Eomer smiles and holds her, nodding, wondering if he should tell her about Faramir, but he doesn't. He still had his issues with the man, and he didn't want Eowyn to run off to go find Faramir. So instead he just nods again and pulls away. "Yes, it has been a long day. But it is over now and we are back. Come. Get changed and I will meet you down in the kitchens. Don't be too long." He smiles and hugs her quickly before he leaves the room and heads towards where the kitchens were. Actually the room wasn't really a kitchen. It was just set up to act as one. There were fires with pots over them for cooking, and a table for preparing the food on, but that was about it.

Faramir looks up as there is a knock on the door to his room. "Enter." He wondered if it was Eowyn, but he doubted it. She had yet to even notice him. But he could not be angry with her. She was angry with him, he knew that, and probably had right to be so, as his brother had always told him. If a woman is upset with a man, it's more than likely the man's fault. He smiles as he sees who it is though. "Hello Pippin. What brings you here?"

Pippin pushes the door open and walks into the room with a smile, though that disappears when he sees Faramir. "Are all men as daft as you?" He sees the shocked look and smiles, glad for once that he got to call someone stupid instead of them always calling him that. "Gandalf told me you were cold and probably locked away in here. So I brought you some of the food Merry and I made. It's quite good." He holds out the bowl, which was much too big for him and heavy as well, towards Faramir. He is glad when he takes it and then gestures to the floor in front of the fire. Sitting down he looks over at his friend as he eats. "Was there a reason you didn't want to come down and eat with us?"

Faramir stops eating, a spoon full of the food in the bowl halfway to his mouth. He looks over at Pippin and then sighs and sets the bowl down on his lap, the book he had been reading was sitting on the floor beside him. "It was not that I did not wish company, Pippin. It was because I doubt my ability to actually make it to the kitchen. I am sore and tired and wish nothing more to sleep, but I am far too cold to sleep. Which is why I am even this close to that fire." He looks at it, then back at Pippin, smiling once again as he holds up the bowl. "But I thank you for this. It is helping."

Pippin nods, watching the man closely. He was pale, but then again, since he had awaken from then fever he was always pale it seemed. He'd asked Gandalf about it, and had been told it was the remains of the poison running through him that kept him from healing and becoming truly well. It made him wonder why he had even risked his own health to come. But then he remembers. The Lady Eowyn was the reason. He wasn't so small that he couldn't see it when a man was in love. Poor Faramir. He smiles at the man and gestures to the food. "Eat. It will help." He stays where he is, watching. When asked why he was silent and watching him, he smiles and answers truthfully, as he always did usually. "To make sure you eat it all. And when you are done I will help you into your bed and you will stay there till you fall asleep. And I will stay to make sure you do. It isn't good to tax yourself like this, Faramir." He wondered for a moment why he felt the need to protect this man, to take care of him. But he knew the reason why. Because he felt that Faramir was now his to look after, even if he could take care of himself.

Eowyn moves away from Eomer and over to the trunks that had been set up near the bed. She pulls out some clothes, going through to find something suitable. She had decided that to honor her brother tonight she would wear something more then just the normal traveling garb. It would lighten the hearts of the men after their battle this afternoon. So the clothes she pulls she is careful with, trying not to get them dirty from her wet clothes she was wearing now. Once it is all ready, she gets undressed, one of her handmaidens had returned to help her, Eomer had sent her up so that she wouldn't dawdle. Eowyn smiles at her, handing her the wet clothes as she peels them off her. It takes her awhile to get ready, being careful with every detail to make it perfect for him. She even has the handmaiden put a few braids in her hair before she carefully rolls it along the sides into a more royal look. Standing back from a scratched up mirror, she presses the wrinkles out of her skirts, turning one way then the other. "It will do," she says to Monica. Then with a light spraying of perfume, she leaves the room, heading down the halls and then down the stairs. She can hear the men talking in one of the lounges and she pauses in the doorway. The room is instantly silent when she arrives and that brings a natural blush to her cheeks. Her brother wasn't there, though she had not expected it, he would be in the kitchen. But it wasn't her brother she was looking for, it was Faramir. He needed to eat and get warm and the men were all in the lounge talking and drying off, a talk that resumes the moment she leaves the room and heads back down the halls towards the kitchen. No doubt they would be talking about how well their fair Lady was looking tonight, she had seen the smiles on a few of their faces. She doesn't take pleasure in causing those smiles for the purpose of her ego, but because she knows that if only for a moment, they might have started to feel a little normal again. She had her place to be, and now that she knew her brother's feelings in the matter, she could more easily slip into this place for the moment, leaving the warrior behind for now.

When she enters the kitchen she hears Gandalf's laugh before she hears her brother's deep tones. There was the sound of a cook, chuckling to one of the hobbits that dinner would be ready in no time if he would just go tell the others. "Good evening, men. It is nice to hear the laughter in the air again." She advances into the room fully, her brother could now see the extent of the trouble she had gone through for him and the men. "After such a hard day, I am sure that your jokes will be welcome with open arms, Gandalf." She moves over to stand by the two men, leaning in to kiss Eomer's cheek. "Dear brother, I hope that you didn't wait dinner on my account." She smiles at him tenderly, hoping that the smile will lessen any problems her next question would bring. "When I looked into the lounge, I noticed most the men warming themselves around the fire. At least those that were not already crashed in other rooms." She had seem a few open doors along they way with small fires in the hearths of rooms they were using for sleeping. But she had a funny feeling that none of them were Faramir. "Might I inquire where Lord Faramir has gotten? I am sure he will not want to miss Cook's good meal. If it is as tasty as it smells, then indeed we will want to make sure that every man gets some. A warm body and a full belly will do them well before a good sleep, for we are halfway home. Two more days and we will finally be able to lay our eyes on our own homes again."

Gandalf looks at Eomer and then back at Eowyn, pulling the tend of his pipe from his mouth. "He took his meal in his room. He was very tired from the ride so he wanted to get to sleep as quickly as possible." He gives the young woman a smile. "He is fine. Pippin is with him at the moment." He looks back at Eomer, then again at Eowyn. "Come sit. Have some food."

Eomer nods when Gandalf looks at him, then he looks at Eowyn and smiles, patting the seat next to him. "Come sit down. The bread is fresh." He holds out a piece of it to her, then looks over at Merry with shock as the hobbit takes the bread from him, and with a thank you, bows and joins his friends again as if it was nothing. He smiles and shakes his head, looking at his sister, seeing her worried look. "Eowyn. He is fine. He just needs rest, as do all of us. Come now. Have something to eat and then you can rest as well. You can see him in the morning."

Faramir winces as he gets up, shaking his head as Pippin comes to help him. "No need. I'm fine. Just a little sore." He smiles and pats the hobbit's shoulder before he walks over to his bed and gets into it. He can't help but smile as Pippin comes over and starts arranging the blanket over him. He shakes his head and sighs, putting his arm over his eyes. "What will you do once we reach Edoras?"

Pippin finishes arranging the blankets, making sure there was no way for cold to get to Faramir. He then climbs onto the bed and sits beside him, thinking about it. "I suppose I'll be going back to the Shire with Merry, Frodo, and Sam. After the funeral of course. Why?" He gives Faramir a questioning look, smiling slightly.

Faramir smiles and moves his arm from across his eyes. "Well then if you would like I could come and visit the four of you in the Shire. Would that be alright? I would love to see these woods and rolling hills you four always talk about." He winces as Pippin moves and hits his leg, which was rather sore now. When he hears the apology he laughs. "No no. Not your fault. Besides, I hurt everywhere. It was bound to happen." The last of his sentence is said with a yawn.

Pippin sees the yawn and climbs down off the bed. "You rest. I'll go tell Gandalf you've eaten." He gathers up the empty bowl and looks back at Faramir as he heads to the door. "I'll come back and check on you later if you'd like." He gets no reply and smiles, knowing the herbs had worked. He quietly leaves the room, closing the door and then heads back to the kitchen.

Eowyn stands there, not about ready to sit down without checking on Faramir, but then she decides that she doesn't want to fight with him. She didn't come down here just to start a fight. She sits next to her brother, taking another piece of bread. She would go see Faramir before she went to bed, that was all there was to it. For now she would be here with her brother and his men. "It smells so good." She takes a bite, nodding. But then she sees Pippin enter and instantly her attention is on him. "Master Pippin! How are you tonight." She sees her brother's look and just smiles ever so sweetly as she goes on. "I understand that you have been tending to our poor Lord Faramir. How is he?" She can't help keeping the genuine concern out of her voice as she gazes questioningly at the little hobbit. She was still upset with Faramir, he wasn't getting out of it that easy, but she was more concerned about his health right now. She could be mad at him when he was better. She hadn't liked the way that he had rode in with the rest and she was certain that he must be in pain. She indeed would go see him tonight, and maybe give him a massage. It would help him sleep. He had admitted to her that he had liked it, that it had relieved his pain. She knew it would. She waits for his answer as she silently eats, trying to seem as if the answer was just a passing curiosity, but blowing it big time.

Pippin looks up as he hears his name, then quickly looks at Gandalf, who just nods, then looks back at Eowyn as the cook comes and takes the bowl from him. He walks over and climbs up onto the chair beside Eowyn. "He is fine...a little cold but he's sleeping now." He looks at Gandalf again, nodding when he asks if it had worked. He smiles. "He didn't suspect a thing, though even if he knew I don't think he would have cared. He was half dead anyway!" He sees Gandalf's eyes widen and then narrow. He knew that look all too well. He'd said something he shouldn't. He gives Gandalf a sheepish look before looking at Eowyn. "I mean he was exhausted. Almost fell asleep eating." He hoped that would fix the situation. Excusing himself he gets down from his chair and nods to the two men and Eowyn before he joins Merry, Sam, and Frodo at their much lower table. He sees their looks. "What?"

Sam speaks up, sighing. "Lame brain. She is worried about Captain Faramir and then you go and say that." He drinks some of his ale, shaking his head. "Idiot." He laughs at what Merry says, and the look on Pippin's face, shaking his head again.

"What? What indeed, Pippin." Merry eats some of the bread he stole from Eomer and sighs. "If I didn't know better I'd say you were trying to protect him from her." He hears Frodo and Sam laugh and smiles, then he claps Pippin on the back. "Oh don't worry. I'm sure you didn't do too much damage."

Frodo smiles and laughs when Sam does, shaking his head as he finishes off his food. Even now, after all this time, even a simple stew tasted like food fit for a king. "No. But I think you should refrain from speaking in front of others from now on." He smiles, teasing Pippin. He was so glad to finally be going home, with his friends.

Eomer shakes his head at the little hobbit, once again thinking of how foolish they were. "Do not worry, Dear Sister. He is fine. If he was not he would not have made it this far. He just needs rest." He puts his arm around his sister for a moment, giving her a quick hug before he pulls away to start eating his food. He looks over after a few minutes and sees she wasn't really eating so he sighs. "Eowyn, you must eat. I assure you, he is alright. Just sleeping."

Gandalf too was watching Eowyn, an amused little smile on his face. If she and Faramir did not tell each other their true feelings soon....well he might just have to work a little magic. "Your brother is right, M'Lady. He is quite fine. I added a little magic to his food. Knowing how he dislikes his medicine I've found a better way, though he will not like my meddling I am sure. Eat now and I will take you with me when I go to check on him later."

Eowyn looks at Pippin in shock. Dead? He had looked half dead to her from the window and now Pippin was only confirming her feelings in the matter. She is about ready to get up when her brother gives her a hug. She stays for the moment. Picking up her spoon she looks at her dish, the smell no longer holding anything for her. She can hear the sounds of the others reprimanding Pippin for what he had said, but she can't seem to even pick up her spoon. She more or less just keeps pushing the stew around with it in the bowl. She should have gone to him the moment he got here, instead she had been mad at him and hadn't done anything but yell at her brother. Then once more she made another excuse not to see him, taking her time changing when she should have been the one that had been helping him, not Pippin. She hears Gandalf and looks up at him, giving him a lopsided smile. "I am eating, see." She puts the spoon in her mouth, but there is hardly anything on it. As it is she almost gags. She just can't bring herself to eat. It tasted like wood and was as dry as wood as well. She didn't know what was happening, if it was the guilt of not taking care of him because she was mad at him or if she was getting sick herself from sitting for hours in the rain looking for them to come home. When she looks at Gandalf again, she can hear him talking but doesn't know what he is saying. He was talking about going to see Faramir and it finally registers. As it does her eyes start to come back to life, a little color enters her cheeks and she nods at him. "I would like that. But I can't promise you on eating. I had a huge lunch while you were still getting here," she lies. She does it so well that she doubted her brother would even be able to tell. But since she couldn't seem to taste the food, she was having a hard time getting it down. She takes another tiny bite, making it seem like she was eating heartily, though once again the spoon is more empty then it is full. She keeps picking at her food like that as they all go back to eating. She finally asks the question on top of her mind. "What did you give him, Gandalf?" She couldn't help it, she had to ask, even though she had heard her brother groan at her bringing the conversation back to Faramir.

Gandalf too hears Eomer groan and smiles, shaking his head at the young man before he looks at Eowyn again. "I gave him nothing more than a few sleeping herbs." And a few others. It wasn't really magic he was using, just common medicine. But this was elfish medicine he was using. Hopefully it would finally rid the young man of the poison that still flowed through his veins. If not.....well then he would just take him to Rivendell himself.

Eowyn smiles, glad that he was looking after him. She knew that she shouldn't keep bringing him up, what would people start to think. No, what she needed to do was find something else to talk about. She glances at her brother, taking a small bite of bread. "You have yet to tell me how it went in the village."

Eomer stops eating and looks at his sister as he puts his piece of bread down on his plate. "Well....we lost 15 men and twice that were injured." Including your precious Faramir, though he doesn't say that. Instead he just continues. "Some of the enemy escaped but that was expected." He looks at Gandalf, then goes back to eating, figuring that was all she wanted to know.

Eowyn frowns, looking down and speaking softly. "We will need to honor them, Eomer. I think that we should say something in the morning. I will say something tonight to the men." She glances at him. "Who is all injured?" There were a few she hoped had not been the ones to perish, husbands of some of the women left behind. To have them die so close to home, after the major battle, saddened her. She didn't even realize that she was crying over them, she just sits there very still, looking at Eomer with a great sadness in her eyes. It was her major flaw, her compassion, because she would weep for each man, taking each death to heart. It took a lot out of her both mentally and physically. But there was no other way with her, her love knew no bounds, if it be for her people or for one man.

Eomer pats her hand gently. "They were buried with honor. And tomorrow morning we will honor them again. So that the people not there can. And when we arrive home we shall honor them yet again, and all the others, at Uncle's funeral feast. Now. Eat." He gestures to her food, then goes back to his.

Gandalf sits back and watches the two, then he looks on Eowyn, smiling. "If you eat a little more, I shall take you to see him." He sits back and waits, looking at the hobbits and nodding to them as they say goodnight and leave the kitchen to go to their room.

Eowyn smiles over at the hobbits, nodding and telling them goodnight. "Sleep well, young ones. We will see you on the morrow." She looks at Gandalf in shock when he speaks, wondering just what he knew of her and Faramir. She had not said a thing, but that didn't mean he hadn't. However, Gandalf had spoken to her about her love for Faramir before now, so for him to be still in tuned to the situation, she wasn't too shocked. She gives him a nod and takes her bread, dipping it into her stew and taking a bite before looking back at her brother. "That is good, Eomer. We do not wish to have anyone forgotten in this battle." She shakes her head sadly. "It breaks my heart that they had to die, especially after making it through the other battle." She takes a few more bites of the stew, only for Gandalf, only for Faramir, because she still couldn't taste it. Especially since they had started talking of the dead.

Gandalf watches Eowyn a little longer, and when she had gotten down at least half the bowl of stew he stands up and puts out his pipe. "Come along then." He nods to Eomer. "I will walk her back to her room. Get some rest." He then moves to the door and waits for Eowyn. When she comes he leads her out of the kitchen and to Faramir's room. He knocks on the door, but gets no answer so he slowly opens it. The candles were still going in the room so he walks over to the figure asleep under all the blankets and smiles, shaking his head. He rests his hand on Faramir's forehead, frowning slightly as he notices the heat there. "He has developed a slight fever. He should not have come." He looks over at Eowyn and holds his hand out to her. When she comes and takes it he replaces his hand with hers on Faramir's forehead. "Not as bad as it was before, but not good either. Stay with him. I need to make a drink for him." He shakes his head and exits the room, mumbling a little. He could tell the fever wasn't anything serious, but it could be if left untreated. He would have to stay with Faramir tonight. Hopefully the drink he was going to make would work.

Eowyn is lost in thought when Gandalf finally tells her to come. Getting up she hugs her brother and kisses his forehead. "I will see you in the morning, Dear Brother." She smiles softly before she turns and leaves the room. She doesn't say anything all the way to Faramir's room. It is as if she knows there is something wrong, something that she can't help with. She can barely keep her composure when he takes her over to the edge of Faramir's bed. The man looked half-dead indeed. She nods to Gandalf, waiting until he leaves before she settles on Faramir's bed, lightly holding his face in her palms, she leans down and kisses his forehead tenderly. She wasn't worried about being sick, she probably was running a slight fever of her own. No, she was just worried about her precious Faramir. "You try too much. Gandalf is right, you never should have come. It was too soon, you should have stayed back in your own village. Now all I have done is make your sickness worse." As she talks she moves around to where she was behind him on the bed, moving him gently so that he was leaning back against her, his body resting back against hers, her hands moving to his shoulders to start slowly massaging them. She would take the kinks out and get enough of his blood pumping so that he might relax more, his body was so stiff and cold. She didn't like the cold part and she pulls the blankets up more around him, not caring how it looked with her sitting up against the headboard and him nestled between her legs. Only Gandalf would be back and she was fully clothed. So she keeps talking to him softly, never stopping her slow massage, letting her hands move across his shoulders and down his arms under the blankets, trying not to wake him. "I am still mad at you, Faramir. I will be mad at you for awhile. But I do not know if I am more mad at you for sending me off or for getting sick. Or both. You are so frustrating sometimes. What ever am I going to do with you?"

Faramir doesn't wake up when they enter the room, nor when Gandalf lays his hand against his forehead, though he does moan softly. He doesn't wake up, until Eowyn moves behind him in the bed. But he only wakes up enough that he could register someone talking to him. Someone with a very lovely voice, and soothing hands. He shivers a little from the cold he still felt, though for some reason it was starting to leave wherever her hands rubbed him. He lays still looking asleep though her hands were slowly waking him up, causing him to fight the effect of the medicine. He sighs softly, finally speaking, though he speaks in a sleepy voice. "Mad at me for what?"

Eowyn jumps slightly when he speaks, pausing for a moment. Then the smiles and starts slowly massaging her arms again slowly. "Mad at you for suggesting that I not come with you to the village. You, like my brother, decided without asking me that I was fragile, too fragile to fight. I am mad at you, Faramir, and you aren't going to get out of it for awhile. But what you are going to do," she leans down, all the while whispering back at him, she kisses his forehead ever so softly, laying her cheek against his forehead for a moment before going back to massaging his arms. "Go back to sleep, Faramir. You are not supposed to wake right now." Or I couldn't be behind you. She hopes that he does go back to sleep, staying silent now herself to listen to her breathing, still slowly massaging him.

Faramir slowly opens his eyes, blinking, so tired still that he has a hard time keeping his eyes open. "I did not..." He yawns and leans back against her again, closing his eyes. "tell you to come........because....I did not want to see you......hurrrrrr......" He snaps awake, blinking rapidly. He sits up but is pulled back against something nice and warm. He sighs and smiles, settling back against Eowyn again. He turns his head and looks up at her, still looking quite sleepy. "You are a dream." He snuggles back against her more, smiling and closing his eyes again. "I think I like this dream."

Eowyn quickly pulls him back against herself when he wakens, trying to sooth him "You need to settle down. You are not dreaming." She kisses his forehead again. I am really here. But you need to keep resting. I am sorry that you aren't feeling good. I hope that you will feel better in truth..." She caresses his hair back from his forehead, kissing it again. "You are being the perfect gentleman." She settles back, his smile enough to keep her warm if they weren't already under the covers. "Shhh everything will be okay," she says softly, feeling it really would. Right at that moment, she could think of no other place she rather be.

Faramir sighs with content and then looks up at her again. "I am feeling less cold now. You must tell me though, what it is I can do to earn your forgiveness." He turns his head and smiles up at her again, though there was something else in his eyes. He didn't like people being mad at him. He'd had enough of that from his father, and yes, even Boromir at times. Though with Boromir he usually was forgiven minutes later. His brother never could stay mad at him. Now if Eowyn was mad at him, would she forgive him? Or would she slowly push him away? He hoped for the forgiveness.

Eowyn is lost in his eyes for a moment, her breath catching at the look there. "I do not know, I have never been mad at you like this before. I need to know why you did it that may help. I forgave my brother, I see no reason I can't forgive you." She leans down and kisses his forehead, though she rather kiss his lips, she didn't want Gandalf to come in and find her half-making love to him.

Faramir smiles up at her and then pulls away and turns around in the bed. "If I do tell you, will I get a proper kiss?" He gives her his most innocent smile, though he knew exactly what he was doing. He was feeling a little better, though he still felt cold and tired and his head hurt but for some reason, with her there, everything was bearable.

Gandalf enters the room and shakes his head, having heard Faramir's words. With an amused smile he raps his staff lightly against the back of Faramir's head. Not enough to hurt but enough to startle him. "You are lucky it is I and not her brother." He holds his hand up to Eowyn, gesturing for her to stay where she was. He could tell she had been helping. "Do as you were, Eowyn. It is helping I'm sure." He then looks at Faramir who was eyeing the mug he held warily. With a sigh he shakes his head. "It's not as bad as your medicine. Come, turn around and drink all of it." He hands the mug to Faramir, watching as he takes it and sniffs it before making a face. "Fine. Do not drink it. Have your medicine." He turns as if to retrieve the flask off the floor and laughs as Faramir says a quick but forceful no and then carefully downs the steaming liquid in the cup. He smiles fondly at the young man, looking like a father who was watching his beloved son, then he laughs at the look on Faramir's face as he hands back the empty cup. "I said it was not as bad as your medicine. I did not say it was not bad itself." He sets the cup down and then takes a seat, watching as once again Faramir fights sleep. "Sleep, Faramir. The herbs are helping. But you must not fight them. That's a good boy." He smiles and then looks at Eowyn when Faramir is finally asleep. "He will not awake now, even from your touch. Not till tomorrow at least." He looks at Faramir again, frowning slightly. "He is still too pale...." He says it quietly to himself, though Eowyn still could hear him.

Eowyn smiles softly at Faramir, his offer tempting, wanting to give him a proper kiss, her eyes going to his lips as she pauses her massage. When Gandalf comes in she jumps just as much as he does, blushing. She goes to get out but then stays where she is, letting him settle back between her legs and resting his head against her chest when he is done with his drink. She can tell he wasn't about ready to wake up this time indeed when his breathing becomes much more even and deep. She glances up at Gandalf as she starts to once more massage his shoulders slowly and his arms, finally she moves so that his head is in her lap and she is lightly massaging his temples. "You are right, Gandalf. He is too pale. It is as if he can not shake the sickness. I am very worried, Gandalf." She looks up at him, frowning. "I do not know what is going on, but I know that I do not want him passing on into the other world. I want him here, with me."

Gandalf moves over to a chair and brings it closer to the bed. He sits down and takes Faramir's hand, turning it over and looking at the palm. He studies it then sighs and holds the young man's hand, shaking his head. "Curse his father. If not for Faramir's sense of duty to his father he would not have agreed and tried to retake Osgiliath! Curse Denethor! It is his fault his son is not well." He sighs and shakes his head. "It has always been his fault."

Eowyn uses her fingers to comb his hair back from his forehead, her touch tender and loving. "It is because of his love for his brother. He just wanted to prove to his father he was as good. What he doesn't realize is that he is just as good as his brother and better in some ways. They both had their strengths and weaknesses. My fair Faramir's biggest weakness is the memory of a man he never could please. There has to be a way to get him to believe in himself." She shakes her head slightly. "He shouldn't have come. He should have stayed back where he could have been taken care of. I never should have suggested he come." She leans over and kisses the tip of his nose before straightening and looking at Gandalf. "Maybe we should stay here longer? Till he is ready to ride again? Or maybe you could take him home? He could rest on one of the carts and I am sure that Eomer would send his best men along. I just do not want anything more to happen to him. "

Gandalf shakes his head. "He would not leave, Eowyn. He came not because you asked but because he wanted to. Even though it is rare, he can be stubborn." He sighs and sits back after letting go of Faramir's hand. "No. We should continue on. He would have it no other way." He looks at Eowyn. "As for helping him believe in himself.....well Boromir was usually the best at that. If not for his older brother, I doubt Faramir would be the man he is today. Did you know his father never wanted him? Even from the beginning. Do you know what the names Boromir and Faramir mean?"

Eowyn is saddened by the old man's words, her eyes misting over as she looks down at Faramir's face. "No, I don't. What does it mean?" She doesn't look away from his face as she listens to Gandalf. If it was the last thing she did, she would make sure that Faramir believed in himself again. Would that be why he was so shy around her? Because he didn't believe he could have someone like her? But that would be silly, he is no less then her, his royal blood testifying to that fact. And so far he had stood up to her brother in every way, even to sneaking by him and risking getting him caught to wake her that morning. She knew it now, she knew what it was that she felt for him. She loved Faramir.

Gandalf looks down at Faramir, a stormy look on his face. "Boromir means Precious Jewel. Faramir means Half Jewel. Can you tell which was favored from birth?" He sighs and shakes his head. "But Faramir, even after all the years of abuse, he still loved his father. Even if his father never showed him love. That is why it was so much harder for him after the death of his mother. That was when I would try to visit Minas Tirith as much as possible. But I could not always be there. Boromir looked after him when I was gone. That is the reason for the close bond between the two. And why Faramir had the vision of Boromir's death and not Denethor."

Eowyn leans down, not caring that Gandalf was there, and kisses Faramir tenderly. It is a very telling kiss for anyone looking because it showed just how much she loved him, it was tender and caring, though not demanding as the person receiving it did not know. No, but it was still a kiss for a lover for a loved one. She kisses him as if to heal the pain he has had to endure, her hands lightly caressing his cheeks. Then she pulls away, resting her forehead against his and taking a deep breath. "He will never be that again, Gandalf. I may be mad at him, but he will never know nothing more then love from me." She straightens, looking up at the older man, a great sadness in her eyes. "Why would someone do this to another person? Why would a father treat a son as such? Who could take this kind soul, a soul that only wants nothing more then to love and be loved, and step on it. He needs to be healed, not only in his body but in his soul. If you can help with his body, Gandalf, then I will make sure his heart never wants for love." She meant it, she didn't know how it had happened, but she had fallen in love with this man. Truly deeply in love with him. She wanted nothing more then for him to be happy. He deserved it.

Gandalf sighs and shakes his head. "Denethor blamed Faramir for Faramir's mother's death. Denethor loved his wife more than anything. But it did not begin there. Faramir was never the soldier Boromir was. He wasn't as strongly built as his brother and he never wished to learn how to fight. Though he did. And he is quite good. Which is why men follow him. No. Faramir is a good fighter in his own right. But he would prefer to spend his days reading and writing and making his music." He smiles and shakes his head. "You should ask him to play a song when we reach Edoras. I'm sure he will be more than happy to. Though he might need a little coaxing." He then sighs and stretches in his chair. "I do hope you can give him the love he needs, Eowyn. Since the loss of his brother he does not know where he belongs anymore." He smiles at Faramir and then looks at Eowyn. "I should take you to your room now.....unless you wish to stay here with him tonight?"

Eowyn sighs, shaking her head. "I wish to stay here tonight, Gandalf, as you well know. But it would not be proper and my brother would not approve. So," she moves from under him, getting out of the bed. "I will go to my room." She pulls the blankets up around Faramir carefully. "But that is just between you and me, Gandalf." She turns and looks at him. "My love I mean. I have yet to tell Faramir and Eomer does not need to know. I have only told you because I have only just realized what the burning in my gut was. It is seeing him like this that has made me realize the extent of it as well. I just hope that one day I can have the nerve to tell him. Till then, I will just have to love him from afar." She smiles softly, then turns back to Faramir and kisses him goodnight. "Good night, my Love. I hope that your dreams are happy ones. I know mine will be." She moves away from him and takes Gandalf's hand. "Come on, then you can return to check in on him before you retire as well." She thinks about it, she will come in during the night to check on him, especially if she was going to be the only one checking on him.

Gandalf smiles and nods, getting up and leading her from the room. "Not a word of it will be said to him or your brother." Just like he wasn't going to be the one telling Eowyn that Faramir loved her. Now if they could just tell each other they'd be set. He stops outside the door to her room. "You get some sleep now. And stay away from the window." He smiles at her, and then lets her go before he heads back to Faramir's room.

Eowyn walks along with him, glad he wasn't going to mention anything to her brother. That was going to be a totally different mess of worms she was going to have to deal with. And now wasn't the time. She gives Gandalf a quick hug. "I will not go anywhere near the window, I promise. I have them shut so that the room should already be plenty warm and totally dry." She nods at him as she opens the door, feeling the heat coming from the room, glad that they had kept the fire going so that she wouldn't get any sicker then she already was. "Goodnight." She closes the door and heads over to the bed, smiling at Monica as she comes over to help her get ready for bed. She fills her in on what was going on with Faramir, glad she had someone she could confide in at least.

Gandalf walks into Faramir's room and takes a seat by the young man's bed again. He shakes his head as he reaches over and touches his forehead. The medicine was doing it's job. But he still was far too pale for his liking. He couldn't help wondering if Faramir would ever be rid of the poison that ran threw him. Curse Denethor again for causing the boy anguish. Even with his father dead, Faramir still suffered. Shaking his head he moves away from the bed and over to sit by the fire, looking at it thoughtfully as he prepares for a long night.

Eowyn finally is ready for bed and she moves over to it, crawling beneath the covers and laying there, looking at the ceiling. She pulls the blankets up around her and snuggles to get warmer, turning on her side and looking at the fire. She lays there, just staring at it, thinking about the man a few doors down from her. Would he ever love her? Could he love her? If he had not really known love, could he ever be able to give it? She knew she wanted him to love her, because she was finally able to admit that she loved him. But was her love enough? That was the most important question. Was her love enough? He had been deprived of it for so long, from what Gandalf said, that it was obvious that he didn't know it. Not like he really should. And if he didn't know it as he should, then would what she had to offer ever be enough? He deserved so much more then that. So much more then her. She lay there, unable to sleep, knowing she should get a few hours sleep before she snuck back to her room. So she closes her eyes and just lays there, finally realizing she would just have to wait till she didn't hear anyone else moving around, then she would go see him again, because she wasn't going to get to sleep until she did see him again.