Chapter 18
Father's expression remained impassive as they walked out of the King of Rohan's rooms, and did not change until they had found a quiet corner in one of the Citadel's great hallways. His retainers fell back at his gesture, and once he and his daughter had some semblance of privacy, he allowed concern to enter his features.
"What do you think, daughter?" he asked Lothíriel, speaking in a low voice. She knew he would soon have to get back to King Elessar, but at least there was a chance to talk briefly.
"I'm all right, Father", she reassured him gently, touching his sleeve. "I'm not scared. Éomer has told me he will support me no matter what I decide and I trust him with all my heart."
She hesitated, and deliberated how much to tell him. But she could see his worry and anxiety and she could not bear to let him think that she was up against something that was too much to handle.
"It's fine, really. We both know what his council expects, but he told me he won't pressure me into anything. He – he promised we'll take it slowly. And that he'd always protect me", Lothíriel said, even more quiet. She was certain that protection also included the event of her husband's untimely passing, although the thought was too painful to dwell on for long.
Father looked a little bit awkward at first, doubtless thinking of what "taking it slowly" entailed, but eventually his expression settled. She watched him closely and thought that, awkward as it was for him to think of her as a wife and all that it meant, this information helped.
"He will take care of you, I have no doubt of that and it helps me to be open to the idea", Father said at length. "But it is still an enormous change, and it comes so much sooner than I thought it would. I know you can do it, but I still worry. Did you have a chance to talk about what would happen after the wedding? Does he expect to send you back to Rohan?"
"There was no time to talk about that, but he did say he won't send me anywhere I don't wish to go. And I wonder how much good I could do, even if I did travel tor Rohan. I don't know the language or the customs", she said, frowning slightly.
"Yet a throne is a throne, and you've ruled before", Father pointed out.
"I expect that is what his people were thinking, too. But if I walk down this path, I think I will probably want to stay close to Éomer. Or, at least as close as I can. I have no business in the front lines, of course", said Lothíriel.
He let out a sigh and reached his hand to touch her shoulder.
"Well, whatever you decide to do, I will support you and help you any way I can. I know there is not much time, but don't hurry with the decision. We can bargain for some time", he told her.
"What do you think of all this?" she asked him.
"It's not easy for me, daughter", Father said, meeting her eyes gravely. "But after Emyn Arnen… I've watched you two together enough to know you'll be safe and loved. It's the reason I can bear this. And you ruled Dol Amroth while I was in the war and can take the pressure. After what my actions put you through, it's not for me to say what you can bear. I trust your judgement, whatever you decide to do. And I will be there for you, no matter what happens next."
"What are we going to tell Erchirion, though?"
"… let me think about that, daughter."
Of course, it was not going to go so smoothly.
"So what's going on?"
Amrothos did not waste time to ask this question when Lothíriel got back to the town house. Father remained behind at the Citadel, tied up in meetings as he was. Now she hoped she had stayed behind as well. She had not expected her brothers would have returned to their town-house and she hadn't thought she would have to explain everything by herself. Without Father's support, it was not going to be so easy.
But now she was facing her brothers, both of whom had been waiting for her in the entrance hall and were now staring at her expectantly.
"We heard you and Father had some kind of a formal meeting with Éomer and his folk. Why would he arrange something like that?" Erchirion wanted to know. Like her and Father, her brothers had instantly sensed something was afoot.
There was no use in trying to keep it from them. Rumours would spread soon enough and she would have to confront the rest of her family sooner or later. And they would wish to hear the news from her, not some stranger.
"He wanted to talk about his council's request. They are not happy about him going to war, and so they have proposed that he should marry me as soon as possible", Lothíriel said, putting aside her light cloak.
"What!" her brothers exclaimed at the same time. But where Amrothos' expression was hilariously entertained, Erchirion looked deeply shocked.
"You heard me. They want a quick wedding before the campaign starts."
"Elbereth, I knew something was up. What did you say to them?" Amrothos demanded.
"I didn't give an answer yet. I have a couple of days to consider it", she said, moving past them and swiftly towards the drawing room; she had a feeling this could quickly turn into a scene.
Her brothers followed suit.
"Surely you mean to refuse it!" Erchirion nearly exclaimed, hurrying to her side, almost blocking her from opening the door. She gave him a look, at which he made some space, and entered the room. Her brothers followed suit, both highly agitated.
"I have not yet decided. But either way, I don't think I should declare my refusal so hastily", she told him.
"Nor should you! Please tell them yes. I need you to tell them yes, because this is the greatest thing that's happened to us this whole year!" Amrothos babbled excitedly.
"Our family's life and relationships are not the vehicle of your amusement, Amrothos!" Erchirion snapped.
"Isn't it? Well, I find that very disappointing!" Amrothos shot back.
Lothíriel felt the beginnings of a headache behind her eyes and she sat down heavily.
"Calm down, both of you. Like I said, I haven't made up my mind yet."
"You can't be considering this seriously", Erchirion said, sitting right in front of her and staring hard at her. She met his stare evenly.
"And why shouldn't I?"
"Because it's madness! There's a proper way of doing things and this is not it. You've been betrothed only for a few weeks, you have had no time to prepare for anything, and now they want to throw you straight into the cold water? What is Éomer even thinking?" Erchirion said, still heated although he was trying to hold down his tone.
She raised a brow.
"If they do, it's a good thing I know how to swim."
Amrothos chortled, but Erchirion looked unimpressed.
"Now is not a time for smart comments, sister!"
"I'm not some scared child you need to protect. I will gladly listen to your opinion and take it to consideration, but the decision is mine alone. You will not change it by shouting at me like this. And leave Éomer out of it! The suggestion was not his idea and he has gone beyond his way to make sure that I feel safe and comfortable", she said, her voice taking a sharper note than she had intended.
"You must see their point of view, brother. Éomer is the last they got, now that Éowyn is married to our cousin. And if he had any doubt whether our sister can do it, he would not have even allowed them to speak of it", Amrothos pointed out, surprisingly level-headed for once.
But Erchirion would not have level-headedness.
"How is their succession our problem?" he snapped.
"I did indicate myself as a willing participant to the solution, brother. Maybe not so soon, but you can't blame them for thinking of it", Lothíriel pointed out.
"It's not right! They have no right! Who do these people think they are, demanding you as a collateral and some kind of a -"
She could just tell worse things would spill out if she did not stop him. His ranting was no longer rational, if it ever had been, but had entered some region of emotion where his guilt and regret reigned. Lothíriel rose to her feet.
"Who did you think you were when you drove Éomer away from my side? What right did you have to offend the King of Rohan? Did you expect it would go unnoticed and unmentioned just because he likes our father? He may have forgiven it for the sake of friendship, but among the lords of Rohan there are other men just as proud as him, and much less tolerant. Have care, brother, before you give them even more leverage!" she said, her voice fierce and strong. She had not wanted to bring this up, knowing it would be painful for her brother, and she instantly regretted her choice of words. But it had already been a long day, and there were still hours to go; she had no time or energy for this particular argument. Her headache had turned into a slow ache, but it was nothing compared to the strangling feeling in her throat.
Both Erchirion and Amrothos had fallen silent and the former seemed to have lost some of his colour as he stared at her in shock. She could see the realisation dawn in his eyes as he finally came to grips with his part in the situation. But she could not watch it and with a frustrated groan, she turned and fled the drawing room.
Her brothers did not seek her again that day, or at least not beyond Amrothos' quick and hasty visit to her rooms. He looked deeply troubled as he told her 'we're going to talk about this later', but that later time never came, at least not before it was time to head for the Citadel again.
That evening, King Elessar and Queen Arwen hosted dinner in Merethrond. It was a smaller occasion than usually, probably because everyone seemed to agree it was not prudent to feast very boisterously just before a campaign. The King of Rohan and his immediate company were present, of course, and so were the Amrothians among a few others of King Elessar's inner circle. Only Erchirion was absent, pleading sudden illness, much to his sister's regret. She was worried her outburst had upset him beyond even what she expected. As they made way to the Citadel, Amrothos had reassured her their brother would be all right, but she hoped he would not do anything foolish. Sometimes, Erchirion could be even more thoughtless than Amrothos. One small grace in the situation was that Father was too distracted to interrogate them over his second son's absence; King Elessar had kept him busy the whole day and he only made a stop at the family's town house to change clothes and collect his children to accompany him to Merethrond.
Lothíriel's headache had not eased during the afternoon, it had worsened in fact, but she had still made ready for the evening. Staying at home was not an option: she knew Rohirrim were expecting to see her tonight and Master Ceolmund would probably be the first in line to corner her. As such, she could not let any discomfort show, and least of all her regret over the confrontation with Erchirion. It stayed at the back of her mind like a thorn, but she knew that any show of unease from her would be noticed and probably understood in the wrong way by the Rohirrim.
Thankfully, Éowyn joined her almost as soon as the Amrothians had arrived in Merethrond, while Amrothos wandered off to meet his friends and Father was more or less snatched by Lord Húrin of the Keys to talk some business of the realm with other leading nobles. The White Lady asked no questions about how she felt, what she was going to do, and whether she was very frustrated with the situation. It was refreshing and relieving and Lothíriel was deeply thankful for her friend's tact. The only thing Éowyn said was, "If you need anything, if it's a pair of ears to vent your spleen or a shoulder to cry on, I'm here."
Even so, she did not get to enjoy her friend's society for very long. Master Ceolmund appeared as quickly as a shark that has smelled blood in water. Lothíriel took a deep breath.
"Ah, there you are, Master Ceolmund. I was wondering when you would appear", Éowyn said. Her tone was straightforward, though she smiled. Lothíriel had taken the old man for the prickly kind, but Éowyn's words only earned a slight smile from him. It seemed Éomer had not been wrong when he had said this old warrior was fond of Éowyn.
"My ladies", he greeted them, bowing. "I'm sure I am interrupting, but Lady Lothíriel did promise to speak with me."
"Do mind your manners, Ceolmund. We don't want our Amrothian friends thinking we are completely savage", Éowyn said, her tone light enough but with a bare hint of steel underneath.
"You need not worry, my lady Éowyn. Your brother the King already made a point of chastising me", he answered, unfazed.
Elbereth, it really was no exaggeration when people talked about Rohirric bluntness. Gondorians would have made the effort to veil their true meaning in fairer words, although the real message would be clear to a seasoned courtier. This difference in cultures was a little bit shocking, even after all Lothíriel's exposure to Éomer's folk. But she hid these thoughts carefully.
"We will be fine, Éowyn. I did promise some private words to Master Ceolmund", she told her friend.
"Very well. But I hope to talk to you later. We have not yet had a chance to catch up", Éowyn said before taking her leave.
There was a brief silence between Lothíriel and the old Rohir. Their gazes met, and for a moment it seemed like each was sizing up the other. She noticed his sharp eyes and the mouth that had something stubborn about it, and knew that she would do well to take care with her words. Here was a prickly man indeed, but what were his aims and motives? Éomer had said his mind was not yet fully made about her. Flattery would not win him over, but perhaps she should look to the old proverbs about Rohirrim. Sincerity might be her best ally.
"I must say, I have much looked forward to meeting you, my lady. My king has scarcely spoken of anything else since he came home last month", he broke the silence at last.
"What has he said about me? I hope he has spoken more from his reason than his heart, for otherwise I doubt I will be able to live up to descriptions", Lothíriel said and accepted a glass of wine from a servant passing by them. She didn't think it was going to help with her headache, but having the glass ready at hand might be useful in case she needed a moment or two to think of an answer.
"If Éomer King is to be believed, you are the fairest, the wisest and the most capable lady that now walks the earth. But worry not, my lady. I know how to listen to lovesick men, and how to parse truth in their words", Ceolmund replied. It could be seen as a brash answer bordering on arrogant, but she sensed he was not being rude for rudeness' sake.
"Then he has spoken from his heart, for I don't think I am any of those things. Yet perhaps he took words from the right source, however undeserving I may be of such praises. Our union may be a commonly desired outcome because it's good for both our Houses, but I did not pledge my troth to him with utility in mind. I have loved your king almost from the moment I first saw him", she said softly, and though her last words especially were not easily shared, she still delivered them without looking away from the old Rohir's eyes.
For the first time, she thought he looked a little bit surprised. Clearly, he had not expected her to speak so bluntly.
"Indeed, my lady?" he said and sipped his own wine. He had come prepared, too.
"I know how it may sound like, but it is the truth."
Having collected himself, Ceolmund then spoke, "I will be frank with you, my lady. I have had my doubts about you and your feelings. Éomer King makes no secret of his own, but I've never seen him quite so beside himself with..." – he hesitated with his choice of word – "affection. I beg your pardon, lady, but I was almost certain it was not as mutual as he believed."
"And why would you think that?"
He smiled wryly.
"Lady, don't think only you have prejudices about your neighbours. We Rohirrim also have them, and I never thought that a lady of Gondor would be interested in anything else than a marriage of convenience. You might feign tender feelings to persuade my lord, but is the sentiment genuine? Or is there something else behind it?"
"What do you think now?" she asked him.
"For now, I am willing to entertain that it is exactly what it looks like. But there are other issues one may still consider", he pointed out.
"And what might these be? The fact that I don't know your language or customs?"
"You tell me, lady. Are you willing to learn our ways and speak our tongue?"
"I never thought I wouldn't. I took it as granted that I would learn as much about Rohirrim as I can", she answered. Now she thought she could see a tiny smile on his features.
"Then I don't see a hindrance in that regard. Your willingness is what matters. But there are other questions. Your different backgrounds, for one, and your younger age. Of course, my lady Éowyn and her husband get along famously, but I took it for merely a happy accident. And Lord Faramir is a man not unfamiliar with toil and sorrow, like her. Some may rightly ask if a lady of gentle disposition is able to comprehend burdens such as my king has carried from since he was a young lad."
"I will freely admit my life was sheltered and have not witnessed such horrors as King Éomer, but don't think it means I was kept entirely from the world. Despite my age, I've already ruled in my father's stead. I would have gone down fighting and protecting my people in Dol Amroth, had war come even to my homeland's gates. But I don't think your king and I are as different as you might assume. It's between me and him, but we've established that where it matters, we are well-matched", she told him calmly.
Ceolmund regarded her for a moment in silence. She could only wonder what thoughts went through his mind then, but she could tell their movement was rapid.
"This is most intriguing. Perhaps it bodes well that you and the King are off to such a strong start. Let us hope it will carry you through your ordeals, for ordeals there will be before the Riddermark is fully healed from war", he said at length. It appeared he accepted her words as sincere, even saw some merit in the fact that this was not to be merely a marriage of convenience.
"I have no doubt of that. My family has told me many tales of how much your people suffered in the last years. As the Queen of Rohan, I will not spare my efforts to help them", Lothíriel said. There it was, that word she had not spoken out loud until now. Even though the man on the front of her would make her the bearer of the title as soon as possible, it still did not feel quite real. Perhaps it would not before she saw Rohan, and Edoras the capital of Rohirrim.
"Then you must realise that you could help them right now. They need their king to return safely from this new war – and perhaps the thought of you, as his wife, might finally teach him the care he needs to take of himself", Ceolmund pointed out.
She offered him a wry smile.
"I will not give you an answer tonight, Master Ceolmund."
He shrugged and a hint of a smile seemed to appear on his bearded face.
"Well, I had to try, didn't I?" he said. This surprised her: she hadn't thought he had a sense of humour.
"I would be disappointed if you didn't", she replied, the words tumbling out before she could check them. But something had changed in the course of this talk. She didn't feel as wary of him as she had before, and thought that the feeling was mutual. Maybe she had already proven to this man that his doubts about her were needless. Be that as it may, she knew she would be doing herself a favour if she won him over. Not just for the present circumstances, but for the day in future she would come to Edoras as Éomer's queen.
"Now that we are talking frankly, I hope you don't mind me asking what is your personal take in this situation. Which one matters more to you: your king married before he goes to war, or the House of Dol Amroth making amends for my brother's behaviour?" she asked him now, looking at him straight in the eyes. He lifted his brow just slightly and she could tell that even now her boldness took him aback.
"I don't think I can answer the question as you would like, lady. For me, these are two separate issues which just happen to have the same solution. But it is like Lord Dunstan said. Many of us Rohirrim think a time for words has passed, and we want to see something tangible. We want to see once and for all whether Gondor truly regards us worthy of more than just spare swords and bodies to throw at your enemies. It goes beyond the incident with your brother, long into the past of our people's relationship with Gondor. Some might say it's an unfortunate coincidence that you are caught in the middle of it, but I? Now that I've seen you, lady, I do not think it's unfortunate at all", he answered.
"Thank you for your candour, Master Ceolmund", she said. No matter what her first impressions had been, she now felt like it was possible to get along with this old Rohir. All it took was honesty. Yet it could be difficult too, she had no doubt of that.
"And I thank you for your openness. But make no mistake: this is a grave matter and all of us in the King's Council are willing to go beyond our way to give our people the security they require. Rohan needs her king to thrive. We need him to live, and to have a child. These are facts, although I am aware they put you under very specific obligations. But you must have also known these facts when you accepted him as your husband to be, and I do not get the feeling like it scares you. Are you then the woman who fills my king's tales and seemingly at least half of his waking thoughts? Perhaps you are, or perhaps you are not. It's up to you to show us. But for my part, I would call that woman my queen", Ceolmund said in the familiar grave tone, all hints of humour gone once more.
It was a tall order. How could one hope to live up to such expectations? But then Lothíriel realised that was not what Ceolmund meant, or what Éomer meant when he spoke of her as the fairest or the wisest. All his words and praise were to say that he loved her, and that he believed she was up to the task. And all that was expected of her was to answer that love and accept the duty that came with it.
Éomer had hoped that he would be able to catch Lothíriel before dinner, but from the moment he arrived at Merethrond, he was surrounded by people and targeted with so many questions that there was no hope of getting away from them. He just about had time to spot her talking to Ceolmund – he surely hoped that the old man would keep the warning in mind – and then the company was already summoned to the table. While he was seated between Aragorn and Lord Húrin, Lothíriel was too far away to talk to, although her eyes would often meet his own.
He had already spoken with Aragorn about the council's request. His friend had not seemed particularly surprised, nor had Éomer expected him to be. Aragorn knew Rohirrim from years gone by, which was often convenient in their talks; he didn't need to explain every little thing to his fellow king. Aragorn had said that frankly, from Gondor's point of view, the marriage was an advantageous outcome and he was not going to oppose it. In fact, he and Arwen would be glad to host the wedding, and provide Lothíriel with lodgings and household if she chose to stay in Minas Tirith after the union. The Rohir had thanked his friend in relief. At least that was one thing he did not need to worry about right now.
He tried to keep up a conversation with his friends, but it was not easy when his thoughts often turned to his bride. She looked a little bit weary – understandable for anyone unused to Ceolmund – and he decided that something sweet was in order before the day was done. Béma, had they both earned it after today.
So, once the dinner was done and the crowds began to mill again about him and Aragorn, Éomer quickly said good night to his friend. Then, brushing aside or simply ignoring the people vying for his attention, he began to make his way to Lothíriel. Ploughing through a crowd was moderately easy with his bulk, which he unashamedly used to his advantage.
His betrothed was still talking with Éowyn when he arrived, but her tired eyes lit up and she shifted, looking like she had meant to move into his personal space but stopped herself just in time. Unfortunately, because he would dearly have liked to wrap his arms around her and hold her tight.
"Hello, my dear. I am sorry I couldn't catch you sooner", he greeted her, picking up her hand and kissing her knuckles. She beamed.
"It's fine. You looked busy", she said.
"It's no excuse. Most of it was a waste of my time."
Lothíriel was too well-mannered to say anything to that, but Éowyn let out an ugly snort.
"Don't let anyone hear that, brother!" she said.
"Good night, Éowyn", he told his sister with a tone of finality and barely paid heed to her answer, delivered in the all too familiar impertinent tone. She swept off, presumably to look for Faramir.
Éomer fixed his eyes on Lothíriel. "I hope this day has not been too hard for you."
"Darling man. I won't say it has gone exactly like I thought, but it's nothing I can't take", she replied, smiling.
"And Ceolmund didn't upset you?"
"He did not. His way of talking takes some getting used to, but he wasn't unkind. He actually said you scolded him before!" she said, eyes glinting.
He scowled.
"Aye, I told him to be nice to you. And I will tell him again, if he somehow forgets it. But I'm glad he paid heed to my warning", Éomer said wryly, though he was quietly satisfied. He had never thought Lothíriel couldn't handle the old man, but this was a trying time for her and he wanted to make it easier where he could.
"When do I get to hear more about your aunt, though? She seems like a wonderful woman and I bet she has a hoard of incredible stories", Lothíriel commented.
"She has stories, indeed. But she doesn't often share them, even with me. I'll tell you more about her when I can. I was thinking, actually... well, I don't know if I should be mentioning this yet, but if you decide to say yes, then Hild is willing to stay with you for a while wherever you choose to reside while I'm away. Teach you the language and our ways, and any such things you wish to know about Rohan", he offered carefully. He hadn't meant to say this now, because it might make her feel like he had already everything figured out and she had no say in the matter.
"That could be very interesting", she said evenly, nodding her head. Éomer was relieved. It sounded like his betrothed was at least open to entertaining the idea.
"But either way, I'm sure she can make time for you. Hild isn't as obnoxious about it as some are, but she is curious about you, too", he said with a wry smile.
It was then Imrahil pushed through the crowd and joined the two of them.
"There you are, daughter", he said, nodding also at Éomer. "Did you enjoy the dinner?"
"As much as one can enjoy these occasions. But it was nice talking to Éowyn", Lothíriel answered.
"Good. Are you ready to go home now?" Imrahil inquired, much to Éomer's disappointment. He had hoped for more time to talk to his betrothed.
"I suppose we can go", Lothíriel said with her usual grace, although he saw how she flashed a glance at him; she was disappointed, too. But then her eyes lit up again and she asked, "Could Éomer come and have breakfast with us tomorrow, Father? That is, if your morning isn't full of appointments yet."
He was sure there was something, but he swiftly decided he could postpone or cancel previous engagements. Any time spent in her company was highly desirable, no matter what she would answer. But it was particularly so if she refused and he would go to war knowing that there were still many long months to go before the wedding could even be imagined.
"I would be glad to join you", he said, trying not to sound too excited by the idea, although he was sure he didn't fool either of the Amrothians.
"You are most welcome, of course", Imrahil replied. It was a good thing to see that the royal council's actions had not raised bad blood, and the Prince didn't appear resentful either for Lothíriel or Erchirion's sake.
"I will try to make some time for you tomorrow. Perhaps you could show me around in the city", Éomer said, making her smile.
"That would be lovely", she said. What was that tightness about her shoulders, though? It was as if keeping her head up was really taking a toll on her. He hoped it was just exhaustion, but he made a mental note of paying close attention to her tomorrow. Either way, he could only admire her resilience and her ability to remain collected even under so much stress.
"Have you seen your brother?" Imrahil said, craning his neck to glance around them. Some of the dinner guests still talked in small parties, but others were slowly pouring out of Merethrond and into the clear air of evening. At last, it was time to let go of her hand, which he did regretfully.
"Not since the dinner ended. I don't think he will be joining us", said Lothíriel, receiving her cloak from one of the Swan Knights who had now come to join them. High summer had passed and nights were getting more chilly, although here in southern lands it would still be many months before winter came. With any luck, the campaign might be over by then.
"In that case, I suppose he will make his own way home. Let us get going, then", said the Prince.
"Good night. I will see you tomorrow", said Éomer, already anxious for the morning.
His betrothed smiled.
"Good night, my king."
In silence, Éomer watched the Prince and his daughter make their way outside. But it did not take long for him to hear the familiar, tell-tale sound of his aunt's cane tapping the polished floors as she approached him. One of life's cruel jokes, he supposed: in her youth, she had been famous for her light, fast feet, which had made her a formidable on-foot fighter.
"Evening, Aunt", he greeted her as she halted to stand next to him. She gave him only a passing glance before her clear eyes turned to the same direction as his own.
"Evening, nephew", she replied. "So, how is it looking? Are we going to have a wedding some time soon?"
He glared at her.
"Not you, too. I've already got Ceolmund breathing down my neck", he told her tersely.
"Well, the way I see it, you only need to ask her. The lass would do it for you", she said, shrugging.
"That's exactly why I won't. She has enough pressure on her as it is", said Éomer.
"So you'll keep all of us holding our breath, and wondering if she'll refuse after all, and fearing all the trouble that would come out of that?" Hild inquired. Maybe he shouldn't be surprised that she took such a pragmatic view. It had been her way even as a young shieldmaiden.
"If you insist on putting it like that. But you can't blame me for trying to make sure that my marriage does not begin bitterly. That would defeat the purpose, don't you think? I will not press Lothíriel; I want her to feel safe with me, no matter what happens", he pointed out.
"Hmph. You really are quite hopelessly in love with that young lady. Never thought I would see such a thing, but then, your father was just the same. And you were ever his son", Hild said and let out a sigh.
"Is that a bad thing? That I might have some happiness?"
"Of course not. Few people deserve it like you do, sister-son", Aunt said softly. She rarely called him so. It had always been Théoden's way, up until his final days when he had taken to calling Éomer his own son. But Hild using that word meant that maybe old wounds had finally healed. Something hard lodged in his throat when he heard it, but he masked his feelings the best he could.
"Then what are your thoughts, Aunt Hild? Do you approve of my choice?" he asked her, trying to appear nonchalant.
"I won't deny I've wondered about her, and why would you choose this maid. But having seen her, and heard some of your conversation with her, I do think she is her father's daughter indeed. I had feared hysterical scenes or outrage, but she showed no such faint-heartedness; even that old bugger Ceolmund she took in her stride. Anyone who can confront us and our requests as calmly as she did has earned my approval. Such nerve will be most useful for her in days to come. It's clear there is great trust between you already and the lady seems to genuinely care for you, which bodes well. She is young, but that need not be a problem", Hild answered.
"At her age, you were riding with my father and training to become a captain of your éored, Aunt", Éomer pointed out.
She smiled wryly.
"Indeed I was. But isn't it the way of the old people to convince themselves that they were never so young, and even if they were, they always were smart and mature and never did anything foolish?" she commented, making him guffaw in laughter.
"Well, I know and will freely admit that I've done some very foolish things in my time", he said.
"But this lass is not one of them, I think. Perhaps the sun is finally shining upon our unhappy House", said Hild quietly.
Perhaps. Hopefully.
To be continued.
A/N: Here is the new chapter! Most of it were originally part of the previous chapter, but like I said before, at a certain point it became necessary to split.
It was an intersting thing to write. For one, the meeting of Lothíriel with her brothers. I wanted to show that while she is good at staying calm and stays in control of her emotions, she's still human and especially so with those who know her best. Erchirion doesn't mean ill, but he may not be emotionally in the most steadfast place and he feels very great guilt and regret.
The conversation between Lothíriel and Ceolmund was surprisingly fun to write, hope you liked it as well.
I do mean to tell you more about Hild, but so far there hasn't really been a good, natural point to delve into her story. But I promise we'll get there!
Thank you for reading and reviewing. As always, stay safe out there!
Cricket22 - I know the feeling!
I didn't have such conversations in this chapter, but maybe there will be something in updates to come!
There was clearly a need for a talk with Ceolmund in this chapter, and I hope it fulfilled your expectations. He's a tricky dude but not unreasonable. I personally enjoyed letting Lothíriel loose on that guy - I think he didn't guess what was coming for him!
She has not quite made up her mind yet about the wedding, but we'll see how it goes.
Even if my version doesn't turn out to be the way you guessed, it's always very interesting to hear what the readers think will happen! It can give me pointers on where to pay particular attention.
PilotDante - Thanks! I'm fond of her, too. :)
Cathael - Glad you liked it!
Simplegurl4u - Good to hear it seems like a logical outcome. There's certainly eagerness, but it may be bridled by this sense that outsiders are setting (or trying to set) the pace. But we'll get to what her answer will be!
Jo - Thank you, glad to hear you are enjoying the story!
Boramir - I do hope to tell you more about Hild soon!
Interesting speculations, but I can't say much yet. We'll see how it goes when Lothíriel gives her answer.
Your strategic considerations took me aback a little bit, because I don't know if I will go to that level in this story, but I am glad if my humble little story was able to excite you so much! I will freely admit I am not a writer with great eye for strategy, but we'll see what I'm able to come up with in this story!
xXMizz Alec VolturiXx - Thank you!