Chapter 13
They made their way to their house on the level below, moving slowly among the excited crowd. Arriving home had the feeling of completeness, a final wrap on a hard long mission. The house staff was already waiting for them, all by the main entrance, Nooran in the lead. Her warm smile greeted the lord of the house, with Lothíriel on his arm, and a big mama hug to her three boys. She lived for this family and she loved them as their own. She couldn't even imagine her life without them.
Inside, the fires were lit and the warmth of the house was most inviting. There was plenty of food on the dinning hall table and Amrothros grabbed a green luscious apple.
"Ah!" Nooran yield, taking the apple from his hand. "Food later! Bath first!"
"Nooran, come on..."
"Milord, I beg your pardon but you smell!" she said looking at him, from head to toe. "Badly!! And I will not let you set foot on this hall nor my kitchen, for that matter, looking and smelling like...this!" she finished pointing at him.
The youngest of the Dol Amroth princes gave her a dramatic surprised look and took his hand to his chest.
"My Lady, you hurt my feelings!!"
Erchirion came to his side and surrounded his shoulders with his arm.
"No one understands a war hero, brother!!! We are doom to face our glory days alone..."
Nooran rolled her eyes and shooed them to their rooms as she gave a wink to Lothíriel.
The baths were been prepared throughout the house and the hours passed fast. How true that was when one is happy... Time does seem to fly.
Preparations were done all over the city for the last few days, everything ready for the coronation of the King, an event long overdue.
And that day had finally arrived. All was set for it at sunset.
"Ada!" Lothíriel called as she checked her hair in the looking glass one last time. She grabbed her small coat and exited the bedroom. "Ada, are you ready?"
"I'm coming! I'm coming!" he paused in front of his daughter. "What say you? Am I presentable?"
A huge smile came to Lothíriel's lips.
"You look like a Prince, My Liege."
He smiled and offered his arm to her.
"And you, my child, look like one of the Valar..."
"Is everybody ready?" Elphir asked, coming into to the room with Alphos on his arms and Melian close behind. She too looked beautiful but the smile on her face, the hapiness of having her husband home, just lighted the room.
"Erchirion said he would met us there." Elphir continued, as he looked around. "Someone's missing... Where is Amrothos?"
"Here!!" They heard as he came hurrying into the room. "Sorry, but I'm not ready yet and I have to look my best! There are a lot of ladies today..."
"Oh please..." Lothíriel said. "They will swarm around you even if you were wearing the ugliest clothes ever..."
"Ah, but the competition will be fierce, little sister!"
"What?! Oh, will stop that gibberish and let's get going!?"
"Go ahead, I'll met you there!" Amrothos said, as he watched the mirror and fixed an invisible hair out of place.
Imrahil knew that if they kept going this conversation would never see an end.
"I fear we must or we shall all be late!" Imrahil said heading to the door. The five of them left the house and walked toward the street. It now seemed that it was crowded than ever.
It was good their house was on the 6th level or they would've taken hours to get there.
And the Royal Courtyard was full. It seemed every neighbouring city and village had come to see their king. At last... At last, the king had returned.
Lothíriel stood by her father's side in the front row. As her father engaged in conversation with Faramir and Éowyn, Lothíriel took her time watching her surroundings. Familiar faces passed by and she greeted friends from all around. Faces she hadn't seen in years. And she listen to others talk.
"And did you see him arrive? Oh, he looked positively gorgeous! Even beneath all that dirt!!" she heard the woman sigh. "He would sure make my day!"
"My thoughts exactly!"
I know that voice... Lothíriel turned her head gently towards the conversation and recognized the owner of the voice.
Lilith...
She looked away and took a deep breath. Pure aversion. What else to call it? The fact was Lothíriel couldn't stand the sight of that superficial, spoiled, richman's daughter! There was no rational explanation but there it was! It was like a weird scratchy sensation under her skin.
"Broad shoulders, wide chest..." Lilith continued. "Hum... And I bet he's proportional... all the way...down!"
The pair giggled.
Oh, insufferable creature!!! How dare she talk about Amrothos like that? I'll kill him if he gave in to her so called charms! If he even talks to this air headed brat!!
Lilith was well knowned by her infatuations with young and brave soldiers and her brother was no exception! But she had stressed how much she wanted him to stay away from that coniving little...
"Oh Lilith, look! Here he comes!"
Lothíriel took another deep breath and crossed her arms across her chest. She couldn't wait to have a moment to say a few well chosen words to that dear dumb brother of hers!
"My Lord, how do you fare?"
"Good day. Lady Lilith. Lady Daewen."
What!?! No...
Lothíriel turned her head rapidly towards the voices and found herself looking straight into Éomer's eyes.
Oh my, the man is impossibly beautiful...
Standing in a rich red surcoat with gold embroidered, a luscious green cloak and his long blond hair blowing in the wind. And the smile in his eyes showed another side of him, a warm and happy look, so far away from the war hardened warrior from the North.
He's to dawn goodlooking for my peace of mind...
"Isn't a fine day for a celebration, my lord Éomer?" Éomer was forced to take his eyes from Lothíriel and pay attention to the lady addressing him. "And the city is beautifully decorated. All the flowers and ribbons. All the ladies took their time and look their best. Don't you agree? For instance, I had this dress made specially for this occasion." She turned softly and gave him a mellow look through semi closed lashes. "Do you like it, my lord?"
Lothíriel rolled her eyes. That little weasel!!!
"It suits you wonderfully, my lady."
The sound of trumpets announced the beginning of the ceremony and silence fell across the crowd. Gandalf walked to the steps and waited for Aragorn. The nobles took their place and a sense of wonderment fell on the yard.
"If you will excuse me, ladies, I must take my place." Éomer said as he bowed respectfully to the two ladies.
"Of course, my lord." Lillith said. "Perhaps we will see you later? AT the feast? I can't wait to see if such a renowned warrior is light of feet on the dance floor."
Her voice was like honey and Lothíriel knew just who that woman wanted for a fly.
They giggled and Éomer joined the high family of Dol Amroth and his sister in the first row.
"Brother, at last!"
"I was right here! I'm not late."
"I know. I saw you talking to those two... I'm just saying your place was here... instead of there!"
"Éowyn..."
His sister lowered her voice but Lothíriel could still hear her.
"Well, I am sorry but I don't like that Lilith at all!"
Thank you, Éowyn!
"What was I suppose to do!?"
Éowyn's response was cut by the new sound of trumpets and the entrance of Aragorn.
Aragorn walked slowly towards the now White Wizard, with the full weight of his responsibility on his shoulders as he kneeled.
Gandalf gave him a warming and reassuring smile and raised the crown above his head.
"Now come the days of the king! May they be blessed."
As Aragorn rose and face the crowd, all around, cheers erupted.
"This day does not belong to one man, but to all. Let us together rebuild this world that we may share in the days of peace."
Again, the crowd cheered and, as if on cue, a soft rain of white petals came falling down.
Aragorns' strong voice was heard again and the noise subsided as he sang a song of old.
"Et Eärello Endorenna utúlien... Sinome maruvan ar Hildinyar tenn' Ambarmetta..."
A sense of peace spread among the people. The times of Darkness had ended... It was time to relive again.
Aragorn moved across the crowd, acknowledging his pears and friends. At last, he came face to face with his good friend of old, Legolas and a committee of elven representatives amongst then the Lord Elrond of Imladris.
"Hannon le, mellon nin." Aragorn said to Legolas.
He just smiled and signaled him to look over his right shoulder.
There, behind a beautiful white flag of the White Tree of the city, was an elven lady.
Aragorn's surprise was written across his face. On her part, Arwen was as nervous as she had never been. She moved forward, after some words of encoragement by her father. As she came to him, she bowed but Aragorn took her chin his hand and looked deep into her eyes.
Lothíriel watched as her king gathered his elven lady in his arms and kissed her soundly, in front of everyone to see. Not a care in the world...
I want that...
The people cheered the couple but, for them, it was as they were the only two people in Middle Earth.
"Ada, who is she?" she whispered to Imrahil.
"Arwen, daughter of Elrond of Imladris. It is said that they have waited long years for this... Elrond would only allow his daugther to marry the king of Gondor and Arnor. It pushed Aragorn to fullfill his destiny... Sometimes it is all it takes, ninniach nin. A push at the right time and in the right direction."
She smiled at his wise words. Of course, right now she was much more interested in the love story than anything else.
"She is beautiful..."
"Aye, but you should see the Lady Galadriel..." said Gimli next to her, with a dreamy glow in his eyes.
Amrothros winked at his sister in a "I'll-tell-you-later" fashion.
Aragorn and Arwen continued to walk among the people, greeting friends, receiving congratulations. They met the hobbits amidst the crowd who bowed to them.
"My friends..." Aragorn said. "You bow to no one."
And then himself, Elessar, the Hope of Men, the High King, dropped to his knees and bowed, as did Arwen. And in a matter of seconds, the mob followed for their lives and the lives of their loved ones were spared by the heart and courage of these four small men.
They were the true heroes in this story.
AN: Sorry again for the delay, life is just work, work, work!!!
Oh, and this is the part where I deviated from the book... Sorry! But the scene in PJ's film of Aragorn's coronation is just...Fabulous! And so sweet... =)