Prompts: Characters Discovering Fanfiction; Galadriel and Celeborn; Faramir and Éowyn

I saved this for the last, not because it was the last I wrote (far from it), but because it sums up views on Middle-Earth fanfiction - exactly what I've been focusing in the compilation so far. ;)

Discovering fanfiction!

After the dinner, she decided to ask her about it. The King and the Queen of Lórien were visiting the Prince and the Princess of Ithilien. They had finished their meal, and were going to sit down outside to admire the views on the newly planted gardens of Ithilien, when Éowyn decided it was time. She asked Galadriel whether the two of them could talk in privacy. "Because there is something I don't understand." Galadriel nodded. Maybe she had already used her telepathic skills to find out what bothered the hostess, but nite she merely told Celeborn she'd join him soon enough. Celeborn kissed her and went followed Faramir.

Éowyn looked rather uncomfortable when she explained the situation. "You are the wisest person I know, so I assumed you would be the one I could ask about this,"she said and Galadriel nodded. Naturally she would help this young Adaneth best as she could. Although, judging by Éowyn's expression this was not an easy matter.

"There have been these... I guess one could call them stories..." Éowyn began. "I don't really know who had been writing them, but they have been popping up lately. Small leaflets sold in the market, or to be found in the library... Stories about..." Éowyn's voice became ice cold. "...About me."

Galadriel sighed. She knew what the other woman meant. "Stories that are spread although they don't have a single grain of truth in them and are called entertainment?"

Éowyn gasped in relief. "I knew you would understand! I cannot ask about this of anyone else. Not Faramir, not King Elessar, not Queen Arwen. But you do know something about these stories, don't you?"

"I do, Éowyn," Galadriel said solemnly, "because such stories have been written about me, as well. For a long time. In fact, as soon as people start to recognize our names, they begin to write fictional stories about us."

"Who are they?" Éowyn whispered.

"They are our fans."

The room became quiet as Éowyn thought. "I have fans?" she asked at last, disbelieving.

"Apparently your customs in Rohan are different since you have had the luck of not experiencing this before," Galadriel said gently. Éowyn nodded. "As soon as you killed that servant of the enemy a year ago and survived against all odds," Galadriel continued gravely, "you have had fans in Gondor. Unlike the Rohirrim, Gondorians like to write. And some fans want to write stories about you."

"About me, but why also about... Why spread rumours of me and Elessar when I am perfectly happily married to Faramir?" Éowyn frowned, blushing a little.

Galadriel laughed dryly. "You should see some of the stories that have been written about me and about my people," she said. "Some are truly scandalous stories. I remember one time when my Uncle moved to Formenos after one particularly inappropriate story concerning my eldest cousin..."

"Are not the ladies going to join us soon?" Faramir asked Celeborn after they had walked around the flower patches already some times.

"They were going to, yes," Celeborn said. "But it takes longer than I expected. Should we go fetch them?"

"Maybe so. I was thinking that we could all take a walk together," Faramir replied, "so we should at least inform them of that we wish to leave soon."

They went back to the house. But as Faramir was about to knock on the door to the room their wives were in, he suddenly stopped, lowered his hand and pressed his ear against the door. Celeborn raised an eyebrow. "I thought I heard my name," Faramir whispered sheepishly.

It was Éowyn's voice: "...and I feared that everybody would soon think it's true, that there exist some "love triangle. You see, obviously, I couldn't ask Arwen about that, not when it concerns Elessar and I."

"I understand," Galadriel's voice replied. "Do not take it seriously. I once had a similar experience. I doubt Celeborn found out about it, although he is wise and might have been able to conceal his knowledge from me." Celeborn frowned and pressed his ear against the for as well, (not that he needed to, since he had the hearing of Eldar). The two males listened intently, until the two womens' chat stopped. For a moment they heard nothing, and the next second the door was opened.

Celeborn leaned away at once and Faramir followed, slightly less gracefully.

"You are fearing the worst now, aren't you?" Galadriel asked Faramir looking half amused. "As for you, Celeborn, I doubt fiction by fans is a new expression for you."

Celeborn relaxed visibly. "Oh, that," he said. "My dear, you know I have more important things at hand than reading that blasphemy."

Faramir frowned. "I am sorry, Éowyn, that they have been writing about you, too," he said as he walked to her and kissed her forehead. "I was hoping you could avoid them if we lived here in Ithilien."

"So you know about them, too," Éowyn asked, looking relieved. "Then you know they are lies."

"Of course dear. Some of them come near the truth, but most of them are completely false."

Éowyn smiled. Her worries were gone. But then she frowned. "Why do the people of Gondor - and Elves also, it seems - write such things? Do they take joy in coming up horrible fates for us, or do they feel good for slandering our reputation?" she said angrily. "They make too little money from dealing those booklets on the market for the writing to be their living."

"Some people who can write take it as their pastime. It entertains them to create stories," Celeborn explained. "And some who like to read are entertained by reading stories about people they know by name only." Éowyn nodded thoughtfully.

"Do not take them seriously. Few of them mean you harm, and most of then would see you as a hero to revere," Galadriel added.

"I think I understand it now," Éowyn sighed. "Just you promise," she said to Faramir, as they went back outside to finally go on their walk, "to never believe those fictions. What they tell about me is never true, unless I have confirmed it myself."

"Understood," Faramir laughed and kissed her.