Aragorn walked alone through the streets of Minas Tirith. Other than the guards, there was no one at this time to interrupt him and the scene was so different from that afternoon. Here in the night he could think, he could remember how long it had been since he had walked through the White City, and he remembered why he left.

He remembered walking up to the Citadel at Ecthelion's bidding. The then steward had a wonderful rapport with the outstanding ranger and called on him often. Aragorn had no idea that this meeting was going to be a turning point in his life. He knelt before Ecthelion upon entering the hall, and briefly he glanced toward the throne which seemed to tower ominously in the background.

"How may i serve you, my Lord Ecthelion?" he asked humbly.

Ecthelion beheld him critically for a moment, wondering what his answer would be. There was the possibility that he would flatly refuse. "Rise, Thorongil, your help is needed. I know that you have had instruction in healing and you are probably a great deal better at the art than those on the sixth level. I know not whether you will accept this mission, but... i have faith in you. If you choose not to do this, i shall not hold it against you."

"What would you have me undertake, Lord?" Aragorn asked, unsure of what manner of mission the Steward would accept his refusal.

"My son's wife is very near giving birth, but i fear for her life, Thorongil. She has already faded much in this northern city and my son will not see reason to simply allow her to return to her home. I have seen how you have helped so many men wounded in battle. I have seen the hope you bring them and all of us, even as we live in the very shadow of Mordor; and I believe that you of all could keep her from hopelessness at least enough that my grandson has a chance. I ask this of you not as Steward, Thorongil, but as an old man hopeful for the future. Will you help her, and me?"

Aragorn nodded. He had seen Finduilas in the city and knew her to be of beauty and gentleness, but when he looked at her he could not see much life in her. She was more often to be found in the healing garden than in the Citadel. It did not take someone of Elrond's foresight to know that she did not have many years in her. He was moved to much pity for her.

"Go then, to the Houses. Tell them i have sent you, and beware - the ladies there will not accept it well that i put such faith into a ranger," Ecthelion said with a trace of a smile. Aragorn bowed to the Steward he respected and went quickly forth.

The first thing to meet the ranger's ears was a shrill shriek. So the steward was right, they did not accept this well already. He wondered exactly how anyone was expected to heal in an environment with these women screaming and panicking. Shaking his head in incredulity he moved forward into the room.

"Please, my good women, the steward has sent me to help you," he said with some trepidation. It was not met well. Aragorn decided to ignore them as best he could and focus instead on providing help. Fortunately, a bowl nearby was filled with sufficiently hot water and he took from his belt pouch two athelas leaves, freshly collected. That served to calm the flustered nurses and allowed him to at least go near Finduilas.

"My lady?" Aragorn knelt beside her, his voice soft.

Countering his mildness, Finduilas gripped his hand with all intensity. She looked not at all gentle this day. Her fair face was stained of sweat and tears and strain of childbirth. The simple dress she wore clung to her, soaked through, as did her golden hair. Her eyes were filled with pain, but now gradually relaxing as the athelas steam filled the room.

Aragorn allowed her to grip his hand as much as she needed and he rested his free hand upon her brow. "Sidh, híril-nín, im nev. Sidh... sidh... sidh...." Aragorn repeated the one word over and over, keeping his eyes focused on her eyes. After what seemed hours to both him and Finduilas, the tiniest of cries was heard and relief washed over them. Aragorn then left immediately after Finduilas had been delivered.

That was the first time he met Denethor's wife, but it was not to be the last. He had not seen her again until several months later when she sought him out to offer her thanks for the kindness and courage he showed her on Boromir's birthday. He accepted her thanks and that afternoon the two spent talking of much. Finduilas spoke of Dol Amroth and her desire to return there again, Aragorn spoke of all the places he had known and Finduilas was much impressed. Aragorn told her the tale of Earendil's sailing from the southern port so long ago and he told her where and when to find the star at night and in morning. Aragorn asked how Boromir fared. Finduilas assured him that the boy was quite well and his father quite pleased with his strong cries and powerful grip, though she herself loved her baby best when he slept peacefully beside her.

It had been so long since Finduilas had someone she felt understood her, someone she felt truly comfortable speaking to, that they simply talked all day until the sun began to descend westward. Denethor had been furious that she did not attend dinner with him, but for some strange reason she did not care for what he minded. The next months had been much the same, when Thorongil was not leading his Dunedain in victory, he and Finduilas spent afternoons talking of tales and lore. The people of Minas Tirith rejoiced that their Lady seemed to return so well to health, and it was often heard in the streets how the birth of Denethor's heir had changed Finduilas's opinion of their walled city. No one knew the truth was that she escaped their walled city almost daily to lose herself, and yet find herself, in Elven realms of old.

Two years after Boromir's birth, Aragorn returned to Minas Tirith and to Steward Ecthelion with news of a great success. A great fleet of the Umbar had been destroyed, helping to secure the waterways of the Anduin and providing relief to Osgiliath. It was at that time that Ecthelion granted Thorongil leave of his service in all gratitude for his years of loyalty.

Aragorn graciously accepted this leave, for he was eager to return to the former realm of Arnor to aid with the safe-keeping of the northern lands. However, he could not help notice that Ecthelion seemed virtually reluctant to offer him such compensation, and that Denethor stared angrily with disgust at the ranger from over his father's shoulder.

Aragorn felt sorry that his leaving meant Finduilas was losing a close friend, but he promised to visit at least when situations brought him again to Gondor. Finduilas never forgot his promise though years had passed and since his leaving she took to spending much time in the great library of the city.

It was she who sent a messenger with word of Ecthelion's failing health when her husband refused to do so as his father asked him to. It was Denethor's intention to tell his father that he had sent a message forth, but that seemingly it never reached it's destination. How could anyone be expected to find a ranger in the wild anyway, especially one so wide-wandering as this Thorongil seemed?

Denethor was not aware that Thorongil had returned until days after the fact. Immediately Aragorn went to the Steward and offered him healing, but Ecthelion refused saying, "I have life provision in me yet for another year. I will remain long enough to seem my son prepared to take my place and then i shall lay down my burden and go whither i am lead thereafter. Go, my boy, and trouble yourself not with an old man."

Aragorn bowed his head in respect and understanding for Ecthelion's wishes and he lay his lips one last time to the ring of the House of Húrin before departing. As he left the Citadel he chanced upon Finduilas seated outdoors with Boromir and a maid. Touching his hand to his heart, he bowed to the three with a smile.

Finduilas asked the maid to watch over the child and she walked with Thorongil toward the healing garden. There she told him that in his absence she again slowly grew despondent, for since Boromir's birth Denethor had lavished such attention on his son that he paid little heed to her or anyone else, and though she begged him frequently to allow her to return to her home by the sea he refused. Seeing a beauty in her beyond that which was observed by her people or even her husband, Aragorn was moved again to give Finduilas what comfort he could provide. In that night Finduilas and Aragorn shared what many would call Man's greatest vulnerability.

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"Sidh, hiril-nin, im nev. Sidh... sidh... sidh...." = Peace, my lady, i am here. Peace... peace... peace...."