Disclaimer: I only own my portion of the plot.

Author's Note: The last chapter was a little slow, I know, but this one will (hopefully) be more interesting. Thanks again to everyone who reviews; it really helps a lot to know what people think. You're lifesavers!

Chapter Eleven: The Road Ahead

We say in Gondor that there are many statesmen; few of them are any good, and an even smaller number are great. But there are none who like it. Many people have often told me that I am a great statesman, one of the most brilliant Gondor has ever had, but, true to our maxim, I despise it. In all actuality, there was little I liked about being a noble at all, aside from my privileged access to libraries and archives of all sorts. Even though I had never enjoyed battle, fighting was at least more stimulating than council meetings. Therefore, being stuck in the council room on a lovely spring day was hardly my idea of fun, nor even slight amusement, or a way to keep busy. There were a thousand other things I needed to do; at least the pile of paperwork on my desk in my apartments there at Minas Tirith had purpose. More often than not, the council meetings were excuses for talkative old ambassadors and nobles to get together and ramble on aimlessly for hours on end.

That day, though, there was a general excitement, and the king looked slightly preoccupied at breakfast that morning. It had become tradition for our families to dine together when we came in, which was about once every three months. I found myself there alone at least once a week, and though I still dined with the king's family, it was better to be surrounded by own as well. That morning, Eowyn and I, along with an eight year old Elboron and his twin siblings, joined the king, queen, and their seven year old boy, Eldarion. The twins, two girls named Eolyna and Lothlien, were only four years old, and as adorable as could be. Elboron thought they looked like cows, with their large, brown eyes; Eowyn thought they looked like me, and I swore they were the spitting images of her. We were both right; they were blonde but with chubby cheeks and eyes like mine. They were the pride of Ithilien.

Elessar ate quickly and hurried away from the table as fast as he could. Arwen shook her head after he left. "He's been acting very strange lately. I think he has something important to say today in council."

Eowyn, wiping some crumbs off of Lothlien's face, asked, "Do you have any idea what it's about?"

"No, not much, except that there's to be some sort of mission. Where, when, who's going, or for what purpose, I don't know." Arwen turned her head and smiled kindly at Elboron. "Are you excited, Lord Elboron, for your first council meeting?" she asked, affection on her elven features. The two boys had been friends since infancy, and Elboron would often stay in Minas Tirith for a week between my visits. She looked upon him almost as a second child.

The boy nodded his head fiercely. "Yes, Queen Arwen. I'm very ready. I'm glad that I'm old enough." He smiled superiorly at Eldarion, who stuck out his bottom lip.

"Mamma, I'm old enough, really," he whined, tugging at Arwen's sleeve. "I'm the son of the King; can't he let me go today?"

"Now, Eldarion, laws are laws, and you know that you have to be eight before you can go to a council meeting," Arwen said, trying to resist her son's pleading face.

"Well, I suppose we'd better go," I said, pushing back my chair. "If the king is in such a rush to start, we mustn't keep him waiting." I stood and Elboron scrambled to his feet, beaming beside me. Eldarion stuck out his tongue.

I bowed my head to the queen, and smiled at Eowyn, who was trying to get Eolyna to stop sucking on a spoon. She tossed a grin my way before returning to her chore.

As we walked to the council room, I noticed the way Elboron held himself. He walked with pride and confidence, just as Boromir always had. I smiled a little at the comparison, but was just as worried. Boromir had been a great man, a fighter, boisterous, a lover of many women, strong and having a strong inclination to go drinking with his friends. Those were great qualities in a friend and brother, but not as promising in a son. I sighed quietly, but my child looked up at me anyways.

"What's wrong, Father?" he asked, his eyes large and dark.

"Nothing, nothing at all. You act like my brother did at your age," I replied, turning a corner.

A smile broke out on his face. "Really? Do you think I'll be like Uncle Boromir, Father? Will everyone love me like they did you and him?"

"How could they resist?" I said with a small laugh. "Elboron, are you ready for your first council meeting? I've warned you that they're very boring."

"The King didn't seem to think so," he said matter- of- factly.

"Maybe you'll be lucky. Here we are." I stopped in the empty hall before the great doors of the council room and knelt so we were face to face. He was already strong and tall like Boromir had been, and I wondered for a moment if my brother had been reborn. "This, Elboron, is a very important part of being Steward. Even if the meeting is long and not interesting at all, you must be awake and alert and listening to everything. It may not make much sense now, but I will explain it all to you after. Don't speak during the meeting; it's best if you just listen for now."

He nodded and I smiled at him again. "That's my boy," I said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, Father," he said, eyes so wide and trusting. I imagined that he had gotten his naivety from me; I had not been aware of dark purposes as a child. Things were as they were, and there was never a thing as maliciousness. Even Sauron, for a while at least, seemed to me very misunderstood and just a bit cranky.

I stood and pushed open the doors. Everyone was already there – the old men of the region were known for their punctuality – but were not seated, just standing around, talking. As if the hours of the meeting were not enough time for chatting...

When I entered, Elessar, seated at the head of the table, motioned for everyone to take their seats. My chair was to the left of his; a smaller seat had been placed between ours for Elboron. The old men smiled at Elboron's chubby face and dark eyes; a man from the countryside remarked "He looks like his uncle..."

"Gentlemen," Elessar began sharply, "We have a matter to discuss. It has been fifteen years since the defeat of the Dark Lord, and there is still much to be taken care of."

I started a little. I had never been to a council meeting that had started so quickly or with such urgency. "My Lord," I began uncertainly, "Is there something wrong? Is there some new evil, a war that we have not been aware of?"

Eomer, looking rather angry, said, "There has been nothing but peace in the north. How is it that trouble came in the south?"

"There is no war, Faramir, but there is trouble," the King said succinctly. "I received a letter a few months ago from the chief of the Easterlings. He demanded the land that used to be Mordor be given to his people. I refused, of course, but he was not satisfied. He says that there has been flooding in his land, and though there is room left for crops, most of his people have no homes. I sent word back, saying that in light of the situation, perhaps Gondor would cede some of the land in the east. What does the council believe?"

"If there is no room for them to live, I say, let them die!" roared an old general whom my father had known well. "They slaughtered thousands of their soldiers, and now they demand favors?"

There was a murmuring of consensus, but Eomer shook his head fiercely. "No, we cannot risk offending these people. Trade in Gondor and Rohan has prospered since the War, and we cannot put that at risk."

"Yes," I added, leaning forward. "There is no need to alienate these people. We should strike a bargain, ceding maybe a fourth of the land to the Easterlings. There is no need to let innocent people suffer."

"Faramir, boy, they killed our men!!" the general cried, pounding his hand on the table for emphasis.

"Not every man, woman and child is a cold blooded killer," I shot back. "Just because I fought in the War doesn't mean that I did it out of malice and hatred. Most of the men were only serving their country. For all we know, half of their soldiers could have been forced into battle for fear of Sauron. The men of the west cannot appear merciless; these people are our allies and neighbors now!"

There was silence for a moment, then the men started talking amongst themselves. My uncle, Imrahil, seated beside me, leaned over and whispered, "Well put, Faramir. You have your mother's compassion and your father's strength in matters of the state; a good mix!"

There was a gentle tugging on my sleeve. I turned to see Elboron peering at me with awe-filled eyes. "Father, will they listen to you? I would have!"

"I don't know, we will see," I said with a small smile before turning back to the table.

"Gentlemen," Elessar called, and their was silence. "We will take a vote; all in favor of sending a delegation to speak to the Easterlings?"

"Send them where?" demanded the general.

Elessar sighed, and I could tell the old man was gnawing on his patience. "I said that perhaps I would send a delegation to speak with the Chief, but that I must hold a meeting first. He demanded that our men and his would meet in Mordor, on the Plains. All in favor?"

Everyone except the old general and the man beside him raised their hands. Even Elboron, in his small chair, raised his. Elessar smiled. "Even the children see reason in this decision. So be it. Now, we must decide who will go in this delegation. I myself had some ideas." Elessar turned to me. "Faramir, would you do me the favor of heading this excursion?"

A little shocked that the King had such faith in me, I nodded. "Of course, Sir, I would be honored."

Eomer broke in with his strong voice. "I would like to let the Easterlings know that it is not only the Gondorians who wish their people well, but also the Rohirrim. I will go with Faramir."

Elessar nodded. "So be it. I do not think that you should need many to go with you. Perhaps twenty soldiers and some minor officials to observe should a pact be made?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------

"Leaving? For Mordor? In two days?" Eowyn's jaw dropped. "You are insane."

"Eowyn, it is safe. There are soldiers going, and your brother..."

"I'm not worried about your safety! I'm furious at my brother and at you for suggesting we cede our land!" Eowyn's face was pink with rage, her eyes wide and brilliant blue. "Eomer just got married two years ago to that Lothriel, and now she's pregnant, and having a very hard time with it, and he's leaving her! Does he have no courtesy?"

"There is nothing he can do to help his pregnant wife; no man can do anything for a pregnant woman," I replied with a smirk.

"She's your cousin Faramir, and she's weak! Do you not care?" Eowyn screamed. We were alone in our apartments; the children were with Imrahil down in the city.

"Of course I do, but neither I nor Eomer can do anything!" I snapped, losing my temper. "And why are you so insensitive towards the Easterlings?; we have made peace with them!"

"The statesmen may have, but I have not! They butchered my people on the Pelennor! What right do they have to demand land?"

"Their people are dying, Eowyn! Do not be so insensitive! They have no place to live!"

"I will be as insensitive as I choose! When they killed my friends, my brother's friends, they were as insensitive as I!"

"How is it your decision to condemn an entire people because you are bitter?"

Eowyn laughed harshly and came close to me, so that our faces were inches apart. "You would dare to call me bitter? You've been bitter your whole life! Don't tell me that I am bitter when your tortured soul helped make me that way!"

I felt as if I had been punched in the stomach by a very strong man. "Are you unhappy, then?" I asked quietly.

"No, not always," she said harshly. "Only when you would get your moods and go off sulking for days at a time. So you were hurt. I was as well! Show a little concern!"

Still feeling a little weak form her attack, I asked, "When have I ever not been concerned about you? I haven't had those depression fits for years now, you know that!"

"But it was a very lasting impression! How can I believe the world is good when a man can't even be accepted by his own father? What Denethor did to you was horrible, and though you've come to terms with it, I can't accept the fact that someone could be so cruel. So yes, Faramir, you've made me bitter."

I stepped back from her, glaring at her with such a rage that she colored a little from guilt. "Well, Eowyn dearest," I said, my voice dripping with false affection, "If that's the way you really feel, perhaps you should be grateful I'm trying to make the world a little better." I turned my back on her.

I heard her start to say my name, as if to make an apology, but instead she went into the bedroom and slammed the door. I slept in Elboron's room that night and the next, which he thought was great fun. I sat on my horse two days later, too stubborn to make say sorry, as was my wife. The road to Mordor lay ahead, and all I could think about was returning and telling Eowyn that I loved her. If, I thought, my pessimism coming to haunt me, I returned at all. Mordor was still a treacherous place, and most thought the Easterlings were a treacherous people. Suppose I should never see my wife or children again?

I looked back at Minas Tirith, and saw only my children on the walls beside Imrahil. Beside me, Eomer snorted. "Lady Eowyn is still mad at us, I suppose?" he asked grimly.

"Do you think she would apologize?" I asked sarcastically. Eomer laughed and urged his horse onward.