Chapter 12
Minas Tirith, 1st May, 3019
Days passed and in a faithful afternoon, on a beautiful first day of May, Lothíriel's heart began to stomp inside her chest again...
Shouts came to her ears, for afar at first but getting nearer by the minute.
"Lothíriel! Lothíriel!" she heard yelling.
"What is it? What?"
Ayrin came into the room, breathing heavingly.
"They return! The Host of the West is returning!"
"What?" Her heart leaped. "Are you sure?"
"Yes!" She said, with the greatest grin. "They can be seen from the 7th level! Come quickly! I'll go get Meon, she was so worried about her father and Faelon!" she said as she ran off.
"Oh, and you were not?!"
Ayrin turned to her friend smiling.
"Yes! I was! But I know he's all right!" Opening her arms ans twilring around, she yield. "Because I love him!"
Laughing, Lothíriel grabbed her skirts and ran in the opposite direction, saying:
"I'll get Éowyn! I'll meet you in the King's Grounds!"
Lothíriel came to the inner garden where Éowyn now enjoyed spending her afternoons, in order to get some sun and also because it was a quite windy place and she always said it reminded her of home, in the Riddermark.
"Éowyn?" She softly called. The White Lady turned to face her. "The army is returning! We are going to the King's Ground on the higher level to watch them approach, would you like to come as well?"
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, muthering an prayer.
"Thank the Valar! Yes! Of course I want to go with you! I'll just tell Faramir..."
"I'm here. And I've heard." He said extending her arm towards her. "Let's go!"
Lothíriel smiled. She knew her cousin was completly in love with Éowyn. Her strong personality and her brave deeds made her a great woman, admired by all in the Houses and throughout the city. To kill the Witch King, single handle... She was a hero, no doubt. Faramir looked at her with such care and love... Like she was the only woman in Middle Earth. Like some long lost jewel he had just encontered and wanted all for himself.
Éowyn grabbed her cape from a chair and looked at the two cousins.
"Well... What are we waiting for? Let's go you two! Move!"
They made their way to the 7th level and when they were entering the Kings Ground, an horn was heard.
Faramir smiled, sadly. Lothíriel had recognised it as well.
"That's a Gondorian horn... My brother's horn..."
Éowyn held his hand in hers and intertwined her fingers in his. She smiled at him and in an instant, the glimpse of sadness was gone from his eyes.
"Lothíriel, over here!" Ayrin and Meon were already by the wall, waving at them.
Many were gathering to see the army return. They got close to their friends and the wall just in time to see the first men entering the city.
"Do you see them, cousin?" She asked Faramir. "Do you see my family?"
Faramir tried to use his ranger skills to look beyond but they were still to faraway to distinguish.
"Not yet, Thíri... But I think that first man, the one in the front...I think it is Aragorn... I can't be sure."
"There!" Lothíriel shouted. "I can see the Dol Amroth flag! And I think that's my father beside it! It is! I know it! He is alright, thank the Valar!"
Faramir added.
"Yes, I see him. And I think that's Erchion, behind him... I cannot be sure but the armour looks like his."
"Where?" She leaned on the wall. "I cannot see..."
"Be carefull! Lothíriel, don't lean too much, please!"
Sounds of cheers were now coming to them, from the mob below. Cheers of families, of friends, of fellow countrymen. Minas Tirith was on the streets to give a warm welcome to their soldiers, their saviors...
Another horn.
"That sound I would recognised in any part of Middle Earth! That's a rohirric horn!! And I can see the White Horse Banner! There! There! Do you see it?" Éowyn was glowing.
Looking closely, Lothíriel could now see a man, standing tall, setting himself apart from the crowd below, wearing a helmet with a white horse tail.
"Éowyn, over there..." She pointed out. "Is that not your brother?"
"Éomer!! Éomer!" She shouted but they were still far for him to hear.
She turned to Lothíriel and gave her a massive hug. And them she hugged Faramir and in the middle of the crowd, without a care in the world, she kissed him, fully on the lips.
"My father! I can see him." Meon's voice was heard. "Lothíriel, look over there! It's him is it not? Tell me, please!"
Lothíriel hugged Meon, while saying. "Yes! It is him!"
The sounds of cheering were getting nearer and also the sounds of hooves and metal. Lothíriel's heart almost stopped beating as she spotted her father, on his horse, next to Lord Aragorn, coming into the courtyard.
She forgot all her lady manners and, making way throught the crowd, pushing left and right, she reached her family as her father was dismounting and threw her arms around his neck.
"Ada..."
"Hush, ninniach nîn... All is well now... All is well..."
Only now, Lothiríel allowed her fear to take over. During all these days, never once had she allowed any thoughts of bad tidings come to her mind. But now, looking back, thinking of all that could have happened... She couldn't forget the faces of the wounded, of the mammed... of the dead... What if it was one of them...? Could she bear it...? Could she overcome it...? Would she know how to go on...? She could not tell... but now, she didn't had to. They were all here. And once more, they were all together, in a tight embrace. She could fell her brothers arms around her. Erchion, Elphir, Amrothros... they were all here. All well. All was well.
She raised her face to meet her father's eyes and smiled to him.
"Welcome home, Ada."
He smiled back and kissed her brow.
In her ear, Amrothros whispered.
"Now, it is over..."
She turned to him and embraced him tightly.
"Thank you, you silly old goof! My brave gooffy brother!" She said.
She embraced her elders brothers as well, one by one.
She felt peaceful. It had been the worst days of her life. But now the Shadow had lifted... They were safe from harm.
She looked around. The sun had now fully risen. It's morning light was spreading among the mob. Tears, smiles, stories... There was so much to tell and share.
She saw Legolas and Gimli in the back along with the halfings, Merry and Pippin. She waved at them and smiled. They waved back and Gimli shouted.
"What did I say, My lady, about blessings of pretty ladies? I'm unharmed! Your blessing kept me safe!"
She laughed at this and replied. "If so, you are welcomed to come to me anytime you need, Master Dwarf!"
People were starting to break apart from the crowd, setting for their homes.
"Should we go home as well, Ada?"
"Yes, I need a bath!" Erchirion said.
"And so do you, my love!" Melian said to Elphir, holding tightly to his arm.
"Hey!" he said, trying to look offended.
"And as for me... I am starving!" Amrothros said. "I could eat all the food in Middle Earth! And Valinor!"
"Save it for the feast, my friend." Aragorn voice was heard as he approached. "Will you all come? There is no greater time to celebrate!"
"You can count on us, my lord. It is true, we have must to rejoice. We will just retire to our home for some rest, a good bath but we will be here for the coronation..."
"My Lord Aragorn... "
That voice... Lothíriel shivered. She couldn't help it...
"Brother, you need not call me that... "
"I keep forgetting... Forgive me... My éoreds will want to disperse, may I give them the order?"
"Of course, they too are weary... But their command is yours, you do as you see fit."
Éomer bowed and was leaving, but first he risked a look in Lothíriels' way. She smiled lightly and moved towards him.
Her family and Aragorn kept a lively conversation, no one paying attention to their own.
"I'm glad to see you return safely, my lord."
"Thank you, my lady. I too was kept safe by the blessing of a beautiful lady..." He reached for her hand and softly kissed her fingers, keeping her hand in his. "Will you grace us with your presence in the feast tonight?"
"Yes... " She was finding it hard to speak, as she felt Éomer caressing the inside of her wrist. "I could not miss it."
"Good... Then perhaps I could hope for a dance..."
Laughing lightly she replied. "Of course, my lord. Anything for a war hero..."
He smiled, that boyish sly grin of his that melted her inner core.
"I should go... My men are expecting me..." But he wouldn't let go of her hand.
"And I should go home too..."
A moment of silence passed between them.
"Until then..." he kissed her hand once more.
"Until then..."
He let her go and walked away. Lothíriel return to stand by her fathers' side just in time to hear him said.
"Shall we go home then, children?"
Lothíriel mused at her fathers' sayings. They could all be married and with offspring of their own, and Imrahil would still called them children! It was just the way he was. And frankly she wouldn't want to change it.