'Good morning, ladies,' Lothíriel greeted her guests. 'Please let us sit and be comfortable.'
Eregiel and Calentauriel courtsied, then took their customary seats once the princess was seated.
'I was told of yesterday's incident,' Lothíriel said with obvious concern. 'I hope you were not injured.'
Calentaurie turned to Eregiel and asked, 'Nésa, were you injured?"
'No, nésa, I was not injured,' Eregiel replied.
'Thank you for your concern, lady, but neither my sister nor I were injured in yesterday's assault,' answered Calentauriel to their host.
'I am quite relieved,' said Lothíriel. 'I feared the worst when I received the report from the Swan-knight captain.'
Just then three servants entered the dining chamber with platters bearing the morning meal.
'I have asked the kitchen to prepare a special breakfast this morning,' announced Lothíriel. 'These foods are favorites of my father. I am certain that he would want you to enjoy them, too.'
After a few bites Lothíriel asked, 'Thinking of my father--Eregiel, have you had any dreams concerning him?'
'I had two more visions last night, lady,' answered Eregiel. 'Would you like me to describe them?"
'Yes, please,' Lothíriel answered. 'Would you prefer to tell them now or with some tea after we have eaten?'
'I will tell them now if it pleases you,' Eregiel replied.
'It does, pray proceed,' Lothíriel requested accompanied by a gesture of her hand.
~Eregiel's Fourth Vision~
'I again saw Éowyn's body laying on the field,' said Eregiel. 'A tall man looked upon her. His face was fair and portions of his armour were gilded in gold.'
'That is my father!' Lothíriel exclaimed. 'He lives and, perhaps, he has found the Lady of Rohan in time to save her!' After she had composed herself Lothíriel smiled and said, 'Pray continue, Eregiel.'
'He said, "Surely here is a woman. Have even the women of the Rohirrim come to war in our need?" quoted Eregiel. 'He exchanged a few words with the men standing nearby. Then he bent to look at her more closely, taking her pale, cold hand into his own.' (1)
The dining chamber was absolutely quiet. Both Lothíriel and Calentauriel held their breath in anticipation of what Eregiel might say.
'"Are there no leeches among you?" the tall man said. "She is hurt, to the death maybe, but I deem that she still lives,"' continued Eregiel. 'He then knelt, holding his vambrace to her lips to confirm his belief that she still breathed.' (2)
'Oh my!' cried the princess. Calentauriel let out a long sigh of relief.
Eregiel then began to describe her second vision. There was very little if any emotion in her voice. All her concentration was focused on clearly remembering what she saw and heard in her dreams.
~Eregiel's Fifth Vision~
'I saw Éowyn lying in a bed in a hall among others who had been wounded in the battle,' Eregiel said. 'To all appearances she was dead: pale, cold, and unmoving.'
Calentauriel and Lothíriel were silent and mournful.
'Yet she was not dead,' Eregiel confidently stated, 'or they would have removed her from the hall. We must trust, if these visions be true, that she somehow found healing.'
'Indeed,' said Lothíriel. Rarely without words, Calentauriel had nothing to say.
~The End of Part Four~
(1) J.R.R. Tolkien, 'The Return of the King', The Battle on the Pelennor Fields
(2) ibid.
