Chapter 4~

Year 3037, October 24

" Legolas and Gimli are to arrive tonight from Fanghorn," Faramir told Eryn. She had anticipated their arrive for a month now. Eryn had grown into a striking girl of seventeen. Her strawberry-blonde hair was cut just below her neck. Unlike most maidens she hated long hair. She was still beautiful nonetheless.

She sat in her room looking to the Northwest for signs of her old friends. She was still a playful girl. She still would steal thing and run, but so much less often. Faramir had to say she matured a lot. He sat down next to her. She had a distant look on her face. Faramir tried to get her to pay attention or say something,

" Do you know what today is?" She shook her head slightly, not taking her eyes off the horizon. " Today twenty years ago, Frodo awoke from being stabbed by a Ringwraith, healed." She smiled,

" That was one of my favorite stories."

" Was?" she smiled and corrected herself

" Is." He put his arm around her shoulder. " Faramir, how did you know to look in the cabin, where you found me?" Long ago she had asked how come she didn't have any parents. Faramir, though he hated lying to her, told her that he didn't know but he was riding through the woods with Lord Aragorn and they heard crying from a cabin. He would then tell her how he saved her from an Orc. It always got exaggerated, but that's the way she liked it.

"Well, my dear, I heard you crying. Don' t you remember?"

" Yes…" she didn't say anything more. After that Eowyn came in looking slightly pale.

" Are you feeling better, my dear?" Faramir asked her. She had been throwing up all morning. Faramir was very worried.

" Yes. May I speak to Eryn in private please?" Faramir nodded and left the room without a word. Eowyn sat down next to her and was silent for a while.

" Do you know why you aren't well, Aunt Eowyn?" Eryn asked her

" Yes," Eowyn smiled. " You are the first I am going to tell. I am going to have a child." Eryn looked at her dumbstruck.

" Aunt Eowyn! That's wonderful!" Eryn threw her arms around her. " I am so happy for you!" Eowyn pulled back slightly,

" I don't know when I am going to tell everyone else…" she trailed off looking at Eryn distant look to the woods. " Eryn? What's wrong?"

" It is nothing,"

" You have to tell me, I just told you my secret. It wouldn't be fair if you didn't tell me yours." Eryn hesitated

" I want to know who I am. I hardly think it possible that Uncle Elessar and Uncle Faramir were riding together, while Faramir was injured, though the woods when there was still Orcs about. He says they were coming home from battle but I still should like to see the place." Eowyn looked at her sympathetically. Suddenly Eowyn felt her stomach churn. She said a hurried good bye and fled to the bathing room.

Eryn sat in silence for a long while thinking to her self. She felt the wind rustle her short hair; her eyes glimmered in the sun.

She was startled out of her thoughts by a knock at the door. She turned and called for them to enter,

" Come in," The door opened and she saw the kind face she remembered from so long ago. " Legolas!" She leapt up and embraced him warmly.

" You have grown so much!" he told her warmly. " Each time I see you it seems three feet are added to your height." He told her warmly she pulled away and he looked at her it seemed for the first time. He didn't see his cute niece anymore though. He saw a beautiful young woman. These thoughts scared him.

" Gimli!" he went around Legolas and knelt down next to the dwarf. She embraced him.

" It's not fair." Gimli said sternly. She looked at him surprised.

" What is not fair?"

" I used to have an advantage of height, now you are beautiful and tall." They chuckled merrily. They walked around for a bit. The sun began to set and they went down into the main hall. There Eowyn, Faramir, Elessar, and Arwen were waiting by the fire.

They all sat on warm cushioned seats. Eryn felt like she wasn't alone anymore. A hole still gaped in her heart. She felt the longing that she held secret seem more powerful but father off. Everyone sat in the room with their love, their family, their best friend. Eryn had none. She longed for real family, for parents. Since a very young age it seemed to be filled by her ever present 'uncles and aunts'. The truth was what she truly wanted though.

" How about a story?" She heard Gimli distantly. Faramir began to tell of the last battle. She would have loved to listen fully (despite hearing it so many times) but her mind was elsewhere.

" … After I fought, Aragorn and I rode thorough the forest and found Eryn then came back to the castle…"

" Lord Faramir?" Ioreth entered the hall. " I have a message that you need to hear in private." Faramir got up and walked out of the room. Minutes later Eryn, feeling something strange pulled at her soul walked out and pursued without being noticed.

She went to the room where Faramir and Ioreth were talking quietly. She crept up silently.

" …This message came from the Rohirrim, It was urgent." Ioreth told him, there was the rustling of paper

" Orcs, they are mustering stronger and stronger. They were attacked." Faramir sighed.

" I love your stories Sire, I was listening before I entered. I wish you wouldn't leave out the mysterious old man and your brothers secret then leaving and coming back with little Eryn."

Everything clicked in Eryn's mind. Her resemblance to Faramir, his uncomfort when talking about Boromir, this man's secret, leaving so suddenly, why they story didn't make sense, Faramir's closeness to her, it all made sense. She gasped. Faramir turned around. Ioreth looked at her bewildered. Faramir turned deathly pale.

" You lied to me! You know who I am!" she screamed at him. She turned and ran down the hall.

" Eryn!" He called after her. She sprinted past the main hall and down the corridor. Everyone stopped at the scream they heard and rose to their feet when she ran by. Faramir ran after her he ran out of breath and tried to catch it in front of the main hall. They all looked at him with question in their eyes. Between breaths he managed,

" She knows." Arwen gasped. Eowyn placed a hand over her mouth and Aragorn closed his eyes and sat down. Legolas and Gimli became confused.

" I don't understand." Legolas told him,

" Eryn is my true niece, she is Boromir's daughter. I promised I wouldn't tell. She didn't know. I lied to her this whole time." Faramir leaned against the cold wall and the tears started to come. Legolas and Gimli stood open mouthed while Eowyn ran over to comfort him.

Eryn ran until her legs hurt. Grief began to overcome her as she ran. Her eyes were blinded by her tears. Soon she had no idea where she was or how to get back. She didn't care though.

Suddenly a hand shot out from the shadows and pulled her in. She blinked away the tears as fast as she could. It was a man; he was tall, weatherworn, and didn't appear to be that old. He had grey eyes and short whiskers around his chin and lower cheeks. Eryn looked into his grey eyes for a moment, she saw something familiar to them.

Her first instinct was to be afraid of this vagabond in the castle, she had never seen him before, she could only assume this is what he was.

" Eryn, I presume?" he told her gruffly. She tried to pull away. " Do not be afraid, I have no intention of harming you," she looked at him for a few moments.

" I am not afraid, I think someone who wished to harm me would feel fouler, and seem fairer…" he let out a throaty chuckle.

" That is not the first time my family has been told that." Eryn heard her uncles distant call and suddenly became aware of how close she was and how much she wanted to run. The man seemed to see this so he took her hand and led her away.

He led her up and down passages she had never been to before. Before she knew it she was out in the garden. He led he to a place that was out of sight of the castle, and out of hearing range too.

" What is bothering you?" the man asked her. To his surprise, she smirked.

" I have no idea who you are, I don't know what I am doing here, I just found out someone I loved lied to me for all this time, and today is one of the better days." The man just stared at her dumbstruck. Then he chuckled.

" I think I have underestimated you," Eryn sighed. She sat down. Then drawing her legs up to her chest and hugging them tightly, a tear rolled down her cheek. He crouched down on his haunches.

" I think I can help you with some of those questions, you may call me Aratoamin. My true name you will find out, but for easier conversation that will be it for now. What you are doing here I think you know. To the person who you loved, you say loved as past tense. Why is this?"

" He has lied to me, betrayed my trust. It is not so easy to forgive." In her mind Eryn had no intention of letting what Faramir did go.

" You will though," it was strange how he told her; it wasn't a question it was just a simple statement. Strange as it was Eryn felt his words touch her heart. He placed a hand on her shoulder; she quivered at his touch. " Come with me," he commanded gently.

He took her hand and helped her to her feet. He led her though some bushes and winding paths to the wall that surrounded Minas Tirith. Eryn watched as he pulled back some bushed and it revealed a rather large fissure. He led he through to the other side. There as if planned an ashen stallion stood pawing at the ground.

It nickered happily as it saw Aratoamin. Aratoamin walked up to it and patted it lovingly on the neck. He turned and mounted the horse with ease. Then he extended a hand to help Eryn up. Curious to where they would go, and having no fear of this man, she allowed him to help her on behind him. He reared the horse up and she grabbed her own hands around his waist. The horse began to gallop away towards the woods.

The Sun was now beginning to rise, and they went through the paths of the woods with great speed and stealth. Aratoamin smirked as Eryn held on to his waist tightly,

" Are you afraid of something, mellonamin?" he teased her.

" I am a skillful rider, but not one to a the back of a speeding horse with not much to grasp!" Aratoamin pulled at the reigns and the horse slowed. " You called me Mellonamin, what does that mean?"

" It means my friend, simply my friend." He answered her. Eryn was touched by his kindness and the fact that he already assumed of their friendship. He rode through trees and undergrowth.

Not too long after they slowed, a small rundown cottage came into view. He led his horse around. Feeling a painful tug at her heart she dismounted and walked to the house.

Some how she felt pain ebb into her soul as she placed a hand on the doorknob. She hesitated.

" What do you fear, mellonamin? Do you know this place?" Eryn placed her hand at the silver locket at her neck. She closed her eyes and without answering him she opened the door and entered.

It was a dark place, it seemed like it had been deserted for a long time. Even though, it was a homely place that seemed warm. There was a cute table that had a few strange cracks in it. There was knitted quilts draped over a padded love seat that was next to a fireplace. In the corner there was spiral stairs that led to a loft near the ceiling.

Eryn grew afraid of the eerie feeling that she had been there before. She walked over to the step and began to go up them. Each step creaked loudly. Her eyes came over the ledge and as she set her foot onto the top step. The one under her left foot broke. She pushed her self forward onto the floor.

She got up and looked around. There was a crib, a large bed, a desk, and a nightstand beside each. She walked over to the nightstand beside the crib. It had a small journal on it. She looked at it and began to flip through the entries, they read

~Today I found that my daughter was to be married. I am so happy.

She will be well taken care of for her husband is to be the Steward

of Gondor. He is a noble man.

She flipped through a few more they seemed to tell of how much a joy that his daughter brought him, and how he loved her. There was a shocking page on how he found she was with child. He still showed his love through that though. Turning through more Eryn saw something that caught her eye. There was a page with water and blood marks on it. She began to read,

They took her, they took my angel away. Orcs, the bloodthirsty savages! Curse them! They attacked earlier today and killed her then came for me. I hid my precious Eryn just in time. They tore my throat open and knocked me half unconscious. I faintly remember Boromir coming and weep over her. He thought Eryn was gone. Then His brother came and swore this to secrecy. I respect him more then ever. Eryn is all I have now. When Boromir returns to Minas Tirith I will restore to him his child. Until then I will care for her. I love her.

Eryn wiped away her tears as she flipped through some more pages until she came to the last entry. She faintly heard Aratoamin come up the stairs.

I have been summoned to War. I will fight for the honor of Gondor. I pray that my little one will be okay for the day, alone. I pray also that I do not perish. I have learned that Boromir is not to return, that my angel is an orphan. If anything happens to me today I swear I will leave my angel to her only family left, Faramir. The horns are blowing; I must go.

Eryn shut the book and held it to her chest. Aratoamin put a hand on her shoulder.

" Now you know," Aratoamin told her. His grey eyes twinkles in the sunlight that crept through the windows. She smiled,

" I feel so terrible. My…" she paused at the word, it seemed somehow different to her when she said it, " Uncle had no choice. He swore to his brother, I still am a little angry though." There was the sound of a horse through the woods,

" Eryn!" she heard Legolas calling her. Eryn walked around Aratoamin but he grabbed her arm. She turned and looked at him,

"Are you prepared to go back?" he asked her. She nodded. " Fine, I will meet you tonight. I will find you. Speak of this to no one,"

" Eryn!" she heard Legolas shout again.

" Go," Aratoamin hissed. Eryn looked at him for a moment,

" Thank you," She turned and went down the stairs. She went out of the cabin to see Legolas walking up the steps of the porch. He hurried forward and embraced her. Strangely she hugged him back tightly, differently. Everything was changing for her, crashing down on her.

" Are you okay?" Legolas asked her. She nodded. There was a brown horse with white spots standing not too far away. Eryn looked bewildered for Aratoamin's horse, but it was gone. " I had no idea," Legolas told her " About…"

" My father being who he was?" Legolas pulled away and nodded. " Faramir lied to me all this time, he lied to so many people."

" He had no choice… Who was that man you were riding with?" Eryn tried to look puzzled.

" What man?" she asked.

" You know of whom I speak. Did he hurt you? Threaten you?" Eryn shook her head trying her hardest to look baffled.

" Look at me, though your he took special care in not being seen I have keener senses then you may think. Please tell me," Eryn gave in.

" Yes there was a man. No he didn't hurt me. He told me to call him Aratoamin." Legolas looked bewildered.

" My champion,"

" What?" Eryn asked.

" Aratoamin means My Champion." He paused for a moment. " Are you ready to come home?" Legolas asked.

" No, not really," she admitted.

" Come then," He took her to his horse and they mounted. " Noro Haloisi." ((Ride Haloisi)) they rode for a bit. Eryn held tight to Legolas' waist. Though she had done it many times as a child, this time was different. She guessed it was because in a sense they were so much closer in age. Though that never changes, an elf doesn't either and time was allowed to catch up with Legolas.

" You called your horse Haloisi. What does that mean?" Eryn said trying to make conversation.

" It means Stormy Sea." Legolas told her.

" Do you still long for it? The sea I mean…" Legolas slowed the horse.

" Yes,"

" Then why do you not sail it?" Eryn asked. Legolas looked back at her.

" I desire some other things that I wish to accomplish before leaving." Legolas rode took her on the horse through some more trees until they came to a large field.

" The Pelennor Fields." She muttered.

"This is where everything in battle ended. Merry and Eowyn killed the Witch King. King Theoden died, killed by his own horse."

" My aunt." Eryn whispered. She dismounted and looked around. Legolas followed. He wrapped his arms around her.

" I have called you my niece since you were a child. I fought along side your true father in battle many times. I saved his life on a few occasions, as he did mine. I sang a Lament at his death. I grieved over him, and befriended his brother, fought for what he fought for. It is a strange fate now, to see his daughter all grown up not knowing of his true identity." Legolas turned to her. " I used to tell you stories and sing you to sleep at night. Alas, now everything seems different.

'You are no longer a child. You are a full-grown woman. I see you more differently then ever." He paused, " This morning, when I saw you, how beautiful and radiant you've become, it frightened me. It was the first time it occurred to me that you would grow up. And…" He wasn't sure how to say it. " We are both changed. I do not see myself as your uncle nor do I see you as my niece.

' It is growing harder and harder for me to love you the way I used to…"

" Legolas, what are you saying?" Eryn asked quietly fearing that he didn't love her anymore. " Do you not love me?" Legolas shook his head. He cupped his hands on her cheeks.

" I do. I love you, more then anything. That is why this is so hard." He moved closer to her and pressed his lips against hers. Her heart fluttered as he pulled away. They said no more.

The sun began to set over the trees around the large field.

" Orcs are close, we must go back." Legolas whispered to her. She nodded and they got onto the horse.

Eryn was somewhat uncomfortable sitting so close to Legolas, after all that had happened.

Things had changed so fast for her, Her aunt was with child, her true uncle became revealed, she found a new friend who somehow captivated her thoughts and to top it all off Legolas had fallen in love with her.

This was not supposed to happen. She was supposed to stay little forever and had many uncles and aunts and never fall in love and nothing was supposed to go wrong.

Somehow everything did though.