In the book there's a huge chunk between the Houses of Healing chapter and what I'm going to write about now but that huge chunk doesn't really do much for my story and so I've skipped that to prevent y'all from reading another 30 chapters that probably won't have anything to do with my story at the end of the day.
CHAPTER 34 : The Comfort Needed
Éowyn dressed, and made her way out of her room, despite the urgings of the other women for her to stay in bed. She went to the Warden of the Houses of Healing, intending to ask that she would be allowed to leave the Houses of Healing. She was feeling restless, disliking the lack of activity.
"I am healed, but I will get sick again if I stay any longer here with nothing to occupy me," she pointed out to him. "Is there no tidings of the war?"
"There is nothing much that I know, my lady, except that they have ridden to the Morgul Vale, led by a captain from the North."
She sighed, looking around, suddenly despising the walls she saw, walls that kept her caged. "Who commands in this city?"
"Lord Faramir is by right the Steward of the City now."
"Will you bring me to him, please?"
Faramir walked about in the gardens, alone as always, and lost in his thoughts. His thoughts were his only companions these days, and they leapt from one issue to another, until at times he thought he would go crazy. He wished that there would be other things to keep him occupied. Liana had come to see him once, and had told him the horrible news, and had not come again after seeing him cry. I should not have cried in front of a child, he thought to himself. She looked up to me, thought that I was the one who would take care of her, but then she saw me crying. He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the thought. Of course he would take care of Liana. He owed Aislin that much, and he too loved Liana.
His thought then jumped to his dream, the dream he had had in his fever. He finally understood its meaning, and it had served as a great source of comfort in those sleepless nights. Boromir and Aislin were finally together. But where does that leave me, I wonder? It had always been the three of us, and then it was down to two. Now it is just me. When I said to Aislin that I would not see her again, I did not mean it this way!
"My Lord?"
He jumped at the voice, and turned to see the warden behind him. Next to him was a beautiful woman, tall and fair. She stood proudly, but her arm was in a sling of linen. Faramir frowned at her for a moment; she reminded him of someone, in some way. "My Lord, this is the Lady Éowyn of Rohan. She rode to war with the king and was hurt, and is now in my care. She is not content, however, and wishes to speak with you."
"I have been tended with much care, and for that I am very grateful, do not misunderstand me," Éowyn said. "But I am not happy with the thought of remaining here idle, with nothing to occupy my time, nothing for me but the thoughts in my head!"
Faramir signalled for the warden to leave them, his eyes never leaving Éowyn's face, and suddenly it struck him that she reminded him of Aislin. They looked nothing alike, of course, but they shared the same spirit, and the fear of being idle. "What do you want me to do, Lady Éowyn? I am also a prisoner here, with nothing but my thoughts for companions. Do you want me to order the warden to release you? I am afraid that I cannot do so, I am under his charge myself, and even if I could, I would listen to his advice. It is too late to ride out to battle with the others, and therefore all we can do here is wait." He gave her a warm smile. "Come, since both of us are lonely and idle here, why not spend the time together? We could trade thoughts instead of spending all our time dwelling on our own. You are free to come to these gardens anytime you wish, and also to look eastward where the battle is."
A smile spread across Éowyn's face, and she bowed her head. "Thank you, Lord Faramir, you have been most kind."
"Do not worry about being left behind, Lady Éowyn. Glory and renown is yours, for having destroyed the Witch-king."
Éowyn looked at Faramir in surprise. "How did you know that I long for glory and renown?"
"I spoke with Merry yesterday," Faramir said sheepishly. "And I learned quite a lot about you. Merry did not say outright that it was what you looked for, but I could tell from what he said about you."
Éowyn felt a blush creeping up her cheeks, flattered that Faramir had actually bothered to find out more about her. Then she sighed and looked eastward once more. "Yes, you are right, but still I wish that I could have ridden out with them."
"So do I, but that's not the way things have come about. But don't worry, I am sure that there must be a reason why we were left behind."
Éowyn nodded, finding nothing to say in protest. She stared hard into the distance, wishing that she could at least look over the battle. "My brother Éomer is out there," she said softly. "And he's the only family I have left." She turned to look at Faramir. "What about you? Do you have family out there?"
A shadow fell over Faramir's face, and he shook his head sadly. "No… I don't. My brother died since departing from Rivendell, protecting the hobbits Merry and Pippin from the merciless Uruk-Hai. My father died… during the course of the previous battle. I'm alone now."
Concern entered Éowyn's heart, and she tried to comfort him. "I'm sure that isn't true. There must be someone who is there for you."
Faramir gave her a small smile. "I had a best friend, a beautiful woman I've known for twenty years. She was the sweetheart of my brother, and I love her like a sister. But she was killed by the Orcs… she was trying to find her adopted daughter, the little girl I saved from Osgiliath." He sighed. "At least now Aislin is with Boromir, wherever they might be."
Aislin must have been very important to him, Éowyn thought. "What of the little girl, then? Is she all right?"
"Yes, she is. She must be living with Aislin's parents now." Faramir put his head in his hands. "She came to see me once, and instead of finding comfort, she had to comfort me! The child is only eight, and she had to watch me as I shed my tears. I should not have done that in front of her." He looked up at Éowyn, and she started to see the look of grief in his eyes, and also the look of longing. "I wonder how she is now, I really would like to see her again. Aislin's parents treat her well, and love her, but she has never been very close to them. She's only been close to three of us, and I am the only one left."
Éowyn put her hand over his in sympathy. "You see, there is someone for you still. She needs you, and you need her as well. Don't despair, I'm sure you will see her again, and she will be glad to see you, as always. I can promise you that." Her heart went out to this man sitting before her. Never had she met a person with so much emotion, who loved those around him so wholeheartedly.