Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings. I am only playing with the fandom for the enjoyment of myself as well as others.

Author's note: Take care that a spew warning might apply and be cautious when handling food and liquids while reading this.

Chapter 60

Aragorn had asked for breakfast to be served in one of the smaller dining rooms of the Citadel. In his opinion, there were too many of them, but so it had been when the palace had been built, and there was not much to do about it now. This one was however quite nice, slightly out of the way, with large doors that opened out into the garden. For a Ranger who did not enjoy being cooped up indoors for weeks and weeks on end, it was a nice place. Informal enough that some of the older and more stricter servant staff went stiff with fright when he asked the food to be prepared there.

Apparently some of his staff found it a horrifying matter to ask the King of Rohan to eat in such a small room where the walls were not bedecked with tapestries and ornaments.

That the same King of Rohan was perfectly content to eat out in the wild. Sitting on the ground by a campfire while he used a dagger to eat from a borrowed bowl was something Aragorn felt they might not be able to bear to hear.

The same as himself his friend had no difficulty managing the fine dinners that were sometimes demanded of them. Even Éomer could sip at a delicate silver cup of wine while using the ornate silverware to pick through a myriad of minor and strange dishes. Though Aragorn knew they were both happier to to take their food amongst friends where he might enjoy a tankard of ale rather than wine, and did not need to worry overly about table manners.

The Rohirrim were not the heathens many seemed to think them to be. Certainly not, it was out in the wild that the Riders tended to forgo such things as cutlery, not in their own hall. They were however a simple people who enjoyed their simple ways.

They were open and generous, and Aragorn cared a great deal for them. It always brought him joy to be reunited with his brother at arms.

As they were also in general early risers he was not surprised to see he was not first at the table this morn.

"Goodmorning," he smiled, though he was not surprised that the reply he was offered was less than vocal. Rising early was one thing, to be overly cheerful about it was another. Rather than dwell on it he simply sat beside his Rohirric guest at the table to view the selection offered, there was no shortage of good food, and he happily took plates to spoon a generous amount of porridge in them, drizzling honey in one for himself, and adding of the finely diced fruit in the other. Setting it before his guest he was glad to see him dig in with gusto.

As a host, that was indeed something one should enjoy. The fact that he needed not stand on ceremony in any form was refreshing, for many of the nobles would insist on it even over something as simple as breaking their fast.

"It is good to have friends with whom one can share simplicity," he mused. "I swear half the lords here won't take a slice of bread unless it's announced by silver trumpets."

The snort he received in reply caused him to chuckle. "Aye, I was certain you felt the same way my friend," he mused. Turning back to his porridge, for the Rohirrim were all known by their good appetites and he feared if he dallied he might find the plates empty before he had had his fill.

Slicing up a couple of apples for them to enjoy with the bread he noted there was a fruit bread, as well as one that seemed to be made of nuts, and he pushed both platters to stand between them. So far, his companion showed no indication of having had his fill, gladly accepting the water Aragorn offered him to wash the porridge down with.

Indeed it was good to share a simple meal between friends, and while the Rohirrim might not be the biggest conversationalists, at the moment it suited him just fine. He did however set aside a few of the honecakes before he passed the plate along, for no doubt Faramir should join them soon, and Aragorn felt it was best to ensure he got some of his favourite treat. Instead he offered his friend well near half the apple braid, knowing he would prefer it in truth.

He had just started contemplating if he was satisfied, or if he should serve them a little more of the excellent preserve on dark bread when his Steward entered.

"Good morning, I trust you have both rested well?" his Steward sketched a light bow.

"I believe we have," Aragorn found himself answering for them both. "The porridge is still hot, and there is plenty of all left. We've shown a great deal of restraint, do you not think so?" he winked at his friend, grinning at the nod. It was quite enjoyable to tease Faramir, and now it was something that could easily be done. Not so long ago his Steward had not been comfortable enough in his position for such teasing, he was unfortunately used to a harsher treatment from Denethor. Though between Boromir and Faramir there had ever been great love. From other than his brother though, Faramir had not expected it. It had taken him some short time to be fully at ease with Éomer, for the Rohir's blunt and loud manners could startle stouter men. Yet Aragorn loved them both dearly and was glad to call them brothers.

"And I thank you for it, for I am truly famished," Faramir smiled at them both, taking his seat so that their Rohiric guest sat between them. It would be what the court expected, so that curtesy could be obeyed, though between the warriors it had always been in good jest and cheer.

For a moment Faramir seemed to contemplate forgoing the porridge for a sweeter choice, though a glare from beside him had him blush and quickly reach for their pot. Aragorn laughing lightly as he watched his Steward fill both their plates. "I think I'll have some more as well," he mused, sliding his own plate forward. "It shall be long enough before luncheon I think."

"And no guarantee the food is as good as this," Faramir agreed. "Though one may always hope."

"I think I might be in a position where I can make it certain," Aragorn laughed. Stirring more honey in the porridge before pouring himself more water. As he had finished he found himself pushing his chair back, and in a manner that would have caused many of their lords to swoon he lifted his foot up to the chair next to him in relaxation. No one present would mind he felt, and it was far too early for such tieresome protocols as some demanded.

Indeed, Faramir seemed only to care about calculating how much porridge and bread one must eat before one could lay waste to the honey cakes and not be reprimanded.

"There must certainly be advantages to be a King," Faramir mused.

"A king you say," Éomer snorted, causing them both to look on him. "Rather a jackass I think I shall call you."

"Èomer, what have I done to deserve your ire?" Aragorn smiled, though he spoke with mock hurt, for his friend was not truly angered. It was not in Éomer's nature to take offence so easily from a friend. "Have I not seen to it that we had an excellent choice to break our fast?"

"Aye, it all looks fine, though it seems me I have warned you time and time against spoiling that brute," he gestured to where at the table the two men sat, and between them was his own grey stallion, happily cleaning the last of the porridge from his bowl. "I have enough trouble with him as it is without you inviting him to the table." He had expected when he came to join his two friends for the breaking of their fast to see at least one of them already there, he had not expected to see the King of Gondor gladly serve his own war horse of the food.

"He was here already as I came in," Aragorn shrugged. The horse would have left his stall in the stable, most likely because he was tiered of the clumsy stable hands. Drawn by the smell of the food he would not have thought much of entering the room once he was in the garden.

As it stood, compared to some of the lords of the court, Aragorn still found he much prefered Firefoot's company.

Given a few particular ones, he wasn't sure if the horse didn't have better table manners also….

A Temporary End... Please review, the Cricket is hungry...

Additional Author's note: Some of these stories might not fit into the Tolkien timeline, I apologise for this, I have not yet been able to procure an English copy, and therefor there has been things I was unaware of while writing. Some I've changed, some I've left as I liked them.
Most of the Rohirric I use, is, as I believe Tolkien himself used, Old English. Though some is modern Swedish, as, frighteningly enough, these are quite often the same. In order to give the story a more pleasant flow for the reader, I have opted not to use a glossary at the end, rather, I try to make the meaning very clear in the story.