Hello! I just wanted to thank you all for your wonderful feedback on the last two chapters! I can't tell you how much I appreciate it! I hope you enjoy this update, just a few notes. 1) According to Tolkien, Hama died in the Two Towers, but I like him and think Eomer needs an older man to guide him and be his friend. 2) Roheryn is actually the name of a horse that Aragorn gave to Arwen, but I thought it fit in my story as well, so I am stealing it. Hope you don't mind!

Chapter Three (Eomer)

I was sitting in my study, which was only recently mine, looking over plans for rebuilding, but most importantly the document that Imrahil had produced that gave the information on what all his Realm could provide to help the rebuilding along. It was a long list of edible goods, materials for the physical rebuilding of several destroyed buildings, and also a list of men who would be coming to Rohan to help with the rebuilding as they had loss less men than I had. I was incredibly grateful.

Though I was grateful, sitting at the desk made me restless and irritable. I had never had to perform such tasks and up to that point they were proving unpleasant to me.

There was a stern knock on my door and before I could call out to bid the person enter, Eowyn strode in, the same anger on her face that had been there since the Princess of Dol Amroth's uncouth reception of my betrothal offering.

"Come in, Eowyn," I said evenly.

She paced before me, like a cornered animal. "Your betrothed has not been seen outside of her room for two days now," she said, venom leaking into her words.

"I have bigger issues, I am afraid, Eowyn. If she is comfortable there then I have done my job as a host."

"It is rude. She is rude and spoiled. I do not like this." My sister looked at me, emotion in her eyes that instead of moving me to kindness moved me to anger.

"You think I like it, Eowyn? Do you think this is what I wanted for myself?"

"You do not have to go through with it, brother. I would hate for you to have to."

"I do not, do I?" I stood up, angrier, holding onto the document that Imrahil had given me. "If I do not do this, who will help Rohan and her people?" I slammed the paper down facing Eowyn. "Do you see all of that?" My finger ran down the columns of goods. "Those come with Lothiriel!"

Eowyn still persisted. "Surely someone else could help us. Perhaps a marriage would not even be necessary."

"Damn it, Eowyn!" I exclaimed. "Do you not see that I am doing this for our people? I am a King now, since when have they been allowed to get what they want and do the right thing at the same time?"

"Do not yell at me," she said fiercely.

"I will yell if I want. I am doing this for you. I am doing this so that you do not have to sign your life away for our Realm. I am doing this so that you might marry the man you love. I will marry Lothiriel, a woman I do not know and who is as of yet, most unsavory to me, all so that you can marry her cousin because you love him! I will yell if I damn well please!"

Eowyn glared at me, before actually crying, something I hadn't seen in a long time, since she was a child if I remembered correctly. She did not say another word, but instead left the study as quickly as her feet would carry her.

I sat heavily back in the desk, resting my head in my hands. Perhaps I should not have yelled at her, but she herself was not thinking clearly when advising me what to do. In my mind, when thinking of my people and the assistance that was required in rebuilding, Dol Amroth was the only place that had stepped forward to offer assistance. I knew Imrahil was thinking ahead and I knew that one day Rohan would be able to return the favor and more. It would be good for Rohan to always have Dol Amroth as an ally, and if I had to marry the Prince's daughter then I would, for Rohan and her people.

My mind did not linger long on Eowyn. She had much to learn, the world was different now that the War was over and sacrifices were being made by many. I did not want her to feel bad that she got to choose who she would marry and I did not, that was never my intention, no matter how it sounded, but she was clearly not thinking when she spoke of finding someone else to help our people.

Later that evening, after I had spent all day with in my study or with counselors, I was walking back to my rooms to try and get some rest finally. On my way I encountered the Princess of Dol Amroth, coming back from the library it seemed, with a book tucked under her arm.

"Your Grace," she said with a cold politeness as she dipped a stiff curtsey to me, another thing I was not quite used to.

I waved the courtesy away. "Please, my lady, call me Eomer."

She nodded stiffly, still standing before me, a bit awkwardly. I noted that she did not offer me the same formality.

"Eomer, then," she said. "I must bid you goodnight," she said, moving around me gracefully and heading for her own rooms.

"Princess," I called out after her. "Wait a moment please." I strode to catch up with her in a few long steps.

She turned and looked at me apprehensively. "Yes?"

"I was wondering if you are free tomorrow."

This question seemed to make her even more nervous. "I believe so," she finally replied.

"Would you care to go for a ride? I was hoping to show you around the Realm a bit, so that you might know more about us here. We could take a picnic as well." I had no idea where the offer came from; I had not given it any prior thought whatsoever and was stunned myself.

Lothiriel seemed to consider it, probably thinking that if her father found out she turned it down, she would be in even more trouble.

"That sounds lovely," she said in the same stiff voice.

"Wonderful. We shall leave a little after sunrise then." I gave a slight bow of my head and continued on to my rooms, thinking of what I had just signed myself up for.

ooooOoooo

The next morning, I was headed for the stables when I ran into Hama who seemed flustered.

"Eomer, I mean Your Grace, there are a great many things that require your attention this morning," he said quickly.

"Are they life and death?" I asked. "And quit with the 'Your Grace' nonsense. It drives me crazy, especially from friends."

Hama nodded. "As you wish. And no they are not life and death I would not say," he said looking at me curiously.

"Then they will have to wait. I am previously engaged today." I continued when I saw the confused look on his face. "I am showing the Princess Lothiriel around our Realm today."

Hama was then looking at me with pity in his eyes. "Good luck, Eomer. I will let everyone know that you are not in the Golden Hall today."

I nodded. "Thank you," I said continuing on my way to the stables.

When I got there, I began saddling the horses myself, not trusting the stable boys nearly enough even though I knew they were competent. It had always been something I did on my own and it would continue to be even though as King I had literally every servant under my command.

I just finishing packing out lunch into saddlebags on Firefoot, my stallion, when Lothiriel and one of her handmaidens entered, acting as chaperone.

"Good morning, Your Grace…Eomer," she corrected herself, still giving a slight curtsey.

I smiled at her correction. "Good morning, my ladies," I said, bowing my head to them. "Everything is almost ready." I secured the saddlebags and led Lothiriel's new mare over to the mounting block where she might step up and climb on more gracefully. However, she went around on the other side, ignoring the step, and pulled herself up and over onto the saddle with much more grace than I had expected. Her handmaiden used the step though.

I mounted and we off, heading toward the slopes of the White Mountains. When I glanced at Lothiriel I noticed that she, thankfully, was not wearing one of the dresses that she had been wearing during her stay. Instead of a silk and lace monstrosity, she wore a simple linen tunic-like long shirt over the leggings of the same fabric in a deep blue with a practical riding boots that reached her knees.

"Does the horse have a name?" She asked, catching me as I observed her.

I started, and looked back up at her face. "Roheryn," I said quickly.

She thought for a moment. "Horse of the lady."

"You speak Sindarin?" I asked.

She nodded. "I would not say fluently, but well enough. Many of the Eternal People pass through Dol Amroth on their way to the Grey Havens when they sail to their Undying Lands. There is a small group of Elves who live in Dol Amroth as well, having been quite taken with it long ago. Many that pass through sometimes stay for a great deal of time." She looked straight ahead, not meeting my gaze. "And you?"

"I am afraid not. I came across the name once while reading the tale of Luthien and Beren. I thought it was a fitting name for the horse that was to be yours."

She nodded. "Indeed it is."

The conversation hit a lull then. I was not sure what to say to her and I could almost guarantee that she preferred my silence to speaking to her.

During the morning we made our way through the foothills of the White Mountains that made our Southern border. It was still warm to me in August, but I noticed that the princess had pulled a cloak around her shoulders, not used to anything but her tropical weather by the sea.

Eventually we came down from the hills and made our way to the Adorn River, which created our western and part of the southern border as well. It was a good ways away from Edoras, but I had blocked off my entire for the Silent Ride as I grew to think of it.

When we made it to the river, I dismounted Firefoot. "Are you hungry princess?" I asked politely.

"Now is as good a time as any for lunch," she said stiffly, agilely coming down off of Roheryn.

I nodded, again not saying much as it was clearly not welcomed by Lothiriel. I spread a blanket out for us and arranging the food with the help of the princess's handmaiden, who was much more genial.

"This is a lovely land, Your Grace," she said politely.

"I am glad you think so, my lady," I said with a small smile. "It is my home and I certainly love it here."

When we were seated, I turned my attention back to Lothiriel. I studied her a moment before speaking again, trying to avoid more punishment. She was a striking young woman, certainly not beautiful in the traditional sense.

She was petite, not at all what I was used to. The shieldmaidens of Rohan were tall and strong, but I towered over Lothiriel by almost a foot and a half. It was her face that grabbed my attention though. It was the same face of her brothers, with a strong jawline, and pronounced cheekbones. She was a handsome woman it could be said, with eyes the color of the tall grass in the spring.

"I thought you might like to see one of our rivers as I imagine the sea is quite important to you," I said gently to Lothiriel.

She looked out over the river that was low at this point in the year. I could tell that it would be just one more thing that did not meet her standards.

"A silver lining, truly." Her head turned slowly back to meet my gaze, but there was no kindness in that face and I began to wonder if there ever was or would be.

Her handmaiden nudged her, trying to urge politeness, but Lothiriel ignored her as well.

In the beginning I was uncomfortable with her, but as we rode back I decided that it did not matter. She would grow warm to myself and Rohan or she would not. I would continue to try, but I would not let her get under my skin.

Once we had returned to the Golden Hall we almost immediately parted ways. I bent over her hand and kissed it gently. "Thank you for company today, Princess. It was refreshing to get out of my study."

Lothiriel nodded and headed for her rooms without a word, which was not surprising in the least.

As I made my way to my study, I ran into Imrahil who I had informed of the ride the previous day.

"How was your day? Did your tour go well?" He asked politely, barely masking his eagerness to know what I thought of his daughter.

"It went quite well, my lord. Your daughter and I enjoyed ourselves immensely." A little white lie to the regent who would keep my people alive could only help.

There you go! I hope you loved it! Please let me know what you thought, what you liked and didn't like, and what you want to see happen next! Just no hate comments or flames please! I loved hearing from you all so please do it again!

Happy reading,

Avonmora