CHAPTER 38 : A Brother's Approval

Éowyn and Faramir sat side by side, holding hands, in the garden in the Houses of Healing, watching Liana try to catch a butterfly with a net her grandfather had found for her.

"She seems to be more or less back to normal," Faramir remarked. "Thank goodness. I was worried that all that happened would scar her forever, damage her for the rest of her life."

"Children are stronger than you think," Éowyn told him. "Sometimes I even think that they're stronger than even the toughest warrior. It's a blessing for them, a reward for their peaceful innocence, I suppose." She hesitated, not sure about whether she wanted to tell him, but then she made up her mind. She could tell Faramir anything, and he would understand. "Faramir… last night, at the celebration… Liana and I saw something." Faramir looked at her questioningly, and she proceeded to describe everything she saw to him, that beautiful vision.

A smile spread across his face as she spoke, and when she had finished, he laughed. "Yes, I am not surprised at what you saw. I knew it in my heart all along; we're not alone. Boromir and Aislin would not desert us, would not just leave Liana and me. They love us too much for that. I always read of spirits and ghosts in books, but I never really believed what I read. Until now." He squeezed her hand. "I see them too. I see them everywhere, in everything I do, and it warms my heart, because they are happy, and nothing will ever hurt them again."

Éowyn rested her head on his shoulder. "And will we be like them, complete and whole?"

"Till the day we die, and beyond that."

It was the day before the King was due to arrive in Minas Tirith, and Faramir had spent the whole day rushing around, checking that everything was in place, that everything had been taken care of. He had not stopped working for the whole day, and by the time he visited Éowyn in her room, he was exhausted.

He lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, staring up at the paint until he almost saw patterns in the strokes. Éowyn sat opposite him, reading. "Is the city ready for the captains' arrival?" she asked.

Faramir nodded. "Yes, definitely. At least, after one whole day of rushing about, I'd expect the city to be prepared! I think the people will be glad to see their King."

"Aragorn is a good man, and a brilliant leader. Gondor has a bright future ahead of her. There's no need for any worry."

"I'm not worried. The worst is over now." Faramir stretched. "Tomorrow will be another busy day. I will be glad for a good rest after this!"

"You deserve every bit of rest you will be getting. Perhaps we could go to Ithilien just to spend a few days riding and enjoying peace and quiet. I really want to see Ithilien; it sounds like such a beautiful place, from the way you describe it. Let's go there, sometime."

There was no reply. Éowyn looked up from her book and smiled. Faramir's eyes were closed, and he was fast asleep with a hint of a smile on his face, just like how a little boy would fall asleep after a day of play.

Éowyn stood before the women, watching Gandalf placed the crown on Aragorn's head. She looked on at the man she had once thought herself in love with, and almost laughed at her own foolishness. Clouded by her ambitions, she had deceived herself. But now she saw clearly what she had not seen before. Aragorn was just a man she respected and admired, but she was not in love with him, and had never been.

Her eyes met Faramir's and she nodded at him, smiling, pouring all her love into her gaze. He nodded back, and then stepped forward to hear something that Gandalf was saying to him.

She let her gaze wonder to the others. Frodo and Sam she was meeting for the first time. It was a wonder that Middle-earth had been saved by two such small people, who would have usually been deemed insignificant to the happenings of the world. But, as she had learned in the course of her participation in the War of the Ring, even the smallest person could change the future. Without Merry, she would have long been dead. Without Pippin, Faramir would have perished. And what a beautiful thing they would have missed out on! She looked upon the Hobbits with respect and admiration. Such little people, but so much courage.

Everyone followed Aragorn into the City, and then the crowds began to disperse, knowing that their part was over, and now the King would have other matters to attend to. Éowyn walked alone. Faramir would be with the King, and it was only expected; he was, after all, the Steward of Gondor now.

"Hello, my sister." A tall, well-built man fell into step next to her as she almost passed him by.

"Éomer!" She stopped to throw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Oh, it's so good to see you again, my brother! I missed you!"

"And you would not go to Cormallen to meet me?" He raised an eyebrow, studying her radiant face. "And I had thought that you would only be too eager to come to Cormallen. Something's happened to you, I can see it; you're practically glowing, my sister. Come, tell me what it is! Tell me everything!"

"Everything?" Éowyn laughed. "It's rather difficult to tell you everything, Éomer, just as it would be difficult to you to recount to me every single detail from the battle I was left out of! So much has happened that I have absolutely no idea where to begin! But I will tell you as much as I can." She blushed, for a moment not meeting her brother's eyes. "The truth is… I'm getting married."

Éomer stopped dead in his tracks so suddenly that Éowyn had gone a few more steps before she realised that he had halted. She laughed again. "Is it so surprising?"

"But… but… when… how…?" was all Éomer managed to say. Then he stopped himself and took a deep breath before asking the most important question. "Who?"

"Faramir, son of Denethor. You know… the current Steward of Gondor, the one who brought Aragorn his crown…" Éowyn's eyes gleamed with amusement over her brother's comical reaction.

"I know who Faramir is," Éomer interrupted. He took her arm and they began walking again. "Come, you really must tell me everything now."

"So much happened, but at the same time, there's so little to say. He was wounded during an attempt to reclaim Osgiliath, and was in the Houses of Healing. I'm sure you know that part. Well… I was feeling restless in the Houses of Healing and at first I wanted him to command my release, but he was powerless to do so since he was also under the charge of the warden. To make things better, he made sure I had a room that faced the east, and invited me to join him in the garden for walks. We talked a lot… and things just happened. I don't know how I'm to tell you all this… all I know is that something happened. He's like no other man I've ever met before."

Éomer smiled. "What happened to my reserved, ambitious sister? She's been replaced by a radiant, warm, contented lady! Faramir has really worked wonders on you, hasn't he?" He laughed, patting Éowyn's hand. "What can I say? I have never seen you so happy before, and surely nothing bad can come out of this. I'm glad you've found your happiness, little sister. You deserve every bit of it."

"Thank you," Éowyn said softly, hugging her brother.