Everything in Minas Tirith changed after the shaking on the seventh day after the departure of the Host. The great eagle came unto Minas Tirith, telling of the breaking of the Black Gate and the victory of the King. Everything seemed again fair and bright, the Shadow was no more. All had hearts lighter than children, all expect for Éowyn.
Faramir was moved to much pity, for to his eyes Éowyn was fair and beautiful, but when he looked upon he could not help but perceive her sadness and pain. After the news of the victory over Sauron's forces Faramir took to spending much time with Éowyn in the healing garden and telling her tales of the great island of Númenor and Elendil and his sons, Isildur and Anarion, who came from there before its foundering.
At times Faramir wished that Merry had also remained in the city, though he was glad that he was going with his friends and dear ones. Faramir truly treasured the times they would sit and talk over a pint of Gondor's finest ale, for often Merry spoke of Boromir and always in glowing terms. Hearing of his brother from the Hobbit gave Faramir a great deal of comfort that he had not had the luxury of when he took the cloven horn of Gondor back to Denethor. Faramir learned that Boromir's death was one he would have called honorable and proud and that helped to lessen the ache of losing his beloved brother.
For the month that passed between the destruction of the Ring and the Host's return to the city Faramir had forgotten many of his burdensome worries. While some of Aragorn's worried proved to be needless, others still remained and he felt it best to not speed a return to Minas Tirith. He was quite content to let Frodo and Sam sleep in peace under the beech trees until they woke of their own accord. He saw this time as a good opportunity to make decisions about just how he would raise the incredibly sensitive matter that beset him for nearly half of his life.
When at last the long awaited victorious Host came to Osgiliath, shortly over a month since their leaving, Faramir had all preparations well in hand with the help of many. With dawn a great crowd had come together before the city to greet their returned King. Faramir went forward to Aragorn thinking to surrender the office of Steward now that Aragorn was to take up the crown. But Aragorn would hear of no such thing. Faramir was his Steward, and the King would have it no other way.
Aragorn had had enough time to think out the first few days of his reign. He would bow to the wishes of the people and sit in judgment and take audiences as they came to him. Getting passed the initial rush he felt sure he would be facing was essential before he could set aside the kind of time that would be needed to deal with whatever reactions Faramir might have to what Aragorn knew he had to tell him. He wondered if there would be such a thing as a "good" time or if he would just keep excusing his procrastination as waiting for the right instant.
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A/N: (This is becoming a habit!) Apologies for the lack of length this time around. Short but there is some important information here.
Anyone catch the paraphrased Shakespeare in Chapter 9? Triple points if you can tell me what play it was from! (The scoring is derived from 'Whose Line is it Anyway?')
The next chapter up should be a little longer, and a little more tense.
