Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings.
Summary: Snapshots of things we didn't see in 'Children and Fellowships' and things in between that story and 'Children Grown'.
A/N – Frost Queen as to your review, I will answer that everyone has the right to express his or her opinion. However, if they have no basis for their complaints other than being purists who hate additional characters, then by all means act on your sibling-protectiveness as you see fit.
Courtship Problems – Part One.
Faramir, second son of Denethor, Steward of Gondor, tossed in his bed. It seemed that he had yet another thing in common with his betrothed, Eowyn of Rohan.
Severe cases of the Black Breath left lingering after affects, including truly horrible nightmares.
It was not something he had discussed with his fiancée, or anyone else. He was fairly sure that Eowyn had not spoken of it either, except, perhaps, to his adopted baby sister and Eowyn's best friend, Natasha. He would not have been surprised if she had; Natasha was a good person to go to if you wanted someone to listen. Well, she had given his brother a black eye and broken nose after listening to his explanation on why he was about to go charging out on a mission that would have gotten him killed, but that was beside the point.
Perhaps he should speak with Eowyn about it. After all, he obviously wasn't going to get any sleep that night, and things always seemed easier when Eowyn was around.
Faramir threw on a robe and walked over to the wall, lightly pressing the corner of a panel. He grinned as it slid open, revealing a passageway he had found when he was a little boy, just after his mother had died.
"Guest room one…two…three, no, that's Eomer's…Natasha's room, why did we put them so close together?… Guest room four…ah! Eowyn's room."
Faramir opened the hidden door into the room where Eowyn was staying. Apparently he was not as quiet as he wanted to be, because Eowyn stiffened slightly and slowly started to reach for a glass jar. That would break well against his head, so Faramir decided to head that off as quickly as possible. "Eowyn? Are you awake?"
Eowyn sat up. "Faramir? What in Arda are you doing here?"
Perhaps this had not been such a good idea. "Is it all right?"
Her answer was a frantic whisper. "NO! What if someone sees you?" she paused, "How did you get in here? Eomer and Natasha posted guards at the door."
Eomer probably would have done that anyway, but Natasha as well? Maybe it was to get back at him and Boromir for getting their father to insist that a guard or chaperone accompany Natasha whenever she and Eomer were together. Faramir didn't see why she was complaining, as the aforementioned chaperone, and Natasha's ladies-maid, Yalewen would accompany the two long enough for the guard to leave, and then find some urgent errand to run. Faramir muttered something under his breath, then addressed Eowyn. "Secret passage. I found it when I was little. If you wish, I will only stay a few minutes."
Eowyn caught the slight catch in his voice. "Faramir, is everything all right?"
He sighed. "I keep having this damn nightmare." He paused, "Apologies for my language."
Eowyn smiled. "I've heard worse, I assure you. I keep having nightmares as well. Stay a few moments if you like."
Faramir returned the smile. "Are you all right? With the nightmares, I mean."
Eowyn's smile grew just a bit on the naughty side. "I was sleeping well. Until a rouge entered my chambers."
Faramir put a hand to his chest in mock-dismay. "Rogue? You wound me."
Eowyn suddenly felt worried. What if the guards decided to check on her? "You should go, Faramir."
Faramir took her hand. "My nightmares show everyone I care about dying as I am forced to watch. I wanted to make sure that you were still here."
Eowyn took his hand. Right now she could care less about protocol. In Rohan, it was required that the woman not creep into her future husband's room and compromise his honor. However, mention was rarely made of the reverse situation. Her nightmares had been much the same.
She let out a sigh, "I wish I could help." Eowyn tugged his hand. "Come sit with me."
Faramir sat down next to her. "Just being near you helps."
Eowyn rested her head on his shoulder. "I feel safer with you here. It is comforting, somehow."
Faramir put his arms around her, brushing his lips over her hair.
"Now you stop that," Eowyn murmured, "You must leave before someone comes and throws you into the dungeon."
She felt his lips curve into a smile. "For you, I would risk any dungeon."
Eowyn turned her head as his breath tickled her ear, accidentally meeting Faramir's lips. As he kissed her, she slid her arms around his waist. Just a few minutes, Eowyn thought, then I'll send him away.
But she didn't want to send him away, and the guards were stationed in the corridor, with two closed doors between them and her chamber. If there were any noises, the guards would most likely dismiss it as a nightmare.
Eowyn did not want to send him away, and Faramir showed no desire to leave. As long as he was returned to his room by dawn, what was the harm of him staying to keep the nightmares at bay for them both?
So Faramir stayed with Eowyn until the early hours of the morning. Neither of them suffered the terrors that awaited them in dreams that night.
The days passed into weeks as the people began to rebuild Minas Tirith. Children began to learn what Natasha and her friends in the new 'Daycare Center' could teach while their parents worked or helped rebuild. Learning from the ordeal that the women and children had faced during the battle for Minas Tirith, young boys learned how to defend themselves in their spare time.
Waiting for her arm to heal, Eowyn would often watch the boys practice, smiling as some of the girls of the city would watch the boys, trying to learn by observation. Eowyn snickered at the fact of her best friend and future sister-in-law becoming an idol in a matter of days. Natasha did not find it so amusing, but would often join Eowyn when she could, both enjoying the sight of their respective fiancées sparring, the fluid movements and rippling muscles almost hypnotizing.
Not that either of them would ever admit it, of course.
Faramir drowsed, shifting Eowyn in his arms.
It had been several days since he had last managed to sneak into her room, making their time now all the more precious. He sighed, content with his betrothed asleep in his arms, his thoughts drifting. His marriage to Eowyn would not take place until the middle of autumn, one month after the wedding of Aragorn and Arwen. He supposed it might have been because people wanted at least a semblance of a betrothal period between the younger children of their steward and the royals of Rohan, as Aragorn and Arwen obviously thought that they had had a long enough betrothal and did not wish to spend any more time waiting.
Still, it could have been worse. It was only a few more weeks, and Eomer and Natasha would have to wait until just before autumn's end before they would be married, even if Boromir and Faramir were sure that things were going on where no one else could see.
Eowyn stirred in his arms, shifting position. Faramir smiled, gently stroking her hair.
Both of them bolted to full awareness as there was a knock at the door, followed by the knob turning and Natasha's voice as the door started to open. "Eowyn! Faramir is missing! Do you know….oh, dear." Natasha stopped; mouth open, as she caught sight of the two of them together, Faramir's bare chest, and Eowyn's barely clothed state.
Behind her in Eowyn's parlor, the two bed occupants could see Natasha's maid, Yalewen, Boromir, Denethor and Eomer waiting.
Faramir could think of little to say. "Ah, Hell."
"I am appalled." Said Denethor, pacing in front of the two people seated on the couch in Eowyn's parlor. "Utterly appalled!"
Eowyn was still only half-awake, and missed half of what the steward was saying, but that didn't matter. She didn't need to hear words to know that he was furious. Faramir and Natasha had helped her out of bed and into a nightgown and robe. Now she sat, hair tousled all over the place. Natasha and Eomer leaned against the wall as Boromir, having dismissed the guards, stood in the doorway. Yalewen had been dismissed under vow of silence.
Faramir sat by Eowyn's side, his robe covering him from his robe to his knees, although Natasha and Yalewen must have caught quite an eyeful when Natasha opened the door. He looked as bewildered as she felt. Eowyn could not imagine a worse disaster in their betrothal.
"Perhaps we should let them go back to their rooms." Natasha suggested. "We can discuss this in the morning."
Denethor glared. "There is nothing more to discuss. This betrothal of yours is ended."
Eowyn and Faramir both jumped to their feet in horror. "What? No!" Faramir had neither his father's physical build nor aura of power, but he seemed ready to take on Denethor right there. He continued the protest, "Eowyn and I have to marry now!"
Denethor did not back down. "You cannot marry her now. She isn't a virgin."
Perhaps it was in defense of Eowyn, but help came from an unexpected source. Eomer. "Oh, for heavens sake." Everyone turned to look at him. "Neither is Faramir."
To Eowyn's surprise, Boromir burst out laughing. Natasha had the sense to hide hers behind a decorous cough as Denethor glared at his oldest. It hadn't been what anyone had expected from the Captain of Gondor.
"You should be ashamed of yourselves." Denethor continued.
"Whatever for?" asked Eowyn. "I'm not the one who barged into my chambers while I was peacefully asleep."
"I would hardly call the misbehavior we interrupted 'sleeping'"
This time it was Natasha who spoke. "No, Father, they were sleeping." She paused slightly, "It looked like they were done misbehaving for the night."
Faramir made a choked sound, and Boromir turned red, though Eowyn suspected that it was because of suppressed laughter rather than rage.
Denethor turned to Natasha. "Very amusing, daughter. Boromir, Natasha. You have not said what you think of all this."
Natasha shrugged. "At this exact moment? I think that at least one of my brothers was being unfair when they warned Eomer and I not to try anything before we were married."
Boromir copied his sister's motion. "Well, I don't think it was a very good idea, but there really isn't much we can do about it. If you try to forbid the union, they'll probably just elope anyway, and the wedding isn't so far away that even if there are consequences they will not be noticeable until at least a month after the ceremony. I'm not saying I approve; just that I don't think we can do much to change the past. And Natasha, you're our baby sister; we don't have to be fair or rational."
Natasha raised an eyebrow as Eomer started to move forward. "Eowyn's my baby sister. Neither do I."
Things may have gone badly if Natasha had not smoothly intervened. "Boys, if you can't play nicely then you can't play together. If you want my honest opinion, I'm still not entirely sure how things are done in Middle Earth, so I can only base it on the standards in my world."
Hoping for a distraction, Faramir turned to his sister. "How is this done where you come from, then?"
Natasha's eyes told him that she knew exactly what he was trying to do, but she didn't comment on that. "There are those who think they are above the rules or go out of their way to break them; they often get started as soon as possible. There are those who simply wait: they don't do anything beyond mild exploration until the night. But the general rule is that you don't do anything below the waist until you are serious about the relationship."
Boromir looked at his sister. "And what have you two done so far? Should we be worried?"
Eomer's jaw tightened and he started forward. Natasha's voice was perfectly calm as she stopped her future husband. "Not the topic we were discussing. And either way, it's none of your business. Suffice to say that I don't belong to the first category."
Denethor sighed. "I suppose having the two of you married is the only way to prevent a nation-wide scandal. I do not wish to hear of this happening again. Boromir, escort your brother back to his room. Natasha, would you mind rooming with Eowyn until the ceremony?"
Natasha looked slightly disappointed, but nodded her agreement. "Just let me go fetch a few of my things. Eomer, I think it's time for us to leave."
The two of them were nearly out the door when Boromir, pulling his brother away, turned for a final comment. "Can we trust you two as far as Natasha's room? You will be straight back, won't you?"
Natasha's voice was pleasant as she replied. "Boromir, you remember I said that you would have far more than a broken nose to worry about? That threat still holds."
Commotion over for the night, Denethor followed his children out. Eowyn sighed and returned to her room. At least it was only a few more weeks.
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A/N#2 – What do you think? Review and tell me. Critisism is welcome if you find something that you think I can improve on.
Thanks, Nathalia.
