Disclaimer: All characters belong to Tolkien. I'm just borrowing them.
Summary: A day in the life of Faramir and Eowyn, with appearances by Eomer, Lothiriel, Elfwine and Elboron. Set in Ithilien, after the War of the Ring.
Author's Notes: This little story started well but then came to a standstill. Not my best work but it is rather sweet and endearing and, I think, still worth posting. Not much in the way of plot but a nice little bit of characterisation.
This is a follow up to my fic 'Moonlight' but you don't have to have read that to understand this.
Many thanks to Joey for being my beta-reader.
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"They're here!"
"Elboron!"
Faramir frowned after his over-excited son as the child hurtled down the steps to the courtyard.
"Honestly," he sighed.
He turned as Eowyn came down the stairs behind him with a giggle.
"Come on. He's just excited. Having his cousin here will be a novel experience."
"I don't see why. The last time he saw Elfwine he wasn't old enough to remember. I suspect someone has fuelled his excitement just a bit?"
"Hah!"
She grinned at the question in his last words.
"Come on."
They descended to the main courtyard; Eowyn's pace quickening as they reached the bottom. She flung he arms around her startled brother, who had just dismounted.
"Ooof!" he exclaimed as they hugged each other warmly.
"Goodness 'Wyn, you're looking well for someone who's just delivered her second child."
They parted, and Eowyn turned to say hello to Lothiriel, while Faramir and her brother shook hands firmly. There was a moment of happy reunion as everyone exchanged greetings.
"And this must be Elboron." Lothiriel smiled down at her nephew, who, his initial enthusiasm having evaporated, had taken refuge behind his mother's skirt. "You've grown, young man."
There a was a sudden grunt as Elfwine, who had been riding with his father and promptly forgotten in the saddle during the welcome, attempted to dismount from the large bay horse himself and thus ended up in a dusty heap at the hooves of the animal. His mother descended upon him with a mixture of worried and scolding words. Elboron, relieved of his aunt's attentions, watched with curiosity as Lothiriel sent a thoroughly disapproving look at her husband and helped her son to his feet.
"Come, we should go inside," said Eowyn, gently propelling her son towards Elfwine. The two boys eyed each other up doubtfully.
"Where's the baby Eowyn?" Eomer asked, offering his arm to his wife, and following his sister up the flight of stairs.
"Finduilas is inside, supposed to be having a nap. First, let's get these boys sorted out."
The two youngsters payed no heed at their mention. The initial shyness had given way to interest as Elboron questioned his cousin about the horse, and Elfwine answered with equal enthusiasm. The two of them seemed engrossed in conversation.
"Elboron, why don't you take Elfwine to your room and you can play in there."
The boys, glad to be free of adult supervision, quickly made themselves scarce. Lothiriel smiled lightly.
"Well, that was hard."
Eowyn poked her head round the door of the nursery, then beckoned the others in.
"Just as I thought, our little lady hasn't decided to go to sleep yet."
She lifted the baby from her cradle.
"She looks like you 'Wyn," Eomer said affectionately, bending his head to see better.
"But she has her fathers hai – aah!"
Finduilas's hand had grabbed one of his plaits, and was tugging it experimentally, regarding her uncle with serious eyes. Eomer carefully disentangled himself.
"Definitely like her mother though."
Eowyn punched him playfully.
"She's adorable Eowyn."
Lothiriel gently stroked the child's cheek.
"Well, adorable or not," said Eowyn, lowering her daughter back to bed. "She needs to sleep now or her father will have to look after her in the night."
"Oh, time to leave," Faramir said hurriedly, smiling at his wife. The group left the room and moved off.
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"Mummy?"
"Yes?"
Eowyn helped her son untie his tunic and slipped it down his slim shoulders.
"Do you think I could learn to ride? Elfwine says Uncle is going to teach him. He says he's going to get a pony."
He fidgeted nervously. Eowyn smiled at her son's request and lifted him into the bath.
"I think Elfwine may have exaggerated a little. He still has some time before he is big enough to ride."
"But I'm older than Elfwine."
Eowyn sighed gently, and handed her son the soap. She wouldn't put it past her brother to try to get Elfwine riding early, but explaining to her own child that even at the grand age of four and a half, he was still a little young to begin proper horsemanship was trying; especially with his pleading gaze on her.
"I think Elfwine meant his father takes him riding. He'll have to grow a bit before he can ride a pony. Daddy has taken you out riding, I'm sure he'll be happy to do it again. Now I've had Finduilas, even I might even be able to heave myself back into the saddle soon. How would you like that?"
Elboron looked content with the compromise and said he would like it very much. Eowyn helped her son out of tub and assisted him with drying himself off. She was just pulling his nightshirt over his head when Elfwine came in. He waited impatiently while his cousin struggled into his clothes.
"Can you come now 'Boron? Aunty, can he?"
The two children looked up imploringly.
"Off you go. Shoo. And you don't have to give me that 'I'm so cute' look either, you little horrors," she said, tickling the pair of them. They hurried off.
Eowyn tidied the room, folding a few things and putting the place back into some semblance of order. She didn't have to; Faramir had reminded her on many occasions that as lady of Ithilien she wasn't expected to do such things, but she preferred to make herself useful.
She moved down the corridor to her son's room. Excited shouts filled the hallway; she opened the door to find Elboron balanced on the edge of his bed, wooden sword in hand, battling his cousin who was teetering on the edge of a chair with another sword. The epic war paused as she entered the room.
"Come on now boys, time for bed."
"Muuum, we were at the best part."
"Well, it's time to make camp and regroup now. You can resume the battle in the morning."
Elboron gave a mock groan and wriggled under the covers.
"Goodnight son."
She tucked the sheets around them and kissed Elboron's cheek, grinning as he squirmed under this sort of attention in front of his cousin.
"Goodnight Elfwine."
She dimmed the lamp and quietly left the room. Moving down the corridor she walked right into Lothiriel as she rounded a corner.
"Sorry," Lothiriel apologised, " I was just going to see if the boys had gone to bed yet."
"They have, but grudgingly. I don't think they liked me stopping their fun for something as trivial as a good nights rest."
Lothiriel smiled, slipping into the bedroom and kissing her son goodnight. The two women walked together then. Faramir and Eomer were discussing the affairs of Rohan, and though Eowyn was just as interested as her husband to hear news of her home, she stuck to politeness and accompanied her sister-in law. She could interrogate her brother tomorrow, over breakfast.
The two of them stood out on a balcony, overlooking the city. Lights flickered in the darkness. Lothiriel sighed and rested her elbows on the stone wall, chin cupped in her hands.
"Elboron's growing up to be a fine little man, and Finduilas will be daughter to be proud of; you must remember to teach her well."
Eowyn looked over at her at this remark.
"Please don't tell me how to raise my children, sister."
The words could have been mean, but Eowyn's gentle eyes and warm smile softened them. Lothiriel laughed quietly; no offence had been taken.
"It would be a fine thing," she began, her voice merry, "For me to tell you how to bring up your children, when I have trouble keeping my own husband from raising Elfwine as he would rear one of his yearlings."
Eowyn smiled.
"I would be biased if I said it was the best way, the way of the Mark, but I can imagine him running a little too wild," she said.
"Well, it's nice to see you two are enjoying yourselves," Eomer said as he and Faramir walked onto the balcony.
Eomer came up behind his wife and put his arms round her waist.
"Hello love. Finish your talk?" Lothiriel asked.
"Don't you believe it. They just use that as an excuse to drink wine and swap stories about us," Eowyn said, hugging Faramir, who did his best to look mortally offended at her remark.
The four of them stood for a while taking in th veiw, talking easily about this and that, then Eomer and Lothiriel retired to their bedroom, wishing the couple a goodnight.
"So," said Faramir, kissing her on the cheek, "How did it go?"
Eowyn looked at him puzzled.
"Fine. How should it have gone?"
"Oh, it's nothing. I just remember you not getting along so well with Lothiriel in the past, that's all."
Eowyn nodded. Her first few encounters with her brother's wife had been a bit cool, to say the least. She had thought Lothiriel weak and light-headed, and Lothiriel probably found her course. But in time she had realised how wrong she was, that Lothiriel was stronger than she appeared. The two women got along well now, each seeming to balance out the other.
"No, that's changed," She took her husband's hands in her own, "I think her a fine woman."
They stood for a while, enjoying the calm. Eowyn remembered Lothiriel's remark, and in spite of herself, a question crossed her mind.
"Faramir, do you think there is a worry of Finduilas growing up a bit too…unkempt?"
He looked surprised at the question and smiled at her uncertainty.
"You make it sound like she is to grow up to be a savage. She's only a baby still. If you are worrying that she will grow up to be like her mother…well, your nature never bothered you before, and it certainly doesn't trouble me."
She hugged him gratefully.
"My nature doesn't bother me. But I know I was a little boisterous as a child and wasn't exactly the ideal daughter, or niece. If Fin' is like that, I'm not sure what will be made of her."
"You worry too much. There is nothing wrong with the way you choose to do things, and as I said, she's still a baby. Who knows what sort of nature she'll have?"
He squeezed her tight, and she shut her eyes, laying her head on his warm shoulder, comforted.
"Besides, you can always hope she ends up like me, if it makes you feel any better."
She laughed suddenly at this.
"That would be fine, as long as she doesn't get the beard."
They smiled together, enjoying each other's company. Eventually they too retired to their room, and silence washed over Ithilien. Sleep healed their quiet worries and peace reigned over their dreams as night flowed into morning.
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Final Notes: Elfwine and Elboron are from canon. Finduilas is not, and is named after Faramir's mother.
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