More Then you Seem

She was so exhausted consoling Cerrywyn. The young woman had serious issues that all Lothiriel could do was silently nod in faux understanding. Upon returning to her chamber the princess fell into a deep sleep. As she slept she dreamed; dreamed of Minas Tirith and her family. In her dream she held an infant and looked out over the plains at the form of horses and riders retreating back to the safety of the city’s walls. Behind the riders was darkness, darkness penetrated here and there with a demonic red light. Fire seemed to shot from the light and with each shot many men and horses fell. She looked and saw him, riding with all his might toward the city. He had to get back to them safely; he had to return to his family. They had come too far to lose him now she thought and the infant began to wail.

He was near her though she could not see him. His presence was getting stronger and soon she heard him coming up behind her and the children. The infant stopped wailing as his father took him into his arms. However the man holding his son was not Rufio, it was Eomer; only not Eomer. The Eomer holding their second son was different, statelier then before, royal in dress and crowned with a magnificent crown. Beside this royal Eomer stood a now grown Elfwine whose eyes seemed to plead to his mother to reveal some unknown secret. Lothiriel’s heart broke looking into her son’s eyes and she looked deeply into Eomer’s eyes. He smiled, as if saying he understood and that all was well between them. Then he kissed the infant, handed him back to his mother.

In a minute things had changed from Minas Tirith to Meduseld, the eve before Eomer’s wedding. They were in bed together holding each other after making love. It seemed to Lothiriel that she knew the exact moment Elfwine was conceived. Everything was beautiful, loving, peaceful and most importantly she had Eomer to help raise their children. They were both responsible for Elfwine and his brother and the burden she had felt so many times before was gone.

Lothiriel was awakened by the sunlight creeping through the window. It was past noon according to the sunbeams and she had slept most of the day away. Dressing she went to the nursery to find Elfwine but he had gone to the beach with his father, uncles, grandfather and the party from Rohan.

“Lord Rufio thought it best to let you sleep my lady. Considering that you were out late and have just recovered from illness. He took the boy with him to the beach. Said that they would be back before noon, but the hour has past. I suspect that we shall see our boy by dinner.” The nurse went about straightening up the room. Lothiriel knew she was lucky to have found a nurse like Finduilas; patient and kind. But even the nurse could not help raise Elfwine.

Leaving to head to the beach herself Grima blocked her way. “I did not mean to startle you princess,” he said with a sweet, apologetic tone.

“Grima! You did startle me I thought that everyone had gone to the beach. What makes you stay behind?” She started walking toward the balcony and he followed.

“The sun is too strong this time of day. It is not good for my health.” He sounded so sincere, almost hypnotic that Loti wanted to speak to him at length.

“Will you honor me with your company Lord Grima? I do not think my husband will return for some time and I would love to converse with one as knowledgeable as yourself.”

Smiling outwardly while smirking inside he said, “I will be honored to have you in my company. Thank you princess.” He was now in position to get inside Lothiriel’s head. His master Saruman had long felt that the weakness to Rohan’s royal family lay in Dol Amroth. How Saruman came to this idea Grima did not know; he only knew that his master wished for him to find out everything he could while in Dol Amroth. Saruman trusted his faithful servant to create chaos and havoc with what he found.