To Whatever End

[sindanen]

OOC: Just a quick note. Dialogue will always be the normal color, no matter who is speaking, but Lothiriel's thoughts will be this color while Eomer's thoughts will be this color. And if anyone guesses why I chose those colors they get a high five. [[automatically high-fives Chika]]

Chapter 1 will be up tonight.

[sindanen]

The sound of hooves thundering across the southern plains of Gondor was not an unfamiliar sound. In these last days, hundreds of men had ridden northward to Minas Tirith in hopes of saving the great city from the Enemy. The battle of Pelennor Fields was ended but those who had remained in Dol Amroth had received word that their lord, Prince Imrahil, was following the northern ranger who would be king, to the Black Gates. So it was that his youngest child, Lothiriel, rode from her home towards Minas Tirith accompanied by a small guard of thirty riders. Haste, not propriety was necessary in this dark time. Her three brothers fought alongside her father and she would see them one last time if they fell fighting the hosts of Mordor at the Black Gates.

It was a two day journey with few stops across the rivers and foothills of the White Mountains. Already they had passed over the River Gilram and night was falling. Their horses were weary as were the men. Lothiriel called for a camp to be made and assigned men to take watch. She strode towards Atanar, captain of her Guard.

“Atanar,” she said quietly, “will we reach them in time? I know how hard I am pushing to arrive at Minas Tirith, but I will not endanger the men if we simply cannot reach my father and brothers before they depart.”

Atanar responded just as quietly. “My lady, we will see Prince Imrahil afore he leaves. The men are just as eager as you to see their leader, and they would follow you into certain danger despite their weariness.

This reassured Lothiriel if only for a little while, and she slept fitfully, dreaming of dark terrors.

At first light, Lothiriel awoke to find the men ready for departure. She quickly gathered her belongings and strapped them to her horse, hoping that this march would not be in vain.

What if I should never see my father and brothers again? I will diminish quickly if I am the last of my house...

Lothiriel mounted her horse and looked to the east. The rising of the sun was mostly blocked by the clouds of Mordor, but what light there was gave Lothiriel hope.

Turning towards her men, she encouraged them.

"Today we ride closer to war and death. But do not let your courage falter, for we ride toward our Lord Imrahil. He may yet need us when the time comes for the victory of Gondor. Rise above your fear and weariness. You are men of Dol Amroth, descendants of the Numenoreans!" At this the men sat straighter in their saddles, prepared for what lay ahead. "Ride! Ride swiftly to the North!"

Lothiriel spun her horse and began the long gallop towards Minas Tirith, her men following closely behind.

May we reach them before they march...

[sindanen]

Swiftly they rode across the ancient and troubled land of Gondor. Lothiriel and her company pushed the horses to the point of exhaustion and soon they were rewarded for their efforts. The outer fields of the Pelennor soon became visible on the horizon. Even from this distance, evidence of the war was apparent. Mountains of bodies still littered the land, and the grass was dyed red from the blood of men and orcs.

Men and women worked tirelessly to clear the battlefield of the dead. Orcs were burned without care on a patch of land where nothing grew ever after. Soldiers who had fought bravely for their lands were buried with love and care, destined for the halls of their fathers. Lothiriel learned that a special place had been set aside for the horse of Theoden, former King of Rohan, who had also fallen on the Pelennor.

May he rest easy among his forebears. I feel for his niece and nephew. He was all they had if I recall correctly...

Lothiriel did not mourn for the fallen for much longer. It was urgent that she see her father before he rode with Aragorn to the Black Gates. She quickly turned her horse towards the gates of the White Tower, followed by her men.

As she rode up each level, more death and destruction met her eyes. So many lives lost... Tears formed and before she could stop them, they fell freely. Pausing a moment to compose herself, Lothiriel looked around to see exactly where she was.

That was how he first saw her.

Eomer had just been to the Houses of Healing to see his sister, and was returning to his rooms, when a group of thirty riders stopped near their leader. Shock turned to sympathy as he realized it was a woman who led them, and she wept openly.

By Bema, she is the epitome of beauty. Who is this woman?

Before he could approach the group, the woman, who Eomer now realized wore the colors of Dol Amroth, sat straighter in her saddle and encouraged the men to follow her once more.

[sindanen]

Lothiriel composed herself quickly and signaled to her men to continue. She had noticed the tall soldier staring at her but had chosen to ignore him. His initial look of shock at her gender only slightly annoyed her.

As if this is the time to question such things. However, he wears high quality armor. And the colors are of Rohan. Perhaps he is a high ranking officer. That would certainly explain his line of thinking.

It had been common a few years ago for the people of Dol Amroth to quietly scoff at anything Lothiriel had taken an interest in that did not revolve around being a lady. It did not take Lothiriel long to prove to them that she would not be dictated to. Desire to know her history and dedication to assist in any important decisions earned her the respect of teachers and historians. Endless hours of weapons training earned her respect from the soldiers. Eventually the nobles came around and now she was considered the jewel of the kingdom.

A few minutes later she reached the Dol Amroth residences of Minas Tirith. Thankfully, they had been built facing the south and so only the houses closest to the front of the White Tower had been damaged. Those were mostly storage areas and the kitchen with a few servant quarters. Lothiriel had no qualms of sharing her quarters with loyal servants who served her father. Turning, she saw her father's personal servingman exit one of the residence doors. Seeing him nearly brought her to tears.

"Willem! Where is my father? Is he alright?"

Willem turned with a look of shock upon his face. He obviously had not yet received word that the Princess had even left Dol Amroth. He opened his mouth to speak but shock kept his voice from coming out. He cleared his throat and tried again. "My lady!" he said with a look of disbelief and happiness. "What are you doing here?! We had not received word that you were coming here! Your father is visiting your brother in the Houses of Healing." Seeing her face he quickly added, "Do not fear, Amrothos will heal quickly. An orc scored a large strike upon your brother's leg but thank the Valar it did not hit a large vein. Elphir and Erchirion remain unharmed. Tired, but unharmed."

Lothiriel exhaled with a sigh of relief and signaled to her men to dismount. She stayed upon her horse and moved closer to Willem.

Whispering, she spoke to him, "I came here to see my father and brothers again, even if for the last time. Willem, what of the northern Ranger? Does he yet live?"

Willem nodded lightly giving Lothiriel still more hope.

In a louder voice she gave him orders to bring nourishment for the riders and to send the horses to the Dol Amroth stables. Willem acknowledged her request and turned to complete his tasks. He knew that there was nothing that could keep Lothiriel from her father.

Turning her horse sharply around, she sped off toward the Houses of Healing. Lothiriel urged her horse forward. "Arroch, run swiftly to my father! I promise you will have oats and apples and carrots for your dinner this night. And tomorrow you will shine like the Mearas from the grooming I will give you. But now, just one last favor for your mistress." Arroch understood her urgency, and in his love for her, increased his speed despite his weariness. The sound of his rapid hoof beats echoed like thunder on the stone.

[sindanen]

Lothiriel reached the Houses of Healing on the level above without much delay. Only a few of the people recognized and they were too shocked at her presence to say much. As Lothiriel neared the infirmary, the wails and cries of the injured grew louder. Preparing herself for the worst, she jumped off her horse and set her shoulders.

May the Valar strengthen me for what I am yet to see...

Lothiriel was no stranger to the injuries of war. Her own people had fought against the pirates for decades, but this was damage from orcs and the feared Haradrim soldiers. Lothiriel could only guess at the severity of such wounds.

Nearing the door she announced herself and the guards let her in. Lothiriel immediately estimated that a large majority of the men who had fought on the Pelennor lay there still. The few who remained were here in the Houses of Healing. Walking through the cots, Lothiriel's heart shattered as she passed the injured and dying. One man thought her an angel as he took his last breath. Quickening her pace she soon reached the section of men that included her people. The swan insignia was apparent everywhere and she soon recognized a figure she loved dearly bending over a cot.

"Papa! Papa I'm here!"

Lothiriel rushed toward her father who spun around at the sound of his daughter's voice. Tears quickly gathered in Lothiriel's eyes as she neared her father. He too rushed towards his daughter and opened his arms wide to receive his youngest child. Lothiriel buried her face in chest and sobbed, unable to control her emotions. Prince Imrahil , stunned as he was, could only hug her tighter and try to reassure his daughter that he was alright. After a minute Lothiriel was able to pull her emotions in and she released her father, stepping back to take all of him in, finally able to convince herself that she was alright. Her eyes were drawn to her to other brothers, one of whom was laying on a cot. They all had an amused look in their eyes but were all secretly glad to see their younger sister.

"So my dear, you rush to father, hugging him with all your might, crying your eyes out, and we get nothing? That seems unfair. Especially for Amrothos. He's the injured one."

Elphir loved to tease Lothiriel and this seemed a prime moment to do so. Lothiriel quickly rushed to her brothers to hug them. Sitting on Amrothos cot, she began to scold him for getting himself injured.