A couple days after departing most of his dearest friends, Aragorn returned to Edoras to his wife and his son. After a brief rest Aragorn checked in on Éomer, who was again burying himself in his study. The man of Gondor again advised the man of Rohan to get himself a good Steward. This time he added that he should look into finding a wife as well. Aragorn noticed the way Éomer attempted to pretend that he had not heard that as he was too involved in concentrating on his work. Aragorn grinned of satisfaction at the tinge of pink that crept across the weathered features of the Horselord.
Talk of wives and Stewards sent Aragorn in the direction of his own, gratefully in time for a meal as well. Aragorn was coming to the decision that he'd had enough time in Rohan and wanted to get back home. Mentioning it to the two most important people in his life, he was rather surprised that they would both stay in Edoras a while longer. He had been rather sure Faramir would stay for now, but that he would need to get back to Minas Tirith before the end of autumn, for a while at least. Arwen surprised him, though, by saying that she, too, would remain with Éowyn for a while yet.
Her decision made Aragorn a little less eager to be off, but she insisted that he get back to his kingdom before her father's representatives ended up in some sort of disaster. Aragorn reluctantly agreed that she was completely right, and he and Faramir discussed plans for travel.
They decided that in two months time Faramir would return to Minas Tirith and at that time Aragorn would depart and head back to Edoras for a month. After that he would return to Minas Tirith with Arwen, leaving Faramir free to return to Edoras again.
The whole thing rather confused both men, but Faramir figured that as long as he left Edoras after two months, the rest would play itself out properly. Now all he had to do was explain it to Éowyn. He was surprised that she thought it a good idea, but he considered that could have been just because it was too confusing to be argued with.
The one small fact that had been overlooked, however, was their wedding celebration, which she reminded him of. Faramir considered for a moment. There were a good many fewer people to be involved and Faramir suggested that they just hold the celebration in Meduseld. Faramir wished the festivity might have taken place before so many of his friends departed, but circumstances simply did not allow it. They both agreed that the matter could be taken care of in a week's time, before Aragorn left for Minas Tirith, and so did Faramir, Steward of Gondor, Prince of Ithilien, become husband to Lady Éowyn of Rohan. It was Aragorn's word to them both that he would host a great celebration for them when they both returned to his city.
The wedding feast went on much as the celebration of the Théoden's life had, though there were fewer revelers. Everyone seemed to be very cheerful, if they did not wonder why this celebration had come so quickly. Faramir, who was never a great lover of crowds and parties and formal occasions was saved by his father, Éomer, and men of the Rohirrim, while Éowyn who thought even worse of such events was kept quite well enough distracted by the Queen of Gondor and Lady Lothiriel (who kept mentioning the King of Rohan).
By night's end Faramir found himself outdoors in search of freer air, just as he had after the previous party. This time he had no Elven company to distract him from his thoughts or to advise him to get some sleep. For a long while Faramir sat thinking of his changes of fortune and his new martial status. He thought of how Boromir used to tease him mercilessly about finding a woman. He thought how he wished these coming little ones would have been able to know their uncle, even if he was only half their uncle, or even if they weren't related at all. Faramir guessed that only time would tell, but he knew so little of these matters as it was. He thought much of his brother that night, wishing so intently that they could have shared that time as only brothers can. Before very long, Faramir was sound asleep in the grass just outside the Golden Hall.
ooo
Morning rose gently, the skies filled with soft color, as Aragorn made ready to return to Minas Tirith. He found that he was more eager for this journey home than he realized before. A week out on his own would do him good, and returning to his people, his city, his study, and his bed was going to be very welcome.
Aragorn enjoyed breakfast with his dear Arwen and Faramir before leaving, though he had not seen his son's new wife, and he wondered why Faramir was looking much like he had spent the night outdoors. Aragorn departed before the sun rose too high and he rode on a while into the night until he reached Firien Wood.
It had taken a lot of convincing before Éomer (and several others) would let him ride home unescorted, but now that night had fallen and he was on his own in the woods, Aragorn thought exactly how worth it it was to be out there alone again. Though he would have enjoyed sharing the trip with Faramir as they had on their brief escape from the city, the solitude of his travel tended to be one of his favorite life experiences.
The journey seemed to go far too quickly for the former ranger. Just as he was starting to really enjoy outdoor living again, he was approaching Druadan. He decided to take the slow route around the woods, though that only bought him another half day's ride. Riding up the city gates, Aragorn decided that he wasn't really in the mood to hear trumpets calling out his arrival, and so he drew up his hood. The memory of spending that hour in Minas Tirith's dungeon came back to him, so he was on his guard like never before.
He was rather surprised to find a horde of Dwarves guarding his gate but figured it made no difference to him as they let him pass without a word. Inside the city, it began to perturb him that he was able to just ride in without any questions being asked. By the time he reached the 7th level he was certain that the guard needed to be upped, and he was also certain that the dungeons needed to be overhauled for an expanded wine cellar. He was, however, very surprised that the city was not in complete insurrection.
Entering the Citadel one of his guards moved to stop him but suddenly recognized the King and knelt before him. Aragorn laughed to himself that he was growing rather used to all the pomp and circumstance that came with his position. He was beginning to make his way to his own study to see what terrible mountain of work awaited him when he heard distinctly Elven shouting coming from Faramir's study.
Aragorn walked in rather cautiously to find the dark-haired and fair-haired Elf with swords literally at each other's throats.
ooo
So it seems dashes are being mysteriously devoured by the dash-devouring ungol in the montior... indeed. "o" now takes the place of dash until this foul thing is driven out.
No further guesses as the to Shakespeare paraphrase a few chapters back?
To AM: As for an idea for a Glor-Ere fic... i think i could definitely do that. I'm rather sure (already) that there will be a sequel, or at least an epilogue, to this story. There will indeed be some fascinating things to come, but the Glor-Ere story would be separate. Thanks for noting, hope you continue to enjoy!
The same goes for all of my lovely readers!
