A/N: I am so sorry about this horrifically long delay. The full explanation is below, if you care to hear it. This will not happen again.

As always, I am not J.R. R. Tolkien

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Eomer did not see much of Lothiriel in the days to follow, as she rode with Eowyn and a tight guard of men and he preferred to ride in the front where he could hear the news the scouts brought of the roads ahead. He decided this was good; as it gave him some much need time to think over everything that had passed during her stay in Rohan.

He reflected on all parts, from the beginning when she was so cold to him, to their truce to become friends, to her decision to gallantly save his closest friend – instead of killing the mercenary that was intently after herself, to finding her in the stable, to finding her in the fields with the Maeras. Every time he thought that he knew all that he could about Lothiriel, she turned a corner and showed him another side. The dagger, the book, the obvious care for her horse, all these parts of her were true and sincere, which was something that Eomer sorely missed.

While women had certainly pursued him before becoming King, there was never an element quite as fierce as there was now. Certainly while he had been in Gondor to collect Theoden King's body the women of Gondor had done everything possible to meet him. Then when he returned to Edoras, after Theoden King's burial, it seemed that everyone he met had a sister, or a cousin, or a daughter they wanted him to meet.

He was tired of it, he realized as he rode. He was tired of being sought after as though he had no say in the matter, and perhaps that was what made Lothiriel so different. Slowly she had come to life about him, and made him like her more with each part of herself she revealed.

That was where the problem was too. He could have pushed forward out in the pasture, and with a kiss moved their relationship from being friends to something closer and dearer. But he decided against it. For the first time in his life, Eomer found himself craving a woman's good opinion of him as a King and a Leader, more than her desire for him physically.

Though that would be agreeable to have as well, Eomer mused as they started to make camp for the night. There were also the political considerations to take into account. As the Third Marshal of Rohan it would not have mattered to the same degree who he married. As King…

He sighed and leaned tiredly against Firefoot for a minute, before hearing her laughter cut across the distance and the Riders that were between them, and he smiled. His standard bearer had probably offered to tend to the horse they had loaned her for this journey, and had once again been politely refused.

"That might be what I like about her the most." Eomer told Firefoot in confidence. "She never shirks her work, and she makes me want to be as faithful to my jobs as she is to hers. She makes me want to be better."

After the horses had been tended to, and the evening meal prepared and eaten, Eomer heard the pounding hooves of one of his sentries coming in. After being challenged, the rider was allowed through to give the daily report on the horses that were a part of Eowyn's bride piece.

The rider assured Eomer and Eowyn that all was well, and that the yearlings were keeping up with the steady, though slow, pace. Then the rider turned to Lothiriel and reassured her that her horse was also bearing the travel well. By now, their tenth day of travel, the rider was used to having Lothiriel present and to answering her questions. Eomer held back a smile at the memory of Lothiriel being unusually hesitant as she waited through the very first report until the rider was about to leave before asking after her horse.

"So, Lady Lothiriel," Erkanbrand came and sat next to her as she relaxed by the fire, satisfied by the report. "You refused young Gram's request once again and tended to your own horse tonight. Are you always so cruel to you suitors, or is this a special case?"

Lothiriel laughed. "That is not fair!" She protested. "I take care of my horse because I enjoy the work, and because it is a simple motion I can do to start reusing my left hand." She flexed the limb as she spoke. She still wore a bandage when she rode during the day, but at nights she took it off to allow herself more natural movement.

"Then you are not usually this heartless?" Erkanbrand teased.

"Only to thirteen year olds," Lothiriel replied, causing the company around the fire to laugh.

"You must be more friendly with your suitors at home," Aldor, another marshal, advised her. "You will drive them away otherwise."

"Any man who would be driven away by my care for my horses can leave with my blessing." Lothiriel smiled, though she shifted uncomfortably. "And I will take your advice into consideration – when a suitor appears."

Eomer's marshals and captains laughed again and turned to other conversations.

"You must be excited to be so close to home, though." Erkanbrand restarted his private conversation with Lothiriel as Amrothos came to sit between her and Eomer.

"I am." She said simply. "It will be good to see my father, and my brothers again. I'm sure Queen Arwen will keep me occupied for a time, and my household shall be particularly busy since we will be hosting the bridegroom's dance two days after we return, and the bride's engagement dinner a half a week after that. Weddings are so complicated in Gondor." She added with a sigh.

"You are not being fair, Lothi," Amrothos complained. "It is not half as bad as you imply."

"Name one wedding you have attended that you have truly enjoyed." Lothiriel countered. "And no" Amrothos opened his mouth to speak "It cannot be the King's wedding."

Amrothos shut his mouth, and his lips twitched into an ironic smile. "Fair point." He conceded after a few moments of thought.

"Is not your brother married?" Eomer asked. "His wedding must have been enjoyable."

"Elphir's?" Lothiriel shook her head. "His was…" she paused as if looking for the words she wanted. "It was."

"Lothiriel does not want to use the word 'disaster'" Amrothos said in a fake whisper. "But it was close."

"It was not a disaster." She defended, her flushed color belying her words. Amrothos glared at her. "It was not a disaster. Revealing, yes; but disaster, no."

"How was it revealing?" Eowyn asked.

Lothiriel blushed again. "It became very clear that whatever reasons my brother had for marrying this woman… those reasons had nothing to do with her kindness or her generosity."

"She wanted swans to swim before her wedding barge." Amrothos stated bluntly.

"It is a usual tradition for those who marry in our house." Lothiriel defended, picturing the memory. "However we could not convince her that since it was winter the swans that normally rest in our waters left for better food in the south, and that since we were at war we could not spare the men needed to capture some and bring them back."

There was a stunned silence as the Rohirrim processed that.

"She felt slighted, and has not been as receptive to our family ever since." Lothiriel added quietly. "It is easier to understand from her point of view."

"She wanted swans, and was angry because you could not find the swans?" Eowyn could not quite wrap her head around it. "Do I have to have swans?"

Lothiriel and Amrothos laughed. "No. No, that is just for the house of Dol Amroth." Amrothos explained.

"Though, Faramir has not yet chosen a signal for his coat of arms. Perhaps he will choose falcons and Eowyn can be lead from the ceremony by a cast of falcons." Lothiriel laughed.

"Or eagles." Amrothos added. "Those would lend a touch of nobility to his house."

"Except, how would you catch eagles?" Lothiriel asked. "That cannot be easy."

"Perhaps if you lured them to the ceremony with bait," Erkanbrand puzzled it out. "Rabbits might work."

"Or foxes," Eomer added.

The company was happily planning out how to lure eagles from their nests for some time, when Lothiriel stood and handed her blanket to Eowyn.

"I think I shall say goodnight for today." She smiled at her friend. "Tomorrow will be long."

"It is our shortest ride," Erkanbrand pointed out. "What could make it longer than today?"

Lothiriel rolled her shoulders a bit. "That requires a long explanation."

"Lothiriel means that it will be a long day for herself." Amrothos clarified. "She has had a wonderful holiday for the past few months, but responsibility returns at the gates of Minas Tireth."

"With that cheerful thought, I bid you all goodnight once again." Lothiriel laughed and left.

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The King and Queen and a host of nobility met them at the gates of Minas Tireth with banners displayed. The only missing was Dol Amroth, which would have confused Eomer had Amrothos not explained that like Rohan the host family meets guests at the door to their house.

Eomer dismounted to greet Aragorn, and noticed from the corner of his eye that Amrothos stayed saddled, though Lothiriel did not. She curtsied low before Queen Arwen, and then moved with her a few feet off to the side.

They had stopped for only a few minutes before they were on their way. Lothiriel now rode next to the Queen and it took Eomer a moment to see what was different. In the few moments that he had lost sight of Lothiriel she had changed her dress. A full trailing skirt had replaced her green riding skirts, and, he was amazed to see, that she was now riding sidesaddle.

He heard the moment that his riders noticed the change as well. Erkanbrand nudged the rider nearest him and whispered in Rohiric, "How did she change so swiftly?"

The other rider whispered back, "And why would she want to? Eowyn said she hated that saddle."

Questions unanswered, Eomer nudged his horse up to ride closer to Aragorn's. He noticed that people lined the streets to see the procession ride by. Aragorn's title was shouted, as was his name and the Queen's. But by far and away, the name most called was "Princess Lothiriel!" Children ran to the street side to see her, men and women waved from balconies above.

"The people here truly love her." Aragorn answered Eomer's silent question.

"I cannot understand why." Lothiriel whispered, overhearing. She kept her smile plastered on her face. "I have done nothing all that special for them."

"You are the only princess of the one remaining Princedom." Queen Arwen unnecessarily reminded her.

"Hopefully Eowyn and Faramir will remedy that soon." Lothiriel muttered, almost surprising a laugh from her company.

"I have missed you so, good friend." Queen Arwen commented, turning to look at Lothiriel more fully.

"I am glad to see you again, majesty," Lothiriel replied, nodding her head low in acknowledgement.

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At the door to courtyard of Dol Amroth's holdings in the city the progression stopped. This time all dismounted, and Prince Imrahil greeted them at the door. Eomer bowed and embraced Imrahil, and then stepped back to listen to the formal invitation to dinner the following night offered by King Elessar, and the acceptance of the invitation by Prince Imrahil.

As he tracked his gaze over the crowd that had gathered to listen, Eomer noticed that Lothiriel had not risen from her deep curtsey to her father, nor had Amrothos risen from where knelt on one knee. Imrahil turned to Eomer and noticed the direction of his gaze.

"Amrothos, my son, rise please." Imrahil declared. "There is no need for such ceremony, you were gone for but three months." Amrothos rose to his feet, though Lothiriel did not. "Lothiriel, daughter, you may rise as well. Rohan has taught you deep reverence for you father."

"I have always had deep reverence for my father, sir." Lothiriel replied, moving forward to kiss the back of her father's hand with a small curtsey at his feet. "The months away have only reminded me of how much is owed to him."

Amrothos followed suit, but embraced Imrahil after kissing the back of his hand.

"We shall leave you to your merry gathering, and we shall expect to see you all by midafternoon in a day's time," Aragorn stated, clasping Eomer on the shoulders and nodding to Imrahil. Lothiriel curtsied and Amrothos bowed low again as the King's company moved to remount their horses. They stayed in their positions until the company had moved passed the bend in the main road, taking most of the observers with them.

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There was a flurry of activity as footmen came forward to take the horses to the stable, and with them went most of the company of the Rohirrum. Left behind were Eomer's intimate guard, his marshals, and advisors who would be lodging in Imrahil's considerably sized house. After loudly declaring his happiness at his children's safe return and for the blessing of having such noble guests, Imrahil tossed a few handfuls of silver pennies into the crowd that lingered, and ushered his company inside.

Behind the door they walked through was a courtyard filled with, what Eomer assumed were, the household servants. "It is an old tradition to have a line of your servants to greet your guests." Lothiriel whispered as soft as she could to Eowyn as they walked to the front entrance. "I think normally Father does not do this, but Elphir and Hirieth probably insisted."

"Do you not know?" Eowyn asked, just as softly.

"I have not been to my father's house in Dol Amroth in almost seven years. I cannot remember."

At the front door stood arrayed the immediate household. Elphir and his wife Hirieth were in front, Erchirion stood a little behind them, flanked by Faramir who had two dogs by his side. When they were an appropriate distance away, Eomer and his company bowed, while Lothiriel curtseyed deeply and Amrothos went to one knee again.

"It seems that we are very formal today," Imrahil joked to Eomer with a meaningful glance at Lothiriel and Amrothos who had not risen. Elphir, Erchirion, and Faramir smiled a little at his statement, but Hirieth remained impassive.

"Rise brother, sister," Hirieth, her voice was bland, empty of emotion. "You must be weary from your travels. We are very pleased to see you safe again, and overjoyed to receive our noble host from Rohan."

"She doesn't sound overjoyed" murmured Erkanbrand in Rohirric, and Eomer felt the corners of his mouth twitch.

"Sister, I am delighted to see you again," Lothiriel was replying with a small smile. "I was relieved to hear how well you managed our house during this time. Father and Elphir have written of all your efforts."

Hirieth sniffed at that. "I hope you will find everything to your liking. I made some necessary edits to your plans."

"I am certain that you have done everything perfectly." Lothiriel replied, and at some signal that Eomer did not see the servants turned and went back inside, and the group on the stairs came down to intermingle.

Faramir was almost instantly by Eowyn's side, and the gentleness with which he took her hand, almost as if he was afraid she would slip away, made Lothiriel blush and look around. Amrothos was being greeted by their older brothers, and he then led them over to be reintroduced to Eomer and his marshals. Her father was having a few quiet words with Hirieth, who was focused intently on the conversation, her expression deliberately pleasant and open.

With all the company occupied, and no one paying her any attention, Lothiriel discretely moved a little away from the group and turned to where the two dogs still sat on the stairs. My dogs, she thought with a smile.

Not quite daring to whistle, she was still in company, Lothiriel snapped three times in rapid succession. Her dogs' attention was now focused to a point on her. Lothiriel moved her hand in a sweeping gesture to her heart, and was almost knocked to the ground as her dogs came to her in joyful abandon.

"Huore. Fae." She whispered as she tried to pet both of them with her right hand, her left had become numb from riding without a sling. Her dogs wove around her legs under her full skirt, trained well enough not to jump, but trying to get as close to her as they physically could. "It was too long. I was gone for too long. I am sorry my dears." She crouched down, fighting the urge to simply kneel in the dirt and allow the dogs closer.

After a few minutes she brought the dogs to a sitting position with a sharp jerk of her hand, and looked up to see that she had inadvertently become the center of attention. Hirieth looked at her with ill-disguised disgust and turned and walked into the house. Imrahil was the opposite, barely containing a smile as he said, "I do not believe those dogs will ever allow you out of their sight again. They were most displeased with me for weeks after you left."

Faramir laughed. "After all the trouble we went through to find dogs that would be good companions to your daughter, did you think that we would have given her dogs whose loyalty could be swayed?"

"They are good dogs, Faramir, but you should have thought about what would happen when she traveled." Imrahil responded. "Anardil could barely get them to do anything."

"Foolish dogs," Lothiriel scolded gently, running her hand over each of their heads. "You did not listen to me. I promised you I would come back, and that Anardil would be here in my stead." Looking up at her father, Lothiriel added, "Is he here now?"

Imrahil shook his head. "Later, or tomorrow perhaps. You have a household to run now and guests to guide to their rooms."

Lothiriel flushed a little at the reminder. "Then let us start with rooms." She stood back up, gesturing for the dogs to stand with her. "If you would follow me?" She requested, and led the company into the house.

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A/N: I am so so so sorry. Between grad school, mildly serious illness, work, life, and being published (like in real life!) I have had no time to even post a chapter online.

I hope that you will all forgive me, and we can go back to our once a month routine! So! I will see you all again on July 1 (or June 30th) and I look forward to hearing all of your thoughts/comments/criticism/any thing else!

Thank you all!