Chapter 2
Eowyn raised her face up and smiled at the warm touch of the sun. It felt so good to be out of the city, riding her horse across the Pelennor. Of course, it would have been better to be alone, or just with Faramir, rather than part of the somewhat large troupe that accompanied the King wherever he went, but this was no day for minor complaints. She stole a sidelong glance at her husband.
A lifetime of duty had taught Faramir to shield his personal feelings well, and even though Eowyn knew he did not particularly want to be part of the entourage, she marveled at his ability to smile and greet the people who called out well wishes. He had made every effort to put his bad mood behind him the minute they had left their quarters, and had not mentioned it, nor his displeasure at the entire proceeding, since, but she knew his feelings had not changed. Still, he loved the people of Gondor, and seeing their happiness seemed to give him some pleasure as well.
The road to Osgiliath was crowded with travelers, all heading to the festivities scheduled for the afternoon. There were large groups walking together, families with small children, and even several enterprising young men who had hitched their horses to farm wagons and were trundling paying passengers from Minas Tirith.
Faramir nodded politely to an elderly woman along the roadside, then turned to his wife and grumbled "I don't know why we could not have just stayed home and met them in Osgiliath. Why do we have to be a part of this exhibition?" The pleasant but blank smile he had worn since leaving the city never left his face as he spoke and Eowyn bit her lip to keep from laughing.
"I think because the King wanted you to ride with him," she chided him. "I told you, he wants this to be a special day, one for the people to remember, and making the ride from the city, the King and the Steward together, helps makes it so."
"Ah, yes, the King and his Steward, and his attendants, and his honor guard and the color bearers, and the…" He gestured toward the small crowd of retainers that always seemed to accompany King Elessar wherever he went.
"Stop!" she interrupted, laughing aloud finally. "It is always like this when he goes anywhere, you know that.
"I know…" he returned the wave from a passing family. "Ignore me." He made a sour face and she laughed again, glad he could at least find some humor in the circumstances.
"I will." She wrinkled her nose at him. "If you dislike all the fuss, imagine how he feels, after all those years of wandering and being by himself. I would guess there are times when he misses being just a Ranger."
Her husband grunted. "I know I do."
"My Lord Faramir!" The King's voice came from ahead of them. Aragorn rode in the front of the group on a large bay horse, with the Queen beside him. He had turned in the saddle and beckoned Faramir to him. Instantly, Faramir urged his own horse forward. As he approached the King and Queen, Arwen slowed her own mount and dropped back to ride beside Eowyn. Her black hair hung loose down her back, with only a tiny braid around the crowd of her head tied up with a scarlet ribbon to match her red silk dress. She smiled to Eowyn in salutation, and the women rode together for a moment without speaking. It was the first time since they had left the city that there had been a chance to talk privately, but they had known each other long enough that the silence was not uncomfortable. At length, Arwen cast a quick look forward to make sure Faramir was out of hearing range, and then turned to Eowyn.
"He is not very pleased with today's schedule, is he?" she asked in her low, gentle voice.
Eowyn shrugged and raised her eyebrows. "He has promised to be on his best behavior." She answered. "He is trying."
"I can see that." Arwen smiled. "I am glad you got him to come along. I am sure it was not the easiest task."
Eowyn leaned over closer to Arwen. "He asked me this morning if I had spoken to the King about the date, and the festivities."
The Queen's eyes widened. "What did you say?"
Eowyn's green eyes were innocent. "The truth. I said I had NOT spoken to the King." She hesitated. "Thankfully, he never thought to ask about my conversations with the Queen!" Both women laughed, and Eowyn felt a rush of warm friendship. "I was afraid he might, and then what would I do?"
"You did nothing wrong." Arwen reassured her. "It is not as if we were conspiring, you and I. I merely asked you what you thought about the date, and encouraged you to try to get him to attend." Her gaze followed the men ahead of them. "It is good to see them together today."
They rode in silence for a few moments. "Last year he disappeared for the entire day." Eowyn said. "He rode out at dawn, and did not come back until nightfall, muddy and exhausted." She reached down and thoughtfully patted her horse's neck before she continued. "In truth, I am glad you planned this, because I had decided that I would try something, anything, to avoid the same thing this year." Her face softened as she watched her husband riding his black stallion beside the King. They were deep in conversation, Faramir shaking his head while Aragorn gestured toward the south. "There are certain days that are hard, but it is getting better."
They continued down the road, greeting the people they passed with smiles and kind words. After a while, Arwen looked at her companion with horror.
"I haven't even asked you about the baby!" She groaned. "How horrid of me. I haven't seen him since he was born and then I forget to ask." She clasped her hands in mock entreaty. "Forgive me. How is he?"
"Beautiful," laughed his proud mother. "Starting to sit up, and make noises."
"Does he still have those gorgeous blue eyes?" asked Arwen, her own lighting up with interest.
Eowyn nodded. "Yes, and his hair is finally growing in. It is so fine and golden he looks bald." She frowned. "Oh, dear, that doesn't sound very beautiful, does it?" She sighed wistfully. "I miss him already, and we just got here yesterday. Still-" she shot a glance toward the King and Faramir, who had suddenly turned off the road and were trotting their horses away from the rest of the group. "It is only for a few days, and I thought today would be difficult enough to manage with just one "baby".
Arwen gave a throaty laugh. "Are they all that way? I thought it was just me."
"Oh, no." Eowyn made a face. "I think they are all the same."
They said no more, continuing down the busy road and watched as Faramir pulled his horse up, turning to point back towards Minas Tirith. Aragorn also halted his horse and Eowyn could see him talking and gesturing. They seemed to be arguing amiably. She even saw Faramir give a slight laugh as he held up his hands in seeming surrender.
Suddenly Arwen reined in her horse. Beside the roadway a farmer had put up a ramshackle stand and was selling cool drinks. "I'm thirsty," she said. "Do you want something?"
"Yes." Eowyn quickly dismounted and they approached the stand. The people in line moved aside, but they motioned them ahead and waited for a moment, just enjoying the scene. The citizens of Gondor had pulled out their summer finery for such a festive day, and they made a colorful parade as they passed by. Most were too shy to acknowledge their Queen and her companion, but they whispered behind their hands and pointed surreptitiously. Arwen directed Eowyn's attention to a young couple leading a pony, on whose back sat a small blond boy. "Your Elboron in a few years," she suggested. They laughed and waved at the couple, causing the young mother's face to glow with pleasure.
When they reached the rough plank that was being used as a counter, the farmer's eyes popped when he recognized his two customers. "Y-your Majesty! My Lady," he stammered as his face turned pale. "How can I serve you?"
Arwen smiled in an attempt to put him at ease. "Just a cup of cool water," she said.
"Only water?" He looked at her with pleading eyes. "Are you sure? I have some of the best strawberry wine in Gondor."
She seemed to reconsider and turned to Eowyn. "What say you, Lady Eowyn? Shall we try the best wine in Gondor?"
"By all means." Eowyn replied.
Quickly he poured two generous cupfuls and passed them to the women, his hand trembling slightly with excitement.
They both took an experimental sip and then grinned at him. "This IS wonderful!" said Eowyn. "You must have a fine hand in the garden." He nearly fell over with pleasure.
"Oh, no." A look of dismay came over Arwen's face. "We have no money to pay you."
The farmer appeared shocked at the idea that his Queen would render payment like anyone else. "I would never accept money from either of you! It is my pleasure to be able to say you enjoyed it."
"Nonetheless," the Queen insisted, calling over one of the guards who had been patiently waiting, "we must pay for our purchase." She gave instructions to take down the man's name and return later with payment, but the guard merely shook his head slightly in exasperation and dug into his own pocket. Arwen thanked him and promised to refund his expense. They finished their drinks and returned the cups, while the farmer thanked them repeatedly for stopping at his stand.
As they remounted, she rolled her eyes at Eowyn. "Ridiculous, is it not? This has happened to me before, I never think about needing money. How embarrassing." Eowyn shrugged her shoulders. "I have done the same thing."
They sat on the horses without moving for a while, watching the crowds pass and returning greetings. "The people are so happy, today," said Arwen. "I hate to admit, but I will to you; there were times I did not know if days like this would ever come."
"I know." Eowyn murmured. Her eyes strayed over the Pelennor and grew misty. Arwen knew she was remembering the past.
"Does it bother you, to ride across these fields?" she asked quietly.
Eowyn continued to stare across the grassy plain. "No, not really," she said. "That day seems so long ago, now, and it was all such confusion, it's almost more like a nightmare than a memory."
"And Faramir?"
Eowyn hesitated, then shook her head. "I do not think so, at least not any more. He said once that he had bad dreams afterward, in the first few months, but not since." She looked back at the Queen. "There are not many places in Gondor that do not hold some sort of memory of war for him, I think."
Arwen nodded.
The sound of approaching hoof beats caught their attention and they turned to see their husbands riding toward them. Eowyn could not hear the words, but she saw the King make a remark to Faramir and saw his mouth twitch as he nodded in agreement. Again she felt glad that he was here with them and not alone with his grief.
"Well, my ladies," said the Aragorn with a grin. "Are you going to travel all the way to Osgiliath, or merely sit along the road and watch the procession?" His grey eyes were alight with excitement and pleasure and he tossed his head to shake the hair from before them. He was dressed in plain black leggings with a tunic of silver over them, its throat and wrists covered in delicate embroidery that Eowyn suspected had come from Arwen's own needle. He wore a slender circlet of silver across his brow, and a fine silk cape was gathered at his throat with a brooch. Eowyn thought he looked every bit the king he was, while still seeming to be a man who was approachable to anyone.
"We needed refreshment, sire," she said, "it is a long, dusty road, and our husbands are not looking after us properly." She pretended to pout as she spoke.
Aragorn glanced over at Faramir, who merely pursed his lips and shook his head as though in apology. "Is this true, Lord Faramir?" he frowned in concern. "Is it possible you can govern a city so well, and yet fail to care for your wife suitably? Perhaps your duties are too many." He seemed to ponder deeply. "Let us say that for today, now that you and I have discussed trade routes and road-building, that your duties are suspended, and you are commanded to look to your wife, and to yourself." He smiled at Eowyn. "Is that satisfactory?" She nodded and smiled back at him, then at Faramir, who, she was glad to see, seemed to be playing along with the King's humor.
"Yes, my Lord King," he answered humbly, and moved beside her. Leaning over, he gently kissed her on the mouth, a blatant show of public affection for the usually reserved Steward. Eowyn blushed, then took his hand and squeezed it tightly. He kissed her on the cheek, then and returned the squeeze.
"Well, you are very pleased with yourself, today," said Arwen, nudging her horse forward to stand beside Aragorn's larger mount.
With no warning, Aragorn leaned across his saddle and copied Faramir, kissing Arwen, although with considerable more force, then grinned. "Yes, I am." He let his gaze sweep across the surrounding fields and the roadside. "It is a good day. I have beautiful weather, a stunning city," he glanced behind them at Minas Tirith shining in the sunlight, "a new square and market to dedicate, and-," he stopped and looked at those before him. "-AND my wife and good friends here to share it with." He looked directly into Faramir's eyes, his face serious. "I am glad you are here."
Faramir hesitated. "I am glad, too."
Aragorn knew not to push too hard. He gathered up his reins. "Then let us keep moving, we are expected by noon." He put his heels to his horse and trotted off. Arwen followed, her gray mare nearly cantering to keep up with his big bay. Immediately the rest of the company quickened their pace.
Faramir looked at Eowyn. "Well, Lady Eowyn, I am commanded to look after your needs." He gave her a smile that only she could see was not complete, although it was close. "What may I do for you?"
She squeezed his hand again. "Only ride with me and enjoy the day, that is enough."
He nodded in agreement and they moved off to follow the King.