The days passed quickly, it seemed, until the day came for Éomer and Éowyn
to depart Gondor. Éowyn had promised Faramir that she would tell her
brother of their intended marriage once they reached Rohan. "That is a
matter that will require some delicacy. Please allow me to wait a little
longer before I tell my brother, who is the only family that remains to me,
that I plan to leave him. The loss of our Uncle is still fresh in both our
minds. Besides," she added with a smile, "it will be much more difficult
for him to kill you from there." In truth, doubt still filled her heart
and she was simply not sure if she really had the right to leave her people
and her brother for good. But he did not press the matter further, and
soon they found themselves again in the gardens of the Houses of Healing,
this time to say good-bye. Neither had been able to sleep, and so they
found each other at dawn and watched the sun rise once more. The rising
sun shone on their faces and began to warm the crisp morning air. Éowyn
brought the blue mantle that Faramir had lent to her and placed it in his
arms. He unfolded it and wrapped it around her shoulders. "To keep you
warm on the journey," he said, and kissed her on the forehead as he clasped
it around her neck. "And to remind you that there is one in Gondor who
will watch for your return with every sunrise."
Éowyn handed Faramir something wrapped in delicate green fabric. It was a silver pendant in the shape of a horse, the symbol of Rohan. "So that you will not forget the wild shield-maiden of the north."
"It is beautiful, Éowyn," he whispered, looking instead at her.
"Now I must go back to my own land and look on it once again, and help my brother in his labor; but when one whom I long loved as father is laid at last to rest, I will return."
With that, Éowyn kissed Faramir once more on the lips, squeezed his hand and left the gardens. Faramir watched from the walls above the city as Éowyn, Éomer, the sons of Elrond and the riders of Rohan departed. The road was lined with the people of Minas Tirith, and they cheered once more for those who had come at dawn to save their city. Faramir watched until he could no longer make out their forms in the distance and then mounted his own horse and left for Osgiliath. He spurred his horse as fast as it could go, but all the speed in the world would not make time pass more easily.
Éowyn handed Faramir something wrapped in delicate green fabric. It was a silver pendant in the shape of a horse, the symbol of Rohan. "So that you will not forget the wild shield-maiden of the north."
"It is beautiful, Éowyn," he whispered, looking instead at her.
"Now I must go back to my own land and look on it once again, and help my brother in his labor; but when one whom I long loved as father is laid at last to rest, I will return."
With that, Éowyn kissed Faramir once more on the lips, squeezed his hand and left the gardens. Faramir watched from the walls above the city as Éowyn, Éomer, the sons of Elrond and the riders of Rohan departed. The road was lined with the people of Minas Tirith, and they cheered once more for those who had come at dawn to save their city. Faramir watched until he could no longer make out their forms in the distance and then mounted his own horse and left for Osgiliath. He spurred his horse as fast as it could go, but all the speed in the world would not make time pass more easily.