One shot, in the 'to have a friend' arc.
I own nothing, earn nothing, enjoy everything! (this is perhaps a little short on plot, but still!)
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For Her Sake
Elboron kicked his horse. "Move!" he urged, wishing desperately he had more of his mother's natural skills for horsemanship.
The horse clattered over the stones, and the young man threw the reins to the stable boy and ran for the Citadel.
Aragorn looked up, startled as Elboron literally threw the doors open.
"What's wrong now?" Eldarion asked his friend. Elboron bent over, panting, his dark hair falling forward. The prince gently put his hand on the Steward's sons' shoulder as the young one knelt, panting like a spent beast.
"Your Majesty." He managed. "My father…"
Aragorn felt the blood leave his head and go to his feet. "What has befallen him? Is he hurt? Ill? Tell me!"
"He has locked himself into his study- he refuses to come out. He has barred the doors, and we can not force an entry, either. He has not eaten nor drank in over three days now. I fear for him." Aragorn sat down, and closed his eyes. He should have listened to his gut instincts…
"You're sure you'll be all right?" Aragorn asked, hugging his friend. Faramir smiled, touching his palm to the King's face.
"All will be well." He said, the serene, gentle smile that Aragorn had seen on his face only in the first days he had known him- the eyes empty. "Goodbye, Aragorn."
He had known, then, that something was going to happen, but he went back to the City anyway.
Aragorn rode swiftly back to Emyn Arnen, leaving Elboron in the care of Eldarion. That was good, at least. There were no young children in the Stewards family. There was that comfort.
The king went up the stairs three at a time. Morwen was standing outside her father's rooms.
"Father, please come out!" she called. "For pity's sake, let us help you!" She turned at hearing someone on the stairs, and Aragorn's eyes filled as he saw Eowyn's face framed by dark hair and Faramir's green eyes sparkling with tears. "Uncle Elessar." She whispered, and he hugged her. She was a beautiful woman, engaged to his son Eldarion- they were to be wed the next summer.
"How are you, mela?" he asked.
"Well, sir. But my father…"
"I will help him. Have you heard anything?"
"Nothing." She sobbed. "Absolutely nothing. It is as if he were…" she could not say it.
"Go rest, child." Aragorn soothed, and the girl went down the stairs. Aragorn looked at the oak door and sighed. "Faramir." He said, knowing his Steward could hear him. "Open the door. Please, I beg of you."
Nothing.
"For her sake, Faramir!" he shouted, pounding the door with his fist. He began to sob. "For Eowyn's sake, open this accursed door!"
"For her sake." A deep voice said next to him, and he turned to see Eomer. The burly Rohirrim stepped up to the door. "Faramir, if you don't open it in five seconds, I will kick it in."
Nothing.
"For my sister's love I do this, brother." Eomer growled, and Aragorn saw the power in his friend's body as he kicked the door mightily. Once. Twice. The wood quivered. Three times and there was a splintering sound. Twice more and the door slammed open. Eomer turned to Aragorn. "Go in and help him."
"You're not coming?" Aragorn asked.
"I can not." Eomer replied and was gone down the stairs. "Not now. Not yet."
Aragorn went in alone.
At a first glance, the room was empty.
Second glance, there was a man, sitting back in the corner, shadows dancing around him- in him. His head was resting on his knees, and his hands, pale and bloodless, were clasped around his legs. When he raised his head, Aragorn could just barely make out his features in the twilight of the room. There were dark circles under his empty, tired eyes.
There was a knife, beautiful and deadly, lying on the ground just before his feet. Aragorn shuddered, and the man raised his head.
"You came." His voice sounded thick, like he hadn't used it for a long time.
"Faramir." Aragorn went to his friend, and gathered him into his arms. "Of course I came. Are you all right?"
He shivered again as Faramir laughed. It was a pain filled sound. Dead.
"What do you think?"
"Faramir, answer me. Did you hurt yourself?"
Faramir pulled back from him, his eyes snapping with fury, awake now. "I hate you." He hissed. "Leave me be."
"You don't, and I won't. Did you hurt yourself?" Aragorn asked again, frightened now, he reached for Faramir's arm to check for himself. Faramir pulled away.
"Leave me alone!" he snarled. "I did nothing, curse you!"
He was on his feet, and the knife was in his hands. "Do you have i any /i idea how much better I would feel right now if you hadn't made me promise you? Do you have any idea the hell I am in?" he was pacing. Aragorn's practiced eyes went over him, noting the way he moved that spelled exhaustion and overwrought nerves. "I could feel normal!" his hands shook as he put them to his head, his long, slender fingers tangling in his hair.
"Normal?" Aragorn asked soothingly. "How would that make you feel normal?"
"Better!" Faramir snapped, whirling on his toes. It struck Aragorn just how fit his Steward was- despite long hours in the office. "Maybe not normal, I've never been that, but at least better. But you made me promise. I can't forget. I can't forget." Suddenly the anger was gone and he fell back into the position, his head on his knees. "Please leave me alone. Please- let me go. Please let me forget." His voice was broken, and Aragorn could tell that his heart was as well.
Aragorn pulled him into his arms, holding the younger man tightly, despite his desperate attempts to free himself. "Stop." Aragorn commanded, and Faramir lay in his lap like a wet cloth. "Is this how Eowyn would want you to remember her? With blood? Is this what Eowyn would want?"
"No." Faramir's voice was so small, so scared, so… lonely. He curled up within Aragorn's arms, a miserable little ball. "Sorry." He said softly.
"Don't be." Aragorn whispered. "This is just what a friend does. Please, Faramir…" he sighed, and stroked the silky brown hair tenderly. "Faramir, weep for her."
"I can't." Faramir choked., rocking his head back and forth vehemently, violently, like a small child desperate to avoid something. "I can't. I can't!"
"You can, and should." A deep voice said, and Faramir looked up and saw his brother in law. He curled into an even smaller ball, moaning in shame and misery.
"Leave me alone!" he sobbed. "She's gone! She's gone and I didn't help her!"
"You could not have helped her, Faramir."
"I should have been able to! I should have helped her!"
"No." Eomer said, and his huge hand rubbed his brother in laws shoulders. "Do you know what she said to me? Years ago?" he did not wait for an answer. "She said- 'Look after him, 'Mer, if ever I can't. Don't let him fall." He sighed. "I had nearly forgotten. Nay, I did forget- I was nearly back in Rohan when I remembered. Look at me, Steward of Gondor." He commanded, and Faramir looked at him. "Weep for what you have lost, then rise and walk again. There is no shame in tears. See, I weep for her myself, and none says to me 'Shame!'." Faramir looked away, and for just one second, it seemed he might break down, but then his eyes glassed over again, and he seemed again soulless. Eomer sighed deeply. "I was hoping I would not have to do this." His hand connected with Faramir's face- hard.
"Eomer!" Aragorn gasped, and Faramir's dull eyes sparked for just one second before the spark went out.
Eomer slapped him again, and Aragorn was about to take the matter in hand, when he looked at Faramir. This time, his eyes had literally blazed with anger, but now the flame was dying again- this time drowned with tears. He held a hand to his aching face and wept. His arms were wrapped around himself as he now knelt on the floor. His whole body shook as he wept for his wife- his white lady- his Eowyn. Aragorn and Eomer gently soothed him, but did not try to stop the flow of tears. The tears would wash away the blood.
Gradually they stopped on their own- and Faramir was now leaning against Aragorn's shoulder, asleep. They smiled over his head, their own eyes full of tears.
Eomer lifted him as if he was his son, Elfwine, and they laid him on the couch in his office.
He would make it through this- for Eowyn's sake.
finis
Steelelf