As the days filled with celebration died down and the work of running a kingdom got back to normal, Faramir and Aragorn enjoyed the city being filled with Elven life. For Aragorn, it was a symbol of both the past and the future of Middle-earth and his own life. Legolas's decision to bring Elves from the Woodland Realm to settle in the fine forests of Ithilien satisfied Aragorn perfectly. Having Elves nearby gave Aragorn a sense of peace, and he knew their being there would bring Ithilien the kind of healing it needed.

For Faramir, Aragorn having as guests many of those he grew up with and considered family meant only one thing: he would not be permitting the King to get on with any work. Rather Faramir had decided to take up the extra duties of his Stewardship as he would any other time Aragorn might be otherwise unavailable. He deemed it best to get better used to the procedures of the office at a time when he simply did not want to interrupt Aragorn, rather than a time when he might be unable to altogether.

In those weeks after the wedding father and son still continued their newly established tradition of taking their evening repast together. At times Gondor's Queen would join them, at others she left them to their talk of matters of state and their state of affairs, political and personal, while she accompanied her people.

This night they dined privately. It was a couple weeks after the wedding of Elessar and Arwen when riders from Rohan were seen returning to the White City. Word from the watch at Nardol had reached the king's ears and he came to supper that evening bearing the news to Faramir.

The Steward said that he was glad to hear of their return, but Aragorn read the troubled misgivings in his eyes too well. "You still fear to tell her? Or do you fear more that two months has taken its toll of her heart?"

Faramir looked into his father's steady grey eyes. There was a time when he would never have spoken his mind, let alone his heart, within the walls of the Citadel. "I fear, father, that she will react negatively if i tell her. Yet, i fear that if i tell her not i would naught but a charlatan."

"Why should you feel so, Faramir? In truth, it should not matter to her the circumstances of your birth." Aragorn decided to check just how much advice he gave his son at that point. Though he did believe that the reality of Faramir's birth should not matter to the woman he would marry, he would not go so far as to persuade his son to one action over another.

"I know what you are saying, father. The trouble is, i counseled you that there should be no secrets between husband and wife."

"You did, yes, however the matter was different. I was at fault, Faramir, and my actions were betrayal. You have done nothing wrong, though. Perhaps i should bear the responsibility of speaking to her as well?" Aragorn suggested, already knowing Faramir's answer.

"No, father, this i must do alone, without aid. If she rejects that knowledge, then that is how it is meant to be," Faramir said with more steadfastness than he knew he had.

Over the next couple of days until the host of Rohan reached the city Faramir fairly buried himself in his work. Several citizens had nearly started a rumor that he left the city or was in very grave health, the people of Minas Tirith having a special liking for scandal about authority figures. When the call came that King Éomer had arrived, though, Faramir went with Aragorn to give his greetings.

Éowyn, of course, went quickly to Faramir. She took his hand and smiled warmly, her eyes sparkling. Gazing back into her eyes, he still saw a certain amount of grief within her. The latest guests entered the city, which was now becoming very full, despite many people returning to their outlying homes that had been abandoned in the days of the shadow. Faramir escorted Éowyn to the garden where the air was more conducive to talk.

"My lady, you are radiant indeed," Faramir said, being seated with her under a lilac tree. "And yet, i still sense sadness and concern in you."

Éowyn looked away from him briefly. "We come not on happy occasion, but to return my uncle to the land of his forefathers."

"We have had much happy occasion here in Minas Tirith, i am only sorry that you were not with us. Such celebration may have lightened the burdens you bear as it has for many of us."

"I have heard that the wedding of your king to his Elven queen was indeed magnificent. I wish that our own will be as wonderful," she said with a hopeful smile.

Faramir laughed at the thought of trying to execute that scale of ceremony all over again. "Ours shall be beautiful indeed, perhaps more beautiful than Aragorn's wedding, if not quite as grand. After all, we have plenty of time for planning. Though they were betrothed for 39 years, Aragorn only began planning when he found the new tree."

Éowyn looked a little taken aback to think of that long a betrothal. "They had waiting 39 years for their wedding?" she asked.

"And longer, in truth it was more like 68 years, for that was when they met," Faramir said, recounting some of his father's stories to him.

"But surely we shall not wait that long?" Éowyn asked, sounding worried.

"Of course we shall not," Faramir said with a smile. "Not nearly."

"How long shall we wait, then? I had hoped that we might be wed by harvest."

"Harvest?" Faramir asked, raising a brow. "You mean next year's harvest, of course."

Éowyn shook her head, her eyes conveying much care. "I mean this harvest, Faramir."

Faramir could not help but laugh at the implausibility of him getting married before winter's first frost. "Éowyn, my dear, it could not possibly be so soon."

"Why not? What prevents it?" she challenged.

"Well, for one thing i have not even begun to look toward Emyn Arnen where we shall dwell in time."

"Yet you may do so easily enough. Surely there are many who you may send forth on your behalf."

"Of course there are, but it takes time to settle enough to be able to live there and make comfort for a wife."

"Can we not live here in the city until then?"

"We could, yes, but that is really beside the point i believe." Faramir began to wonder where all this was going, why Éowyn was so insistent that their marriage take place quickly, and further why he had not even been able to discuss with her what he intended to.

"Then tell me what else holds you back, if not the land of the Prince of Ithilien," she said, growing in her firmness.

"Éowyn, there is much work for me to accomplish here, for the future of the kingdom, before i can even begin to think of my own future. I can not simply leave my work to gather, there are none else who can perform the duties of my office."

"Then you mean to say that your title is more important to you than i am?" she asked rather distressed now.

"Why would you think that? Éowyn, i am simply saying that my responsibilities to my king and country are very great. It is as i said, there is no one else who can see to some issues. Not the least of which includes the many numbers of women and children left without husbands and fathers because of the war. Surely you understand. They can not be expected to fare for themselves, some have no family, no one to take them in. One of my responsibilities as Steward is to see to it that everyone within the city is taken proper care of, and that involves spending a lot of time assessing their needs. Not only that, but there is the rebuilding going on here in the city and out at Osgiliath. Rath Dinen was severely -"

Éowyn's passionate protest cut him off. "What of the responsibility you bear to that which i now bear?!" she practically shouted.

Faramir was so stunned that she brought such a sudden halt to his own words that it took him a moment to process what exactly she meant. His eyes widened slightly and his jaw dropped as realization struck the Steward. All of sudden he had to catch his breath.

"You mean... you're with... but are you certain? I mean... but, Éowyn, you can't -" Faramir spoke haltingly before he felt the old urge to hide every feeling and become again the imperturbable young man who so often faced difficult challenges by refusing to get emotionally involved.

"I can and i am, Faramir," she said quietly.

Faramir's forehead fell toward his hand. "I am not ready for this in my life," he muttered. That was when he began internally berating himself as he had done what seemed so long ago. "Éowyn, i am sorry, but i can not discuss this with you. I need a moment. Meet me here again this evening, please, and i will be more ready for this." Faramir spoke hastily before hurrying away from the garden and to the Citadel toward Aragorn's study. He needed his father's advice immediately.

When Faramir reached the study, Aragorn's door was shut. Most times Faramir would have simply put off his interruption for a more convenient moment, but not in this case. Aragorn answered Faramir's knock and the Steward did not even bother to acknowledge Éomer, who his father had been chatting with. Aragorn observed immediately his son's paled countenance and was worried.

"I need to talk to you, now," was all Faramir said, though he hadn't needed to say even that much. Aragorn was already going to ask Éomer to see him later when he saw the pain in Faramir's eyes.

Aragorn closed the door as Éomer headed out and he turned to Faramir, trying to gauge what could possibly have troubled him to the point that he was visibly shaking. "Faramir, my son, what's wrong? What happened?" Aragorn asked concerned, placing a steadying hand on Faramir's shoulder.

As Faramir looked at his father his tears broke loose. Aragorn stood bewildered for a moment before putting his arms around his son. Aragorn was now beginning to fear what news Faramir was bringing him.

"I need your help, father. Tell me what to do, and i shall, for i no longer even know where to find the sunrise," Faramir said, calming down a little.

"What's happened, Faramir?" Aragorn asked evenly.

"Éowyn is with child," his son replied steadily but despondently.

Aragorn felt a sudden rush back to the day that herald had finally found him in the wild some 36 years ago. He was flooded with compassion for his own child. Aragorn let out a long sigh which Faramir mistook for anger and backed off a bit, standing a little straighter and forcing himself to quell his tears. He had momentarily forgotten that he was not in Denethor's presence.

"Faramir..." Aragorn said calmingly. "It's alright, i understand what you are feeling."

Faramir sank down into a nearby chair and attempted to bury his head in his hands. "What have i done, father? I am not ready for this. I can not be a husband and father. I am so angry at myself for this. All the way here there was a voice in the back of my mind telling me what a foolish mistake i've made."

"First of all, do not be angry with yourself, Faramir, nor anyone else. Also, do not listen to that voice. Likely as not that is the voice of the past," the king counseled his son gently. He had figured that Faramir's conscience probably sounded a lot like Denethor.

"What am i to do? Father, i am not ready to be married. There are far too many other -" Faramir stopped short at his father's grin.

"Other ladies?" he said jokingly, knowing full-well that Faramir did not have the roaming eye his brother was purported to have, but also knowing he needed to lighten the mood, if but a little.

"Father."

"Sorry, Faramir. I know, you have many responsibilities. And i know, furthermore, that you immensely enjoy your work. Do not think for a moment that i could carry on without you at my right hand. Faramir, do not lose heart of this, you never know what may come of it. When i returned here for your birth i thought only to ease Finduilas's pain and be gone again. I had no intention of even looking at you. But once i did i was trapped, and you know that you are the best thing in my life," Aragorn said holding his son's hand. "Come, we shall get through it together."

Faramir felt immensely comforted, it was almost as though Aragorn had a dish of athelas water on hand. As it happened, the king had sneaked a leaf from his belt pouch and was crushing it between his fingers.

"There is only one trouble, father."

Aragorn nodded that he was listening.

"I hardly know her, really, and i have been wondering in these weeks since your wedding if i really love her... or if what i had felt in the healing garden was not just my pity for her combined with my own need to feel loved."

Aragorn was amazed by the understanding of his own emotions that Faramir displayed. He also wondered at the sameness of their situations, and he felt terrible that his situation all those years ago allowed him an escape whereas it did not for Faramir. At the moment, though, he knew well enough that all Faramir needed was his father's arm around him. And that athelas leaf that was nearly rubbed into oblivion.