Meduseld had been set up for the reflective celebration that was a custom after Rohirric funerals, and Faramir, returning from his chat with Éomer went to be seated with his father and friends who had accompanied them on the march.

Aragorn clasped his son's shoulder in a show of support and took a close look at him. He then briefly turned his attention to his friend seated upon the throne of Rohan. "Well, no visible swelling or bruises on either of you. Am i to guess it went well, Faramir?" Aragorn asked.

Faramir nodded, taking Elboron from Berethil's arms. "I think it did. I managed to get through to him i think."

"You let him figure it out for himself, then?" Gandalf said.

Faramir grinned. "Aye, i rather did at that, Mithrandir. Though i know he has a long way to go yet, he will be all right. I never before realized how he doubts himself. He seems so much like Boromir sometimes, i simply thought he had the same manner of self-confidence."

"Your brother had his share of chinks in his armor, not one of us here is perfect, Faramir," Gandalf said.

"I have to admit, i rather miss him more than anything today," Faramir said longingly. "My brother was the best friend i ever had."

"Every time i regret my decision to leave you i remind myself of that," Aragorn whispered to his son. "I know what the two of you meant to each other, and knowing that, i never would have split you up."

Faramir smiled sadly. "I am glad you did not, for it was worth it to me just to know him. Yet, i am also so thankful that you have come back."

The young man who was Boromir's very image reached across the table to his uncle and handed him a book. "I found this in the apartments i was allotted in the Citadel. I think it might have belonged to my father, judging by the ciphers there," Belthil said pointing to a white tree symbol above the Elven runes of the Steward's mark, Boromir's personal emblem as the heir, on the lower right corner of the front cover. "I wanted to read it, but i thought perhaps you should first."

Faramir just looked at the leather-bound book for a moment, a hundred thousand memories of Boromir washing over him. "Yes... this was his. You must be quartered in his old apartments. I have not even been there since... before the War. Thank you ever so much, Belthil," Faramir said. It was obvious that the leather thongs that were knotted to keep the book closed from prying eyes had not been tied and untied since before Boromir left for Rivendell. It seemed so very long ago, going on two years now, and Faramir's eyes had misted over. "Excuse me, please," Faramir said, rising from the table and leaving to find the one place he felt comfortable in the entire country of Rohan... the relatively miniscule library.

For a while Faramir just sat quietly in the library as a little light filtered in from the window facing east. It was not even past noon yet and the celebration in the Golden Hall would likely continue until evening. Briefly Faramir hoped he would not be missed or expected to return quickly, but looking at the book of his brother's again, he did not care who expected him to be where when. There were some things that were more important. This was one.

It was not as though Faramir did not have any reminders of his brother about, the very cloak he had worn at the burial that morning had been Boromir's, but there were very few things he had that were truly his brother's so personally as his own journal. Faramir knew enough to know that this book that Belthil just happened to have on hand, and just when he had been thinking of his beloved brother at a difficult time, was one of those small gifts that had so much value.

It was a while before Faramir untied the knot, he was content for a while to just feel the texture of the leather, worn and smoothed over the years from Boromir's touch. He took care in unlacing the knot for fear that the thong might have gone brittle in the last few years of neglect.

Gently opening to the first page, Faramir smiled to see his brother's rather untidy handwriting. He had forgotten that idiosyncrasy of Boromir's and hoped he would be able to make sense of what had been written. To Faramir, even if he could not decipher all the words, this thing was precious to him all the same.

---

I know this chapter is short... and late. The next chapter will make up for it though. Coming up next is going to be the contents of Boromir's journal... some of it anyway.

linda: Faramir was indeed wise in his chat with his bro-in-law. Once he saw how Eomer was feeling, much as he has often felt, he understood and was able to help. There was some kind of jealousy between them, may still be some, but Faramir just happens to be able to let go of that sort of thing.

AM: I have no choice, i have to keep writing. Otherwise all these ideas back up inside me and i go crazy. Writing these stories is my fix, works out well, huh?

liz: I know there are typos. I know i should review more carefully. I often write at night (when i should be getting some sleep - like right now) and i try to post ASAP. As a secretary, i never look over my own work, but always have at least one other person edit, three people if it is something to be published. But since this is just fanfiction, and even with the new editing procedures on the site, i still have yet to allot precious writing time to going back and editing all the annoying littleflaws that i usually pick up when reading over the next day.

Voldie: And here i thought you didn't like the story anymore... :( Glad you are back to reviewing though, if anyone understands busy it is i. I am sorry for not including translations like i should. Sometimes it is sheer laziness on my part. Sometimes i just forget, Sindarin has gotten to be so second nature to me that sometimes i don't notice something that needs a translation at the end. I will try to mind that. Let me know if there are any in particular you wanted from past chapters. And thanks for keeping me paying attention to those details. And yes, I think there is going to have to be a spin-off featuring little Elboron. Perhaps a few other spin-offs as well. I am really getting into writing Boromir's journal, for instance.

Elenhin: I guess the end isn't too far off, as i see it. But this story has grown into something bigger. As i mentioned directly above to Voldie, there will be spin-offs. There are a few things looming in the future i am interested in exploring. Some things that will have to wait for Eldarion to come along, some i might start exploring this week even.

Have my author notes run longer than the story? How i do try to avoid that... but when my dear readers review, i like to let them know i have paid attention.