40Okay ! Here we are ! This is my first Fanfiction ever ! My apologies for the poor expression and grammar, English is not my mother tongue...
Hope you'll enjoy ! And don't hesitate to tell me if there are any mistakes, I'm here to learn..! I'll try to update as often as possible, but I am a bit messy, so I can't promise anything...This chapter is mostly from Faramir's POV, and takes place in Osgiliath, just when Boromir leaves to Rivendell. Hope you'll enjoy !
Disclaimer : Unfortunately, I do not own the Lord of the Rings, everything belongs to Tolkien Estate and New Line Cinema. The quotations and the original scenario of the movie belong to P. Jackson, F. Walsh and P. Boyens. I am not making any money off this.
The only things I own basically are my OCs and though I share the owning of the general idea with the amazing Chiara Meldis, (you may use it if you want :), this version of the plot is mine and was created by my own.
"Remember today, little brother." he told him. Then the horse turned around and ran off, taking his brother into faraway and unknown horizons. Faramir turned back, lowering his head, restraining back his tears. Why did he feel as if he wouldn't see his brother alive again ? He silently headed back to his tent, filled with fear and worry.
"My Lord ?" a voice asked as he entered.
"Prepare my horse," he told Deveron, his second in command, with a voice he wanted to be as assured as possible, "I am going back to Minas Tirith." 'At least I will be free from my father for awhile...' he thought. The words he had said in front of him were still haunting his mind : "The victory belongs to Faramir also." Boromir told Denethor as he had joined them, at Faramir's great displeasure, and had started to congratulate his eldest, not even giving a single glance to the youngest. At the mention of his name, the young Captain had stepped forward, placing a small smile on his lips, mostly to thank Boromir for having tried to give him some credit in their Father's eyes.
"But for Faramir this city would still be standing."
The words cut the air sharply, hitting the young man painfully. His smile immediately left his face, replaced by tears he felt forming in his eyes. "Were you not entrusted to protect it ?" the Steward continued unseeing or ignoring the pain in his son's eyes and the look of pure disbelief Boromir gave him.
"I would have done but our numbers were too few, Faramir defended, his voice shaking slightly, but Denethor dismissed him without a thought.
"Oh, too few ? You let the enemy walk in and take it on a whim."
Again, the words hit Faramir like a sharp knife into his chest. On a whim ? His men and he had fought day and night to bring the enemy down. There were just too many of them. And has he had seen his soldiers taken down one by one, the Captain had chosen to sacrifice the city for his companions life. A choice he had thought wise and necessary, but that Denethor thought coward and useless.
"Always you cast a poor reflection on me." Again, the Steward managed to hurt Faramir deeply with only words.
"That is not my intent." he almost whispered in despair.
Hopefully, his dear brother, once again, tried to defend him against his Father's neglect and discontentment.
"You give him no credit and yet he tries to do your will."
'Oh, Boromir ! What will I become now that you have left ? How will I be able to handle this situation without you ? I need you, brother. More than you know...'
As he went to take his cloak he had left on his couch, he suddenly felt as if an arrow literally pierced his chest, then another one. It was so unexpected that he involuntarily cried out in pain. He felt as if his entire torso was on fire. He looked down, expecting to see the arrows hurried deep into his flesh, but saw... Nothing. What... How... So many questions were crashing into his mind, but the pain was so blinding that he couldn't form any coherent thoughts to answer them. His head was dizzy, the entire room was spinning and he fell to his knees, just as the guards rushed in, alerted by his cry, to find their Captain apparently unharmed. They were speaking, but Faramir didn't hear anything they said. They were blurry... And why was he sweating ? He felt as if it was an effect from a blood loss, but there was nothing...
Then here again, a third arrow went deep into his torso and the young gondorian lost his battle against consciousness, absolutely unknowing of what had just happened.
"They took the little ones."
"Keep still."
"Frodo, where is Frodo?"
"I let Frodo go."
"Then you did what I could not. I tried to take the ring from him."
"The ring is beyond our reach now."
"Forgive me, I did not see. I have failed you all."
"You fought bravely. You have kept your honour."
"Leave it! It is over. The world of men will fall, and all will come to darkness. And my city to ruin."
"I do not know what strength is in my blood, but I swear to you I will not let the White City fall, nor our people fail."
"Our people... our people...I would have followed you, my brother, my captain... my King."
Faramir could only watch in silence as his brother's eyes glazed and his head fell backward. He was dead. He wanted to scream, to run for him, to hold him tight in his arms, to cry every single tear his body held, but he couldn't. He could only watch as the other man began to mourn on Boromir's limp form. 'My King' had he called him... Faramir couldn't see his face, for he stood right behind the man's back, a silent and unmoving spectator of the drama that had just played before his eyes.
"Captain Faramir !" he heard a voice calling from far, far away.
"Can you hear me ?"
Slowly, the scene began to vanish, leaving him surrounded by darkness.
"Wake up, my Lord !"
The voice was louder this time, and the young man felt strong hands holding his arms and others gently slapping him on his cheeks.
Slowly but surely, the young man began to lift up his eyelids, to meet one of the guard's worried gaze upon him.
"My Lord, can you hear me ?"
The man answered by weakly nodding his head.
"Can you see me ?"
"Y-Yes..."
His voice was raspy and his throat was dry, as if he hadn't drunk anything for a very long time.
"Are you hurt, my Lord ?"
"N-No, I don't... Think so..."
He had talked more than his vocal cords could bear, apparently, for he was overtook by a strong coughing fit. He felt a guard press a cup against his lips and a cool liquid being drawn in his mouth, which he swallowed eagerly.
"M-My thanks..."
"You're welcome. Now, what happened ? You screamed as if you were under attack."
Then without a warning, everything came back to his mind. Boromir. Gone. Attack. Arrows. Dead... He stood up hurriedly and asked :
"Have you made my horse ready, Deveron ?"
"But, my Lord, you are not in a proper shape to..."
"Have you ?" he cut off, voice firm, but not mean.
Deveron looked hesitant but he still answered :
"Y-Yes, my Lord, he is in the stables."
"Good. Deveron ? As my second in command, you are named Captain of the Rangers of Ithilien until I return."
Deveron bowed his head and Faramir immediately rushed out of the tent and headed straight to the stables without wasting anymore time. He didn't pay any attention to the questioning looks the other soldiers gave him. His brother's life was at stake, nothing else mattered. He literally jumped on his horse's back, who was slightly startled by the sudden weigh.
"Menib, Sìrdal." he whispered into his ears. Immediately, Sìrdal bolted out of his enclosure heading to the city gates.
"Faramir ! Where do you think you are going ?" he suddenly heard his father's voice call him. But he didn't bother looking behind and kept going.
"Meno, Sìrdal, meno !" he told his horse as felt an ounce of hesitation crossing his strong body.
"Guards ! Stop him !"
But it was too late, he was already out of their reach.
Faramir found his brother just the day after. He had had to hide quite often for his father had, apparently, started a research for him. One of the patrols almost caught him, once, but he had managed to lose them in the thick woods (who would have been able to track a Ranger into the forests ?).
When he had found Boromir, the man was about to leave the small camp he had settled for the night.
"Boromir !" he called.
His brother turned around immediately, startled, and grabbed his sword, ready to face any enemies incoming. He relaxed when he saw the face of his brother, pale from exhaustion (he hadn't slept the entire night and hadn't completely recovered from what had happened back in Osgiliath).
"Faramir ?" he answered the call, very surprised to see his brother had followed him. "What are you doing here ?"
The younger man quickly dismounted and rushed to his brother to give him a tight embrace. His brother held him back, still not completely understanding what was happening.
"What is it, brother ? You are shaking. Did something happen ?"
"I-I... I saw..." he started, but paused, unable to let the words out of his mouth.
"What ? What did you see ?" his brother asked, gently, like he used to do when Faramir was having nightmares when he was younger.
"I saw you... Dead."
His words were met with silence, only broken by Boromir's cry as he felt his brother's knees buckle from exhaustion, and had to catch him before he hit the ground.
"Faramir !"
"If you go to this quest, you will die." the younger man continued in a weak voice.
Another silence.
"Was it a foresight ?" Boromir asked in a low voice.
"I-It felt like it."
They paused again. Boromir knew his brother had foresights, and also knew them to realise themselves every time, for he had already seen both their mother's death and the Council of Elrond. But it wasn't his possible death that scared him, he was afraid for his brother... The way he was so desperately clutching his armour, his tremors... Boromir was ready to face his death, but Faramir wasn't and it would most likely break him down.
"Don't go. Oh ! Boromir, please, don't go on this quest. I beg you. Let me go instead"
'What ?!' Boromir thought 'You want me to let you go and die for me ?'
Indeed, the man was afraid of what would happen to Faramir if he came to pass, but he couldn't bear letting his brother sacrifice himself in order to possibly save him.
"Oh, Fara... I wish I could but I have to go, Father gave me a mission. And he needs you with him, and..." he took a breath before adding "I don't want you to put yourself in danger, I don't want you to give your life for me."
"Then let me come. You heard Father. He knows my uses and, apparently, they are few. He doesn't need me. Just give me a chance to avoid this..." he retorted, voice full of resentment towards the Steward.
Boromir still hesitated for some long seconds. But eventually, he realised that, whatever he might do, there would be no way to get his brother to go back home without him, and he couldn't just abandon the mission his Father had entrusted him to do...
"You protect me and I protect you, then... Fine, we'll go together."
"Thank you." his brother answered, voice filled with relief.
Menib : Let's go
Meno : Go
Also, I am not an expert in the Sindarin language, so feel free to tell me if you spot any mistake !
