So Sorry it took so long for me to get this up. I've had I busy week!
Omara Eldu: Wow, you're right that you went a little crazy. Thanks for liking me so much! I don't know what I'll post next, but I think that it might be an Eomer/Lothliriel (yes, I know that is spelled wrong). I really like that couple! I hope you noticed that I ended the last chapter for you!
Everyone else: Keep reading and reviewing! Thank you so much! I'm glad you like this! I used a wee bit of Irish in this chapter, to substitute for the lack of Elvish words! I'm sorry if I got it wrong. I don't really study Irish, I've just got a dictionary.
Chapter Six
Faramir's feet carried to the library naturally. It wasn't even conscious. He just went there. Before he even knew what he was doing, he had settled down in a chair with a book about Numenor.
What wonderful peace, to be sitting in the library reading a good book. Especially when it rained like it did now. It was the raining season, and the weather was staying true to its name. More so than usual in fact. It never rained this hard!
But soon, the rain of Minas Tirith was long forgotten in exchange for the rains of Numenor. Engrossed, Faramir failed to hear the door creaking, or to see the slender woman that entered.
Eowyn smiled to herself. Now she could surprise Faramir like he had surprised her too many times.
She crept all the way up right next to him, and the said softly in his ear, "Good day, Faramir, How are you?" Faramir nearly jumped out of his seat.
"Umm...G...Good day, Eowyn," he stuttered, trying to regain his composure.
"Oh, Faramir, my brother, Eomer King! His coronation has just been announced for the first day of Lotesse (May)," Eowyn said joyfully. Faramir smiled at her happiness.
"'Tis wonderful news, Eowyn, wonderful," he replied. Then he added curiously, "But could you tell me why your brother is the king and not the late king's own son?
Eowyn's face turned immediately cold. And her sparkling eyes lost their glow. "How...how dare you!" She said, choking own her on anger. "How could you speak so ill of the dead! And to their loved ones! How? How?
Faramir realized his mistake. Eowyn's cousin, Theodred, was dead. He knew that already, he just didn't remember.
"Eowyn, I'm sorry, I did not realize. I'm truly sorry. Please, forget I said anything. I will do anything to take it back, seriously. I know how it feels. I understand," He pleaded desperately. Eowyn just stared at him incredulously.
"Faramir. Do not ever tell me that you understand. Your pains are but a trifle compared to mine." She replied haughtily at last.
Faramir rose at this and in his turn became cold and distant. Eowyn, for the first time, saw him as the noble steward he could be. Powerful and stern in his bearing, instead of quite and gentle nature for which she had mistaken him.
"Do not mistake me again Eowyn of Rohan! I lie not when I say to you that I have felt as you do. My father, brother, and mother were the only relatives I had close to me. I am the only one who yet remains in Middle-Earth except my father. And he despises me. Ask him yourself. As for rejection from a woman, if you speak of Aragorn when you refer to your pain, after what you have put me through in these last several months, I can say I've felt that too. Is that not enough?" Tears glistened in his eyes, but he turned from her before any fell.
Faramir moved to the door, and then paused. As though waiting for Eowyn to stop him. She did not, and him removed himself from the room.
Eowyn could not call out to him to stop. She couldn't do anything. She just stood there gaping at Faramir's words. Words that were essentially a declaration of love.
Finally, Eowyn shook her head. She could have been wrong about what he said, and besides, it didn't really matter. She loved Aragorn. But just in case, she decided that it was time to get her little slip of paper out again.
As she walked to her room to fetch the paper, she thought about Faramir. Of course she didn't love him. She knew it. He was simply a good friend. Sometimes, when one is that close to another, and he leaves hints to feeling a certain way about her, then she might imagine that she feels that way too, when all it really might be is a very precious friendship.
For Faramir's friendship was certainly precious to Eowyn. He was the only one whom she felt like she could really trust. He was the one who had taught her so many things. But she did not love him. He was too close of a friend to feel that way about him. Besides...no. She wouldn't go down that road again. It had nothing to do about the throne.
She slowly headed back to the library, but her feet turned once again. She didn't want to go back there. That was where her confusion started. She didn't want it to continue. Instead, she walked to...none other than the stables.
As she groomed Windfola, Eowyn looked outside. What a dreary day. It was so rainy. It was so bad for riding. Oh well.
As soon as Windfola was brushed, Eowyn mounted. Soon, they were off upon the Pellenor again, without another thought in their heads but the shared ones of a horse and her rider.
(new scene)
Faramir watched Eowyn take off. He watched her until she was out of sight. Even then, he still felt like he could see her.
How could I have been so stupid? I just told her how I feel, and she knows it, and now I've upset her! Why couldn't I keep my emotions under control? If it had been Father, or Aragorn, or Eowyn herself, they all would have just controlled the way they were feeling. How stupid could I have been?!
Faramir reached automatically for his lyre. Slowly, he began playing random chords. Words began to form in his mind, first in Common Speech, then, the molded themselves into Elvish.
A ien eva iar ann bhi si uair amhain
Man mar ar I lad eva Edoras
Lauri' fin dui esse I gwai A Eowyn! Astaldo dacil
Mir' esse I laurie
romen Lumbule cait esse
Uva lye anna esse tenn' I morni' a thalion macar?
òlye. An lye beleg or' œlanta esse I œestel dagor
Nai I el cal in the lome
Faramir gently sang, wondering if Eowyn heard these words from outside his doors, like she had those many weeks before.
But he knew that she did not, for she yet rode across the plains upon her mare. It mattered not what he sang in the privacy of his room, for she did not hear it.
When will she return? He wondered. What if she avoids me now? I hope she doesn't. Perhaps she misunderstood what I said to her. Perhaps when she comes in I can speak with her about it. Perhaps it will all be forgotten. Perhaps.
He decided then to walk down to the stables and wait for her there. He would wait, under the pretense that he was merely brushing Silivren.
He didn't even notice that it was raining until he exited the citadel. He also didn't realize that he never put his lyre down. But that matter put aside, for it did not matter.
He entered the stable, glad to be warm. Carefully, he set his lyre down and was soon busy brushing Silivren. He didn't even take note of Aragorn entering, nor when Aragorn stared at him bewildered. For Faramir was singing the same song that Eowyn had been singing in his absence.
He wasn't down caring for Silivren when Eowyn finally entered the stables. Nor was Aragorn done caring for Roheryn (see below). Eowyn slid off of her mount, and marched straight over to Aragorn, without taking any note of Faramir.
"My Lord, I fear I bring you fell news. Yet someone must always be such a bearer. As I was riding, I spotted orcs. Not just orcs, an army of them."
AUTHOR'S NOTEI know that Peter Jackson gave Aragorn Brego, but according to my books, his horse is really a gift from Arwen. Thus named, Roheryn, or "horse of the lady.
That is the last song for a while, and the last chance Faramir is going to have to sing for a while, so I'm going to give translations here:
a maiden of old there once was
who lived beside the plains of Edoras
Golden hair flows in the wind
Oh Eowyn! Valiant victor
Jewel in the golden sunrise
lye heavy shadow lies in you
Will you give in unto the darkness and strong swordsman?
Not you. And your mighty heart will not fall in the hopeless battle
May it be the stars shine in the dusk