Bring me to life

Chapter 27

   
 The next morning Kreshen was walking to the stables, smiling helplessly at the mere thought that she was going to have a ride outside. It was a bright and chilly morning, no doubt that later it would change into a sunny day.

Boromir was too busy to keep her company, but she didn’t care. It had been a long time since her last ride into the woods and she craved to go.

The stables were deserted at that early hour, and a low whinny caught her attention.

Anor. Faramir’s beloved horse.

He was the only one to feed and ride him. But now Faramir wasn’t there.

The idea to take him for her ride didn’t even touch her mind, for he would have been mad at her.

Some cuddles could go for now.

Looking around to see if she was alone, Kreshen neared Anor’s box, smiling when the curious horse threw out his head to see if his master had come to greet him.

"Hey…" she murmured softly, brushing aside a lock of white hair from his black eyes, admiring how wonderful the animal he was.

"It would be really a dream to have a run outside with you…" the girl continued, gently caressing the velvety skin of his muzzle.

"Well?"

Faramir was leaning against the doorframe, arms folded and eyebrow raised, doing his best to look absolutely grim and utterly menacing. He was holding back the urge to smile with some effort, to say the truth, but the alarmed espression on Kreshen's features was indeed too priceless to ruin it.

"What are you doing with my horse? You should know that I could get very jealous."

"I-I was just…fondling him!" she tried to excuse herself, immediately retreating her hand and hiding it behind her back, looking guiltily at him, for she knew how much he cared for his horse.

"Yes, I've noticed that." Faramir replied quietly, walking towards her and stopping in front of the box to stroke affectionately the muzzle of the horse. After a few moments he turned slightly to look at Kreshen, a pout making its appearance on his face.

"And what about me? You haven't fondled me in ages.. I am indeed jealous."

"I-I didn’t know if I was…allowed to…" she murmured hesitatingly, taking a shaking breath and looking steadily at him. "I didn’t know if… you would still like it…"

"I would.. love it, Kreshen" he said softly, turning around so that he was in fact facing her. He brought a hand to her cheek, laying the palm over it and relishing the softness and warmth of her skin, smiling almost involuntarily. "Please do."

Smiling back, the girl hesitantingly brought an hand to his face, still scared by her feelings and for their future, her eyes never leaving his blue ones while she lovingly caressed his fair face she had missed so much.

Just when their lips were about to touch almost of their own will, Kreshen heard heavy footsteps coming towards the stables and hurried to take a saddle for her ride.

An old stableman smiled at her and bowed his head when he saw his lord with his horse, as usual.

"Do you need some help to prepare your horse, milady?" he asked then, turning his attention to the woman. "Lord Boromir told me that you are going outside for a ride. But it’s not so safe to go alone, for you don’t know how dashing those horses could be…"

"I'll go with her" Faramir said while resuming his pampering the horse, who seemed to welcome eagerly such kindness and was leaning into the touch with its muzzle.

"And I would be very grateful if you could tell my brother that she is with me and he needs not to worry. We will be back before lunch."

"I’ll immediately go and tell him" the older man nodded, bowing his head and quickly exiting the stables.

For her part Kreshen was merely looking around in search of a horse to saddle, then she smiled at Boromir’s horse. He was not so jealous and wouldn’t have minded if she would have taken it.

"I’ll have Thalion. He’s quite good, and he’s never been so dashing, at all. He’s really intelligent, in fact".

"I know he is" Faramir nodded with a smile, glancing at the horse as he retrieved his saddle and opened Anor's box. "I had the chance to ride him a couple of times, he's been around the kingdom so many times that you hardly have to lead him. He'd rather lead you."

"Oh, he will be good, I know that. I think he likes me" the girl smiled, patting the horse’s head and gracefully saddling him in few moments, for Thalion just stayed there for her, without moving.

Once finished, another stableman helped her climb on him, and she started to caress the horse’s neck while waiting for Faramir to be ready, still thinking to what was about to happen.

Were they destined to be together? This was a question she wasn’t able to answer by herself. And she wondered if Faramir was thinking the same about her.

Moments later Faramir was on saddle and ready to go, too. Once out of the stables he and Kreshen trotted at each other's side through the main street of the City, to reach the great gates.

"Where were you planning to go?"

"I don’t really know" she smiled brightly, excited by that ride that would have surely been wonderful, for Faramir was at her side.

"I’m just happy to go outside…"

"And I'm just happy to go with you, so anywhere will do for me" the young man replied, halting just outside the gates and smiling at her, before he turned around to glance at the Tower from down there, something he was used to doing for many years. It was such a breathtaking sight that he never tired of that show.

"Look at that, Kreshen. Ain't it just beautiful?" he smiled dreamily, pointing at the glimmering building over their heads. "I will always think I’m very lucky to live there."

"You are really lucky, in fact…" she smiled wickedly, eyeing the tower before turning her attention to the man.

"…for you’re allowed to come with me, my darling…" and saying that, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before riding Thalion at a gallop through the exterminate fields in front of them.

Faramir shook his head amusedly, smiling to himself before he spurred Anor to catch up. It was almost dreamlike to be with her again. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't take that smile off his face.

After a good hour of riding they agreed to stop on a hilltop above the shores of the Anduin, one of Faramir's favorite spots. He used to go there often, with his brother or alone, to relax and collect his thoughts.

Kreshen dismounted graciously, linking Thalion to a tree and then settling a blanket on the fresh grass, sighing contentedly and leaning down, closing her eyes.

"It’s so beautiful here…"

Once Anor was fastened to the tree next to Thalion, Faramir sat at Kreshen's side, looking around pensively. No one spoke for some time, until he eventually leaned back to lie on the blanket and gaze at the clear sky.

"It's been a while since we've spent some time together.. alone, I mean. And I think I've missed it.."

"Do you?" she smiled, turning to look at him in a curious fashion.

"You know what? I think I've missed it, too… but…if I have to be completely honest…well it's not the only thing I've missed…"

"Really?" he smiled, turning to look at her inquisitively and crossing his arms behind the head. "And what else have you've missed, if I am allowed to ask?"

"Ehm…" she began, averting her gaze, suddenly feeling awkward.

He would have surely laughed at her if she would confess that she craved to be with him again, to turn back time and just love him.

"Nothing that really matters… nothing… important".

At her words Faramir averted his gaze to look at the blue above their heads again. "That is a pity." he mumbled pensively, sighing. "I have spent the last few months longing to have you by my side again, to.. love you like I used to do. But.. I think it is clear that you don't feel the same about me, then.."

"Why do you say that?" she asked, turning to look at him. "Can't….can't you see what I feel? Can't you see that…I love you?"

Faramir, too, turned in her direction. Saying nothing as he tried to catch the exact meaning of her words, afraid that he could have imagined her last sentence. He had craved to hear those words for so long that now he could scarcely believe that she had actually said that.

The look in her eyes, though, left no room for doubts.

"I love you too" he eventually whispered, staring intently at her. "I've never stopped loving you."

"Don't ever leave me again, understand?" she scolded him, while wiping the happy tears from her eyes, smiling helplessly.

"Don't even try and think about it, right? For I'll never be able to look at you again if you hurt me again…"

"I swear to the Valar.. I swear, I swear, I swear.." Faramir smiled happily, dragging her into his arms and almost crushing her within the embrace.

"You can't imagine how much I've missed this.. how much I've missed you."

"I love you..." she smiled back, hugging him tightly and playfully nuzzling his neck, inhaling his scent, relishing the heat emanating from his body and the closeness that she had craved for so long.

When their gazes met again Faramir smiled, framing her face with both hands, and gently brushed his lips over hers in a tender gesture. He said nothing else, knowing that there was no need for words, and closed his eyes as he kissed her again after all those long months.

Kreshen closed her eyes in delight, tightening the embrace and clinging to him while their tongues met, sensually caressing and making love to each other. It was as a dream come true, and the girl almost couldn't believe that she really was within Faramir's arms, that he still loved her, or better, that he had never stopped loving her.

They parted only for lack of air and Kreshen looked into those beautiful blue eyes, smiling softly.

"Make love to me, Faramir...I....need to feel you..."

Faramir's response was something between a trembling sigh and a soft moan, right before his mouth closed over hers again, in a more passionate fashion this time. He needed to feel her, too. And this, added to the fact that he had not laid with any other woman during their long separation, was making him uncharacteristically impatient.

"I need you.. I need you so much.."

"I need you, too..." she whispered against his lips, eyes still closed, while unbuttoning his tunic with trembling fingers, all the while showering his face with hundreds of tiny little kisses.

It seemed impossible to think that he was touching her again as he used to, and that they were about to make love after months spent apart, without even talking to each other.

But now Faramir was back. Her Faramir. The old one. Her anchor. Tender and passionate lover. Wise counsellor and funny companion.

Within minutes Kreshen's leggings and tunic were laying forgotten on the grass, not so distant from Faramir's boots and garments. He took his time to caress and kiss each and every inch of his lover's flawless skin, as if trying to regain their old intimacy and get accustomed to the dizzying, wonderful sensation of being together again. It had taken him no more than mere seconds to feel at ease, to say the truth, but he was craving that contact so much that now he wasn't willing to rush things at all. He just wanted to stay close to her like that for the rest of his days.

Moaning softly now and then, Kreshen was trying to match Faramir's intensity, caressing and brushing the palm of her hands wherever she could, relearning each and every inch of his glorious body, understanding from the look in his blue eyes and the trembling of his hands that he had not loved another while they had been apart.

Maybe this fact broke the last remainders of distrust towards him, understanding that, yes, it was real. He had never forgotten her, refusing to make love to another one apart from her.

It was only a moment later that Faramir climbed on top of her, all the while kissing her with increasing urgency and trembling helplessly, due to the almost overwhelming desire to love her.

"Would you mind if.. if we take it slow next time?" he chuckled when their lips parted, dipping his head to nibble at her neck and shoulders.

"We've all the time in the world, my love" she smiled back, looping her arms around his neck and widening her legs in order to grant him a better access.

"That's a good thing" he whispered against her lips, just to kiss her again as he pushed himself inside slowly, breath knocked off his lungs for a moment as a storm of almost forgotten sensations washed over him. Without really noticing he was clutching at her, whispering her name in between moans and pants almost as a plea.

"I love you" she said in a heated whisper, her head thrown back on the blanket, her legs wrapped around his hips to help him penetrate her even deeper, wanting to melt her body with his, to feel him deep inside of her.

Without even noticing she was lifting her hips to meet each one of his thrusts, trying to suffocate her loud moans by nibbling at his right shoulder.

The only response Faramir managed to utter was a shuddering moan, as he instinctively increased the pace further. He could sense he was close, very close, but he didn't even try to hold it back, being with his Kreshen again was the only thing that really mattered to him.

They came hard, together, entangled in a tight embrace, crying out loudly while waves of pleasure washed all over their bodies covered in sweat.

Panting, Kreshen buried her face between his neck and shoulder, still trying to register the fact that they were together again after months of indifference and coldness.

"I love you" Faramir panted, smiling helplessly and clutching her tightly against his chest. "Tell me I'm not dreaming.. I've thought so much about this, about being with you again.. I've thought so many times about this that now I'm afraid it could be just a dream and nothing more.."

"If it's a dream it is our dream...for I can scarcely believe that we are together, again... I've missed you so much.." she whispered, smiling against his skin. "You were so cold and distant and I thought you didn't love me anymore...so I pretended to be as cold and indifferent as you. But Boromir understood everything from the beginning..."

At those words Faramir had to stifle a chuckle and clear his throat, pretending to be absolutely serious.

"I must tell you a little secret.." he began, "I wouldn't have even tried to spend some time alone with you today, if it wasn't for him.. we've had quite a long chat yesterday, and also this morning. He's told me that.. you still cared about me and a couple of other things, encouraging me to try again. I must remember to thank him when we get home."

"Really?" she chuckled back, shaking her head. "He told me that he was at council when I asked him why was he late yesterday... and this morning he told me that he had something to do in his study... It's...it's beautiful that he'd done all this for us...to let us be together again, don't you think?"

Faramir nodded, dipping his head to kiss her forehead. "Indeed it is.. Boromir is quite sweet at heart after all, is he not? He's always keeping up that stern appearance, but you can't even imagine how much he loves you.. he'd do anything to make you happy. And I would, too."

"I know that" the girl smiled, leaning to his touch."That's why I am so scared to lose one of you... I love you both so much...But... I-I was wondering something about us... Faramir...would you still have that babe with me?"

"Of course I would.. Kreshen.. you don't have to ask, there is nothing I wish more" he whispered, smiling softly. "I have dreamed it for all my life, to have a child with the woman I love.. it means so much to me, just like Amrod and Finduilas mean to Boromir. Can you remember the gleam in his eyes when he speaks of them?"

"How can I forget it?" she asked, smiling softly before pulling him closer and kissing him with all the tenderness she could muster.