Denethor knows that he would have known if Gondor had a king again for he would have to surrender his rule to him. This is what confuses him for he refuses to do so but for one person. Unfortunately, he is not sure if that person is still alive and how their relationship is. He was quite resentful to this person during their last few days together. He still regrets not making up to him. He still misses Gil from time to time. No matter the difference they had sometimes.

The boy's answer shows how close his father is to this king. This does not surprise him because it is not unusual for a ruler to surround himself with those he likes. Likes as in deeming them important to get everything done the way they want it. His are different from his father and Boromir's will be different from him. That is why he is not surprised by this. What he still wants to know is what the king's name is that he used before being crowned. Elessar he believes to be a regnal name. Thus he was not given this name by his parents and he wants to know what that name is.

"Near the end of the third age, Elessar was victorious in battle against Mordor. He was crowned a month after his victorious battle. With the acceptance of the people." Faramir explains. He added the last to tell his father that there was no violent power grab. He also kept his explanation short so as to assure that his parents do not know how that battle came to be.

As for Elboron giving away the fact that Elessar is king, he is not happy with it. One of the reasons for it is that he is not sure how his father thinks about there being a king on the throne again. Still, he knows that he has to work with it and why he decided to keep the details of the battle from his parents. Luckily, Elboron did not say that Elessar was called Aragorn before his crowning. He is sure that that would have angered his father considering what he knows about their relationship. It was not good in the final months of the king's previous stay in Gondor when he was called Thorongil. How it was before that time Faramir does not know for sure. The king refuses to discuss it which gave him the impression that it has never been good, to begin with. He then he can never be sure of it until the king tells him or he asks his father. Something which he is sure to be able to now. He refrains from it for he fears the reaction that could evict.

Faramir's explanation pulls Denethor from his musing. He nods to tell the prince that he understands what he said. But is not happy with how little the prince has shared about the current time. He had hoped that the prince would have shared the history of the battle he has mentioned and some of the events leading up to the battle. It annoys him that the prince is so evasive. Still, he wants to learn about the current time all that he can and thus decides to question the prince which he does not long afterward. The answers he gets are not satisfactorily as the prince continues to tell as little as he possibly can. It gives the impression that he wants to evade the questions. When he asks him about it the prince tells him that he is not sure how to explain everything. That Denethor is sure is a lie. The prince knows full well how to explain everything to him. He is just unwilling to do so. Furthermore, Denethor is sure that the prince is better at evading questions than he is not. Otherwise, he would not have survived in court for more than one day.

Despite the prince evasive answering he manages to learn that the princess Éowyn is the sister to Rohan's king. This confirms his belief that she is of noble birth. The prince also tells him that the older children are from his wife's first husband. This confirms his belief that she remarried. He is pleased to know that he has the right feeling about the princess but hides it from everyone. He does not want to be asked why he looks so pleased. About the prince, he learns very little. Thus he knows not if the marriage has been for the prince to raise in ranking or to strengthen the alliance between Gondor and Rohan. For that, he needs to know the prince background. To which house does he belong? Where is he in the line of inheritance? That are two of the most important questions for him to get answers to. Only then will he be able to determine the reason for their marriage. Another thing he manages to pry from the prince is the fact that the north and the south have been reunited by the king. This tells him that the king has to have come from Armor. Could it be that Gill finally decided to claim his right? He hopes so but knows that he is only able to determine that once he meets Elessar. Every other question he asks he is unable to get satisfying answers to as to those the prince is being skillfully evasive. These evasive answers are much better than the weak evasion he got earlier. It confirms his belief that the prince can be cunning when he wants to be.

Meanwhile, Finduilas and Éowyn talk about their children and everything they experienced with them. It does not surprise them that they experienced similar matters with their boys. That is something all mothers discover when they compare experiences. What differences is the way they motivate their children or persuade them to do things? It surprises them as they deem Boromir and Elboron to be similar in character.

These discussions happen during the time they eat their main course and dessert. It ensures that there little to no silence falls over the room. Once supper is done, Faramir and Éowyn guide everyone to the living room where they continue to talk until it is time for the children to go to bed. Something which meets heavy protest.


Éowyn and Finduilas are walking back to the living room after having put Boromir to bed. Éowyn went with them to show Finduilas where their assigned room is. This will ensure that she and Denethor can find their way to their room on their own.

When they entered Boromir's room from the hallway Finduilas can see a bed standing against the right wall. There were also a dresser and closet in the room. These stood behind the foot of the bed. On the floor, she could see a soft carpet lying as well as a deerskin. The decorating of the room shows that it is a children's room as well as its location. In the left wall was a door which Éowyn told her leads to their room.

After putting Boromir to bed they go through the door to the adjacent room. Inside the room stands a large bed with a cradle on the side for little Faramir. The room also ha so dresser and closet as well as a carpet and a few deerskins covering the ground. All this Finduilas could see when she was showed the room. It eases her mind to know that Faramir will be close to her during the night.

When she looks up Finduilas finally starts to take into account the appearance of the hallway they are walking through. Before her attention was mostly on focused Boromir as well as ensuring that they would not get separated from Princess Éowyn. Not that she feels that the hallways are difficult to navigate through. But more so than the distance they are removed from their guests. Also, Boromir kept her occupied with complaining about having to go to bed. He repeatedly refused even though he was clearly tired.

Looking at the hallway she sees that it is decorated with paintings and banners. The paintings she knows are in one of the styles used for decorating the hallway around the rooms for visiting dignitaries. All of them are formal paintings. The banners she finds a bit out of place here but then they are in a new age. Hallway decorating customs change nearly every year a bit. Besides the paintings and banners on the walls, there are also mounted candleholders on it. As they leave the hallway they come into one with bare walls except for the mounted candleholders. This tells her that they have left guest quarters.

"Lady, what do you find of the rooms I had prepared for you and your family?" Éowyn asks once she sees that Finduilas is done with her recollecting. She can imagine what Finduilas has been thinking about.

"These are nice rooms that you had prepared. I deem it a room fit for visiting dignitaries. Might I ask why you gave us this room?" Finduials asks curiously. She would imagine that they would be given simple guest rooms, not rooms fit for dignitaries. In fact, she would not have done so. That is why she wonders why princess Éowyn would do that. Does she know something which she does not share?

"It was the only room large enough so that you can keep your youngest close during the night. As well as the only room connected to another. All the other rooms have to be entered through the hallway. I would appreciate that where I in your situation." Éowyn answers. She would have wanted her children close in such a situation. That is why she had the room prepared. Thinking about the family Éowyn still finds it strange to interact with her in-laws. For that is what Denethor and Finduilas are to her. Even though she can not treat them like that. The strangeness is because she has never met them and only knows of them through the stories others tell. Those about Finduilas are always either positive or sad. Depending on the time where the story took place. Those about Denethor are mostly negative when they are about the time after Finduilas' death. Stories about the time before her death are more positive

"Then I have to thank you for your consideration of our situation." Finduilas says. Her gratitude visible in her voice and eyes. Finduilas is relieved by it even though she never expected it.

A few minutes later they are back in the living room. There the prince and Denethor are still talking to each other. Denethor holds little Faramir in his arms who is sleeping soundlessly. Finduilas smiles adoringly at the sight. It clearly shows how much Faramir enjoys being close to his father. As well as that Denethor enjoys having his son close. She and princess Éowyn join them and they continue to talk for a few more hours before retiring for the night.


That evening Éowyn is getting ready for the night while Faramir watches her from where he lies in the bed. He has been ready for a few minutes now. That he watches his wife is because he always enjoys seeing her readying herself for the night. He can tell from the way she acts that she had something on her mind. To learn what that is he will have to wait for her to start talking. Pressing her or questioning her has the opposite result. Then she shuts down and refuses to talk about what is on her mind. Which might last for a few hours to a few days. As he wants to avoid that he decides to patiently wait for her to start talking.

A few minutes later Éowyn finishes braiding her hair and slips into the bed without saying a single word. She then turns on her side and presses into Faramir's. When Faramir feels this he gets worried. Éowyn only ever presses into his side if she is disturbed or worried by something as she seeks support then. What could have her disturbed or worried he does not know.

"Faramir? What will you do with your parents being here? They need to return to their own time." Éowyn says with a worried voice.

"I am not sure. For now, I would like to keep them here. In a few days when I leave for Minas Tirith, I will take them with me. Hopefully, Aragorn knows how to solve this situation." Faramir explains calmly. He is glad that Éowyn talked about what has been worrying her so quickly. That way she pulled him from his recollection. Faramir hopes that his words will be able to reassure her. When she eases a bit in his side he asks.

"Do you not want to know how I found them?"

"Of course I do want to know that." Éowyn says. How could he think that she would not want to know that? He should know better than that.

This reaction makes Faramir smile for it shows that her anxiety has totally left her. He then explains to her how he found Boromir and in turn his family. Éowyn feels pity for Boromir when she hears that he got lost from his family and voices this. Still, the reaction his father had when he showed up made Éowyn smile. About an hour later they fall asleep.