A/N: This takes place approximately ten years after my story Memories. I am not male, dead or English, therefore I don't own LOTR.

Eldarion shifted impatiently as the tutor scrutinized the parchment before him. Finally the man looked up. "Well if your father requests you to join him in the council proceedings this afternoon, who am I to argue with him? You and Elboron are both excused from your lessons."

The young prince bowed respectfully. "Thank you sir." He kept his feature carefully schooled, hiding the excitement rising in his breast. He waited until the steward's son had joined him before walking out into the corridor. The two boys scurried down the hall and into the courtyard before either of them spoke.

Looking about to make sure there was no one within hearing distance, Elboron murmured. "I can't believe that worked."

"I told you it would. Besides we never get caught. Now we are free to go exploring and do as we please." Eldarion laughed in relief. "Come on. There is adventure aplenty outside the city walls." They swiftly stole down to the first level of the city and crouched in the shadows, waiting until the guards were sufficiently distracted, before slipping out the gate and running into the nearby trees. Once under the shade of the branches, they caught their breath and laughed with youthful exuberance. Elboron turned to his friend.

"Come on. I want to show you this cave that Ada showed me. He said that he used it when he was leading the rangers during the war."

"It sounds like a perfect place for a hideout. Somewhere the girls can't come." At just past eleven, Eldarion didn't have much use for the gentler sex.

"Yes, no girls. Girls are annoying." Elboron agreed. He was very glad that he had two younger brothers instead of three sisters like the crown prince. "They always want to play with their dollies instead of swords."

"I'm glad I'm not a girl."

"Me too." Their voices faded into the distance as three men stepped out from the shelter of the trunks. Faramir's grey eyes were narrowed as he watched his son's retreating back.

"Do you wish us to retrieve them, my lord prince?" one of the guards asked the Steward.

"No. Return to the Citadel and carry a message to the King. I shall attend him as soon as I discover where our wayward sons are headed. Please take my horse with you."

"Yes milord." The two men bowed, knowing from Faramir's tone that he would book no argument to the contrary. The former ranger captain waited until the footsteps faded into silence then he soundlessly slipped off the trail and disappeared into the foliage. It was the work of mere moments for him to creep up close enough to hear the boys' conversation.

"How much farther is this cave?" Eldarion was getting impatient.

"Not very far. Just over that ridge." The almost ten year old answered gesturing towards the rocks. "The mouth is sort of hidden. That's why the rangers used it. You can't see it until you're right there at it." The duo easily scrambled up the slope, ducking under the overhanging ledge.

"This is perfect." Eldarion exulted. He spun in a circle looking over the space. "Are those torches on the wall?"

"Yes. Ada said they kept them there so if they need light in a hurry they had it." Elboron wandered over and idly pulled one down. "We don't have anything to light it with though."

"Yes we do." Eldarion corrected as he fished in his pocket. "I borrowed one of Ada's tinder boxes after he left his study this morning."
"Eldarion! Father said we should never light a fire without an adult present!"

"Well do you want to go back to the Citadel and get one? They would only make us go back to class." In truth the young prince was as nervous as his friend but he didn't wish to admit such feelings. "Besides you're acting like a…" He thought for a moment trying to find a suitable insult."Like a girl." He said remembering their earlier conversation.

Elboron's face flushed. "I am not a girl." He muttered darkly. "I knew about the cave and you didn't. I wrote the note so we could get out of class. You wouldn't even be here if it weren't for me."

"So quit being a ninny and help me." After several unsuccessful tries, the two boys finally managed to get the torch lit. They walked along the wall, lighting others as they went. Soon the entire cave was filled with the flickering of the torches.

"Wow, it's bigger than I thought it was." The awe was evident in Elboron's voice. "Ada didn't tell me it was this big."

"I wonder what's over there." Eldarion answered. He pointed towards a small area with a worn curtain in front of it.

"Let's find out." Their initial misgivings gone, the two boys scampered across the cavern and peeked behind the fabric.

"It's a secret room!"

"I bet it was my father's room. Him being the captain and all."

Their excited voices carried outside the cave to where Faramir was crouched amongst the rocks. He listened with a mixture of amazement and frustration at their antics. He sighed softly, wondering how to confront the boys' misbehavior. A part of him was impressed with the ingenuity of the two at getting out of their class. On the other hand, forging their fathers' signatures was a matter to be dealt with decisively.

"Of all the times for Eowyn to be in Rohan." He thought to himself. "I could use her wisdom in this situation." He was torn between the need to encourage creative thinking and the necessity of punishing wrongdoing. The prince was suddenly pulled from his musings by the voices of the boys coming nearer. He silently climbed higher so that he was situated above the lip of the cave, the stone blocking the view of the two below him.

"We'll have to explore more tomorrow. I want to go down to the river." Eldarion remarked. "It's a perfect day for swimming."

"Race you." Elboron grinned wickedly at his friend. His father briefly closed his eyes at the memories the boy's voice invoked. He sounded exactly the same as Boromir had at a similar age.

"Last one there is a hairy orc." Eldarion replied as the two took off with a joyous shout.

Faramir counted the moments in his head until he was certain the boys could neither see nor hear him then vaulted from the ledge, landing easily on slope below. He smiled grimly to himself as he circled around behind the rocks, planning to arrive at the swimming hole before the boys did.

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Both boys were panting by the time they reached the water's edge. Eldarion laughed as his longer legs allowed him to achieve the bank a few steps ahead of his friend. "I won. You're a hairy orc." Elboron scowled briefly before giving way to laughter as his friend stripped down to his loincloth and jumped into the water. He quickly pulled off his own clothes and joined the prince in the water.

Faramir crouched in the bushes overlooking the swimming hole. He watched thoughtfully as his son frolicked in the water. It was obvious that the boys had done this enough that they were comfortable in their surroundings. He realized that they must have been skipping class for some time for them to be so at ease. Slowly he began to work his way closer to the water's edge. Suddenly he froze as Elboron's head shot up. He held his breath hoping his son hadn't glimpsed him.

"What's wrong Elboron?" Eldarion asked.

"I thought I saw something over there in the bushes." The younger boy answered, staring at the spot where his father was hidden.

"It was probably a rabbit or something." The prince answered when the motion wasn't repeated. "Are you ready to go back to the city?"

"I guess." Elboron answered. They quickly dried off and headed back. There was no sound or movement behind them but the steward's son couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching them from the trees.