The wife of Boromir Ch 7 - For want of a child
Book 2
The Lady Ari soon settled into her role as Lady of Minas Tirith. She was often called to sit at Denethor's side to greet and charm emissaries and give council while her husband was away. Boromir seemed to trust her quiet council more than his advisors and so out of respect for his beloved son, Denethor allowed his wife to be on the council while her husband was out on patrols. She had matured and now after having been married for three years was very much a part of Minas Tirith. The people loved her and called her not the Lady of Dol Amroth, but the Lady of Gondor.
The people had cheered when Boromir had announced her pregnancy within four months of their marriage. Then they had grieved with her two months later when she had lost it and nearly lost her life as well.
Boromir and his brother had not left her side during her three weeks of recovery as her broken heart mended. He did not push the point when she had not conceived again. They were still newly married as far as many were concerned. They still had time. Her husband was still young at four and thirty years and she was only two and twenty.
Lord Denethor had seemed to withdraw into himself more than he had before. The two brothers were very close and the lady did not harm the bond, nor did the father. As the father grew colder to Faramir, Arianna warmed to him and they became confidants. Boromir, the favored son was never jealous of this, as Faramir was not jealous of Denethor's attentions to his elder son. The three were very close, they had to be else the Steward would bring them down into the dark abyss of his depression.
Lady Arianna was surprised when Denethor called her to the gardens where she loved to sit. She was in the garden her husband had given her, but answered the unusual summons immediately.
Faramir was in the training rooms with the citadel guards working on his skills. Boromir had ridden out to Osgiliath and beyond to patrol.
"My lord?" She said bowing to him as he stood.
"Please sit my lady." He said in the cold indifferent tone that she had become used to from him. He watched her his steel colored eyes cold.
"Forgive my tardiness. I was embroidering a shirt for Boromir when..."
He cut her off with a wave of his long boned hand. "Hush..." He said sharply and she looked at him waiting for him to continue as he turned fully to her. He folded his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall near her. It was a familiar gesture to her. Boromir did it often when he was thinking as they spoke.
She pulled her mantle about her body and waited as she pressed her cowl back. She watched him as he seemed to gather his thoughts.
"You have been married for three years and have yet to produce my son an heir." He said jumping in without preamble.
"Yes...not from a lack of trying milord." She said softly even as she blushed.
"Indeed...what is it about you that my son's seed cannot take in your womb except to have it rejected." He said coldly.
She swallowed hard and shivered at the memory. "You must forgive me that. I had no control over loosing the baby. I desperately did not want to. Boromir understands..."
Again he waved her to silence. "Boromir knows little treacherous whore."
"My lord?" She squeaked, startled at his outburst. No one had so named her.
He took a menacing step forward as his arms unfolded. "You seduced him into your bed. You bore him a child you could not keep and your womb has been empty ever since. You displeased someone above by word or deed." He hissed.
"I swear...I did nothing...I..." She had known such pain and loss from the baby coming early from her. Boromir and Faramir had been there in shifts to care for her and begging her not to cry anymore at the loss and eat something. It had been three months after that she had risen again to see the sunlight from her garden and smell the fresh air of the outdoors.
"I can have him set you aside you know..." He leaned closer. "I could have you returned in shame to your people because you can not conceive..."
"Boromir promised to..."
"I convinced him to marry you...I can convince him otherwise..." He said.
She looked down. It was true enough he had convinced Boromir to marry when he thought her dead, but did he also have the power to have her put aside? Her head suddenly ached and she shivered despite the warmth of the day. "But...he loves me..."
"Love means nothing. He needs an heir. Birth one soon my lady or you will be going back to Dol Amroth a penniless whore." He glared at her. "Your uncle would not even take you back because of disgrace. You would have to live on the streets as the man you claim to love married and made a child in his new wife." He smiled coldly. "It is not because of him that there is a failing. He is from strong stock."
She fought back her tears. She refused to cry before this man who had seemed to taken to hating her for something she had had no control over.
"You may return to your embroidery Lady Arianna."
"Humbly milord." She said her voice quaking.
He left then to go to his own chambers.
Arianna thought to return to her chambers and sob, but she needed comfort and not from her women.
She drew her mantle closer as she practically ran to the training area where Faramir and his rangers were training for hand-to-hand combat.
She came in and some of the men stopped. "Lady Ari..." Someone to her left said. Two hands grabbed her and held her away from a fighting pair in the center on some sand.
She looked and recognized him as Madril, Faramir's second in command. She whimpered and cried out to Faramir. He looked up hearing her. He saw her in the safety of Madril's arms to keep her from bolting into the ring to him.
Faramir had never seen a woman so distraught as he looked up and saw her there. He jumped back to avoid a sweep of his friend's blade and came to his sister as he threw his friend his own blade.
She ran into his arms needing comfort as Madril let her go. He tenderly held her against him and tried to hush her sobbing. He then led her to the stables where they could be alone as he saw his men staring at the young woman. Faramir had not seen her so undone since her miscarriage.
Tenderly and affectionately he set her down on a bench and waited for her to speak as he sat on the earth before her. He watched her. "What is it Ari?" He asked softly
"Lord Denethor...he said such things..."
He took a breath. "What did my dear father say now?" He asked sighing knowing full well what the Steward was capable of from his own experiences.
"He said he would have Boromir cast me out from him if I did not bear a child soon. He said he could make Boromir do it. He would send me back to my people penniless. He called me a...a..." She swallowed and looked down in shame. His hand touched her knee waiting to hear it. She looked at his curious gaze. "A whore."
He closed his eyes and then rose up and he kissed her gently on her cheek and wiped her tears. He cared for her, deeply. More than she would ever know. He hated to see he so upset. "You are no whore sister." He said gently. "And no matter what my father thinks of power, he can separate you two." He smiled ruefully. "I saw his joy when he saw it was you. He could never put you aside in favor of another."

"Even if I do not have a baby?"

"Even if you do not and grow old and gray with him." He said with a smile.
She took a breath. "But I was so worried and scared. I had to..."
"Shhh..." He cooed to her and caressed her hair. "Boromir loves you as few women are loved and you him. Nothing could break that bond."
Horses came into the stable. Boromir had returned with his patrol. He handed his shield and his quiver to a subordinate as he walked towards them. It was clear they were in deep council.
Boromir looked at his wife. She looked pale and stricken as she looked up at him. He pulled her into his embrace at once and held her as she cried against his shoulder, though it was sweat-fouled wool. His hands caressed her and he looked curiously at his brother.
"Our father made her feel unwelcome." Faramir said as a man took Boromir's mount's reins from his hands to unsaddle him and feed him grain.
"What?" Boromir asked in shock.
"He told her she was a whore and that he would have her thrown back to her people if she did not bear you a child in good time." He said frowning. "As in yesterday." He added the look on his face telling Boromir how disgusted he was.
Boromir muttered and oath and pulled his beloved to him even more. "I am sorry I was not here to defend you my love. He knew you were weak on this subject and I have no doubt thought that he could have you leave me in fear I would do the same to you." He bent and kissed her. "He can be intimidating. Know this, that I love you and I will not dismiss you."
"He told me the loss of the baby was my fault. He…"
"I know better my love." He stopped her words with a soft hand on her chin. "The baby came early because it was not to be born. The healer told me it was small and malformed. How can I blame you for your body aborting a baby that would not have lived?" He caressed her cheek with a gloved hand. "We will have children in good time. Our own good time. We had one we will again." He kissed her cheek. "As for calling you a whore...I could draw against him for that." He sighed and took a breath to steady himself. "I will go and speak to him."
She touched his arm. "I am sorry."
"For what?" He asked looking at her his eyes burning with anger, but not at her she sensed. "Faramir take her to our rooms and have tea brought to her. See her women care for her." Boromir stressed 'our' and turned from them in a whirl of his heavy travel cloak to go face his father for his cruel words.
Faramir delivered her to the chambers she shared with her husband. He called for tea from a servant in the hall and then called her ladies to her. He had them put her into the bed as he bowed to her. He turned on his heel and left to aid his brother or at least hear his father's beloved first born speak his mind and challenge the old man for once. Boromir was removing his gloves in the great hall as Denethor came in. "Ahh...my son is back from his patrol. Welcome him. Report. How many orcs and where are they?" He asked gesturing to a map of Middle Earth on the table.
"Before I do there are matters we must discuss father." He said. He laid his hand on the pommel of his sword. "How dare you insult my wife. Bringing her to the point of tears and making her more anxious will not help me father a baby on her." He said watching the elder man closely.
The gesture was not lost on Denethor. "You would draw steel against your own father?"
"If he insults that which is dear to me, yes I would draw steel and challenge any who dare call my wife a whore, even my own sire." Boromir said watching him. "I warn you to heed your tongue." He said.
Faramir walked in and stood back watching from between two statues. He was going to enjoy watching his father squirm for once.
"So...she came running to you and you had to defend her Faramir." Denethor said making it known he knew his younger son was there. "How noble. Did you tell Boromir what she said then? Maybe added some to it to anger him to the point of drawing steel against me. You would turn your brother against me in a heartbeat." He said coldly
"She told me herself father." Boromir said staying that argument before it would begin. It happened often enough when Boromir had defended his brother. He would not let his brother bear the brunt of his father's malice this time. "She is neither a fool nor a weakling. Faramir had nothing to do with this other than comforting her until I arrived home."
Denethor shook his head. "I only want what is best for you. You need an heir and if she can not produce a living one, you could put her aside and..."
"Never...if I die childless than Faramir will inherit. I will not my Arianna aside...not for any reason. She is my wife and will stay such." He stepped forward. "Know that if you had insulted her before me I would have acted other than with words as I do now. Take care old man. Do not speak so to her again." He said and turned and left. His words had startled his father he had no doubt, but now he needed to see it the girl he loved.
Faramir looked at him. At a nod from his brother he went back to the training area to take out some of the frustration of having her so taunted. Boromir knew Faramir had a hard enough shell to deal with such words now, but his wife did not. She was too sweet and gentle like a lamb. Boromir would join him shortly to also take out his anger on something other than the Steward of Gondor.
Boromir entered their rooms. Mith was there removing the tea tray. Arianna was sprawled on the bed with the curtains drawn. It was very low light, but he could see her eyes glittering and knew she did not sleep.
"I love you." He told her as he shut the door. He came to her and hugged her gathering her into his arms.
She rolled and kissed him her arms wrapping about him. "You are always so kind and loving to me. How am I so lucky?" She said through a sniff. She had been crying again as she drank her tea he knew.
"You saved my life remember." He smiled and kissed her nose.
"Yes, but you married me." She sighed and looked at him. She caressed his cheek. "You have always been there. When I lost our..." He pressed a finger to her lips to keep that sadness at bay. It had not been easy for him either, but he had had to be strong for her though it had hurt him just as much.
"How can I not when you are so my beloved?"
"Please...stay..."
"No I must go. I need to speak to my brother and then have a council. Then I will return to you..."
"Very well." She nodded. It was the way of things she knew.
"No man insults you. He insults me by this. My father now knows this."
"You did not..." Her eyes were wide. Boromir was not a small man and he had a temper. He could dispatch even his own sire if he so willed.
"No he lives...only because I was not there to hear his insult, which is how he planned it." He rose from her and went to the door.
"Where are you going?"
"To kill something." He said his voice a hiss.