by Cuthalion
Arwen smiled, and as usual I was stunned somehow by the fact that she was real… that such a being walked this earth, that such loveliness had taken the form of a woman, and more than that… that everything my eyes could see was nothing but a reflection of her inner beauty. That my beloved Éowyn felt at home in Gondor, that her free spirit endured the walls of Minas Anor more than a few weeks… all this was not only my doing but also the merit of Aragorn’s Queen. She had coaxed the wild Shieldmaiden of Rohan into their friendship with gentle hands and an open heart, and I would be thankful for that for the rest of my life.
“Are you worried, Faramir?”
The voice of Aragorn was quiet and slightly concerned, and all of a sudden I remembered the reason why I’d asked to see both, the King and his Queen.
„I don’t know if I’m worried,” I said, „but I had a dream I don’t fully understand, and I’m seeking help.”
„Your dreams have often been a sign for the change of fate and times,” Arwen said with her melodious voice. „I would be more than glad if you shared it with us.”
We walked down the garden path, reaching a small pavilion. Benches covered with pillows bordered the walls, and an anticipatory servant had placed a tray on the small table in the middle: there were fruits, crystal glasses and a carafe with deep red wine.
The King sat down, Arwen by his side; he poured some wine in one of the glasses and handed it over to me.
„Tell me of your dream.” he said.
„I stood on a shore…” I closed my eyes to remember every detail. „There was a wide bay, surrounded by beautiful ancient buildings, made of white stone. But no one was there… the streets were empty. It must have been evening, close to sunset… the sky was golden, red and purple, and the ocean seemed to burn where the bay turned to a firth. I walked down to a long quay, and finally I saw someone. It was a woman…”
*****
It was a woman, and she was moving as if in a slow and gracious dance. Her arms were lifted up to the blazing glory of the sky, and she was surrounded by birds… hundreds and hundreds of birds, raising from her hands and sailing above her head, carried by a soft breeze.
I stood still in awe. I didn’t dare to speak to her.