Faramir Fiction Archive

Winter's Rest (R)

Written by Monica

09 March 2005 | 25774 words

Chapter Nine

Elrond turned at the soft sound from the bed and saw that Faramir was awake. There was a moment of confusion on the prince's face as he saw the unfamiliar room, and then he smiled when he spotted Elrond by the windows. The Elf lord picked up the cups of tea that he had prepared and walked over to the bed. "I hope I did not wake you," he said quietly. He had risen only a few minutes before, deciding to make some tea for them.

"You didn't," Faramir assured him. "Although I was rather hoping to wake up with you still in bed." He colored a little at his bold words, but continued to smile. Elrond chuckled as he placed the tea on a nightstand. Faramir drew back the covers in invitation and Elrond rejoined him in bed.

"I thought we might enjoy some tea before having to get up."

"That is wonderful, thank you." Faramir snuggled against the Elf and sighed as Elrond drew the Steward into his arms. "But this is even better."

"Ummm." Elrond leaned down and placed a kiss on the man's lips, feeling Faramir respond immediately. "And how about this?"

"Best of all," Faramir agreed softly.

They kissed for long minutes, lazily waking up and enjoying the closeness. Elrond finally made himself turn away and pick up the teacups before he was too sorely tempted to let the kissing progress further. Faramir gave him a look that indicated that the prince knew he was stopping them for the moment, but accepted his tea with good grace. They settled back against the headboard, their bodies still lightly touching, and enjoyed their morning together.

---

Gandalf eyed the two empty places at the breakfast table, his smile growing as his suspicions deepened. He had a very good feeling about this, and when Elrond and Faramir finally arrived – together – he quietly congratulated himself on being a genius.

"You are late," Erestor observed as the Elf and Steward hurried over to the table. "The council meeting starts soon." It was very unlike Elrond to be late and he frowned, wondering what could be the explanation.

Elrond, however, didn't offer any explanation, but just nodded and sat down. The advisor looked at the two late arrivals, and pondered what could be happening. Faramir was blushing, and Elrond was not his usual calm and collected self. Erestor then saw the smirk on Gandalf's face, and blinked as he put the pieces together. His eyebrows rose and he smiled broadly. Elrond met his gaze and then he blushed a little, looking down. Erestor barely restrained his laughter; he had never seen Elrond blush before.

Faramir saw the advisor and Gandalf smirking and silently groaned. He felt like kicking Elrond under the table for making them so late, but refrained from the childish behavior. He had not wanted to get out of bed either, he admitted. They had lain for some time, talking quietly and enjoying the peace together. Still, he hadn't thought of the jury that they would face at breakfast. Silently praying that he survived the embarrassment, he hurried his meal as quickly as he could politely, and then escaped for the warrior's barracks. Elrond similarly rushed and then fled to the safety of his office before the meetings began. Soon the wizard and advisor found themselves alone at the breakfast table yet again.

"I believe you owe me three bottles of the vintage of my choice," Gandalf said cheerfully. Erestor regarded the Istari suspiciously.

"This was your influence, I assume?" he asked dryly. He had wagered that Elrond and Faramir would not admit their love until at least the winter solstice. He knew now that he should have suspected something when Gandalf had been more than eager to take the bet.

Erestor and Glorfindel were only ones at Rivendell who had been told truth of Faramir's parentage. Both had been surprised, to say the least, but they had grown fond of the young steward and were delighted that he was finding peace with his heritage. Erestor had suspected that Gandalf would try some paternal matchmaking, but he had not wagered that the wizard would move so quickly.

Gandalf looked innocent at the advisor's question. "My influence? Whatever are you talking about?" Erestor scowled at him and the two settled into some mild bickering, both delighted at the turn of events.

---

Over the next days Rivendell residents noticed the new closeness between their lord and the steward. There were a few disappointed looks from elves that had longed for a chance to get to know Faramir more intimately, but everyone was happy for them. Faramir blushed for the first days whenever he realized that people knew of their love, but graciously accepted it after a time.

For his part, Elrond was completely besotted with his young love and his heart felt lighter than it had in centuries. After that first night, Faramir almost completely moved into Elrond's apartments at the Elf's insistence, who scolded the steward when Faramir worried that would be intruding. Elrond had no intention of letting Faramir think that he was unloved ever again.

He did, however, still refuse to deepen their relationship at the rate Faramir wanted. They exchanged kisses and touches and it was enough to make Elrond want to swim in the river at night to cool off, but he still did not rush the physical part of their love. Faramir pouted but could do very little to convince Elrond otherwise.

Two weeks after they had admitted their love, Elrond was summoned from his study with word that there had been a mild injury on the practice field. He hurried down the stairs to the wide outside porch and watched as Glorfindel and Damrod appeared, carrying between them a very mad Steward. Faramir was trying to resist their attempts to carry him, and was insisting on hopping on one foot. Damrod, in turn, was scolding the younger man in a bellowing voice that easily carried to Elf ears.

"..and didn't lord Glorfindel warn you that there were tree roots under the snow? Yet you insisted on running on that very path. Should have just let you lie there in the snow!"

"And I'm telling you that I am fine! Stop trying to carry me, you fool," Faramir grumbled back. He slapped Damrod's arm away from him.

Seeing that Faramir was obviously not badly hurt, Elrond smiled at the sight. Glorfindel looked up as the trio neared the stars and Elrond could see the barely contained laughter on the warrior's face.

"Aye, just see if you can walk," Damrod was continuing. Years of serving with Faramir in the guard allowed the older Ranger a certain degree of familiarity with his young Lord. "You'll fall flat on your face again and that's a fact."

"I will not," Faramir protested. He looked ready to argue further, and Elrond decided it was time to intervene.

"What happened?" he asked, walking down the steps to meet them.

Both Faramir and Damrod opened their mouths to reply, but Glorfindel spoke up first. "We were practicing maneuvers, when the young Steward here went off the cleared area and tripped over a tree root buried under the snow. Twisted his ankle a bit."

"It's nothing—" Faramir began, but Elrond raised a hand to stop the arguments from continuing.

"Let's get you inside and then we will see if it is nothing," he said smoothly. Glorfindel and Damrod helped Faramir up the stairs and then turned him over to Elrond. The Elf lord put an arm under Faramir's shoulder and guided him inside. After removing Faramir's cloak he sat the steward down on a nearby couch and asked a servant to fetch some bandages.

"This is embarrassing," Faramir groaned when they were alone. "The first day I'm allowed out to practice and look what I do."

Elrond chuckled at the indigent look on Faramir's face. "You are not the first to find those roots. I've treated more sprained ankles than I could count."

"But do I have to add to the total?" Faramir complained. He winced when Elrond gently pulled off his boot, gasping a little. Elrond smiled in apology and then peeled down the socks so he could study the ankle.

He was relieved to find no signs of a break or serious sprain, just some bruising that was painful, but would heal quickly. A healer helped him to wrap the ankle in a tight bandage for support, and together they got Faramir upstairs and settled into bed. Faramir was still complaining and managed to not blush when Elrond very specifically directed them to his bedroom, where they had spent each night. The healer just smiled and gathered the herbs and bandages Elrond requested and then left them.

"You are fortunate," Elrond remarked as he helped Faramir pull off his outer tunic so he would be comfortable in the bed. "Stay off your foot the rest of the day, and by tomorrow it should be nearly fully healed."

"But I'll still be a fool for tripping like that," Faramir said dourly, although he smiled a little at himself.

"Indeed you will," Elrond said gravely. Faramir scowled and threw a pillow at the Elf, making then both laugh as Elrond easily ducked the missile. "Now settle down and let me see what can be done for your ankle."

Faramir sighed and let Elrond work on his foot, soaking it for a while in a small basin of water and herbs, and then carefully re- wrapping it again after using some of his healing energy on the injury. When Elrond was done he joined his lover in bed and Faramir was more than content.

"So I am supposed to stay in bed?" Faramir asked. Elrond should have been suspicious at the look in those light eyes, but he was not paying adequate attention.

"Yes, for the rest of the day and tonight."

"Perfect." Elrond frowned, knowing that Faramir's idea of perfection was anything but being ill, but then he saw the expression on his face and the Elf knew he had been neatly trapped into something. Faramir blushed a little but gathered his courage and faced the Elf. "Elrond, please, tonight can you make love to me…fully make love?"

Elrond sighed at the request. Faramir had been growing more and more stubborn about this issue, and Elrond had been sorely tempted to do more than he had allowed. He had insisted on waiting for a time, not wanting Faramir to feel rushed or pressured, but it did seem that the moment was right. Still, there was Faramir's injury. "Your ankle…"

"Even I know that the use of my ankle is not terribly vital for what I am asking," Faramir pointed out stubbornly. "And didn't you just tell me to stay in bed?"

Elrond regarded the steward warily. "I almost suspect that you injured yourself on purpose so to have this very excuse," he remarked.

Faramir raised one eyebrow and touched Elrond's face lightly. "I leave in the Spring," he said quietly. "Even though we will have some time together in the future, I do not wish to waste any of our time here."

Elrond sighed at the plea. They had talked long about the future, and Elrond admitted that he was hearing the call to sail West. He did not plan to leave for some years yet, but it would eventually happen, and Faramir accepted the Elf's fate. They would, however, still have some years together before he left. The Elf planned to travel to Gondor and enjoy time with his daughter and foster son - and his young love - before he finally sailed.

Faramir searched his feelings and knew that his heart would break when the Elf sailed, but he resolved to enjoy the time they did have. Elrond reminded Faramir that he would not be alone, for Estel and Arwen looked upon the Steward as family, and in time Faramir would have his own wife and children and be loved by many. It was bittersweet, but both accepted their destinies and took comfort in the time they shared now.

Elrond teased the prince about a future wife, trying to lighten Faramir's mood. He said he would write Arwen that she should begin seeing contestants for a bride for the Steward and Faramir groaned, complaining that Arwen was already auditioning ladies. The last formal party Faramir attended in Minas Tirith had been a thinly veiled matchmaking session, with a number of mothers throwing their eligible daughters at the steward, while the king and queen looked on approvingly. Faramir complained that he felt like a prospective stud horse, and Aragorn merely laughed as Arwen considered the crop of debutantes.

Seriously, Elrond said firmly that he wanted to see Faramir married and settled before he left. Faramir was surprised that Elrond would say thusly, but Elrond wanted to know that the prince was cared for and happy. He had in fact already written Arwen, advising her that while Faramir did need to take a wife, it should ideally be a love match. No one planned to see Faramir pushed into an unwanted marriage, and Arwen assured Elrond that it would be Faramir's decision on who to marry.

Elrond raised a hand and stroked the soft curls that fell around Faramir's shoulders. "You are persistent, aren't you?" he said fondly.

"I have to be, since you drag your feet," Faramir responded, smiling. The Elf returned the smile and sighed, making himself stand.

"We will talk," he promised. "Now however, I have a meeting and you should rest for a few hours." He bent and pressed a kiss to Faramir's forehead. "I will return as quickly as I can."

NB: Please do not distribute (by any means, including email) or repost this story (including translations) without the author's prior permission. [ more ]

Enjoyed this story? Then be sure to let the author know by posting a comment at https://www.faramirfiction.com/fiction/winters-rest. Positive feedback is what keeps authors writing more stories!