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Of Swans and Horses : Queen of the Riddermark	By : lynnwood84 Category: Lord of the Rings Movies > General Views: 5558 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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Chapter List
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Chapter Five
To Edoras
~~*~~

Dunharrow, Rohan
May 1^st of the year 3020
T.A.

�� Loth�riel
rose early the next morning, just as she thought she would. She was normally an
early riser, as one of her favorite things to do back home had been to watch
the sunrise over the water from her balcony. Though she had been exhausted the
night before, the huge tent she found herself in had been lavishly comforted
with a nest of blankets and furs that served as an excellent bed. She had slept
soundly the whole night through, and now she was wide awake at just before
dawn.
�� The
idea of lazing away the next three or four hours sat very unwell with her.
Besides, she had an important thing to see to that needed her immediate
attention. With this in mind, she got silently to her feet and quickly dressed
in a dark blue gown and fastened her cloak about her shoulders. She couldn�t
get her hair up into a proper coil without Riana�s help, so settled instead
with brushing out the night�s tangles and then putting it into a simple braid.
The tips swung down well to her thighs. Hopefully not many would be up at this
hour to catch her in her less than proper state.
�� Loth�riel
slipped into her boots, then crept to the front of the tent. She carefully
pushed the flap aside, glancing about. As she had hoped, the man her father had
placed near-by to keep an extra eye on her had grown lax with so many armed and
well-trained Rohirrim about, and slumped over at his post, dozing. She allowed
herself a slight smirk of triumph, then she slipped out of the tent and crept
away.
�� She
never noticed the green-cloaked man on the opposite side, who had been
inconspicuously kneeling in the shadows of another tent. He got silently to his
feet and began tailing her. Instead Loth�riel made her way through camp,
careful to avoid anyone who was awake, skirting around tents when necessary.
Until, at last, she made her way to where the horses were kept.
�� She
had worried last night over Gyldenfax, but her father would not hear of her
going out to see to the mare herself, as she had done ever since the mare had
been given to her. The Rohirrim who had accompanied the horse on her journey had
told her that it was customary for the rider to care for his own mount in
Rohan, even nobility. The chores increased the bond between horse and rider,
and the stronger the bond the more loyal the horse.
�� And
a loyal horse could well save your life one day.
�� The
large golden mare was secured off to the side, away from most of the other
horses. As soon as she sensed that Loth�riel was near, she let out an excited
nicker, tugging at her restraint. The princess smiled, then hurried over.
Gyldenfax nudged her soft pink nose directly into Loth�riel�s hands.
�� Hello
my beauty,� she murmured affectionately. �I missed caring for you last night. I
apologize for that. Father wouldn�t let me.� She ran her hands down the
powerful neck, smoothing down the golden fur. It was soft and clean, obviously
someone had cared well for the horse. Not that she expected anything less of
the Rohirrim, though it still chafed her to have the chore done by someone
else.
�� Loth�riel
continued to pet the mare, smiling when she nudged at her skirts. Usually she
would bring a treat in the mornings, though there were none at hand now. She
sighed, reaching up to smooth away the forelock of white hair out of
Gyldenfax�s eyes.
�� I
am sorry if I scared you yesterday,� she murmured. �I scared myself a little. I
would never have forgiven myself if you�d been hurt. Something tells me you
would not have forgiven yourself either.�
�� At
this, Gyldenfax suddenly dropped her head and almost seemed to nod, making
Loth�riel smile wider. It was the reason she tended to carry on conversations
with the mare, despite her brothers� teasing. At times such as these, it was
almost as if Gyldenfax could actually understand her.
�� After
a moment Gyldenfax let out another nicker, this one louder, almost plaintive. Surprisingly
she was answered by another from behind her, a louder whinny. Loth�riel turned
and laughed when she saw the King�s stallion, Firefoot. The great dapple gray
was posturing�no doubt for Gyldenfax�s benefit�tossing his head and pawing the
earth.
�� Taken
a fancy to him, have you?� she murmured teasingly, rubbing her mare�s nose. �He
is a handsome brute, I will give you that.�
�� Aren�t
you supposed to be asleep?�
�� Loth�riel
whirled around with a sharp gasp, and her eyes widened in dread at the sight of
Eomer standing near by. He was dressed in a simple pair of dull brown breeches
and a white under tunic, untucked and half undone from the neck as if he had
dressed in haste or not given much care to the chore. What concerned her most
was that the monstrous breadth of his powerful shoulders and barrel-wide chest
had not been from the armor, as she had half-hoped. The bronzed ridges of
muscle she could glimpse now were apparently all his own. His golden hair fell
in a curly tangle down around his face and over one shoulder, completely loose
now and tugged slightly by the stiff breeze that suddenly washed over them.
�� Loth�riel
gulped, uncertain. Eomer�s expression now was neutral, and she could tell
nothing of his mood from it or the tone of his voice, which had been carefully
flat.
�� I
distinctly recall telling you to stay abed this morning,� he continued. His
voice remained controlled, but there was just something in the way he was
looking at her that somehow told her he was teasing her. She frowned, instantly
nettled by his presumptions.
�� And
I distinctly recall that you are not my husband yet, Eomer King,� she snapped
back, then nearly swallowed her tongue. Her eyes widened for a split instant of
cold terror. Where in all the holy places of the world had that just
come from!
�� Yet,
instead of take offense, her words caused a broad grin to suddenly twist his
features and Eomer threw his head back for a loud bark of laughter.
�� I-I
. . . I am sorry,� she started, but he waved her down. Instead he came nearer,
still smiling.
�� Do
not apologize for that refreshing flash of temper. You are right, I overstep
myself. Nowadays Eowyn is the only one who dares to tell me so. I am glad you
do not feel too intimidated by my title. Yet . . . I am sure that your father
must have given you similar instruction,� he heaved craftily as he came to a
stop next to the wooden post the horses were tethered to. He leaned his hip
against it, crossed his arms and gave her a look beneath his raised brow that
made her want to squirm like an errant child. �What could possibly be so
important you would risk such censure, from me and your father?�
�� I
was worried about Gyldenfax,� she revealed reluctantly on the tail end of a
sigh. �That and I have always been an early riser, and staying in bed for no other
reason than to be idle does not sit well with me. I feel perfectly fine,� she
assured when he would have said something else. She hesitated, then, �I assure
you, I am not made of glass, my lord. I will not shatter at the first hint of
strain.�
�� Indeed,�
was his reply after a moment, and that strangely thrilling rasp had come back
in his voice. Loth�riel found herself blushing, not knowing why, and looking
away again.
�� They
were interrupted by another loud proclamation from Firefoot. Eomer laughed.
�� It
seems he�s a little desperate for attention,� Loth�riel chuckled when they both
turned to the larger stallion. Eomer nodded.
�� He
became infatuated with Gyldenfax last winter, and wouldn�t even look at me for
weeks after I sent her away,� the King revealed with a boyish grin. �It appears
as though he�s eager to make up for lost ground.� He shook his head then,
heaving a pained sigh. �Have some dignity, man,� he snapped out when Firefoot
started to rear back, striking a pompous pose for Gyldenfax�s dubiously snorting
benefit. �You�re acting no better than a love-struck yearling.�
�� Loth�riel
could only laugh.
�� They
would make a fine foal, I should think,� she ventured after a moment, taking
pity on the stallion. He nodded.
�� I
had thought of it. We shall see. Perhaps next year, or the year after. It
wouldn�t be fair to lose your mare to foaling just after you got her.�
�� Loth�riel
started to say that she didn�t mind, but was interrupted by a new voice.
�� Ah,
what a fine morning this is.�
�� They
both turned to see Faramir loping toward them, hands behind his back and an
unrepentant smirk on his face. Loth�riel groaned inwardly. When her cousin was
wearing that particular expression he was feeling especially devious. Eomer
didn�t look too particularly pleased to see the Prince of Ithilien either, if
his dark glower was to be any indication. Yet Faramir seemed completely
oblivious to either of them.
�� It
is good to see you up and about, cousin,� he announced pleasantly, bending down
to place a kiss on the curve of her cheek. Loth�riel blinked, somewhat taken
aback. Faramir had not greeted her so familiarly in many years. It wasn�t that
she was upset by it, more confused, wondering why he would choose to do so now.
�� Loth�riel
completely missed Eomer�s reaction to it, which was to let a fierce scowl blacken
his features for an instant, which might have shed some light on the reasons.
�� You
might want to make your way back to your tent,� Faramir advised pleasantly.
�Your father and brothers will not be far behind me. I doubt they will find this
impromptu outing as humorous as I do.�
�� Loth�riel
blanched. She would rather not be caught outside by her father if she could
help it, in no mood for a lecture. Therefore she bade both men a hasty goodbye,
then hurried back the way she had come.

~~*~~
�� �It seems Firefoot is not the only
one posturing and preening,� Faramir observed with a grin as soon as the
princess was out of ear-shot.
�� Eomer
gave his sister�s husband a scowl that was largely wasted, as it was no doubt
impossible for any man to appear intimidating while their face heated with
guilty embarrassment.
�� Truthfully
he did feel a little like Firefoot. Twisted up with wanting and more
than a little unsettled by it. Yesterday upon their first meeting, he had
recognized that Loth�riel was female and not displeasing to his eye, but that
had been about all. In fact he had put more than one passing thought to her
tiny body and wondered if he could come to see her as more than a child in his
eyes.
�� Then
the disaster under the mountain had occurred, and he had ridden for a number of
hours with her tiny body cuddled up and practically wrapped around his
own. This had led to the discovery that, while small in stature and slender in
build, his future wife was very much not a child. Her curves were like
the rest of her�delicate, but most certainly there. Yet that still hadn�t
proven a problem . . . until he woke her up.
�� She�d
balked at first, letting out the sweetest little kittenish murmur of protest
and burying her face deeper into his chest. Grinning at the adorableness of it,
he�d leaned down to speak in her ear, so he wouldn�t be overheard by the others
around him. Loth�riel had finally stirred at that, murmuring again and slowly
turning her face up to his. She had stared up at him uncomprehending for several
moments, her huge eyes heavy-lidded and misty with sleep, full lips parted and
now only inches from his. Eomer had been momentarily stunned by the fierce jolt
of awareness that had shot through his every pore. Hot need pooled in low after
it.
�� Lucky
for him, she was too innocent to recognize what it was he was thinking or
feeling. That it had only been the twenty or so eyes watching them that kept
the King of Rohan from bending his head to close those precious few inches
between them and find out just what his little bride would taste like. His
discomfit had only increased as she wriggled and writhed in his grip, naive to
the fact that her hip was tucked into his groin and that every little move she
made was an erotic torture that soon had him in a cold sweat.
�� To
hear her ill-hidden excitement and delight at her first glimpse of the Mark had
only worsened his sudden need. The knowledge that his little bride could speak
and write more languages than the whole of the royal court in Meduseld did
nothing to dampen his mounting desire either. Indeed, by the time he�d deposited
her in front of her father, Eomer was twisted up so hard into a knot of raging
lust he could barely walk. He had been very glad for the heavy mail he wore,
else he�d have died of shame.
�� His
sleep last night had been a long time in coming, and fitful by the time it did
arrive. Only to be awoken by one of his �ored at dawn, informing him
that Loth�riel had just snuck out of her tent and was making her way toward the
horses. Though he wouldn�t admit it to anyone, for a moment he had been seized
with fear. What if she thought to flee him? Did he repulse her that much?
�� Eomer
had stormed out of his pavilion barely dressed, and practically ran to the
ropes. Yet he didn�t find his future wife trying to mount her mare and slip off
into the morning fog. Instead he found her standing at Gyldenfax�s side,
petting the Mearas and . . . talking to her. Eomer stood silent, unseen,
and watched as she spoke to the horse, utterly entranced. And her inky black hair�B�ma
preserve him�was only secured in a simple plait that fell down her back, the
tips swinging down well to the backs of her thighs. The young King found
himself consumed with a sudden, fierce desire to release that binding and see
those inky tendrils completely loose and wanton. To see them spread out around
her on his bedfurs in the Golden Hall . . . .
�� Needless
to say, he was now just as hard and uncomfortable as he had been last night.
And something told him Faramir knew it, curse and rot the man. He was far too clever
for his own good.
�� It
would sadden me to have to widow my sister so soon after becoming a wife,
Prince of Ithilien,� he ground out, tone rough. Faramir�s grin only widened.
�� Would
it indeed? Well, there�s a comforting thought. I must profess; it would sadden
me as well.� Eomer started to snap then that he had best shut his mouth, yet he
didn�t and what Faramir said next had the young King of Rohan gaping like an
idiot. �I would hate to leave this world before getting the chance to see my first
child born.�
�� Eomer
just stared, blinking, and Faramir�s mock-serious expression melted into a deep
chuckle at the sight of his stupor.
�� Eowyn
. . . she is . . . ?�
�� At
least three months along,� Faramir confirmed with a nod. His blue eyes twinkled
with humor. �But you mustn�t say a word. She has been trying to keep it a
secret from everyone, including me. I think she wants to make a surprise
announcement once we reach Edoras. So you will have to give me your word that
you will act astonished when she does reveal it,� Faramir demanded then, his
tone suddenly serious. �I would not have her surprise ruined.�
�� It
struck Eomer then, just how very much this man loved his sister. Faramir was a
sometimes frighteningly astute man, no doubt he had figured that Eomer would
end up discovering Eowyn�s little secret ere they reached Meduseld. He had
already guessed that she was hiding something after all, just not what. Now
Faramir was trying to ensure that, if not a complete secret by the time she
finally revealed it, Eowyn would still get the reaction she craved. Eomer just
shook his head with a grin.
�� I
shall save my congratulations then, until my exasperating sister decides to
reveal that she�s breeding Ithilien�s heir.� He laughed then, and Faramir
joined him. �Only Eowyn would have the audacity to keep something so momentous
a secret from one and all, including the babe�s father.�
�� Eomer
stepped over to his restless stallion then, and set about calming the poor lad.
Faramir accompanied him, and sighed at his words.
�� I
do not think she even suspected the truth herself until a few weeks ago. I only
guessed it due to her odd sickness, purging her food at all hours of the day
for no reason at all and then be perfectly fine afterward. That, and the naps.�
Eomer glanced at him with a lifted brow and Faramir nodded with a grin. �She
has started to take naps in the afternoon. And my little warrior is not one to
idly sleep away the hours of the day.�
�� True
enough,� Eomer agreed with a chuckle. He settled Firefoot with a few chunks of
apple and some murmured words in Rohirric. Then he moved to treat Gyldenfax
with the same, his voice softer and more gentle than the one he�d used with his
own stallion. The pretty mare nickered softly in return, gently nuzzling his
face, while he ran his hands down her powerful neck. Faramir was silent at his
side for several moments, then,
�� It
would seem you have taken to our little Loth�.� Eomer shot him a glare, but
Faramir raised his hand. �I do not tease you, my friend. I only seek to know
your true feelings on the matter. Loth�riel is very precious to me. We have
always been close, ever since early childhood. Out of everything she might
claim for herself, her only thought is to please you and your people, and to
not become a disappointment to her father. She thinks nothing of her own happiness.�
�� Unaware
of just what it was he was revealing to the clever Prince, Eomer turned
suddenly with a fierce frown.
�� You
do not think she will be happy in the Mark?� he demanded. �Has she professed
any doubts to you?� Faramir kept his expression carefully neutral.
�� Why
would they matter? The betrothal is sealed, you are all but wed.�
�� Eomer
scowled. �If she is unhappy with the match, I will not go through with the
ceremony,� he announced in a growl. �I will return every kernel of grain her
father sent me and they can march right back to the sea. I will not marry an
unwilling woman.�
�� Faramir
hesitated a moment, then, �you sound especially fierce, my friend. Why is
that?�
�� Eomer
glanced off to the side for a moment, and when he finally turned back, the
Prince of Ithilien was slightly taken aback by the ravaged expression on the
young King�s face.
�� When
I was a still a boy, I watched as my mother slowly withered away and died of sorrow
after my father was cut down by Orcs,� he heaved, tone hoarse. �And then I
watched my sister�weighted down by her grief for our parents and our enfeebled uncle�start
to withdraw from the world around her. In the Houses of Healing she very nearly
died of that same gnawing despair that took our mother.� His voice was shaking
with resolve at the end. �I will not sit idly by and watch a third!�

~~*~~
�� Loth�riel
didn�t manage to sneak back into her tent unscathed, unfortunately. Elphir was
waiting for her inside, his expression extremely disapproving. She sighed
heavily, but refused to hang her head as she might have done in her youth. Instead
she glided back inside and struggled to maintain her mask of cool indifference.
�� You
must be more careful, sister,� he announced sternly after a moment.
�� Careful
of what?�
�� Of
your reputation,� he snapped back at her airy disregard. She blinked, turning
to him in surprise, and he scowled down at her in return. �You represent our
entire fief, Loth�riel. Anything you do will reflect back upon us. You must remember
that.�
�� Elphir,
I haven�t done anything wrong,� she protested, but her eldest brother shook his
head.
�� You
may be betrothed, but you are not married yet,� he inserted sternly. �You have
to maintain a level of distance until after the wedding. Else people will start
to talk. You don�t want your new subjects getting the wrong idea about you.�
�� Loth�riel
blanched, eyes wide. She bit her lip in sudden worry. Had her behavior really
been so bad? Were the �ored speaking ill of her behind her back? She
winced, as she realized that in Gondor her behavior would have been seen as
utterly scandalous at the very least, completely shameful at worst. Elphir
sighed then at her aghast look, and reached out to grip her shoulder
comfortingly.
�� I
am only trying to look out for you, Loth�,� he murmured. �I know it can be
hard, and you would certainly wish to get to know the King more personally
before you are wed. I understand that. To do so however will be seen as . . .
highly irregular. You must try very hard to conduct yourself more properly for
the rest of the journey, and especially once we reach Edoras. In these coming
weeks you will be under the very close eye of the full court of Meduseld, and
eventually the King and Queen of Gondor themselves. Such close scrutiny can
have very strong and lasting effects. Please remember that.�
�� Subdued,
Loth�riel nodded, eyes falling away.
�� You
are right, Elphir,� she murmured softly. �I am sorry if I have shamed you or
father. I . . . I will try to act more properly from now on.�
�� Suddenly
Elphir�s hand was beneath her chin, lifting her eyes from the floor. She was graced
with one of his rare smiles then, his silver eyes darkening to a soft pewter.
�� I
know you will,� he murmured. �I know.� He leaned down and planted a gentle kiss
to her brow, quirked her chin, then turned away.
�� Elphir
ducked out of the tent then, completely missing his sister�s very troubled and
anxious stare at his back.
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Of Swans and Horses : Queen of the Riddermark