When Celeborn, Galadhriel, and their people parted from Elrond, the twins, Gandalf and the Hobbits, they were returning to Lothlorien. Approaching Caras Galadon, Galadhriel suddenly laid a hand upon Celeborn's arm, halting him in his stride. The Lady stood still with a fey mood about her. Celeborn was well acquainted with these symptoms and waited for the glaze of her eyes to clear before resting a hand on her shoulder and inquiring.
Her voice trembled and all she said was, "It is Faramir. We must go to Minas Tirith."
"The shadow of the past troubles him again?" Celeborn asked pensively.
Galadhriel nodded and immediately they turned to set out again for Gondor's capital.
ooo
Arwen had hardly entered Aragorn's study with him but she drew back slightly. There was a great amount of negative energy in the room and she was surprised to find that it's spring was none other than Faramir. She was concerned to see that he stared at her with what could only be called contempt and entirely ignored her to go on talking to Aragorn. Leaving, Faramir practically pushed passed Arwen. She was not the only one who noted this strange behavior of someone who had utmost respect for the Eldar.
It was unfortunate that Faramir ran into Éowyn on the balcony as he was leaving the Citadel with some requisitions that needed to passed along to the Dwarves and various other craftsmen about the city. He considered just walking past her, but she called out to him.
"Faramir?" she said in a rather modest tone.
Stopping suddenly and turning, Faramir executed a chivalrous, if not almost sardonic, bow. "How may i serve you, my lady?" he asked dispassionately.
"Please do not be so cold with me," she pleaded, rising to stand before him. "I... I apologize for what i said about your family. If someone had said a thing like that to me, i would have been at arms in an instant. Ever since i learned of this pregnancy there have been moments when i do not know truly what i am saying or doing."
Faramir felt the pull to simply accept her apology and allow the matter to be at an end. 'Forgive her, you fool, as she forgave you!' he told himself. Then the thought came to him that it could be seen as insult to his mother and brother and as a weakness in him to let the matter go. Yes, the Lords of Valinor would have just loved to see him take that course again, but he refused. Instead he remained silent. Perhaps that old habit that he had often detested in himself would serve him well after all.
Searching Faramir's eyes desperately for any hint of caring, Éowyn chanced a step closer. Seeing no discernable emotion she lowered her eyes. "Faramir, i think that perchance it may be true that i only consented to our marriage because of my circumstances. I was sure that i loved you and that you felt the same as i, but so many times you have given me reason to doubt your heart, and i am no longer sure that i understand what love is either."
Still Faramir said nothing.
"Perhaps people of our standing lack a luxury that the lower class may have as theirs. We do not have the luxury of marriage for love, but we must marry for political reasons. Can we not at the least come to an understanding, some sort of compromise, instead of lamenting our fates?"
"You may lament fate, lady. I have a kingdom to tend to," Faramir said curtly before bowing irreverently again and leaving.
Several minutes after Faramir left Aragorn came through the same way, only he found Éowyn seated on a bench by the wall and in tears. She had not heard his approach and Aragorn sat beside her, putting an arm around her shaking shoulders. Hoping against hope that Faramir had a change of heart she looked up, but quickly lowered her gaze again. "Lord Aragorn...," she managed to whisper in a strained voice.
"Dinen, Éowyn. Speak not, be calm," Aragorn said soothingly. He held her and let her tears fall, just as Faramir had the night he arrived in Meduseld.
It was then that Faramir returned, having forgotten that he needed his father's signature to several documents. The Steward, in disgust of the sight before him, threw down the papers in his arms. "What is the meaning of this?" he shouted angrily.
Aragorn, who had been trying to control his temper since witnessing Faramir's attitude to Arwen, finally gave up trying and rose almost protectively. "I have been trying to comfort your wife, which is more than you have done! I would greatly like to know what is the matter with you, Faramir. What in the name of Mordor has gotten into you?"
Faramir took a step closer. "Nothing has gotten into me! I am seeing things more clearly than ever before. Such as, i see that i was justified in my believing that i am still second to you in Éowyn's heart. I see that all along what i thought was compassion was really just weakness and disregard for myself."
Aragorn was fuming with anger and obviously close to saying something that he would have indeed regretted. Éowyn stepped in firmly, though, and insisted they stop acting as children. Aragorn took several deep breaths and relaxed, if but a little. Faramir, however, only grew in rage. Éowyn knelt to retrieve the dropped scripts, but Aragorn stopped her.
"Leave them, those can be dealt with later," he said softly before turning to his son, his tone growing darker. "As for you, i want you to take the day off. Just go and get out of here for a while. I would rather prefer that you do not return to the Citadel until this temper you are in has passed."
"Or maybe you would prefer i do not return to the Citadel or even Minas Tirith?" Faramir asked through clenched teeth. "I can always go live in exile with Beregond, after all, he is only alive because he helped to save my shameful life," he suggested sarcastically.
"Faramir!" Aragorn said warningly.
The Steward forced a mock smile and bow. "As you wish, my Lord," he said before turning on his heel and disappearing.
Éowyn turned to Aragorn in apology when Faramir left abruptly but the King refused to hear of it. Éowyn was appreciative of his kindness and went to lie down for a while in her room. It was getting to where she could no longer deny that her condition weakened her.
Left alone on his balcony, Aragorn sank down to the floor against the balustrade. Being King was definitely everything he had feared for 68 years that it would be. What he needed was his father's wisdom, but he had to make do with his own. He already regretting forcing Faramir to go cool down. Now that he put thought into it, he realized that what he should have done would have been to ask his son to take care of others matters in his study, then sit down and talk things out with him. After all, Faramir had been doing so well those last few weeks while he was accomplishing much in the kingdom. Looking through Faramir's eyes, Aragorn realized that it probably looked to his son like he didn't want to look at him or help him as a father should.
"Damn it!" Aragorn cursed himself loudly. He had sworn to himself that he would do all he could to be a good father to Faramir, and Aragorn hated to be confronted with his shortcomings.
