowyn cried. Lothiriel laughed and returned the hug, winking at Faramir over his wife's shoulder as she did so.

"She did search everywhere, cousin." Faramir chuckled. Lothiriel smiled at Eowyn.

"I suppose you were checking to see if I had tried to escape? Made calls for my brothers?"

"More like I was making sure your brothers did not enter the room." Eowyn laughed. "I do believe they are worse than Eomer."

Lothiriel and Faramir chuckled.

"I knew that already, Eowyn." Lothiriel said. The two women continued talking, and were eventually joined by Arwen, who greeted Lothiriel with a soft smile and kiss on the cheek.

"You are radiant, my friend." Arwen said. Lothiriel flushed.

"Now she's red in place of radiant." Eowyn giggled, earning a swat from Lothiriel.

"Between you and your brother, I shall be teased to death!" Lothiriel cried. Eowyn and Arwen laughed, abruptly stopping when Aragorn burst into the hall, face pale.

"Aragorn?" Gimli called.

Lothiriel saw Eomer, Eofor, Eothain, and Frea appear close to where Aragorn was standing.

"The Beacons are lit." Aragorn said, defeat in his voice. "Someone is calling for aid."

The Hall dissolved in a flurry of activity almost instantly.

By the Valar. Lothiriel mused. Will we never have peace?

oOo

Author's Note: First off, SORRY for the long wait guys! I had HORRIBLE writers block and could not think of ANYTHING for this story. And then BOOM: the Muse struck! Again, sorry if anyone was expecting explicit love scenes, but I'm not entirely comfortable writing that, but I hope everyone got the gist of what was going on. Poor Pippin. He's probably scarred for life from Amrothos' *ahem* teachings.And haha! Cliffy! I don't think I've done one like this before, so I hope I've got your attention!

Reviews, favorites, and alerts are better than confused Hobbits and irritated Elves