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Chapter 30: Surprises Come at Night
Days turned into a week, and then a week turned into two and still no word from Gondor. Dallin laid in his cradle, asleep for the night, and Ellethwen stood looking out her window with tears falling down her cheeks. The night sky was clear and for the first time in years, the stars shined brightly in the sky, but her tears were not tears of happiness. Ellethwen feared what was happening outside the plains of Rohan, she worried that her husband had fallen and the others had not yet sent word to her. She closed her eyes and put her hand over mouth as a sob threatened to come out. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes as she looked at the cradle where her son slept.
The light from the fire danced on his tiny face. He was growing stronger with each passing day, and he grew more to look like Boromir than she had thought he would. With a sigh she lifted her skirts and walked into the washroom. She slowly changed into her nightdress. Tomorrow would come once again, and there would be no point in not sleeping once again.
As she tied the ties of her nightdress she looked into the looking glass. She looked like a shadow. She unbound her hair and ran the soft brush through her hair. Dark circles were under her eyes and her skin was pale. As she sat her brush down on the table, Dallin's cry caught her ears. She quickly opened the washroom door and went into the chamber. However, she came to a stop when she saw a tall figure standing over the crib and quieting Dallin's cry. She gasped and the figure's posture stiffened. The figure turned around and Ellethwen felt her tears fall as the firelight allowed her eyes to lock with the gray eyes of her husband.
Boromir rocked Dallin gently in his arms trying to calm him before Ellethwen returned from wherever she was. A gasp drew his attention and he stood straighter before he turned around. Ellethwen stood outside the washroom door with tears clear on her face. She looked terrible, she looked as though she had not slept in days, and she looked weak. He glanced down at Dallin who had fallen asleep again and he quickly and carefully laid him down in his cradle.
As soon as his son was tucked into his blankets, Boromir moved to Ellethwen. He got within one foot of her and she threw her arms around him. Boromir wrapped his arms around her back while she buried her face in his neck. He closed his eyes when he heard her cries and felt the wetness of her tears on his neck.
"Shh, my love," he whispered as he put his hand on the back of her head and opened his eyes. "It is alright," he told her gently as he held her small form close to him. She was thinner than she was when he left, not so much from losing weight after Dallin's birth, but more than she should have lost.
"I thought you were dead," she said against him and he closed his eyes again. "I thought I lost you." She pulled her face from his neck and looked up at him. He opened his eyes and sighed when he saw the look in her eyes. His heart ached to see her so broken and he moved his hands from around her and held her face gently. "No word came for so long. Eothain left only three days after he arrived in Edoras, and I waited and waited. I thought I would have heard something if you were well. I thought I would have at least had heard from Éowyn, but nothing came. I feared that you had fallen and that no one would send word unless they could do so in person." As he held her face he wiped away her tears, she pulled his lips down to hers and kissed him firmly.
Boromir sighed against her lips and lowered his hands from her face and wrapped his arms around her again. She kissed him as if her life depended on his kiss, and that she needed his lips to live. She pulled away and looked up at him breathlessly with tears still in her eyes.
"Ellethwen," he whispered and she closed her eyes and rested her head against his chest. "I did not send word, because I wanted to come on my own. I was going to send for you, but I could not wait any longer than I already had."
"I am so tired," she whispered against his chest. "For the first time in weeks, I'm am so very tired." Boromir smiled and kissed the top of her head.
"You always seem tired at our reunions, my love." Ellethwen smiled and opened her eyes as she looked up at him.
"That is because when we are parted, all I can do is worry if I shall ever see you smile again and I rarely sleep," she said gently, her smile fading as she looked up at him. Boromir raised his hand to her face and shook his head before he kissed her softly.
"Then worry no longer. Sauron is gone and the shadow of the east over Gondor is gone forever," he told her and she smiled.
"Then our son will see the White City," she whispered and Boromir returned her smile and nodded his head. He kissed her forehead and picked her up from the floor. She let out a startled cry, but smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Boromir carried her to the bed and laid her down. He kissed her lips briefly before he pulled back.
"Rest, Ellethwen, I will join you once I remove my travel clothes. Our talk can wait until after the dawn." She nodded and sighed contentedly as she laid against her pillows. She looked at Dallin while Boromir changed. He was sound asleep and she closed her eyes. Her worry and tears of just moments before were forgotten and when Boromir's arms wrapped around her and the heat of his body consumed her back, the thoughts were completely gone and never thought of again. He pushed her hair away and placed a soft kiss on her neck. "Sleep now, my love, in two days I will be taking you and our son to Minas Tirith. You will be going home, Ellethwen." She smiled and tightened her grip on his hand that rested on her stomach.
"I am home, right at this moment, as I lay in your arms," she whispered before she closed her eyes and started to let her sleep consume her.
"I love you, Ellethwen," Boromir whispered and that was all she heard before dreams consumed her mind.
Ellethwen woke and expected to feel Boromir's arms around her, but when there was nothing she frowned and opened her eyes. However, the sight that met them, made her keep quiet and just lay where she was in silence. Boromir stood near the window, the morning sun shining down upon him and the smile that lit his face as he talked to Dallin softly.
"Quiet now my son," he said gently. "We do not want to wake your mother, at least not yet. She is weary from her worry over me, but it seems as though she has taken good care of you. You are much bigger than I remember, unless my memory fails me." Boromir laughed softly and shook his head. Ellethwen could see Dallin's hand was wrapped securely around Boromir's finger and her smile grew. "Soon, even though you will not remember it, you will see the White City of Minas Tirith. The place your mother and I call home." He paused and she saw his smile falter a bit. "I just wish my father would have lived to see you. He would be happy to know he had a grandson." Ellethwen furrowed her brow. Denethor was dead? How, why? Perhaps that was part of what he wanted to tell her, and then would have been as good as time as any to let her presence be known.
She closed her eyes and shifted in the bed with a sigh, pretending to be waking. She stretched her arms up and let out a soft moan. She heard his footsteps on the stone floor quiet as he stepped upon the rugs. She opened her eyes and smiled up at Boromir who was smiling down at her.
"Good morning, Ellethwen," he said before he sat upon the bed.
"Good morning," she said as she sat up and kissed his cheek and Dallin's head. "I should feed him now." She held out her arms and Boromir nodded as he handed Dallin to her. He stood from the bed while Ellethwen readied herself for Dallin's feeding. He walked over to the fireplace and while Dallin began to eat she looked up at him. "Boromir," she said gently and he looked at her. "What happened while you were away, I mean, what happened when the battle was over?" He sighed and walked over and sat on the bed again, only keeping his eyes trained on Ellethwen's and nowhere else.
"We tended to the wounded and I found Faramir in the House of Healing. He was gravely injured."
"Is he alright?" she asked quickly and Boromir smiled.
"Aye, he is fine." She licked her lips and looked at him intently.
"And your father?" Boromir looked away from her. When he didn't answer, she looked down at Dallin, who was still eating and then she looked back at Boromir. "Boromir?" she asked quietly and he looked at her once more.
"He is dead."
"I'm sorry," she said quickly and he shook his head.
"There is a story to his death. Father and Faramir thought I was dead," he said softly. "During my journey, before I rejoined you, we fought a battle near the Great River. The Horn of Gondor was broken, and I lost it near the river's bank. It washed up in Gondor, and Faramir found it. When Faramir was injured, father thought he was dead. His already fragile mind was broken, and he perished because of it." Ellethwen shook her head and looked down at Dallin who was finished and she pulled him back and covered herself. She looked back up at Boromir and took his hand with hers.
"I'm sorry, Boromir, I am so sorry," she whispered. He laced his fingers with hers and he shook his head again.
"All shall fall into place, Ellethwen, you will see." Ellethwen smiled and nodded her head. "Aragorn's coronation will be in a month."
"Gondor will have a king, then," she said softly. "After all these years without one, a king will once again sit upon the throne." Boromir nodded with a small smile; however, Ellethwen looked at him slightly concerned. "Then what is to become of you?" He chuckled and squeezed her hand.
"He has already asked me to be a member of his council and to serve as his advisor." Ellethwen's smile grew.
"That is wonderful Boromir!" Boromir raised his free hand to her face and nodded.
"In deed it is, and you shall be a Lady of the Court, just as you should have always." Ellethwen shook her head.
"I will be content to be your wife, and mother of your children, Boromir, no title is greater than that." He smiled and ran his thumb across her cheek and smiled. There was a soft knock on the door and the door slowly opened. Rowen entered the room with a smile on her face, however, she was looking at the parchment in her hand.
"Lady Ellethwen, I received a letter from-," she stopped when she looked up and saw Boromir sitting with Ellethwen on the bed. Boromir smiled at her and stood. Rowen's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water and she blushed. "Forgive me, I did not know."
"Rowen, it is alright, this is my husband, Boromir. He arrived last eve," Ellethwen said and Rowen looked at her. The blush was still on her face, but a smile lit her lips.
"Then we both know our husbands are well," Rowen said. She looked to Boromir and curtsied. "I will leave you then, and I shall see you at the midday meal." With that, Rowen left quickly and Ellethwen laughed softly as she looked at Boromir.
"That was Rowen; her husband is a Rohirrim rider. You remember Bryn?" she asked and he nodded. "Rowen is Bryn's sister and she sought my comfort because we both had similar worries over the fate of our husbands." Boromir smiled and held out his hands.
"Let me take Dallin while you dress. Our son has eaten, but both of us have yet to, and it looks as though you could use a few good meals," he said. Ellethwen shook her head and handed Dallin to Boromir before she climbed from the bed. She kissed him briefly on the lips before she stole away into the washroom. She felt as if she floated across the floor, she was happy and her family was together again. Soon, she would return to Minas Tirith and soon, she would truly be home.