Disclaimer: Standard
Author's Note: Once again, I'm sorry this took so long. I was vacationing in Europe and when I got back, I was drowning in work. Finally, it's nice to get back to my story. I've missed it. Thanks to all who've reviewed, keep up the good work!
Chapter Ten: A Brother and a Baby
It was just a small whimper at first, but it grew louder and more insistent until it was a full blown cry for attention. I tried desperately to keep my eyes shut, but I knew it wasn't going to stop any time soon. With a sigh of annoyance, I swung my legs out of bed and went to the cradle for the fifth time that morning; that wasn't counting the three occasions I left my son's needs to Faramir, who moaned only a little less than the child. This time, the sun was crawling up over the hills, and my husband had already locked himself in the bathroom with a steaming tub.
My weariness was somewhat forgotten as I reached into the cradle and lifted my son into my arms. Dearest Elboron, heir to the Stewardship of Gondor and, until my brother Eomer found a wife, heir to the throne of Rohan. At the time though, he looked to be no more than a squalling baby, only nine months into his life. As I cuddled him, I thought nothing of his lineage, his position, his place in the world. I could only shush him for a few moments until he stopped his wailing and fell back to sleep. Even then, as I sat on the edge of my bed and smiled at him, I couldn't put his tiny body back down; he seemed to adhere to my embrace, as if he could never leave, despite the world's protests.
The bathroom door gave a little creak as it opened. Faramir was light on his feet, but I could here the soft steps as he approached me and sat at my side. He wore only his bathrobe; his hair was dripping wet. I did not have to look at him to know he was smiling.
"What does the little brat want this time?" he inquired, his voice ripe with affection. He stroked Elboron's silky cheek with one rough finger and bent over me to get a better look at him. A drop of water fell in a shimmering bead from his hair to the baby's face, and Elboron set up a howl once more.
He jumped back, somewhat alarmed, and I could do nothing but laugh. "All that hard work, Faramir, and you drip on him! What child wants to be dripped on by an uncouth brute of a father?" I rocked the baby gently, attempting in vain to sooth his cries.
"Well, who wants to be squeezed to death by an overbearing mother? Here, let me have him for a moment." With all of his characteristic stealth, he stole little Elboron from my grasp. Cradling him, he stood up and backed away, then lifted his head to smile triumphantly at me. As he did so, his hair sent what must have seemed like a torrential downpour upon the child's face. The triumphant look vanished, followed by one of confusion and hesitancy.
"There, Elboron, don't cry. I saved you from your mother, it's all better now." The cries did not cease. "Shh, relax, it's only a little water," he added hurriedly, wiping rivulets from the baby's cheeks. "It's just liking taking a bath."
"He hates taking baths, Faramir," I reminded him, a smirk on my face. He shot me a venomous look and continued to rock Elboron, gently at first, but he seemed to grow more frantic by the second. When he was nearly ready to join his son in tears of frustration, I laughed and went to him, scooping the baby away. I rocked him for a moment or so before he quieted down. Now it was my turn to give a triumphant grin.
Faramir had regained his composure and stood up tall, crossing his arms. "He'll only like you better until you stop feeding him. What man doesn't appreciate the cook?" I reached out to whack him on the shoulder but he stepped back and laughed. He stopped as I put the baby back in the cradle and turned to him. "Oh, love, I was joking, you can cook wonderfully, he'll love you forever!" he said with a grin as I tried to come at him. With a little growl I pounced at him and we fell back onto the bed, laughing and scuffling. After a few moments we lay still, me resting my head over his heart, his arms drawing me closer protectively.
"I didn't hurt you, did I?" I asked softly, moving my head a little so I could look up at him.
"Eowyn, wounds heal. Not everything you do has a potential of killing me, no matter how hard you try. I'm going to be here, like it or not. Speaking of wounds..." He tried to sit up and I crawled off of him reluctantly to let him. "Eowyn, the healing balm. You have to stop taking it just so you can put it on me instead of letting me do it myself!"
With a sigh, I reached into a dresser drawer by my bedside and withdrew a little jar of cream. "I wish you'd let me put it on so I could see how it's healing."
"Oh stop worrying, it's only a nice shade of purple. Joking!" he added, seeing my distressed face.
"Why won't you let me see?" I asked, withholding the jar from his outreaching hand.
"Why is it so important to you? It was wound, now it's a healing wound, and in a few weeks, it will be a scar. Fine," he finally said, exasperated. He pulled apart his bathrobe a little so I could see his cut. It was mostly healed; there was only a week's worth of healing balm left, and then it would finish mending on its own. It still looked red, but I knew it wasn't something to fade overnight. I opened the little jar and went to spread some of the remaining balm over the closed wound.
"I'm perfectly capable of doing this myself," he complained.
"So am I," I replied, making sure to keep my touch as light as possible. "There, done. That wasn't so hard, was it darling?"
He leaned over and planted a swift kiss on my cheek. "There's nothing to worry about, Eowyn. You're being too mothering."
"I am a mother now, Faramir. I can't help it."
"Well, love, you're not mine. Now, if you don't mind, I've got to get dressed; we're expecting guests today, or did you forget?" He stood up and went to his dresser.
I stood and walked to the cradle, smiling upon the now-sleeping baby. "How could I? I'm to see Eomer today for the first time in three years."
"After that last letter you sent him, he seemed extremely determined to get here in record time. Is there something I'm missing?" Faramir asked, sorting through some shirts. He sounded slightly uneasy, like he was trying to hide his worries.
I laughed a little, keeping my eyes on the baby. "Is that what you've been worrying about this past week; why Eomer is coming in such a hurry?" So, I hadn't been imagining him as being slightly on edge; he was worried over my brother!
"It's just that you sent the letter away and a week later we get a messenger says he's already on his way. Can't I worry if there's something the matter?"
"There is not, and if there were, I would have talked to you, and not bothered Eomer with the details. He's a good brother, but not so good that I can share all my secrets with him. You, my dear husband, are the only one whose misfortune it is to hear them."
"Oh, absolutely delightful. I'd still like to know if there's a reason why he's in such a rush." I jumped a little as he wrapped his arms around my waist; I had not heard his footsteps this time.
"There's a custom we have in Rohan where all the women will bring their children to be seen by the King. They do that as a way to make the people feel closer to their ruler, and so the king has an idea of how many people there are in his lands. Theoden used to set aside three hours every week just to see babies; newborns if they were from nearby, up to a year old if they where from too far. I used to sit there and watch him with the people; before Grima came, he was friendly as could be, and took care to write down the names of all the babies and their families. In later years, he still saw them, but few people came; he was not as social as before. They thought it too long of a journey just to see an old and weary king upon his throne, his son and nephew off always on campaign, his niece silent and cold by his side, his advisor whispering falsities in his ear. Where is the joy in that? Better to stay home and work than view a sight as awful as that."
There was a moment of heavy silence and Elboron stirred uncomfortably. Faramir's head was resting lightly against mine, his arms still around my waist. I shivered; it had grown cold, or perhaps it was just my memories.
"So, you asked Eomer to see Elboron?" Faramir said lightly, pulling me tightly to him.
"Yes, and he was more than happy to oblige. I really think he just wanted an excuse to see me again; it's been so long." I turned to catch Faramir's eyes, and they smiled at me. I was warm again, my uncle's sad old face gone from my mind.
I kissed Faramir then, deeply, clingingly. When I pulled back, he did not seem surprised, just smiled that secret, taunting, wise smile that he had developed since his near death experience.
"I should get dressed," I whispered, pulling away and drifting towards my closet, searching for the brightest dress I could find. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------
Eomer had not changed much in three years; he had not even grown fatter as most kings tend to do. Apparently, he spent little time sitting around Meduseld, listening to petitions from his people; he rode from town to town, speaking, helping, gaining trust and support. The only things that were different were a few new lines in his face and a wider smile than before.
That night, after a rather luxuriant supper, he joined Faramir, Elboron and I in our sitting room, a cozy, warm little place that usually only my husband and I used. Eomer held the baby in his strong, lithe arms, and smiled down at the little features. "Adorable, absolutely lovely. I can't get over how much he looks like you, Faramir. Dark eyes, dark hair, thankfully he's got his mothers lips, not there's anything wrong with yours, of course. He's pale too, but you're not too dark yourself."
"He's a baby, Eomer, of course he's not going to be sunburnt," I said with a laugh. "Is he everything you expected?"
"All that and more. He'll be a handsome thing, I can see that now; strong and brave, too. He'll grow up right, for sure. He's blessed to have the pair of you for parents." Elboron cooed loudly and Eomer laughed. "He agrees!"
"I think he looks exhausted. Eomer, you've worn him out with all this scrutiny," I said, peering into the baby's weary face.
"Would you like me to take him to bed?" Faramir asked with a yawn.
"It looks like I should be taking the both of you!" I said with a laugh.
Eomer nodded. "Yes, I'll have to be heading to my own bed soon. It's been a long day, what with all the riding and the eating."
"Oh, Eomer, you are so abused!" I joked. "Faramir, could you take Elboron to bed while I say goodnight to Eomer?"
"As you desire, Lady Eowyn," he said with a smirk. Both men stood and Eomer passed the baby to his father. "It was good to see you Lord Eomer. Perhaps tomorrow I can show you the countryside?"
"Sounds wounderful, I've always wanted to go riding around Ithilien. Eowyn describes it as such a lovely place, and from what I've seen, she doesn't lie."
"So you suspected me of lying in the first place! I'm ashamed!" I cried in mock horror. There was general laughter and Faramir and Eomer quickly made plans before my husband left to take the baby to bed.
Eomer sat down in his chair again and smiled at me. "You married quite a man, Eowyn. I don't believe I've ever met anyone quite like him."
"Think, Eomer, have you ever met anyone quite like me?" I asked with a little smile of my own.
"Come to think of it, the closest anyone has come to you is Faramir. Is he really as good as you say?" he inquired lightly.
"Do you think I would lie to you? You are just accusing me of everything tonight, dear brother. Faramir is a perfect husband, why do you ask?"
"Well, when I met him in Minas Tirith after the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, he seemed a bit nervous, sad actually. Even before that, remember I told you I had met him as a boy the first time I went to Gondor? He seemed so reserved and awkward, like an old man in a child's body. He seems different now."
"He is different. He was a sad person at first; his family life was not the best. You heard the rumors of how he and his father never got along, haven't you?" Eomer nodded and I continued. "It is difficult to lose one's entire family as he did."
"We know of that misfortune, Eowyn. Look at Mother and Father; look at Theodred and Theoden!"
"But we have not lost each other. Imagine how you would have been had I been killed. But Faramir is not weak, and he bore his tragedy as best he could. I think... I think I have done some good for him, because as the years went on, he was more open with me. He didn't have those horrible nightmares; remember I told you he often had those? And since he was... wounded... he's been much happier; it's almost as if he found something, some answer to his problems."
"I've heard of men on the battlefield who nearly die, then wake up and walk around cherishing their life more than ever, but I've heard of the opposite too. You should be thankful he has such a strong will."
"He has more than will. He has hope. Now, he has a family. Our lives are wonderful here, Eomer; I've never been so happy."
"I'm glad, Eowyn. It's good to see you in such high spirits. Forgive me for thinking anything but the best of Faramir; one needs only see your face when you talk about him to understand how good he is to you."
There was a moment of silence as we just smiled at each other. Finally he stood and yawned. "I think I must be off to bed. I've got plans for tomorrow." As I stood up, he gathered me in his arms for a great hug. "I've missed you, little sister."
"I've missed you too, brother. We'll talk more tomorrow, after you and Faramir get home."
"Sounds splendid. Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
Having bid his farewell, Eomer left and wandered down to his room. I pushed open another door, the one that led to our personal apartments. I passed through the study and opened the door to our bedroom. Faramir had laid the baby down to rest; amazingly, the child wasn't crying. Faramir was just getting into his night clothes. I smiled at him, crossed to my dresser, and began to follow suit.
"I forgot just how much I liked Eomer until today. I've always been thankful for him, but I forgot just how nice and friendly he is," Faramir said, pulling on his nightshirt.
"Yes, it's a shame we don't visit each other more often," I said, musing quietly about how much I too had missed my brother.
"We'll have to later, after the children are grown and ready to travel," came the nonchalant response.
"Children?"
"Well, Elboron can't be alone, can he?" Faramir said hopefully.
"You just like to try," I accused with a grin.
"It doesn't hurt anyone." Faramir's eyes glowed with a devilish light. I laughed as he scooped me up and carried me to the bed, laying me gently on top of the covers. He blew out the candle and laid down beside me, resting his head on my stomach. Then he sighed. "I heard you talking to Eomer."
I stared down at him, a little nervous. Perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned the nightmares to Eomer; perhaps Faramir would be angry, or even worse, hurt. "Yes?" I said timidly.
"I'm glad you know it was you who helped me." He squeezed my hand tightly, interlacing his fingers with my own. "Thank you."
"You're not mad?"
"Of course not. He's your brother; he's family. I can't stop you from expressing your concerns to your own flesh and blood. Why, it's only natural, and I understand completely."
I sat up suddenly and reached out and grabbed his face in the dark. I leaned close to him and whispered, "Why Faramir? Why are you so understanding? What has happened to you since your wounding? You're not the same."
"Is that so bad?"
"Not at all, but it's frightening!"
"How so?"
"You're so calm, so peaceful. I just want to know what happened to you to make you this way."
He was quiet for a moment, and then he leaned closer. I couldn't see him in the dark, but I could feel his hair brush against my face as he whispered, "I can't tell you, Eowyn. I try not to hold anything back from you, but this is just too much too explain. You'll see someday, I promise. I'm sorry; will you forgive me?"
"How could I not, when it has helped you so much?"
"I already told you Eowyn; it was you who helped me the most. I simply needed, well, a kick in the right direction." I heard him laugh, very softly, and then he kissed my cheek. "I love you Eowyn."
I reached out and wrapped my arms around his body, pulling him close. "I love you too," I breathed, falling back onto the pillows, bringing my husband with me.
Author's Note: Once again, I'm sorry this took so long. I was vacationing in Europe and when I got back, I was drowning in work. Finally, it's nice to get back to my story. I've missed it. Thanks to all who've reviewed, keep up the good work!
Chapter Ten: A Brother and a Baby
It was just a small whimper at first, but it grew louder and more insistent until it was a full blown cry for attention. I tried desperately to keep my eyes shut, but I knew it wasn't going to stop any time soon. With a sigh of annoyance, I swung my legs out of bed and went to the cradle for the fifth time that morning; that wasn't counting the three occasions I left my son's needs to Faramir, who moaned only a little less than the child. This time, the sun was crawling up over the hills, and my husband had already locked himself in the bathroom with a steaming tub.
My weariness was somewhat forgotten as I reached into the cradle and lifted my son into my arms. Dearest Elboron, heir to the Stewardship of Gondor and, until my brother Eomer found a wife, heir to the throne of Rohan. At the time though, he looked to be no more than a squalling baby, only nine months into his life. As I cuddled him, I thought nothing of his lineage, his position, his place in the world. I could only shush him for a few moments until he stopped his wailing and fell back to sleep. Even then, as I sat on the edge of my bed and smiled at him, I couldn't put his tiny body back down; he seemed to adhere to my embrace, as if he could never leave, despite the world's protests.
The bathroom door gave a little creak as it opened. Faramir was light on his feet, but I could here the soft steps as he approached me and sat at my side. He wore only his bathrobe; his hair was dripping wet. I did not have to look at him to know he was smiling.
"What does the little brat want this time?" he inquired, his voice ripe with affection. He stroked Elboron's silky cheek with one rough finger and bent over me to get a better look at him. A drop of water fell in a shimmering bead from his hair to the baby's face, and Elboron set up a howl once more.
He jumped back, somewhat alarmed, and I could do nothing but laugh. "All that hard work, Faramir, and you drip on him! What child wants to be dripped on by an uncouth brute of a father?" I rocked the baby gently, attempting in vain to sooth his cries.
"Well, who wants to be squeezed to death by an overbearing mother? Here, let me have him for a moment." With all of his characteristic stealth, he stole little Elboron from my grasp. Cradling him, he stood up and backed away, then lifted his head to smile triumphantly at me. As he did so, his hair sent what must have seemed like a torrential downpour upon the child's face. The triumphant look vanished, followed by one of confusion and hesitancy.
"There, Elboron, don't cry. I saved you from your mother, it's all better now." The cries did not cease. "Shh, relax, it's only a little water," he added hurriedly, wiping rivulets from the baby's cheeks. "It's just liking taking a bath."
"He hates taking baths, Faramir," I reminded him, a smirk on my face. He shot me a venomous look and continued to rock Elboron, gently at first, but he seemed to grow more frantic by the second. When he was nearly ready to join his son in tears of frustration, I laughed and went to him, scooping the baby away. I rocked him for a moment or so before he quieted down. Now it was my turn to give a triumphant grin.
Faramir had regained his composure and stood up tall, crossing his arms. "He'll only like you better until you stop feeding him. What man doesn't appreciate the cook?" I reached out to whack him on the shoulder but he stepped back and laughed. He stopped as I put the baby back in the cradle and turned to him. "Oh, love, I was joking, you can cook wonderfully, he'll love you forever!" he said with a grin as I tried to come at him. With a little growl I pounced at him and we fell back onto the bed, laughing and scuffling. After a few moments we lay still, me resting my head over his heart, his arms drawing me closer protectively.
"I didn't hurt you, did I?" I asked softly, moving my head a little so I could look up at him.
"Eowyn, wounds heal. Not everything you do has a potential of killing me, no matter how hard you try. I'm going to be here, like it or not. Speaking of wounds..." He tried to sit up and I crawled off of him reluctantly to let him. "Eowyn, the healing balm. You have to stop taking it just so you can put it on me instead of letting me do it myself!"
With a sigh, I reached into a dresser drawer by my bedside and withdrew a little jar of cream. "I wish you'd let me put it on so I could see how it's healing."
"Oh stop worrying, it's only a nice shade of purple. Joking!" he added, seeing my distressed face.
"Why won't you let me see?" I asked, withholding the jar from his outreaching hand.
"Why is it so important to you? It was wound, now it's a healing wound, and in a few weeks, it will be a scar. Fine," he finally said, exasperated. He pulled apart his bathrobe a little so I could see his cut. It was mostly healed; there was only a week's worth of healing balm left, and then it would finish mending on its own. It still looked red, but I knew it wasn't something to fade overnight. I opened the little jar and went to spread some of the remaining balm over the closed wound.
"I'm perfectly capable of doing this myself," he complained.
"So am I," I replied, making sure to keep my touch as light as possible. "There, done. That wasn't so hard, was it darling?"
He leaned over and planted a swift kiss on my cheek. "There's nothing to worry about, Eowyn. You're being too mothering."
"I am a mother now, Faramir. I can't help it."
"Well, love, you're not mine. Now, if you don't mind, I've got to get dressed; we're expecting guests today, or did you forget?" He stood up and went to his dresser.
I stood and walked to the cradle, smiling upon the now-sleeping baby. "How could I? I'm to see Eomer today for the first time in three years."
"After that last letter you sent him, he seemed extremely determined to get here in record time. Is there something I'm missing?" Faramir asked, sorting through some shirts. He sounded slightly uneasy, like he was trying to hide his worries.
I laughed a little, keeping my eyes on the baby. "Is that what you've been worrying about this past week; why Eomer is coming in such a hurry?" So, I hadn't been imagining him as being slightly on edge; he was worried over my brother!
"It's just that you sent the letter away and a week later we get a messenger says he's already on his way. Can't I worry if there's something the matter?"
"There is not, and if there were, I would have talked to you, and not bothered Eomer with the details. He's a good brother, but not so good that I can share all my secrets with him. You, my dear husband, are the only one whose misfortune it is to hear them."
"Oh, absolutely delightful. I'd still like to know if there's a reason why he's in such a rush." I jumped a little as he wrapped his arms around my waist; I had not heard his footsteps this time.
"There's a custom we have in Rohan where all the women will bring their children to be seen by the King. They do that as a way to make the people feel closer to their ruler, and so the king has an idea of how many people there are in his lands. Theoden used to set aside three hours every week just to see babies; newborns if they were from nearby, up to a year old if they where from too far. I used to sit there and watch him with the people; before Grima came, he was friendly as could be, and took care to write down the names of all the babies and their families. In later years, he still saw them, but few people came; he was not as social as before. They thought it too long of a journey just to see an old and weary king upon his throne, his son and nephew off always on campaign, his niece silent and cold by his side, his advisor whispering falsities in his ear. Where is the joy in that? Better to stay home and work than view a sight as awful as that."
There was a moment of heavy silence and Elboron stirred uncomfortably. Faramir's head was resting lightly against mine, his arms still around my waist. I shivered; it had grown cold, or perhaps it was just my memories.
"So, you asked Eomer to see Elboron?" Faramir said lightly, pulling me tightly to him.
"Yes, and he was more than happy to oblige. I really think he just wanted an excuse to see me again; it's been so long." I turned to catch Faramir's eyes, and they smiled at me. I was warm again, my uncle's sad old face gone from my mind.
I kissed Faramir then, deeply, clingingly. When I pulled back, he did not seem surprised, just smiled that secret, taunting, wise smile that he had developed since his near death experience.
"I should get dressed," I whispered, pulling away and drifting towards my closet, searching for the brightest dress I could find. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------
Eomer had not changed much in three years; he had not even grown fatter as most kings tend to do. Apparently, he spent little time sitting around Meduseld, listening to petitions from his people; he rode from town to town, speaking, helping, gaining trust and support. The only things that were different were a few new lines in his face and a wider smile than before.
That night, after a rather luxuriant supper, he joined Faramir, Elboron and I in our sitting room, a cozy, warm little place that usually only my husband and I used. Eomer held the baby in his strong, lithe arms, and smiled down at the little features. "Adorable, absolutely lovely. I can't get over how much he looks like you, Faramir. Dark eyes, dark hair, thankfully he's got his mothers lips, not there's anything wrong with yours, of course. He's pale too, but you're not too dark yourself."
"He's a baby, Eomer, of course he's not going to be sunburnt," I said with a laugh. "Is he everything you expected?"
"All that and more. He'll be a handsome thing, I can see that now; strong and brave, too. He'll grow up right, for sure. He's blessed to have the pair of you for parents." Elboron cooed loudly and Eomer laughed. "He agrees!"
"I think he looks exhausted. Eomer, you've worn him out with all this scrutiny," I said, peering into the baby's weary face.
"Would you like me to take him to bed?" Faramir asked with a yawn.
"It looks like I should be taking the both of you!" I said with a laugh.
Eomer nodded. "Yes, I'll have to be heading to my own bed soon. It's been a long day, what with all the riding and the eating."
"Oh, Eomer, you are so abused!" I joked. "Faramir, could you take Elboron to bed while I say goodnight to Eomer?"
"As you desire, Lady Eowyn," he said with a smirk. Both men stood and Eomer passed the baby to his father. "It was good to see you Lord Eomer. Perhaps tomorrow I can show you the countryside?"
"Sounds wounderful, I've always wanted to go riding around Ithilien. Eowyn describes it as such a lovely place, and from what I've seen, she doesn't lie."
"So you suspected me of lying in the first place! I'm ashamed!" I cried in mock horror. There was general laughter and Faramir and Eomer quickly made plans before my husband left to take the baby to bed.
Eomer sat down in his chair again and smiled at me. "You married quite a man, Eowyn. I don't believe I've ever met anyone quite like him."
"Think, Eomer, have you ever met anyone quite like me?" I asked with a little smile of my own.
"Come to think of it, the closest anyone has come to you is Faramir. Is he really as good as you say?" he inquired lightly.
"Do you think I would lie to you? You are just accusing me of everything tonight, dear brother. Faramir is a perfect husband, why do you ask?"
"Well, when I met him in Minas Tirith after the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, he seemed a bit nervous, sad actually. Even before that, remember I told you I had met him as a boy the first time I went to Gondor? He seemed so reserved and awkward, like an old man in a child's body. He seems different now."
"He is different. He was a sad person at first; his family life was not the best. You heard the rumors of how he and his father never got along, haven't you?" Eomer nodded and I continued. "It is difficult to lose one's entire family as he did."
"We know of that misfortune, Eowyn. Look at Mother and Father; look at Theodred and Theoden!"
"But we have not lost each other. Imagine how you would have been had I been killed. But Faramir is not weak, and he bore his tragedy as best he could. I think... I think I have done some good for him, because as the years went on, he was more open with me. He didn't have those horrible nightmares; remember I told you he often had those? And since he was... wounded... he's been much happier; it's almost as if he found something, some answer to his problems."
"I've heard of men on the battlefield who nearly die, then wake up and walk around cherishing their life more than ever, but I've heard of the opposite too. You should be thankful he has such a strong will."
"He has more than will. He has hope. Now, he has a family. Our lives are wonderful here, Eomer; I've never been so happy."
"I'm glad, Eowyn. It's good to see you in such high spirits. Forgive me for thinking anything but the best of Faramir; one needs only see your face when you talk about him to understand how good he is to you."
There was a moment of silence as we just smiled at each other. Finally he stood and yawned. "I think I must be off to bed. I've got plans for tomorrow." As I stood up, he gathered me in his arms for a great hug. "I've missed you, little sister."
"I've missed you too, brother. We'll talk more tomorrow, after you and Faramir get home."
"Sounds splendid. Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
Having bid his farewell, Eomer left and wandered down to his room. I pushed open another door, the one that led to our personal apartments. I passed through the study and opened the door to our bedroom. Faramir had laid the baby down to rest; amazingly, the child wasn't crying. Faramir was just getting into his night clothes. I smiled at him, crossed to my dresser, and began to follow suit.
"I forgot just how much I liked Eomer until today. I've always been thankful for him, but I forgot just how nice and friendly he is," Faramir said, pulling on his nightshirt.
"Yes, it's a shame we don't visit each other more often," I said, musing quietly about how much I too had missed my brother.
"We'll have to later, after the children are grown and ready to travel," came the nonchalant response.
"Children?"
"Well, Elboron can't be alone, can he?" Faramir said hopefully.
"You just like to try," I accused with a grin.
"It doesn't hurt anyone." Faramir's eyes glowed with a devilish light. I laughed as he scooped me up and carried me to the bed, laying me gently on top of the covers. He blew out the candle and laid down beside me, resting his head on my stomach. Then he sighed. "I heard you talking to Eomer."
I stared down at him, a little nervous. Perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned the nightmares to Eomer; perhaps Faramir would be angry, or even worse, hurt. "Yes?" I said timidly.
"I'm glad you know it was you who helped me." He squeezed my hand tightly, interlacing his fingers with my own. "Thank you."
"You're not mad?"
"Of course not. He's your brother; he's family. I can't stop you from expressing your concerns to your own flesh and blood. Why, it's only natural, and I understand completely."
I sat up suddenly and reached out and grabbed his face in the dark. I leaned close to him and whispered, "Why Faramir? Why are you so understanding? What has happened to you since your wounding? You're not the same."
"Is that so bad?"
"Not at all, but it's frightening!"
"How so?"
"You're so calm, so peaceful. I just want to know what happened to you to make you this way."
He was quiet for a moment, and then he leaned closer. I couldn't see him in the dark, but I could feel his hair brush against my face as he whispered, "I can't tell you, Eowyn. I try not to hold anything back from you, but this is just too much too explain. You'll see someday, I promise. I'm sorry; will you forgive me?"
"How could I not, when it has helped you so much?"
"I already told you Eowyn; it was you who helped me the most. I simply needed, well, a kick in the right direction." I heard him laugh, very softly, and then he kissed my cheek. "I love you Eowyn."
I reached out and wrapped my arms around his body, pulling him close. "I love you too," I breathed, falling back onto the pillows, bringing my husband with me.