When Aragorn woke the morning after the ordeal with Denethor, his first thought was of his son. He was sure that Faramir had been beside him the night before, but now he did not see him. Then he heard his hungry little cry and all but flew out of bed to find him laying in the cradle that was still in the other room. Being close to his daddy helped Faramir ignore his hunger, but Arwen came in moments later to feed him anyhow. Erestor had been in just moments before Aragorn woke to draw him a hot bath and he was able to relax a bit as his beloved cared for his little boy.
The peace did not remain very long though. Once Faramir was fed and comfortable in Arwen's arms, he realized that once again he was with someone other than his daddy... and he didn't like it. He began to cry again, only this time there was nothing that Arwen could do to calm him. It did not help that Glorfindel, having just come in from keeping the border guard company, looked in and tried his hand at comforting the infant. Faramir's cries only intensified when Erestor came in glaring at Glorfindel for frightening the child.
No one was able to pacify the little Mortal and all three had different ideas about what would be best for him. Elrond was still sound asleep after taking a slight bit too much wine the night before and, fortunately, the twins were currently on detail near the former wine cellar turned prison cell. It was not until Aragorn emerged from the bath, clad only in a robe and still dripping, that Faramir settled down at all. It was quickly being learned that Faramir and Aragorn were almost totally dependent upon one another.
Finally beginning to feel like himself, Aragorn decided to take his little one out for a walk and show him their home. Arwen decided not to mention that she had already taken Faramir on several walks and that he was entirely enamored of Imladris's avian life more than anything. Aragorn found out for himself when a bright yellow bird sitting beside them on the porch rail caught Faramir's attention enough to make him and coo and laugh. The bird merely cocked his head in curiosity at Rivendell's newest addition and flew off again.
Faramir was rapidly approaching three months of age and Aragorn could only wonder what the rest of his little one's life had in store for him. It was a welcome change from wondering what his own life held for him since Elrond categorically refused to share any such information. Aragorn wondered if he could keep himself from having someone, if not himself, shadow his little boy everywhere as he grew up. He reminded himself, though, that the threat of Denethor was going to be dealt with by his adar, and when Elrond dealt with someone, the situation was considered put to rest.
A colorful butterfly came near and flitted about Faramir for a few moments, seemingly as interested in the child as he was it. He reached out to try to touch it, but seemed rather disappointed when it left to find other fields.
Faramir was growing and developing in new ways almost every day. Aragorn found himself always wondering about some new little thing that he had ever seen his baby boy do before, things that he had done and seen done for so many years he thought nothing of it. Now, though, something as simple as his son lifting his head when Aragorn spoke to him was amazing.
Aragorn could scarcely wait until the day he saw that dark-tufted head standing above his cradle rail and the though of his son calling him "ada" for the first time was overwhelming. For now, though, Faramir's laughter and curious gazes were more than enough to keep the new father enthralled.
Faramir began to grow a little sleepy after so much excitement and Aragorn decided that they could both do with a little rest. For the remainder of the afternoon, father and son sat under a tall, broad, shady tree. As Aragorn looked around the grounds and at the house, heard the river rushing and the birds singing songs that only birds in Imladris sang, and breathed in the scents of fresh, sweet earthen-life, it all told him that he was home. No matter what trial he'd endured, Imladris was always a panacea for his heart, mind, and soul. "Yalluma mar," Aragorn whispered to his little one, kissing his sleeping forehead.
ooo
It was not until that night that Elrond had felt quite ready to sort out the resident in his wine cellar. It had taken a good bit of thinking on his part and the half-Elf still felt he was being entirely too hasty, though he knew that the Mortal currently in his custody would not see it that way. It was in moments such as those when Elrond felt all too clearly just how much the world had changed so quickly in his years.
The flourishing realms of the Eldar, once covering Arda, were now reduced to four minor holds. Men now had dominion of much, though it was not that Elrond begrudged them the land, for the relatively few Elves left no longer needed it whereas Men who multiplied akin to rabbits surely did. It was just that it had all changed so fast and there were times when Elrond felt utterly isolated from the world. Though swiftly becoming weary, he missed traveling and seeing how life changed from land to land. He missed walking under the trees of different lands and learning new things from them.
The lingering effects of wine induced melancholia were exactly what Erestor had in mind when he intercepted Elrond from going to deal with Denethor immediately after the incident. That, Erestor had a strong feeling, was likely to end up in a war, whereas now, with Elrond's mood softened, he might be more likely to rationalize with Denethor on a man-to-man level.
Walking down to the wine cellar turned dungeon, a feature Elrond had never planned to have in his Homely House, the Elf-lord dismissed the twin guards, suggesting they find their brother and nephew. His sons were almost hesitant to leave their father alone with a madman, but Elrond assured them he had dealt with more difficult things than an irritated Steward-in-waiting.
Elrond walked into his once and future wine cellar fully prepared for rather from Denethor. Instead, the man seemed to be very patient. That made Elrond wary; Denethor should be irate, he had every right to be. But then, so too did Elrond.
"What method of execution do Elves employ?" Denethor asked calmly, though not without his usual scorn.
"Execution?" Elrond said, equally as patiently, making himself as comfortable as possible on an empty wine barrel. "The Eldar execute kindness, compassion, wisdom." Elrond loved to turn a phrase on one so unsuspecting.
"Let us cut through this posturing banter," Denethor said frustrated. "Thorongil raped my wife and i still expect some manner of restitution. If you would deny me what is rightly mine, you may as well finish me, because i will die seeking justice."
"It is said, Denethor, that there are two sides to every story. Sometimes one of those sides is a false image that we create in order to justify -"
"False image! The bastard child is all i need to justify -"
"You speak of justice, but you do not know the meaning of the word," Elrond said, starting to feel bitter about this. "I would speak to you not as Elrond Peredhel, but as a husband. Denethor, is it true that your lady wife asked you repeated that you consent to let her return to her home, and yet you denied her?"
"I did, of course. I did what any responsible husband would. I would not permit her to go riding all over Middle-earth. Perhaps here, where your lands are kept secure because it is Gondor that lies between you and Mordor, perhaps you know not of what danger there is in the world."
Elrond looked at Denethor for a long time, seeing his misguided intention to keep Finduilas safe. "What i know of the danger there is in the world is more than you could ever know, Denethor. What i know is that 473 years ago, my wife left Middle-earth because her heart, her fëa could not heal from being savaged by orcs. Every single day since i saw her brought back in my son's arms i have blamed myself, for letting her go home to her nana and ada in Lorien, for not going with her myself because i was 'too occupied', for not sending a stronger party, everything. But now that i have met you and seen what can happen if we attempt to keep our loved ones too close, i no longer blame myself. I see now that had i forced my wife to stay with me it would have withered her as much as her grief did. Do you not see, Denethor? A woman, like a rare bird, is not a thing to be caged and kept."
Denethor only looked disgusted. "Your wisdom is foolish, Elf. You tell me that i ought to have let my wife roam freely, yet you did as much and lost your wife."
"I did not lose her, i will go to her yet," Elrond said, sounding almost nearly distant. "But you have missed my point. I tell you that you ought to be more attentive to your wife's needs, lest she seek them elsewhere, as, to my eyes, it is clear she has already done."
"What do you know of this? My wife has lived as a queen since the day i married her!" Denethor growled.
"The trouble, Denethor, is that you have also lived like a king... yet you are not that. I know much that is hidden, and i know that your duties to Gondor come before all else to you, even before your own son. Go home, son of Ecthelion. You have no business here. Return to your wife and child, seek a home filled with joy, not a kingdom filled with order. Own your choices, for right and for wrong, and you will be a man. Amend the wrong and champion the right, and you will be a lord."
"I do not need your advice, nor your pity," Denethor spat. "I am a lord and man both, and while i may not be a king, i am Steward."
"You are not while your father lives," Elrond said, somehow keeping his patience. "Perhaps i should speak to you as a son. Come with me." Elrond showed Denethor outside where the stars shined through the leaves of the trees. They walked clear of the tree line and Elrond pointed to the brightest star in the night sky. "How far do you guess it to be from here to that star?"
"How should i know a thing like that? A billion leagues for all i know!" Denethor said in aggravation.
"Quite a bit more, actually. From here where i stand now, up there to that star, the brightest star, is actually how close i can ever remember being to my father," Elrond said. "I surely need not recount to you the tale of the Silmaril which Eärendil, my father, bears. There have been times in my life of terrific testing when i have looked up to see that light and felt everything from ire to heartbreak that i never in 6000 years had my father to guide me. You have your father still, and in that you are fortunate. You have a fine family, Denethor. I say to you again, Denethor, go home. I will have you escorted, this night if you wish, back to your men. I will go so far as to give you provisions to last you at least to Rohan, but with the terms that you leave immediately and not return to Imladris. I expect that this mercy should also be remembered outside of my borders."
"Do i take it that the great Captain Thorongil sent you to buy his life with mercy and some stale bread? Will the coward not face me and win his life for himself?" Denethor said, though he was beginning to sound weary and he was all but screaming at himself to take Lord Elrond's offer and flee home.
"My son is no coward. Were he such you would believe yourself a father of two sons still. It is you who is the coward, for you attacked him while he slept and i seem to have heard that you even threatened my grandson. I am rapidly losing my patience, Denethor, and wisdom would have you gone quickly. I have already been vastly more merciful than i believed i could be to someone who threatened my son's life in my own home, and likely i have only been so in the name of diplomacy. But since i have attempted speaking to you man-to-man, i begin to believe i ought to deal with you in the same way - no titles to hide behind. Your next move shall influence my choice heavily."
For some while there was a silent stalemate as Denethor weighed up Elrond's power against his own oft over-inflated ego. Finally, with a glare and a sneer he said, "I would not spend another moment of my life in this place, not now nor ever again. Bring this guide that you speak of and permit me to be gone from here without delay." It was Denethor's way of admitting defeat. Elrond nodded and escorted Denethor back to the house where the twins were waiting, the supplies Elrond mentioned already prepared with three horses ready to go.
"If we tell him that it is not safe enough to ride when we get toward the border," Elrohir whispered to Elladan, "we can guide him to the snare... let him dangle there for a while, say until he passes out from screaming for our help."
"'Ro, subtlety is not your strong suit, is it?" Elladan said. "For one, can you even envision what ada would say, let alone do, if he found out we did that? Moreover, it would be a lot more devious to lead him no where near the snare and yet give him the impression that we expect one to grab him up at any moment. Work on their minds, 'Ro;" he said, tapping at his temple,"trust me, i've listened to Erestor."
"I would thank you two not to forget who else has the ability to listen," Elrond said, causing his boys to start, having not heard him approach. "But, that aside," he whispered, "i agree with 'Dan. Now, if you will please accompany Lord Denethor back to his troops and see them safely off..."
"Aye, ada," they said in unison voices. Elrohir slyly picked up a length of rope as he headed toward Denethor who was waiting impatiently by the horse which was to bear him along the dark night's paths.
ooo
Yalluma mar - At last, home
Elenhin: Hope you enjoyed seeing some more little Faramir. At this point it is so hard to work him in, there is so much plot development going on and he's so tiny and sleepy and hungry, but he is growing up fast and will soon be getting into all manner of fun and mischief.
AM: A lot of Fin's choices she made because she felt she had to. There can be much conflict between decisions of the mind and decisions of the heart.
steelelf: I will probably bounce back and forth between stages for a while longer. I try not to let one scene go on too long before getting back to the other.
linda: It is a pity she didn't marry Eldor, they would have been very happy. But, fate has it's say,she did not marry him and now we shall have to see what comes of it. All in all, i wouldn't say that Eldor was her lover at any point, yet, but they did have a relationship. The problem probably was more that he was not truly her lover before Denethor came along. Thanks for asking about my mum, she is doing better.
liz:) Don't give up, that's too easy! I can tell you that little has gone well for Denethor because he has not made much of an attempt to see to it that things go well for others, just as Elrond attempts to clarify to him. Besides, does anything ever go well when you utilize a palantir aligned with one which the Dark Lord is in possession of?