That night, after the extended meeting with Pharazôn to straighten out the sabotage to their treaty, Aragorn was ready for a good night's sleep. He did not dare to try to go back to his chambers just yet, but he hoped Arwen's mood would soon swing back into a good one. He would be incredibly happy when her humor was normal and peaceful again. A thought came to him, though, that frightened him beyond belief - Galadriel had only borne one child... but her mood never went back, according to Celeborn.
As Aragorn and Faramir prepared to turn in for the night, a soft knock was heard at Faramir's front door. Faramir went to answer it as his father and son were rather busy at the moment having what must have been a private conversation as Faramir only understood about half of the "words" uttered.
"My lady," Faramir said, effecting a small bow. "You ought to be resting in your condition," he said, concerned for his Queen, but also as a slight warning for his father, as he wasn't quite sure if it was safe for them to be in the same room together just yet.
"Arwen?" Aragorn called from the inner room. Elboron was sitting up in his arms as he emerged, a length of his grandfather's hair wrapped around a little, yet deceptively strong, fist. She could not help but laugh at the sight of him with his head tilted toward his grandson as the little one kept a hold of that lock of hair, but even laughter was rather uncomfortable these days.
"I wearied of lazing about in bed," she explained, "and i decided to come and tell you that i am sorry for reacting so excessively last night. Forgive me and come to bed?" she said with the smile that always disarmed her husband. Aragorn was rendered powerless as he transferred Elboron back into Faramir's arms and hurried to support Arwen as she walked almost awkwardly back to their chambers.
Faramir could not repress a smile, but he had a feeling that before Arwen gave birth this scene would be repeated. He decided to leave Aragorn's pillow on the bed. There was no doubt in his mind why Gondorian husbands and wives kept separate chambers, even the ones who were truly in love could not be expected to share the same quarters constantly. Separate chambers merely saved wear and tear on one's lounging settee and helped keep a man's back muscles from going stiff in the night too frequently.
With the morning Faramir rose before Berethil came to keep watch over Elboron for the day and went toward his father's chambers. He thought twice of it though and turned back, deciding it was better to let the King rest, there would be enough to work on as they investigated the changing of the latest treaty with Harad. They could not yet implicate Gwaithir enough to charge him formally, but this had his meddling written all over it, literally.
Faramir remembered how close Gwaithir's father had been to Denethor, and there was no doubt in the present Steward's mind that had the former Steward not done himself in he would have taken care of this sort of meddling himself if only to make difficulty for the King. There was no cloaking the fact that Denethor detested the man known to him as Thorongil with an odium most Men reserved for minions of Sauron.
At breakfast Legolas and Gimli were eagerly discussing the justice planned for the twins. Hearing Faramir approach, Legolas went quiet, prompting Gimli to follow suit, until he saw it was another who was in on the ruse. Faramir decided to let their joke simmer on the back burner, at the moment he was most interested in hearing anything about Gwaithir that could incriminate him legitimately.
Neither Legolas nor Gimli had any trouble with him after the incident at which time Legolas handed over the steamy letter from Glorfindel. It was about that time that Belthil came in from the night turn on guard duty, quite inclined to take the morning repast as soon as possible. Faramir explained to them what had gone on with the changed clause in the treaty and all three were more than ready to either bar Pharazôn from leaving, guard Elboron with their lives, or introduce Gwaithir to the sharp end of either fighting knives, axe, or sword. It took a lot of dissuading on Faramir's part to ensure them that the treaty had been properly rectified, that Pharazôn was blameless in the matter and Elboron was perfectly safe, and that Gwaithir was going to be properly dealt with as soon as he could be charged.
Belthil mentioned having seen the ex-councilor leaving Faramir's office while they were away, but upon questioning him Belthil was told that he had only been seeking a quill he'd left there the day before. At the time it seemed to hold water, as Belthil had had the misfortune to have Gwaithir as a "guest" while he was attempting to keep Faramir's office from being overrun. He said that another guard had seen the happening and could back him up.
Faramir nodded that he would consider that and said that his father would know as soon as they began work on the issue. Just then Legolas signaled for them to quiet and moments later the twins sat themselves down for breakfast, the room suddenly gone quiet, some making it intentionally obvious that they were concealing something. Elladan and Elrohir exchanged wary glances but carried on as usual. Slowly the conversation started again, deliberately steered toward rather banal subjects until Aragorn finally entered.
After breakfast Aragorn asked Faramir and Belthil to join him in his office to discuss the Gwaithir situation. Belthil offered to fetch his comrade-in-arms who witnessed the ex-councilor leaving Faramir's office the one day and Aragorn very nearly commanded that he do so. He wanted Gwaithir out of his way as soon as possible. He had expected this kind of resistance from Denethor, and he told himself that he needed to be appreciative that that was not the case, but he still had to wonder if he would ever get any peace in the rest of his years.
During the meeting, after the guard was interviewed and dismissed back to his post, it was made clear that all involved simply wanted to get the matter settled and to find a way to diplomatically silence Gwaithir and his delusions of grandeur, to say nothing of his all too close to the mark accusations.
Faramir and Aragorn remained in his study for a while after Belthil went to see his cousin and take some rest. They so far had little evidence that would lead to a proper charge and trial, and yet neither doubted for a moment that it was Gwaithir who was the chief architect and planner of their most recent difficulty.
"To speak plainly," Aragorn said, his frustration evident, "between Pharazôn's word that it was Gwaithir who hand-delivered the altered treaty and that young guard's testimony that he saw him sneaking about your study, i feel that there is enough evidence against him. I want this to be over with. I do not know what should be done with him, but i want him out of our way... immediately. I did not allow this inheritance so that i could have men like that one doubt my every turn."
It pained Faramir to see that the bane of a man really got to his father so. He hated to see anything trouble his father, but this most of all because, by Aragorn's own admission, it came back to the issue of doubt again. And yet... "I understand entirely, father, but within the bounds of the law, we can not really indict him on those testimonies alone, i am sorry to say."
Aragorn exhaled in aggravation, rising from behind his desk to pace his spacious study. He was beginning to run low on patience, and it was only mid-December. How he would last the winter, he did not know. "Then what can we do? Everyone here knows what that scoundrel is up to. He is dangerous, in my opinion, to my loved ones and i will not brook that. I am supposed to be King of this place, can not i simply change the law?"
Faramir knew very well what his fraught father was up against. He, too, had grappled with this problem. "What good do you suppose it would do to bring him here for... some sort of private trial, perhaps, or at least under a flag of truce?" Faramir offered.
Aragorn figured a private trial of the man had to be better than a public one, though he himself had no notions of truce at the moment. Perhaps this would get an admission of him as a minimum, though, and that would spare all sides much trouble. And still Aragorn warred within himself over what manner of "sentence" he would pronounce. As he saw it, this man's actions had amounted to sedition, treason, and sabotage. What the typical penalty for that in Gondor was and what he was willing to sentence another of his own people to were two different things. Even with those who did little to earn it, Aragorn could not prevent his mercifulness. Thus he agreed with his son's idea and they had Gwaithir sent for at once. Both wanted this justice settled that day, and not a moment later.
It did not come as much of a surprise to father or son that when Gwaithir was politely escorted into the King's study he was looking rather self-satisfied. Ever the gracious host, Aragorn asked him to make himself comfortable and even offered a glass of wine. The King and Steward were then seated across from the ex-councilor.
"Lord Gwaithir," Aragorn began conversationally, "you are of course familiar with the term 'treason'?"
Gwaithir said nothing, but stared at his King with a confused and somewhat trepid expression.
"Right... and so you also know of 'sedition,'" Aragorn continued, still sounding every bit as pleasant.
Gwaithir now looked concerned. What could this supposed king be getting at... surely he did not think that that little addition to their treaty could be considered treason?
"Ah, and clearly you know 'sabotage.'" Aragorn said, beginning to sound a little less cordial.
"What is it you are trying to say, Liege Elessar?" Gwaithir said petulantly.
"I would simply like your testimony regarding an unauthorized change to the peace treaty we had most lately signed with Harad," Aragorn said, resuming his perfect calm. Faramir sat by ready to make note of every word that was said.
"So i take it you did not appreciate my assistance? Well, what more should one expect from the heir of Isildur?" Gwaithir said in something between exasperation and a sneer.
"To answer your first question, no, we did not appreciate your assistance. As to your second... i suppose i should write that off, after all, at least you acknowledge my right now," Aragorn said evenly.
"No, i do not acknowledge your right, Elessar. It is not you who should be called King. Denethor's son was the rightful heir and you know it!" Gwaithir shouted.
Aragorn forced himself not to roll his eyes. He had a feeling it would all come back to this again. "Unfortunately, we can not really bring Boromir into this conversation, thus i, and likely my s-Steward as well, would appreciate you staying to the subject at hand."
"You are correct, of course we can not bring Boromir into this now. What you did not count on, however, was Steward Ecthelion's proclivity for... infidelity," Gwaithir practically taunted.
"I fail to see what this has to do with the change to the treaty," Aragorn said, not appreciating this dalliance a bit.
"Everything, Elessar, everything," Gwaithir demanded. "My father was Steward Denethor's illicit half-brother. When Boromir died, i should have assumed the Stewardship and taken the crown for my own, rightly for the House of Anarion. And yes, you note that i leave Lord Faramir out of the running. You can not fool me, he is not of the House of Anarion, that much i know."
Aragorn had to keep himself from growing panicky about this. He did not like where this was going, and though he wished dearly to acknowledge his beloved son publicly, both knew that it could not be. "Why do you think the House of Anarion is more rightful than Isildur's house?" he asked in an effort to keep Gwaithir talking of something even remotely more general than actual family bonds.
"One can not say that you are not clever, Elessar," Gwaithir said musingly. "No, much too clever i would say. The trouble is that you do not know how to use it and that is another reason you are not fit to wear the Crown." Faramir had to employ every bit of his well-learned restraint hearing that comment, but he somehow managed to remain still and kept taking his notes. "You see," Gwaithir continued, noticing that he had vexed Faramir, "my clause of a politically arranged marriage - now that is a way to ensure peace. Think, too, of our former Steward - he himself married politically. You do not think Imrahil would have ridden here in our time of need had it not been that his whore sister -"
Gwaithir did not expect to get far past that statement before Faramir set upon him and he did not. "Did i not warn you well enough the last time?" Faramir hissed, sword drawn and pressing precariously against Gwaithir's chest.
Gwaithir seemed strangely unconcerned with Faramir's threat. The younger man turned to his father, "i could have done with this here and now. He has already admitted to the crime, and you know the penalty as well as i do." It was in no way typical of Faramir, but he had little control when baited by someone disparaging his mother's memory.
"Aye, but do not forget what the penalty was for Beregond's crimes," Aragorn said steadily.
"Beregond saved my life and acted out of loyalty. This worn would not know loyalty to anything but his own -"
"Faramir," Aragorn interceded quickly. "Peace, we do not need more bloodshed. I have a better way to do this." Aragorn sat beside his current adversary. "Denethor was not gotten any more legitimately than your father, Gwaithir. He was the first born son of a Dúnedain woman whom Ecthelion raped in the name of conferring his blessing upon her marriage. I never knew of Ecthelion's cowardice until after his death, or you may rest assured he would not have lived so long as he did. My point, Gwaithir, is that there are rather few who are here lawfully. This is what happens in societies such as this where all is done in the name of personal gain and advancement and naught in the name of love. You would argue which of us is the more rightful heir, but you miss the reality of the situation. Isildur and Anarion were brothers, dear brothers who fled failing Numenor with their father. They were the Faithful, the Elf-friends, and they would not have contested one another bitterly over whose house superceded whose."
Gwaithir laughed unexpectedly. "You sound more Elven with each breath, Elessar."
Aragorn was rapidly losing patience, though. "I give you this choice, Gwaithir, because i will not have the blood of a man of Gondor on my hands: you either leave here or you die here. That choice is yours and yours alone. If you choose to leave, that entails a permanent departure. The moment you set foot in Minas Tirith again, the choice is changed to that of death. Or, if you prefer not to leave..."
Gwaithir merely sneered at the suggestion. "Oh, certainly you understand exile well enough, do you not? You would be more merciful to give me death quickly than one in the wild."
"I said nothing about the wild. There is abundant opportunity even as near as Greywood. There is work to be done, with the riches you have from centuries of doing no work, i would not doubt that you could continue to live quite comfortably. I would have chosen to work with you for the greater good of our people, and i would have called you brother, but you have made that choice impossible for me. Now you must make your own choice. I expect an answer before any of us leave this room."
Naturally, Gwaithir very grudging accepted Aragorn's clemency and Aragorn ensured that he would have assistance in being moved to a location of his choosing, mostly as a way of keeping Gwaithir under supervision and to speed up the process. He also had the word quickly disseminated that the ex-councilor was officially exiled and that until the move was completed he was under no circumstances permitted into the Citadel for any purpose.
It was past dark by the time Faramir and Aragorn finally emerged from the King's study, both looking miserably weary and deciding to take their meal together in Faramir's quarters. Aragorn was looking forward to a quiet supper with his son and grandson (though Elboron was likely already asleep for the night), a glass of wine, and then a hot bath and a long sleep, his beautiful wife and soon-to-be child beside him.
Just as they were finishing dinner and moving on to the wine, a frantic knock at Faramir's outermost door caused both men, still on edge from the meeting, to nearly trip over one another in their haste to answer it. If this regarded Gwaithir, Aragorn swore his mercy would extend no further.
Belthil stood in the doorway looking unnerved. He did not even bother with his usual conventional greetings, but said quickly to Aragorn, "The Queen is in parturition."
ooo
Next to the last chapter, that's why i made it so long. It feels like it's been forever since i've updated!
linda: I couldn't resist one last twist. I guess one day these guys will manage to get a break, when i run out of ways to torture them.
Elenhin: She probably could literally toss him out. That may yet happen, i do have another chapter to manage in this story. A lot can happen in the last chapter. Any event, i wish i could have convinced Aragorn to be really brutal with Gwaithir, but i couldn't (it is hard to change the mind of a King), and he insisted on being all 'merciful', as usual. Oh well, it comes in handy sometimes i guess, that's why we love him and his son.