Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, but they do like to stop by
occasionally for dinner and a snooze in the spare room.
A/N: This is pure fluff, solely for fun and shall only be updated when my other story is driving me bananas!! I hope you enjoy it!!
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"Éowyn, did you have aught important planned for today?" Faramir, sitting at his desk, was quickly glancing through a stack of correspondence that he had not had time to answer yet. His work as the Prince of Ithilien seemed to draw his attention from me much more than it used to. "I just have so much work to get done here. . . ."
I sighed, but he seemed not to notice. "Nay, husband, though I thought we might take lunch together, if you can drag yourself away. . . ."
He finally glanced up at me with an absent smile as he shuffled yet more parchment around. "Lunch?"
My hands went to my hips of their own accord. "Yes, surely you remember it. The meal that comes between breakfast and dinner? Usually at midday?"
His eyebrows shot up, and then he had the gall to look wounded. "My lady, have I done something to offend you? You seem somewhat . . . well, bothered."
I could feel the ire rising in me, and I did naught to stop it as I took a step closer to his desk. "My lord prince, how could you possibly offend me? You are never within my sight for longer than five minutes at a time, and always you are busy!"
His expression became one of wariness, and he set his work aside, finally turning his full attention upon me. But he said naught, simply waiting for me to continue. It is to his credit that he has always known how to take the fight out of me.
My hands fell from my hips, and I looked away from him, failing to hide my woeful expression from his eyes, though he waited patiently and silently for me to regain my composure. I turned my face back to him at length, and murmured, "Nay, husband, I have naught important planned for today. I am sorry that I have kept you from your work." I bowed my head to him in farewell and turned to leave his study.
"Éowyn, please . . . do not leave," he said softly. I froze in my tracks, feeling slightly victorious that he had called me back. "Obviously we have things to discuss, my lady." I heard him rise from his chair and could feel him approaching me. He came very close, but did not touch me, though I longed for it. "Was it lunch that you would like to spend with me, Éowyn?"
His tone was one of tenderness, and I did not trust that my voice would hold long enough to reply to him, so I merely nodded.
He continued, "I would like very much to take lunch with you, my dear. If you will allow it, I will arrange everything?" Again I nodded. He said nothing for a moment, before he murmured, "Very well. I shall fetch you at lunchtime then."
I took this as a dismissal, and departed his study without another word.
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There was a soft knock upon the door of my sitting room shortly before lunchtime, and I rose to quickly open the door, expecting my husband. But it was only Sanor, our master of horse, uncomfortably holding his hat in his hands, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. I felt somewhat disappointed by this, as I had spent the remainder of my morning arranging my hair as fetchingly as I could contrive, and choosing a pale blue gown that I know my husband particularly likes me to wear, looking forward to seeing his expression when first he gazed upon me.
"My lady, I have been sent for you by Lord Faramir. Windfola has been saddled and awaits you in the paddock."
"Thank you, Sanor," I said confusedly, "but where am I to ride him?"
"All shall be revealed," he answered cryptically with a bow. I shrugged and made my way to the stable, eager to discover where my husband wished for me to ride.
Windfola stood, snorting somewhat impatiently I thought, in the paddock, just as Sanor had said. I noticed that before the gate were thickly strewn pink and white rose petals, and I saw that there was yet a trail of them that led deeper into the wood. I smiled, realizing that lunch was going to be a grander affair than I had first anticipated.
I mounted my stallion and set off at a gentle pace so that I would not lose sight of the trail as I descended into the lush coolness of the forest. I shivered a little, not having worn a cloak, as it was midsummer, but the shade of the thick trees blocked the sun's rays very effectively.
I need not have concerned myself, though. The trail of petals pooled into a small pile at the foot of a huge lebethron tree, where my lord's black cloak was draped over one of the lower branches. I laughed in delight as I snatched it up, pulling it close about myself and inhaling his scent before I noticed that there was also a note attached to it. I unpinned the parchment and unfolded it, revealing a short letter, written in Faramir's neat hand:
My love,
I thought that perhaps you might have more need of this than I
do. I await your arrival nearby!
Faramir
I glanced about giddily, wondering if I was being watched as I read, but I saw no one, and so, now grinning happily, I resumed following the trail that he had left for me.
It was not long before I heard a faint rushing sound, and soon I arrived at the edge of a small clearing where sunlight fell upon a pool of dazzlingly clear water. A small waterfall fed it, and I was amazed that these woods yet held secrets from me, as I had thought that Windfola and I had covered every inch of the forest within miles of our house.
And here the trail of petals ended. I dismounted, looking around myself in wonder at the beauty that Faramir had chosen to share with me, and I stepped further into the tiny glade, reveling in the sound of the cascade of water into this hidden pond, surrounded by small mossy hillocks and clusters of white lilies that were in full bloom. The edges of the forest, in their darkness, were the perfect background for this cozy, green paradise. I laughed out loud and clasped my hands together in delight.
"It is not even half as beautiful as you are." His voice was soft, and yet I was startled a little, and I whirled to face him. He stood within the shadows of the trees, dressed all in black, watching me intently. I took a step toward him, intending to thank him for showing me this place, but he held up his hand, and took a step toward me. "Please, I want to remember you thus, face aglow, eyes sparkling." He chuckled. "Your smile is likely to shame Anar from the heavens, my dear." He stood only a moment longer, and then he sighed almost in disappointment that the moment had to end, before he approached me, though he stayed a few paces away.
He gestured to his right, and there at the edge of the clearing was a woolen blanket and next to it, a large basket. "My lady, if you would care to join me?" He held his arm out in a formal manner, and I went to him, taking it with a smile, caressing his arm through his doublet as he looked down at me with his shining grey eyes, a smile playing softly upon his lips, lips that I longed to kiss, and yet, when I leaned toward him, he turned his head toward our destination and bade me to sit upon the blanket.
I wondered what game he was playing at but only smiled and sat down, arranging my frock as attractively as I could, while he knelt on the opposite end of the blanket, and opened the basket with a flourish. I peered inside as he listed the contents, and set them out in front of us, one at a time.
"All of my lady's favorites: honey cakes with lots of butter, a half- round of soft cheese, the darkest, densest loaf of bread I could get Talaith to bake on such short notice, ale, of course, and for dessert, blueberries!"
I smiled at his enthusiasm before he pulled a single plate from the basket, and using his own dagger, concentrated on cutting each of the foods into delicate tidbits. He set the plate before me, as he returned his dagger to its sheath. I reached for a piece of honey cake, but he gently stayed my hand with his.
"Nay, Éowyn, allow me," he softly scolded. As he picked up the morsel and held it to my lips, I opened my mouth, and he gently placed the tidbit inside before he caressed my lips with his fingers. I shivered at his touch, and more so at his expression as he smiled at me, his intentions plain upon his face.
Still, I had to ask, as I lowered my eyes demurely, "My lord, are you trying to seduce me?"
"Nay, my lady," he answered in a tone that made my insides tickle, "I was hoping that you might seduce me." He dropped a bit of bread into his own mouth and sat nonchalantly chewing, carefully watching me and waiting for my reply.
A/N: This is pure fluff, solely for fun and shall only be updated when my other story is driving me bananas!! I hope you enjoy it!!
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"Éowyn, did you have aught important planned for today?" Faramir, sitting at his desk, was quickly glancing through a stack of correspondence that he had not had time to answer yet. His work as the Prince of Ithilien seemed to draw his attention from me much more than it used to. "I just have so much work to get done here. . . ."
I sighed, but he seemed not to notice. "Nay, husband, though I thought we might take lunch together, if you can drag yourself away. . . ."
He finally glanced up at me with an absent smile as he shuffled yet more parchment around. "Lunch?"
My hands went to my hips of their own accord. "Yes, surely you remember it. The meal that comes between breakfast and dinner? Usually at midday?"
His eyebrows shot up, and then he had the gall to look wounded. "My lady, have I done something to offend you? You seem somewhat . . . well, bothered."
I could feel the ire rising in me, and I did naught to stop it as I took a step closer to his desk. "My lord prince, how could you possibly offend me? You are never within my sight for longer than five minutes at a time, and always you are busy!"
His expression became one of wariness, and he set his work aside, finally turning his full attention upon me. But he said naught, simply waiting for me to continue. It is to his credit that he has always known how to take the fight out of me.
My hands fell from my hips, and I looked away from him, failing to hide my woeful expression from his eyes, though he waited patiently and silently for me to regain my composure. I turned my face back to him at length, and murmured, "Nay, husband, I have naught important planned for today. I am sorry that I have kept you from your work." I bowed my head to him in farewell and turned to leave his study.
"Éowyn, please . . . do not leave," he said softly. I froze in my tracks, feeling slightly victorious that he had called me back. "Obviously we have things to discuss, my lady." I heard him rise from his chair and could feel him approaching me. He came very close, but did not touch me, though I longed for it. "Was it lunch that you would like to spend with me, Éowyn?"
His tone was one of tenderness, and I did not trust that my voice would hold long enough to reply to him, so I merely nodded.
He continued, "I would like very much to take lunch with you, my dear. If you will allow it, I will arrange everything?" Again I nodded. He said nothing for a moment, before he murmured, "Very well. I shall fetch you at lunchtime then."
I took this as a dismissal, and departed his study without another word.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There was a soft knock upon the door of my sitting room shortly before lunchtime, and I rose to quickly open the door, expecting my husband. But it was only Sanor, our master of horse, uncomfortably holding his hat in his hands, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. I felt somewhat disappointed by this, as I had spent the remainder of my morning arranging my hair as fetchingly as I could contrive, and choosing a pale blue gown that I know my husband particularly likes me to wear, looking forward to seeing his expression when first he gazed upon me.
"My lady, I have been sent for you by Lord Faramir. Windfola has been saddled and awaits you in the paddock."
"Thank you, Sanor," I said confusedly, "but where am I to ride him?"
"All shall be revealed," he answered cryptically with a bow. I shrugged and made my way to the stable, eager to discover where my husband wished for me to ride.
Windfola stood, snorting somewhat impatiently I thought, in the paddock, just as Sanor had said. I noticed that before the gate were thickly strewn pink and white rose petals, and I saw that there was yet a trail of them that led deeper into the wood. I smiled, realizing that lunch was going to be a grander affair than I had first anticipated.
I mounted my stallion and set off at a gentle pace so that I would not lose sight of the trail as I descended into the lush coolness of the forest. I shivered a little, not having worn a cloak, as it was midsummer, but the shade of the thick trees blocked the sun's rays very effectively.
I need not have concerned myself, though. The trail of petals pooled into a small pile at the foot of a huge lebethron tree, where my lord's black cloak was draped over one of the lower branches. I laughed in delight as I snatched it up, pulling it close about myself and inhaling his scent before I noticed that there was also a note attached to it. I unpinned the parchment and unfolded it, revealing a short letter, written in Faramir's neat hand:
My love,
I thought that perhaps you might have more need of this than I
do. I await your arrival nearby!
Faramir
I glanced about giddily, wondering if I was being watched as I read, but I saw no one, and so, now grinning happily, I resumed following the trail that he had left for me.
It was not long before I heard a faint rushing sound, and soon I arrived at the edge of a small clearing where sunlight fell upon a pool of dazzlingly clear water. A small waterfall fed it, and I was amazed that these woods yet held secrets from me, as I had thought that Windfola and I had covered every inch of the forest within miles of our house.
And here the trail of petals ended. I dismounted, looking around myself in wonder at the beauty that Faramir had chosen to share with me, and I stepped further into the tiny glade, reveling in the sound of the cascade of water into this hidden pond, surrounded by small mossy hillocks and clusters of white lilies that were in full bloom. The edges of the forest, in their darkness, were the perfect background for this cozy, green paradise. I laughed out loud and clasped my hands together in delight.
"It is not even half as beautiful as you are." His voice was soft, and yet I was startled a little, and I whirled to face him. He stood within the shadows of the trees, dressed all in black, watching me intently. I took a step toward him, intending to thank him for showing me this place, but he held up his hand, and took a step toward me. "Please, I want to remember you thus, face aglow, eyes sparkling." He chuckled. "Your smile is likely to shame Anar from the heavens, my dear." He stood only a moment longer, and then he sighed almost in disappointment that the moment had to end, before he approached me, though he stayed a few paces away.
He gestured to his right, and there at the edge of the clearing was a woolen blanket and next to it, a large basket. "My lady, if you would care to join me?" He held his arm out in a formal manner, and I went to him, taking it with a smile, caressing his arm through his doublet as he looked down at me with his shining grey eyes, a smile playing softly upon his lips, lips that I longed to kiss, and yet, when I leaned toward him, he turned his head toward our destination and bade me to sit upon the blanket.
I wondered what game he was playing at but only smiled and sat down, arranging my frock as attractively as I could, while he knelt on the opposite end of the blanket, and opened the basket with a flourish. I peered inside as he listed the contents, and set them out in front of us, one at a time.
"All of my lady's favorites: honey cakes with lots of butter, a half- round of soft cheese, the darkest, densest loaf of bread I could get Talaith to bake on such short notice, ale, of course, and for dessert, blueberries!"
I smiled at his enthusiasm before he pulled a single plate from the basket, and using his own dagger, concentrated on cutting each of the foods into delicate tidbits. He set the plate before me, as he returned his dagger to its sheath. I reached for a piece of honey cake, but he gently stayed my hand with his.
"Nay, Éowyn, allow me," he softly scolded. As he picked up the morsel and held it to my lips, I opened my mouth, and he gently placed the tidbit inside before he caressed my lips with his fingers. I shivered at his touch, and more so at his expression as he smiled at me, his intentions plain upon his face.
Still, I had to ask, as I lowered my eyes demurely, "My lord, are you trying to seduce me?"
"Nay, my lady," he answered in a tone that made my insides tickle, "I was hoping that you might seduce me." He dropped a bit of bread into his own mouth and sat nonchalantly chewing, carefully watching me and waiting for my reply.