III

I saw him, Éowyn thought, smiling. I saw him but he didn't see me. She plucked at the necklace again. Éowyn could still see the slightly tousled red-gold hair, and how he had stared out the window. She could see the shine in his pale-blue eyes.

Right now, Faramir was standing infront of Lothliriel and Éomer. He looked rather bored with all the formality as he read out from a worn leather book. Faramir looked as if he could snap the book shut and recite the vows from memory.

"Do you, Éomer son of Éomund of Rohan, take Lothliriel Imrahil's daughter of Dol Amroth as your bride? To love her in sickness and in health, living and in dying, and to the world's ending, 'til death do you part? What say you, Éomer son of Éomund of Rohan?"

Éomer cast a nervous smile at his bride-to-be. Some people sniggered, which was silenced immedietly by others. Éowyn began to dream. She dream Faramir and her were standing infront of King Elessar as he read the vows. She rubbed the pendant between her thumb and forefinger.

"I, Éomer son of Éomund of Rohan, take Lothliriel Imrahil's daughter of Dol Amroth as my bride. To love her in sickness and in health, living and in dying, and to the world's ending, 'til death do us part. So say I, Éomer son of Éomund of Rohan."

'Til death do us part, Éowyn mouthed. How she loved that phrase! It was so romantic. Those very words will bind lover to lover until death do them part. Sometimes, she could see her parents standing infront of the king of Rohan, saying those words. She pictured her mother, Theodwyn, in a fine white dress. Éowyn knew what the dress looked like, for she still had it folded in a chest back in Edoras.

Faramir repeated the vows to Lothliriel. Lothliriel repeated the vows. She kept stopping and giggling, sending roars of laughter from the men followed by annoyed hushes from the women.

"From this hour henceforth," Faramir said, looking relieved, "I pronounce you man and wife."

Lothliriel dropped her bouquet of wild flowers and kissed Éomer. Faramir looks uncomfortable, Éowyn noticed. Like I am. Éomer and Lothliriel remained in that passionate embrace longer than anyone expected.

Suddenly, a little child from the back rows stood up and shouted, "Kiss her! Don't kill her!" Everyone laughed and there was a sharp smack. The tyke gave a cry of pain and surprise. Everyone laughed again. Éowyn tried to laugh. She said to herself, "Faramir can do both to me."

Faramir could see Éowyn in the front row as he read the vows. The words in the book had faded with age, but he could still see the words. Father once held this book, he thought as he read, "What say you, Éomer son of Éomund of Rohan?"

And then that painful moment where his cousin Lothliriel kiss Éomer. He felt like someone had shoved an orc-dagger into his ribs. A blade with orc-poison. Because he could feel something warm rising in his throat.

Lothliriel has always been beautiful since she was a little lass. She was about two years older than Faramir. Lothliriel had her father's black hair and sea-grey eyes. Lord Denethor had always hoped that Boromir would someday marry Lothliriel, keeping the leinege of Gondor and Dol Amroth within the family.

But Boromir never liked Lothliriel, as Lothliriel never liked Boromir. "That Lothliriel!" Boromir would sputter if her name was mentioned. Boromir had never really forgiven Lothliriel for putting abranch from a thorn bush in his bed. Faramir wondered if he had forgiven her before he died. But he'll never know...

Like he'll never know why his mother sacrificed her life for him...

Or why his father decided to burn him...

Or why this and why that.

Faramir gave a small smile. Perhaps Lady Arwen would have her uses after all!