Chapter 3: My Hope Returns
(a possible scene after Frodo in the Houses of Healing but before the Coronation)
(Eowyn's POV)
I stood on the walls thinking about the golden days around me. The whole City is busy, preparing for my hope's return. They are full of gladness, yet I am not.
I am not healed. The warden did not give me leave. And I am left to walk alone.
I found myself missing the sight of him as he is busy with his duties. More than before, the darkness clouds me. I often wondered where does my hope truly lie. Even now, I do not know.
He has returned and found me here looking east. I greeted him with a smile but I did not say much.
(Faramir's POV)
She was at the walls again, deep in thought and looking east. Her face was pale as she greeted me. She was ailing and sorrowful in the midst of the joy in Gondor. Her smile was weak but her eyes tell me that she is happy to see me.
"Eowyn, why do you stay here and not go rejoicing?" I asked looking at her tenderly as before.
Her countenance fell and she turned away. "Do you not know?" she asked looking far into the fields ahead.
"I can only think of two reasons" I said. "But which of the two is true I don't know".
She turned her back to me and the shadows of doubt were cast.
Was she thinking of her hope in the east? Or will she choose me? The shadows grew longer as the sun was descending in the sky. All my life I am second choice. Will my hope return to me?
(Eowyn's POV)
When he asked me why I do not go rejoicing, fear came upon me and I turned away. Then the conversation turned into another of his guessing games. I was not in the mood to play.
"Please do not speak to me in riddles" I said coldly with my back turned to him.
Bitterness and frustration was rising quickly in me. I did not want him to see me like this. But I turned back with a look of shock and surprise when he offered his reasons why.
"You stay because you do not wish to see the King or you desire to be with me".
Even it were true, I still do not know what to do. For there is no door to hope I could choose.
He looked at me in the same manner as when he first saw me looking thorough the window. His eyes were grave yet shining with hopeful anticipation. Then he asked "Eowyn, do you not love me? Or will you not?"
And everything within me broke.
(Faramir's POV)
"I wished to be loved by another. But I desired no man's pity" came her answer, bitter and proud. Yet she hung her head low as if she was ashamed.
Her words struck me like her beauty pierced me. I felt the guilt as I did pity her once. But now it is just my hope. A hope that healed me and must return to her.
So I faced her and took both her hands into mine .
"I know of your desire for Aragorn but look at me, Eowyn"
She raised her head slowly until we looked at each other again. And for the first time her eyes looked steadily into mine.
It seemed a long time.
"You are a valiant lady, Eowyn and you will not be forgotten. I do not offer you my pity now"
"Were you the blissful Queen of Gondor, still I would love you. Do you not love me?"
I dread to lay it down so clearly that she may choose. For I am afraid of the choice, the one that will end my hope. Yet I must step into the darkness, for the hope will only live if she decides so.
And suddenly she smiled more fully than I ever saw. My hope, returned.
(Eowyn's POV)
I was quiet for a while but my eyes never left his. I was searching and I knew.
"I do not desire to be Queen"
My hope, returned but it was not from the east.
It was in the tender yet grave look of a kind man that first hoped for my love.
He laughed at my reply and kissed me deeply in the sun.
Our shadows departed and I was healed.
P.S I am still sad of course as I would love to see more of the couple. If in the future, there is possibility of reworking the DVDs or making LOTR into a longer feature, I wish for the Eowyn /Faramir romance to be treated in depth and featured as an appendix feature (similar to Tolkien's treatment of the Aragon and Arwen relationship in the book)