Boromir and Faramir were sitting in front of each other, their minds focused on the game they were playing.

The pieces eaten were disposed pell-mell on the table, and Amarie was trying to understand the rules and the way of playing, even if it was a difficult task, indeed.

Every finely carved piece had to follow his rules and had a particular value.

Resting her head on Boromir's shoulder, Amarie had wrapped her shapely arms around his sides in a tender way, while following his every move with her eyes.

Faramir couldn't help but look at them and smile every time he had to wait for his brother to decide about his next move. One of Boromir's hands was set over Amarie's, that was resting over his stomach, and was caressing it affectionately.

And they were beautiful together. Peaceful and happy and obviously awfully in love.

There had been no need to ask Boromir about the matter, and Boromir in return had understood that there was no need to inform his little brother about the turning of events, knowing well that Faramir was in fact expecting that. To him Boromir's feelings were blatantly clear from a good while, even before anything had actually happened between him and Amarie.

"Your turn, little brother."

"Oh" Faramir chuckled, shaken from his reverie. "I am sorry. I got distracted."

"I've noticed." Boromir smirked at him, tilting his head so that it was now resting against

Amarie's, and turned to kiss her forehead tenderly. "Are you bored?"

"No" she smiled, tightening the embrace but still observing the wooden chessboard. "I was just trying to remember all the rules..."

Their peaceful morning was interrupted a split of second later.

Footsteps in the corridor.

In no time Amarie retreated from Boromir's shoulder, standing up and taking her pail, pretending to be cleaning the window's glass.

Then the door opened and Aredhel entered triumphantly into the room.

She never knocked for she was well aware that there was something going on in Boromir's bedroom, even if she couldn't prove it, or it would have been funny to just go to Denethor's study and complain for the servant was trying to seduce her beloved Boromir.

This time, anyhow, Amarie would be definitively knocked down.

"Good morning, my love!" she began, looking at her betrothed with malice in her eyes.

"I'm here to herald you something. You will be awfully happy as I've been when the healer had told it to me. For the fruit of our love is to be born within months. I'm pregnant..."

For almost a minute Boromir merely stared at her, no expression at all on his face. Faramir, too, was frozen in place.

Pregnant.

Pregnant!? It could not be possible. Not at all. And if indeed she was, it had to be someone else's son. Yes, but then where she did find the courage to tell him such a blatant lie, he didn't know. It was madness.

"You--you are what?" Boromir eventually decided to ask, shaking his head in bewilderment. "How in the name of the Valar can you claim to be bearing my son if I've never--"

"You've never... what, my love?" she said softly, her smile still in place. "I can't understand you..."

Amarie was still looking outside, gripping the pail so tightly that her knuckles became white.

Of course he had lied to her. His betrothed was pregnant, so it wasn't true that he had never touched her as he had told her.

She had trusted him. What a stupid and a naive lassie she had been.

Aranel was right. Boromir had just used her.

"I'm sorry milords. I'm sure you don't want to discuss certain matters in presence of a mere servant" the girl then said, turning around and walking outside, never meeting Boromir's eyes.

As soon as the door was closed, Aredhel's grin widened.

It was even better of what she had hoped.

Yet Boromir was too bewildered to notice anything but the annoying, false smile painted on Aredhel's face. She knew well what he was talking about, the detestable wench, but she had to play her part. And he had to sort that out somehow. He wondered if she had already given the news to his father, for in that case he was without doubt in serious, very serious trouble. But there was no way he would marry her.

"You--" he began harshly, nearing her and patently trying to contain his growing rage, "How can you do this to me? I've never, ever touched you, nor I've ever meant to! Whose is it? I will not accept a son who's not mine!"

"I will not talk to you of such matters while he will be here to listen to us" she said coldly, pointing at Faramir with her finger, not at all impressed by his wrath.

"And if you don't want to talk about it I'll just go to the Lord Denethor, even if maybe my father has already informed him".

"Who is it?" Boromir demanded again, not so calmly this time, grabbing her firmly by the shoulders and locking his icy gaze with hers. "You worry so much about Faramir's presence, Aredhel, why? He already knows everything, he already knows how much of a lowly creature you are. Now tell me who is it or I swear I'll make you!"

Now frightened by his behaviour, her delicate shoulders already sore for it seemed that his fingers were digging in her flesh, Aredhel began to fight to free herself, and she reached her goal just by punching him on his left cheek.

She wasn't strong, so it would have probably been a caress to him, and the only reason why he had left her was just that he had been taken by surprise.

"You..." she hissed, evilness now clearly written all over her face. "You...caitiff and coward... how can you be so.. different from your cousin?"

Suddenly aware that she had maybe told him too much, Aredhel just stormed out of the room, toward the stairs, hoping that he wouldn't be so clever to catch the hint.

"I must speak with Elphir." was the first thing Boromir said once she was gone, and he was already fumbling onto the desk to look for a sheet, obviously meaning to send a message to the cousin, when Faramir shook his head resolutely.

"No" he said, "It could be Amrothos."

"Amrothos is engaged, and to marry in a few months."

The younger man had to snort and shake his head at the remark. Aredhel, too, was engaged. Yet she was obviously seeing someone else, Faramir knew well that she had never been touched by his brother. Of all things his bedroom was right in front of Boromir's, only a small corridor standing between the two chambers, and he definitely wasn't deaf. Nor fool.

Boromir, either, was no fool. And he was decided to settle things down, more than ever.

Amarie was crying helplessly, locked in her tiny room, crouched on the ground, her hands covering her face damp with tears.

Trying to face reality.

He had lied to her from the first moment.

And she should have expected that, for he was engaged, and was probably just searching for some fun.

She was the only one to blame. The only one who had believed that his feelings for her were real.

Furthermore, the mere thought of seeing him, scared her beyond measure. What could she have said?

After having written and sent a letter to his cousin, demanding to see him to discuss some important matters, Boromir climbed up the stairs that led to their chambers again. Now he had just to wait for his cousin's response, then to see him and ask about Aredhel. He trusted Elphir much more than he trusted his betrothed, and he knew that he was a man of honour. He wasn't likely to deny his fatherhood, if the son was actually his.

He stood for some moments in front of the door to Amarie's chamber, unmoving, inhaling a deep breath before knocking.

She wiped her tears with trembling hands, even if she hadn't got some fresh water to splash on her face, in an attempt to conceal the redness of her eyes.

Unhurriedly walking to the door, she opened it with a deep sigh, meeting Boromir's gaze.

A tiny squeak of surprise burst from her throat at the mere sight, and she tried to close the door, that was promptly blocked by his hand.

"I have nothing to say to you, milord ".

"Let me in" he demanded, his hand still settled on the door to keep it open. He could just have entered the room, even pushed Amarie aside with no effort at all. But he didn't, and just stood there waiting for her assent.

"I wish to speak with you. Please, Amarie, let me in."

Sighing softly, she let go of the door, just turning away and walking to the fireplace, sitting in the

armchair, without look at him.

"What do you want now?"

Boromir sighed deeply as he closed the door, and also faltered a little before walking to near her and kneel in front of the armchair. Difficult. How was he going to convince her that he was saying the truth? There was no proof, no evidence on his favour.

"Do you.. really believe her rather than believe me?" he asked after a few moments, his grey eyes searching into hers. "Do you, Amarie?"

Finally looking in his eyes, she just remained silent for some moments, sighing softly and gripping at the armchair, trying to don't burst into tears.

"If--If someone would have said that I was bearing another man's son. Without evidence at all. How would you react, Boromir? Would you be happy? Would you? Well I'm not happy. At all..."

"I am not asking you to be happy about it" Boromir replied, laying both hands affectionately upon her legs and still staring at her. "I am not, either.. but I am asking you to trust me, I couldn't lie to you and be still able to look into your eyes.. how could you spend the rest of your days with someone you don't trust? How? I want you to.. to believe in me.. please.."

"I-I'm not able to do it" she said softly, her eyes watery. "I would like to, but... I'm scared. Scared to find out that you were just having some fun before that marriage. Scared to find out that you've made love to her. I'm scared to lose you. I-I don't know what to do about it, and I'm so

confused...it's like a nightmare..."

Boromir sighed deeply, saying nothing else for a while. He rested his head upon her knees, just staring at the lit fireplace without actually seeing it, a thousand of thoughts swirling into his mind.

"I love you" he eventually muttered, lifting his eyes to hers. "I will soon give you more than a good reason to trust me, 'tis a promise. In the meantime try not to forget about us, Amarie. I won't give you up."

"I love you, too" she just whispered, but wasn't able to stand that look and averted her eyes.

Hesitatingly, she put an hand on his head, softly caressing his fair hair.

But the hurt was still there. The doubts were gnawing at her very heart, making her sick and utterly confused.

Only Boromir could let her believe his words and love for her.

Amarie didn't know how could he do it, but if he would not be able to prove that his feelings were true, it would have been the end for them.

"I could never forget what...we used to share...how happy we were..."

"We'll be even happier than that." he replied resolutely, while leaning into her gentle touch. "I cannot blame you for not trusting me, but.. everything will be sorted out very soon. I think I know who's the father to her child. 'Tis someone that has been spending a lot of time about Minas Tirith lately, among other things, and 'tis also someone very close to me.. and thus to her."

"One of your friends had seduced your betrothed?" Amarie then asked, wide eyed.

Who could have done that?

He was loved among his soldiers and the population, and was respected by the Gondorian's nobles.

Only a traitor or a poltroon could have deceived him, yet she couldn't figure out who could have dealt with that pampered wench.

"No." Boromir replied quietly, shaking his head and seemingly unaffected by the whole matter. He wasn't angry at Elphir. At all. He was mad at Aredhel yet, for trying to deceive both him and evidently his cousin himself. Should he have known about the pregnancy, he would never have allowed Aredhel to marry Boromir. The warrior knew him well enough to be sure of that.

"Not a friend. My cousin Elphir, I believe. He's been dwelling here for some months, although his home would be in Dol Amroth, and he's often escorted Aredhel here from Lossarnach. And on her way back home, whenever she came to visit me. So I wrote him a letter, 'tis fair to assume that he doesn't know about.. this whole matter. He has honour, unlike Aredhel."

Sighing softly, the girl just looked at him for some moments, resuming her caresses, that had stopped when he had told her about his cousin.

His calm was somehow unnatural, he should have been angry and wrathful.

Aredhel in one day had managed to anger and deceive him, create a deep wound in his relationship with Amarie and probably would have attempted to quicken the marriage thing.

But yet the thought of him making love to that woman he so detested was something her mind couldn't accept.

"Were you sincere when you told me that you've never touched her?"

"I've never even kissed her, Amarie" he answered, without averting his eyes. He wanted her to understand that he was saying the truth. He wanted her to read it into his very eyes. "I could never be able to.. indulge in such activities with her.. the mere thought makes me shiver, and certainly not due to longing.." he said with a slight grimace, and shaking his head.

The truth was plainly written in those piercing grey eyes, and finally Amarie allowed herself to smile, even if just a little.

Valar. If he was lying even now it would mean that Boromir was a great actor.

Yet he had never been able to hide something to her, and surely even in that moment she would

have seen it if he was lying.

"I love you..."

"I love you too" Boromir whispered, smiling, his hands settling at her waist as he watched her attentively, still kneeling in front of her armchair.

"We will sort this out very soon, my love. And I'll marry you then, so that no one will ever dare to meddle between us again. I promise that to you."

A smiling Amarie wrapped her shapely arms around Boromir's neck, leaning to hug him tightly and kiss his forehead.

To marry him.

There would have been problems for that, but she didn't care. She never cared as long as she could be at his side, even if they couldn't marry.

The most important thing for now was to break that engagement with Aredhel.