Disclaimer: I do not own any characters in this story; they belong to J.R.R. Tolkien.

Man Of Quality

Chapter 2

The fury of a woman scorned was no match to Lady Eowyn’s anger when she had burst into the King’s chambers. Aragorn was expecting her, and her fury. Her cheeks were crimson read, obviously running from whatever corridor she was in when she had been informed that her fiance had been unjustly confined to his quarters. Aragorn had sent a guard to find her and to escort her back to his chambers. Obviously, she had come alone leaving the guard behind.

“I demand to know why Faramir is kept under guard, my Lord,” she used loosely. Her upbringing commanded her to respect elders as well as men of title, but it was going to end here. She had stood her ground wielding her sword; fighting as a man defending her lands, people, and their way of life. She surely was not going to back down now. She had her arms crossed, still breathing heavily, adorned in the same dress from the evening’s celebration. It’s beautiful white fabric illuminated by the lit candelabras. Her hair had been braided and neatly pulled into a bun, set off by a silver crown.

The King just looked at the beauty radiating from her. A light just as bright as his beloved’s. Arwen had excused herself earlier to tend to the Ringbearer so that he could talk to Eowyn alone. Aragorn had carried Frodo to the spare room down the hall from his main bedroom chambers. He knew that Frodo hated the healing houses and maybe by recovering in a familiar bed, the Ringbearer would fair better.

The rumors had spread quickly about the cause of Faramir’s imprisonment, that Arwen had suggested to her husband that he speak to Lady Eowyn in private. That maybe she could shed some light on the cause of the argument.

“I am waiting for an answer,” she replied, a little more calmly.

“Lady Eowyn,” Aragorn began, “I do not know how to say this … but I have to ask you a personal question?”

Now Eowyn came here to discuss Faramir, not her personal life. Why in the world would the King, who had no feeling for here than that of a sister, want to know anything about herself? “You may, my lord,” she answered, curiosity getting the best of her.

Looking at the ground to gather his courage, he then raised his eyes to Lady Eowyn’s and sounded as serious as he could, “Did Frodo make any gestures towards you this evening that would cause Faramir to defend your honor?” there he said it. As odd as it sounded, hoping he knew Frodo well enough that he would not disgrace himself by committing such act.

Eowyn was taken aback. First, she wanted to know how the King obtained this knowledge and secondly she had decided to disregard the matter all together. The hobbits were a gentle lot, as she found out by riding with the Ringbearer’s cousin, Merry. He had risked his life by slaying the Witch King when she was in his deadly grasp. She shuddered at the memory. Merry had also been the one to introduce the Lady Eowyn to Captain Faramir when they were in the healing houses.

She had recalled that Frodo had not looked at all himself this past evening. That maybe he was coming down with something. She had excused herself quite unexpectedly as the hobbit kept winking at her, trying not to offend him or herself. After careful consideration she answered as truthfully as she could without embarrassing herself or the Ringbearer, “No.”

Aragorn paced in front of Lady Eowyn for a moment or two before giving his explanation. “As you may have heard, there was an altercation out on the terrace outside of the banquet hall. Frodo fell down the stairs,” Aragorn explained.

Eowyn looked at the King in confusion and asked the obvious, “I hope he is all right, but I do not see how that imprisons Faramir?” Then it dawned on her. “Unless Faramir did the pushing?”

Aragorn had poured himself a cordial and her one as well. He approached with the glass offering her it to her. She was going to need it. Eowyn gracefully accepted the beverage and took a sip. “I know this all sounds so incredulous, but I do not have all the facts as of yet. I only have a guard's testimony and one servant's opinion,” he explained taking a sip of his cordial then setting the decorative stem back on the serving tray. He thought on the last statement. He valued Sam as a friend and also as a loyal servant to Frodo. He would do everything in his power to protect him. That dedication showed through as Aragorn heard tale that Sam had fought Orcs, carried Frodo up Mt. Doom, and saving his masters life; dangling over the same cliff that Gollum had gone over palming the Ring. How could he ever doubt his word? He heard a frightened Frodo answering his question. Was Frodo in is right mind when he told Faramir to stay away from him? The King’s concentration was broken when a familiar perfume permeated the air. He looked up following the lovely creature that was his wife drift into the room soundlessly. The fragrance gave her away. Arwen’s lovely raven-black hair hung down freely covering her shoulders. Of the many gowns that she wore, this one flattered her figure. It was a soft heavy fabric that seemed darker when brushed one way and lighter when brushed in the opposite direction. The color was lavender as the flower itself. Her waist was accentuated with a hand made trim as was the collar. The only thing that never changed since her coming from Rivendell to Minas Tirith was that she remained barefoot. Aragorn found it attractive and the only time he requested her to use footwear was if she was riding her horse.

“How is Frodo?” Aragorn asked also handing his beloved a cordial. Lady Eowyn bowed as the Queen passed her to sit down on the settee.

After taking a quick sip she replied, “He is not fully awake. Sam is at his side, as always. His cousins are there as well. I dismissed Pippin from duty at this time, and of course Eomer did the same for Merry. I am concerned. The bump on his neck, did that come from the fall?” she asked.

“I have not a clue. Did you not ask Sam? Frodo had many injuries upon his return. There were too many to count,” Aragorn remembered as the Eagles brought the two hobbits down from the exploding Mt. Doom. They were covered from head to toe with soot, scratches and opened wounds. Frodo bore a mark around his neck that the chain made digging into his skin. Then there was the old wound on his shoulder from the Morgul blade. It was red and swollen. Then there was another wound, in the same vicinity as the Queen was describing, but it was so small that he thought it was just another scratch. The major one he had concentrated on was the finger on his left hand. It had been bitten off, bleeding profusely. It was a good thing that Sam had thought to wrap it up.

“I did not ask Sam. He was too distraught at the time. I gave him a sleeping cordial. I wanted you to come and look over the Ringbearer. He does not bode well to me, Estel.”

Aragorn knew something bothered Arwen if she called him Estel. She only used his Elvish name when she was angry or concerned.

Eowyn overheard the conversation and had asked to accompany the King to see the Ringbearer. She was concerned about Faramir and knew in her own heart that he would not injure Frodo.  Eowyn was not told what had transpired between Sam and Frodo in Ithilien when they were captured by Faramir and his men; how they were mistreated then, at the end, was released to continue their journey. But not without a price. A price Gondor would have paid dearly if Frodo had not been taken down by his servant while trying to put on the Ring. Almost a moment too late did Faramir launch an arrow that pierced the winged fell beast carrying the Nazgul. “My Lord, where is the Ringbearer? May I see him?”

“He is resting in a room next to this one. It is one chamber down on the left. But I would like to examine him first,” Aragorn said then added, “You may visit with Faramir. Do not, however, ask him anything about what happened. I will confer with him after I speak to Frodo.”

“Yes, My Lord,” Eowyn spoke. She then bowed to the Queen and left the chambers, walking swiftly down the hall to Faramir’s quarters.

As Aragorn and Arwen watched Eowyn depart their room, Arwen spoke, “she will not hold this over you. She does not understand what happened between Frodo and Faramir in Ithilien. No one believed there was still any ill will between them. Not even Sam.”

Aragorn sighed deeply, nodding in agreement. He went behind the partition and changed into leggings and a looser tunic. He wanted himself to be comfortable and to get out of those “Kingly clothes”. He was still not used to dressing up in formal attire and felt more comfortable wearing his Ranger clothing. He opted to compromise from both worlds.

When he finished, he opened the door and looked at his Queen. “You go, darling. I shall wait here. If you need me to summon my father, just let me know and I will send a rider. He is not that far away.” Aragorn nodded and walked out the door, opposite the direction Lady Eowyn had taken earlier.

Tbc.