Promise Me

Epilogue

Nine months later

A gentle breeze sent the gauzy white draperies fluttering and as Gabriella came into the room, she caught sight of Boromir and stopped dead in her tracks. He sat along that wide windowsill, where those draperies swept back and forth across the stone floor, his head back against the casement, his eyes closed.

The infant he cradled to his chest cooed softly and without opening his eyes, Boromir murmured, "Shhh, little one. Papa is here and all is well..."

"I can take him if you wish to get some sleep," she whispered as she padded over to where he sat and perched on the sill's edge next to him.

"You should not be up and about, love, but should be resting. You've had the longest of days and nights."

"I have, but I feel as if I could run all the way to Rivendell and back and not even be out of breath."

"Be that as it may," he turned his head toward her and opened his eyes to affix her with a stern, if somewhat sleepy look, "Ioreth said you should rest. And I will enforce her orders, just as you did when it came to me."

"You were altogether different and believe me, I'm fine." She leaned her head against his arm, reaching down to trace a fingertip along the newborn's warm cheek. Their son smacked his lips in his sleep and turned instinctively toward her hand. His eyes were closed and remained that way.

"You were in labor almost two days."

A tired laugh bubbled to her lips. "I promise you, you will never have to remind me of that, you know. I cannot imagine I will ever forget it." She shifted to brush his cheek with a light kiss "And while I do appreciate your concern, I needed to move and he will be looking to nurse soon. How long have you been here with him?"

"Truly? I know not," he whispered with a sheepish smile, "for I have just been sitting here, marveling at him, at the miracle that he is, and wondering if my father ever felt even a fraction of what I feel already for this boy. I would move mountains for him, move the heavens and earth themselves if need be. Twelve hours old, and there is nothing I wouldn't do for him, and I look forward to all I will be able to teach him."

"Just as in your dream?"

"You remember."

"Of course I do. It was a lovely dream and you will do all of those things with him. You are not Denethor. And you will not fail as you and your brother were failed."

"I hope not."

"You aren't and you won't. If I thought you were, I would let you know. And in the coming days, should I see you following that path, I will rein you in from it and remind you of this conversation. Now, let's put him in his cradle and we can both try to get a bit of sleep. It's been a long day for all three of us and as I said, he will be up soon enough."

Boromir nodded as he shifted and carefully stood. "That is has, indeed."

She held her breath as he set the infant in his cradle, but Rista slept on. As she gazed down, Boromir eased his arm about her shoulders and pressed a kiss into the top of her head. "You've done something amazing, love. I am utterly in awe."

"As you should be." She smiled up at him and as he met her gaze, she winked. She was tired and sore and probably should be doing as Ioreth instructed and resting, but at the same time, she truly did feel as if she could take on Sauron himself without fail.

"We work well together, Gabby."

"That we do. And somehow, I doubt he will be an only child. Although," she looked up at him, "I am not doing this again any time soon."

"As long as we do it again eventually."

"We will."

He winked "Promise me."

"I promise you."

The End