A/N: We've decided not to answer any questions this update because any answers we give right now will give away our plot and let out a few secrets we want to keep as little surprises for you guys. So, that means there will be no review replies at the end. Sorry.
Anyway, we needed a little bit more strife (plot) to keep the story going until we reached our set ending point. Hence the tensions now springing up between the 'family'. This, of course, includes the whole thing with Boromir-Faramir-Gandalf. Fear not, there will be a happy ending…hopefully.
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Chapter 41
"Boromir got married in Lothlorien!" Frodo exclaimed, "How could we not have noticed this!"
"If it makes ya feel any better, laddie, I don't think Aragorn noticed either," Gimli chuckled to himself, "Kind of ironic considering the fact that Aragorn is at heart a ranger and is supposed to notice everything around him."
"What, were you at the ceremony?" Sam asked completely incredulous.
"Aye," Gimli said with a grin, "The pointy-eared princeling dragged me there."
The hobbits all looked back and forth at each other as if they suddenly realized they all had the word 'stupid' tattooed on their foreheads. It was in the midst of this mental confusion that Thranduil looked over knowingly at Celeborn and Galadriel.
"And I don't think I'd be wrong in assuming that it was the two of you that performed the marriage between Boromir and Farothen considering it was your realm," Thranduil said in tight voice.
Celeborn was looking at Thranduil in a way that seemed to suggest he felt really sorry about the whole thing, but Galadriel seemed to have the lack of grace to not look at all apologetic.
In the silence that followed out in the hall, they all suddenly heard the tail end of Aragorn's sentence: "…for him to whore himself to my steward!"
Before anyone could absorb the implications of that statement, they heard Legolas say in the coldest voice imaginable, "At least he didn't whore himself to a mere ranger."
Thranduil had to mentally restrain himself from smacking his forehead in disgust at both his son and son-in-law. Unfortunately Aragorn and Legolas were both cursed with explosive tempers, sensitive egos and they were married. That could not equal out to a good combination no matter who was doing the math.
Everyone out in the hall suddenly jumped out of the way as Legolas came storming out the door and continued on at a fast pace down the hall. Apparently it didn't register with him to be angry over 14 friends eavesdropping on him out in the hall.
Thranduil looked over at the three remaining people in the room, now that the door was wide open. Farothen was looking at the floor like a lost puppy and slowly made his way down a side hallway without looking at or acknowledging anyone. Either he was completely drained from the fight or hurt at Aragorn's comment.
Boromir, for his part, looked like a deer suddenly noticing an archer. Of course, he was also the one standing there only in light leggings that were in danger of slipping at any moment.
However, it was Aragorn that Thranduil was worried about at the moment. For a brief moment, Aragorn had such a look of hurt and betrayal on his face that if Legolas saw it even he would be ashamed. But the hurt look vanished so quickly that Thranduil wasn't entirely sure he had seen it. The king's face suddenly showed absolute fury to the point that Thranduil wasn't sure if Aragorn was going to storm out the other end or run after his husband in a fit of fury. This thought caused Thranduil to step in front of the door to stop Aragorn in case he did run after Legolas.
Luckily Aragorn turned around and stormed out the opposite end. That left Thranduil free to go after his son. He intended to have a few words with his hot-headed little elfling.
After Thranduil left, the remaining 13 people in the hallway looked into the room where only Boromir remained.
Boromir lifted his arms in confusion at everyone, "Am I dismissed?"
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Thranduil walked into the bedchamber Legolas shared with Aragorn in time to see the younger elf throwing everything Aragorn owned onto the bed. Cocking a brow he gave a small cough, "What are you doing, Greenleaf?"
"Throwing Aragorn's things on the bed." Legolas replied simply.
"Why, may I ask?" Thranduil added, amused.
"Because," Legolas responded as he spun back to the wardrobe, "If I have to go through all the work of packing, moving and unpacking in a different chamber than he's going to have to go through the work of putting all his things away."
The elder elf shook his head, "Why are you moving? You are the pregnant one and this is the most comfortable bed in the palace."
Legolas paused and faced his father looking the tiniest bit sheepish, "If I wasn't so upset I would have thought of that myself."
"You are not the only one upset, elfling." Thranduil said quietly, not sure how Legolas would react, "Aragorn was furious."
"Aragorn is a fool!" Legolas hissed, "He had no cause to make that comment about Farothen whoring himself!"
Thranduil sighed, "Two wrongs don't make a right, Leafling. You should not have made the comment about 'a mere ranger'."
A moment of silence passed as Legolas lowered his gaze guiltily. Thranduil tilted his head a little, risking angering his son even more by asking, "You did not mean it did you?"
Heaving a sigh Legolas sat down on the bed, "Of course not, Ada. He has never been a mere ranger to me. But you did not see the look on Farothen's face when he made that comment. I wanted to hurt him as much as he hurt my son."
"You reacted with a father's instinct, but you still never should have…" Thranduil started.
Legolas was on his feet again pacing, "I know that! But he should not have either! Farothen is no more Boromir's whore than I am Aragorn's."
"You should be telling Aragorn this…" Thranduil started.
"I do not want to talk to him right now!" Legolas snapped, once again cutting his father off, "I'm more likely to kill him than talk to him!"
Once again Thranduil sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose, wondering where all his recent headaches were suddenly coming from. Something told him this conversation was going to be a long one.
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Back in the hallway, Boromir had bolted for his bedroom shortly after asking his ridiculous question. Obviously if Aragorn had left then that was his signal to get out of there before the king got it in his head to realize he was still very angry at his steward. That and Boromir was barely dressed.
A very worried Faramir followed his brother, and was in turn followed by a very confused Eomer. Faramir most likely wanted some assurance that his beloved brother would still be present and alive when next he came to Gondor before he allowed his new husband to take him back to Rohan.
Everyone else stood around in momentary silence before Pippin piped up, "Well, I guess it's time for second breakfast."
He then turned and started heading to the kitchens with Merry, Sam, and Frodo following shaking their heads, and Gandalf bringing up the rear chuckling to himself.
Gimli and Haldir vacated the hallway shortly after the hobbits and the wizard with Gimli saying something to Haldir about being able to best any pretty pointy-ear in a fight.
This left Elrond, Galadriel and Celeborn since the twins had run after Aragorn once he had bolted. They stood in silence for a moment before Elrond turned to his parents-in-law.
His voice was cool when he asked, "You allowed them…no, you performed their wedding without Aragorn's permission?"
"We had Legolas'." Celeborn replied, "That was enough."
Elrond gave a very un-Elven snort and began to pace ranting in Elvish. The words 'Farothen', 'foolish humans' and 'bloody wood elves' liberally sprinkled throughout the rant.
Galadriel let Elrond rant for a minute before drawing the Peredhil's attention, "We can discuss our part in Farothen's marriage later, Elrond. Right now I want to know what Thranduil meant by his comment about Celebrian."
"Oh, you know Thranduil," Celeborn started, "He's never liked either of you and always liked upsetting you."
"But why attack my relationship with my wife?" Elrond asked, "I loved her with everything I am. Besides, I would have noticed her growing with child."
"No you wouldn't have," Galadriel argued, "Legolas was born two decades before you and Celebrian wed."
Celeborn sighed, "Is it really worth fretting over? You know he only said it to upset you both."
A moment passed as both Elrond and Galadriel considered Celeborn's words. Both had to admit the other elf had a point.
"Okay," Elrond conceded after another short moment, "But that comment Legolas made…how dare he call Estel a mere ranger!"
"They were all upset. Things are said in anger that otherwise would never have been said." Galadriel responded, "Aragorn should never have said what he did about Farothen. He and Boromir love each…"
Not wanting to hear Farothen's marriage defended at the moment Elrond shook his head, "That hardly matters. The point is Legolas clearly inherited Thranduil's dislike for the race of men…"
"You seem to be forgetting, Elrond," Celeborn cut in coolly, "You are the one carrying a grudge over your brother's choice to become mortal."
Nothing more was said as Celeborn walked out. He had a few things to say to Thranduil about his temper and when the right time to announce certain things was…or rather, how those certain things should have remained unsaid.
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Aragorn paced his throne room, anger and hurt burning like acid in his chest. His mind replayed the fight with his family from beginning to end and guilt tried to worm it's way in when he registered what he'd yelled about Farothen in anger.
But still, Legolas had…
Suddenly spinning around to face his foster brothers he glared at Elladan, who had his mouth open to speak. Preempting the elf's words he shook his head and growled, "Don't! If you plan on defending any of them…especially that…that princeling…forget it. I don't want to hear it!"
Elladan closed his mouth; not because he had planned on speaking in defense of anyone's actions but because the glare he was receiving could easily have frozen a Nazgul in place. Unfortunately the glare seemed to become even more evil as Aragorn remembered an important fact.
"You knew about Farothen and Boromir!"
"Uh…"
"Don't 'uh' me!" Aragorn snapped, "You knew!"
"Only since last night when I found the hobbits eavesdropping and happened to overhear…"
"I don't care how you found out or when! You knew and didn't tell me!"
"Estel," Elrohir started, trying to ease his foster brother's temper while at the same time turning the attention away from Elladan, "It's obvious no one knew until it was too late to reverse things…except for perhaps Lego…"
"Elrohir!" Elladan hissed, "We're trying to convince him not to kill his husband!"
"I was simply trying to turn his anger away from you, Dan." Elrohir complained, sniffing disdainfully at the lack of thanks he was receiving.
Elladan shook his head, "Well, making Legolas the scapegoat doesn't help. Guilty as he may be he isn't the only one."
"Why are you defending him?" Aragorn asked, "He lied to me and that last comment…"
"A comment very similar to the one you made about your son." Elladan replied sharply.
A moment of tense silence passed before Aragorn spun on his heel and walked away grumbling, "I don't want to hear your guilt trip."
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"Fari, don't worry about me. I'll still be alive to spoil that nephew of mine…so you can go home with your husband," Boromir said as he pulled on a fresh shirt.
"You want me to leave," Faramir said sadly as he stuck out his lower lip.
"Oh don't do that," Boromir said, his heart melting at the sight, "You know you're impossible to say no to when you pout."
"He does that to you too, huh?" Eomer replied from the back of the room.
"Who do you think he perfected it on?" Boromir retorted.
Faramir grinned despite the tears in his eyes. He knew his place was now in Rohan with Eomer…but he would miss his big oaf of a brother.
"Will you be there when your nephew is born?" Faramir asked.
Boromir sighed as he tugged one boot on, "If I can convince Farothen to make the journey to Rohan around the time…or if you can convince Eomer to let you give birth in Gondor."
"Not gonna happen," Eomer called from the other side of the room.
Boromir rolled his eyes so that only Faramir could see as he yanked on his other boot, "He can't stomach the idea of his heir being born outside of Rohan."
Faramir gave an impish grin that Boromir knew all too well, "Just watch me convince him to do just that."
Boromir grabbed an over tunic that was draped over the nearby chair and was just about to ask his brother how he intended to convince Eomer when suddenly Farothen suddenly burst in yelling in Elvish.
Boromir gave a knowing look to his brother as he pulled on the tunic, but then both his and Faramir's eyes went wide at the Elvish curse that came from Farothen.
"Little elf, I don't ever want to hear that word repeated in this household, do you understand!" Boromir yelled at his husband.
Farothen stopped dead in his tracks staring at Boromir because it was clear that Boromir hadn't been asking a question, but giving an order.
"Yeah…okay, Boromir enjoy your handful," Faramir said as he and Eomer walked out the door, intending to leave for Rohan while it was still daylight.
As they were walking out, Eomer whispered to Faramir, "What does that curse translate to in Westron?"
"Eomer, that curse doesn't even translate into the Black Speech?"
Eomer winced, thinking that Farothen was in for one hell of a lecture.
Boromir and Farothen were barely even were aware of the door closing behind them as the continued to glare at each other. Ironic that this was one of the few times that they hadn't had to work for to be alone together, there were no more secrets, and yet they were angry at each other.
"You're giving me orders now?" Farothen said in a tight voice.
"I realize you're angry at your father, but that is a curse that shouldn't be said about your worst enemy," Boromir growled, "And Aragorn is your father so he deserves some respect."
"I can't believe you're defending him!" Farothen cried, "He practically called me a whore!"
"And believe me, I haven't so easily forgiven him for that callous remark," Boromir replied, "But Legolas also implied there was a bit of whoring in their relationship as well. In the heat of the moment people sometimes say things that they don't mean, Farothen. My father said worse than that, but I never cursed him like you just cursed Aragorn."
"I don't accept the fact that he has the right to call me a whore just because he's angry!" Farothen cried.
"Farothen, give your father a break. He practically had our relationship thrown in his face and before he had time to recover he found out that everyone else knew about us," Boromir replied calmly, "He has a right to be angry."
"Oh! You're saying he's justified in his actions!"
Boromir rubbed his forehead and mentally counted to 10 before saying anything, "I'm not saying his actions are justified, but his anger is. We handled the situation very badly, little elf."
"You seemed agreeable to sneaking around at the time," Farothen pointed out.
"I know," Boromir admitted, "And now I have to live with the consequences of my actions."
Farothen started, "Consequences? You regret being with me?"
"Of course not…Farothen, this isn't about you or me. Aragorn is your father and do you have any idea how much our dishonesty hurt him!"
"Boromir…"
"We denied him the chance to see his child wed, we snuck around like there was something wrong with our relationship for months, and we had several people lying for us," Boromir said, "If we had just come to Aragorn in Lothlorien and told him what we felt he would have been against a relationship, but I believe he would eventually have allowed it once his overprotective parental instincts stopped going wild. But we didn't give him that chance. We just assumed he'd forbid the relationship and went ahead and did whatever we wanted. Aragorn has been lied to for two months…he needs time to trust us again."
"He can have all the time he needs because I refuse to speak to him until he apologizes!"
"Oh yes you will, little elf," Boromir said in a dangerous tone which Farothen had never heard, but Faramir would have instantly recognized and backed off from, "We can't hold court if we're not talking with each other, and the rule of Gondor will not stop just because the royal family is having a personal problem."
"If you think I'm going to act like nothing happened just because…"
"I think you're going to act like a prince of Gondor which is what you are!" Boromir practically roared and Farothen instinctively stepped back even though Boromir had made no move toward him, "That is what it means to rule Gondor, Farothen. Your lives often have to come second to the needs of your people. The position of crown prince doesn't mean that your every whim will be indulged like it was in Rivendell. It means you now live for the people of Gondor!"
Farothen was too stunned to respond to Boromir's speech and it didn't make a difference because Boromir stalked out of the room and slammed the door shut before he could respond.
The moment the door was shut, Farothen burst into tears. Boromir had never yelled at him in anger before. It made Farothen both furious at his husband and yet was helping him look at Boromir in a new light…in which he actually respected him more.
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Aragorn slowly, almost hesitantly, made his way toward the chambers he shared with Legolas. Anger still simmered beneath the surface but if he wanted to be able to sleep in his own bed that night he figured he better try to smooth things over at least a little.
He reached the door just as it flew open and he found himself facing his husband. The elf glared at him a moment, as if daring him to try to enter the room. Aragorn was just about to speak up when the elf dropped an overstuffed pack on the floor by the man's feet, stepped back and slammed the door in his face.
Recognizing his own clothing hanging out of the pack he lifted his gaze, glaring as if the door was at fault and growled loud enough for Legolas to hear, "Well, fine! I didn't want to sleep with you anyway!"
Aragorn then stomped down another hallway, completely ignoring a vastly confused noble that he passed, just as a very angry, but now fully clothed Boromir came from the other end of the hallway.
"Your son is a spoiled little Elvish princeling!" Boromir practically roared at Aragorn.
Aragorn, for his part, simply lifted one eyebrow at Boromir as he walked by, taking some vindictive pleasure in the fact that Boromir and Farothen were having marital troubles as well, and then spoke over his shoulder, "Farothen isn't my problem anymore, he's yours…you married him."
Boromir stopped right in his tracks, his mouth hanging open at Aragorn, but at that point Aragorn was already walking away.
Scowling to himself, Boromir turned and was suddenly face to face with the noble Aragorn had completely ignored…Prince Imrahil from Dol Amroth, who had just arrived that morning.
"Did I hear right, Boromir…you're married?"
Boromir sighed, "You want the long story or the short story, uncle?"
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TA 3019 April 3
Minas Tirith
For the next week, the majority of Gondor remained blissfully unaware that there existed any problems between their king and his spouse. There didn't appear to be any problems between Boromir and Farothen either, but since their marriage still wasn't general knowledge in Gondor, no one thought to look for anything between the two.
Except for Eomer and Faramir, who had left the week before to attend to duties in Rohan, the rest of the Fellowship and Imrahil had stayed in Minas Tirith determined to see the royal family on speaking terms before they left. Either that or they were still recovering like Frodo.
Actually Imrahil had spent the whole week just trying to get caught up since there was now a king and prince in Gondor, his brother-in-law was dead, and both of his nephews were married. Life in the White City was turning into one major headache…especially for Aragorn.
The king's off color comment to Farothen and his temperamental mood made it so that all of his friends were keeping their distance from him…and Legolas simply waddled in the other direction when he saw Aragorn coming except for when they were in council.
That was the reason Aragorn was currently hiding in the throne room occupied with a bunch of maps. He wasn't even really looking or analyzing the maps, he just thought as long as Legolas wasn't talking to him, he wouldn't talk to his husband back. It was twisted logic that made Aragorn come to that conclusion, but Aragorn thought it made sense.
Of course one could always count on the twins to be unaccommodating.
From the south door to the throne room, Aragorn could hear the angry sounds of Elvish cursing getting louder and louder and he immediately stiffened upon recognizing Legolas' voice. The door suddenly flew open long enough for Legolas to stumble in and Elladan and Elrohir's amused faces to grin back at Aragorn before the door slammed shut again.
"Elladan! Elrohir!" Legolas yelled at the closed door, realizing the twins had locked it and left, but not really caring.
Legolas' shoulders hunched in defeat, but he remained with his back turned to Aragorn. Seconds stretched into minutes before Legolas finally got the courage to turn around and face his spouse.
Again the two said nothing for several minutes. It was Aragorn who broke eye contact first, "You have to at least admire those two for their persistence."
"Yeah…I mean, they…" Legolas cut off mid-sentence and sighed, "Those two didn't go to all this trouble of putting me in the same room as you just to have us talk about them."
"You're right," Aragorn said, abandoning any pretense of
pretending to look at the maps he as straightened but made no move toward
Legolas, "But every time we think we've worked things out…we seem to come back
to the same issues that have always lied between us."
"Meaning?" Legolas asked.
Aragorn sighed, rubbing his fingers over his forehead before looking Legolas straight in the eye, "I've never reconciled the fact I was alone for so many years raising Farothen by myself. And before you say anything, Legolas, I don't just blame you for that. I've come to accept the fact that our long separation was due to both of our tempers and stubbornness."
Legolas nodded, "Yes…it was."
"But there's something else that I have to admit to you, Legolas," Aragorn paused and Legolas locked eyes with him realizing this had to be huge.
"I…I fell in love with you so fast in Mirkwood. It was fun, exciting, different…and I'd never felt that way before. And...your intention to go ahead with the marriage to Maikaifea seemed to confirm every doubt I'd ever had about myself…about men in general. And I started to wonder if my feelings about you weren't deceiving as well."
"Aragorn…" Legolas said in a pleading voice.
"I can't lie to you anymore, Legolas. All those years I was alone in Rivendell…my heart was still with you, but there was always a tiny part of me that wondered if I hadn't mistaken passion for love. And that has only added to the guilt I feel about keeping Farothen from you."
There was another stretch of silence before Legolas sighed, crossing to sit on the third step of the seven leading up to the throne, wincing as his back spasmed painfully at the release of tension. Without thought Aragorn crossed to his husband, healer instinct kicking in as he sat beside the elf and lightly massaged his lower back.
Giving a low growl of pleasure, Legolas leaned into the massage as he spoke, "If we are being totally truthful then I find I have some confessions of my own. I…knew where to find you the past twenty years…but I chose not to."
Aragorn froze at that, his hand fisting in the back of Legolas' shirt, "You chose…why!"
"At first, I convinced myself I stayed away because of the tensions between Mirkwood and Imladris." Legolas admitted, "But I fear the true reason was…I doubted our love a little as well. If we'd truly loved each other, surely we would never have made the decision we did. I would have chosen you without hesitating for duty."
The wood elf sighed, forcing himself to meet Aragorn's gaze, "And we would have fought harder to keep what we had. We wouldn't have given up so easily."
Aragorn nodded, "I guess we still have more issues to work through than we thought."
Legolas released a soft sigh, "Yeah."
A moment of heavy silence stretched between them before Legolas spoke again, attempting to break the tension, "So, when do you think the twins will return to free us?"
As if those words were some cue the main doors of the hall opened and Thranduil strode in from the court yard. Aragorn and Legolas blinked, momentarily stunned, realizing for the first time that they could easily have escaped considering the south door only led further into the palace while the main door led outside.
"We forgot about the main door?" Aragorn said dryly, feeling like a fool.
The following silence as Thranduil regarded them curiously was suddenly broken by Legolas as he burst into peals of giddy laughter.
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Meanwhile, Gandalf was enjoying the rare sight of Boromir actually enjoying himself. The son of Gondor had genuinely liked the few times he sparred with Merry and Pippin during the quest, but this time Frodo and Sam had joined in. Elladan and Elrohir, having returned from doing Gandalf's bidding and depositing Legolas with Aragorn in the throne room, were sitting off to the side laughing at the antics of all five of them. Gandalf would have been beside them as well, but he recognized that Boromir was still healing from Denethor's death and needed more time. Plus, Gandalf, himself, still needed to work up the courage to publicly admit he was wrong and apologize, something he'd never before had to do. Therefore, the wizard was watching the sparring exercise from the balcony above instead of down below with everyone else.
Boromir was going in a circle, sparring with one hobbit at a time…until Pippin got a mischievous grin on his face and suddenly yelled, "Get him!"
Frodo, Sam, and Merry also grinned as all four of them jumped the man of Gondor who, in a good-natured mood himself, put up a mock fight and allowed himself to be tackled to the ground.
Elladan and Elrohir both roared in laughter and Boromir was laughing quite a bit himself as the hobbits tried to pin him.
"No man of Gondor is any match for a hobbit!" Sam declared holding one Boromir's arms down.
"You mean four hobbits," Boromir corrected.
"We got you with only two the last time," Merry reminded him.
"Indeed," Boromir said, "A lucky day for you."
The hobbits did tend to bring out Boromir's softer side, Gandalf thought. For the Captain General had never been that relaxed when training young boys of the city. Nor that easy. Boromir never used his full capability when sparring with the hobbits. Any man who could take down 30 to 40 Uruk-Hai while he had three arrows in him, could easily off four hobbits if he wished.
The wizard's attention was once again drawn down as all four hobbits were now looking at Boromir in concern. Shaking his head and squinting his eyes, the man appeared to be in a kind of daze.
"Mr. Boromir, are you alright?" Sam asked, "We didn't…"
"I'm fine," Boromir said sitting up, "Must have been the heat."
Gandalf wasn't buying it, and the hobbits didn't appear to be either, but they still backed off and allowed Boromir to stand. Boromir, shaking the whole way, pulled himself to his feet, but started swaying immediately.
By now Gandalf knew something was wrong even from a distance. The man's pallor had gone alarmingly pale in only a few minutes, there was sweat on his brow, and his eyes were glazed.
Gandalf saw the collapse coming before it ever happened.
Apparently so did Elladan, who in an amazing show of intuition, jumped to his feet a split second before Boromir's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he pitched forward.
As Gandalf turned and ran to alert the healer's, he heard all four hobbits shout 'Boromir' in concern followed by Elladan saying 'I got him.'
However, Gandalf's worry grew with every step. Something was very wrong. Boromir had never fainted before.