This was fairly quick by my usual schedule so I hope you'll all humor me with a review. I enjoyed writing this chapter and hope you enjoy reading it!

Chapter Forty-Three (Mareke)

I was sitting up in bed reading when Aragorn entered our chambers. I had not hardly seen him all week and when he entered he looked absolutely exhausted.

"What are you doing still awake?" he asked, coming towards our bed, kicking out of his boots as he came.

I nodded down at Arathorn who was sleeping against my leg. "He woke up fussing and would not stop until I brought him in here to lie down."

Aragorn shook his head, giving me a small smile. "Bad habits," he said, bending over to scoop his son from the bed.

I nearly made a noise, hoping to keep Arathorn with me, but I knew better, especially that night when Aragorn looked like he needed a good long sleep and not his son kicking and prodding him all night. Arathorn had been known to stretch his toddler body to outlandish proportions when sleeping with us and no one ended up getting much sleep besides him. It usually only happened when he was not feeling well, but I enjoyed it even if I was groggy the entirety of the next day.

As Aragorn lifted our son, he did not stir. He continued to sleep on his father's shoulder as he left the bedroom to take Arathorn back to his own room.

"What kept you so late?" I asked Aragorn. "I feel as though I haven't seen you in days."

Aragorn sighed. "I know. Forgive me, but there is much happening in Arnor currently."

"In Arnor?" I asked, closing my book and laying it on my bedside table.

"Yes. Now that the two Realms are reunited, people are moving to Arnor, Annuminas specifically."

"Is that not a good thing? I thought the city could use some more people when we were there."

"It is a good thing or it will be, but Arnor is not ready for an influx of inhabitants. It has been abandoned for too long to accommodate the sheer amount of people who are moving there."
I nodded. "Perhaps we should not have gone this past summer. I am afraid people now think it is ready for a larger population."

Aragorn sighed. "That could be part of it. Many of our people's ancestors resided there and are ready to get back to their family lands. There are huge plots of land to be had and I will be glad to see both Realms prosperous once more, but this is almost too much too fast. We are getting reports of people striking out for the land in the country around Annuminas, but it has not been farmed in years. There is no seed to be had. The people are struggling, if not starving."

"I could go through some of the treasury papers and see if we cannot allocate funds for rejuvenation projects. We may also have some seed to spare. You could always increase the necessary amount to collect from the rural nobles; not so much that they would be hard pressed to make it through the winter, but just a bit from all of them to send to Arnor. We also have a surplus of healers currently with no illnesses in these summer months to tend to. They could be sent to tend to those who are suffering in Arnor."

As I spoke, I had been re-braiding my hair. When Arathorn was fussy he would sometimes bury is face or hands in my hair and mess it up completely.

Aragorn did not say anything and when I turned to look at him he was gaping at me.

"What?" I asked. "Was that all completely worthless and ridiculous?" I heard my voice go soft, thinking that I provided idiotic ideas.

"Join my council," he said abruptly.

"Pardon me?"

"That was not how I planned on doing that," he said. He sat up against the pillows and shifted to face me fully. "But I have been thinking that I want you to join the council and now you must do it."

"Now you are the one being ridiculous." I shook my head.

"I have been locked in my council chambers for a week and not one of those men has come up with something half as useful as one of your ideas."

"Aragorn," I said gently. "Those probably are not feasible ideas. And this is just pillow talk."

"Mareke!" Aragorn took my hands. "You are not hearing me. No one has said anything worthwhile in a week at least and here you are just sitting in bed. Think of what you could help me accomplish."

"I am not joining your council," I said firmly. "Your councilors do not like me, they would hate any woman being there and I have caused problems before."

"You never caused problems. My councilors caused problems." He looked at me, determination making his normally soft gray eyes turn to steel. "If I ordered you to join the council you would have no choice, nor would the other councilors."

"You would not do that," I replied, not feeling so certain in that statement.

"If you do not do it of your own volition,, I will have no choice."

"Aragorn," I tried again. "I am not here in Gondor to join your council or to play any sort of political role."

"And why are you here if not to please the King?" he asked cheekily.

I rolled my eyes. "To give you an heir. We have discussed this. I was chosen because it was known that I could have a male child. I have fulfilled that duty and we can have more children, I am sure of it. That is my purpose."

Aragorn stared blankly at me. "You do know I think you are more than just a producer of male children, do you not? I think you are much more than what your body can do."

"And that is well and good, but we do not need to force that belief on anyone else. You do not have to do this to get my mind off of Adnan. I can find other ways to spend my time and I will do so so that I am not dwelling on that. I know I have been difficult of late, but I will get it under control without you feeling like I have to do something momentous like sit on your council."

"You are infuriating, woman," Aragorn groaned. He looked away from me and then he lunged for me, dragging me so that I was lying underneath him. He was grinning down at me and I could not help but laugh.

"Join my council," he growled.

I shook my head.

"You must. I say so. I need help with those ridiculous men. They do not listen to me. They provide no good ideas."

"We both know that they will not listen to me and they will think my ideas are terrible. Why would you want to put me through that?"

"Because together I think we could really work together for this Realm."

I tried to roll him off of me, but he was so much stronger and surely only using half of that strength. "I am happy to discuss anything you like in the privacy of our own chambers, but why is it necessary to put me on the council? It will only cause issues."

"It is necessary because getting the insight from you about Arnor just now does not do anything in getting those initiatives achieved."

"You can take those ideas back to your council. Claim them as your own, I care not."

Aragorn shook his head. "It cannot just be me."

"I will not add much weight to your authority. Those men will not respect me."

"We will make them," Aragorn said fiercely. "Please Mareke. I need your help. Our people need your help."

He tenderly stroked my hair and looked down at me.

"Fine, but I am not looking forward to this."

In all honesty, my stomach lurched just thinking about the prospect of facing those men and trying to be of some assistance to my husband without looking like an utter fool or warranting any more of their ill feelings than I had already managed to receive during my time in Minas Tirith.

Aragorn bent and kissed my neck. "You are the very best wife," he murmured into my ear.

"And I thought you were exhausted." I returned as I met his lips with mine.

"I want to show my appreciation."

ooooOoooo

Aragorn had dismissed his council for the week following the very unsatisfactory way in which they had handled the Arnor problem. He was tired of seeing them and he had sent them off to do certain research in regards to what I had thought might be helpful.

During that week, I received a letter from Lothiriel stating that they had welcomed their first child, a daughter they called Adlanna.

"What are you smiling about?" Aragorn asked when he came into my study. In his free time that week, he had been spending more time with Adnan. They had shared a swordplay lesson as well as a boys lunch that day.

I handed him the letter and watched as he skimmed over it a smile also coming onto his features.

"They invite us to attend her name day ceremony in a month," he said. "What do you think about that?"

"I would love to go back to Rohan. I have a soft spot for that place and those people, but there is much going on here."

"We should go. Eomer and I have not examined our treaty since just after the War. Many things have changed."

"Perhaps we could increase what we get from them to send to Arnor," I replied. "If Gondor does not have anything to leverage, perhaps Harad does. There is no trade route between those two Realms. It could be worked out somehow I am sure."

Aragorn chuckled. "And you still do not understand why I want you on my council."

"These seem like very common sensical thoughts, my love," I said as I stood from behind my desk and wrapped my arms around his middle, putting my head on his chest.

His fingers went into my hair and he held me against him. "What is this for?"

"I love you," I said simply. Sometimes it seemed as though everything around us went by in a blur. The children were growing quickly and the Realm was ever changing. Since the Arnor issue had come up, I had not seen much of Aragorn and it was rare to have a quiet moment in private without even the presence of our sons.

"I love you too," he said pressing a kiss onto the crown of my head.

The moment ended too soon as Arathorn woke from his nap and toddled into the office. He had moved into a regular bed and so his movements were much more free. He did not have to cry for someone to retrieve him from his crib.

I lifted him up when he tugged at my skirts and then took a seat at my desk once more. Aragorn sat across from me.

"We will need to make preparations to travel to Rohan fairly quickly. With all four of us going it will take some time,," Aragorn said.

I nodded.

"Lady Belethiel will need to accompany us. Much of your time will be spent in discussions with Eomer and I."

I sighed, but nodded once more. "If you insist."

"I do," my husband said with a gentle smile.

ooooOoooo

"If I did not know any better I would think you a son of Rohan, Adnan," came Eomer's booming voice as he met us in the stables. "I saw you ride into the city and am quite impressed with how you sit your horse."

Adnan beamed and began to show the large, fair king how he tended to his Rohirric stallion, removing the saddle and brushing Fahall down himself before making sure he was put in a stall with fresh hay and water.

The rest of us were not so excited after the long journey.

Arathorn had quickly gotten restless of the days and days of travelling. Aragorn had practically forced him to ride with him or in a wagon with Lady Belethiel because he was clinging to me and I was exhausted. It was nearly impossible to ride and try to entertain my toddler. He yelled for me and strained to get to me when he was not riding in front of me and so I ended up with him much of the time. We had also struggled to get him settled and to sleep when we camped for the night.

I had thought the trip would never end.

"Your Majesties," Eomer said to us, bowing slightly. I could see the trace of a grin on his face when he took in how weary and bedraggled we were.

"Mama!" Arathorn was calling for me as he and Lady Belethiel joined us from the wagon where he had finished the trip.

I reached for him though I was not sure my arms would be able to hold him I was so exhausted.

"This must be Prince Arathorn," Eomer said, studying the boy in my arms.

"Not quite so princely on this trip," Aragorn muttered.

"Let me show you to your rooms then and you can rest and freshen up before joining us for dinner," Eomer-King offered.

"That would be much appreciated," I said. I gathered myself for the few moments it took to navigate the Golden Hall. "How is Lothiriel?"

"She is doing quite well," Eomer said proudly. "Parenting is coming to her quite naturally. I am not sure I am up to scratch."

"I am sure you are," I said with a smile. "It can be quite the adjustment, though."

"She will be pleased to see you this evening," Eomer said. "I might have suggested sooner, but it looks as though you all could use some time to rest."

"Sometimes the adjusting never stops," I said lightly, though I was ready to drop from fatigue.

"So it would seem," Eomer said as he pushed the door open to our chambers.

Aragorn ushered Adnan in before him and the boy immediately went to his own bedroom.

"Thank you, my friend," Aragorn said, clasping Eomer's forearms. "We will see you in a few hours."

I nearly slumped against the closed door when we were alone, setting Arathorn on his feet.

"Send him with Lady Belethiel,"Aragorn said firmly. "I do not care if he cries or fusses for her. I feel as though we have not slept properly in over a week."

I had to agee. Had I not been so tired I might have argued. Instead, our son's nurse came to fetch him and take him into a seperate bedroom.

"Try to get him to sleep at least a little bit," I bid the other woman, knowing very well that we had not slept because Arathorn had refused to do so. "And see that Adnan has a bath and some quiet time."

"Of course, Your Majesty," she curtsied and scooped Arathorn into her own arms. His fussing began before we had even closed our bedroom door behind us.

Aragorn and I did not say a word to each other as we stripped from our clothes, lazily dropping them to the floor and leaving them there, and crawling into the bed. Both of us were asleep on our individual sides of the bed within mere moments.

ooooOoooo

It certainly did not feel like enough time to rest when Lady Ioreth knocked lightly at the bedroom door and, without entering, informed us that dinner would be served in an hour.

"Thank you, Lady Ioreth," I said blearily. "I will be ready to be dressed in half an hour."

Aragorn groaned at having been woken. I rolled toward him and rested my head on his chest.

"Your son is a tyrant and I shall never forgive him for this trip," he muttered.

I had to laugh. "I am not sure I will either. I feel as though I have been run over by a herd of Eomer's Rohirric horses."

Aragorn chuckled. "Hopefully dinner will be a short affair and we can go back to bed."

I nodded my agreement before rising to have a bath drawn. I had been too tired to have a wash before crawling into bed. The dirt and grime from the travelling compounded with the hard sleeping that afternoon to make me feel particularly unclean.

As I stepped out of the tub and wrapped myself in a linen towel, Aragorn slipped into the lavatory and wrapped his arms around my middle as I dabbed my favorite sandalwood perfume on the damp skin behind my ears and at my wrists.

Aragorn inhaled deeply at my neck and tightened his grip around me. "Perhaps we might muster the energy for some activity before we fall into bed after dinner?"

I turned my face to him and kissed him deeply as his hand slipped underneath the top of the towel.

"Your Majesty?" Lady Ioreth called.

"Perhaps," I said with a smile, readjusting the towel to go and be dressed and have my hair done.

"Nothing too overdone," I said to Lady Ioreth when I was dressed in one of my silk hybrid dresses and seated at the vanity.

"Of course," she replied

As I was having my hair pinned back, Adnan came into the room. I could tell that he had slept, but said nothing as he liked to think he was too old for such things as naps.

"Mama?" he asked, sitting on the floor at my feet and leaning against my legs.

"Yes, my love?"

"Do you think Eomer-King might have time to go on a ride with Aragorn and I?"

"You should ask him yourself at dinner," Aragorn said as he came back into the bedroom. He had on a more formal outfit and his hair was pulled back away from his face. "I am sure he would be happy to if his schedule allows."

"There you have it," I said, as Adnan stood. I did as well as when Lady Ioreth was finished with my hair. I ran my fingers through his curls so that might lay in a somewhat more orderly fashion. There was to be no such luck.

Lady Belethiel propped the door open and Arathorn came toddling in before her, happily reaching for me. I was feeling a bit more loving after my own nap.

"Did he sleep?" I asked her, as I propped him on my hip.

"He did. For over two hours."

"Thank you, Lady Belethiel. Please enjoy some time to yourself until tomorrow morning. I know he has not been the easiest to deal with as we travelled."

Lady Belethiel nodded, refraining from commenting on the behavior of our youngest.

We made our way to the private dining room of Eomer-King and Queen Lothiriel. The couple stood when we entered.

"You all look a mite better than when you arrived," Eomer said with a chuckle.

"It is all funny to you now, Eomer-King, but wait until you travel with this little bundle," Aragorn said as he approached Lothiriel.

I set Arathorn down, though he did not like it and went to Aragorn's side as Lothiriel transferred the bundle to him.

"She is perfect," I said with a warm smile to Lothiriel. I hugged her close. "And you look well."

"Thank you. It has been rather easier than I thought it might be."

Eomer snorted behind his wife. Lothiriel gave him an indulgent smile.

"Can I see her?" Adnan asked, coming up next to me.

"Have a seat," I bid him. When he had done so I propped his arm with a pillow and then gestured for Aragorn to lay the bundle in his waiting arms.

I sat down next to him on the sofa and smiled down at the tiny baby girl who was sleeping peacefully.

Adnan was smiling down at the infant. He pulled her little hand free of the blanket and she wrapped her fingers around his index finger.

I reached around him and stroked the plump softness of her cheek. It seemed an age ago that I had been mother to an infant.

"Mama! No!" Arathorn latched onto my hand and pulled hard.

"Arathorn!" I said, remembering too late the similar reaction he had had to Finduilas when we had visited Ithilien.

Aragorn stood up quickly and scooped his son up, holding him under his arm as though he were a sack of a flour.

"Aragorn," I said hesitantly.

"No, no. I have had enough of his behavior," my husband said shortly as he left the room, the door closing with a thud behind him and Arathorn.

Immediately, I could hear Arathorn crying in the corridor, though it grew fainter and fainter.

Eomer and Lothiriel were both looking at me. "The twos really are terrible. For Arathorn at least. I am not sure what has gotten into him." I glanced down at Adnan and Adlanna once more. "Relish these days where she mostly sleeps."

The couple looked at each other uncertainly.

I took Adlanna from my son and leaned back into the sofa as I cradled her. Adnan stood and went to Eomer.

Lothiriel sat next to me.

"Truly, Lothiriel, she is beautiful."

The new mother beamed at her daughter. "Thank you. I cannot believe that she is truly here."

I remembered those times after each of my deliveries and the subsequent weeks of getting used to the new baby. Preparations had been made for nearly a year, but it still had not made me fully aware that there would soon be a tiny human that I had created in my home.

I glanced over the back of the sofa to see that Eomer and Adnan had taken a seat at the table.

"He desperately wants Eomer to go on a ride with him and Aragorn before we depart," I told Lothiriel when she looked back as well.

"I am sure Eomer would love nothing more. As would Firefoot. Eomer has been away from his steed more than ever since Adlanna arrived. I have told him countless times that he does not need to cloister himself with us, but he spends whatever free time he has with his daughter."

"You cannot fault a man for spending time with his family."

Lothiriel shook her head. "No, I cannot, but Adnan will be a good excuse for him to get outside and on his horse. I fear he is growing a bit restless."

Servants came in bearing huge trays full of the hearty Rohirric fare. A nurse came for Adlanna and Lothiriel and I made our way to join Eomer and Adnan at the table.

Aragorn came back into the room, holding the door open for Arathorn who had his head down. I could still see that his cheeks were red and tearstained.

I looked at my husband, but he only shook his head indicating that it was not to be discussed then and there.

Arathorn bunched his hands in the skirt of my dress and hid his face.

Eomer had been explaining all of the dishes to Adnan. My son hardly hesitated to fill his plate.

I sat with Arathorn on my lap, though I knew Aragorn would have preferred me to put him in his own chair.

"Are you hungry?" I asked him softly.

He shook his head and buried his face in my neck, sniffling occasionally.

"Faramir and Eowyn will be here in a week along with the other guests," Eomer said. "We are so glad that you could come early and reopen discussions."

"As are we," Aragorn replied. "We have new needs that have presented themselves and we hope we can work something out to accommodate both Realms, though let us not speak of it tonight. That can all wait."

"Indeed it can," Eomer agreed. "Adnan and I have scheduled a ride in a few days time if you would like to join us."

"I would like nothing more," Aragorn said with a warm smile at my son. "He and I do not get to do it as often as I would like in Minas Tirith."

"I understand that," Eomer said.

The rest of the dinner passed amicably except for Arathorn refusing to eat a bite.

"He will go to bed hungry, Mareke," Aragorn said when we entered our rooms. "I mean it. No sending for anything if he fusses."

"That seems rather harsh do you not think?"

"No I do not. He cannot continue on like this."

When Arathorn had met Finduilas, I had thought his reaction endearing. His reaction to Adlanna had only bothered me infinitesimally more, but Aragorn did not find it amusing at all.

"What if we have another child?" he asked. I had laid Arathorn in his bed and shut the door quietly behind us. "Are we to live at his mercy because he refuses to adapt and no one will make him? That could last for weeks or even months."

"I would think that is a bridge we could cross if we ever came to it."

"I am crossing it now. We will have much to handle if there is ever another child without the one we have acting like a small dictator of your affection."

I tried to stifle my laughter at his description on our toddler.

"Oh truly Mareke. This is not funny. Not in the slightest."

"I know this concerns you," I said when I had gathered myself. Aragorn was standing in front of the vanity, pulling the leather thong from his hair. I wrapped my arms around him and pressed my cheek to his back. "He is a toddler who spends most of his days with his mother. He knows nothing else but my undivided attention."

"He is nearly three, Mareke."

"Do not," I warned him.

"Adnan was three when he came to Minas Tirith," he continued on anyway. "And he immediately studied with Legolas, Gimli and myself."

"We have a few months yet," I said, pulling away from him.

"We do not have to have this conversation right now," Aragorn said reaching for me again. "I thought we had discussed doing something more pleasant before going to bed."

"You started this," I returned. "You cannot expect me to want to go to bed with you when you speak of my youngest child going to tutors."

"I expect you to want to go to bed with me at all times," Aragorn chuckled.

I rolled my eyes, but he was already pushing my dress from my shoulders, exposing the tattoo on my chest, shoulder, and upper arm.

He pressed his lips there and continued to push the dress down until I was standing naked before him.

"You are lucky I find you unbearably handsome," I said against his lips. "Because you sometimes drive me to the edge."

Aragorn chuckled lowly. "I think you will find I am about to do just that."

ooooOoooo

After breakfast the next morning, Aragorn and I were sitting in Eomer's study at the small table with the King and Queen of Rohan. In many instances, Lothiriel looked to me for guidance, but since the day she had married Eomer she had been a part of his council. I was completely out of my element and hoping to learn something from her.

I was sitting next to Aragorn and my palms were sweating and my heart was beating hard in my chest.

"While it is customary to go over treaties and alliances after they have stood for a while," Aragorn began. "We have particular need as we go into these discussions."

"We will help however we can," Eomer assured my husband.

Aragorn nodded. "Arnor is beginning to be repopulated."

"That is good news surely," Lothiriel said, more familiar with the Reunited Realms than her husband.

"Very good news," Aragorn agreed. "However, it has been so long since it was inhabited that the fields have grown over and there is nothing to start with as far as farming goes. We have reports of settlements going hungry up there. We want to encourage our people that it is a good idea to settle up there, but the reports we are receiving will not do much to bolster morale."

"We would like to incentivize it actually," I added. "The courageousness of our people should be supported. And having Arnor populated will only contribute positively to the general well being of the two Realms."

I felt Aragorn's gaze on me. He probably thought I would not speak up through the meeting.

"Unfortunately, we have given all of the supplies we can and we have sent our surplus food and seeds. It is too late this year so we have urged the people who will not make it to come back to Gondor and in the spring we are hopeful that we will be able to send them to Arnor again, but with crops and other necessities." Aragorn said.

I knew he thought the whole thing a failure and so I took his hand under the table. I would not do such a thing before his council in Minas Tirith, but I knew that Eomer and Lothiriel had faced similarly hard times and would understand the gesture between a husband and wife.

"How can Rohan help?" Eomer asked.

"I will be working with my father to see if Harad cannot provide more of their goods to Gondor which we would then trade with you for an increase in seeds and horses if they can be spared," I said.

"And what are these goods?" Eomer asked. "To be honest Mareke, I am afraid all Harad has to offer are luxuries."

One of our guards stood at the door and gestured for him to bring in the trunk I had put together in Gondor full of what Harad could offer and was already sending to Minas Tirith.

"Much of what they send are luxuries," I agreed as the trunk was set next to Lothiriel and opened. "But surely after the War and all of the rebuilding efforts, your people could use some luxuries." My confidence was picking up.

Lothiriel rifled through the trunk, picking up a roll of scarlet silk and a vial of sandalwood perfume. "These are exquisite, Mareke."

"Those items have done very well in our marketplaces," Aragorn said.

"And not all I can send are luxuries," I said. "We can send herbs that can be made into medicine and teas.' I indicated a small bag of tea nestled in the trunk. "Many mothers drink that for the first six months or so after having a baby. It ensures milk production and general health of the mother." I looked at Eomer. "The range of herbs we could send from the desert and jungle that you do not have access to could be instrumental in anything from preventing the common cold to healing flesh wounds much faster than what your soldiers are accustomed to."

"Harad could also be pivotal in your final rebuilding efforts," Aragorn said. "I know Helm's Deep has many repairs yet to be made. The Great Gate and wall around Minas Tirith was practically destroyed after the War. With my marriage to Mareke came sand. Gimli used his expertise to craft the sand into something that made our fortress stronger than it ever was before. I am sure he would be happy to travel to Rohan to help you in your final rebuilding endeavor."

Eomer folded his large arms across his chest. "And in return you would just want us to increase the crops and horses we are already sending?"

Aragorn nodded. "To whatever extent you can while still allowing your people to remain comfortable."

Eomer looked to Lothiriel who nodded subtly at him.

"Let us know what Harad says to all of this and we will be happy to accommodate," Eomer said with a smile.

ooooOoooo

The naming ceremony for little Adlanna went smoothly, as was to be expected. The Rohirric people were rowdy with joy at their princess being presented to them. I tried not to note the differences between them and the Gondorans.

After the ceremony, Eomer ushered the men into his study for a celebratory ale before joining the ladies for dinner.

"Eomer!" I called after him. "One moment, please." He waved the others ahead of him.

"Is everything alright?" he asked, looking down with a gentle smile.

Aragorn looked at me strangely before disappearing

"Of course. I merely have something to aid your celebrations."

I had sent a servant for a jug of the honey flavored liquor from Harad that I had always enjoyed.

The servant I had sent to fetch it came hurrying back to me.

"Use it sparingly though," I warned. "For it is strong."

"Is this in our trade negotiation?" he asked with a grin as I handed him the jug.

"If you like it," I replied, turning to join the women and children in Lothiriel's private sitting room.

The two women were cradling their infants and chatting warmly. Arathorn and Elboron were playing on the floor with blocks while Adnan sat at the table looking over one of the books on the Rohirric horses that Eomer had let him borrow after the ride they had taken a few days earlier.

I ruffled his curls as I walked by and joined the other women on the sofas. Eowyn and her family had arrived two days earlier.

"For a moment we thought you had joined the men," Eowyn said with a rogue grin.

Lothiriel was studying me and I knew she was thinking of me, worrying over me since they both had their babies. Eowyn knew that I would not wish to talk of that.

"I was just seeing if they were having more fun than us," I laughed lightly.

"And?" Eowyn asked

"Of course they are not." We all laughed and talk to turned to Lothiriel and how she was handling motherhood.

"And how did my brother do during the delivery?" Eowyn asked.

Lothiriel was silent for a moment. "You must swear you will not repeat this," she said.

We nodded eagerly.

"He fainted."

"What?" Eowyn spluttered.

I was laughing so hard tears were rolling down my cheeks.

Lothiriel joined in. "You truly cannot tell a soul."

"I am not sure I can keep that to myself," Eowyn barely managed to get out.

It took us several minutes to gather ourselves.

"Give it back!" Elboron exclaimed from the floor and I looked over to see that Arathorn had snatched a block from him.

I rose immediately and knelt next to my son taking his chin firmly in my hand. "Do you want to have to deal with your father again?"

He shook his head.

"Then return the block and apologize," I said sternly.

"Sorry," he said not quite genuinely, handing the block back to Elboron.

I stood and shook my head at Eowyn. "It is a rough age," she said as a concession.

"Aragorn is at his wit's end with that one," I sighed.

"Mama," Adnan said in a whiny voice that I rarely heard from him anymore. "I am hungry."

"Dinner is within the hour, my love," I promised.

"Why do you not go check on the men?" Lothiriel suggested. "Make sure they are behaving themselves."

Adnan grinned and went on his way to Eomer's study.

"Thank you," I said.

"I do not know how you handle two of them," she said looking between Eowyn and I.

I shook my head. "One day at a time."

There you have it! I hope you loved it! A little less dramatic than updates of late, but I thought the family could some calm and friends. Please let me know what you thought even if it's constructive criticism. I'll take anything but hate comments or flames.

Happy reading,

Avonmora