There was some good news, and some bad news as well. The good news was that Boromir wasn't willing to marry Aredhel, but that was something he already knew from quite a while, and that said man didn't seem to be particularly mad at him, but rather at her.

The bad news, instead, was that his beloved Aredhel had obviously tried to fool both him and Boromir. She was carrying his baby. And she had meant to use it, to use their child to force Boromir to marry her, probably guessing that he would have agreed to keep on seeing her in secret even after the wedding. Oh, but she couldn't be wronger.

He was the one that she would marry. Not Boromir.

More decided than ever he stalked to reach her when he spotted her in the gardens, a small book in her hands as she sat on a bench.

"I need to have a word with you."

The girl closed the book, glancing around to the surroundings, before to silence him with a finger on his mouth and take his hand.

She guided him in an hidden clearing, finally turning to meet his eyes.

That morning she was wearing a somewhat ordinary dress, so uncharacteristic of her.

It seemed that the son she was carrying had affected her, making her more quiet and less racket than before.

"Is there some trouble?"

"Indeed." Elphir nodded, folding his arms across the chest and staring at her. He was somewhat taken aback by such behaviour, but yet he had to play his part and show her that he wasn't the spineless clot she'd probably always assumed him to be. He loved her, and very much. But he wasn't willing to be fooled around like that.

"My cousin had to tell me that you're bearing my child, Aredhel. How should I feel?"

Sighing deeply, Aredhel lowered her head, turning her back to him, her arms folded on her chest.

She had seen it coming.

"I didn't want to tell it to you, Elphir" she finally said softly. "We can't marry and it was no use to make you suffer...Then.. I don't know what came to me... I was jealous for he had never looked at me, preferring that servant... And... I've told that it was his son because I wanted them to fight..."

"You've reached your goal, they fought because of you." he replied quietly, "Boromir's told me everything. And also that he means to marry her as soon as this is sorted out, so what are you planning to do now? Will you force him to marry you anyway and push me aside like you've always done? I am not willing to go on like this, Aredhel."

"So what do you want to do now?"she snapped then, turning to look at him. "Do you want to leave me? Do you? Please, go ahead then. My father will kill me anyway, my only chance was to make him believe that it was Boromir's son. I'll bring shame on all of my family!"

"I've already brought it on mine!" Elphir retorted, stepping closer to her. "I wasn't certainly supposed to fall in love with my cousin's betrothed, was I? Do you realize that he could have had me banished or put to death for this? Do you, Aredhel?"

"I didn't mean to tell him that...you were my lover" she just said, retreating from him and walking some steps away.

"But...it happened... and I wasn't supposed to fall in love with you, neither. It happened. Now we have to pay for what we've done. And it will not be easy. Maybe my father will even allow to keep the child with me. Or maybe he will give him to someone else to try and hide this disaster I've done..."

Elphir sighed deeply at her words, shaking his head, and then his gaze shifted to the white palace in which Aredhel was supposed to spend the rest of her life. Being the wife of the righteous ruler of Gondor. He couldn't offer her that much. But he loved her, and Boromir didn't.

"Marry me."

"I would like it, Elphir..." she sobbed quietly, cursing that pregnancy that was making her weak.

"I love you and... I don't want to marry him... I hate Boromir, I can't stand him. How could I spend my life with someone I detest so much? I'd rather die... but my father... he had decided for me and I don't know what to do... "

"Boromir is willing to speak with his father anyway.. and with yours too, most probably. He means to say that he won't marry you at all, if we propose to get married they'll probably allow us. But we should say that.. that I am the father to your son, and not him. Do you feel like doing it?"

"Yes... I--I'll try. And... I want to marry you. I know we can be happy together for I love you..." she finally smiled, looping her arms around his neck and kissing him passionately.