Bring me to life

Chapter 19

   

"Father wants to know if and when we're willing to marry." Boromir began, closing the door and taking off his armour. It had been a few days since that night, and none of the two brothers had dared to even touch her since then. They were acting as always, as nothing had ever happened. And Boromir was slowly getting accustomed to the situation, sometimes with great effort, but at least he seemed more comfortable about the whole thing.

Kreshen was sitting by the window, her drawing panel laid upon her knees, and he couldn't help but near her to glance at the sheet.

"What are you drawing?"

"A portrait of… us" she answered softly, handing him the drawing panel on which she had draw two smiling brothers and herself in the middle.

As they used to be when everything was right. When they were happy together.

She missed that closeness. She missed their laughter, their jokes or the duels into the courtyard, contesting for the company of the fair maiden.

"It is very beautiful." Boromir stated solemnly, and then handed her the panel. "What have you been doing today? Have you spent the whole day in here?"

"Yes" she answered, putting aside the drawing.

"You told me it’s not safe to go out for a ride alone, and Faramir will not be back until this night".

"Yes, I know." he nodded, slipping off his vest. "But you can always have a walk in the gardens, or ask a guard to accompany you in the city."

Right after hurling the vest on the couch he took off his boots and tunic, and walked to the bathroom in order to fill the tub. "I think I need a bath quite badly."

"I’ll prepare it for you" she immediately answered, standing up and walking past him, kneeling in front of the huge tub and starting to prepare everything for his bath.

"What scent do you prefer? Vanilla or jasmine? I fear that we should go to the citadel, for almost all the bath oils are gone…"

"We can go tomorrow morning, I'll be at home. I'm too sluggish to go now." he smiled, stretching, and then turned to peer out of the window while waiting. Once Kreshen was done with the filling business he took off his leggings and entered the tub, relaxing after a long day spent training his soldiers and marching.

"What about the marriage, then?"

"It’s up to you to decide about it, not to me" she answered softly, leaning to rub a piece of white soap all over his chest, washing away the dirt and sweat amassed from a whole day into the field.

When she reached his shoulders and neck, she finally looked into his grey eyes, smiling brightly and kissing his temple.

"It's up to us to decide." Boromir said softly, leaning into her delicate touch. "You.. still want to marry me, don't you?"

"I’ve never changed my mind about it" she smiled, brushing away a drop of foam from his neck.

"I thought that you were the one that… that woudn’t want to spend his life with me… having to care and check that his future heir is his son. And not his brother’s".

Boromir drew back at her words, frowning. "Is it that horrible?" he asked then, grey eyes fixed steadily into hers. "How can you blame me for that? I have.. dreamed about having a child with you for I don't know how long. Our child. Ours."

"No, it’s not horrible" she admitted, sighing and shifting her attention to his arms.

"But…the whole situation is not…normal. And… I don’t know how to act to not hurt one of you. I don’t know how to… make you understand that I love you both with the same intensity…"

One of Boromir's hands reached for hers then, and squeezed it lightly. "Be yourself then, and love us both." he said, a hint of a smile on his lips. "But I fear I won't believe you at all if you don't kiss me right now. I'm warning you, little one."

"I’m at your command, my captain" she chuckled, looking straight into his noble grey eyes and nearing him, cupping his face with both hands.

"I love you" Kreshen whispered against his lips, before closeing her eyes and kissing him.

Faramir entered the bathroom just when Boromir was starting to let go, his fingers entwined in her soft hair in order to pull her even closer. The young man couldn't help but raise an eyebrow amusedly at the sight, and clear his throat in order to gain their attention.

"Well? Is that what you two do when I'm not home?"

Boromir grinned in response, glancing at Kreshen and then looking at his brother again. "You're way too timely for my taste. We were just beginning"

Kreshen merely chuckled in response, raising her eyes to the ceiling feigning exasperation.

"C’mon, stand up and wipe yourself before you get a cold" she told to Boromir, after another lingering kiss on his lips before nearing Faramir.

"Are you tired? I can prepare a bath and some clean dresses for you, if you want it" she smiled at the young man, kissing his lips and gently brushing away a lock of hair from his forehead.

"Unless you want me all dirty and sweaty.. yes, it would be wonderful." Faramir chuckled, causing Boromir to grimace playfully and give him a weird look, while still busy wiping himself.

"You are not going to sleep in my bed dirty and sweaty, mind you." he warned the younger man, doing his best to look disgusted. Then he chuckled, and playfully threw the towel at Faramir. "Not now that I am all clean and oh-so-redolent, thanks to our little one here."

"Oh, I don’t know what would you do without me" she remarked playfully, filling again the tub and walking to Faramir’s bedroom to find some clean clothes for him.

Once in the bathroom again, she nodded, pleased to see him in the tub.

Boromir was working on one of his maps, and Faramir was still dressing himself when the dinner was served. They were both so starving that one forgot immediately about his work, and the other didn't even bother to button his tunic before sitting at the table, eyeing the food with utmost interest.

Kreshen couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight, abundantly serving them, filling their dishes with meat, roasted potatoes and some salad.

While eating, she looked at them, so different but even so similar in some aspects.

The men she loved more than her own life where both at the same table. And everything seemed right again.

Minutes later all that was left of the dinner was a single, lonely biscuit in the plate right on the centre of the table. Faramir was drinking quietly, but his eyes were fixed on the small cake. Feigning nonchalance, Boromir was slowly bringing his right hand nearer and nearer to the plate. The sneaking movements of said hand were soon noticed by the younger man, though, whose eyes met those of his brother in a quite menacing fashion. The message was clear: don't you dare.

None could hold back a chuckle, though. And Boromir was the first to claim the biscuit, but instead of eating it straightaway as Faramir was expecting, he smiled at him and considerately handed it to Kreshen.

"Look at me" she whispered amusedly, taking the biscuit. "If you just divide it like that" the girl said, breaking it into two pieces and handing one to each brother, "you will both eat it".

Shaking her head and gently kissing Boromir's forehead to thank him for the kind offer, the girl stood up and settled all the dishes and the glasses on the tray, leaving it outside of the door.

Once finished, she sat on the couch, between Boromir and Faramir, and taking their hands into hers, sighing contentedly.

"I missed this… this closeness".

"It will always be like this from now on" Faramir smiled, squeezing her hand in return. "And I've missed it very much, too."

"Me too." the other mumbled, his head resting on Kreshen's shoulder and grey eyes closed. It was all so good and warm that night, he could even fall asleep right there, so close to his beloved. Nothing else really mattered to him.

Noticing that her husband to be was tired and sleepy, the girl caressed his hair for some moments, gently kissing his head and smiling.

"Why don’t we all go to bed? It will certainly be more comfortable than that couch. And we could even start to plan something for our marriage…"

"Sounds good to me." Boromir smiled, and then stood as his brother kneeled in front of the fireplace to cast another log in the fire and stir it, so that they would have the room warm at least until dawn.

Minutes later all the clothes were removed, and Kreshen was lying in bed between them, hugged tightly by both.

Kreshen sighed contentedly, feeling the heat of their bodies pressed against hers, Faramir’s chest against her back and Boromir’s eyes on hers.

It was good, indeed. He finally seemed somewhat accustomed to the whole situation, and his attitude made her feel better, too.

"After our marriage" she began softly some minutes later. "Will we have to live in the palace? For I’d rather prefer to stay here. It will be safer even for Faramir…"

"We will stay here then." Boromir agreed with a smile, glancing at his brother over her shoulder. "I don't think Faramir has any objections."

"Aye, you're right. It will be just fine to me." Faramir smiled in return, as he tightened the embrace and nuzzled against Kreshen's neck, relishing the well deserved rest after all the troubles they'd been through at the beginning.

"See?" Boromir chuckled, "My cuddly little brother never denies anything."

"Well" the girl smiled in response, gently stroking Boromir’s cheek with one hand, sighing softly.

Her white dress was already hanging into her closet. They had prepared everything a long time ago, before all that fuss with Faramir and her father happened.

Settled this thing about the rooms, they just had to think to a day.

"When… are you planning to fix the ceremony?"

"What about next month?" Boromir proposed pensively, "Well, I would marry you even tomorrow, to say the truth. But father will need his time to prepare everything and summon our allies and guests, we've already talked about this. He wants everything to be perfect for the day. And so do I."

"I want it to be perfect, too" she smiled brightly, turning her head to look at Faramir, lovingly kissing his lips, knowing that it wouldn’t have been easy for him.

"And I do, as well." he smiled back, "You are a wonderful couple."

Boromir couldn't help but raise an eyebrow suspiciously at the statement. "Are you sure you'll be able to deal with it, Faramir?"

"More than sure, as long as I am allowed to stay with you two. Why so worried?"

"You used to always say that.. you were waiting for the right woman to marry and such things. Now you've found her and she's going to be my wife, it might not be the easiest thing to deal with."

Faramir smiled at Boromir's words, and shook his head. "I used to say that I was waiting for the true love of my life, maybe, and I've definitely found it. Marriage's not that big deal, after all."

Sighing deeply at his words, Kreshen disentangled herself from Boromir for a moment, turning to hug tightly Faramir. From the look in his eyes it was clear that he wasn’t happy at all. And what about his babe? Boromir wanted a son. His son. Hadn’t Faramir the same right? How would they deal with that?

Was it right to make him suffer like that?

"I love you so much, Faramir…"

"I love you too." he whispered, returning the embrace and staring intently at her. "But I'm warning you, I am going to leave you two alone just for your first night, I'm not used to sleeping alone anymore.. It is so much warmer and more comfortable to share your bed, that I can't do without. Is that a problem?" he grinned wickedly, flashing a quick glance at his brother as if to ask for his opinion. Boromir grinned back, snuggling closer to the two and wrapping his arms around Kreshen's waist, her back resting against his chest.

"Of course not, little brother." he said, "You're most welcome here. And you can stay over the first night, too, if Kreshen agrees."

"I…I don’t know what would be the best thing to do" she admitted softly.

"I just don’t want to hurt one of you. If I say no, you’ll stay alone but Boromir would be happy. If I say yes you would stay with me, but Boromir would be sad to share his wife even the first night. But…but I’m sure of one thing. I’ve made a promise and… you must stay away from me while…I’ll…I’ll conceive Boromir’s babe. I’m…I’m sorry Faramir. I know what a family of your own means to you. And now you’re there to share a woman, living in your brother’s shadow. Conscious that you’ll be never able to marry the woman you love. And to have your babe with her…I’m sorry…"

"I knew this." Faramir replied softly. "I've known it from the beginning."

"Well" Boromir added then, dragging himself up to sit on the bed. "Honestly, I think I will just take it back. I don't want it to be some sort of.. of duty, or something you owe me. I will survive anyway, so nothing to worry about."

"It’s not a duty to me!" she snapped immediately, excusing herself.

"But you can’t deny that it’s not so easy for me! Don’t think that loveing two men could be simple, for it’s not. I just want to make you both happy but it seems that you don’t want to help me!"

"I have already done all I could. And do not think it's easy for me to be set aside like this."

Faramir could only sigh and shake his head. Causing troubles was indeed the last thing he wanted, and they were already fighting because of him. Good for a start.

"Don't, please." he muttered, "Do not quarrel because of me. You won't be set aside Boromir, you have my word."

Sighing softly, the girl could just hide her face against Faramir’s chest, silently pouring some tears, smelling his masculine scent, so familiar. So Faramir.

Sometimes she just couldn’t figure out how could they be so different.

Strong, stubborn, proud and impulsive the first one. Diplomatic, thoughtful, tender and comprehensive the other one.

But maybe, this was the reason why she loved them both.