Post by Admin on Jan 8, 2021 2:21:29 GMT
Author: Itarille
Ranking: Tied for 3rd place
The new King and the new Steward of Gondor had just concluded their first official meeting. They had discussed many things, from the restoration of the City to the peculiar characters of the lords of the fiefs, from the state of Gondor’s treasury (mercifully abundant though not indeed overflowing) to the number of Gondor’s army, and both King and Steward seemed to have had enough for one day. But as the Steward made to leave, the King decided that they could bear discussing one more thing.
“Does the King need the Council’s approval to create a new princedom?” asked Aragorn. He spoke in an easy manner, as if he was asking Faramir to pass him the bottle of wine. After only few days together Faramir was getting accustomed to his new lord’s manner. The King might seem to unobservant people to act or speak on a whim, but Faramir had begun to see that his words were carefully planned.
“To my knowledge it is within the King’s prerogative to do that, though the Council has the right to submit their objection,” said Faramir. “You are considering this to reward someone’s valour in the battles, perhaps?”
“You can call it a reward though I prefer to call it something else,” said Aragorn. “So that can be arranged shortly?”
“I do not see why not,” said Faramir, “but ...”
Aragorn’s lips twitched. He too was getting accustomed to his new steward. The young man was used to giving way and not airing his own opinions perhaps, but opinions he certainly had in plenty. It is no wonder he had not got along well with his late father.
“Go on,” said Aragorn, “tell me what you think.”
“Is my lord’s mind set on it?” asked Faramir. “A Gondor’s princedom is a, well, princely reward. I believe you know that a Gondor’s princedom does not pay land taxes to the King. It pays some monetary contributions, but they are much lower than the taxes paid by the fiefs. There are many other forms of reward which you may consider. Some generous portion of treasure, perhaps, or a fief, if really deserved.”
Aragorn nodded. “Any other objections?”
“Unlike a fief, the gift of a princedom is almost irrevocable. The King may take back any of the fief on his whim, not that I believe you will do so, but according to our law a princedom can only be recovered in the case of high disloyalty of the prince, and there are many repulsive actions which are not considered high disloyalty”. Faramir hesitated before he continued. “The person you intend to reward may be valiant, but once he is granted such great autonomy, would he maintain Gondor’s interest in his heart, and not fatten his own house? And who can vouch for his heirs? Is it not almost like ceding your land to strangers?”
“Ah,” said Aragorn, “but that is exactly what you have done, is it not, my lord Steward? Only few weeks ago you decided to entrust your land to a stranger from the North, of whose heirs you could not possibly have any knowledge. Your decision is also irrevocable, I would think.”
For a while Faramir could give no reply. “I could not deny Gondor her king,” he finally said. “And you are right, no one can vouch for anyone’s heirs. But one is not too wrong to hope that the line of Elendil will not fail Gondor, is he?”
“The line of Elendil has failed Gondor for almost a thousand years. The line of Húrin has not,” said Aragorn. “If you had bothered to ask whom I have in mind, Faramir, you would have spared yourselves the worry of having Gondor robbed by a new prince. It is to you I intend to grant the princedom.”
It was rather amusing, Aragorn would later admit, to see the startled look at the young man’s face, which was unreadable most of the time. But after a moment the startled look was replaced by something else.
“Why would you like to do this, my lord?” he asked drily.
“To me it seems only right. As a prince and the Steward, you would be my chief advisor, with higher rank and authority than any other lords. I would keep closest to me the person I can trust.”
“Without the princedom, I would still be the chief of the Council.” He looked up to meet Aragorn’s eyes. “Do not continue treating me like this.”
“Treating you ...”
“Treating me like a deposed king.” Faramir reddened as he uttered the words. “I took pride in my oath to rule until the king returns, and in my surrendering the office when the king did return. I do not need any consolation prize for surrendering my office.”
“So that is how this looks to you?” rejoined Aragorn. “Condescension in my part? My good steward, I think I am a more decent man than what you take me for. You once said you could not help recognizing a greater thing than you. I too know greatness when I see it, and I have to do everything in my power to ensure that Gondor can benefit fully from it. Rest assured I am not trying to console you. I simply think that Ithilien will recover in shorter time under your care. No, do not protest and say that you would still labour tirelessly even though the land is not yours; I know that. But to me it is only right for one to own what one has loved and laboured for.”
“You have thought of everything,” said Faramir slowly. “Ithilien.”
“Unless there are other lands you cherished more. To me you and Ithilien seem perfectly suitable. It is in Gondor’s best interest that Ithilien prospers once again, and Gondor’s interest is your interest. Your fathers dwelled there, you spent your youth defending it, and I have it on good authority that you did plan to dwell there.”
Faramir looked at Aragorn for a moment, weighing the matter in his heart. Then his face softened and he stood up. He came to Aragorn’s side and knelt by him, causing a surprise to him. He said slowly and earnestly,
“Here do I swear that I will be faithful to the King, never cause him harm, will observe my service and love to him in good faith and without deceit, and will do everything in my power to keep my line true to his line. So say I, Faramir son of Denethor.”
“And this do I hear, Aragorn son of Arathorn, King of Gondor, and I will not forget it, nor fail to give back that which is given: good faith for good faith, love for love.” He grasped Faramir’s hands between his own.
Few days later a grand ceremony was held to announce to all that Faramir was to be the Prince of Ithilien. Everyone was glad, wine and good food were abundant, and a more elaborate oath was spoken with due solemnity.
But to the end of his days, when someone mentioned oath of fealty before him, the King’s mind would always turn to that one afternoon when someone suddenly knelt by him, to that oath spoken unprompted, and fulfilled so completely.
Ranking: Tied for 3rd place
The new King and the new Steward of Gondor had just concluded their first official meeting. They had discussed many things, from the restoration of the City to the peculiar characters of the lords of the fiefs, from the state of Gondor’s treasury (mercifully abundant though not indeed overflowing) to the number of Gondor’s army, and both King and Steward seemed to have had enough for one day. But as the Steward made to leave, the King decided that they could bear discussing one more thing.
“Does the King need the Council’s approval to create a new princedom?” asked Aragorn. He spoke in an easy manner, as if he was asking Faramir to pass him the bottle of wine. After only few days together Faramir was getting accustomed to his new lord’s manner. The King might seem to unobservant people to act or speak on a whim, but Faramir had begun to see that his words were carefully planned.
“To my knowledge it is within the King’s prerogative to do that, though the Council has the right to submit their objection,” said Faramir. “You are considering this to reward someone’s valour in the battles, perhaps?”
“You can call it a reward though I prefer to call it something else,” said Aragorn. “So that can be arranged shortly?”
“I do not see why not,” said Faramir, “but ...”
Aragorn’s lips twitched. He too was getting accustomed to his new steward. The young man was used to giving way and not airing his own opinions perhaps, but opinions he certainly had in plenty. It is no wonder he had not got along well with his late father.
“Go on,” said Aragorn, “tell me what you think.”
“Is my lord’s mind set on it?” asked Faramir. “A Gondor’s princedom is a, well, princely reward. I believe you know that a Gondor’s princedom does not pay land taxes to the King. It pays some monetary contributions, but they are much lower than the taxes paid by the fiefs. There are many other forms of reward which you may consider. Some generous portion of treasure, perhaps, or a fief, if really deserved.”
Aragorn nodded. “Any other objections?”
“Unlike a fief, the gift of a princedom is almost irrevocable. The King may take back any of the fief on his whim, not that I believe you will do so, but according to our law a princedom can only be recovered in the case of high disloyalty of the prince, and there are many repulsive actions which are not considered high disloyalty”. Faramir hesitated before he continued. “The person you intend to reward may be valiant, but once he is granted such great autonomy, would he maintain Gondor’s interest in his heart, and not fatten his own house? And who can vouch for his heirs? Is it not almost like ceding your land to strangers?”
“Ah,” said Aragorn, “but that is exactly what you have done, is it not, my lord Steward? Only few weeks ago you decided to entrust your land to a stranger from the North, of whose heirs you could not possibly have any knowledge. Your decision is also irrevocable, I would think.”
For a while Faramir could give no reply. “I could not deny Gondor her king,” he finally said. “And you are right, no one can vouch for anyone’s heirs. But one is not too wrong to hope that the line of Elendil will not fail Gondor, is he?”
“The line of Elendil has failed Gondor for almost a thousand years. The line of Húrin has not,” said Aragorn. “If you had bothered to ask whom I have in mind, Faramir, you would have spared yourselves the worry of having Gondor robbed by a new prince. It is to you I intend to grant the princedom.”
It was rather amusing, Aragorn would later admit, to see the startled look at the young man’s face, which was unreadable most of the time. But after a moment the startled look was replaced by something else.
“Why would you like to do this, my lord?” he asked drily.
“To me it seems only right. As a prince and the Steward, you would be my chief advisor, with higher rank and authority than any other lords. I would keep closest to me the person I can trust.”
“Without the princedom, I would still be the chief of the Council.” He looked up to meet Aragorn’s eyes. “Do not continue treating me like this.”
“Treating you ...”
“Treating me like a deposed king.” Faramir reddened as he uttered the words. “I took pride in my oath to rule until the king returns, and in my surrendering the office when the king did return. I do not need any consolation prize for surrendering my office.”
“So that is how this looks to you?” rejoined Aragorn. “Condescension in my part? My good steward, I think I am a more decent man than what you take me for. You once said you could not help recognizing a greater thing than you. I too know greatness when I see it, and I have to do everything in my power to ensure that Gondor can benefit fully from it. Rest assured I am not trying to console you. I simply think that Ithilien will recover in shorter time under your care. No, do not protest and say that you would still labour tirelessly even though the land is not yours; I know that. But to me it is only right for one to own what one has loved and laboured for.”
“You have thought of everything,” said Faramir slowly. “Ithilien.”
“Unless there are other lands you cherished more. To me you and Ithilien seem perfectly suitable. It is in Gondor’s best interest that Ithilien prospers once again, and Gondor’s interest is your interest. Your fathers dwelled there, you spent your youth defending it, and I have it on good authority that you did plan to dwell there.”
Faramir looked at Aragorn for a moment, weighing the matter in his heart. Then his face softened and he stood up. He came to Aragorn’s side and knelt by him, causing a surprise to him. He said slowly and earnestly,
“Here do I swear that I will be faithful to the King, never cause him harm, will observe my service and love to him in good faith and without deceit, and will do everything in my power to keep my line true to his line. So say I, Faramir son of Denethor.”
“And this do I hear, Aragorn son of Arathorn, King of Gondor, and I will not forget it, nor fail to give back that which is given: good faith for good faith, love for love.” He grasped Faramir’s hands between his own.
Few days later a grand ceremony was held to announce to all that Faramir was to be the Prince of Ithilien. Everyone was glad, wine and good food were abundant, and a more elaborate oath was spoken with due solemnity.
But to the end of his days, when someone mentioned oath of fealty before him, the King’s mind would always turn to that one afternoon when someone suddenly knelt by him, to that oath spoken unprompted, and fulfilled so completely.