Chapter Three

"She just appeared from nowhere? Just appeared right above you?" Eowyn narrowed her eyes at the thin, sharp air as she considered this, then turned to ask me, "For the small amount of time you did attend the banquet, exactly how much ale did you consume?"

I quirked a brow and responded, "None, Eowyn! And this was no dream, it was real. I know it was." I had failed to tell Eowyn that the girl I had seen had been a hobbit (and I also neglected silly details such as the kissing part) because I felt no need to spoil this moment with, as I mentioned, silly details. "She was there, and then she was gone. Just like that."

"I see." Eowyn wrapped her arms around herself and looked chilled, and I noticed that she had forgotten her cloak so I very stupidly removed mine and draped it about her shoulders. It was just like me to forget when a lady was in need, but my recoveries were always speedy enough for her not really to notice my idiocy, but Eowyn always has an eye for detail. "Well, Faramir, you have treated me to a dinner fit for Queen Arwen herself, but now you are leading me around the empty streets of your city." Her eyes met mine, and in the darkness and the silver light of the moon they appeared cerulean. "Why?"

I swallowed nervously and folded my hands behind my back, then promptly answered with the most charming smile I could muster, "I want to show you something."

Eowyn brightened with mock suspicion. "What is it?"

"You will see, Lady Eowyn." I made sure to give her another smile, and she returned it but continued to look mistrusting. Eowyn was probably wondering why I was heading toward my humble abode instead of walking her back to her suite.

After what felt like floating down a river of pure joy with Eowyn beside me we came to the front of my home, where grass still grew fruitfully around the building, and I dropped to the ground, lying down as I had last night when I had the encounter with the hobbit girl. Eowyn, never being what she called a 'ninny' just followed my example and stretched out on my right, crossing her ankles and looking up to the vast deep blue that was the sky with me. I turned to gaze at her profile, and I swear I saw a smile bring serenity to her chaotic beauty.

"You brought me here to watch the sky?"

I smiled brilliantly and forced my gaze back to the lesser of the two beauties. "You are beginning to sound like my brother, Eowyn." She laughed at that, and the sound made my heart tremor in my chest and beat three times as hard.

Boromir always told me it had to be unhealthy to be this in love, but Boromir was Boromir and simply stating that fact gives one all the explanation necessary. "But just look at the stars, Lady, and try to appreciate them for what they are." I pointed to the sky to guide her pale eyes, making trails with my forefinger on the lifts and drops of the stars and their shapes. "Do you see that one? It shines three times as bright as the others, but if it were alone if would simply be a stain in the blue sky. All the smaller, glittering stars help it to shine at it's best."

"They are very beautiful." She replied simply, and I once again felt my eyes move themselves to her milky white face. "There are times people dismiss beauty as a frailty."

"Aye." I agreed with her, but my words came out slowly and dumbly as though I were in a trance. "People can be witless and shallow, Eowyn. All beauty has it's weakness and all beauty has it's strength." Somehow her eyes fell on mine this time, and Eowyn graced me with a slow smile.

"It does."

In that moment I do not know what exactly it was that came over me, but it was so over powering that I bolted to a sitting position and pulled her up with me, prepared to spill my feelings at her feet and throw my heart at her mercy. I made sure to inhale deeply before speaking, but at that moment something the sound of powerful hoofs hitting the stones of the street cut my voice in two and my courage drained as her attention left my face and focused on the new comer. Eomer.

I twisted so that I could see him without really standing up, though I should have with him being King of the Mark. He had two escorts with him and I assumed they had been searching for Eowyn for a mighty long while, because Eomer looked weary. He had certainly grown since I had last seen him (aside from the banquet) and his beard was shorter while his golden braid was longer. I gave my best smile to an old friend.

"Eomer! Are you well?" I inquired as the woman I dreamt of every night moved away from me to mount the extra horse they had brought along. Just like Eomer, always thinking ahead. He nodded at me and smiled back, and I saw that the worry had drained from his eyes. "Forgive me for stealing your dear sister." I felt somewhat guilty for not telling anyone where I was taking her, and I am sure it reflected in my eyes.

"Not at all, not at all, Faramir!" Eomer replied, showing all of his white teeth in a wide grin. "Will we have the pleasure of your company tomorrow? And your brother?"

"I certainly hope so." I returned the smile, but moved over to Eowyn's horse, taking her hand in mine and placing a soft kiss on her knuckles. "Until tomorrow, then."

"Goodbye, Faramir." She smiled at me and gave a short nod of her head. "And goodnight." As they departed I stood in the street and watched, folding my arms around myself and remembering she still had my cloak about her smooth shoulders and it only made me lift higher in happiness. If I slept that night, I do not remember it. I only dreamed. But the next morning was hell brought to Middle Earth in the form of a lantern on a bed.

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"Captain Faramir, Faramir!" A voice as well as a pounding on the other side of my door wrenched me from my dreams, and I sat up straight in the sheets and blankets. I stammered something like 'Enter' or 'Come in' or 'Stop pillaging my sleep, peasant!' and the door opened. The servant, one who I recognized to be my brother's, scrambled in and knelt humbly at my bedside. "My lord, it is the Steward. His apartment has been burned into ash and there is nothing left of it!"

"What?" I heard what he had said, I just did not believe it. How could my brother's living quarters be burned to nothing? Was I still dreaming? I slapped myself hard across the face and I am sure I left a red mark (not to mention the servant was staring at me) but it thankfully enough it was true: I was indeed awake. "Is my brother all right?"

"Yes, he is. He was not present when it happened, he was elswhere in the city, I believe." The servant informed me, and I ordered him to fetch my clothing. I had to go to my brother's aid immediately (he would probably be living with me for the next few days) and offer my support.

I pulled a simple white tunic on, then a vest for warmth and pants, and minutes later I had taken my horse from the stables and was on my way. The scene I had arrived upon was in no way tranquil; people were wailing (probably the ones that lost their homes) and other people were yelling, and shouting either curses or cries of despair.

When I found my brother, he was doing something that I could only expect: explaining to a few peasants how lucky he was to have brought his sword with him instead of leaving it inside his apartment to be forever ruined and lost. I smiled and approached, and when he saw me he returned it.

"Faramir!"

"What happened here, Boromir?" I asked, desperate for details and trying to look past all the crowding people to the still burning structure. A few of the guards from the Justice House were looking up at it and nodding, but at the sound of my voice they turned to me immediately.

"My lord, we have information from witnesses that bring us to believe this was not an accident but a direct attempt on the Steward's life."

I laughed in disbelief. "But who would want to kill my brother?"

Boromir snorted. "Who would bother trying?" The Steward of Gondor began explaining to the justice guards what he had seen, where he had been, all the details, while I wandered aimlessly around the scene with my arms folded about my chest for warmth. The night air was cool and made my skin prickle up, but I did not give into the temptation to head back to my warm apartment.

"Faramir!" It was a voice I knew all too well, but one that did not seem at all joyful. It was Eowyn, striding towards me with her riding habit draped over her thin form and resisting the wind of the early morning hours as best it could. "Faramir, how could you?"

I was confused and my jaw dropped with my track of mind. "How could I what, dear Eowyn?" She did not at all accept my kind words, instead she came right up to me with blazing eyes and cheeks tinged pink in anger and emotion. "Eowyn, what is it?"

"They say you started the fire!"

My hands involuntarily threw themselves over my head. "Me?! I did nothing, Eowyn!"

She was quiet a moment as she seemed to be scanning me, as though my outer appearance would tell her the truth. Finally, she said, "I trust you, Faramir. And I'm sorry." She turned to gaze at the blackened building, then to my brother, who seemed to be gazing absently at the only possessions he had left; his sword and his saddled horse. "I assumed the worst, but rumors are just rumors. Whoever did start the fire, however, must have had something against the one of you."

"I do not see what." I answered, and my eyes wandered to the top of her head where the pale starlight reflected off her golden hair, so my voice must have slowed as I stared. I earned a glance from her, and then continued in a somewhat more intelligent tone, "My brother tries to stay in favor with all of the White City, and has been their champion for many years."

"I know." Eowyn replied quietly, as confused as I was over this attack on my brother, and I felt her move a little closer to me, probably drawn to the heat I was giving off that she was most likely responsible for. "I am very sorry for him, however."

"Yes. He will probably be living with me for the next month."

"But you will not mind at all, will you?" She asked me with a genuine smile, and it was more a statement than a question; her pale eyes never found mine. "You have always been the ideal brother and always will."

"Thank you, dear, dear Eowyn." I began, losing myself. "Your words always – "

"It was a compliment, Faramir, I did not just give you the crown of Gondor so please do not act as though I have." Her words were bemused but happy, despite the events that had just happened an hour ago, and they certainly brightened my dull, very early morning.

"I apologize, Eowyn." I replied evenly, failing to hide my smile away. The wee hours continued, but I do not remember once taking my eyes off of her pale face. She did not look at me, did not even appear to see me, but I was still content to be standing with her in the middle of the street in a crowd of disgruntled citizens.

I know that sounds a little strange, but it was true. I felt the most complete when Eowyn was next to me. My brother and I rode home after that, him speaking to me of his sword being very lucky not to have been in the apartment when it burned, but I still could not stop thinking of Eowyn's words.

Who could possibly dislike me enough to wish to destroy my reputation, I would never know, but I knew I would soon find out.

Oh yes, and despite how much of the 'ideal brother' Eowyn thought me to be, I still made Boromir sleep on the floor.