And the King said to Beregond: ‘Beregond, by your sword blood was spilled in the Hallows, where that is forbidden.  Also you left your post without leave of Lord or of Captain.  For these things, of old, death was the penalty.  Now therefore I must pronounce your doom.

‘All penalty is remitted for your valour in battle, and still more because all that you did was for the love of the Lord Faramir.  Nonetheless you must leave the Guard of the Citadel, and you must go forth from the City of Minas Tirith…So it must be, for you are appointed to the White Company, the Guard of Faramir, Prince of Ithilien, and you shall be its captain and dwell in Emyn Arnen in honour and peace, and in the service of him for whom you risked all, to save him from death.’

And then Beregond, perceiving the mercy and justice of the King, was glad, and kneeling kissed his hand, and departed in joy and content.  And Aragorn gave to Faramir Ithilien to be his princedom, and bade him dwell in the hills of Emyn Arnen within sight of the City.  (The Return of the King, Book 6, Chapter 5: “The Steward and the King”)

“Your Majesty?”  Faramir entered the King’s study.

Aragorn lifted his head from the parchments he was studying.  It was several days after the coronation, and he had pronounced judgment on Beregond that morning.  He suspected that Faramir had come to speak with him about that.  He waved his hand toward a chair facing his desk.  “Pray be seated.”

Nodding, Faramir reclined in that chair.  To the left of the Steward, the yellowish-red of sunset poured through the window.  It had been a long day, and Aragorn had finished the lengthy process of pardoning many and rewarding others.  Faramir smiled.  “First of all, sire—”

Aragorn raised his hand.  “Before you say anything more, Faramir, allow me to say this.”  He paused.  “When we’re with other people, you shall observe the proprieties of protocol, but when it’s just the two of us, I want you to address me as Aragorn.”

Blushing, Faramir nodded.  “Yes, A—Aragorn.”

The King smiled.  “Now, then, what do you wish to say?”

Faramir leaned forward.  “First of all—Aragorn—I wish to thank you for not putting Beregond to death.  I know that you would have been within your rights as king to do that.”

Aragorn nodded.  “I could not sentence him to death for saving your life.  It is most unfortunate that he was compelled to draw sword to do so, and that he had no time to ask permission to leave his post, but since he did those things to save you from being burned to death, it would have been cruel to execute him for that.  Not just cruel to him, but to his son Bergil, too.”

“I agree.”  Faramir cleared his throat.  “I know that Gondorian law requires his punishment, and you did a most effective job in blending that punishment with mercy when you remitted his penalty and assigned him to serve as the captain of my White Company.  I know that he will make an excellent captain under me, having been an excellent Guard of the Citadel under my father for so long.  But…”  He frowned.  “…there may be times when, as his commanding officer, I will have to send him on an errand to Minas Tirith.  Has he your permission to enter the city when it is necessary for him to do so?”

With a smile, Aragorn nodded.  “Yes, he may, and I will send instructions to the gates to allow him to enter when you send him on an errand here.  He is only forbidden to live in Minas Tirith, not banned from the city altogether.”

A grateful smile spread across Faramir’s face.  “Thank you, Aragorn!”

Aragorn pulled a blank parchment across the desk, dipped a quill pin into a bottle of ink, and wrote a message on it.  “This is for Beregond.  In the morning, I will write some more messages, to send to the guardsmen of the Seven Gates.  When I have finished, I want you to take these messages to them, and make sure that they understand my instructions in this matter.  In the meantime, please take this message to Beregond.”  He handed the note to Faramir.

“Yes, sire.”  Realizing that he was being dismissed, Faramir rose to his feet and bowed.  “I will be back in the morning to take the other messages.”  He left the study.

Leaning back in his own chair, Aragorn smiled again, wearily.  He had never wanted to punish Beregond for his infraction, but Gondorian law required it.  Thank goodness he had been able to extend as much mercy into the required punishment as he could.  He rose to his feet and left the study to return to his private quarters.

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Author’s Note: I never liked the idea that Beregond had been totally banished from Minas Tirith, and could never re-enter the city.  I like to think that Aragorn would show him as much mercy as Gondorian law allows.  And since he only says to the Citadel guardsman that he must “leave the Guard of the Citadel, and…go forth from the City of Minas Tirith,” I see an opening here in which Beregond could be permitted to re-enter the city if he is sent there on errands for Faramir.