More Then you Seem

Three weeks later back in Dol Amroth Eowyn was settling down with the family and seemed to revert back to her loving, non brat self. She noticed that Lothiriel had been looking ill for the past week and a half and when she saw her friend leaned over the sink in the kitchen throwing up Eowyn came up to Loti and held her hair back.

Finally able to stand again and speak she turned to Eowyn, “I have never been this sick before Eowyn; not from traveling. Perhaps my nerves are unsettled. You are ok are you not? So it was not last night’s dinner.” Eowyn handed her a glass of water.

Something else was going on inside her and Eowyn seemed to sense it as well. Walking with her to the midwife’s the young shield maiden held Lothiriel’s hand tightly and embraced her with tears of joy when it was confirmed that the princess was indeed pregnant.

“Eomer will be so thrilled Loti!” Eowyn’s hopeful words drew the princess out of her thoughts.

Taking the young maiden in her arms she said, “Eomer must not know Eowyn. Please promise me that you will never tell him of this. It is our secret, and only ours. The midwife will not betray me and I need for you to not betray me either.”

“But it is his child. I know it is.”

Shaking her head yes was all Lothiriel could do. “Your brother is married to a very wonderful person Eowyn; you do not want to ruin that for him. He will have children of his own with her soon. She is his wife and their children will be his children. This child I carry while your brother’s is nothing more then a life inside me and my responsibility alone. I have to deal with the consequences myself Eowyn; I allowed it to come to this and I will take care of it. Please promise me you will never mention it to your brother or anyone else.”

Confused, Eowyn promised to keep the babe's origin a secret. Lothiriel knew she could trust the maiden’s words.

She could not let anyone know the child belonged to Eomer; the scandal it caused would be horrific! Yet the babe continued to grow inside of her and soon she was two months and beginning to show. Something needed to be done; she needed to marry and pass the child off as her husband’s. Even though being that deceitful went against everything the princess stood for she desperately wanted the child to be born and grow into a fine young man. She knew it was a boy and that made not telling Eomer harder.

Finally help came from the most unexpected place. A young Gondorian lord was in need of a wife as quickly as she was in need of a husband. Rumors were spreading of the lord’s liking of young men; one in particular the son of a general. The scandal that this would cause if confirmed matched Lothiriel’s in its hideousness. Speaking to the lord she told him of her situation and how it might benefit him. Her reasoning was sound. He had been found out with his male lover and needed to squash the rumors. She was with a child out of wedlock. The princess was the ideal person for his beard and he would make a good “father” to Eomer’s child. Soon the populace of Dol Amroth was celebrating the wedding of their dear princess to a most befitting lord.

Lothiriel grew with child and Eowyn was there by her side. Eight months later a baby boy was born and named Elfwine by his “father.” To Lothiriel’s relief the child looked more like her father then Eomer. Things would be fine now Eowyn assured her but Eowyn would return to Edoras within the year leaving Loti alone with Elfwine and no trusted help for the child. The princess would truly be going it alone in raising the babe….but Elfwine was conceived out of love and that would have to be enough.

Two months later Lothiriel heard from Eowyn that Eomer had not been able to conceive with Cerrywyn and that it looked like he would remain heirless as war mounted and the chance that he would not return from battle loomed. Looking at the sleeping infant Lothiriel said softly, “Your father needs us Elfwine. Someday, I promise you shall meet him and know the truth.”

TBC