Sacrifices

NOTE: The song Loti recognizes is an actual song. It has been sung and used by various artists over many years and I am not sure of the original composer but I am pretty sure it came from the British Isle. The verse spoken is from Loreena Mckennitt's 'The Mask and the Mirror' song entitled 'The Bonnie Swans'. (1994) Quinlan Road Limited Canada. With Imrahil's banner being a swan and swan ship it just fit. But this is NOT a song fic chapter.


The evening festivities wore on Loti's nerves, this was the final party before her wedding day and it was grand and boring. Where the other parties had been informal for the most part this one was strictly formal protocol; which led to it being very boring. Lothiriel excused herself claiming a headache and promised to be back down when she felt better. Finduilas was ready to go with her back to her chamber but the princess insisted her friend stay.

There was no headache; she could not handle being in the same room with her father since they had not spoken of the matter at hand. Loti hoped that her father would follow her cue and leave as well so that they could talk in private, but he never came to her room. Lothiriel woke up in the night to the sound of a harp playing in the castle. The music was slow and mournful and seemed to eerily match her mood.

Following the sound of the music Loti found herself standing at her father's chambers. Giving him the respect he did not show her she knocked first, but entered before he had given permission. He was not surprised to see his daughter; he knew she would come to him and he knew she was intrigued by her love of the harp.

"Do you recognize the song Loti? There was no malice in her father's voice. It has been so long since I played this old thing that I am afraid it is out of tune. And these fingers are not what they once were; it probably is hard to tell what it is."

"I recognize it, The Swan Harp." She stood beside her father's harp watching him play the fine crafted instrument.

"Do you remember the words to it?"

"A farmer their lived in the old country, and he had daughters one, two, three." She repeated the first line in normal speech. You know father that I can not sing."

"Rest his soul if any of his daughters were like mine, let alone all three! I always thought it would be your brother's that would cause me the most grief. Getting women with child, giving me bastard heirs to the throne, warring with their father for control, dying in battle. Alas no, I am blessed and cursed to have a daughter thrown into the mix and she alone has managed to age her father faster then any one of her brothers!"

"I am sorry father." She did not know where this conversation with her father was going and she was nervous.

"There is no reason to apologize. The deed is done, the outcome has played out. You will marry Eomer today and there will be no mention of Rufio in the castle from this day forward. That is my only command."

"Yes love, today you marry and he can deal with your stubbornness, willfulness, courageous and proud self. But what were you thinking in the first place Loti? I need to know."
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The ride from Minas Tirith was not what Eomer and the 25 men from his eored had expected. A nice road extended from the citadel south and there were many small streams for them to rest and refresh. The king noticed that the lands he was traveling through were not any different from the Mark. Rivers crossed the plains and the same kinds of flowers and animals dwelled in Gondor as in his homeland. He hoped this was a good sign, that it meant Rohan would not be such a change for the princess.

Traveling in Gondor had been good so far; the weather was fine for riding, the roads were good and flat and the villages they passed through were welcoming. The King of the Mark felt at home, until Linhir. There Eomer glimpsed the great sea for the first time and was absolutely taken by the sight! Bright colored boats of red, blue, yellow and orange were in the bay. To a man from a land lock country the first glimpse was astounding. The smells were vastly different from Edoras and the people dressed as vibrantly as their boats. Yet he could not escape the sound of the sea with its calm rolling waves crashing on shore. He made a mental note to stop by this place anytime he was in Dol Amroth.

Their brief stay in Linhir got Eomer wondering how Lothiriel could give up such wondrous sights. But she had grown up among this culture and his amazement with boats and the sounds of the sea would seem silly to her. He wondered how she felt about horses. Did she ride or was she taken around in ships? One thing he knew, he could not wait to see Dol Amroth or Lothiriel again.

They had one more night to camp under the stars before they arrived in Dol Amroth. The king was interested in learning about Gondor so the princess would not think he was a total dunce. The rumor that horselords were illiterate, while true for the majority of the populace, was not true for him. He had received a sound education, even though at the time he was being schooled he wondered when he would ever have use for it.

"Gondorian women; especially ones with the blood of the elves are truly a tricky situation to master Eomer." Aragorn said as he puffed on his pipe.

"So it is true she carries elven blood in her veins, many had told me it was just a story to help bolster the line of the princes."

"Lothlorien blood runs through her veins. Even Legolas recognized it in her father. Of course Numenorean blood composes the other half of her lineage so you my friend are in for serious trouble if things go ill."

Aragorn continued, getting an odd enjoyment out of Eomer's discomfort. "She is not young Eomer, and I do not expect her to be blind to the ways of men."

Eomer shifted more at his friend's words. "She might have experienced the ways of the men of Gondor, but she has not had the pleasure of knowing the ways of the Horselords of Rohan." He smiled but still showed worry on his face.

Aragorn looked slyly at Eomer and let out a smoke ring. "You wanted to know about the women of Gondor did you not? Do not interrupt me," he joked.

"Remember she is being taken from her home by a strange man from the North. While most of the people rejoice at this a few disapprove of their prince's blood mingling with outsiders. Just as I am sure it is the same in your kingdom."

"I do not know if she rides well or not. If luck is on your side that will be the biggest problem in your union."

"Luck is never on my side Aragorn." He stirred the fire. "And if she does not like what she sees, then what?"

Playfully twisting the knife into Eomer's back Aragorn replied, "Then she will help you rule, but take a more pleasing type to her side. A consort."

"Never! We will work through that if it comes. I think that I am handsome enough; the many women of Rohan think I am handsome. So why should Lothiriel not think the same thing?" He was playing back to his friend.

"Lothiriel has been ruling in her father's absence for years so I do not think you will have to be gentle in affairs of state. When we ride out to meet our foes she will be able to rule Rohan easily. She has conducted many treaties for her father and Gondor; she knows how to conduct her affairs."

"That is something that has greatly drawn me to her. She seems able to take care of affairs quickly and wisely from what her father has told me. I could have chosen a woman from a house in Rohan but I do not think any would make a fit ruler in my absence, except my sister. Once I saw her I knew she would be Rohan's queen and my wife. At least that is the thought Eowyn placed into my head."

It seemed as if a dam had burst in Eomer's head and let out all his pent up emotions. "I am going to be married tomorrow! What am I thinking?"

Aragorn knocked out the remains of his pipe and put it away. Amused at his friend's realization. "You are thinking you are in love. If she is like her female ancestors she will be stubborn, almost if not more stubborn then yourself, but she is also reasonable to logic. Clash of wills I fear will cause some conflict in the Golden Hall. Thinking about it that really might be your biggest problem at first." Here Aragorn laughed.

Eomer had a confused and worried look on his face.

"Do not worry Eomer; you have charm, good looks, and a quick wit about you. You will be able to sweep her off her feet."

"I thank you for your words Aragorn, but I do not know if they give me heart or not. I could not sweep her off her feet at Edoras a few months back." He laughed as he got up to head to his tent.

Aragorn heard the whizzing of arrows but did not have enough time to push Eomer to safety. Three silver arrows hit the King of the Mark in the back, the fourth clanked off the rock that Aragorn had been leaning against.