Chapter Text
Part 1: Two very different letters
To my dutiful daughter, I greet you and ask for your presence in Minas Tirith with most haste,
As you have heard proclaimed, the Dark Tower has been overthrown and Sauron is no more. You may calm any anxiety that you have on behalf of your family as we are all in health. I am pleased by your work ruling our city as your brothers and I have fought this war. As such, an opportunity has arisen for an advantageous marriage between you and the new King of Rohan. I have begun negotiations, which will be completed after your arrival to the city.
By my own hand, your proud father, Imrahil Prince of Dol Amroth
*****
To the gracious and wise Princess Lothiriel, I recommend myself to you,
Your father has suggested an alliance between our two houses; one sealed with a marriage between you and myself. I would not agree to any union if you find it repellant and wish to hear your thoughts on the matter. For my own part, I find it a great honor that the woman described by your father and brothers would consider leaving her current life to marry me and live in my halls.
By my own hand, Eomer of Rohan
*****
Lothiriel looked at her brother Elphir who had delivered these two very different letters to her. Elphir had left for war with the rest of them, but had hurried home to deliver these letters, rule in their father’s place as Prince of Dol Amroth, and reunite with his wife and child. Well, now children as Aradiel had delivered their second child a mere day after they had heard that the Dark Tower had fallen.
“I take it you know the content of these letters even though you haven't read them.” Lothiriel asked her oldest brother. He gave her a wry smile.
“I assume father is commanding you to come to marry Eomer and Eomer is asking if you’d consider it.” Elphir said, causing his sister to let out an unladylike snort. His smile turned into a grin. “It’s been a long time since I’ve heard that noise.”
“What is this man like that father would have me marry?” Lothiriel asked, ignoring her brother’s jibe but unable to hide her smile. Elphir moved forward to hug his sister.
“I’ll tell you all about him tomorrow. I must greet Aradiel and Alphros.” He said. Lothiriel grabbed his hand as he moved away.
“And Caladorn.” She replied. At first, Elphir looked confused. But her full meaning hit him and Lothiriel found her brother’s joy was radiant on his face. He squeezed his sister’s hand, too happy to speak. But she understood his meaning and smiled as she released him and watched him hurry down the hall towards his rooms. She finished up the business of the day and went to her own room to have a solitary dinner as she thought about what she would write that could be sent in advance of her travel to Minas Tirith.
Part 2: A Wave of Messages
To my honorable and dear father, Prince Imrahil, I beg your forgiveness
Father, I write from my sickbed. These past few days I have been suffering a fever, unable to rise and only taking a little water. I will attend you in Minas Tirith as soon as I am well enough to travel. I have enclosed a note for King Eomer, my betrothed. I do not believe that I will make it to the city before he departs.
By my own hand, your dutiful daughter, Lothiriel
*****
To the most brave and valiant King of Rohan, Lord of the Mark, Hero of Helm’s Deep, Savior on the Pelennor Fields, and friend of Gondor,
I thank you for the kind words in your letter. My brother Elphir delivered it to my hand and then told me many of his impressions of you. Since my delay to the city, both Erchirion and Amrothos have written to me as well. I assure you, I have never received such a complimentary report of one man from all three of my brothers and my father.
I write this to let you know that I do not accept this arrangement lightly as it seemed to worry you in your letter. Forgive me if I am too forward, but by your letter, I rather thought you would prefer openness from me. To be honest, I am sorry not to meet you before you take your leave of Gondor, but am honored to become your wife.
Perhaps in the meantime, we might write to each other and you could tell me something of Rohan?
Blessed by providence, Lothiriel, Princess of Dol Amroth
*****
Lothiriel looked down at the letter she had written to the man that she hoped would be her husband. She was a bit nervous to send such a letter, but his own letter to her had been almost an invitation to speak on familiar terms. She quickly sealed both letters and moved slowly back to her bed, wrapping her shawl around herself as she still felt mildly feverish. As she laid back in bed, slipping into sleep, she felt a momentary ping of regret for this illness that had kept her and King Eomer from meeting in person to see if her impressions had been correct.
However, as it turned out, when she received his answering letter a few days later, Lothiriel was relieved that her impressions of him had proved true. His letters were not very formal but were rather full of plain speaking and stories of his work and land. Lothiriel treasured every letter that Eomer sent her. Knowing how busy he was, she was pleased by his attention and apparent desire to know her. She strived to return the favor in her own letters and hoped that their correspondence brought him some peace and happiness through the challenges he faced.
She wished that she could see him in person and bring him comfort through her touch. Sometimes she dreamed so vividly that he was beside her holding her hand or his head rested in her lap as she ran her fingers soothingly through his hair. But she woke up alone with an ache in her heart that would only be filled, temporarily, when she received his next letter.
*****
To Lothiriel, the most beautiful and sweetest woman in all of Middle Earth,
I’ve been miserable. Returning home and seeing how close the Riddermark came to destruction. Riding back to pick up my uncle's body and the long journey back home for his funeral. I begged Erchirion to lend me the miniature he has of you until we can meet, but he refused. I wish you had been allowed to come. Eowyn leaves tomorrow forever and I am alone.
Eomer, reluctantly King of Rohan
*****
To a hopefully understanding and forgiving Princess Lothiriel of Dol Amroth,
My lady, I apologize for my earlier letter. If by some miracle you have not received it yet, I beg that you do not read it but burn it directly. I fear that I was overcome at my Uncle’s funeral and our correspondence has been the one bright spot in my life. I was feeling maudlin that, once again, we could not meet.
By my own hand Eomer, King of Rohan
*****
To the brave and honest Eomer King, my most beloved betrothed and dearest friend,
My lord, do not make yourself uneasy about your letter. I had read it but it only made me wish, more than I already did, that I had been allowed to attend your Uncle’s funeral. And your sister’s wedding. It looks like we shall not meet until our own wedding. I can only take comfort to know that we shall not soon be parted after that auspicious day. If I had my wish, we would not be parted ever again after we are wed.
I hope that allays your fears but now I must raise my one and only concern to you. I do think it unfair that you have seen a portrait of me and I have had to rely on my brothers’ uninformative words regarding you! However, to prove that I can be as gracious and kind as you have called me, I had a miniature of myself done and enclosed it for you.
Your devoted bride, Lothiriel
*****
To the most generous and forgiving Lothiriel,
I am overcome with my feelings from your last letter and the gift you enclosed. I carry it with me and just feeling its weight in the pocket of my tunic makes me feel less alone in my duties. We do not have similar artists in the Mark but I enclosed a pencil drawing I did of myself. I hope that it will give you some idea of what I look like so you won’t be too surprised when we meet in person.
I hesitate to write more…Perhaps it is too forward and I should wait until we are face to face. But you are right- I don’t think my duties will allow me to travel to visit you in Dol Amroth before I join you there for our wedding. There is some fear that the Dimholt path is not safe in the winter months. But I must tell you that I also feel what you hinted at in your last letter. You have come to be my dearest confidante and friend. I must confess you mean more to me than even that: I’ve come to love you dearly through this correspondence.
Your devoted betrothed Eomer
*****
Eomer looked down at the drawing and hoped that it would not put her off. He was more used to drawing rough maps. He was decent at wood carving and had spent much of his limited free time on the plains carving pieces of wood into figurines for Eowyn and the children of his friends, but he felt his drawing had much to be desired. He shrugged off his doubts and sealed the drawing in his letter. There was no one he could ask for help in this matter. He knew of no one who was skilled in drawing faces and he blushed to even think of requesting help from his advisors or members of his eored.
He supposed his focus on the drawing was to avoid thinking about his confession of love. He did love her though, he was sure of that. Taking out her miniature from his pocket, he gazed on Lothiriel’s face and smiled at the mischievous glint in her eyes. Feeling more at peace, he put his letter in the basket for outgoing correspondence and retired to his rooms. It would only be a few more months before he left to meet his bride in Dol Amroth. The thought of the bridal procession winding up through Minas Tirith and then back to Edoras sounded wearying but he would have Lothiriel by his side by then. A pleasant prospect indeed.
Part 3: The Wedding
The day of her wedding arrived and Lothiriel found herself pacing her room. Unfortunately, Eomer had been delayed in his departure and some expectedly cold spring weather had further delayed him so he had only arrived very late the night before. Which meant that they were unable to meet in person before the wedding, as planned. She walked over to her desk and brushed a fingertip lightly over the drawing of his dear face. She hadn’t had the courage to ask her brothers or father how accurate it was, but she rather hoped that it was. Well, mostly. There was a melancholy look in his eyes that she would like to see lit up with happiness. She smiled down at the drawing as she thought of ways to make her beloved smile, but a knock on the door drew her attention back to the present.
“Lothiriel, are you ready?” She heard her father’s voice and in two steps, she walked over to the door and flung it open.
“I’m ready!” She said, almost giddy in her anticipation. Imrahil chuckled.
“Seeing you, and Eomer too, so eager to marry makes me wonder what you two have been writing to each other all these months.” Imrahil said, with a wistful smile. Lothiriel’s own smile turned soft and reflective.
“Just…you know.” She said at last. Her father gave her a fond look but did not press her. Sooner than she thought possible, they were in the Great Hall of the Castle of Dol Amroth. It was filled with people; some were old friends, some were rivals from other noble families of Gondor, and some were unknown to Lothiriel completely. By the amount of people with blonde hair, she assumed that many had come with Eomer to be part of their wedding procession.
Then, she saw him and it was as if everything else, all the noises, all the other people, fell away.
That picture really didn’t do him justice was Lothiriel’s first thought as she smiled at her betrothed. She felt like his answering smile was engraved on her heart and she was pleased to see joy light up his dark eyes. Before she even realized that she had moved, she was at his side and her hand was in his. It was time to start their life together.
*~*~*~
Eomer took her hand in his and he could scarcely believe that he was lucky enough to have reached this moment. When they were preparing to leave Edoras, it seemed like everything was set to delay them; at the last minute someone had seemed to decide that they should take the long route through Minas Tirith to get to Dol Amroth instead of the Dimholt pass under the mountain. Much to Eomer’s ire. He had made his displeasure known and they had taken the Dimholt pass. But still, their party had been delayed leaving and, to his chagrin, the weather through the mountains had caused further delay, so they had only reached the castle last night.
But now, with Lothiriel standing before him, her hand in his, promising themselves to each other he felt nothing but joy. Their hands were bound together and they sealed their union with a chaste kiss before being allowed to take their seats for the wedding feast.
“I am so pleased to see you in person.” Lothiriel whispered to him as the feast began.
“Me too. I am sorry that I only arrived last night.” Eomer said, leaning closer to her. It was like he was in a dream. But his dreams paled in comparison as his senses lit up with his bride. He never even thought to imagine that her hair would smell like flowers and her skin would glow in the light of the sun that filtered into the hall.
“I understand.” She said, and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. He huffed and twined their fingers together. It was tradition that their hands were bound together and only unbound when they were alone in the bridal suite. He noticed that Lothiriel had hardly eaten any of the feast.
“Are you not hungry?” He asked, frowning in concern. She smiled and moved so that their shoulders brushed together.
“I suppose. But I’m just happy that we’re finally wed.” She said and Eomer felt his heart clench. Who would have thought that a kind, beautiful, refined Princess of Gondor would be happy to be wed to him with his rough hands and coarse manners. He swallowed past the lump in his throat.
“Me too.” He said and they both managed to eat a few mouthfuls. Soon it was time for dancing but Eomer had no patience for it, he just wanted to be alone with his wife. It seemed that Lothiriel had similar thoughts.
“Come. I asked Aradiel for help.” Lothiriel grinned at him and Eomer felt his heartbeat increase as he saw the familiar mischievous look in her eyes. It was the same as her miniature but he felt almost breathless to see it in person. He let her pull him along until they had left the ballroom. He let out a booming laugh as they left the feast.
“You planned our escape, my love?” He asked, grinning down at her as he followed her through the maze of halls in the Palace of Dol Amroth. She smiled at him over her shoulder.
“After your delayed arrival, I decided to enlist my sister-in-law’s help. She knows how much I’ve longed for you.” Lothiriel said and Eomer couldn’t help himself. He pulled her to a stop and kissed her, passionately, in the middle of the hall.
“Lothiriel…” He trailed off, unable to speak through the depth of his feelings. He framed her face with his hands but they both broke off laughing when her hand, still bound to his, flopped around beside her hair.
“Come. We’re almost there and then…” She blushed and Eomer used his unbound hand to pull her into an embrace.
“Then our life as man and wife will begin in truth.” He whispered. Without another word, they continued on their way. And so the King and Queen of Rohan missed most of their wedding feast. Neither of them regretted that decision. Although they were teased about it, often.