Disclaimer: I still don't own it and never will. I'm just borrowing things for my own creations. Go back to chapter one for full disclaimer.
Author's note: Holy Fanfic, Faramir! I got nine reviews for Fatherhood! I have never received that many reviews for a single story/chapter! I really wasn't planning to add another chapter. It was just suppose to be a stand-alone piece but two reviews suggested I do a sequel. And I've been playing with the idea in my head... perhaps it has potential. We'll see if I get any reviews for this chapter and if I get reviews like last chapter. But I'll be truthful; it is hard trying to figure out where this will go considering I have no idea where to start. But oh well, what I am going to do. Please tell me what you think of it. And concerning Faramir's daughter's name, it is the Sindarian version of 'snow maiden', not the Quenya version.
:::::::
A year later...
Faramir lazily opened his eye when he heard a high-pitched scream fill the air in the middle of the night. He could feel Èowyn shifting beside him for he knew that his wife was also awake now. "Should I go to her or you?" whispered Èowyn softly turning over to face her husband.
"I will go to her, Èowyn. You need to rest since you were with her all day yesterday while I had to work with King Elessar. Go back to sleep, beloved," he whispered getting out of bed sleepily. He kissed her on top of her forehead. "I will be back in a short time. Good night and sweet dreams yet again."
Èowyn muttered the same in return before curling up beneath the heavy blanket and falling back to sleep instantly. He smiled at the sleeping figure of his wife but was quickly brought out of his reverie by Losswen's crying again. "I am coming, little one," he whispered walking quickly to his daughter's room right next door. "I'm coming."
::Faramir's POV::
I feel sorry for my little Losswen. Her birthday is tomorrow and she is sick today of all days. The healer says it is a small fever combined with a slight earache. There is not medicine that can be given to her. All we can do is let her wait it out. And with that time of waiting, she will be in pain with the earache. And that means restless nights for all of us.
I quietly push open the door adjoining our room with Losswen's. But her cries ceased at the moment I entered seeing me. "Little Losswen," I whispered softly, "What troubles you, dear?" I know she will not be able to answer but from past experiences, she calms when hearing her father's voice.
She has grown quite a bit over the year. A bit taller and she is starting to look more like Èowyn. My wife says just the opposite; that Losswen looks more like me. But the point is she has grown and grows even prettier than the day before.
Losswen looks up at me as I near her crib and pick her up, embracing my daughter gingerly. My little daughter rests against me. And I rest my hand against her forehead, testing to see if she was still warm. She is not warm but burning up. She begins to whimper again and I cringed knowing what would follow. Her crying.
"Hush, little one," I say softly to my beloved daughter. "Your father is here now."
I continue to make soothing noises for Losswen as I walk to the window, overlooking the pastoral landscape. Losswen cranes her head to look at me, as if questioning my actions. "It was like this when you were born and I first named you, my little one," I say softly. I move so my daughter can too see the beauty of winter on this evening.
The full moon cast shadows upon the trees as the shadows danced in the untouched snow. The stars seem brighter than usual this evening, as if the gods are smiling down upon my little Losswen and she is bringing them as much joy as she has brought to my life. But perhaps it is just the father in me and my joyous pride for you. I think I have this fatherhood thing figured out, my little one. But how quickly you lose interest in the landscape. Looking at this beautiful night seems boring.
I can remember when I was young, a night similar to this. I was five and Boromir was ten. Mother had recently passed the summer before and my father was still very much grieved over her loss. Boromir was fast asleep as was everyone within the city. It was winter and the night was just like tonight. And like Losswen, I was sick but unlike her, no one would come to help comfort me. I remember sitting at my window, gazing on across the snow covered city of Minas Trirth and looking up at the stars, wondering since no one else was looking in on me during my brief illness, if my deceased mother was or if she even cared.
But no, Losswen, we will never do that to you. I have already made a promise to myself that both Èowyn and I will always be there for you, my little darling.
By now, the moon rises higher into the night sky, almost to the middle of the sky. I sigh softly, looking down at my daughter in my arms and I whisper, "Happy Birthday, Losswen."
:::::::
Faramir shifted his daughter in his arms as he sat in the overstuffed chair next to the fireplace. Losswen looked up at Faramir and smiled sleepily at him. Faramir smiled gently back and pulled a blanket up over them. "Sleep now, little one. You have been up far too long. A growing lady such as yourself needs her sleep if I am going to fight off all the men who shall try to court you when you are older, Losswen," Faramir whispered softly in his daughter's hair.
A small yawn came from Losswen as she shifted her weight closer to her father's chest to stay warm against the cold night air. Faramir watched his daughter drift off to sleep for an hour and decided that he would stay like this for he did not want to disturb the little sleeping form of his daughter.
After watching her for a while, Faramir began to grow tired himself and took advantage of the peace and quiet and drifted to sleep himself in the overstuffed chair with his daughter soundly asleep in his arms as well.
:::::::
At first light, Èowyn awoke only to find her bed empty of Faramir. Panic was the first thing that swept her mind until she remembered that her husband went to tend their crying daughter during the night but she found it odd that he had not returned to bed. After all, why wouldn't he return to bed once Losswen had fallen back asleep? Curiosity getting the best of The White Lady of Rohan, she dressed quietly in something warm and made her way to Losswen's room.
What she saw was a complete surprise.
Faramir asleep snoring softly, mouth slightly ajar, with Losswen sleeping soundly in her father's arms in the overstuffed next to a dying fire. She stood at the door way and merely looked on. And all she thought about was how right she was; Faramir was excellent for this thing known as fatherhood.
:::::::
Well there you have it! The completely unplanned chapter! It didn't turn out exactly how I wanted it but what can I do? It is not my opinion that matters; it is the reviewer's opinion. So, to whoever reads this, two question and a request. First the request, please review! I feed off of reviews. Question one: did you like it? And question two: do you think I should work on a third chapter?
Other than that, all other criticism is welcomed! So, should I continue on with this thing? And one last note, I've read it over countless times and I hope I've caught all the typos but one or two may have slipped through. Sorry about that.