Horsey missed his next hurdle, scattering pebbles and sticks about. “Dadi,†his ‘rider’ exclaimed, leaping to his feet with a speed and agility that astonished his father.
“Hello Elboron,†Faramir replied, ruffling the boy’s hair gently, of a sudden recalling how Boromir had often done so with him, to greet his little brother in his jovial way. Strange how these things get passed on, thought Faramir, smiling at the boy who was looking up to him cheerfully. “I see you have given Horsey some exercise, with the help of these two gentlemen, who, I am sure, had as much fun at it as you did.â€
The two grinned at this, and Éomer said, “It seems Horsey has become rather restless, after all the adventures he has had recently, and he had to work off some of that energy.â€
“I wish I could have spared him the adventures,†said Faramir gravely, recalling the long journey the doll had undertaken, then turning to Elboron again, he extended a hand to him which the boy grabbed eagerly.
“Go see horses now?†he asked with unveiled excitement.
“Aye,†said Faramir. “And hopefully our friends will come, too. Will you show me where they are?â€
Elboron nodded, and drawing his father after him, he set off along the terrace towards a path that led round the house, and towards the back of the long low building which contained the stables. Éomer trailed after them, and Visilya followed with Túrin carrying Vorondil, who was still clutching his beloved bear.
“A present from his grandfather,†explained Túrin upon a questioning glance and a nod towards the doll from Faramir. “Actually, the bear once belonged to my brother – you know how good my mum is at keeping her children’s old garments and toys and stuff. Obviously, father thought it fitting that his namesake should inherit the bear. Or what’s left of it. Mother had to patch it up again before it could be passed on.â€
“I still have some of Boromir’s old things, too,†said Faramir. “Elboron is still too young to play with most of them – wooden swords and the like, you know what Boromir was fond of,†he added with a faint smile, “but I do not doubt that rather sooner than later he and his brothers are going to find them useful. Where is Azrahil, by the way? I had expected him to wait with you.â€
“Well, he does not strike me as the patient kind,†replied Éomer with a shrug. “He left to look after his lion, and is going to wait for us there. This is what he said, at least.â€
“You still do not trust him, do you?†inquired Faramir while ducking his head to avoid his hair getting entangled in the low branches of an apple-tree that were hanging down onto the path – with his right arm still mostly immobile and his left hand firmly clasped in his son’s, he had not been able to simply hold them aside.
Éomer stepped forward to clear the path. “He is not a bad fellow,†he admitted slowly, and almost against his will, Faramir thought. “But with a past like his …†He shrugged again, letting go of the branch after the rest of the small procession had passed underneath. “It does look like he has finally chosen the right side, and yet … – nay, I cannot say I trust him completely. Do you?â€
Faramir hesitated, absently glancing at the sunlight playing on Elboron’s dark hair, and the grassy path overlaid with a pattern of flickering shadows to his feet. He had asked himself this very question several times. Back during his captivity there had come a point where he simply had to rely on the young Umbarian’s trustworthyness. Without Azrahil’s aid, he would not have survived, so much was certain. And fact was that Azrahil had risked a lot to safe him, and thus proven that Faramir’s trust had not been unfounded. Slowly, he nodded. “Yes, I do. He is not like his uncle, you know. The Haradrim have a code of honour, very much like your people, Éomer. Am I not right, Túrin?â€
The addressed nodded. “Stricter, even,†he added.
“Of course, not all of them live by it,†went on Faramir, “Al-Jahmîr being the prime example. But for some reason, despite his family connections and his troubled past, Azrahil takes it very seriously. Perhaps because ‘tis the only thing which gave him some kind of hold in the past, and a purpose. I could be completely mistaken in him, certainly, but I do not believe he is that good an actor.â€
Túrin laughed softly at this. “Nay, he is very straightforward in everything he does. And, honestly, to try and deceive you he’d have to be an excellent actor indeed. In this you’re like your father. My dad once that you had to tread carefully around Denethor. ‘Stick to the truth when you deal with the Steward,’ he once told me when I’d done something … well, you know … and had to report to your father for punishment, ‘because it is difficult to deceive him, and dangerous to try.’ I think we can extend this to you, too,†he ended with a grin.
Faramir smiled. “Oh yes, I can be very dangerous,†he agreed, upon with Éomer let out a laugh. “Yeah, ask the snake about that. I bet the fellow now rots in one of Elessar’s cells, awaiting his punishment. And serves him right.â€
Faramir’s smile faded somewhat. “To be honest, I do not believe the King has caught him so swiftly. For some reason, I think we would have had word had he done so.â€
“But they are far away, and not all messengers can fly,†observed Visilya.
“True,†agreed Faramir. “Yet there are other ways of receiving tidings than by bird or errand-rider. Surely Queen Arwen has her ways of knowing how her husband is faring.â€
“Elven magic, you mean?†asked Éomer, frowning slightly. Despite his dealings with some of the Elven-kind in recent years, Faramir knew he still retained a little of the old prejudice many of his people harboured against the Elder Kindred.
Faramir shrugged. “I am not sure it can be called ‘magic’. But they do have strange powers.â€
“Weird powers, if you ask me. But helpful ones, too, sometimes,†admitted his brother-in-law. “Ah, here we are. Wait a moment, I shall open the door for you, Elboron. It is too heavy for you.â€
They had reached the backdoor of the stables that opened out into the garden. Éomer stepped forward and pushed it open. A smell of hay and horses and oiled leather greeted them, together with a soft snorting from the inhabitants of the stalls. Elboron pulled his father over the threshold, then halted for a moment to look about. Faramir doubted the boy could indeed see much, being too small still to glance over the stalls that took up most of the ground level of the building. Not many horses were visible, he noted. Only those used by errand-riders and thus had to be close-by and ready all the time, and some of the steeds his rangers had ridden on their way to Dol Arandur.
Elboron looked up to him questioningly. “Where horse?†he asked, having obviously searched for any steed he recognised, and not found any. Faramir carefully lowered himself into a kneeling position to be able to talk to him better.
“Do you mean Narâk?†he asked. “And mami’s horses?â€
Elboron nodded, again glancing round searchingly. “Where?â€
“Perhaps they are outside, on the meadows,†mused Faramir.
“Why gone?†asked Elboron, looking disappointed at the horses’ absence.
“Well, would you like to have to stay indoors all the time – especially when the weather is that nice –, in a small stall where you cannot move properly or run about?â€
Elboron gazed at him as apparently he tried to imagine what his father had just told him, then he shook his head.
“You see. They want to be outside, too. So the grooms must have brought them there.â€
“My horses and those of my men are on a meadow about a mile from here, a little further up the hill, where the river comes out of the forest,†fell in Éomer. “So are yours, are they not, Túrin?â€
Túrin nodded. “I recall having seen some of yours up there as well,†he told Faramir. “Narâk at least, and Éowyn’s dapple-grey. And that big chestnut one.â€
“There is good grazing there,†went on the Rohir appreciatively, upon which Túrin grinned mischievously.
“I bet you’ve tried the grass yourself, before you let the horses have it, eh?†he remarked jestfully, with a wink.
Éomer only snorted, and set off towards the main door of the stables that opened onto the central courtyard around most of the buildings were grouped. They others followed him through along the stalls and then over the courtyard towards the main gate. As they neared it, the guards spotted them. One stepped forward to greet his lord, and swiftly those companions of his who were not on duty at the gate joined him. Faramir had to give them a very brief account of how he had fared, and how he had managed to return him, all the while aware of the little boy tugging at his hand or the hem of his shirt impatiently. Thus in the end he apologised to the young lieutenant, indicating he had to leave on important business.
“But not without an escort,†said the guard. “Captain Beregond has reminded us again and again to take matters of security even more seriously than before, after what befell with Amlaith. I shall provide some men for you to accompany you.â€
“So much for simply spending some time with your son and your friends, eh?†said Túrin. “But even we have been provided with extra protection lately, whenever we left the house. It’s for the best, I guess.â€
“Aye, it is,†agreed Faramir. “Although it can be noisome, at times, I admit.â€
+++
A short while later, they exited the gate in the company of two of Éomer’s household men and four members of Faramir’s own White Company, causing Túrin to jest about Visilya and him having forgotten to inform their own guards to include a delegation as well. “There should be some of the King’s kinsmen around, too,†he said, casting a glance over the wide square in front of the gate. “But they tend to hide so well that you can’t spot them. Almost like Elves.â€
“Well, they know their business,†stated Éomer as he led the way past the square that was surrounded by the houses of a growing village, and was usually taken up by a market. They skirted the outer wall of the Steward’s abode, and came upon a broad, slightly ascending path lined by plane-trees which gave forth a sweet, aromatic scent. Ahead and to the right there were meadows fenced by hedgerows or partly overgrown stonewalls, studded with large oaks shaped by the animals grazing on these fields, or apple- and plum-trees.
Elboron halted suddenly, handed Horsey to his father, then stooped and picked up one of the planes’ curious fruits from past autumn. He held it up for closer inspection, then presented it to Faramir.
“’Tis a fruit of one of these trees,†he explained, pointing up to the speckled branches swaying softly in the breeze. “They look funny, do they not?â€
Elboron laughed as he held the fruit by the long stalk and let it dangle. “Horse eat?†he asked.
Faramir shook his head. “You can try and offer it to them, but I doubt they like it. Come on, let us go on.†He returned Horsey to the boy, and they continued on their way. The path began to climb more steeply, and with Elboron dashing on excitedly, Faramir soon noted that his breath was going more heavily than he was used to. He noticed how Éomer who was walking next to him was giving him a slightly worried glance.
“You will tell us if this gets too much,†he said quietly. “I do not know what the healer told you about you conduct, but I doubt dashing up the hill like this is something she is going to appreciate.â€
“I will manage,†Faramir assured him. “And ‘tis not far anymore.â€
“Horse!†Elboron exclaimed as on cue, and letting go of his father’s hand, he shot off. They had reached a stout wooden gate set in a low stonewall grown with a thicket of blackthorn, terebinth and holly, and small oak-trees cut into shape, overgrown by flowering honeysuckle and other trailing plants. Two grooms were waiting at the gate, as it was their duty to watch the horses. Beyond the gate was a broad meadow upon which a number of horses was grazing. Elboron had run to the gate and was peering through one of the lower openings, waving a hand at the animals. After greeting the grooms who also welcomed him joyously, Faramir stepped over to his son. “Call them,†he told him softly. Elboron did so, and although he had some trouble with the name of Faramir’s stallion, Narâk seemed to recognise his voice. He lifted his head, shook his long mane, then set off towards the gate at a gentle trott. The other horses, noticing that apparently something of interest was happening there, soon trailed after him.
Elboron let out a squeal of delight and began to try and crawl through the gate, but Faramir held him back. “Wait a moment, young man. We shall do this properly and open the gate to pass through. Come on, take my hand again.â€
The boy did so, and soon they stood in the high grass of the meadow, watching the horses approach. By now Narâk obviously had recognised his master, for he whinnied softly and increased his speed. Faramir watched him canter up to them with his proud head held high and his chestnut coat gleaming in the sunlight and the white mane and tail flying with a feeling of deep gratitude. He had been mounted on the stallion when his company had been attacked and he wounded by poisoned arrows, and vividly he recalled those desperate moments when, parted from his guards and alone with the horse, he had scribbled a brief note for Éowyn and attached it to the saddle, all the time feeling the grip the poison already had on him, numbing his fingers and meddling with his concentration. Narâk, nervous and frightened though he had been, had provided some solace at least, and only too well Faramir recalled the feeling when he had chased the steed away to prevent it from getting caught by his pursuers who had been drawing near.
Now Narâk had reached them. He whinnied again, then rubbed his head against Faramir’s shoulder (the hale one, luckily). “I missed you, too,†he told the stallion softly and affectionately, stroking his head. “Thank you for delivering that message so faithfully.â€