Promise Me

Chapter Seven

When she was sure he was asleep once more, Gabriella carefully eased from his bed and practically tiptoed to the door. It was nearly dawn and pale golden light was just beginning to creep over the horizon. As she stepped into the main room of the infirmary, she was immediately accosted by Dory. "Did my eyes deceive me, Gab? Was that truly Boromir?"

Gabriella couldn't contain her smile, not that she tried all that hard. Impossible. Her heart was simply too light now. "It is. I don't know how he did it, but he is here. He's home and that is all that matters."

"I don't think Ioreth has told him about Faramir or his father, yet, has she?"

"Not to my knowledge, but it's probably for the best right now. He has enough on his mind at the moment, from what I gather."

"Has he said what happened?"

"No. He says he cannot recall." She hesitated, debating about whether or not to tell Dory what he'd mumbled while in the grips of his fever. It as probably best to keep that to herself, at least until the time Boromir explained his words. Unless he'd claim he didn't recall that either.

She found it difficult to believe he remembered nothing from the time he'd left Rivendell. From the time he was wounded, she could believe, but before that? It seemed rather impossible to her.

Still, she wouldn't press. In time, hopefully he would feel he could confide in her, so she would let it rest until then.

Dory grinned then. "Ava saw you go by and said she'd heard him demand you be allowed to stay with him. I thought she was going to have kittens at that." Dory nodded toward Ava, who was in the far corner of the room, sitting with a patient.

"Gabriella?" Ioreth came into the doorway. "Might I have a word with you?"

"Of course." She glanced at Dory. "Wish me luck."

"I do, always."

Gabriella rose and crossed to the healer. "Yes?"

"Come with me." Ioreth led her away from the main chamber, into the sun-splashed corridor that led back to the stewards' healing house. About halfway down it, she paused. "I wanted to ask you if Boromir has told you what happened to him, how he was wounded. He would not say when I asked."

"No, he's not said a word to me about what happened." She looked up at Ioreth's expression of disbelief. "Is that odd? Should I be concerned? Are you concerned?"

"Not necessarily. I could understand if it was a bit of a blur, but for him to not recall any of it? Only if he had a head injury, would I believe that, and he shows no sign of having suffered that."

Gabriella glanced back toward the main chamber, where she saw Ava watching them from afar. "But he might have, mightn't he?"

"It's possible, yes, but I doubt it."

Gabriella turned her attention back to Ioreth. "Has he been told about Denethor or Faramir?"

"Not yet. I wanted to wait for him to get bit of rest first."

"I will tell him."

"Are you certain?"

Gabriella nodded. "I am. He should be told and it should come from me."

"If you need assistance, let me know."

Another nod and Gabriella said, "I will, thank you."

Her heart beat faster as they made their way down the remainder of the window-lined corridor. Golden sunlight poured in now, as if in celebration of Minas Tirith's refusal to be flattened, and she welcomed the warmth accompanying it. There was much to be done, much that lie ahead of them in the rebuilding of the city, but that would happen in time.