I cannot keep apologizing for my long delay in writing this story. However, as compensation this chapter is especially long. I am going to try (once more) to be more proactive about getting this story updated and finished soon. I hope you enjoy it and I can't wait to hear what you think.
Chapter Twenty-Five (Eomer)
Our return to Edoras took longer than it should have due to my still healing injury. The
Golden Halls were a welcome sight after our stay in Harrowdale. I hated to admit it, but I had
become accustomed to the luxuries of royalty.
After we had left our mounts in the stable, I went to head to my study to tend immediately to the issues that had been neglected in my absence. I turned left as Lothiriel turned right to go to our rooms and oversee the unpacking.
"Eomer, where are you going?" She called after me when she realized I was no longer at her side.
"To my study," I replied. "Surely there are things that need my attention."
Her hands went to her hips. "And surely they can wait until tomorrow morning. You need to rest."
A small smile crept onto my lips. I wanted nothing more than to have a warm meal brought to our rooms and settle under the blankets and furs of my bed with Lothiriel.
"If they cannot wait, then I will tend to them," Lothiriel said, reaching for my hand to ensure that I did not try to break away for my study once more.
I let her lead me into our rooms and she sent a servant after a meal for us to share in private.
"You are amazing," I said, stepping up behind her, where she was running a brush through her travel tangled hair. I stayed her hand and kissed her neck.
She laughed and reached behind her to stroke my cheek. "I am just trying to get you back on your feet. And that will require ample rest."
I nibbled her earlobe. "But I am not tired," I protested.
"And you are not healed either."
My hand slipped into the bodice of her dress of its own volition. "Then be gentle with me," I murmured against her smooth, warm skin.
Finally, she turned and met my lips with hers. "I refuse to nurse you back to health if you will undo every bit of healing your body has already undergone."
I chuckled, even as I crushed her against me. My fingers tangled themselves in her hair and she gave a low moan. As I began to pull Lothiriel towards our bed, there was a light knock on the door and then a surprised "Oh!" from the servant bringing our dinner in.
Pulling away from Lothiriel, I laughed and indicated where the tray could be set down.
Lothiriel had buried her face in my chest and her cheeks were still pink after the servant had left.
She moved toward the tray. "Eat Eomer," she said, again as though I were a child.
"I shall not be deterred," I growled in her ear.
"Oh trust me, I know you will not, but you will need your strength."
ooooOoooo
Things settled back down in Edoras and Lothiriel and I returned to a routine that closely
resembled that which we had followed when we were newlyweds. It was a peace that I had not
known in a long while. Rohan had seen a few successful harvests and was restoring itself to its
former glory more and more every day.
Lothiriel had begun to make plans for our Yule celebrations. I was very much looking
forward to returning to the home I had lived in while acting as the Thrird Marshal. I very much
wanted to share that place with Lothiriel. I wondered what our life together might have looked like if we had somehow been able to escape the fate of ruling.
"What are you thinking of, Eomer?" Lotiriel's voice broke through my reverie. She was
standing in the doorway studying me.
"Yule," I said with a gentle smile.
"Perfect, that is what I came to speak with you about." She took a seat on the other side of my desk.
"Do you think it might be possible to have a small celebration?" I asked. "To only take a small number of people?"
"Do you mean to leave the court behind?" Lothiriel asked. In the previous years, we had
celebrated in Meduseld with the entire court present.
"I would like to," I said seriously. "I would rather it just be us and family."
"And friends. We have already invited Legolas and Gimli."
"Of course, but do you think that is possible?" I asked.
Lothiriel shrugged. "You are the King, I suppose you can invite whoever you like."
"In that case, write to Eowyn and your family," I instructed.
"I doubt my entire family will be able to join us, but hopefully Amrothos and Dernhild will."
I nodded and then remembered that Klymena was probably very far along in her pregnancy by that point in time. Lothiriel was quiet as well and I imagined she was thinking of the same thing. So far, there had been no indication of another child for Lothiriel and I. I reached across the desk and took her hand in mine. "I am very much looking forward to this holiday season."
"As am I," she replied. "I will send out the invitations on your behalf and see what other
preparations need to be made." Lothiriel stood and smoothed her skirts.
"You are too good to me." I stood as well and leaned across the desk. "Let me thank you."
Lothiriel gave a light laugh, but obliged nonetheless and granted me a quick kiss.
"Is that it?" I asked, mock pouting.
"At least until you get some more work done," Lothiriel replied, nodding at the tall stack of documents that I had yet to attend to.
"You are so strict," I mumbled.
"Someone has to be," Lothiriel said over her shoulder as she left me to my work.
I did not immediately return to my work, but sat and thought about my decision to not
include my court. I imagined that it was the first time a King of Rohan had done such a thing. The court was an important part of any rule, but mine had let me down in their treatment of Lothiriel. It would be nice to get away from them. It had been a part of my rule that had been hard to adjust to.
When I had been just a rider no one had followed me around always seeking my favor. It was frankly irritating. There were days I wanted so badly to return to my days as a Marshal. Those years had been spent riding around the Realm. There were no meetings that lasted all day, no senseless talking with members of the court. The men who had been under my command had been of substance and integrity.
When I had these thoughts, I was always struck sharply with the realizations that if Theodred had lived I would not have married Lothiriel. Through all that we had endured, the thought of never meeting her sent pangs of sadness to my heart.
Lothiriel was much stronger than I had ever imagined. I could picture no shieldmaiden
handling the role of Queen of Rohan half as well as Lothiriel, the Gondoran flower, had. Sitting at my desk, I began to think of how terribly Lothiriel had been welcomed back to court after Amrothos and Dernhild's wedding.
When Hama came into the study later in the day, I had a request to make of him.
"Do you remember the man I told you about who had choice words for Lothiriel when she returned from Dol Amroth?"
"The young rider? Yes I remember. What about him?" Hama asked curiously.
"Bring him to me. There are issues that have yet to be addressed between him and I."
"Do you think that is a good idea, Eomer?" Hama asked, with a raised brow.
"Today I am not asking for advice," I said, interrupting him.
Hama nodded and left me alone once more. Lothiriel had told me that I was not to act as
though I was angry, but after I had spent the afternoon thinking of my wife I could not hold off any longer.
It was nearly an hour later when Hama knocked on my door and entered with the young rider.
"You may leave us, Hama."
The door closed gently once more.
I studied the man before me for a long moment. He was a perfect Rohirric specimen and he
seemed smug and arrogant as though something good was to come from his meeting with the King.
"I have let this matter rest for a while so you might not understand why you are here," I said. "When the Queen returned from Dol Amroth a few months ago, you had some choice words for her." The young man's face paled. "Do you remember what they were?"
He stuttered and said something I could not understand.
"Gondoran bitch," I said shortly, reminding him, while cutting his stammering off. "You called my wife and your Queen such a foul name." He began his stuttering again, but I raised a hand.
"That woman is the reason we survived, might I say thrived, after the War. She took huge steps to ensure that a people that were not even her own would make it through the most difficult years Rohan may have ever seen. Just recently, she insisted on accompanying me to Harrowdale, which was incredibly dangerous, in order to ensure that the people were safe and taken care of. I myself was injured as you know and the Queen was undaunted." I paused. The man had continued to grow more pale as I spoke.
"Did you have any idea about all of that?"
He shook his head and I stood and came around the desk. He began to back away as I came closer. I had kept my anger under control, but as I drew close enough to put my hands on him, I lost control. I grabbed him by his tunic and backed him into the closed door with force.
"Your first mistake was presuming to know anything accurate about the personal life of your King and Queen." I jerked him away from the door and shoved him back into it, harder, imagining that anyone in the vicinity of the study had heard the resounding thud. "Your second mistake was speaking on that ignorance and presuming there would no consequences."
I released him. "You will leave Edoras and go to the country, far away from here. I never
want to see you at my court again. I know, as you have demonstrated, that you struggle to
understand certain things, but do you understand what I am saying to you?"
He would not meet my gaze. "Yes, Your Grace."
I opened the study door. "You will be gone by sundown."
Nothing else was said as I shut the door behind him. I inhaled deeply and leaned against the door, running my hands through my hair.
After a while, I went back to my work. Hama later came back into my study.
"Are you sure that was wise, Eomer?" He asked quietly.
"I am positive," I replied firmly. "The people should know that though I strive to be a fair and generous King that there are consequences when they step out of bounds."
Hama nodded and left me once more. It was difficult, but I managed to work my way
through the stack of documents on my desk.
When I entered my bedchamber long after the sun had set, I was pleased to see that Lothiriel was still awake.
"Were you productive?" She asked, not looking up from my undershirt she was mending.
I did not respond and instead knelt before her. I took the mending from her hands and held them in my own.
"Eomer, what are you doing?" She asked in protest of her work being interrupted. She
looked into my face and must have seen something unusual there. "What is the matter? Are you alright?"
I pulled her from her chair and onto the floor with me and wrapped her tightly in my arms.
"I love you so much, Lothiriel," I said into her dark hair, emotion thickening my voice.
Lothiriel turned in my arms. "Eomer, what in all of Arda happened this afternoon?"
"I just realized not only how lucky I am, but how lucky Rohan is, to have you." I pulled her down onto my lap.
She reached out and stroked my stubbly cheek with a smile that looked to me unsure.
"I am serious," I said quietly, wrapping her tightly in my arms. "I could have never rebuilt my Realm without you." I pulled back and kissed her. After my afternoon of contemplating the role my wife had played in my life, I wanted her as I never had before.
I laid her down on the furs that covered our bedroom floor in the cold winter months.
"Eomer!" Lothiriel laughed.
I kissed her and buried a hand in her hair. "Shhh," I murmured as I went to kiss her neck. I felt her heartbeat quicken under my lips as my other hand made its way to her chest, slipping into the informal dress she was wearing.
Lothiriel brought my lips back to hers as her arm snaked around my neck. I allowed my hand to travel further down her body, pulling the skirt of her dress so it bunched around her waist. My fingers trailed gently over her thighs and stomach teasingly.
My wife deepened her kisses, but I pulled away. "I must have you," I breathed. I kneeled above her and freed myself from my breeches, not bothering with the rest of my clothes.
As I grasped her thighs and yanked her to me, she a gave a gasp of surprise and pleasure. I
imagined her legs would be bruised the next day and that made me drive into her even harder,
claiming her as mine in a raw, carnal manner. I was so delirious with pleasure that I was hardly aware of where I was.
"Eomer," Lothiriel moaned. Her eyes were closed and she was biting her lower lip. As much as I wanted to continue on in a such a manner forever, the sight of her pleasure was too much.
Lothiriel laid her head on my chest when I laid down next to her. The fire was dying down and so I pulled her close to my side.
"Did that hurt?" She asked, running her fingers over the wound that I had obtained in Harrowdale.
"Did it seem like it?" I asked with a drowsy smile.
"I suppose not," she replied with a light laugh. "Now come my lord, the floor is no place for
a King." Lothiriel began to stand up.
"Tonight I am not the King," I said, pulling her back down so she was straddling my hips. "Tonight I am merely a horse lord."
Lothiriel bent over me and nibbled my earlobe. "No, it appears I am the horse master
ooooOoooo
Another month passed and the time was approaching to leave for the Aldburg. I was growing quite anxious. The thought of returning to where I had spent most of my time as a child was so unbelievably welcome that I could barely concentrate on the work I had to accomplish. I wanted to get as much as possible done before we left so that I might truly be able to enjoy the experience of showing Lothiriel one of my favorite places and my favorite time of year.
In Edoras, with all of the court present, in the previous years of our marriage we had not immersed ourselves so much in the traditions of Yule. It was difficult with so many people present. Lothiriel and I had exchanged gifts quietly in our own chambers. However, at the Aldburg our numbers would be few and it would be possible to truly show her what a Rohirric Yule looked like.
A servant poked her head into my study as I was transferring another piece of parchment to my completed pile. "The prince and princess of Dol Amroth are here," she said, bowing her head as she left.
As Lothiriel predicted, only Amrothos, Dernhild, and Bregdan were joining us for Yule. The rest of the family had stayed behind because Klymena was so close to bringing her second child into the world. Dernhild was the only one with a real tie to what a Rohirric Yule meant anyway and had insisted they come, so that Bregdan could enjoy it and show Amrothos something else from her life.
I stood and adjusted my clothes so they did not look as though I had been sitting at my desk all day. Lothiriel was just about to enter the entryway as I was. Her countenance was lighter at the prospect of seeing her family once more. I knew that she had grown to love Rohan, but it would never replace the years she had spent next to the sea with her brothers and father.
I placed a kiss on her cheek and looped her arm through mine. As we emerged onto the outdoor landing, I tucked her under my arm. The cold winds were whipping through Edoras, the banners flapping wildly.
Amrothos, Derhild, and Bregdan were wrapped tightly in fur-lined cloaks from their journey and Bregdan had a tight grip on his mother's skirts, probably fearing that he would be blown away.
"Your Realm is nice enough to visit in the summer, but this winter nonsense I am unaccustomed to," Amrothos grumbled as he shook my hand. I laughed and led them into Meduseld.
A servant came and collected their cloaks and Lothiriel and I led the way to a private sitting room with a roaring fire. She sent for a jug of warmed cider to be brought for the guests.
"How was the trip?" I asked, as I settled into an overstuffed armchair. The three travelers had positioned themselves right in front of the fire and were warming their hands.
"Delightful until we got far enough from Dol Amroth to be cold," Amrothos grumbled again.
Dernhild smiled over her shoulder over at us. "I never minded the winter in all of the years that I lived here, but after spending so much time in the warmth of Dol Amroth, it is difficult to come back at this time of year," she admitted.
"Perhaps we will visit you next year then," Lothiriel said. The tray of refreshments had been brought in and she was pouring goblets out for the adults. She handed a smaller one to Bregdan.
"This has quite a kick to it," Amrothos said after drinking deeply.
"Yes, well sometimes it takes more than a fire to warm you up," I replied with a wink.
By the end of the evening, after a hearty meal and several more goblets of the cider, we were all drowsy and ready for bed.
Amrothos and Dernhild refused the offer of nicer rooms and instead took the rooms that she and Bregdan had inhabited when she had been one of Lothiriel's ladies. After we saw them settled in, we made our way to our own rooms, once more greeted by a warm and welcoming fire. Even in the corridors of Meduseld there was a draft.
I settled myself under the pile of furs we had put on the bed as autumn came to a close and winter came in full force. When Lothiriel joined me in her heavy nightgown I pulled her into my chest and inhaled the sweet scent of her hair, happy that our families would soon be together and that we would be on our way for a respite away from the court.
ooooOoooo
It was only a few days later when Eowyn and Faramir arrived from Ithilien. This time our receiving party was a little larger as Amrothos and Dernhild came along to greet the couple. Again, a servant took their cloaks, but this time my jaw practically hit the cold stone floor with what met my eyes.
Eowyn's stomach was visibly distended and Lothiriel immediately rushed forward to embrace her, along with Dernhild. The men shook hands and congratulated Faramir. Amrothos made dirty jokes quietly so the women would not hear. Normally, I might have joined in, if my sister were not the one intimately involved with the proud father.
I watched Lothiriel carefully, reading her face for any sign of distress. She had held herself together the best she could when she found out that Klymena was expecting again, but I was uncertain of how many more similar blows she could take when we did not have the same joyous news to share. However, Lothiriel pulled Eowyn tightly against her once more when Dernhild released her and even placed a hand on the bump that was my niece or nephew.
"I did not want to tell you in a letter," Eowyn said, smiling. "I thought that would be a bit impersonal, especially with our impending visit."
"I am glad you did not. What a wonderful Yule surprise!" Lothiriel was actually beaming, but I would make sure to be near to her when we were alone in case she could not handle someone else's good news one more time.
"Should you have come all this way in your condition?" I asked.
As soon as I said it, I was nervous for her reply. Truthfully, Eowyn and I had not been on good terms since the affair came out. She had stopped writing to me and had held out much longer than Lothiriel in her anger and hurt. In inviting her to our Yule celebrations, I had hoped to mend things.
"Oh, I already raised a fuss," Faramir said with a soft smile. "Clearly, my concerns fell upon deaf ears."
"Well Eomer knows that shieldmaiden ride up until they go into labor," Eowyn rolled her eyes.
I gave a laugh, though I could tell that such a conversation between a man and a woman made my Gondoran counterparts uncomfortable. Faramir and Amrothos seemed immensely uneasy about discussing labor, but for many Rohirric fathers it was something they experienced. It was something I hoped I would get to someday experience.
"That is true," I admitted. "So here you are."
"Indeed," Eowyn said, looping her arm through Lothiriel's and pulling her through her old home, giving me no more of her attention. I had to admit that it stung. I had once been her everything when we were young and our parents were no longer with us. I swore to myself that I would remedy the situation as soon possible.
ooooOoooo
The next day, early in the morning, I knocked on my sister and brother-in-law's bedroom door. I knew that Eowyn was an early riser so I was surprised to have my knock answered by Faramir.
"Good morning, Eomer," he said. He seemed very chipper to be up so early. "What are you doing up and about at this hour?"
"I was hoping to speak with Eowyn," I replied, trying to hide my nerves. My sister and I had hardly ever fought, but when we had it was devastating. She was a force all her own and had a fierce anger that could burn inside of her.
A shadow crossed over Faramir's face and it was then that I had understood that my sister had not forgotten about her disappointment in me. If anything, the look on his face proved that she was still very much nursing that resentment and confiding in her husband about it.
"I will get her for you."
I stood outside the rooms for a few more moments. I could hear the two discussing something in hushed tones, but I had not the slightest idea what it might mean for me. I hoped that Faramir was telling her to go easy on me, to let go of her anger. He was a kind and noble man.
"Brother," Eowyn said shortly as she stepped out into the corridor, pulling a shawl around her shoulders and closing the door behind her. "What did you wish to speak of so early in the morning?"
"Surely you might be able to guess," I said quietly.
When she did not respond, I continued. "You have not written to me in over a year and we clearly do not share the relationship we once did."
Eowyn took a deep breath. "I guess I am unsure of what you are confused about. Do you not understand why that is?"
"Of course I do," I sighed. "But Lothiriel has forgiven me. We are quite happy once more. What I do not understand is how, if my own wife can forgive me, the actual woman who was hurt because of my choices, why can you not? You are my sister. We are supposed to support each other through everything that life brings our way. We have no one else that understands us the way we do."
"Do you think our father would have ever dreamt of having an affair if he had lived?" Eowyn asked.
I was taken aback by the question.
"Even though he was surrounded by men who slept with women who were not their wives, though I was only a child, I do not think that is something he would have ever done," she continued. "I thought you had that same honor. You had always protected me and you always seemed so noble and above the cheap temptations of this world, but you proved me wrong."
Thoughts swirled around in my head, though nothing came to mind that I could say to her. I had never thought that she would tie her anger with me to thoughts of our parents.
"Eowyn," I began.
"Truly, I am not sure that there is anything you can say to help me forget about this and forgive you."
"Then I will have to suffer with that knowledge the rest of my life," I responded sadly. The breach between us was growing when I wanted this visit to signify the end of her resentment towards me. "And I will suffer through it, but I do not want it to be this way between us." I sighed. "Eowyn, you are about to have a child, who will be my niece or nephew. I do not want to miss out on that relationship."
"The prospect of becoming a mother has intensified the feelings I have towards you and your past decisions. If my child is a daughter, I cannot imagine someone breaking her heart in such a way. If it is a son, it is even harder for me to imagine him behaving in such a cruel manner."
I nodded. It all made sense to me, though that did not mean I was going to give up. "I understand that Eowyn. I just want you to know that I have been trying to get back to the man I was before. I have been trying to live my life honorably and with dignity. I have not felt remorse like that in a very long time. At the end of every day I evaluate my actions and so far they have been commendable. It has been a hard fought battle and one that will probably never end, but I am trying to put that behind me so that I might be the husband, King, and brother I was before."
Eowyn did not meet my gaze and she seemed to be thinking over my words. When she did not speak I figured that I had done all that I could to try and convince her to come around.
"Let us just enjoy this visit and perhaps your mind will be put at ease," I said quietly, hopefully.
There you have it. I'd love to know what you thought. I'm also starting to see the end of this story and it could be finished in one more chapter and an epilogue, but if inspiration strikes there might be more. This means I've been thinking about a new story. Let me know if you have any ideas.
Happy reading,
Avonmora