A Face in the Crowd: Faramir

Chapter Fourteen - An Unexpected Party

A/N: The chapter title is obviously not mine, even though it's referring to a different party! There are also a few lines taken from ROTK.

Thank you so much those of you who are commenting and rating, I'm sorry I've not been the quickest sometimes at getting back to you or saying thanks. Now the story is finished I'm finding editing to be a far longer process than I initially thought, but it'll be done one day! In this chapter we find out why Beregond's been so shady (and why he's in the picture at the top). Plus, Keren has the DREAM birthday gathering.

The taverns which had survived the siege had never done such good business, and come the morning ale and wine were at an all-time low. When the sun rose many were still singing, shouting and laughing as the new day began. But the morning after the coronation was a blurred affair for most. Some had no recollection of getting home. A few awoke in a bed which they swiftly realised was not their own.

The healers were for the most part nursing their own heavy heads as they returned to work to patch up the inevitable victims of drunken accidents.

But no matter how tired they felt, or how much their heads were aching, all were still in celebratory mood, and there was far more greeting of strangers in the street, and far more jovial conversation between the healers and their patients.

Keren was still feeling emotionally spent, and she had not drunk enough at the celebrations to warrant feeling as tired as she did. But nevertheless she had managed to have a good time. She hoped Beregond had passed a peaceful, happy night with his family, although she was still convinced something was not right.

That feeling she could not shake as the day passed, despite the warden bringing exciting news to the Houses, his voice a little shaky and overwhelmed as he addressed those who had travelled to Cormallen.

"Our new King has asked us, as representatives, to be present at the throne room in the White Tower at noon-hour tomorrow, for he wishes to publicly thank all the healers for the work we have done."

An excited murmur went up. For most it would be their first chance to see the new King closely, and, for a few of the youngest healers, their first visit to the citadel. Even those like old Ioreth who had been permitted entry to the seventh level had never been inside the throne room.

Keren lay her head down to rest that night with it buzzing. She was excited, of course - seeing the King face-to-face, wondering if perhaps he would recognise her as the one who had run to do his bidding. But she was also concerned - would Faramir and Éowyn be there? Would she have to acknowledge them if they saw her?

All she could do was try to sleep, and hope that tomorrow would be a fairly quiet affair beneath their notice. And yet her last thought as she drifted off to sleep was of how much she longed to see him again.

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The event did not pan out quite how Keren expected.

Far from a grand fanfare and procession into the throne room, there was instead what felt like a queue. Elessar now had to rule two kingdoms, and that meant having to liaise with countries both near and far, to meet with their ambassadors. Then there were the groups on whom he wished to bestow thanks and praise - soldiers, healers, city folk who had shown especial bravery and courage. Then there were those who needed to be judged - those who had aided the enemy. All these and more he had ordered to the throne room during the days after his coronation, and there was a constant stream of people passing by.

The Cormallen healers found themselves waiting for most of the afternoon, but the time eventually came when all were assembled in a line awaiting a personal token from the King, who stood in front of his throne. At his side, sat in the smaller chair below the throne, was Faramir in his role as steward, witness to proceedings. Keren shut herself off from his presence, becoming blind to him to protect herself. She did not look to him once, and so was unaware of how he reacted.