Just to make up for the terribly long time it took to update last time here is the next chapter and it is even longer than the last! I hope you all enjoy it!

Chapter Seven (Eomer)

I woke with a pounding headache and a mouth as dry as the dirt that blew through Rohan in the summertime. I was in the bed in the rooms that I had been given in Aragorn's palace, but I did not recall how I got there. I was still completely dressed in all of my wedding finery. I remained lying down for a few minutes, trying in vain to remember anything from the previous night. Finally, I sat up and stood up, boots already on, but as I did the throbbing in my head became worse and the room spun.

Holding onto the bed post for a moment longer I spotted a pitcher of water that a servant had left for me and made my way over to it. I nearly drank the whole pitcher and still my mouth was dry. What I saw in the bathroom mirror I hardly recognized. My eyes were red, my skin was sallow, and my hair was a tangled mess. "Oh Bema," I muttered, turning my gaze away from the disappointing sight.

Many of the soldiers that I had worked with as Marshall had drank almost constantly when they were off duty, but I never could do that. Drink did not agree with me as was evident the morning after Eowyn's wedding. Normally, I was much more in control of myself.

I called for a servant to draw me a bath as I could nearly smell the ale and wine seeping out of my very skin.

"Yes Sire," she responded meekly, trying to keep her eyes downcast out of respect, but overly curious to look at the disheveled foreign king.

I sat in an armchair and drank more water thinking of the terrible rumors that were no doubt flying around the court that morning about me and my behavior along with that of my sister and all of the rest of the Rohirric party. The Rohirric people enjoyed a good party and from what little I remembered of the Gondorans the previous night, they remained upright in all situations.

After I soaked myself in the bath for almost an hour I rose, feeling a little better. My stomach was rumbling fiercely and I thought that food might help. I dressed myself in a fresh linen breeches and a tunic and made my way out the door, knowing there was not much else to be done for my sad appearance.

"Eomer!" Someone called out to me as I walking down the corridor back to the dining room. The loud yell reverberated in my aching head. I turned to see Eowyn and Faramir walking arm in arm towards me. I found that I could not make eye contact with my sister. Thinking of her as someone's wife in all aspects of the word, made a blush come to my own cheeks.

"Good morning to the happy couple," I said with a smile, looking just over Eowyn's shoulder.

"You look awful, brother," she said with a laugh. "I am glad you enjoyed the party so well."

"Indeed. I feel just as terrible rest assured. Were you heading to eat?"

"We were," Faramir said. "Join us. We have been wanting to discuss the plans for going to Dol Amroth."

I had not expected to have to converse while I ate and the prospect was certainly less than pleasing, but I agreed anyway.

In the end the couple ended up talking to each other more than me, which was just fine in my opinion. The food helped a little bit. As everyone began dispersing, my sister and her husband, I was sure, to do things that I could not bear to think about, I was hoping to take a nap, but was hindered on my way out of the door.

"Eomer-King." I turned to see Lothiriel's eldest brother coming my way as his wife took their son to enjoy his own nap. "Might I have a word?"

"Of course," I said with a friendly smile. I liked Elphir. He was noble and kind and he had been very brave when leading the Swan Knights of Dol Amroth during the Battle of Pelennor Field.

I was a little put off to see that he did not share my same amiable demeanor. "Is everything alright?" I asked when he said nothing.

"I would not say so, no, but surely you know that."

I raised an eyebrow at him not sure what he was talking about. "I am afraid I do not know of what you are speaking."

"Do not play stupid with me. I have known you long enough to know that though you may look like a brute, you are not so thick as some may think."

I was taken aback by that comment. "Elphir, I truly do not know what you are talking about. Perhaps you could explain it to me before you insult me."

He studied me for a moment. "You were truly that drunk last night that you do not remember?" He asked bewildered. "That may make our situation all the worse."

"Our situation?"

"Walk with me," he said shortly, not leaving any room to decline. I watched Elphir as we walked, trying to discern what was going on. As I studied him, I noticed the similarities between him and his sister. They had the same bone structure, proud cheek bones and a pointed chin. His eyes were a deep grey while hers were green, but the same raven hair framed both of their faces. He had to be at least four years older than me and there were lines on his face that I thought the War might have brought on and graying hair at his temples.

"I was taking some air during the party last night here in this garden," he said as we emerged into the gardens of Minas Tirith. "I could hear voices, but did not want to disturb the people until I realized that the voices were yours and my sisters."

He was gazing at me as he spoke, probably to make sure that I really had no idea what he was talking about. I did not. I did not remember speaking to Lothiriel after we danced together in the Great Hall. I continued to look at him blankly.

"I became quite angry, which you can understand as an elder brother, when I heard you telling her that any one of the women inside would die to be in her place." His gaze hardened at this and my heart dropped into my stomach as I slowly began to remember with his prompting. "I assume that you were referring to the woman who you had spent the night dancing with. So before you even spoke to my sister in such a demeaning way you had already humiliated her in front of all those present, by spending your time with a woman, who though she may be noble, is anything but moral or pure as I have come to find out."

I remembered the woman. In my haze I must've thought she was the epitome of a noblewoman of Minas Tirith, but as my mind was clearing I remembered the dress she had worn that was a bit low cut and the way she pressed herself against me when we danced.

"Elphir-" I began, but he cut me off sharply.

"You will not speak, because it gets only worse." He took a few steps ahead of me. "When I heard the speaking stop I went to check on Lothiriel, but what I saw enraged me."

As he said those words, the rest of the night began to clear as well. I touched my lips that were bruised when I awoke and I remembered slamming into Lothiriel, forcing her into my body with one hand. Even then I could remember what it felt like to have her struggling against me.

"If I had had my sword on my person I would have run you through."

I did not say anything. What was there to say? If I had witnessed something similar happen to Eowyn I would have killed a man with my bare hands.

"Now you may speak. What do you have to say for yourself?" Elphir demanded in a low growl.

"I have nothing to say for myself. I am ashamed, Elphir. I can make no excuses for my behavior." I could not even meet his eyes. "I am sorry, truly."

"If you think I am the one you owe an apology to, you are truly mistaken," Elphir responded, still glaring with those hard grey eyes.

"I will speak to Lothiriel if she will allow me to."

Without another word, Elphir began to walk off. Just as I began to leave to search for Lothiriel, he turned back around.

"Eomer-King, I know this marriage is arranged and that you and Lothiriel are to be married no matter what, but if you ever forget for even the tiniest instances how my sister deserves to be treated, I promise I will do in all in my power to make your life as miserable as I possibly can."

I had never seen such passion come from another man before. Of course, Lothiriel's three brothers had spent their lives defending and protecting her, they knew no other way, as I did not with my sister. After what Elphir had seen of me the previous night it was quite obvious that he perceived me as a real threat to not only his sister's happiness, but possibly her safety. In that moment of realization, I was enraged at myself. That was simply not who I was.

"Lothiriel deserves much better than the lot she has been given and you would do well to recognize that." After that, Elphir left for good, leaving me standing in the garden, my heart pounding and face burning with the pure shame of all of it.

First I went to the rooms where Lothiriel was staying. I knocked, but her lady in waiting answered the door, saying that the Princess had left some time ago without saying where she was going. I could tell that the woman was lying to me, but I was sure that Lothiriel had told her what had happened. What brief time we had spent together I had found that Lothiriel valued the woman, Adela, as though she were her own mother.

"Thank you," I said, nodding at the woman as I left. I wandered the halls, peeking into any open room I came across.

"Eomer, my friend, what on Arda are you searching for?" I turned to see Aragorn, with a smile on his face.

"You have not seen the Princess Lothiriel have you?" I asked hopefully.

"I have indeed. It seems that we were both seeking solitude away from the other guests and festivities. She was in the library last I saw her." He looked at me curious. "She seemed upset."

I nodded. "To be expected, I am afraid. It was brought to my attention that I made myself into a horse's ass last night."

Aragorn chuckled. "Yes well, sometimes the ale gets the better of us."

I smiled in agreement though my gut told me that Aragorn had never had too much to drink. He was sensible in all things I had learned since we first met not so long ago.

"I saw her a moment ago in the very back of the library," he repeated. "I expect she's still there." He clapped me on the shoulder. "Good luck, my friend."

I had been happier not knowing where Lothiriel was. It was easier to search for her than to actually speak and apologize to her.

My head had begun pounding again and my palms went clammy as I pushed the heavy door to the library open. I was terrified that she would be able to smell the ale despite the bath and menthol water I had used for my breath. It was dim, thank Bema, and I headed for the back of the library approaching the remote shelves of scrolls and books.

Lothiriel was not sitting at any of the tables or on the sofas that I passed and I turned to walk down a different aisle, but there she was, sitting on the floor, book propped on her legs, staring directly at me.

"Oh, milady, there you are!" I said in surprise. "Aragorn said I might find you here."

She nodded and stood. "You have found me." She tucked the book under arm and stared at me, waiting for more.

"I…should…no I want to…apologize," I stuttered out. Taking a deep breath, I tried again. "Lothiriel, I can make no excuses for my behavior last night. I would never intentionally disrespect you. I was not myself. I am deeply ashamed of my actions."

She continued to look at me wordlessly, so I continued. "I was upset that Eowyn was married and staring her new life, far away." Against my will a feeling of injustice was rising within me. "To be honest, I was upset that you were holding yourself so aloof from me!" I stopped talking immediately, wanting to kick myself. My apology had become self-pitying and accusatory towards her.

Her continued silence nearly drove me mad. Finally, she spoke in a level, emotionless voice.

"Eomer, I understand that you were upset and you had good reason to be." She sighed. "This agreement is clearly not congenial to either of us, but we must proceed for your people and mine. All I ask of you is a little respect in the future. Perhaps you might entertain other women privately."

I was shocked at her words. She implied that I might have mistresses. "Lothiriel-" I began, but trailed off, not sure how to proceed.

"We should be honest about such things from the beginning," she waved my flabbergasted expression away. "I shall not be bothered by such private engagements and that way you might at least remain happy."

To hear such words come from her mouth was devastating, not for me, but for her. It began to occur to me what she was sacrificing by going to Rohan and marrying me for her father and her people. Her expectations were unbelievably low.

"You are quite noble in your duties, Princess, but that is not how I would like our marriage to be." I took a step towards her and put her hand in mind. "I deeply regret my actions last night. I never want to hurt or disrespect you again, that is not what you deserve."

She began to try to pull her hand away, but I gripped it tighter.

"I feel as though we have not given this a chance. I wish for us both to be content. I wish for us to be friends at the least. I know that this is not what you had planned for yourself, but I hope that you and I can try to make it better than what you think it might be." I let her hand go and tried to offer her an encouraging smile, though in my ill state I imagined it was an ugly sight.

"I bend to Your Grace's wishes," she said in her irritatingly stiff and formal voice.

"Please do not do that," I said quietly.

"I must go." When I looked at her skeptically she continued, "I told Elphir and Klymena that I would watch their son so they might enjoy some time to themselves."

"Could I join you?"

It was her turn to look at me skeptically. "Are you not busy?"

"Not at all. This has been a retreat of sorts for me. My obligations have been minimal." I looked at her hopefully. In the past she had been less than receptive to me, but I wanted to try. After the way I had behaved and the realization of what she was going through I really did want to try to make her at least a little bit happy with me.

"I suppose that would be alright."

The smile on my face was huge. "Lead the way then."

I followed her through several corridors until we approached the hallway where the visitors from Dol Amroth had been lodged. She knocked on one of the doors and her sister-in-law came out. I had seen her before, but had not had the chance to speak much with her. She was taller than Lothiriel and her hair was a shade of auburn that I had never seen before.

"Klymena, I know that you have met Eomer-King briefly. He wanted to help with the watching of Alphros."

Lothiriel's sister-in-law dropped into a low curtsy, graceful even with the baby on her hip. I waved that away.

"That is perfect. Amrothos is in there," she said.

It was perfect timing because even though I was just beginning to familiarize myself with royal protocol, I knew that it would be improper to be in a private room, alone with Lothiriel. A chaperone would be required until we were married so that her purity might be preserved. It was quite unlike the customs of Rohan. Once a couple was betrothed, they were as good as married. Many Rohirric women went to the altar already expecting their first child.

"No need for such formalities with me, milady."

"Then there is no need for you to call me anything but Klymena." I gave her a gracious smile, thinking about how Lothiriel had yet to offer me the same treatment.

I watched as Lothiriel reached out to take Alphros.

"Elphir has gone to saddle the horses. We are taking a ride to the Glittering Caves."

I cannot say that I was upset that Elphir was not present after the encounter we had had a mere hour earlier.

"We will back later this afternoon. I left some warm porridge on the table for Alphros' lunch. He is probably getting hungry."

"Everything will be fine," Lothiriel assured her. I got the impression that Klymena did not often leave her son. "Enjoy your afternoon."

Klymena took her leave and we entered the common room. I noticed that it had several doors leading to it and thought that it must have been the hub for the royal family of Dol Amroth.

"Are you hungry?" Lothiriel murmured to Alphros. She took a seat next to her brother who was perusing a scroll and paid us no mind, though he seemed to know that he would be required to stay.

She tilted him back into the cradle of her arm and attempted to pick the bowl of porridge up at the same time she was trying to spoon the food into the child's mouth. She struggled and Amrothos was certainly not paying enough to attention to help her though he sat right next to his sister.

"Can I help?" I asked, gently.

She sighed and agreed, making room for me on the couch as she handed the bowl to me. The baby ate happily as spoonful after spoonful was put into his greedy mouth. We were silent and I studied her.

From the moment I had met her I had thought that she was attractive in such a unique, perhaps harsh way. She resembled her warrior brothers with a fierceness of facial expression and hardened features.

Alphros finished the bowl of porridge and began to doze in her arms as she wiped his face clean. I helped her to carefully stand, placing my hand under her elbow, so as not to jostle the baby and watched her as she walked into what must have been Elphir and Klymena's rooms to lay him down.

"You were staring," Amrothos said nonchalantly, not looking up from his parchment.

I shook my head and looked over at the youngest brother. "I suppose I was."

ooooOoooo

We had made it to Dol Amroth safely. I was awed by the sea. I had never seen anything like it. At night, with my windows open, the sound put me to sleep. I spent more and more time with Lothiriel and she seemed to be warming up to me if only just a little bit.

Unfortunately, our visit was to be a short one as I had many things in Edoras that needed attending to. We were approaching another planting season and with the way things were it was crucial that we have a surplus to store away for the winter. We stayed for only a week and it was hard for me to think of tearing Lothiriel away from her home, this time for a much longer time. We were five months away from our own wedding and after that no one could be sure of when they would see one another again.

On the last night of our stay, I left my rooms because I was not sleeping. I could not get my mind to slow down long enough. Just as I emerged I ran into someone, I figured a maid. I quickly reached out to steady them with my hands.

"Eomer," she said surprised.

"I apologize, milady," I whispered.

She was quiet for a moment and I did not remove my hands from her upper arms. The bare skin exposed by her nightgown was warm to the touch. "You may call me Lothiriel."

I smiled. I had waited so long and offered her every informality I could trying to get the same from her.

"Where were you off to?" I asked.

"I shall show you." She took my hand in hers. It was the first forward thing she had done in our courtship. She pulled me through corridor after corridor until I was not sure if I would be able to make it back to my room on my own. Finally, she stopped in front of a portrait.

I looked at it closely and only realized that it was not my betrothed when I looked at the inscription below.

"It is your mother," I said quietly.

Lothiriel nodded.

"I sometimes go to my mother's portrait in Edoras when I need peace and comfort too," I confided.

Lothiriel looked up at me and gave a small smile. I could only imagine the peace and comfort she was seeking the night before she was to leave for a still unfamiliar land to marry a rather unfamiliar man.

I stood in silence next to her. I had intruded on her moment and I did not want to detract from it. She had not released my hand and I was not upset to still have her small warm hand in mine. I could sense that she was crying. It hurt me to think that she was crying because of me, but I said nothing. She needed that time.

Later, we returned to our rooms without speaking. It was, for once, not uncomfortable.

The next morning I woke early and walked onto the balcony that overlooked the sea. As I looked down I could see Lothiriel swimming in the sea alone. She had a dark blue slip on that blended in with the morning waves. I smiled as I watched her. Her swimming was incredibly graceful. She swam on her stomach and floated on her back, her raven hair fanning out around her, making her look quite ethereal.

When she emerged back on the beach, I could not take my eyes away from her slim frame that the wet slip was clinging to. I had not paid much attention to her body before then, but it was out in the open then. I watched as she picked up a linen sheet and began to wring her long raven hair out.

As she flipped her hair behind her shoulders and wrapped the sheet around her, her eyes met mine. Lothiriel looked at me for a minute and then raised her hand in a wave. I returned the gesture. I did not wish to linger and embarrass her so I turned and went back into my room.

ooooOoooo

I made my way through the familiar halls of Edoras, glad to be back. It had been hard to say goodbye to Eowyn though I knew that she would be back in Edoras shortly for my wedding.

The door to Lothiriel's temporary room was ajar and I knocked gently.

"Come in," she called.

I stepped in, hiding the bag I held behind my back. "How is the unpacking coming?"

"It is a tedious job and Amrothos has abandoned me," she gave me a soft smile as she hung her dresses up in the bureau. Her brother had accompanied her to act as a chaperone until the wedding along with her woman, Adela.

"I have a little something to brighten the room a bit," I said, holding the bag out.

She took it. "What could this be? It is quite heavy." The bag was laid on the bed and she pulled out the jars of sand and sea water I had collected myself.

"I thought they might make you feel closer to home," I said earnestly.

Before I could take too much notice of the tears that had sprung to her eyes, she had wrapped her arms around me tightly, hiding her face in my chest.

What came next was muffled and almost intelligible, but it brought a smile to my face as I wrapped my arms around her tiny body. "Thank you."

Let me know what you thought! I love anything but hate comments and flames! Thanks for sticking with me to all of those who have!

Happy reading,

Avonmora