Henneth Annûn Story Archive

Another cliffie! Oh well, I can't say you didn't warn me. Poor Lothiriel - so very confused. She had begun to understand the consequences of what she'd done before the got home - but learning of the rumors that her continued actions are feeding finally opened her eyes truly, I think. I am a little shocked that the prince didn't realize the consequenses of offering a reward for her. So Eomer must have been in contact with his men at some point post kidnapping, or they'd have no reason to put out the story that he was ill instead of missing, nor would they have known when and where to meet him with his horse. I half wondered about that, and suspect it was when he'd gone to get the cabbages and supplies the first day, while Lothiriel slpet. I totally did not expect a reversed kidnapping when I tried to guess how you'd work this out. How perfectly in character for Leona! Which I suspect may be his point? That she fell in love with Leona and he wants her to face that he is Leona. I wonder if Amrothos is in on this, or in for a shock?! Another wonderful chapter Lialathuveril! Can't wait for more!

Oh my, she didn't quite break her head but her poor heart ... She is well and truly within her right to be utterly furious with Eomer though  - and he deserves it. He can be a bit ... righteous, can't he?

I am half wondering if Corethir has come back from the dead and seized his moment to kidnap her but I am sincerely hoping Eomer is simply taking a leaf out of her book to just really get his point across. 

I know that my favourite couple from Middle Earth will get it together but I still cannot wait to see how you've decided to get to that point. Fantastic bit of writing. 

Enjoy your holiday and have a lovely, relaxing time. Look forward to the next chapter!

Bluedot

Madness seems to be catching, let's hope it is not hereditary! That was my first emotional reaction, reading about Eomer abducting Lothiriel, but when I thought it over, I had to admit that it is quite in tune with the general atmosphere of the story and throughout logical with regard to how the two protagonists have been presented up to now. Tolkien himself presents Eomer as a man who is able of rather strong emotions and can be swept away by them past any limit, as his actions on the Pelennor, where he rather recklessly risked his army, show. His reputation in Minas Tirith being lost anyway, he does just what general gossip believes him capable of: He abducts her "in a fit of unrequited love".

I'm just not sure if it really was a fit or a planned action, because as we come to realize now, he must have done quite a bit of planning during the last days, not only while Lothiriel slept and finds after waking up that she does not like his "self-satisfied smile on bit",but aswell later in the same chapter, when a boat is rowed upstream past her hidingplace while "Leona" is in the nearby village. So some planning obviously is there in showing up on the pier, but I'm not so sure if he was determined to abduct her before talking to her.

Why? Well, he promised her that he would not do anything against her will, and I do not expect such a violation of character at the end of a story that has up to now not shown any kind of that. Look at her contradictory behaviour, when she talks about Eomer with her father and her brother! Imrahil has quite a reason to sigh! And then: She is an incredibly bad liar, and throughout the story "Leona" was well able to understand her true thoughts and feelings, regardless of what she told him.

If we now look at their talk on the pier, and read about her thoughts and feelings, we can well imagine what Eomer can see plainly: She wants to throw herself in his arms, but she can't, as a matter of principle! And when she turns away to hide her tears, we can be quite sure that he knows she is crying. So perhaps he acts on the spot, like when he kissed her at the end of the journey, because he realizes that there won't be another chance for them!

Oh my...I've written quite a lot in defence of madness, but anyway: It's spring folks!

Thank you Lia, for a nice surprise!

Hmm, well now Éomer DID promise to escort Lothiriel to Minas Tirith, didn't he?  And he hasn't quite gotten her there, has he?  And then, too, there is the matter of his promise to that unfortunate couple that he would speak to the powers that be on their behalf, for which he needs a second reliable witness.

To be honest, all this chapter long, I was wondering why he was so ready to walk away from his committments.  I have my fingers crossed he hasn't.

Nice twist, though.  Lothiriel is mending, but clearly not to be reasoned with just now, and a little bit of 'turnabout is fair play' feels right for Éomer.