Alassante's Fiction

Story Summary:

Chapter 7

Empty Apologies

Within weeks, the city was being attacked and her execution was not even worried about. She listened to the city being destroyed and she had no feelings at all. Without Boromir, it no longer mattered. She had begun to regret that his child would not be born but she was ready to die so she could be with Boromir in the hereafter.

The battle in the city raged for days as she lay there hoping for death. When the city grew quiet once again, she heard they had survived it and Isildur’s heir had come forward and claimed the crown. She cared not. She wondered about Faramir but thinking he was probably dead as he had been in Osgiliath before it was overrun and lost to the enemy. She never asked. She had not spoken since she had been brought there. She heard that Mordor was destroyed and she wished that Boromir had been alive to see that.

When her execution date came and went, she was told that the new King had decided to review every case before he allowed any more executions. When the time finally came to go before the new king, she far enough along in her pregnancy that she was very uncomfortable. At this point, she hoped they would allow her to have her child before they put her to death. Maybe Boromir’s son could be raised in the king’s care.

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Aragorn was weary. He had found out that Denethor had jailed many people for small crimes or in his mind, no crimes, and had ordered death for various crimes not worthy of death. He had started this morning dealing with all of the prisoners and he was only half way through. Éomer and Legolas were off to the side with Gandalf doing something that had to be more interesting that this. Faramir had gone somewhere as well leaving Aragorn alone with this tedious duty. Faramir was just out of the Houses of Healing and Aragorn was thrilled to have him help with all of details of maintaining the city.

When a very pregnant woman was brought in with bound hands, Aragorn was shocked. He watched her walk up to him as they placed her in the chair. She was dirty and her hair was tied back in a braid. Her dress appeared to be the same dress she had been wearing the whole time she had been there. But there was something about her that screamed out to him that there was something he needed to find out. When the jailer came up, he asked what her name was.

“My lord, she will not tell us. She has not spoken since she was brought to me.”

“What is her crime?”

“She has been sentenced to death for trying to kill Lord Denethor two week prior to the attack on the city.”

Aragorn was shocked. He looked at the woman and said “Is it true that you tried to kill the steward?”

She did not answer rather she glared at him with defiance. He noticed the posture and regal air to her that betrayed the fact that she was not a simple peasant.

“My lord, I was there when she tried to kill Denethor. She was like a mad woman. Nothing like the calm demur woman she is now. She was screaming that he deserved to die because he had sent his son, Boromir to his death. She is rumored to his mistress but no one is sure and she will not speak.” Irolas said.

Irolas was one of the men loyal to Lord Denethor and Aragorn was growing quickly to dislike him.

“She is not his mistress, she was his wife.” A solider behind him said.

Lillianna looked up and recognized the soldier from her wedding.

Irolas said, “Impossible. Lord Boromir had no wife.”

The soldier glared at him and said, “I was at there wedding four and a half years ago in Osgiliath.”

“Is this true?” Aragorn asked the woman.

Once again, she would not answer him.

“Begging your pardon, my lord, but should her sentence not be carried out since she did try to kill Lord Denethor?” Irolas said.

“I am not putting a pregnant woman to death. Especially if she is actually Boromir’s wife.” Aragorn said glaring at him. Looking at the soldier, he said, “Does Lord Faramir know about her?”

“Yes, my king.”

“Go get him now.”

He observed the spark in her eyes when she heard Faramir’s name. She seemed relieved about him being there. He noticed Éomer looking at her. Finally he came over to where Aragorn was sitting.

“I know this woman. She was a childhood friend of Éowyn before she came here with her father over ten years ago. I was not sure at first but if her name is Lillianna, then it is her.” Éomer said quietly looking at the woman who had lowered her head and looked away from them all.

“Hopefully Faramir can settle this matter.” Aragorn said, “Because I do not want to send her back to prison in her condition. If she tried to stab Lord Denethor, she probably had a reason.”

“This would not have anything to do with the fact you have no respect for the man, would it?” Éomer smiled.

Aragorn chuckled but said nothing. He too was watching the woman. If she was Boromir’s wife then more than likely that was Boromir’s child. He saw Faramir come into the room and he ran to her. Grabbing her up, he hugged her as she cried.

“Unbind her hands.” He said to the jailer.

The jailer looked at Aragorn and he nodded. He watched the way that Faramir was touching her face and hugging her and knew she was at least close to him. He let them have a few minutes before he spoke.

“Faramir, it seems that this woman is accused of trying to kill your father.”

“Lillianna would never do such a thing.” Faramir said as he looked at her. He saw the guilt cross her features as she nodded. “Lillianna, what were you thinking?”

“He deserved to die. He was evil and he sent Boromir to his death all for his own desire for power. I could not stand the fact that he lived and Boromir did not.” She said simply.

Faramir looked at Aragorn. “Can I please speak to you in private?”

When Aragorn nodded, he hugged her again and told her he would be right back. The two men along with Gandalf went into an alcove away from the others.

“Aragorn, I would never ask this of you for any person but you cannot punish her. She is Boromir’s wife and she is carrying his child. They had to hide their marriage for four years because of my father. She hated my father for the way he treated my brother and I and the way he would continuously send us both on suicide missions. When I last saw her, she was devastated with grief over Boromir. I thought she was dead because when I went to their house it had been damaged severely in the attack. When I saw one of her servants she said that she had disappeared one day and never returned. I had not had a chance to find her. She is no danger to anyone I assure you.”

“As much as I can sympathize with her desire to want him dead, she tried to kill your father. I cannot just ignore that no matter how much I would like to. I will try to find another way and I would never put her to death but I cannot let this go unpunished.” Aragorn said.

“How long has she been locked up?” Gandalf asked. After Aragorn told him, he suggested, “Aragorn, can you not sentence her to stay in the cells for the time she has already been there plus a week or two? That way she will have already finished most of her punishment and she will be out in a week.” He smiled “Besides you are a new king. I think you can get away with one thing.”

Aragorn nodded his head but turned to Faramir. “She must admit her crime and swear she is sorry. Will she do that?”

Faramir started to answer and stopped. “Can she just admit the crime? I am not sure I can get her to say she is sorry. I am sure she is not sorry and she is too proud to say she is.”

Aragorn smiled and said, “Get her to say something to that effect in any wording she will say and I will do as you ask.”

Faramir said “Thank you.” Going back to her, he pulled her aside. “Lillianna, I have talked to Aragorn and they will set you free in a week or two if you will admit your crime and say you are sorry.”

“But I am not sorry.”

“Will you say you are sorry? It will make your punishment lighter.”

“No, I cannot say I am sorry. I am only sorry I do not do suceed in doing it. Where is that evil toad anyway?”

“He is dead. I will explain later. You have to say something to the effect that you are sorry.”

She thought for a long time. “I will say I am sorry for attempting to kill him. Because I am sorry I attempted it and did not actually accomplish it.”

He smiled and said, “I think that will work but try to sound sincere. By the way, you look terrible.”

She laughed for the first time in months.

Going back to the chair in front of Aragorn, she stood and faced him. He smiled at her and said, “Do you admit these charges?”

She proudly said yes and Faramir shot her a look.

Aragorn tried not to smile. “And are you sorry for what you have done?”

“I am sorry I attempted to try and kill Lord Denethor.” She said with a slight smile.

Aragorn smiled and almost chuckled hearing her put a special emphasis on attempted. Looking over at the man who was recording the information, he said, “Punishment is the time she has already been in jail plus one week.”

Irolas looked as if he wanted to argue but Aragorn gave him a look that said, “Don’t bother.”

The jailer went to bind her hands again and Faramir waved him away. “I will walk down there with you to make sure she does not attempt to escape.”

As they were leaving Éomer came up to her and softly said her name. She looked at him confused at first.

Faramir said, “This is King Éomer of Rohan. Have you two met?”

She smiled and said “Last time I saw you, you were getting in trouble for some mischief that you and Theodred had done. And now they have made you King. What were they thinking?”

“Look at you. You have little room to talk. At least I was not in jail.” He laughed. “Come see me when you get out of jail. Éowyn would love to see you. I will tell her you are here.”

“Éowyn is here?” Her face brightened. “We have much to talk about. I will see you soon.”

Faramir led her out of there and she was glad, not quite happy but glad.

As they were walking he turned to her and asked, “How do you know Éowyn?”

“She was my closest childhood friend.” She smiled.

She noticed a look on his face when he mentioned her name.

“I assume you two have met.”

“Yes. Actually we have more than met.” He smiled.

“Ah, so Faramir has finally fallen in love. I hope you are very happy together.” She smiled sadly.

Looking down, she said, “I assume it is confirmed that Boromir is dead.”

Sadly, he nodded and said, “Aragorn was with him when he died.”

Tears welled up in her eyes and she nodded. “I knew there was little hope. But there was always a chance.”

He reached over and put his arm around her shoulders. On the way by his chambers, he stopped. He told the jailer to wait for him outside. He pulled her in and told a servant to bring a bath. He told her that her clothes and things he could save from their house were in Boromir’s chambers for now. He offered to get her a dress.

Looking down at her stomach, she said, “Nothing I have will fit.”

He smiled and sent the servant to get a seamstress to bring dresses for a pregnant woman.

She smiled and said, “Perhaps a tent would be better suited.”

When the servants had brought the bath into his chambers, he left her in his bedroom. She peeled off the grubby clothes and slid into the scented hot water. It felt so good, she had to smile. She washed her hair and body and just sat there looking at her swollen stomach. Once she started crying, she couldn’t stop. Wrapping herself in a towel, she sat down in a chair and cried for a long time. Eventually she heard a knock on the door and a servant brought in some dresses. She put on the one that fit not even caring what it looked like. Tying her hair back in a braid, she came out of Faramir’s bedroom. He walked with her down to the jail then reluctantly said goodbye because the king was expecting him back. She sat in her cell for most of the day thinking.