Immediately upon formally being free from the borders of Imladris, Denethor ordered his company to make ready to leave at once. Many of the soldiers had already taken to their sleep for the night and were not at all happy about having to get up again and leave camp in the middle of the night. They were only slightly thankful that Denethor did not insist on official protocol, in too much of a rush was he to get away from anything remotely Elven.
They rode on in the dead of night for maybe five miles before Denethor was comfortable enough to allow them to make camp again. His pavilion was erected first and he went there immediately, refusing to allow anyone else near. Denethor was in a temper, perceiving it as a personal slight that his soldiers not only did nothing to come after him, but also socialized with the Elves on guard.
The next day they began in earnest the journey home. Denethor had much to think on indeed, but it seemed that all of Elrond's observations regarding his mannerisms with others served only to make the Gondorian lord all the more bitter.
For the entire month that they were traveling south, every man in Denethor's company was looking forward to arriving in Rohan more than anything else. For more than two solid months they had been on the road and it was only the fact that they were soldiers of Gondor that kept them from mutiny. When Denethor ordered that they circumnavigate Edoras, however, Mordor nearly broke loose in the ranks. He would have none of it, though - Denethor would not stop in Théoden's realm, much less his own home, for a moment more than was necessary. He deemed the King of Rohan a traitor for stalling him when he rode through the last time, causing him to lose his quarry. Instead he and his weary men crossed this River Isen and carried on for the next two weeks to their own home.
As Denethor crossed the Isen he could not shake the same feeling he'd had the last time he was there. It was the feeling of being watched closely, searched, judged, even read. As far as Denethor was concerned, the sooner he got home the better, and he did not intend to leave his precious city again any time soon. When they did get back to Minas Tirith that sentiment was further backed by the ailing Ecthelion, who personally gave the soldiers who had been away a two month leave.
Denethor saw that move as a clear statement that their power-struggle was not at all over. It took much restraint to deliver his report to his father even as weary as he was. When Denethor left his father in search of his son, however, no amount of weariness could tone down his ire. He had not even considered in all that time how he would approach Finduilas, let alone if he would even cast a glance her way again; when he learned that she had gone to Dol Amroth with Boromir and Mithrellas, riding under the Steward's banner and with his personal escort, Denethor very nearly injured his father in his rage.
Ecthelion was not one to be cowed by any though, certainly not his own son. He absolutely refused to sanction so much as one single soldier to go to Dol Amroth. If Denethor went, he would go alone, for it was a personal matter and Ecthelion would not spend his realm's resources for the benefit of one, not as long he was charged with the Stewardship of Gondor.
Two days later Denethor set out again, alone, for Dol Amroth. He was now thinking very heavily on just what he would say to his wife.
ooo
Aragorn practically dragged his mother up to his chambers to meet Faramir. Gilraen really had to wonder what it could be that brought out of the toughened Ranger the excited little boy she once knew.
Arwen was on the balcony holding Faramir and trying her best to soothe him. She thought that perhaps the songs of birds that he enjoyed so would calm him but clearly no bird was a match for his daddy. Aragorn gently took his son from his beloved's arms and kissed him; almost instantly the baby boy hushed. Arwen had to smile; evidently Elf-magic had nothing on the magic of a father.
She was also glad to see Gilraen again, as Aragorn's mother had all along supported them wholeheartedly; their love reminded her so of the long gone days when Arathorn courted her, quite against her father's wishes. Had Elrond devoted the time to think on it, he might have remembered how uncomfortable Celeborn had been with the notion of his only little princess marrying a half-Elf. Arwen kissed Aragorn on the cheek and left to go to breakfast.
"Nana," Aragorn said, bringing his little boy back inside to meet his grandma, "this is Faramir, my son."
"Your son?" Gilraen asked, uncertain she heard right. In truth, Gilraen was more in shock than anything. She was not sure of how these things worked for Elves, but she was rather certain that female Elves had to make a conscious decision to conceive, or so folklore said. More likely the child was a foundling that her son had taken under his wing and come to think of as his son, just as Elrond had him.
"Aye, nana," Aragorn said, smiling contentedly at his baby as he watched him visibly getting sleepy.
"How can this be?" Gilraen asked.
Aragorn looked up slowly, realizing that he had once again made the mistake of introducing someone to Faramir before letting them hold him. Once someone held him, they automatically fell in love. He was surprised that in less than a week he had gone from hiding his child under his cloak to having no reservations about calling him his son. He had no doubt that his mother would love Faramir, her first grandchild, very dearly, but he saw that yet again he would have to explain how he came to be a father.
"Will you hold him for me just a moment?" Aragorn said, resting Faramir in his mother's arms before she had a chance to respond. He disappeared momentarily into the next room to get a warmer blanket to wrap his little one in, meanwhile Faramir made a sleepy grasping motion toward Gilraen's long graying hair. By the time Aragorn came back his mother was cradling his son close and Faramir was all but asleep. He also noticed his mother's split moment of hesitation when it came to passing Faramir back to his father.
After he put Faramir down to sleep he asked his mother to walk with him in the garden. Erestor, just passing the chambers, was asked to sit with Faramir until they returned. He was more than happy to, rather extraordinary for an Elf who was known for going to extremes to avoid interruptions of his work.
It did not take a long walk for Aragorn to give his explanation, he was well rehearsed in it by that time. Gilraen sighed and sat down on a bench under an oak. "I have waited long to hear that i would be a grandmother. I just did not expect it to be this way."
"Nor did i, naneth," her son said sitting beside her. "But what is, is, and i love my son more than anything upon Arda."
"So do i, my little acorn," Gilraen said, hugging her son. "You love him and have taken responsibility for him. That is all that matters."
"You truly have the grace of the Eldar, nana, and i love you, too," Aragorn said sincerely. "I am glad that you are here now, i so wanted for Faramir to know his daernana."
"It would be too dangerous for you to correspond with his mother, would it not?" Gilraen said.
Aragorn had decided not to mention the visit from Finduilas's husband he had received, as he saw no need to worry her. "It would be dangerous written, unfortunately i can not just send forth a thrush as they do in Dale. But moreover it may not even be possible. The Lady Finduilas was not a well woman, that was much of the reason i agreed to take Fara'. I truly do not know if the lady lives even now."
"I only ask because i know that were i in her place i would be in a terrible state of worry. But you have reached your haven and you must not chance risk now. Faramir will be safe here, as will you. Perhaps now i might prevail upon you to cease wandering far and wide?" Gilraen said hopefully.
Aragorn smiled and hugging his mother said, "This acorn has not yet set down it's roots, though i do not suppose i will be going anywhere for some while. I shall be content to stay around for another 20 years or so and raise my son. May i, perchance, prevail upon you to quit your home out in the middle of nowhere and come here to help your little acorn raise his own acorn?"
Gilraen kissed her son upon the brow. "I can not quit my home, child, it has become a matter of principle for me. I will come here often though, you have my word. Now, i would like to see my grandson again. Do you know how very like to you he is?" she said as they walked back into the Last Homely House.
ooo
Elenhin: I really hate it when plaster falls from the ceiling. I once had not only plaster but also rain falling from my ceiling. I really hated it. Anyway, i do promise that there will be plenty of both little Fara' and Bori'. In fact, i think Bori might show up a good bit in the next chapter.
steelelf: Uh-oh? Oh, i don't think Gilraen is that bad:)
linda: She is usually not only totally neglected but dead at a very early age. My story may be AU but i don't see the need to go changing everything around. I really try to make my changes fit in with everything else canonically, to me, that is the creativity of good AU. I'm glad Denethor is finally leaving Imladris, too, but we have not heard the last of him. Thanks for the correction, also. Sometimes my fingers get moving so fast trying to keep up with my mind that they automatically type something another way, and then, as you said, Word doesn't pick up on it. At work i make sure that three people proofread our publications, i should employ the services of a beta for this stuff, but i am too impatient to get stuff posted.