A/N: The next three chapters were originally one, but I decided it was too long! So you three for the price of one! Enjoy! And Stay Safe.
Ch. 6 – A Wine-Coloured Dress
The steward of ceremonies came in to bid all to dinner. Aragorn and Arwen made ready to enter first, then Éomer, and the others by the order set by precedent long established at formal occasions such as this. They entered at the back of the Great Hall and proceeded to the dais amid cheers from those of the citizenry that were invited.
At the dais everyone sat according to their place cards. It was then when Éowyn noticed where Éomer had been placed, right next to Lothíriel. She caught Arwen's eye, smiling. Arwen returned a bright smile of her own. Aragorn caught this silent yet joyful communication and it all clicked into place. He looked to his left and then remembered the conversation before dinner with Arwen as he realised that Éomer and Lothíriel were seated next to each other. He glanced pointedly at his elven wife who in all innocence said "Estel, hand me that flagon of wine. It is time for you to make the toast."
Aragorn murmured a suspicious “MmHmm!” and his ethereal wife actually mouthed, “Shush,” as she was filling his goblet, she who was most definitely in the midst of a plan of some sort but she was also right. It was time for the toast. Aragorn stood, which caught the attention of the gathered. The sound of many chairs and benches scraping back from tables resounded throughout the hall.
“We are here gathered to acknowledge the advent of great joy. Great joy for us all but especially great joy for two young people. Faramir, son of Denethor, my Steward and newly named Prince of Ithilien and, Éowyn, the White Lady of Rohan, and sister to our brother Éomer, King of the Mark and dearest ally.” Aragorn gestured toward Éomer, who raised his goblet and bowed his head in acknowledgement.
“But on a more personal note,” Aragorn continued, “My heart is filled with boundless joy that these two good people have found each other and can make each other whole and happy and for that do I say raise your goblets!” All eyes were on Faramir and Éowyn. Faramir did manage a small smile though he did look as if he wanted crawl under the table to avoid scrutiny, even of a positive kind. Thankfully, he reflected, he was not expected to respond, at least not yet. That particular nightmare of attention-garnering would be saved for the wedding day.
Aragorn smiled empathetically, he knew how much Faramir hated notoriety. Éowyn noted that her husband-to-be was redder than the tablecloth that adored the high table. She smiled at Aragorn with a knowing look. She nodded and mouthed a “Thank you from us both” to her sovereign and friend. Aragorn returned the gesture and resumed sitting and the feast began in earnest.
On the other side of the table a different sort of tension was developing. Éomer sat trying to make conversation with Arwen as was proper. But all he could hear was the conversation that was happening to his left. Lothíriel, to whom he just been introduced was speaking to Beregond on her left. He was acutely aware of her presence, which made no sense to him. He had only just met her earlier this evening. Her laugh, the scent of lavender and rose. He was completely distracted. Arwen said something which he did not catch, though he had seemingly been looking in her direction. “Éomer, --”. His name cut through the distraction, “what did he say,” she asked.
Éomer blinked and then owned up to his own admission of, “I do beg pardon, my lady Arwen. What did who say?”
Arwen paused and smiled, “It is of no great import. I do believe it is time that we switch.” She signaled for a light bell to tinkle. It was Arwen as Queen and hostess of the proceeding who controlled the direction of conversation at least at the onset.
Éomer nodded his head in affirmation and turned to his left to be met by blue eyes that took his breath away. “My lady,” he managed to stumble, “would you have some wine?”
Lothíriel had been speaking with Beregond, recently named Captain of the White Guard who were to accompany Faramir into Ithilien; she had known him for some time. When she heard the tinkle of the bell to turn she met eyes so deeply blue gazing at her with such intensity she barely heard the proffer of wine, “Yes, please” she nearly whispered. She watched as strong, manly hands poured the wine into her goblet. She thought the hands shook a bit but she chalked it up to imagination. That was until the decanter holder bumped the rim of the overly full goblet and Éomer tried to steady the goblet with his other hand and inadvertently spilled about half of the wine onto the bodice of Lothíriel’s dress. Horrified, Éomer stumbled, “Oh My lady. I am so very sorry. Can you forgive me? Attendant! Please come and see to the lady!”
Lothíriel was a little taken aback at first, but then she saw the mortified look in Éomer’s eyes her immediate reaction was to put him at his ease. She could feel his deep embarrassment and sought only to allay it. She looked down at her dress which fortuitously was a deep red colour. She could feel the spilled wine was soaking through a portion of her bodice and that the dress was most likely ruined but when she saw the mortified look in Éomer’s eyes none of that mattered. The only thing that mattered was to ease his embarrassment. Someone came forward with a cloth, “My lady, do you wish to retire and change your dress.”
Éomer sat there looking like a scolded puppy, “My lady, perhaps you should.” He tried to sound confident and self-assured, yet his eyes told a different story.
Lothíriel’s heart went out to him as she said, “Pish! It was a drop! I will not melt,” she took the proffered cloth from the attendant’s hand and pressed it against her dress, “And as you can see it complements the colour of my dress!” She looked into Éomer’s worried and embarrassed eyes. “It will be fine!” she declared spiritedly and she gave him a warm, compassionate smile. Éomer looked into her eyes and beyond their beauty he saw kindness and empathy. He was enthralled and fascinated by what he saw there and the word “Pish” kept echoing around in his mind. The only other woman of his acquaintance to use such language was his sister. A thought began tugging at his consciousness that Lothíriel indeed was unlike any woman he had ever known.
Aragorn had been watching this whole display unfold. He really had no idea what was going on, but he heard her avowal and realised that she wanted no fuss over this accident, “You heard the lady, she will be fine.” The attendant bowed to his king and hand on heart he took his leave. All sat down again and Éowyn cast Arwen a look that said, “I approve!” Arwen had a smile on her face and nodded.
Lothíriel settled into her seat and kept the stained cloth she had taken from the attendant either surreptitiously pressed against her side or in one hand that she kept under the tablecloth. She reached for her wine glass which now only held half its former contents. As she was looking into her goblet pondering its contents and feeling the other half seeping into the fabric of her dress, she heard a low, manly voice rumble, “Do you trust me?” She looked to her right and Éomer was holding the same decanter offering to fill her goblet once again.
Playfulness evident in her eyes she challenged him, “Go on. I have three brothers. I live for danger!” Éomer’s laughter rang out across the hall as he, this time, successfully refilled her goblet. Later, after dinner was over and the family and friends were retiring to the family apartments, Éomer pulled Lothíriel’s chair out as she departed. She rewarded him with a smile. He looked down at the chair and saw a carefully folded napkin and saw a hint of red. He picked it up off the seat of the chair where it had been laid. It was stained with what smelled like red wine. He realised it must have been the cloth that Lothíriel had taken from the attendant. It still felt damp from the wine. Just a drop she had said. Éomer watched as she walked with Éowyn and Arwen to the private family apartments. Her kindness had salved the embarrassment he had felt and she sat eating dinner in a wet dress because…he did not know the answer to that question. But he really wanted find out.