Emyn Arnen: Eowyn and Faramir

Éowyn and Faramir: Past
Éowyn and Faramir's lives before the Houses of Healing, including information on their family memebers.

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Faramir
Faramir of Gondor was born in Third Age 2983 to Denethor II, son of Ecthelion, and Finduilas of Dol Amroth. Their eldest son, Boromir, had been born in 2978, two years after their marriage. Denethor became the last ruling Steward the following year. In 2988 Finduilas died. It is said of Finduilas that she

was a lady of great beauty and gentle heart... Denethor loved her, in his fashion, more dearly than any other, unless it were the elder of the sons that she bore him. But it seemed to men that she withered in the guarded city, as a flower of the seaward vales set upon a barren rock. The shadow in the east filled her with horror, and she turned her eyes ever south to the sea that she missed.

Denethor, who had come to manhood at a time when Aragorn served his father in disguise as Thorongil, had been second best in his father's favor and when he finally came to rule Gondor he was already a suspicious and jealous man. Finduilas's death greatly grieved Denethor and he

became more grim and silent than before, and would sit long alone in his tower deep in thought.

It was later discovered that Denethor had used a Palantír to obtain the knowledge he needed to protect his city.

In this way Denethor gained his great knowledge of things that passed in his realms, and far beyond his borders, at which mean marveled; but he bought the knowledge dearly, being aged before his time by his contest with the will of Sauron. Thus pride increased in Denethor together with despair, until he saw in all the deeds of that time only a single combat between the Lord of the White Tower and the Lord of the Barad-dûr, and mistrusted all others who resisted Sauron, unless they served himself alone.

While his father struggled with the will of Sauron, Faramir struggled to win his father's affection.

Boromir, five years the elder, beloved by his father, was like him in face and pride, but in little else... fearless and strong, but caring little for lore, save the tales of old battles. Faramir the younger was like him in looks but otherwise in mind. He read the hearts of men as shrewdly as his father, but what he read moved him sooner to pity than to scorn. He was gentle in bearing, and a lover of lore and of music, and therefore by many in those days his courage was judged less than his brother's. But it was not so, except that he did not seek glory in danger without a purpose. He welcomed Gandalf at such times he came to the City, and he learned what he could from his wisdom, and in this as in many other matters he displeased his father.

Yet between the brothers there was great love, and had been since childhood, when Boromir was the helper and protector of Faramir. No jealousy or rivalry had arisen between them since, for their father's favor of the praise of men. It did not seem possible to Faramir that any one in Gondor could rival Boromir, heir of Denethor, Captain of the White Tower; and of like mind was Boromir. Yet it proved otherwise at the test.

Faramir encountered the hobbits Sam and Frodo and offered them shelter and amnesty on their trip through Mordor. He later led the retreat from Osgiliath and was wounded in his attempt to retake the land lost in the retreat. It was then that Faramir fell under the Black Breath of the Nazgûl, and when he was taken to his father in his near-death state, Denethor went mad and prepared to burn both himself and his son on a pyre. Gandalf, Beregond and Pippin saved Faramir, but the flames consumed Denethor. Faramir was then taken to the Houses of Healing...

Éowyn
Éowyn of Rohan was born in Third Age 2995 to Théodwyn, daughter of King Thengel of Rohan, and Éomund of Eastfold, Marshal of the Mark. Their first child, Éomer, had been born in Third Age 2991, two years after their marriage. Of Théodwyn it is said she

was the fairest [of Thengel's daughters], though she came late (2963), the child of [Thengel's] old age. Her brother loved her dearly.

Éomund was

a great lover of horses and hater of orcs. If news came of a raid he would often ride against them in hot anger, unwarily and with few men. Thus it came about that he was slain in 3002; for he pursued a small band to the borders of Emyn Muil, and was there surprised by a strong force that lay in wait in the rocks.

Éowyn was only seven when she lost her father and soon afterwards her mother also died, either from sickness, grief, or both. She and her brother went to live in her uncle, King Théoden's house and became like his own children, his own wife having died in giving birth to his only son, Théodred. Éowyn's childhood in Edoras was overshadowed by the growing threat of darkness and the increasing power of Gríma Wormtongue, a servant of Saruman, who poisoned King Théoden until he became an effete and disgraced ruler. Until Aragorn, Gandalf, Legolas and Gimli arrived to release Théoden from his servile and dejected state, Éowyn lived in the gaze of the malevolent Wormtongue, separated from her brother and forced to wait upon the weakened King. When the King was finally freed from his bondage and able to act, Éowyn was left in charge of the protection of her people while her brother and uncle rode to war. By this time she had fallen in love with Aragorn, and when he refused to let her ride with him, she rode in disguise with Théoden's forces to the Pelennor fields under the guise of a male soldier, Dernhelm. She assisted the hobbit Merry in his own secret ride to the Pelennor and he helped her slay the Lord of the Nazgûl, the Witch King of Angmar, after her uncle had been crushed under his horse. In the process her shield arm was wounded and she fell under the influence of the Black Breath of the Nazgûl. Her brother found her, seemingly dead, and was driven to despair. It is only when Prince Imrahil of Dol Amroth finally discovered that Éowyn was alive that she was taken to the Houses of Healing...

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