Faramir pushed open the great door to the Hall of Kings. Inside the long expanse was dark, lit only at the far end by torches around the throne. The boy Faramir was terrified, despite Steward Faramir's words of assurance. By Aragorn stood Legolas, Gimli, Erestor, and Glorfindel, as well several Gondorian officials, including Prince Imrahil's adjutant, who happened to be in the city.
As they walked forward the shadowy statues of former Kings of Gondor seemed to watch and weigh up the two. For the elder Faramir, it was a familiar feeling. As a rule, matters were handled in the Hall of Kings as rarely as possible, and of those that did require such formality, Faramir abstained as often as possible. This was a room filled with memories for him and few of them were fond. Faramir was all the more thankful that Aragorn wasn't overly enthusiastic about the Hall either, mostly because he despised the inconsequential ceremony of it all. Aragorn knew he was King, and that was enough for him.
The young Faramir, though he tried to keep his gaze forward, could not help but steal glances at the regal looking men of old. The child was rather chilled by the echo of his footfalls in this place and was glad that there was another Faramir going ahead of him. It took all of the boy's composure not to laugh when he thought how amazing it was that he was here with his namesake, though once the reality of the situation returned, he felt little like laughing. As he looked ahead he saw a number of men standing near the one he guessed to be the King. All of them looked regal and grave and suddenly the young man felt as though he was on trial for the contents of his message.
When the Steward reached the dais he knelt swiftly, addressing Aragorn as "my liege." This only seemed normal to the officials of the kingdom and the younger Faramir. The rest of them were suppressing snickers at the thought that behind closed doors the Steward only used such titles in jest. Aragorn, for his part, forced himself to refrain from rolling his eyes and after an extended moment told his son to rise. If there was one thing that Aragorn loved, it was mocking such rituals with a excessive show of power. He knew he was likely to earn a cuff on the shoulder from his son for that one afterward.
"My liege," Faramir said again, rising, "i have summoned before you the messenger from Pelagir who you called for." Faramir then stepped aside and stood by the Steward's throne, which he practically never sat upon, remembering how Denethor would spend entire days from dawn to dusk just sitting there doing utterly nothing.
The boy took a step forward, fell to his knees, and said, barely above a whisper, "My liege King Elessar."
Aragorn rose and walked down to the young man, now that formal greetings were done. He rested a hand on the child's shoulder and bid him stand. It was with a fond smile that he noted the boy was dressed in the livery of the Guards of the Citadel. Though likely some of the city's officers would find it less charming that someone not of those ranks was wearing those signs, they would not speak of it unless the King or the Steward did, which they did not.
Aragorn took a knee before the boy so as not to seem so imposing - the fear was written on this child's features. "What is your name, lad?" Aragorn asked gently.
"I am called Faramir, my liege," he answered humbly.
The King's eyes widened a bit and he looked to his son. When Faramir gave no response other than to nod back toward the boy, Aragorn looked confused.
In that moment the child was torn between remaining silent unless his King asked him something and speaking up for the Steward's good deeds. With a sudden bit of courage the boy looked into the King's eyes and said, "My mother named me for your Steward because when he was a young captain in Ithilien he helped her and my brothers with provisions. My father was killed before i was born, 13 years ago. My family would not have survived if it had not been for Lord Faramir. It is my only hope that i should live up to his honor," the lad finished in a whisper.
For a moment there was a distant look in Aragorn's eyes as he thought back to someone else who had died 13 years ago. He shut his eyes and bowed his head for a moment and thought of his mother. In that moment, Aragorn was not King of Gondor and Arnor, but only a son who still missed his mother. He thought too of the father he never got to know.
Looking up again, Aragorn embraced the child, saying, "You have the welcome of my halls, young Faramir. Please, sit with me, for i am in need of your assistance." Aragorn sat back against the steps leading up to his throne and invited the boy to sit beside him. Damn formality to Mordor, he would not have this young man of Gondor afraid to talk to him. "Please, my friends, be seated also," he said motioning to his friends and the officials gathered.
His friends seemed to have no trouble making themselves at home, to the apparent annoyance of Gondor's officers who were rather uncomfortable sitting about on the floor. Glorfindel even had the nerve to have a seat on the Throne of Gondor and when one of the officials looked shocked and started to say something, Glorfindel looked him square in the eye and said, "Die with a Balrog on your back and then you can tell me where to sit."
Hearing the remark, the younger Faramir's mouth dropped open as he just realized that those were Elves standing there and that the one on the King's throne must have been the legendary Glorfindel himself. He did not know the Elf dressed in black who whispered to him in what seemed sarcasm, "Do not worry, when we are done here Glorfindel will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about himself." Nor did he know the wood-elf who was seated on the floor beside a Dwarf and leaning back against the throne.
Aragorn noted all of this with a laugh, whatever he had said to his son about being rather formal had been duly dismissed. But when it came to it, he really did need to know if what was reportedly going on in Pelargir was true. "Tell me, young Faramir, how long were you at Pelargir before coming here?" he asked.
"I was sent there at the end of the war, my lord," he answered.
"I sent you?" Aragorn asked.
"You sent the company i was called into, my lord."
"I see. When were you called into that regiment?"
"Just before they left. They had lost a messenger in the war and since i was in good health, i was enlisted, my lord."
Aragorn detested the thought of a 13 year old boy being enlisted as a messenger. He would see that something was done about that. "And your company was sent directly to Pelargir to keep the peace there, is that correct?"
"It is, my lord," the boy replied.
"Were you in Pelargir at all times from your arrival there until you were sent here with a message?"
"I was, my lord."
"Had you wanted to go to Pelargir as an enlisted messenger?" Aragorn asked.
Faramir the younger took a moment to respond. He was told that all that would be required of him was to answer truthfully, but he wondered if the truth was always the right answer. He trusted the Steward's words though, and so replied quietly, "No, my liege, i did not."
Aragorn nodded and motioned to Faramir the elder, but before he could ask, his son was already making a note to see that the young man returned to his family and was removed from service. "Will you tell me, then, of what you saw in Pelargir?" Aragorn asked the boy. "You need not disguise any fact. I would know only the reality of the situation."
Young Faramir took a deep breath. He knew what had been going on there was wrong, and he wanted the King to know, confident that he would put everything to right. "My liege... much happened routinely in Pelargir which i do not think was sanctioned. I was given my message to bear by one of the soldiers of the company, and i do not know of what it reported, but i can say that he is a brave soldier and a true and loyal servant of Gondor. I guess that he reported to you the violence in that port. Many of those who inhabit Pelargir are refugees from Umbar. Most of them are women and children, but there were many men also who came in hope of a new life when he whom we do not speak of was defeated. Most of the women and children from Umbar do not speak the common tongue and many of the men do not either, speaking only the language of the Southrons. When soldiers would ask the foreigners if they were loyal to Gondor, they did not understand and so did not reply." The child stopped and looked downward. "Those who did not give reply were killed, women and children too. The soldiers said it was a matter of Gondor's safety that none treacherous should be within our kingdom." Aragorn held the young Faramir as the boy wept of the images that still haunted him.
It was a long while before anyone spoke again. "Where does your family live now, Faramir?" Aragorn asked.
The boy looked up into Aragorn's grey, compassion-filled eyes. "Our home was on the first level of the city with my father's brother, but i do not know if it still stands. I arrived here at night and i have not been given leave to seek my family yet, my liege."
"Well you are hereby given leave," Aragorn said, standing. "Not only leave for this day, but i also give you leave of your service to Gondor. You have done your country a great deed and i shall see that you are remembered for it, young Faramir. As far as the status of your home, i believe i am correct in saying that the first level is completely rebuilt, am i not Gimli?"
"That you are, Aragorn. No one has gone without good housing this winter, i can assure you that much, laddie," the Dwarf said to the child.
"If my friend Legolas here had his way," Aragorn said to Faramir with a smile, "no one would go without a newly planted tree this summer, either. Though it does take rather longer to turn a stone city into a forest than it does to replace stone with stone."
"That it why i have forever, mellon-nín," Legolas replied grinning.
Aragorn just shook his head, wondering if one day Minas Tirith would be turned into a forest. He then turned to the Balrog-slayer. "O Lord Glorfindel who rules in my stead, might i humbly ask of you to see this good young Faramir safely to his home?"
Glorfindel jumped up off the throne and stood beside the boy, happy to help and have a chance to tell his favorite tale to the awed lad. Aragorn rested his hands on the child's shoulders and laid a kiss upon his brow. "Go, Faramir, with my blessing, for Gondor owes you a debt."
The boy bowed to his King and to Faramir the elder before going with Glorfindel out of the grand hall. After they left the rest of those gather began to rise, some rather more awkwardly than others. Aragorn turned to his son and said, "It looks as though we will certainly be traveling, but unfortunately in the opposite direction. This is going to have to be dealt with immediately. In fact, i would have us leave the morning after next."
Faramir nodded. Though he could not help be somewhat disappointed at the change in plans, he agreed with his father that immediate action needed to be taken. Faramir turned to go and begin preparations for their departure when one of the officials spoke.
"I do not see a need for either you or the Steward to go to Pelargir, my liege," a man named Thorondir said. "In fact, i really see no need to send any. I do not believe our soldiers have acted out of line. If it is true that those who were killed were from Umbar, they were likely spies. If they seek to live in Gondor, perhaps they should learn our tongue first."
"I agree with Thorondir," another said, as did two others. In fact, the only official who did not agree was Imrahil's adjutant, Eärramar.
Aragorn just stared at the officers, anger brewing in his gaze. "Nadorhuanrim! Antolle ulua sulrim."
Silent they stood, not knowing what their King had just said to them. Legolas laid a hand on Aragorn's shoulder. "Tula, mellon-nín. N'dela no'ta. Cu-amin linduva yassen megil-le, be iest lîn."
"Hannon le, Legolas," Aragorn said simply, walking away from the Hall to go back to his study with his friends and supporters and his son.
---
Nadorhuanrim! Antolle ulua sulrim Cowardly dogs! Much wind pours from your mouth.
Tula, mellon-nín. N'dela no'ta. Cu-amin linduva yassen megil-le, be iest lîn Come, my friend. Do not worry about it. My bow shall sing with your sword, if you wish (literally: be iest lin according to your wish).
Hannon le Thank you.
We should pity those officers... i don't think they will have their jobs much longer. Do not mess with the husband of a pregnant Elf.
Voldie: Ripples of Chaos...i personally think it's worth a read, but then i may be bias :) It's really not too terribly slashy. The appendix to it is though.
There will be some stuff with the twins and their mummy in the next chapter which should be up very soon. This one was only delayed because of the upgrades they were doing, elsewise it would have been up late Saturday.
Gimli/Gollum - no, not canonical. However... they both love caves! (I am shuddering already)
Linda: I would imagine that, too! I think Fara' has done a lot more for people than he knows.