As the months just about flew by, Faramir grew in ways that were awesome to his father. It was hard for him to believe that just fifty years ago he had been just the same, doing such everyday things for the first time, and driving his own father to worried madness. Aragorn found it very interesting, the way in which children learn, for he had never really had this sort of experience before. He could not miss the fact that Faramir really had no one his own age to learn all these new things with, just as he was more or less the "only child" in Imladris as he grew up (though, the gods know, the twins had to count for something in that regard).

It seemed that Aragorn and his son had brought back to the Last Homely House much of the life that had been dissipating over the years. Everyone was glad to have Estel back and Faramir was unanimously adored and generally considered a little princeling. Gilraen's seasonal presence was also very welcome. For as much as Elrond's house was a shelter for the heir's to the Kingdom that was Isildur's, it was rare that they were ever so very close to the Elves of that realm, as their own people even. Ordinarily the Dunedain were merely residents who went about their own ways while in sanctuary, but Gilraen, Aragorn, and Faramir were personally very dear to many Elves of the valley; it was just one reason that Elrond was so sure that Aragorn was the one who had to reclaim what once was.

For as much as everyone spoiled Faramir, Aragorn never took it as an opportunity to neglect his own paternal responsibilities. He loved spending time with his son and never missed a chance to be with him. As the years went by and Faramir grew quicker than Aragorn could have imagined, it was agreed that they were not just father and son, but also the best of friends.

The older Faramir got, the more they did together. On several occasions they would go out from the borders of Imladris on camping trips and to visit Faramir's daernana in her home and learn about survival and living as a Ranger. Aragorn and the twins taught Faramir in bowmanship but decided to let Glorfindel instruct him in sword work. Faramir was more than handy with a sword and kept up with practicing routinely, but it was the bow with which he truly excelled and made his chosen weapon.

Still, above all these pursuits, Faramir most favored Erestor's teaching him to read. By the time of his tenth birthday, Erestor guessed that Faramir had already read a quarter of the books in Imladris. There were tales and poems and lays that Faramir knew so well he could recite them at any given moment. By the time of his fifteenth year, he had tried his hand at writing and decided he loved it nearly as much as he did reading. Aragorn rather enjoyed being able to just sit in the peace and quiet of Rivendell and read with his son as well as being able to practice with him. In Faramir's eighteenth year, when Bilbo arrived in Imladris, the Hobbit was not only surprised that his old friend the Dunedan now had a son, but also that that son was able to teach him a good bit about Elven languages.

But, as seems to be the way in Middle-earth, history likes to repeat itself.

It was a beautiful day in May as father and son walked along the spring-time paths of Imladris. Aragorn remembered it well as the day that his entire life had changed twenty years ago. Both were rather quiet and contemplatively that day, but as they neared a comfortable place to sit under a tall oak, Aragorn put his hand on Faramir's shoulder to stop him.

"Ion-nîn, I wish to talk with you about something. Will you sit with me?" Aragorn said, still unsure of how to approach his topic.

"Aye, ada. What is on your mind?" Faramir asked unassumingly. There were no secrets between them, or so Faramir thought.

"Never have you questioned me about your naneth," Aragorn started, sort of wondering why that was, but since no one else in the house ever brought it up, he guessed it was natural that Faramir wouldn't ask.

Unexpectedly Faramir laughed. "Well, I have to confess that I rather thought that daernana was my nana too for years. I guess I just never thought much of it other than that, after all, I had you, so what more did I need? Why do you bring this up now?" Faramir asked curiously.

"Well, your nana was a beautiful lady. It saddens me that you could not know her, and that she could not know you; but things were very precarious when you were born and it was her wish that I take you and bring you here to grow up as I did, with love and learning and beauty. Had you stayed with your mother, you would have been raised as a son of the Steward of Gondor, and love is something that even a Steward cannot pay money for."

Aragorn continued despite the almost doubtful look about Faramir. "You know of our heritage, that I am Chieftain of the Dunedain. There is more to it than just that though." Aragorn took a breath, trying to find a way to explain this to his son and rather surprised that he had not read more of their lineage as he worked his way through Rivendell's famed libraries. His guess was that Erestor still kept those specific records tightly under lock and key as they were back when he was in Faramir's position himself. After all, at his request, there were still no notations made of Faramir being born as the first son and heir of Aragorn, son of Arathron.

"Have you ever been in the sanctuary and felt a sort of connection to the artifacts that belonged to Isildur?" Aragorn asked, attempting to introduce this properly.

"I suppose I have, now that you mention it," Faramir said absently.

"It is mostly believed in the south, in Gondor, that Isildur's line ended while his brother's, Anorien's, survived. In fact, Isildur's line has not ended and has long been given haven here. I am the current heir to. to the kingdom; I have been since my father died when I was two."

Faramir was silent for a long while, attempting to take in the information he'd just be given - so few words, but with such impact. "Then all of this. these twenty year of my life. it's been a lie?"

"No, Faramir," Aragorn said gently, remembering how this situation had been for him. "Essentially, this changes nothing -"

"Essentially?" Faramir said incredulously. "I learn that I am. Valar! I am an heir to a kingdom, and you say that essentially it changes nothing. I thought that I was just an ordinary man.-" Faramir trailed off as the enormity of reality hit him. "I do not know who I am."

"What you are does not determine who you are, my son," Aragorn said.

Faramir just shook his head. "Why did you never. why now?"

"I did not want you to grow up with such a burden," he explained.

"But I must bear this knowledge now?" Faramir said, completely unable to believe that this was really happening.

"I know how it feels," Aragorn said, resting a hand on Faramir's shoulder. "I felt the same way when ada told me 52 years ago, when I was your age, that I was not his son. I was devastated then, and I can understand how you feel now."

Faramir, however, shrugged his hand away and stared at his father. "So, what you are saying is that you knew this information would hurt me, but you decided to do this anyhow." Faramir stood and began to walk away.

Aragorn had expected that this new reality might be difficult for Faramir, but he truly never expected for it to be so painful for him. Never before had his son looked at him that way and it pierced his heart. "Faramir, believe me, I am sorry. I suppose I was wrong, but I did not want your childhood to be so burdened. Perhaps I wanted to live without being Isildur's heir while you grew up as well."

Faramir stopped while his father spoke but said nothing in return and continued to walk away. For the next two days, no one in the house saw or heard him. It was only Elrond's advice to just let him be, to give him the time and space to understand things, that kept Aragorn even remotely calm. He was intolerably worried that he had made a terrible mistake and that it would cost him his beloved son.

It was after midnight on the third day of his self-imposed seclusion that Faramir came to a decision. He loved his father, but he could no longer foresee the life that he once dreamed of: living in Imladris, working beside Erestor in the library, and perhaps one day finding a love to call his own. Since that simple future was gone from him, he decided that he should no longer tempt himself with it by staying in Imladris.

In the middle of the night, Faramir packed what few things he could carry and would be sure to need. Quietly he went to the library, seeing the light in the corner niche where Erestor liked to work. "I thought I would find you here," he said softly.

Erestor smiled sadly. "Believe it or not, I finished my work hours ago. I have been waiting for you. I set these aside." Erestor handed him a small, leather wrapped package which contained three of Faramir's favorite books.

Faramir let the tears slip from his eyes as he hugged Erestor gratefully. "I am sorry that I must go, but I can not -"

"Sidh, Faramir," Erestor said. "I know why you must go, it was the same thing half a century ago. Keep yourself safe and do not stop learning. You might also stop in your daeradar's study."

Faramir nodded and bowed in Elven fashion to his mentor and said, "Hannon le, mellon." Faramir did go to Elrond's study then and found him awake and expecting him as well. He wondered if he was that predictable, and guessed he was when his grandfather told him that there was a mount ready with supplies if he chose to go. Though Elrond did ask him to reconsider, he also understood that Faramir had made his decision. More than anything, Elrond wanted Faramir to know that he loved him very dearly as a grandson and that Imladris would always be open to him. Elrond felt very strongly that they would meet again, and he told Faramir so, knowing the young Mortal needed that reassurance.

As Faramir rode away he wondered if he should stop and tell his daernana that he would be leaving. In the end, he decided it would be best to just go and find his own way to try to put his freshly shattered life back together.

ooo

Updates still coming blitzkrieg style. I have no idea how i am doing all this writing, but i am not complaining either!

estelle: Nice to hear from you again. I don't think a spin-off is out of the question. I can't really promise a time frame, but i will put it on my plot bunny list. Thanks for your support!

steelelf: I can see how you would be worried! Sometimes when i write something i know what i am saying, but fail to realize that others might not see it the same way. I've often said that at work i have three people proof our publication every week, but i am just too eager to get these chapters posted to employ the services of a beta :)