B2MeM Challenge: Youth

"Some there are who have seen her standing like a tree under heaven, crowned with the Sun; and from all its branches there spilled a golden dew upon the barren earth, and it grew green with corn."

Disclaimer: The characters are the property of the Tolkien Estate. No profit has been, nor will be made from this story.

A/n This is set very much in my sub universe and is linked to “The White Tree”, “Harvest Dreams”, “Web of Treason” and “Burden of Guilt” amongst other stories.

Faramir was awakened from a deep slumber by a loud knock upon the chamber door. His years as a soldier had made him instantly alert and he was already pulling on his robe over his nightshirt while Éowyn was still stirring from  a deep slumber.

He opened the door to behold his young daughter’s nursery maid, also in her night attire. “Please, my lord,” she said, “Lady Elestelle is in some sort of trance. Lady Elbeth called for me. I thought Lady Elestelle was just dreaming but I cannot wake her!”

“I will come.”

Faramir ran the short distance to the girls’ nursery, with a now fully awake Éowyn close behind him. Elestelle and his niece, Elbeth had their own rooms, but the two chambers were connected so the girls could share if they wished. The nursery maid slept in a small adjoining room.

Elestelle was in Elbeth’s room, lying in bed. Her eyes were open but she was staring as if she could see some marvel on the bedroom wall. An expression of rapture was on her small face. Elbeth had had the presence of mind to light a lamp which brightly illuminated the chamber.

“Elestelle was having nightmares and I said she could stay with me tonight,” Elbeth explained.

“She is getting her grown up teeth. Maybe she has a fever?” Éowyn said anxiously.

“The pretty lady is crowned by the sun!” said Elestelle. She blinked then looked around her in bewilderment. “Where is she? I saw her. She was a lady, but like a tree. Her hair was the branches and fell like golden dew. Everywhere was so green where her hair touched. I offered her an ear of wheat and she gave me a crown!”

“There is no lady here,” said Éowyn. She anxiously felt her little daughter’s forehead. “You do not appear to have a fever, so it must have been a vivid dream. Maybe you ate too much cheese earlier?”

“Elestelle wasn’t dreaming,” Elbeth insisted. “She was awake. She was telling me about her new party frock when it happened.”

Éowyn paled. “Alas! It must be some kind of fit!” she exclaimed. “My poor baby! I must send for Aragorn. Maybe the Elves have some remedy?”

Faramir, who had been regarding his daughter thoughtfully, now spoke. “Be comforted,” he said. “Elestelle was having a vision, not a fit. I believe she saw Lady Yavanna. She is greatly blessed. I have had these visions for much of my life and they began when I was seven or eight years old. They foretold the future and helped me through the darkest times of my life.”

Éowyn looked far from convinced but said no more.

“We will talk more in the morning, my sweetest,” he said. “Sleep now or you will be too tired for your riding lesson tomorrow.” He lightly kissed both girls on the brow and after telling the nursemaid to call if she had cause for concern, left the room with Éowyn.

“It sounds more like a curse than a blessing to me!” said Éowyn as soon as they were back in their bedchamber.

“I have come to see the visions as a blessing,” said Faramir. “Aragorn told me they showed that the blood of Númenor was not yet spent. Now another generation has the mental gifts of her ancestors.”

Éowyn sighed. “I am glad that Aragorn helps you use the powers of the mind you have been gifted by your forebears,” she said. “I had wished, though, in this new age it might be otherwise for our children. Elestelle has had prophetic dreams before now, but I had hoped she had been spared anything that seems to me uncanny in a child of my flesh. I would far rather she be a good rider than have unusual powers of the mind!”

“She is my child too,” Faramir said gently. “Long have I suspected she had these abilities and hoped that at least one of my children would share my gift. The circumstances of Elestelle’s birth led me to suspect she might have a special destiny. I have seen no signs of Númenorean mental abilities in Elboron.”

Éowyn nodded. “I suspected Elestelle took after you too, but hoped I was wrong. I respect your gifts as part of you, Faramir. It just seems so strange to see them in my little girl. I fear it might distance her from me.”

“It does not cause distance between you and I, beloved,” said Faramir, kissing her tenderly. “It will be just a small part of herself that she shares with me, much like I share my mental gifts with Aragorn. My visions have served me well in the past.”

Éowyn returned his kiss. “If Elestelle did have a vision, what could such a strange one portend?” she mused.

“It could mean many things,” said Faramir. “Most likely that we shall have a fruitful harvest and the land will continue flourish under Aragorn’s rule.”

“That is good to know,” said Éowyn as she climbed back into bed.

“Our young daughter is truly blessed to have seen Yavanna,” said Faramir. “We need not fear for her.”