The next time Eowyn awoke, she was warm and comfortable. Faramir's arms were encircled around her, and her head was nestled securely in the nook between his arm and torso. Her arm was thrown over his stomach, and she raised her hand a little, playing with the hem on his tunic. It was stained with mud a little, and Eowyn guessed this was the one he had worn for all through his journey and had not changed since they had arrived in Rohan.
Her head ached no longer, but she still felt a little weak. Nothing a walk in the city wouldn't cure, she thought. As she gave a little smile, she felt a hand, Faramir's hand, trail gently along her jawline, and she looked up at him.
"How are you feeling?" He asked her lovingly.
She gave him a smile, and he felt as though his heart had just melted with the grin. "Better now you are with me, my love."
Whenever she called him 'my love', he felt himself shudder. The way it rolled off her tongue seemed almost natural, yet it was a phrase she reserved only for him. He was pleased that his mere presence could help her, particularly as he had been extremely worried when he had recieved her letter. Yet since he had arrived, there was something he had wanted to do as soon as he saw her, and had not yet done. "Well, I am pleased to hear that, my lady, as there is something I have been meaning to do."
"Really?" She asked slyly. "And whatever could that be?"
He leaned downwards and she parted her lips as he caught her in a gentle and passionate kiss. Everything around them stood still, the call of the birds outside the window fell on deaf ears, and the sunlight was blocked by closed eyes; nothing could disturb the two lovers. Their tongues were dancing to a tune only they knew, a synchronised love that could not be stilled nor broken.
As they parted, Eowyn's eyes opened to gaze up at Faramir, their eyes were only about an inch apart, and couldn't help but smile at the image of love that had glazed over his eyes.
"I have been waiting to do that since I arrived." He whispered huskily, "And it was worth it."
She smiled and nuzzled her forehead against his, bringing him closer to him. "How is it that you can always bring a smile to my lips in the darkest of times?" She asked him.
His eyes washed over with worry. "What is this darkness you wrote of, love?" He asked, his arms wrapping tighter around her. Her eyes avoided his gaze, looking down at his chest instead. "Eowyn?" She did not respond, and he rubbed his thumb where he had cupped her cheek. "Wyn? You can trust me with this." He assured her, using his familiar shortening of her name to grab her attention.
"If i speak of it, you must promise you shall not think less of me." She whispered. "You cannot see me as weak."
He frowned. Was that a tear forming in her shining eyes? "I could never think less of you!" He said, slightly suprised she could say such a thing. "Whatever troubles you, you shall never be weak to me! You gave me a reason to continue to live, Eowyn! Were it not for you, there would be little that healers could do for me." He saw that a tear escaped her beautiful blue eye and slipped down her cheek. He wiped it away with his thumb before it travelled too far down her rosy cheeks. "You shall always be the strongest woman I know, but more importantly, you shal always be the only woman I love."
Her eyes finally raised to meet his, and she threw her arms around his neck, letting her tears flow freely. They soaked the shoulder of Faramir's tunic, and the coolness chilled his skin. He put one hand around her shoulder, and the other on the small of her back, rubbing it gently to soothe her.
"Lightening." She murmered between sobs. "In the night." Faramir frowned at this, but did not cease his comforts. "Then, I was in a forest..."
She began to retell the details of her dream, all the while holding herself to Faramir as if he were about to disappear.
The sun was hidden by the canopy of the trees as she rode swiftly underneath it. She did not know to where she was riding, nor to whom, but there was a pain in her heart as if she were being pulled away from all she loved. Eventually she came to a clearing, and before her there was a terrible battle between men. One group was wearing dark green cloaks with thick hoods to keep away the cold, and she instantly recognised them with their armour as being rangers of Gondor. The others she had never seen before, yet their rugged, unkempt looks made them seem like outlaws.
"Where is she?" She heard a voice call. She knew that voice! Faramir! She turned in the direction of her love's voice. "Leah! Leahmir?" Eowyn frowned, who was he calling? Who was this Leahmir? He called again, louder this time over the clashing swords and flying arrows.
"Papa? Papa!" Came the replying call from a young woman of around fifteen years old. Eowyn wondered at first what such a youngster was doing on the grounds of battle, then she realised what she had called to Faramir. This was Faramir's daughter! The girl ran through the crowd, wearing the same green cloak as Faramir was. "Papa! What is happening?"
Faramir gripped Leahmir by the shoulders, pulling her out of the way at the last second of an attacker. "Where is your mother?"
Leahmir shrugged. "I don't know. We got separated." Faramir looked around him desperately, not letting go of his daughter.
"Eowyn!" He called out. He caught sight of where Eowyn sat upon her horse, and the pair ran over to her. Eowyn was in shock, realising now that this Leahmir was their daughter. Her's and Faramir's. Faramir stopped at the horse's feet. "Are you hurt?" He asked her. She shook her head, still shocked. No she wasn't. Beside her, Leahmir was climbing onto a horse that Eowyn had not noticed before hand. "I don't want either of you here a moment longer. I will not have your lives jeapordised by staying here."
"Papa!" Leahmir said. "We cannot leave you here!"
"You must!"
"But-"
"Leahmir! You must leave!" He turned to Eowyn. "Take the road around through the mountains. Ithlien is under attack, as is Minas Tirith, stop at no city save Edoras. Go directly to Rohan."
She had never seen Faramir so demanding. There was a look of desperation in his eyes, and yet he did not take his eyes of either Eowyn or the girl as he spoke, despite the events around them. "I will not leave you." She heard herself say. "I love you."
"I love you too." He told her, "Which is why you must go. Take Leahmir, Elboron should already be with Eomer, and he has the twins with him. You must go to them. They need their mother."
"They need their father!" She felt herself protest.
"They shall remember me."
Though her mind told her to stay, she was forced to watch her body take charge and she turned the horse around and began to ride away, accompanied by Leahmir. She turned one final time, only to see Faramir staring after them. Behind him, an archer took aim, and fired a shot. She called to warn him, and she let out a scream of anguish as the arrow peiced his back and he yelled in pain, leading several more arrows to impale him before he fell to the same end as his brother.
As she finished her tale, Faramir's shoulder was completely soaked. She had seen him die, and had seen mention of four children. A son, a daughter, and twins. She was no longer sobbing, but every few seconds she would whimper. Her face was buried in his pale brown hair.
"It is just a dream Eowyn." He assured her, though in his mind he was uneasy. Minas Tirith could never be overrun, its defences were too great now, so was Ithilien, and also, he would not see both Eowyn and his daughter in a battle. He would not see them hurt.
"Is it?" She asked him.
"Yes." He promised her. "We will almost certainly be blessed with children once we are married, yet we shall not let them be in the middle of battle."
Eowyn pulled away to look at him. "Promise me we shall never be in this situation where we are to be seperated like that." She said, not a question, but a gentle demand, one that Faramir could not refuse.
"I promise." He smiled at her. "Even if our daughter does turn out to be as stubborn as her mother and wish to ride to a fight, I shall tie her up and refuse to let her."
Eowyn let out a small laugh through her tears. "But if she is truly like her mother she shall defeat you before you have a chance to get near her with the rope."
Faramir raised a finger in protest. "Ah, my dear, but if she is that much like you, she shall have a weakness that cannot be overcome, even by the love of war."
"And what is that, dear Faramir?"
"Me."
She hugged him again, this time smiling. "Thank you." She smiled.
"For what?"
"For not thinking less of me."
They held each other in that embrace, one held intact by their love, until Eowyn's pride resurfaced.
"I am feeling much better now." She informed him. "And I am both hungry and restless," She began to rise from the bed, only to wobble as she stood. Faramir was quick of his feet beside her and steadied her.
"Careful, love. You have rested much, but your body does not yet have back its strength." She regained her footing and walked towards the door, not caring that her hair was tousled and that she was still in her gown from the previous day.
