Clarification
Title: Clarification
Fandom: Lord of the Rings
Characters: Lothiriel, Eomer.
Word Count: 729
Summary: Eomer feels the need to set some things straight.
Her study was a mess. He knew she was responsible for the impeccable state of Dol Amroth’s palace, but her study did not appear to fall under the same strict standards. Amrothos had mentioned that Lothiriel allowed no one to tidy up in her study for fear of misplacing anything. Still, the stacks of open books upon her desk were surprising.
He had knocked three times before entering and had heard no reply. He could see why. Eomer had been standing before her desk for several minutes now and she’d yet to look up from the report in front of her. He wasn’t used to being ignored, he had to admit. Lothiriel had never been openly rude, but she made no effort to hide how little she wanted to be in his presence. He’d thought they’d made some progress when her brother forced him to go sailing, but nothing had changed on land. Now, however, she was obviously not deliberately ignoring him; she was simply too involved in her work. It was amusing.
Finally, he cleared his throat loudly.
She jolted and looked up at him with wide eyes. It was even more amusing to see the usually collected princess caught unawares. She composed herself quickly. “My lord,” She bowed her head. “I apologize. I had not noticed you.”
“I see that.” He could see the faintest of blushes on her cheeks.
Lothiriel laid down the report in her hands and reached for one of the books to her left instead. “I was going over the preparations needed for next week’s expedition.” She paused. “Is there anything you needed, my lord?”
The diplomat was back, he could see. While there was nothing in her words that would have brooked reproach, he could easily see that his presence was unwanted. That was why he was here, after all. He planned to remain at Dol Amroth for some time still, preferably without the polite iciness from her.
“My lady, I fear we may have a misunderstanding between us.” Her eyes narrowed a fraction. “What I told you while sailing the other day is true; I have no intention of forcing you into a marriage. Neither does your father. I would not have a queen who would not have me.” Silence stretched between them while she watched him. He had the distinct feeling of being tried and judged.
“Is that so?” Her sharp grey eyes were fixed on his face, clearly looking for the slightest hint of falsehood. When Imrahil had boasted about his clever daughter, Eomer hadn’t quite understood all that the claim encompassed.
He nodded at her and, after a minute, she nodded back. She didn’t appear entirely satisfied, however.
Without thinking he opened his mouth again. “To be frank, my lady, I have set my eyes on another lady of Gondor.” He thought he must have imagined the angry flash that passed over her eyes for a second later she was smiling at him.
“That is good to hear.” She gathered another book to her without looking and continued. “A union as such would strengthen the bond between Rohan and Gondor, and a union to a woman you actually enjoy will be good for you.”
His surprise must have been apparent on his face and she ducked her head. He doubted she regretted her words, though. Erchirion had always said she spoke freely. Clearly she had been holding back more of herself than even he had guessed.
“Well, I am glad we sorted that out. I apologize if I have been…” She trailed off, trying to find the right word, “Distant.” Eomer was pleased to see that she did look sorry, at least a little. It hadn’t done his pride any good to have a beautiful princess so decidedly against marrying him.
He smiled at her. “Not to worry, my lady, I hardly noticed.” She blinked up at him and he wondered if she knew she shared the trait with her brothers; they all seemed to blink when they could not think of something to say. “Now, I will leave you to your work.” With that he gave her a nod of his head and swept out of the room. He got the feeling she was still blinking at his back when he left.
Fandom: Lord of the Rings
Characters: Lothiriel, Eomer.
Word Count: 729
Summary: Eomer feels the need to set some things straight.
Her study was a mess. He knew she was responsible for the impeccable state of Dol Amroth’s palace, but her study did not appear to fall under the same strict standards. Amrothos had mentioned that Lothiriel allowed no one to tidy up in her study for fear of misplacing anything. Still, the stacks of open books upon her desk were surprising.
He had knocked three times before entering and had heard no reply. He could see why. Eomer had been standing before her desk for several minutes now and she’d yet to look up from the report in front of her. He wasn’t used to being ignored, he had to admit. Lothiriel had never been openly rude, but she made no effort to hide how little she wanted to be in his presence. He’d thought they’d made some progress when her brother forced him to go sailing, but nothing had changed on land. Now, however, she was obviously not deliberately ignoring him; she was simply too involved in her work. It was amusing.
Finally, he cleared his throat loudly.
She jolted and looked up at him with wide eyes. It was even more amusing to see the usually collected princess caught unawares. She composed herself quickly. “My lord,” She bowed her head. “I apologize. I had not noticed you.”
“I see that.” He could see the faintest of blushes on her cheeks.
Lothiriel laid down the report in her hands and reached for one of the books to her left instead. “I was going over the preparations needed for next week’s expedition.” She paused. “Is there anything you needed, my lord?”
The diplomat was back, he could see. While there was nothing in her words that would have brooked reproach, he could easily see that his presence was unwanted. That was why he was here, after all. He planned to remain at Dol Amroth for some time still, preferably without the polite iciness from her.
“My lady, I fear we may have a misunderstanding between us.” Her eyes narrowed a fraction. “What I told you while sailing the other day is true; I have no intention of forcing you into a marriage. Neither does your father. I would not have a queen who would not have me.” Silence stretched between them while she watched him. He had the distinct feeling of being tried and judged.
“Is that so?” Her sharp grey eyes were fixed on his face, clearly looking for the slightest hint of falsehood. When Imrahil had boasted about his clever daughter, Eomer hadn’t quite understood all that the claim encompassed.
He nodded at her and, after a minute, she nodded back. She didn’t appear entirely satisfied, however.
Without thinking he opened his mouth again. “To be frank, my lady, I have set my eyes on another lady of Gondor.” He thought he must have imagined the angry flash that passed over her eyes for a second later she was smiling at him.
“That is good to hear.” She gathered another book to her without looking and continued. “A union as such would strengthen the bond between Rohan and Gondor, and a union to a woman you actually enjoy will be good for you.”
His surprise must have been apparent on his face and she ducked her head. He doubted she regretted her words, though. Erchirion had always said she spoke freely. Clearly she had been holding back more of herself than even he had guessed.
“Well, I am glad we sorted that out. I apologize if I have been…” She trailed off, trying to find the right word, “Distant.” Eomer was pleased to see that she did look sorry, at least a little. It hadn’t done his pride any good to have a beautiful princess so decidedly against marrying him.
He smiled at her. “Not to worry, my lady, I hardly noticed.” She blinked up at him and he wondered if she knew she shared the trait with her brothers; they all seemed to blink when they could not think of something to say. “Now, I will leave you to your work.” With that he gave her a nod of his head and swept out of the room. He got the feeling she was still blinking at his back when he left.