Eowyn walked slowly down the stone hall. Since there was no sign of the men stirring from their beds, she had decided to explore. She paused at the top of the stairs leading to dining hall and she slowly fingered the necklace Faramir had given her.
"Lovely, lovely," Eowyn turned and saw to her right the Steward exiting from the tower stairs.
She smiled.
"Come, little girl." He took her arm and moved her down the stairs. "Have breakfast with me! Those fools prefer sleeping the day away rather than entertaining the loveliest lady in Gondor."
This time she blushed.
Presently Eowyn sat with Denethor, beholding the steaming plates put before her. Denethor ate with relish, though he appeared exhausted. She gingerly took a sip of her drink.
"My son has given you a gift," Denethor gestured to the necklace.
"Yes, it is lovely."
"Yet he gave you no ring." Denethor observed.
Eowyn's brow knitted in confusion," My lord?"
"It is a custom in Gondor for a man to give his betrothed a ring."
"I am certain that the lateness of his arrival prevented that. " Eowyn said quietly
"He should have given you a ring!" Denethor snapped.
Taken aback, Eowyn looked at her plate and took a mouthful, trying to swallow.
"Boromir would not have forgotten." Denethor commented "How unfortunate for you that he chose the life of a soldier."
Eowyn wished she had stayed in her room.
"But Boromir has other paths. I have seen that."
She took another bite and needed a good deal of drink to swallow so did not see Faramir arrive.
"Ah, here he is."
Eowyn turned eagerly, grateful for the interruption.
"Faramir," Denethor called to his son, "do you not see an absence on your lady's finger?"
Faramir, whose mouth had been opened to greet, closed it. Eowyn saw him exhale slowly.
"Yes, Father, I had been planning to give the lady what is her due." He fixed his eyes on the Steward as though Eowyn were not there.
For sure, she wished she were not.
"Then why have you not yet sent for the jeweler?" Denethor spat.
Faramir's voice remained low "I wished to speak with you first Father about Mother's . . . "
"Yes," Denethor cut him off sharply, fixing flashing red rimmed eyes on his son, "A jeweler needs to be sent for."
Eowyn noticed she had been twisting her napkin.
Faramir slowly nodded his head, "Yes Father, that is indeed what shall be done."
He then finally turned to Eowyn and gently asked, "Dear lady, I wished to go with you to the stables and perhaps we could ride?"
"Yes," she breathed gratefully, and nearly sprang out of her seat.
Faramir bade her walk before him, his steps not hurried in the least.
----
They had walked to the stables, found mounts, and were long away from the City before Eowyn felt her embarrassment begin to subside. Denethor's demeanor disturbed her. He had thought nothing of humiliating his son in front of his future wife. What manner of man was that? What manner of father?
Faramir spoke not of it, except briefly as they walked to the stables, "Father has no qualms about speaking to the point."
Eowyn had nodded and wondered how long it would be before the fighting ended and she could go away to live in Ithilien.
---
Eowyn and Faramir rode about, talking little, racing now and then. She had thanked him profusely for the gift of the necklace and he had graciously accepted her thanks. As they had turned to go home, they saw Boromir with the lords of Rohan who whooped and rode straight towards the couple. From then till sunset, races were run in earnest. As the young people turned toward the White City, Boromir suggested they ride around the secure areas of Gondor, to show Eowyn her new home. Hastily plans were made for the next day and a servant was sent to prepare.
After a rousing meal was eaten with relish by all--Eowyn was pleased to note that the Steward was not present-- the men rose to leave for the evening. Yet Faramir did not join them and instead bade the lady sit. He left her but a few minutes and returned with a man carrying a box who unfolded a midnight blue velvet cloth and placed before her several rings. Eowyn's eyes went to Faramir.
"Choose which pleases you, dear lady," he said softly.
Eowyn took several minutes, her cheeks turning red under Faramir's gentle gaze. All of the jewels were the brightest she'd ever seen. Finally she chose a square sapphire set within a silver ring. Faramir picked it from the velvet and thanked the jeweler who rolled up his wares and left. Gentle Faramir slipped the ring on her finger, and kissed her hand. Then they walked awhile, sometimes speaking, but often in silence, until Eowyn saw a coat of armor and asked Faramir to describe its history.
--
Top of Form
Bottom of Form
"Lovely, lovely," Eowyn turned and saw to her right the Steward exiting from the tower stairs.
She smiled.
"Come, little girl." He took her arm and moved her down the stairs. "Have breakfast with me! Those fools prefer sleeping the day away rather than entertaining the loveliest lady in Gondor."
This time she blushed.
Presently Eowyn sat with Denethor, beholding the steaming plates put before her. Denethor ate with relish, though he appeared exhausted. She gingerly took a sip of her drink.
"My son has given you a gift," Denethor gestured to the necklace.
"Yes, it is lovely."
"Yet he gave you no ring." Denethor observed.
Eowyn's brow knitted in confusion," My lord?"
"It is a custom in Gondor for a man to give his betrothed a ring."
"I am certain that the lateness of his arrival prevented that. " Eowyn said quietly
"He should have given you a ring!" Denethor snapped.
Taken aback, Eowyn looked at her plate and took a mouthful, trying to swallow.
"Boromir would not have forgotten." Denethor commented "How unfortunate for you that he chose the life of a soldier."
Eowyn wished she had stayed in her room.
"But Boromir has other paths. I have seen that."
She took another bite and needed a good deal of drink to swallow so did not see Faramir arrive.
"Ah, here he is."
Eowyn turned eagerly, grateful for the interruption.
"Faramir," Denethor called to his son, "do you not see an absence on your lady's finger?"
Faramir, whose mouth had been opened to greet, closed it. Eowyn saw him exhale slowly.
"Yes, Father, I had been planning to give the lady what is her due." He fixed his eyes on the Steward as though Eowyn were not there.
For sure, she wished she were not.
"Then why have you not yet sent for the jeweler?" Denethor spat.
Faramir's voice remained low "I wished to speak with you first Father about Mother's . . . "
"Yes," Denethor cut him off sharply, fixing flashing red rimmed eyes on his son, "A jeweler needs to be sent for."
Eowyn noticed she had been twisting her napkin.
Faramir slowly nodded his head, "Yes Father, that is indeed what shall be done."
He then finally turned to Eowyn and gently asked, "Dear lady, I wished to go with you to the stables and perhaps we could ride?"
"Yes," she breathed gratefully, and nearly sprang out of her seat.
Faramir bade her walk before him, his steps not hurried in the least.
----
They had walked to the stables, found mounts, and were long away from the City before Eowyn felt her embarrassment begin to subside. Denethor's demeanor disturbed her. He had thought nothing of humiliating his son in front of his future wife. What manner of man was that? What manner of father?
Faramir spoke not of it, except briefly as they walked to the stables, "Father has no qualms about speaking to the point."
Eowyn had nodded and wondered how long it would be before the fighting ended and she could go away to live in Ithilien.
---
Eowyn and Faramir rode about, talking little, racing now and then. She had thanked him profusely for the gift of the necklace and he had graciously accepted her thanks. As they had turned to go home, they saw Boromir with the lords of Rohan who whooped and rode straight towards the couple. From then till sunset, races were run in earnest. As the young people turned toward the White City, Boromir suggested they ride around the secure areas of Gondor, to show Eowyn her new home. Hastily plans were made for the next day and a servant was sent to prepare.
After a rousing meal was eaten with relish by all--Eowyn was pleased to note that the Steward was not present-- the men rose to leave for the evening. Yet Faramir did not join them and instead bade the lady sit. He left her but a few minutes and returned with a man carrying a box who unfolded a midnight blue velvet cloth and placed before her several rings. Eowyn's eyes went to Faramir.
"Choose which pleases you, dear lady," he said softly.
Eowyn took several minutes, her cheeks turning red under Faramir's gentle gaze. All of the jewels were the brightest she'd ever seen. Finally she chose a square sapphire set within a silver ring. Faramir picked it from the velvet and thanked the jeweler who rolled up his wares and left. Gentle Faramir slipped the ring on her finger, and kissed her hand. Then they walked awhile, sometimes speaking, but often in silence, until Eowyn saw a coat of armor and asked Faramir to describe its history.
--
Top of Form
Bottom of Form