Eyes of the Goddess

The battle that day was fierce and many lost their lives, but they managed to save the White City. All was not joyful howeve Kin King Théoden was lost. Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, and the new King of Rohan Éomer entered the White City for the first time at nightfall. Éomer tried to convince Aragorn to proclaim his Kingship now but Aragorn wanted to speak to Denethor first.

The three men turned a corner and were met by Gandalf.

"Your healing hands are needed, Aragorn, Come quickly to the Houses of Healing."
Gandalf said grabbing Aragorn's arm.

"Who is injured?" Aragorn asked.

Gandalf looked at Boromir then who was one step behind Aragorn. "It is a long tale but the Lady Éowyn and Merry defeated the Witch King but in doing so were themselves defeated by the black breath. The other is Faramir...he was felled by a Southron dart and is not doing well." Gandalf explained as they half ran to the Houses of Healing.

Boromir sucked in a breath when Gandalf told the tale. One of his little ones and his own brother!

Aragorn clasped Boromir's arm in silent comfort as they ran. When they arrived in the Houses of Healing Aragorn was taken first to Faramir. He treated the young man that reminded him so much of Boromir it was almost painful to look at him. After Aragorn had done what he could he turned to Boromir.

"Why don't you stay here with him...your presence might help." Aragorn told him.

"I can come back later, I wish to help with Merry." Boromir said looking into Aragorn's pain filled eyes.

"Alright." Aragorn strode for the next room and looked back in time to see Boromir kiss Faramir on the forehead and whisper something to the young man.

When Aragorn entered the next room Merry and Éowyn were there. "You say they defeated the Witch King? Just the two of them?" Aragorn asked.

Gandalf nodded. "Then I shall do all I can." Aragorn said. He placed his hand upon both of their foreheads and then turned to one of the nursemaids. "Bring athelas and lots of it, force them to drink it if yost, st, and infuse it into the air in here. Also give them more blankets, the black breath has chilled them to the core." Aragorn commanded and headed back for Faramir's room. He had decided Faramir was in far graver danger than the other two.

One of the nursemaids looked at Boromir beseechingly. "Kingsfoil that is what he is asking for. Now go!" Boromir barked at the nursemaids who ran from the room.

Boromir leaned over Merry's bed and kissed him lightly on the forehead just as he had dFaraFaramir. "Come back to us brave Merry. Pippin needs you." He whispered then he turned to Éowyn's bed and kissed her as well.

"Éowyn you are like no woman I have ever met...Éomer needs you now more than ever...you must come back to him, my lady." He whispered to the girl smoothing back her pretty hair.

Gandalf stayed with them and watched as Boromir headed back to his brother's room.

Aragorn was already at work when Boromir entered. "Boromir come here. Take his hand." Aragorn commanded.

Boromir did so and Aragorn took his brother's other hand. "I need you to help me call him back, he is so close to slipping away from us."

Boromir's heart caught in his chest and he clenched his teeth in an effort not to let tears overtake him. Boromir had never felt anything quite like what was happening now; it was as if he were outside of his own body and inside his brother's mind. Aragorn was with him and they were calling for Faramir to join them. Eventually they both felt it when Faramir's spirit answered their call.

After some time Faramir's eyes fluttered open and Boromir gasped as he saw his brother look upon Aragorn with awe and love. "What does the King command?" The young Captain asked.

"To take rest and heal." Aragorn said letting out a sigh of relief.

"Boromir?" The young Captain asked turning his eyes to his brother. "You are alive! I didn't believe Pippin and Gandalf...I had dreamed...I had dreamed you were lost. When Frodo told me the ring had taken you and then I found your horn split in two washed up on shore I was certain we had lost you." Faramir sobbed.

"Shhhh dear brother I am here." Boromir said soothing his younger brother. He looked to Aragorn. "Go treat the others now."

Aragorn nodded and headed back for Merry and Éowyn's room. Boromir held his young brother stroking his reddish blond hair until he fell asleep. After some time Gandalf came to the room.

"Aragorn has done it, both Merry and Éowyn are back in the land of the living." Gandalf said smiling.

"Thank the Valar." Boromir sighed deeply.

Aragorn entered the room and sat down in a chair exhausted. He looked to Gandalf and the wizard nodded. Boromir noticed something pass between the two and said, "What is it?"

"Boromir come walk with me." Gandalf said going to the door.

He wondered what the old wizard wanted. Gandalf had pulled him aside a few times now, times when he needed to tell Boromir something important. He wondered what the wizard knew and needed to tell him now.

In the hallway Gandalf said, "I have grave news."

Boromir tried to think of what would be grave new after bringing his brother, Merry, and the Lady Éowyn back from the brink of death.

"It's my father isn't it?" Boromir asked then. Gandalf closed his eyes briefly and nodded.

"He is dead." Boromir said then and steeled himself for the response he expected.

"Yes." Gandalf answered.

"How?" Boromir was hardly able to ask the one word question because his chest and throat were so tight with unshed tears.

"He threw himself out of the window of the Tower of Ecthelion." Gandalf answered.

"By the Valar, Gandalf, why would he do that!?" Boromir cried in terror.

"He believed you were dead, and that Faramir would die as well...he used one of the Palantírs to watch your progress but Sauron was able to deceive him since he could not control a strong man like your father he made the Palantír show him images that were false. He showed him that you died at Amon Hen, and then the Horn of Gondor washing up on shore near here backed what he had seen. He was shown that Minas Tirith would fall, and he thought his sons were dead, so he took his life rather than be a puppet to Sauron...little did he know he already was. I am sorry my boy." Gandalf explained forlornly.

Boromir shook his head...so that was why the orcs took his horn that day. It didn't matter if they had killed him or not. It was done to break his father.

"So Sauron defeated my father anyway." Boromir said sadly.

"No, your father defeated himself." Gandalf said then. "He did not believe strongly enough in his sons, and did not heed the teachings of your grandfather to never use the Palantír."

Boromir turned away from Gandalf and strode down the hall. Aragorn exited Faramir's room and tried to speak to Boromir but he threw off his hands and continued out of the Houses of Healing. Aragorn looked at Gandalf.

"What happened?" Aragorn asked.

"He will have to tell you my boy...he will have to tell you." Gandalf said tiredly waving his hands in the air.

Boromir se the through the city blinded by tears until he found hlf ilf in one of the small gardens. He fell to his knees and sobbed. After a while he gathered his wits about him and sat on one of the benches. He tossed his pack he had forgotten he still had with him on the ground. As he did so a small parcel fell out. It was the acorn from Treebeard. Boromir picked it up and unwrapped the gift from the great tree lord. He looked around him and decided what better place than a garden to plant a tree? He would plant it in honor of his father and all of those who had lost their lives that day. The war wasn't over but Boromir refused to loose the little hope he still had left that it would soon be over. Frodo would not fail...of that he was certain.

Boromir pulled out his small dagger and began digging in the soft earth in the center of the circular garden. He planted the acorn and sent up a prayer to the heavens. "Whatever gods have been watching over me on this quest please watch over those who remain that I love. Please keep Sam and Frodo safe; their road is the most perilous of all. I have not lost hope, even though I grieve my father's passing his legacy will live on through his children. I offer this gift to the earth and in return I for for nothing more than that. I hope it is enough."

When Boromir looked up Aragorn stood before him. His head was tilted to the side slightly and he had a look of pure love upon his face. "Boromir?" Aragorn asked. He had heard Boromir's prayer and could not possibly love the man more than he did at that moment.

"My father is dead...I grieve for him but we still have much work to do." Boromir said standing up and brushing the dirt from his knees.

Aragorn crossed the short distance quickly and pulled Boromir into a crushing hug. "Yes we have much left to do my love. Your brother is asking for you dear one." Aragorn told him.

"I am done here." Boromir said and picked up his pack as he replaced his dagger.

Neither man noticed that the stars had peeked through the blackness over the small garden.

They returned to Faramir's room and slept on the small couch there curled around one another as they always had since Amon Hen. Sometime early that morning Gandalf came in and found them there.

"I am sorry to wake you so early but Aragorn we must meet with your battle captains to plan the final strategy." Gandalf said helping the two men gather their things.

The wizard turned to Boromir, "You must take your father's place as Steward."

"I will take up the Stewardship but I will not stay here while there are battles to be fought. The city will not fall to ruin without a Steward for a few days. Faramir can act in my place if he is well enough. I will not stay here and wait like some handmaiden while my countrymen and my King who I have pledge to follow goes off to war." Boromir said shaking his head.

Aragorn smiled. "I would rather you stayed for other reasons, but I understand why you must come with me."

"Yes I know the other reasons, and if I could lock you up in the tower and fight this war for you if only to keep you out of harms way I would...but you would kill me if I lived to return." Boromir said smiling.

Aragorn laughed, as did Gandalf. "It is settled then, the King and his loyal Steward shall go to war." Gandalf said smiling.

Boromir then turned to Aragorn. "If we are to meet with the Lords of Gondor you need to look more like a King than a scruffy Ranger." Boromir said appraising Aragorn's worn clothing.

"What?" Aragorn asked. "Scruffy Ranger!?" Aragorn tried his best to look indignant but he was finding it hard to when he saw the amusement in his lover's eyes.

"Oh don't get me wrong...I happen to like that look on you...but the Lords of Gondor will not bow to a man looking the way you do now." Boromir said smiling. "Also love...we could both do with a bath."

Gandalf bellowed with laughter. "I believe there is time for that." Gandalf agreed.

The two men headed for the armory and Aragorn was fitted for his armor. The two headed back up to Boromir's rooms. "Where are you taking me?" Aragorn asked.

"To my rooms of course...this is my home, Aragorn." Boromir explained.

Once inside he got the servants to draw a bath for a bemused Aragorn and also asked them to prepare the Kings chambers. Then Boromir went to Faramir's room and took his own bath. They didn't want to meet with the Lords of Gondor smelling and looking like they did.

Once he had dressed Boromir made his way for the armory and delivered Aragorn's new clothing with all the proper symbols of Gondor's King.

When he entered the room Aragorn was standing in the center wrapped up in a red cloak.

"Red looks good on you." Boromir commented as he entered.

"And that dear one looks good on you." Aragorn commented on Boromir's splendid armor bearing the tree of Gondor and the crest of the line of Stewards.

Aragorn dressed and the two men rushed to the meeting hall. On the way Aragorn pulled him into a deserted alcove of the hall and kissed Boromir deeply.

"For luck." He whispered. Boromir grinned.