15. Palantír: Still hot

"There should be no exception from the good morals" Faramir said, watching the Tancol rise in the sky above Pelennor.

"Their morals are different, though," Aragorn sighed. "And the rules of hospitability say we should honour it."

"Have you seen what they want to sell here? Those pictures… they should not be published at all!"

"Really?" Aragorn raised his eyebrow. He took the book in question, and opened it at a random page. He stared at it for a moment, and suddenly turned red. "Ahem…" he coughed.

"So, how did it go?" Aragorn asked Faramir when he returned from the negotiations with the merchants from Rhún.

Faramir chuckled. "We had to make a pause so the interpreter could take a cold shower. But we decided on a reasonable agreement."

"And that would be?"

"The book can be sold, but can't be shown in the stalls. And it can be sold only to married couples."

Aragorn nodded, and then blushed. "Can I ask…" he took a deep breath, "… did you try it with Éowyn?"

"Did you and Arwen?" Faramir looked at his liege lord with an open curiosity. To a king, he would never give such a question, but Aragorn was both his king and his brother after he lost Boromir, and there were no secrets between them.

Aragorn looked away, suddenly finding a potted bay shrub very interesting. "Um… Some of it," he looked at Faramir to see is reaction, and when he saw the relief in his Steward's face, he added cheekily: "It was a very enjoyable night, I must say."

Faramir smiled. "Éowyn insisted we try it as well. She even dressed as a witch of Dwimordene."

Aragorn blinked. "Did you tell her that Galadriel is no witch?"

"I tried, but she's a very convincing witch. I'll try to work on my argumentation further tonight," Faramir grinned. "I wonder if she is as stubborn as I am."