Trust To Hope - BOOK
TWO
Prologue
by : Novedhelion
Beta: Riyallyn
Rating: PG
13 (Adult situations)
Warnings: Frustratingly honorable man,
Frustrated Princess...
Dol
Amroth
The Wedding Night
"I beg
your pardon?"
Anhuil stared at him in disbelief. "What do
you mean we are not married? We spoke vows. Remember this?" she
asked, holding up her hand and brandishing the ring.
Éomer
chuckled. "Perhaps I did not make myself clear. In accordance with
the laws of the realm of Gondor, yes, my love, we are well and truly
married."
"But?" she questioned, certain there was
more.
He leaned forward, taking her hand in his, running his
thumb gently over the mithril band surrounding her finger. "In the
tradition of the Éothéod, we are not yet husband and
wife."
Pulling her hand from his, she shook her head. "I
do not understand, Éomer. You said that your people did not
have elaborate ceremonies."
"I did not say we had no
ceremony at all."
She rubbed her forehead with her
fingertips. "I am so confused. Am I married to you or am I
not?"
"In Gondor, yes. In Rohan, no."
"So what
does this mean?"
"It means, love, I already have sent
Éothain ahead to make the preparations so that when we arrive
home we may have the ceremony as soon as possible, and you will
officially be my bride and queen as far as the Mark is
concerned."
"So what you are saying to me is that although
we are married here, we must wait until we arrive home
to...to..."
"In a word, love...yes." His dark eyes
sparkled mischievously. "I would not have it said that the King of
the Mark would dishonor his queen in that way."
"But
Éomer..." she stopped herself mid-sentence, the look in his
eyes answering her question before it was asked. "You truly want it
this way, do you not?"
"It would mean a great deal to our
people if we shared this union with them as well."
"Our
people..." she murmured. "Oh, sweet Elbereth. I am going to be a
queen..." she dropped her head into her hands.
Her husband
chuckled softly, pulling her into his arms, lifting her chin with a
finger. "And a lovely one you will be." He kissed the tip of her
nose, and released her. "Now, why do you not go change into
something more comfortable? I will pour you some wine and we can
discuss what needs to be done."
Drawing away from him and
standing beside the bed, she sighed in exasperation. "This is most
assuredly NOT what I had planned for my wedding night," she
muttered under her breath as she stomped off to change.