faemused | Open To Anyone For Anything RP Post

"A view of endless water?" she says, smiling, though she follows at once. Elboron whimpers a little, disconcerted by the noise, and she cradles his head against her neck.

"And the sun through the ice!" He laughs, and reaches over to stroke his son's head.

"Ah now, my son, you will get used to the thunder. And we are not going too close today."

Eowyn's smile turns tender and affectionate at this gesture from Faramir towards their son, and she too strokes his head. "I think once he is fed, he will grow less fretful," she says. "And likely be lulled to sleep by the sound, as I have been in the past."

Eowyn has always had mixed feelings about staying in Henneth Annun--it is very beautiful, but she has never liked caves, and whenever they are here she counts on the sound of the waterfall for comfort to help her drift off to sleep. That, and her husband's arms around her, of course.

"He seems insatiable, at times!" Faramir grins wryly as Elboron, having wriggled a hand free, grabs for his father's fingers only to shove them in his mouth.

"Ai! I am not for eating, my son!"

She snorts a little, for they both know how insatiable he is. The healers insisted on Elboron sleeping in another room at night, that his parents might get the rest they needed to fulfill their duties, or else the past months would have been difficult indeed.

Gently she tugs Elboron's hand, encouraging him to grip her fingers instead. "No, but I am," she says, with more than a little irony. She smiles at Faramir. "So I should tend to that, while you tend to all else, yes?"

Elboron gums his father's fingers but allows himself to be distracted.

"Already he knows what he wants?" Faramir shrugs at her with a wry grin. "Aye - I will set up the meal, while you feed him. It should not take long!"

He has all the things already pre-prepared, and the fire is already lit, so all he has to do is make it cosy.

Eowyn grimaces, for she knows it is easily possible for Elboron to take an hour at his meal if she does not stop him. But she may eat one-handed if need be, or tolerate Faramir's assistance. Weeks of parenting has made her more willing to accept such aid than her pride permitted those first few difficult nights. Besides, she is as hungry as Elboron.

So she makes herself as comfortable as she may near the fire, resting back against a rock as she feeds their son, alternately watching Faramir at work, or Elboron with his small eyes squeezed shut in concentration. Happily, her prediction proves true; some feeding and the rush of the waterfall, combined with the warmth of fire, firs, and his mother nearby, means Elboron drifts off to sleep before so very long. Eowyn cradles him on her shoulder, humming a quiet lullaby as she stares at the falling water.

Faramir sets out the bread and wine and meats from the picnic basket, setting those things that need warming closer to the fire and setting up the meat to be roasted. By the time Elboron is drifting off to sleep, the smell is percolating through the larger cave where they are, set further back from the falls so as to avoid the dampness, and he pours her a glass of wine as he removes the skewers of meat from the fire.

"Is he still feeding or think you we can set him in a sling, perhaps?"

Eowyn's stomach growls at the smell of roasting meat. "I think he will stay asleep for a time," she says, her voice still low and soothing. "We may not even need the sling; a bed of furs might suffice." He cannot yet roll over, which means he stays where he is put, and he is well swaddled and warm in his bundle. And she would dearly love to have both arms free for a time.

The thought is parent to the deed; Elboron protests a little, but falls back into sleep, leaving his parents free to enjoy their meal unhindered.

Faramir builds up the furs on either side of him to ensure any newly discovered sill does not catch them unawares, then settles back with Eowyn.

"Tis good to have a chance to relax a little!"

Eowyn takes a moment to lean against her husband's shoulder. "It is," she agrees. "A little while with no demands on our time. Or--fewer, at least." She casts an amused glance back at Elboron. Frequent demands, in truth, but at least simple ones. If rather exhausting.

"Until he wakes up." He agrees, and wraps his arm around her.

"But here, at least, we have the afternoon free of cares under than our son, and each other!"

Elboron will wake all too soon, she knows, far sooner than their liking. But for the moment she holds her husband in return, a few minutes' respite.

They both hunger, however, and turn quickly to their meal, before it can either burn or grow cold. Eowyn is ravenous, and makes short work of hers, already licking her fingers clean before Faramir is finished. But her face is open and relaxed for now as she looks around them, particularly at the waterfall. This is a place with only good memories for her, despite its use as a garrison even now.

That look of relaxation was the reason he brought them here, despite the distance to ride in the cold, and he smiles, reaching over to pour the mulled wine that was heating in the coals for them both.

"To both of us." He smiles at her. "For surviving out first few months as parents! To you, and to Elboron, for making me even happier than before."

She laughs quietly and toasts him in return. "And to you, my golden-tongued husband, for planning this excursion. And for giving me..." She trails off, shakes her head. "More than I could list in a year, not least Elboron and your own self."

"I am only able to be golden-tongued because I am full of such joy." He says fondly and kisses her.

"No." She smiles against his kiss and rests her forehead against his. "Always you have words of wisdom and sweetness. Joy but gives you further inspiration." She kisses him again, for thus her own happiness best shown.

He smiles into the kiss shyly.

"I am pleased that you think so! But most definitely thou art my truest inspiration."

"And again you flatter me with sweet words!" She laughs, kisses his cheek, and rests her head on his shoulder.

He adjusts a little to wrap his arm around her in turn.

"Tis only flattery if tis not true!"

She shakes her head, in amusement rather than denial, for this is an old argument between them now. Instead of debating the point she snuggles into the embrace, enjoying the peace of it. Such quiet moments with her husband are difficult to come by these days, between work and Elboron. Even at night they rarely have time for more than a quick kiss or embrace, assuming they see their bed at the same time at all.

So she will make the most of this opportunity while it lasts, having dearly missed such private times. They still see each other often, of course, throughout the day and at least for one meal--breakfast they still take quietly together in private, in the room Faramir had built for that purpose--but for the most part their time together is in company, and there is less than they were used to, and both feel the change keenly.

At least, Eowyn does. And she judges Faramir does as well, by his having taken such pains over this respite. Which reminds her..."Thank you." She turns her head, smiles up at him. "For arranging this."

It is a very old and worn argument, by now almost habitual tease. Faramir rests against her as she rests against him, and smiles at her.

"I am glad you enjoy it. I have missed you, these past months, although I know it can little be helped."

Elboron needs his mother, not his father, at this age, although Faramir does what he can. And the business of running Ithilien can also not be set aside for too long, meaning they have both been far too busy to do more than curl around each other in bed at night, and too tired to do more than exchange quiet moments at their meals.

"I think we both needed this time." He adds, tucking the furs around them all more snugly.

"We did," she agrees, settling in closer as he blankets them both together. "And I too have missed you, most sorely. I had not realized just how many things we did together until our work became so much more separated!" She sounds more than a little wistful, for being a mother to Elboron has in necessity meant delegating or setting aside more of her duties as Ithilien's lady, and there is a part of her that dislikes it.

But it is Elboron, and for him she would give anything. She had not truly understood until his birth how strong the bond between parent and child could be, having lost her own so young, and in such circumstances as she did.

Still...it is good to sit in quiet with her husband, both of them at ease and with nothing pressing to attend to, holding hands under the furs and watching the waterfall.

"I, as well!" He agrees. "It felt as if we were stealing time together, then, but now I realise what it truly means to catch stolen moments! Well, Elboron will grow, and we will have to steal more moments like these in the meantime."

"May we grow adept at thievery." She looks up and smiles at him. There are shadows under her eyes from too many nights of broken sleep, but the smile is genuine. "And quickly. For generous as our king has been with your time, he must be missing his Steward."

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject