Something better in the morning
Faramir had always been an early riser, but not because he could not sleep. The truth was that the Steward had always loved waking up early. Feeling the fresh morning air caress his face. Seeing the flowers open up on a new day. Listening to the birds singing. Observing how the sun rose over the far side of the mountains. Faramir loved the sunrise, and how it changed the colour of the sky, turning it pink. He would never have thought of one day depriving himself of this pleasure. If someone had told him as much, he certainly would not have believed them. And yet, this was the first time he was getting up so early just to watch the sunrise, after such a long time. For the past year, something even more beautiful had filled those early morning hours.
"Faramir ..." Eowyn called, moving toward her husband. Upon hearing his name; he turned his attention to his wife, who still in her nightgown and robe, was coming to join him on the terrace. Her long blonde hair, still slightly ruffled, was fluttering in the wind. It was unbelievable how, in his eyes, Eowyn looked even more beautiful in the early hours of the day, as well as incredibly attractive.
"Would forgive me if I woke you. It was not my intention."
"I saw the empty bed next to mine, so I came looking for you. You never get up before me without telling me." Or better whisper it softly in her ear.
"I felt the need for some fresh air. I used to love waking up early in the morning, watching the sun rise from behind the mountains, listening to the chirping of birds." Eowyn was surprised by such a revelation. Never once, since they were married, had she seen him wake early to watch the sunrise. Not only that but the only times, he had been forced to get up earlier than usual due to unavoidable commitments, she had always seen him do so reluctantly. But according to him, it was something he used to do often.
"I would never have imagined it," she said, joining to his vigil. Faramir smiled at that answer.
"Indeed since I married, this no longer occurs."
"So what disturbed your sleep enough to wake you so early?" she asked. Faramir sighed before speaking again.
"Thoughts about my father," he replied, wrapping his arms around his wife.
"Your father?"
"Yes, you see, on this day one year ago, my father allowed himself to succumb to madness, and set himself along with his son on fire." Eowyn frowned hearing those words. She hated hearing the story, but fortunately, given Faramir's reluctance to confront the subject, this did not occur very often.
"How can a father do such a thing to one of his sons," she said clinging even tighter to her husband. Faramir waited a moment before answering so that he could experience their moment of closeness to the fullest. The intense reaction of his body when in contact with that of his wife was something he had learned to live with pleasingly.
"By then the madness had gained the upper hand, although I think a part of him had always wanted to see me dead." Eowyn shuddered at the thought.
"I cannot believe that to be true and neither should you." How could her husband say such a thing so lightly?
"Oh, I do not think it Eowyn, I know it. Nothing I ever did was considered right in his eyes. And despite all my efforts to obtain his approval, I never received it. In fact, he confessed in his last words that he wished Boromir had lived in my stead and maybe if I..."
"Don't you dare to say anymore!" Eowyn said angrily, interrupting her husband. "Do you not realise what you are saying? What your loss would have meant for me? You, more so than any other were the person who prevented me from being swallowed by the darkness. I would never have made it if I hadn't met you. And I'm saddened by your brother's fate, but happy that you are still alive. For me, for our child. And I would not trade your life for that of anyone else." Faramir closed his eyes, trying to hold back the tears. He had wanted to hear those things for so long, and did not care that it was not his father saying them; because said by Eowyn, the woman he loved more than anything else in the world, those words had even greater meaning.
"Thank you for saying it," Faramir said starting to kiss her neck, but as he did so, he could not help but think about everything his wife had just told him. "Wait a second," he said, stopping abruptly. "What child are you speaking of?" He asked with a blank stare. Eowyn smiled at the question and taking his hand pressed it on her stomach.
"You mean ...?"
"Yes, I'm pregnant." This time, her husband's eyes shone with sudden joy.
"Are you sure?" She nodded. "How long have you known?"
"About ten days more or less."
"And you waited all this time before telling me?" He asked, surprised.
"I wanted to find the right moment, and this may not be it, but I could not wait any longer."
"No, it's perfect. Our child," he then said, his voice incredulous. Faramir would have liked to pick her up, squeeze her, and spin her around, but refrained from doing so.
"Do you feel okay? Are you cold? Perhaps it would be best if you went back inside. You seem too exposed and the morning air is so crisp."
"Faramir, relax. I'm fine, and I don't need you to worry about me. It will be okay, I can do it, I feel ready." And it was true. The young woman had faced much worse, and the arrival of a baby would not be enough to frighten her. After all, she had killed the Witch-King of Angmar. It had been almost a year, and still his arm ached occasionally. Surely raising a child could not be more difficult than that? But upon hearing those words, Faramir became sombre once more and Eowyn, perfectly sensing her husband's thoughts added:
"And you will manage too because you are not like your father, you are better than him," she said before he could even express his fears.
"Do you really think so?"
"Without a doubt." Happy and relieved by her reassurance, he kissed her softly, then weaving a hand into hers, led her back inside, toward the bedroom.
"Don't you want to observe the sunrise still for a while?" She asked him. Her husband turned his gaze and kissed her again. A long and passionate kiss that left both breathless.
"No. You know, there's a reason I haven't watched it more since I'm with you," Faramir said, still breathless.
"And which is it?" She asked while he stretched her on the bed loosening her dressing gown.
"I found something better to do in the morning. I discovered that stay in bed with my wife is a thing that I love even more of the dawn." Eowyn blushed at that answer because although it was a strong young woman, and the two were married for some time now, on the sentimental's area, some individual statements still put her in a quandary.