More Then you Seem

March 15 3019

Eomer led the first eored and charged into battle. Surprising the enemy that had ruled the field and brought havoc to the White City! The war was fierce and the fighting strength of the Rohirrim was steady and firm. Many enemies fell beneath their sword and horse, but many more rose to take their foul kin’s place. So it went with blood and gore staining his horse and himself till he saw some of his uncle’s knights come toward him. Dispatching several enemies he asked during the brief rest where his uncle was. Their response ripped him into.

Imrahil had wanted his daughter to take Elfwine deep inside the city but the princess felt it her duty to protect her people and instead of hiding she stayed to help with the healers; Elfwine close by her side. Cerrywyn and herself worked tirelessly but made no headway. As fast as they could treat the basic wounded droves of more would come. Now it was rumored that the walls had been breeched by the vile creatures in the dark one’s command and everything seemed hopeless. It would be only a matter of time before they overran the healing houses and finished off the survivors. Lothiriel had not planned to allow those foul creatures to lay hands on herself or her son. As her ancestors had done long ago when death by the enemy was upon them she had prepared a tea that they would take at the first sign all was lost. Death would be assured, but it would not be violent. She would simply fall asleep with her son in her arms and they would wait to be reunited with her loved ones in the afterworld.

The procession for the fallen King of Rohan made its way toward Minas Tirith and all those before it stopped to pay their respects. Imrahil took a knee as the sad party made its way by him, then noticed that there was a second member of Rohan behind Théoden. A young woman was also being carried into the city and her brethren believed her dead. Imrahil saw that in fact the young woman was not dead but very close to death and alerted the procession members. As they were taking the Lady Eowyn, the king’s niece, to the healing houses he became aware of the dire situation Eomer, Théoden’s nephew, had fallen into and rode to his aide. Riding with Rufio and other Gondorian lords they managed to save Eomer’s hide. However Rufio was lost, hewn by an orc’s foul blade. The man that had raised Imrahil’s grandson as his own and who had given his daughter the husband and help she needed to raise Elfwine was gone. Imrahil’s heart broke but knew that Rufio was now free to be with his true love. Lothiriel would be sad but would not be devastated because she too would know Rufio was finally able to love whom he desired.

Lothiriel was too late to stop her uncle from whatever plan he had for him and his son. Pip, the little hobbit, had alerted everyone to the lord’s strange behavior but there was nothing that could be done. He had barricaded himself and Faramir inside the citadel and what he was going to do was anyone’s guess. She did not have the opportunity to deal with this situation because the woman who had been in painful labor was giving birth. The princess prayed that her cousin would be alright and that her uncle would be rid of the madness that had overtaken him; but as of now there was nothing she could do. The woman delivered twins, and her life faded before them. Cerrywyn took one of the babes and was cleaning it while Loti cleaned the other. Lothiriel noticed the men from Rohan bringing in their injured. She was searching for Eomer, hoping that he would be among the injured in the houses and not among the dead on the field. Cerrywyn gasped when she saw Eowyn being laid on the floor! She went to tend to her ex sister-in-law while Loti took care of the babies.

The battle was over, Aragorn had met his promise and his arrival had turned the tide! It had been a long day and now Eomer waited by his sister’s side as the heir to Gondor worked on her shattered arm.

“I can heal her arm but I can not make her come back to the living Eomer. Her love for me is not as strong as that for you. Help her come back to us.” He encouraged Eomer to take her hand and call to her.

Eomer would have done anything to bring his sister back to him and so softly took her hand and called for her. He choked back sobs as she opened her eyes and gazed at him.

Cerrywyn watched in the shadows with Elfwine by her side as Aragorn and then Eomer brought Eowyn back to the living. Lothiriel joined them but remained quiet. Now was Eomer’s time to be with his sister. Later she hoped that she would get a moment with the man she loved. But did he still love her? What if the last four years had diminished her in his eyes? Lothiriel would have to remain strong for Elfwine’s sake but now, with the war over she realized for the first time what a precarious situation she was in. Here she was with a child whose father was now the King of Rohan. She had conceived Elfwine out of wedlock, but in love with Eomer. She had raised him to know his father as a great man who loved him; and she believed Eomer truly did love them. But he was now king and their relationship would probably have to end as he took a wife, maybe Cerrywyn again, but definitely Rohirric to be his queen. She had always been foolish in thinking that she and Eomer could ever be together. Her people were told Elfwine was Rufio’s son; though many knew the truth and did not speak of it. Now she grieved for the man who had been her rock for the past 10 years and at the prospect of never having Eomer in their lives.

Gently tugging Elfwine away from Cerrywyn and the scene before him she took him to where Rufio’s body was now laying in state. The child was uneasy but his mother took him on her lap and calmed him.

“He is with Chris now Elfwine and they are happy together. He was a brave man and he would want us to grieve for him but not be consumed by our grief. He knew we loved him and he loved us.”

Both cried as they sat beside the fallen hero, husband, father, and lover. More tears would be coming in the following days as the impact of loses was made evident. But for know they had each other. Lothiriel did not know how long they sat with their tears but a warm hand on her shoulder brought her attention to the present. Elfwine had cried himself to sleep and was limp in his mother’s arms. Looking up she saw Eomer gazing down at her, fresh tears and tear stains on his face. She could not help but cry again, for Rufio, for Eomer, for Elfwine, for her people and for all those lost.

Eomer sat down behind her and wrapped his arms firmly around her, embracing Elfwine as well in his powerful arms. The boy still slept as Eomer whispered quietly to Lothiriel. He knew that it would not be proper to spend too much time with his lover and son while they were in grief over Rufio. So he had told her about the next battle to be fought and extended her the invitation to visit with him whenever she could do so. Before leaving he gave her a token and pledge of his love.

He placed his family ring on her left hand. It was way to big but that did not matter, what mattered was she had it now and that was as good as a wedding ceremony in Rohan. He had pledged to her and she accepted. She knew what it meant to accept his ring and neither one of them would treat the vow lightly.

“May I put my son to bed,” he asked as he motioned for Lothiriel to hand Elfwine to him?

“Yes, that would be wonderful,” she handed the child to him. Elfwine did not even make a sound as he was transferred to his father.

She took his arm and they walked back to her apartment. There were so many questions she wanted to ask of him. So much time to catch up on and so many emotions to sort out before they were together once more. Her questions from earlier were not answered but they were not as stifling now that she had seen with her own eyes and heart that Eomer loved them and wanted to be with them. They had walked in silence, just happy being with each other and now they were at her apartment.

Eomer gently placed Elfwine in the large bed and began to take his shoes off. “Does he sleep in jimjams?”

“Usually his clothes from the day. Whatever he falls asleep in I generally allow him to wear to bed. It is wiser to not wake your son once he falls asleep. Much like you,” she laughed at remembering how Eomer was not very nice woken up from a sound sleep.

He remembered how grumpy he would get when Loti would wake him up. But that was in happier times when some rest was granted to his weary body. It had been many years since he had slept soundly through the night but he was warmed by the fact that perhaps soon he would fall asleep in Loti’s arms every night and the nightmares would be gone. A knock at the door took his lover from his sight. A few minutes later she came back with two babies in her arms.

“It seems that the healers believe it best to have them with someone who will give them warmth and comfort tonight. I do need the distraction,” she admitted to him.

He wanted to stay with them tonight but knew he was needed elsewhere. He pulled the covers over Elfwine and stood, walking in two steps to embrace Lothiriel and the babies he kissed her mouth.

“I will see you soon my love.” He kissed her again and then reluctantly pulled away from her. Leaving their apartment was one of the hardest things he had done in the last few hours and he had done a lot of difficult things. But now he had a world of issues to take up and solve, an injured sister who would be trying to go against his advice, and a beloved uncle to see to. Lothiriel and Elfwine would be there for him; that was his constant, his strength during these times of strife.