First off thank you for all of the reviews! They mean the world to me! Second off, I did do my research and Boromir was 41 when he died, I did not make his age up. Third off, enjoy!
Chapter Five
Another month passed and word of Lord Boromir's return spread like wildfire. Luckily, there were not many other patients in the Houses. The disturbances throughout the days were countless. Many men who knew Boromir as the Captain of the White Tower came to see him.
One of his generals was the first to visit him. I stayed respectfully out of the way and made myself busy, rolling bandages and bundling herbs.
"My lord." The man bowed low at the waist. "It warms my heart to see you alive."
"Thank you, general," Boromir replied.
I listened to them talk about the state of Gondor and the War. Apparently, the outcome was looking bleaker by the day.
"It will give the men heart to know that you are alive and well, my lord," the general said warmly.
Boromir smiled. "You may tell them I will be back among them in no time."
"That will do wonders will their morale, my lord. I need to get back to them I am afraid. We have been training with a new vigor." The older man stood and bowed low again.
Boromir nodded. "I shall be joining you soon."
I turned to Boromir when the man left. "My lord, you'll be joining them soon, will you?" I arched one eyebrow.
Boromir nodded again. "Yes, I intend to lead my men again."
"From your bed here, my lord?" I asked.
He seemed to bite back his pride and sharp retort. "No. I want to try again," he said resolutely.
"Alright, then let us try again, my lord." I went to the side of the bed and held my hand out.
Boromir's huge hand enveloped mine and he slowly pulled himself up. I tucked myself under his arm and took some of his weight.
I feared I would be crushed beneath him as we slowly walked around the room. He had gained some strength back with the healing of his wounds, but we did not go far. Boromir ran out of breath and I maneuvered him to a window seat where he could lean against the stone wall and look over the city. His brow was wet with sweat, but he was smiling from his small triumph. I retrieved a cool, wet cloth and went to the window to give it to him.
When Boromir took the rag his eyes were still sparkling and his hand lingered on mine longer than necessary. I quietly cleared my throat and Boromir moved to wipe his forehead. I went back to bundling herbs and rolling bandages.
After the men of Gondor came to see their Captain the women came. The first was a tall, slender noblewoman older than me. Her thick dark hair was in a neat bun at the base of her neck and her light eyes searched the room when she entered.
When she finally found Boromir, tears, real or fake I could not tell, came to her eyes. She went to the bed where the Steward-Prince was sitting up and drew up a chair beside him. "
"Oh my lord, I was so terribly worried for you," she choked. Again, genuinely or not I could not tell.
"Lady Celille, you should not worry so for me," Boromir replied with a light laugh.
"Oh, but I could not help myself. I could only think of you and pray for your safety, my lord." The women seemed terribly upset.
"Well I am safe now and on the mend, I assure you." There was still a smile playing on Boromir's lips as I noticed from my corner where I was mixing his next batch of medicine.
"It will bring great joy to my heard to see you back at court, my lord." Lady Celille dipped a low curtsy, strategically displaying her bosom. It would seem the ladies of Gondor could be quite tactful, using tricks to display what the bolder women of Middle-Earth did with no reservations.
"Quite the actress, is she not?" Boromir asked with a roguish grin when the woman left. I could barely contain my laughter.
At first I thought it odd the amount of emotion the noblewoman had showed. In Gondor such things were not done. However, as more women came to visit the Steward-Prince I realized that these women would do anything to win the man's heart if it meant being wife to the next Steward of Gondor.
After that day, dozens of other women came to see Lord Boromir. I saw tall women and short women, slender women and plump women, girls younger than me and older women who feared the title of "old maid." They all gave the same speech and show as the Lady Celille had and I had to fight the terrible urge to laugh during each somber meeting.
As the sun fell below the horizon one night and the last noblewoman left, I glanced at Boromir.
"So many have come to pay their respects to you and silently bid for the position of your wife. How shall you ever choose, my lord?" I asked with a sarcastic smile.
"Oh I should thing the answer is obvious," Boromir said with a jesting twinkle in his grey eyes. "I shall pick the woman with the most pleasing face and the emptiest head."
I burst out laughing and he joined in. "Oh that is terrible, my lord," I finally managed to get out.
"What else could a man want in a wife?" He asked easily.
I chose to refrain from answering.
-ooooOoooo-
The next day in the early afternoon, Dirwen brought her son in for me to make sure he was progressing as he should be. They had named the baby Eradan, for Brydda's father she had informed me, and the last time I had seen him he had been perfectly healthy. The baby was gurgling from his bundle and I had to smile. Dirwen noticed Boromir and dipped him a curtsy. He smiled kindly back at her.
"Dirwen how is he?" I asked.
"There have been no problems." She had the tired smile of a young mother, proud, but exhausted.
I held out my arms and she gratefully handed him over. "Well he is considerably heavier," I laughed. Adjusting his blanket, I found one of his feet and tickled the bottom of it. Eradan jerked his leg and gave me a gummy smile.
I removed the blanket completely and also took off his dress. All Gondoran children wore the same style of dresses until the girls were old enough for dresses like their mothers and the boys for breeches.
Eradan stretched and wiggled in his new freedom and I poked and prodded his abdomen and listened to his breathing.
"Dirwen, he is one of the healthiest babies I have ever seen." I dressed and re-bundled the infant in my arms. He began to doze off when the blanket surrounded him again.
Boromir, who had amazingly been silent throughout the proceedings, had finally spoken up. "Do you mind if I hold him?" He asked looking at Dirwen.
Dirwen looked startled that such an important person would want to hold her son. "No, of course not, my lord. Go right ahead."
I stood and went to deposit the baby in his arms. I was startled as well, not thinking that Boromir would be the type to coo over infants. "Have you ever held a baby, my lord?" I asked quietly as he reached out to take the bundle.
"I am afraid I have only ever held a sword." He smiled as he cradled the infant to his chest.
Dirwen was clearly enjoying the break and we both looked at the Steward-Prince. I do not know what it was, but something about the proud, renowned warrior cradling the tiny babe tugged at my heart.
"Brydda will be home soon and will probably be afraid," Dirwen laughed, standing to retrieve her son from Boromir.
"Thank you for allowing me to hold your son," Boromir said with a gracious smile.
Dirwen smiled, awestruck again, dipping a curtsy before leaving.
I raised an eyebrow at Boromir when the pair left.
"What?" He asked.
"Are there not rules regarding men holding infants in public, my lord?" I asked.
"Well I suppose, but we are in the Houses of Healing and all things should be acceptable for the sake of recovery," he said with a grin.
I laughed softly. "I will agree to that, my lord."
-ooooOoooo-
A few days later as I finished tending to Boromir's slowly healing wounds a messenger came in. "Lindy Delling?"
"That is me," I replied wiping my hands on my apron.
"I have a letter for you." The young man handed me the paper and I quickly opened it and read it. As I read a huge smile graced my face.
"Good news?" Boromir asked.
"I have a niece, my lord," I replied, looking up at him. I would not have normally spoken to a man about such things, but Boromir and I had already broken such conventions. "My sister had a daughter."
"Is she older than you?" Boromir asked.
I shook my head. "Younger actually, my lord. She has seen eighteen summers."
Boromir looked a little bewildered. "And if you do not mind my asking, how old are you?"
"Twenty, my lord."
Boromir laughed out loud. "Well I must say you come off much older. Twenty summers make me feel like an old man."
I looked at him, waiting for him to offer up his own age.
He chuckled. "I am forty and one."
I had known he was much older than me, but was not quite expecting such a gap. Clearly living the life of a soldier forced one to remain young. We were both silent for a while.
"What is your sister's name?" He asked.
"Edi, my lord," I replied, setting the letter down.
"And the baby?"
"The baby's name is Avi, my lord," I responded.
Boromir smiled. "I do love the names of Bree."
I hope you liked the update! Let me know what you think! I love your reviews, they truly make my day!
Happy reading,
Avonmora