Chapter XIX: "I Always Have"
10 August, 3019
As Éowyn wept for her kin and king, I wept for the brave Man that had died for our cause. I did mourn as she did, sobbing and shaking—a few tears coursed down my face, but was unable to feel the overwhelming sorrow that those around me felt.
I watched Meriadoc call his farewell to his king, and sympathised with his pain. Aragorn's arm around my shoulders tightened, and I looked up at him—he was weeping, too. "Estel," I whispered.
He looked down at me. "This man was noble; he died a glorious and honourable death in battle; and he is certainly worthy of all this mourning, meleth-nin."
I nodded. "I did not know him, but for all these—and yourself—to mourn so, he must have been very great."
"He was."
Later, we feasted, and again I tasted the delicious homemade flavour of Rohirric meals. This far exceeded the few I had had en route to Gondor; my mouth watered at the smells alone. At the close of the feast, King Éomer called for his sister and the Lord Faramir to be troth-plighted before us all. I studied her face, She had a peace about her that I had not seen before. She seemed whole, at last, as if some part of her that had been wanting had been fulfilled.
Aragorn whispered to me, "I must speak with her brother a moment."
He rose from his seat and went to Éomer. I watched as he spoke something to Éomer about being unselfish for giving such a fair thing to Gondor. Then he turned to Éomer. They stared at one another a moment, appraising one another, I thought. She put a hand on his shoulder, her eyes filled with a joy as she murmured something I could not catch.
Aragorn replied gently, smiling. He took her hand and kissed her fingertips; then nodded and returned to my side. She turned to her beloved, who had been standing behind-beside her through the exchange, and he enveloped her in an embrace that made me smile in sympathetic joy.
Aragorn took his seat beside me, and I asked, "What did you say to her?"
"She asked me to wish her joy," he told me. "I said that I always have."
I looked sideways at him. There were tears in his eyes, but a smile lit up his face. He was shining, just like Éowyn and her fiance. I wasn't sure what to say, so I simply nodded and returned to the goblet of wine with which I had been presented.