What Thou Lovest Wel..

~What thou lovest well remains,
the rest is dross
What thou lov'st well shall not be reft from thee
What thou lov'st well is thy true heritage
Whose world, or mine or theirs
or is it of none?
First came the seen, then thus the palpable
Elysium, though it were in the halls of hell,
What thou lovest well is thy true heritage
What thou lov'st well shall not be reft from thee ~ (EZRA POUND, PISAN CANTOS, LXXXI)


****

Eowyn awoke to the sounds of birds singing and the rich laughter of her husband coming from the courtyard below her window. She smiled, stretched, and prepared to meet the day. As she rose from her bed, a melodious voice joined Faramir’s in a low murmur of conversation and then the laughter began anew, both voices joining together. She recognized the timbre of the second voice immediately.

Legolas.

She pulled her dressing gown on and stepped to the window to open the shutter slightly, curious as to what her husband and the elf were doing. The sight of the two of them coaxed another smile from Eowyn. Though Faramir was broader in the shoulders, he and Legolas were of comparable height and build but there the similarities ended. Where Faramir was dark, Legolas was fair. As they stood, face-to-face with heads bowed in some unknown confidence, they were a startling contrast. Faramir’s raven hair hung loose and long past his shoulders, while Legolas’s golden mane was braided in the traditional Elvish manner, away from his face and exposing the points of his ears.

In a graceful movement, the elf squatted and scooped up what appeared to be a handful of soil and held it up to Faramir, his face open and trusting. Faramir looked serious for a moment, as he touched it and nodded. Legolas dusted his hands, wiped them on his tunic, then stood and clapped Faramir on the shoulder. Faramir smiled and clasped his hand over the elf’s. Truly Eowyn understood Gimli’s comparison of the ladies Arwen and Galadriel. Here was the evening and morning presented below her window, and while her heart was given to the evening, the morning was no less beautiful to behold.

As Eowyn dressed she thought about Legolas and the affection he had won from both her and her beloved in the years since their marriage. After Grima’s betrayal Eowyn had been guarded against any new friendship, even one wreathed in Legolas' kind ways and soft manner. Faramir, though in awe of the Elves, had remained uncertain of the success of the proposed settlement in Ithilien. However, as Legolas sought out the Steward’s counsel on the details of the community, more out of respect than necessity Eowyn suspected, Faramir’s opinion of both the elf and his plans slowly began to change.

The sharing of ideas began when Faramir asked Legolas’s advice on the planting of the gardens at Ithilien. Soon after, it became customary for them to consult each other prior to undertaking a project of any magnitude and a deep abiding friendship was born out of common purpose. Legolas’s unobtrusive presence had gone a long way toward softening Eowyn’s wary heart as well. The elf seemed to transcend all boundaries of class amongst Men: planting gladly along side the gardeners Faramir had hired at his direction, bringing herbs to the cook for the meats and stews and often stirring the pots himself, and tending to his horse without assistance when he visited. Eowyn knew that Legolas did these things not because he believed any of the servants to be incompetent but because he took pleasure in the tasks for themselves.

She often came upon the elf in or around Emyn Arnen, performing some simple chore while he sang softly in his language. In the beginning, he had only inclined his head slightly and greeted her with a smile, calling her "malthenil", which she had found out from Faramir meant "golden one" in Elvish. She smiled at the memory. These days she often found her son along with Legolas. When Elboron was not tagging along behind Faramir he shadowed the Elf and Legolas was ever tolerant of the child’s never-ending questions about gardening, archery or horsemanship. None of them had ever been startled or uncomfortable with Legolas’ unexpected presence nor had they ever found a rhyme or reason for the timing of his visits, only that he seemed to appear when he was needed and disappear again when he was not.

In the evenings, after Elboron was abed, the three of them would sit in Faramir’s anteroom. With an open book on her lap, Eowyn would read while Faramir and Legolas talked, occasionally joining in when the conversation captured her interest. Lately, more often than not, she simply took pleasure in listening to the cadence of their voices or enjoying the companionable silence when there was naught left to say.

In those quiet times she studied them and wondered what unspoken thoughts occupied their minds. Faramir would sit with his legs stretched out before him, twirling a goblet of brandy absently. The firelight that bathed his profile turned his hair blue black and caused his eyes to appear like molten silver. Legolas would be curled childlike into a chair, his unbraided hair spilling over the arm and his ancient Elf eyes narrowing to slits as he contemplated the fire. He might stare unblinking for an hour or more, his body so still he appeared carved of marble, yet when he arose from the chair his movements were fluid as if he had only rested for a moment.

At times, the only sound besides the crackling fire was Legolas's low humming. His soft voice seemed to soothe them all and, just as she felt a languid sleepiness begin to steal over her, she would catch Faramir looking at her and she would smile. Eventually Faramir would rise from his chair and take her hand and they would go into the bedchamber, closing the door. Afterwards Eowyn sometimes wondered if Legolas had returned to the suite they had provided for him or remained in the anteroom, where the soft sounds of their lovemaking could easily be heard. It surprised her a little to realize that the thought did not repulse her.

Even after ten years friendship, The Elf and his ways were still an enigma. His life seemed solitary and filled with an unexplained restlessness as he roamed between the Elven settlement at Aderthad and Emyn Arnen, Minas Tirith and Algarond. She had overheard more than a few females express their keen interest in Legolas, yet he always remained aloof - though kind - to the attention. Eowyn couldn't help but wonder why he was still alone and if he envied the closeness that she and Faramir shared. Even in the darkest times in Rohan, she had never imagined a life without love or without children.

And now…

Her hand fluttered to her belly. It had been two months since her flow had come. She had been afraid to tell Faramir in case she was wrong, but now she was sure. After all this time… another child. She smiled.

The laughter wafted up to her again. Not wanting to be left out of whatever they were planning she waved her maid away and quickly finished dressing, plaiting her hair in a heavy braid before she descended the stairs.

As Eowyn reached the courtyard, Faramir and Legolas both turned and smiled at her. She stood on tiptoes to kiss Faramir quickly, and would have laid a hand upon Legolas’ arm, but she found he held them both behind his back.

"Legolas?" She tried peering around the elf’s shoulder but Faramir moved to block her view.

"We had not expected you to be up so early, my lady," Faramir looked pointedly at Legolas. "We are… working."

"In the courtyard?" Eowyn smiled and blinked coyly.

The man and elf exchanged a look. There was little they could do to stop Eowyn when she was determined and well they knew it.

Faramir smiled, resigned. "Legolas has brought us a gift."

Faramir and Legolas parted to allow the elf to bring forth from behind his back what they had been attempting to hide. It was a very small plant with delicate green leaves atop a slender stalk. The soil-covered root ball rested in the palm of Legolas’ hand.

While Eowyn took pleasure in the beauty of the gardens her husband and Legolas had created, she had to admit her knowledge of the different types of flora was still lacking.

"It’s a…" she looked from Legolas to Faramir and back to the elf again. "A flower?"

Legolas smiled and shook his head. "It is galadh. A tree," he said proudly.

"A tree?" she questioned. Legolas nodded. Eowyn looked at Faramir. She was very unsure that the tiny sprig before her could possibly be a tree.

Legolas knelt down near a hole that had been carved out of the soil, then took her hand and tugged her after him. "It will bear fruit when it is grown." He answered her unspoken question automatically. "Apples."

He placed the tree in the prepared site and filled the space around its roots with a handful of loam. "Its blossoms will fill the courtyard with their scent." Tenderly, he traced the outline of one tiny leaf with his finger. "It may be only a sapling now, Brennil nín. But soon it will grow tall and strong." His hand dropped away from the sapling and he faced her, smiling broadly. "Like the new life within you."

Eowyn’s eyes widened and her hands instinctively covered her belly. "Oh!" she said softly.

Legolas’ smile faded and he looked to Faramir, who paled. "New life?" Faramir looked down at his wife. "Lady, are you with child?"

Legolas stood, his face filled with dismay. "Faramir, I…" he began. Faramir held up a hand to silence him.

Faramir squatted down next to Eowyn to better look her in the eyes "Lady?" he questioned, clasping both of her hands with his.

Eowyn bowed her head. "Yes... I mean… I believe so."

Faramir’s face filled with wonder. He tilted her chin up with a finger. "Eowyn, why did you not say?"

"I did not wish to...disappoint you." she swallowed hard.

"Disappoint me?" Faramir smiled and rose to his feet, bringing her with him. "You being with child could hardly be a disappointment, Eowyn."

She looked into his eyes. "It has been so long… What if I was mistaken?"

Faramir took her into his arms and kissed her tenderly, holding her close for a moment. "Well, it seems you needn't have worried on that account. If only you had known to ask our Elvish mid-wife here," Faramir chuckled, indicating Legolas.

Legolas stepped forward and took a deep breath. Faramir had seldom seen the Elf flustered and he would have almost enjoyed it except for the concern that marred Legolas’ otherwise smooth features.

"Faramir," the elf began. "I did not know. That is… I did not realize that you did not know." he faltered.

Eowyn turned to face the Elf. "Legolas," she said puzzled. "How could you know what I had only suspected?"

Legolas’s face colored as he searched for the words to explain. "Malthenil, I think you forget sometimes that I am Elf-kind. We notice things that Men do not." He cleared his throat and looked pointedly at Faramir. "I mean not to offend, mellon nín." Faramir inclined his head and motioned for Legolas to continue.

"Last month, I saw the changes of nature in you." His gaze lingered briefly on her breasts then moved to caress the curve of her hip. He glanced back up to meet her eyes, and took her hand again. "And when we touch I feel the fëar of two separate beings." He turned her hand palm up and cradled it gently in his. "And the pulse that lies here," He brought his other hand up to graze the inside of her wrist with his fingertips, "speaks of two hearts sustained by one."

Legolas met her eyes again, dropping her hand. "I am sorry, Brennil nín," his eyes were sorrowful," I did not wish to spoil your announcement." He looked again to Faramir. "Nor to over step our gwend."

"Ú neithan, Legolas," smiled Faramir, clapping Legolas on the back. "I shall tell the cook to put on a feast such as Ithilien has never known." He turned to Eowyn, picked her up and swung her around, which caused her to laugh in delight. "Let us celebrate!"

Eowyn and Faramir were caught up in their joy and each other. They did not see the disconcerted look that crossed Legolas’s features; although if they had, they would not have guessed the reason for it.

___________


elvish translations

malthenil - golden one
galadh - tree
Brennil nín - My lady
mellon nín - my friend
fëa - soul or life force
gwend - friendship, bond
Ú neithan - no wrong [has been done]

The name of the Elven settlement at Ithilien, "Aderthad" is of my own musing. The word is Sindarin for "reunion".