These characters all belong to the estate of J.R.R. Tolkien. This story was written for pleasure and not for financial gain.
And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon: and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again.. 1.Kings.I. 38 The Bible.
So ward es uns verhiessen,
so segne ich dein Haupt,
als König dich zu grüssen.
Du - Reiner!
Mitleidvoll Duldender,
heiltatvoll Wissender!
As it was promised to us,
Thus do I bless your head,
That I may greet you as King,
You – pure one!
Compassionate sufferer,
Enlightened Healer!- Parsifal -Wagner .Act three.
The next morning, Aragorn appeared calm and resolute. He knew that today, would either see him restored to his rightful place or despatch him forever beyond the circles of the world. When he had awakened that morning, Arwen had begged him to let them prepare him according to ancient ritual and he had agreed. If today were to be the last time they met in this life, he would try to ease their parting by doing what he could to please her.
Breakfast was a sombre affair, with the four adults present wondering if this would be the last meal they would ever share. Only Elbeth was in high spirits, chattering incessantly and asking endless questions about where Strider and Uncle Faramir were going.
After she had fed and changed her daughter, Eowyn went to the stables to brush Roheryn and Zachus. She then plaited their manes and tails in a ceremonial fashion, feeling that this at least, was some small office that she could perform for her husband and the King.
Elbeth came out to help her and she permitted the child to assist her in grooming the placid Zachus.
"Can I go with my uncles?" she asked.
"No, you must stay and help me in the house," Eowyn told her.
"But I want to see the big city!" Elbeth protested, "Why won't they take me?"
"Your elders know what is good for you, child! We cannot all do just as we would like to!" Eowyn snapped, suddenly no longer able to endure Elbeth's prattle and afraid she might burst into tears.
Elbeth started to cry. "Why are you so cross with me?" she sniffed.
"I am just worried, child, I am sorry," Eowyn said contritely. "I wish I could go to the City to, but like you, I must stay here. There is something we can do though; Elbeth and I would like you to help us for it is very important."
Elbeth stopped crying and listened intently while her Aunt explained.
Soon after dawn, Faramir had gathered some athelas leaves at Arwen's request. He had also collected some of the earth from the bed in which it was grown in a small bowl.
Arwen meanwhile was gathering suitable garments for her husband and Faramir to wear.
As soon as breakfast was finished, Damrod and his sister filled the bathtub for the King in front of the kitchen fire. Faramir and Arwen led the King to the tub, told him, he ought to take a bath and then left him alone to undress.
Slightly puzzled why they were so insistent that he should bathe, but assuming it was in some way part of the ritual, Aragorn tried to relax in the too small tub, fearing any moment that someone would come in. He longed for the spaciousness and privacy of his large sunken bath in Minas Tirith. He wondered if ever again he would know the pleasure of stretching out his long legs in warm water scented with refreshing herbs.
Part of him wished to hearken to Arwen's pleas and go with her and Eldarion to the North, there to live out his days with his loved ones enjoying the much simpler lifestyle of the Ranger chieftains. It was tempting to leave Gondor and its treacherous lords for ever.
Yet, he could never abandon his people to oppression and hardship, nor give in to traitors who sought to usurp his throne. He had not fought against Sauron to skulk again in the wilderness .Nor would he lightly abandon the conditions Elrond had laid upon him before taking his daughter as bride.
He heard someone come in and stiffened, covering himself with his arms as best he could, wishing fervently he had left his towel where he could reach it.
To his relief it was Faramir and not one of the four females in the house.
"Your Lady and I, would hallow you today to prepare you to once more take up your mantle of kingship!" the Steward said solemnly, making Aragorn struggle to repress a wry smile. It was so like the Faramir of old to want to invest every moment with ceremony. Knowing it could well be for the last time, he decided to humour him.
"Will you stand please, sire?" Faramir said formally.
Feeling somewhat uncomfortable, Aragorn uncoiled his cramped body and rather inelegantly rose to his feet.
"Be thou blessed with Gondor's good earth!" the Steward intoned, scattering a handful of earth over his shoulders and then pouring a bowl of water over him crying, "Be thou cleansed with this hallowed herb! "
Aragorn recognised the refreshing scent of athelas and felt heartened by it.
"I will prepare you now, my lord." Faramir bowed low and waited while a somewhat baffled King to climbed out of the bathtub. The Steward was waiting to wrap him in towels. When he was dried, Faramir slid a loose linen robe over his head and knotted it securely with a cord around his waist. What he thought at first, to justbe one of the borrowed nightshirts he had been wearing, on closer examination proved to be embroidered with the emblems of Gondor and Arnor.
" Come!" said Faramir.
Aragorn followed his Steward into the next room. Faramir hesitated on the threshold wondering whether or not he should remain.
"Stay, son of Gondor, who hailed me first as King!" Aragorn commanded.
A bowl of clear water stood on the table, surrounded by three lit candles, a vase containing some sprigs of athelas knife, a goblet of wine, a bowl with some soil in it, the Elessar;and to his amazement, Anduril and the Star of Elendil.
Arwen, Elbeth and Eowyn were waiting for him and Arwen gestured he should kneel. The babies slept in their cradles blissfully unaware of the preparations surrounding them.
"When my father and Mithrandir sailed, they took with them the old magic," Arwen said, "Now we who are left, must create a magic of our own."
She unlaced the robe at the neck, and with Eowyn's help; slid it from his shoulders, leaving him bared to the waist. He felt painfully exposed thus, with so many eyes on his cruelly scarred body. The room suddenly felt very cold and he trembled slightly.
Arwen came and knelt before him. She had a small bottle in her hand and dabbed some of the contents of Aragorn's head. It appeared to be some sort of oil, which smelled of a mixture of orange, roses and cinnamon.
"Be thy head anointed with kingly wisdom!" she said solemnly." I, the wise woman of the elder race, bless you!"
Eowyn knelt beside him, and, taking the oil, dabbed some over his heart. "Be thou anointed with compassion and love!" she intoned." I, the mother, bless you!"
Elbeth then dabbed the oil on his hands, saying; "Be thou anointed with prowess and honour!" I, the maiden, bless you!"
Finally, Faramir took his turn and dabbed oil on his feet, "Be thou anointed with valour and courage!" he said.
What had begun, as a mixture of the embarrassing and the absurd became a strangely moving experience for Aragorn. A feeling of warmth enveloped him, while a new strength coursed through his veins. He rose to his feet blinking back the tears when his wife and friends then knelt before him with the candles and the bowls of earth and water.
"May the Valar protect you through trials of fire and air!" said Arwen who held the candles. "I the eldest hallow you!"
"May the Valar protect you through trials of earth!" Eowyn said, as she knelt with her offering of soil from the garden. " I, the mother hallow you!"
"May the Valar protect you through trials of water!" Elbeth said solemnly as he presented the water. "I, the maiden, hallow you!"
Arwen then placed both hands on her husband's chest while Faramir stood behind him with both hands on his back and together they recited several Elvish spells of protection over the man they both loved, albeit in very different ways.
Arwen then led Eowyn and Elbeth from the room while Faramir led his lord over to the couch, on which a variety of garments were laid. The Steward took up the knife, causing Aragorn to flinch involuntarily. With a swift movement, he severed the cord securing Aragorn's robe. " Cast off the man of old, become the King anew!" he cried as the garment fell to the floor.
He then went outside to join the women, shaking his head slightly, as he did so. Aragorn appeared so frail and vulnerable despite the new fire that now blazed in his eyes. The open wounds had closed but left livid and angry looking scars in their wake and while the broken finger and thumb had knitted, his left hand still looked sore and swollen.
The King hurriedly drew on his drawers, embroidered by Arwen with the White Tree, to cover his nakedness, then reached for his shirt and discovered that Arwen had made him a sleeveless undershirt from one of her silk nightgowns. He smiled at her thoughtfulness as he donned it next to his skin, followed by a linen shirt and woollen breeches.
He started as the others re entered the room but made no protest when Arwen and Eowyn then slowly finished dressing him, blessing each garment in turn and evoking the protection of the Valar.
Faramir had willingly lent a fine tunic made of dark wool, Damrod had provided his leather breastplate emblazoned with the white tree, while Arwen contributed one of her own cloaks made of black velvet and trimmed with ermine.
Arwen then fixed the Star of Elendil upon her husband's brow, Eowyn pinned the Elessar on his breast and then finally the Queen knelt and girded Anduril at his waist.
They stood back and surveyed their handiwork. Once again, Aragorn looked every inch the King that he rightfully was.
Faramir instinctively knelt in homage to his lord, offering his sword. He felt unworthy to speak the oath of Gondor and used instead an oath he had learned from his wife. "I Faramir, by my Lord's grace Steward of Gondor and Prince of Ithilien, do again pledge my self to become your liege man of life and limb; and faith and truth I will bear unto you, to live and die, against all manner of folks. May the Valar bear witness !"
"So may it be!" Aragorn replied.
Eowyn nodded to Elbeth and whispered in her ear. The little girl fetched the goblet and offered it to the King.He took a draught. To conclude the ritual, the others drank from it too.
Too overwhelmed to speak, Aragorn embraced his wife and then kissed Eowyn and Elbeth on the brow.
Arwen smiled bravely as she fought back the anguish of the coming parting. She had seen Aragorn ride of to war many times before, but this felt far worse and although she concealed it, the cruel marks he still bore on his body distressed her greatly.
"It is time we were leaving!" Aragorn said, not wanting to prolong the misery of the farewells. He went to where his son was sleeping and kissed the soft cheek before laying a hand on his head in blessing.
"I am ready," Faramir said," I just need my cloak."
"Just one moment!" said Arwen, retreating to the bedroom and re emerging a moment later with a silk shirt nearly identical to the one her husband was wearing.
"I have made this for you to wear today," she said.
"I thank you, my lady
" And Bereth has agreed to give you her husband's breastplate," Eowyn added. "Come, put them on!"
Faramir sighed, pulled off his tunic and started to put the silk shirt on, on top of the linen one he was already wearing.
"No, next to your skin!" Eowyn, " Go and change into it or I will dress you myself! Be sure to pull it down well so it covers your belly."
Wishing she were not quite so outspoken, Faramir went to change followed by Eowyn leaving Aragorn and Arwen to make their farewells.
"Take care, beloved!" Arwen whispered, trying hard to maintain her composure. She wanted her husband's last memory of her as he rode away to be a happy one.
"Remember, if I do not return, to take Eldarion to Rohan for safety. Eowyn and Damrod will be with you," he instructed her.
" I could not live without you!" she choked, her composure faltering.
"You must! We have our son's welfare to consider; promise me vanimelda, that you will do as I say!" Aragorn begged her.
" I will try, my love, my hope. I beg you though to take care!" Arwen pleaded.
"I give you my word. I would reign again with you at my side. I hope I will be able to send you tidings by tomorrow sundown at the latest. Remember, if you hear nothing, go and seek help from Eomer. He will escort you safely to Rivendell."
He pulled her to him and kissed her fiercely. He felt almost as worried as he had been before riding out to confront Sauron. Yet, he had returned from that seemingly hopeless mission. Maybe there was still hope, for the few thousand men he had with him then seemed just as absurdly minuscule a force, as to face the rebel lords with only Faramir at his side.
" I wish you would stay here with me and Elestelle, " Eowyn said sadly, securing her husband's breastplate." Yet, if you did not have such a sense of loyalty and duty, you would not be the man I fell in love with! Keep both yourself and Aragorn safe, as I know you will either return or die together! I only wish I could come with you both!"
"Take care of our daughter and the Queen if I do not return!" Faramir said gravely. "Dearest and best of wives, I bid you farewell!"
"Do not throw your life away rashly!" Eowyn pleaded." I am certain that Aragorn still loves you deep in his heart. He will come to understand you acted as you did for his sake alone."
Not trusting himself to speak, Faramir held her close. He tenderly kissed her and Elestelle, who regarded him solemnly from Eowyn's arms. Then he abruptly turned and made his way outside
TBC
A/N A very grateful thank you to everyone who has taken the time and trouble to review I truly appreciate each and every comment. I have replied to everyone who was logged in.
From now on, I have very little already existing in draft form, so updates may take a little longer. I do, however, have the story complete in my head.
I have taken the rituals from various parts of the world and my own imagination. Some of the words used in the anointing and Faramir's oath, come from the coronation rituals used for the coronation of our Queen.
The reason that the anointing takes place under a canopy,is because in the Middle Ages,the monarch would have been bare to the waist for the ritual.The canopy shielded them from the gaze of the public.It is retained now to emphasise the sacredness of the moment.