Sacrifices

He met his children at breakfast the next morning. Imrahil’s face was ashen and his eyes red from many tears. Since they were all together he would make his announcement, fear could no longer be allowed to rule his soul. He had done the proper thing, someday they would realize that. Patience was what he had to have now, and maybe a little luck.

Inside his chest his heart beat quickly, his hands were clammy and sweat formed on his forehead. His children had seen this behavior before, when he had ill tidings to tell. Now they sat quietly waiting for the news that had to be terrible to make their war hardened father shake like a leaf in the fall winds.

In a soft, broken voice he began his news. “The House of Dol Amroth has been blessed with many peaceful years and many allies at our side. A few months ago the great evil was defeated, but evil walks still in the united kingdoms.”

He had to take a drink before he could continue. “Gondor, Rohan, and Ithilien are now occupied by mighty men. Our lands begin to prosper. We need to continue our allegiances; Dol Amroth is ruled by a prince. What can a prince do among so many great warrior kings?”

Everyone listening knew that that was not the case. The Kings valued and needed their father’s help, he had already given much they wondered what more he had to give?

“A month after we departed Edoras the King asked me to counsel. Things were discussed that I can not mention here in the open. But one thing was discussed and on that is what I have to tell.” He looked at his daughter, who was fixed upon his every word, the fork still halfway from her charger to her mouth.

“It has come to my attention, by the King of the Mark himself,” he tried to embellish the title. “That he desires Lothiriel’s hand in marriage,” he spoke quickly; almost too quickly for his children to comprehend what he said.

He closed his eyes tightly and waited for the barrage of words and tempers to fill the air. Strangely all was quiet. The silence was broken by Loti herself as her fork crashed onto the charger.

“Father, what will you have me do?” Her voice was tired; she knew she had lost the opportunity to fight whatever her father had decided. His actions in the past few days told her as much. But she had to get in some remarks; her feelings had to be known on this matter.

“Am I, so recently grieved, to be forced out of my home, my comfort into foreign land? When did I stop being Lothiriel Princess of Dom Amroth and daughter of the great prince of peace Imrahil and turn into a political pawn?” She was fuming with anger!

“I do not know the King of the Mark and yet what I have seen of him gives me no hope that I would be happy in that union. He sits cold and stern upon the throne. His heart is ice some say. He would rather spend his time with his horses and men out hunting the wild things that harm his lands then have a wife. WHY? Why would he even think I would make him a good mate? We have to be as different as the moon and sun, with no common day to help us transition. He knows me less then I know of him father. WHAT GOOD CAN COME OF THIS?”

Imrahil had honestly expected more malice from his daughter. But since she was calmer then what he thought he would receive his mind went to his three sons. Surly he would hear far worse from their mouths. Looking at each of them his heart sank deeper. Elphir looked to his father with the malice that he thought would come from Loti. Amrothos was stunned, only Erchirion broke the silence.

“Eomer is a good man, brave in deed and noble in thought. Loyal he would be to our dear sister, just as he is loyal to Rohan and all those that ally with her.”

“Stop the poetics Erchirion,” Loti yelled at him! “You could not paint him in a light that I would like, so save your honeyed words!”

The prince knew that his children would soon be arguing amongst themselves if he did not intervene. Yelling now to get heard over Loti and Erchirion he called for order! His children silenced themselves, even though there were malice glances going back and forth between Elphir and Erchirion.

“The eve his uncle was entombed we were talking together. You came up and asked if we had seen Elphir. I saw a spark in the king’s eyes when he looked upon you Lothiriel. He ignored my words as you walked away, focused only on you and a smile came to his harden face.”

Turning her seething to Elphir, her dearest brother she said, “If you had not gone off, enamored with that elf and his games I would not have been looking for you. If you had kept your promise!”

Imrahil broke up the harsh words of his daughter. “There was no promise Elphir could have kept or broken that the King of the Mark would not have noticed you Loti. By nature alone you stood out among the fairer women. Short as you are you were exotic among them.”

“And?” She knew what had happened next, her father had already mentioned the meeting, but she decided to make him suffer by having to tell it himself, again.

“We talked some more and then he asked about your status. I told him you were not taken. That pleased him immensely and he asked to be allowed your hand. I told him that it would be an honor if he chose to take my daughter as his wife and queen. He asked me properly Loti. What could I do in a situation like that?”

She did not answer with anything, he was forced to confess.

“I came to speak to you but you seemed distant. Thinking to make the transition easier for you love, I had the history of Rohan sent for you to read. To familiarize yourself with the land you will help govern.” His daughter breathed short breaths and her jaw was set. In his mind he knew that there was no way his deed would have a happy ending.

“Loti, I could not once I knew you had loved and lost Rufio bring myself to tell you about the arrangement. But today it is three months until the King himself comes to Dol Amroth.”

“So I am an arrangement? ARRANGEMENT!” Her temper was flaring; she shook at the very core of her being. Trying to control the rage inside her she stormed off from the table, turning over her dishes.

Imrahil sat down with tears in his eyes, his sons ignored his sadness so angered by this message that he had kept hidden. Elphir especially was angry at the mention of his dear friend in such careless manner.

Although they knew Eomer was a deserving man and would make their sister a suitable husband, the way their father had handled it left only bitterness on their parts, even Erchirion glared at his father, when he could take his eyes off of Elphir.

Frustrated Elphir chased after his sister. The rest ate what the felt like in silence.

“LOTI” he called! He could see her form walking along the path to the beach. He followed her, keeping away at first until he could judge her mood and thus her actions.

“I am too angry to scream out, too hurt to shed a single tear brother! WHY? Why would he do this? I have only been the faithful daughter, doing my royal duties to the best of my ability, serving my prince and country. Why!?” She fell to her knees on the sand.

“Is it because I dared to love someone else? Did our secret vows and our passion led to this? How can I be guilty enough to deserve this type of punishment when I loved Rufio with a pure heart? True love is supposed to endure death, or have the fairy stories been deceiving us since childhood?”

Putting his arm around his sister’s shoulder he spoke softly in her ear, “You have the right to be angry Loti, but do not look upon this arrangement as you call it as a punishment. Forming political alliances is part of doing your royal duty. Do you think that if the roles were reversed that father would not have one of us brothers arranged to marry a queen?”

Pulling her close he continued, “Rufio loved you just as much as you loved him. I knew from the moment he came of age that he had eyes only for my sister. It took you longer to see that you had your heart set only for him, and once you did were not the years sweet? Twelve years of love, a few months of being in the union of man and woman. Fate gave you love, she does not look upon you for punishment. Have heart my sweet, gentle sister; fate may still yet bring love into your life. His memory will never die in your heart, but while we are still young should we not grab at what life gives us anew?”

“Your speech is as flowery as Erchirion’s,” here she found herself laughing through the tears. “We have always been each others counsel; I will take your counsel now. What should I do?”