More Then you Seem

Fall 3015

“Good morning mother,” Christobal said as he came into the princess’ chamber carrying a still drowsy child. “Rufio said I should bring him into you this morning. Elfwine’s other ‘father’ placed the tot beside his mother and rubbed the boy’s hair. “He slept well last night, and you?”

“I think I am finally getting rid of this flu; I slept soundly – finally. I have never felt so exhausted before. Not even keeping up with Elfwine’s mischief. Which I can thank you and Rufio for,” she smiled at the man that had been her life savior six years ago.

“You should tell Rufio that at least I am good for something,” he ribbed back to her.

“Still fighting?” She had caught snatches of their domestic rift while drifting in and out of sleep during her fever.

“It has never stopped.” Christobal turned to leave then remembered he had a letter for her. “Your father’s messenger delivered this a few days ago, but you were in no state to read it. It sounds as if a party from Edoras will be arriving shortly to spend the wintering months in Dol Amroth.”

“Thank you for reading my mail.” She emphasized my.

“Eowyn is coming that should bring your mood up.”

“I look forward to seeing her again, six years. She will never believe how much Elfwine has grown!” She snuggled her son to her chest.

Christobal hesitated before he spoke, “Eomer’s wife will be joining us for part of the winter. I think she plans to stay with Eowyn throughout the winter months. Eomer will join her for a month or two early in the winter.” He could not read Lothiriel’s thoughts.

“Will you tell him about Elfwine? He deserves to know about his son, his only heir.”

“Cerrywyn still has not conceived? Was that in the letter as well?” Eowyn had kept in close contact with her since the shield maiden’s return to Edoras. The topic of several letters was the growing frustration between Cerrywyn and Eomer over the fact that they had yet, after six years of marriage, produced a child.

“Eowyn did mention it. Eowyn has grown up Lothiriel. She is no young child that you can confide in. She is grieved over the tension she senses in him. Her brother is the most important person in her life, sooner or later she will tell him if you do not first.”

“She will not betray my trust Christobal.”

“But you will betray Eomer’s?” He did not finish his thoughts due to Elfwine waking up.

“Good morning sunshine,” she said cheerfully to her son. The six year old hugged his mother and gave her a morning kiss.

“You have two days to prepare for the visitors from Rohan,” Christobal reminded her. Turning to leave he wished nothing but the best for Lothiriel and Elfwine. He knew it was difficult for her to raise him in secret from his real father but he also knew why she did it. She loved Eomer and perished the thought of creating conflict between the two kingdoms over their indiscretion in the past. Eomer was happily married to the woman he loved. Sometimes Christobal hated how passive Lothiriel was about Eomer and this time he had to make his ire known.

“Damn it Lothiriel he needs to know about his son!”

Shouting back she said, “Do not preach to me about responsibility Christobal! We both have secrets to hide and we hide them because we know we must.”

“Momma, who is Rohan? Who has a son? Why does he not know about him? What is responsibility? Why do we hide secrets? What is a secret?” Elfwine was in his ‘why’ stage of life. Everything he said began with who, what, where, why. He was anxious to learn and a bright pupil.

Calming down as Christobal left the chamber she said, “Rohan is a kingdom to our north-east. It is a kingdom of horselords that ride magnificent stallions! After your bath and breakfast I will show it to you on a map.” She hoped to avoid more questions from her son by changing the subject to his favorite hobby, looking at maps.

“Will they bring me a pony? I want a pony I can ride by myself.” The boy was pleading for a pony. “I am grown up now!”

“Do not grow up to fast little one. We will see about the horse.” He was obsessed with horses.

“Pony, I want a pony not a horse.”

At six he was already showing his father’s love of and skill with horses; along with Eomer’s golden hair. Elfwine was looking more like his father now; a fact that had not gone unnoticed among some in the court of Dol Amroth. Not that they knew Eomer was Elfwine’s father but they knew that Rufio was almost assuredly not. So far she had been able to blame Elfwine’s fair hair on her family’s elven ancestry, how long that would last she did not know.