MIZPAH. ᶠᵃʳᵃᵐⁱʳ

21. guess what i got a hug

𝐱𝐱𝐢.

❝ it's never really the end, is it? ❞

I WASN'T sure what would happen after everything—the war and his and my confessions—but somehow, it all worked out (for like the first time ever.)

Faramir, as I had mentioned before, became Prince of Ithilien. He and Prince Aradhil of Dol Amoth were the chief commanders to the king, tasked with the traditional duties of the Steward—to advise the king and rule when he was gone.

Aragorn had also offered me the position of march-warden of Gondor's main eastward outpost—which included rehabilitating the lost territories, as well as clearing the areas of outlaws and orcs. It also meant with freeing and cleansing Minas Morgul—an old Gondorian city, once named Minas Ithil, that Sauron had taken years ago.

I wasn't sure I should accept—could accept—because I knew I had to help my siblings run Rohan now that it was sort of in shambles. And accepting meant staying here, in Gondor—

With Faramir.

What was holding me back?

Nothing. Only myself.

So I ended up taking the job, and stayed with him in Minas Tirith.

Èowyn, Raidyn, and Èomer still occasionally visited when they had the chance—Èomer was the new king of Rohan, and Èowyn had decided to become a healer. I was distinctly surprised for her and very proud of both of them.

Faramir and I would eventually both move out of the palace and into Emyn Arnen, an area a little southeast from Minas Tirith, but while we still had our duties, we lived in the great city.

And—

"Y/N?"

I turned from my gaze out the window as arms snaked on either side of me, trapping me in someone's familiar embrace. "Hello, love."

"Hi." I grinned at him—Faramir, so familiar in his scent of woodsmoke, and his eyes sparkling a beautiful gray.

He grinned back and lowered his face to my neck, gently brushing kisses there. I laughed softly and turned around completely, planting a kiss on the corner of his mouth.

"Raidyn's here to see you. Says something about a rogue in the wild." he murmured.

"Can he wait?" I half-joked, not really wanting to move from my position on the window. Which was a really awkward position—but still. Faramir was still pressed against me, and I rather liked it.

"Yeah." The Prince gave a crooked grin again and, with one final kiss, released me. I sighed. Too bad.

I finally stood up and as the sunlight doused me in warmth from the open window, I smiled. It was so nice to feel safe, to feel happy and content and in love with life. The occasional nightmare did happen—I would wake up thrashing and in a cold sweat, with the Witch-King still hovering over me. I would want to sleep with one eye open just in case. But...

I looked over at Faramir, busy pulling off his cloak.

But every night when I looked over to the man sleeping next to me, I could lay back down again. And sleep safely, keeping both eyes closed tight.

Faramir finally noticed me looking at him and managed to conjure up another smirk. I really don't know where he gets that trait. Boromir wasn't nearly as flirty.

I felt the usual pang when thinking about Boromir, but it recently it was dulled, as if maybe I was healing. As if slowly, we were moving on. And sometimes, moving on isn't a bad thing.

The prince moved next to me. "You admiring me?" he teased.

I scoffed playfully. "Don't compliment yourself." I said, both of us knowing full well I was. "I was actually thinking about how lucky we are right now. And how Boromir wasn't nearly as flirty as you."

Faramir's gaze distanced, as it usually did when his brother was mentioned. But this time it returned to me without me having to call for him, and I realized with no small amount of happiness that he was healing too.

"You're right." he murmured, wrapping his arms around my waist again. "We are lucky. And Boromir could never outdo my natural charms."

I gave a very un-ladylike snort. "I'm sure he couldn't." But a shadow of uneasiness still hovered over me and I hesitated before saying it, if only to not ruin the soft mood. "How long do you think this...calm going to last?"

Faramir shivered—for the slightest moment, and someone wouldn't be able to see it from a distance away. But I was pressed against him (luckily) and felt it, holding him tighter as if to not let him fall.

"I don't know."

I gave a terse nod and tried not to let my old fears creep back in. It's over. It's over. And it will stay over.

Then Faramir tilted his head forward to meet mine, so our foreheads touched and our breath mingled. "But, love. I do know that I'll never ever leave you. No matter what happens."

I smiled slightly, seeing the steady trust and love in his eyes. "And I you. I will always be there," I said softly, before tilting my head to the side. "Do you know what mizpah means?"

Faramir raised a brow. "I'm afraid I do not."

I smiled lightly. "Something said to indicate a deep emotional bond or love between people, especially those separated by distance or death. Interesting, don't you think?"

"Very," he murmured, kissing my neck. "Mizpah, Lady Y/N. I love you."

"I love you too. Always and forever."