The sun was sinking into the West when Faramir woke to his son's cries beside him. He was glad that his sleep had been restful, but now he feared for Elboron. He called out to Aragorn but he had gone back to his own chambers with Arwen. He rose and took the little one in his arms, holding him protectively and nearly running to his father's end of the house. If the door had not been locked he would not have even knocked.

"Please tell me he is alright," Faramir said, his voice weak. The younger man had begun to feel unwell and was glad to just sit down with his father again. Arwen came and sat at his other side and took his hand. Immediately Faramir began to feel better and smiled at Arwen.

She returned the smile and whispered, "just do not tell Erestor."

After a moment of checking Elboron over Aragorn turned to Faramir. "Your son is healthy as ever, Faramir. But he gets his appetite from his namesake. You should find Berethil, he is hungry."

Faramir laughed at himself for being so foolish, but suddenly his laughter turned to tears. Arwen offered to take the baby to the nurse as Aragorn put his arms around his son.

"I can't do this, father," Faramir sobbed into Aragorn's shoulder. "How can i possibly be a good father to him when i can not even recognize he simplest needs?"

"You will do fine, Faramir," Aragorn said firmly but comfortingly. "You love him with your whole being, that is what matters most. And who ever told you that you are in this alone?"

"I just feel so lost already. I feel like i should leave him here with you and go far away before something happens to one of you, too. I feel like i am a curse to everyone i love," Faramir confessed tearfully.

"Faramir," said another voice over at the door. "I used to think that myself," Erestor said. "But i have come to realize that we all have losses. You know, your brother-in-law may be feeling the same thing, perhaps your cousin. Perhaps even your young nephew."

"Is Belthil alright?" Faramir asked, glad to change the subject for the time being. "I feel terrible for him having to come here to this."

"He understands," Aragorn said simply, knowing what a person's understanding could mean to a grieving one.

"I am just so weary of death," said Faramir.

Erestor smiled, putting his hand on the younger man's shoulder. "I will see if Glorfindel can get you an invitation to Valinor. Perhaps the Valar would not mind making an exception for you, since they have already spoken to you."

"Erestor," Aragorn said, thinking of something, "you still plan to return to Imladris?"

Erestor nodded. "Aye, in time," he said, glancing toward Faramir in meaning that he would stay as long as Faramir needed him to.

"It may not be Valinor, but i think you and i should still plan to accompanying Ere' and Glor' back home," the King said to his son. "What say you, Faramir? I know myself, if your hurts can be healed in any lands that i have walked, Rivendell will help you."

"Maybe that is a good idea. I... i need some time...." Faramir trailed off, feeling no desire to talk very much. A thought came to him, though, which he knew needed to be voiced. "How... what... what is going to be done about... about the... funeral."

Aragorn could tell Faramir wanted to get that taken care of as soon as possible. It would be a great test for him and his son already wanted to just get past the alternating currents of pain and numbness. The numbness was, by far, worse than the pain for Faramir. "I believe you and Éomer shall have to discuss that matter, ion-nín. He has already expressed his wife that Éowyn be borne back to Edoras the day after next."

If Aragorn expected Faramir to get territorial about the funeral he was disappointed. Faramir just nodded and said, "what about my little girl?" He shuddered again in a sob at the mention of his precious Findiel.

"You must make that decision," Aragorn said softly.

"I will not have her rest anywhere but with her mother," Faramir said with finality. "But i do not want to go anywhere before Legolas, Gimli, and Glorfindel return here with our Rangers."

Aragorn nodded in understanding. "Do you wish to discuss this with Éomer?" he asked almost hesitantly.

Faramir looked away. "Not really. Just tell me when we shall set out and i will come. All i really want to know is why this happened. Why are my wife and baby girl dead? I heard you say something about a poison, but who...." Faramir could not continue, but Aragorn was impressed that he had managed to say that much.

Erestor exhaled, knowing the task was falling to him. "Éomer perhaps can give a better account than i. I did not even know of the happenings in this city until after the fact."

Erestor was about to go ahead and tell Faramir and Aragorn what he did know, but Aragorn cut him off in concern. "Why did you not know of anything? What happenings do you speak of and how long had they been happening before you knew?"

"Sidh, saes, Estel," Erestor said, not really doing much to calm the mortal King. Yet, Aragorn figured, there was little more that he could possibly have to panic over.

"What i have gathered from Éomer is that several days ago he was riding with Éowyn, when two Men from the land of Harad approached the city."

Again Aragorn interrupted him. "Harad?!" he cried. "But we made peace with them months ago!"

Erestor hated to be interrupted almost as much as he hated being kept in the dark and was getting fed up. He was already strained from the helpless feeling of having failed so many by not having the skill of healing. "Estel, i do not know all of the circumstances. It is as i have said, i knew nothing at all of this until Éowyn took ill. Do you want me to continue or not?" the dark-haired Elf practically snapped at the King.

"Lord Erestor, a bit of your own peace if you do not mind," Faramir said wearily. "This has us all in terrible states, but please, i can not deal with an argument right now."

"You have my apology, Faramir," Erestor said, sincerely sorry that he had not thought of Faramir's presence first.

"And you have mine, ion-nín," Aragorn said rather guiltily.

"I do not need apologies. Please, Erestor, just tell us what happened," Faramir said, leaning against his father.

"Are you sure you want to hear this at this time, Faramir?" Erestor said, rather wishing that he didn't have to speak of it.

"I am sure. I can not bear to have so many questions unanswered," said Faramir. It had been terrible for him before anyone had told him what happened to Boromir. All he knew was that his big brother was laying dead in a boat of Elven craft, shot full of holes, and with a cloven horn. He could easily guess how he had ended up shot, but in an Elven boat? And who had put him there? Faramir's first thought was that he had accidentally wandered into the land of Lothlorien, offended the Mistress of Magic with his relatively boorish ways, and thus... was floating out to sea. Faramir chased away that memory, then turned to Erestor. "Tell me, spare me nothing."

---

linda: I'm glad you like the fact that my stories are different - and i am really glad that my stories are indeed different. That's what i have always gone for, not to write the same thing that everyone has written. The arguments about the funeral, by the way, are about to get a lot more real.

Elenhin: It is always easier to hurt, you are right. But when has Faramir ever just allowed himself to hurt? It is a little uncharacterist if you think about it.... I find pyschology very interesting and i do employ a little of it in my stories, in that my plots, etc are often supported by not what happens so much as how what happens in reacted to. And i know an awful lot of people who think things halfway through and then act... too many. I think it is a major problem in the world today - people just plain do not think anymore.

Elenhin's Comforting Line #345,678. I should note that i "accidentally" began handing out the tickets in reverse order, with number 500,000 first. Then i noticed that only 200,000 had gone, and decided to buy up the rest myself... so i am numbers 1-300,000. :-D