Faramir Fiction Archive

Hidden Love (PG-13)

Written by Laivindur

19 January 2013 | 8166 words | Work in Progress

Title: Hidden Love
Author: Laivindur
Rating: PG-13
Pairing(s): Faramir
Warnings: Violence, threats of death. MalexMale.

What happens when the righteous and kind older brother is placed between his little one and his love for a Harad?
And how do Faramir handle the new knowledge of his older brother’s sides which he figures out after a talk with one of the Harads?
And to put a cherry on top: a war with the Harads lie above them all.
Added: Part 3

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Hidden Love

“How dare you gain a fight with a steward?! That gives you a penalty, young man!”
“No!”

The young rebel and the older berating man turned with surprised expressions at the youngest steward who’d called out with hidden pain behind determination. Both reddish blonde curls and black straight strings of hair dripped with rain. The darker and tallest man’s clothes were soaked in brown mud with the older man’s grasp at the shirt, and the young man measured Faramir as he calmed by what the youngest steward had said. The noble young man stood still, panting heavily with a painful grasp at his tummy and had to collect himself with a shy gasp before speaking more calmed.

“That will not be necessary. This was just an incident with two men fighting about a silly matter. Naught more I assure you.”

With a waving hand he sent the older man away. The bald man left in a more carefree matter rather than annoyed as he’d just stepped up for Faramir because he felt he had to, but as the steward ordered him off, there was not much else he had in mind than to follow orders and left the two alone in the muddy arena.

Evidence of the festival lay scattered around: flags and different kind of cloths were hanging from the fences which made a square in the field and the soil was hard to hold balance in as it was stamped into pits of mud and water with eager cheering men stubborn enough to stand through bad weather to see the homecoming Boromir fight the champion of the games.

The warm aroma after parties around the tribunes were carried away by the wind as the men spoke.
The man who had hit Faramir hard in the center pulled his shirt to place and spat before jerking his black hair back to place with a nervous but triumphing laugh.
“At least you know when to stand up for yourself.”

“Shut up!”

Faramir shouted angry and felt more like the loser even though he’d made to toss the bastard in the soil without being covered with mud other than on his thigh, face and arm. He stared like a mother lioness do when feeling threatened at the nervous but stubborn man who shifted and let his black mustache fell with the grin. He spoke deep and low just like his attitude. And his Harad background made his accent pester Faramir even more.
“You are only angry because you know it is true.”

“No! Boromir would never do such a thing! Stop lying and speak no more of it or else I take back the mercy I just showed you.”

The offending man snorted and wiped his muddy and bloody face with his elbow as a stripe of red fell from his nose, and he pressed the soil with his boots while balancing away rather than walking.
Faramir stood still alone as the rain started pouring with no mercy on the already soaked terrain.
‘I thought Minas Tirith was supposed to shine when you came home from Harad, brother.’

‘Damn it’ Faramir thought while twitching in chagrin for the dinner that was set for the three of them. It was supposed to be a fine dinner with the homecoming firstborn of the steward, but now he’d probably got to know what business his youngest had been at after the festival and would use the dinner as an excuse for interrogation and then get two flies in one when making a fool out of him in front of his older brother.

‘Damn it’ he thought again as he cursed his father’s spies. But most important was to figure out what to say to his father. He had to tell the truth, or somewhat of it, but how would he explain that he’d defended Boromir to such an extent and how could he avoid the dumb man to get executed for such an insult and accusation? The Harad was already marked as a traitor by blood if not by actions. Faramir knew the man had gone mad and angry for other reasons and chose to take his grief and sorrow out on the general Boromir.

It was not fair. There was no sense in making the situation worse for the one you love just because he won’t love you back.
He came back to the first step: tell the truth. ‘Alright’.
Faramir stood in front of the mirror after a bath and with his fine garment on, he stood firm and proud, though trembling.
“What happened was that I and another man was helping…we bumped into one another when helping the…helping with the gathering of…damn it.”

He closed his eyes and frowned in thoughts. Taking a deep breath with hands on hips in a short meditation, he then spoke more firmly.
“We bumped into one another-”

He lifted one eyebrow heedlessly and shook his head while waving a hand while speaking hurriedly like the subject was of no importance.
“…and the slippery mud made the rest, naught more to worry about.”
He looked at himself for a while and measured his stance. It wasn’t going to hold.

He sucked in a long breath to overlook his explanation and exhaled in defeat and exhaustion. It was not going to hold at all. He had tried for 23 years to gain his father’s trust and still he stood rehearsing explanations. He knew it; it was all going to fall back on him once again.

Just then his brother entered with his mighty form covered in fine garments which made Faramir raise brows and laugh as he saw Boromir’s insecure expression while lifting his arms.
“Alas there are no women to night or else I would have enjoyed watching them tear you apart in greed or drown you with their aroused bodies.”

Their hug was firm and loving, but when Boromir groaned as Faramir had squeezed his rib which had been hurt in the games earlier, the youngest jumped off and excused himself to a grinning but hurting champion.
“Aah, don’t mind it.” He gasped and tried to smile even though he felt the bone torture his lung.

Faramir was about to lift his arm up and caress his worry for him as he had ever done. It was normal and nothing of the unusual, but as he stopped himself as he felt a warning in his guts and made it to a pat on the shoulder instead, he blushed and felt the huge confuse in his sudden change of mind. He felt guilt.

They left after Faramir gave a smile and a beckon to leave for the dinner.

“Please, father. Let us enjoy Boromir’s victory rather than my stupidity.”

Faramir knew his father’s simple and hidden movement of his elbow further back on the chair handle signaled he was not happy that he’d used his brother to avoid confrontation. But Denethor thought his lastborn right and almost ignored him all dinner. He let the brothers have somewhat of conversation though, before interfering by leaving Faramir out for several minutes.

It wasn’t until late Denethor sent a servant for Faramir before he’d even entered his own room, and the young steward trembled even more when his father called him to open the door and enter.
“You called me, father.”
“Yes, you do not have to remind me, Faramir. I’m not that old yet.”

The young man shot his eyes down with a tight jaw and wanted this over as quickly as possible.

“Tell me, what unimportant business were you at? As you call it.”
Faramir thought back at what he’d said in front of the mirror and let his eyes rest on the colored carpet before looking at his mostly curious but still annoyed father who sat comfortably in his chair as if he watched some sort of entertainment.

“It was an unfortunate clash between me and a civilian. I let him know of his place and therefore nothing more to worry about.”

“If it was handled righteous or not, or if it was nothing to worry about, is for me to decide. I do not want you to cast humiliation on our nobility or weaken our reputation.”

Faramir kept his gaze firmly on his father and hoped he could hide whatever his father’s gaze wanted to dig up as he apparently saw that his son defended this civilian. He folded his hands and continued.

“Now, tell me the truth for I will know if you hide something from me. It is up to you if you want the consequences of such actions.”

The fear made the tender face of Faramir grow white and stiff and the nervousness tightened his throat so he had to swallow before speaking. He thought the civilian to meet the consequences of his own actions rather than he getting punished, but Faramir simply cared too much and saw the reason behind the Harad’s lie. The Harad was jealous.

The Harads was not to be given mercy and would be killed on whatever excuse they might come up with after they’d just proclaimed war upon Gondor. There were still some Harads in the city, people who had grown up there or just ended up there somehow. The only reason this man was still in town and not safely on the farms was because of Faramir, and he spoke calm.

“There were some problems with a civilian, but I confronted him about it as he spoke unfriendly words, and if I can have your permission I will send him away tomorrow.”

“This is unusual for you to be, dear son; to send someone away for mere confrontations. As you call it.”

“I do not wish to speak details to you, my lord. His actions have penalties of flogging that will only make his thought of the nobility worse; therefore I choose expulsion as a more fit punishment. If he does not like it here, then he might as well leave.”

“I do not look away from this verdict of yours. But I am curious of his actions. What did he do and say that showed his revulsion to the city?”

Faramir’s voice kept on just the same, though with some reluctance, which the steward almost did not detect “He said that he resented the nobility and thought their decisions wrong in the war. And he attacked me, though vaguely. It was naught more than…”

Denethor interrupted his son as he heard he was starting to defend this traitor. Faramir walked into a trap and knew he was unable to do anything about it. This would not turn out well.
“Then I must have second thought of your verdict at last. If you send this person out of the walls, he will probably seek revenge on this nobility that he hates and has already attacked, therefore there is not any chance of sending this probable traitor away. I give you a mission, Faramir, my son.”

Faramir prayed for all the valars he knew of that the order would not be as cruel as he feared.

“First: What is his name?” Denethor asked while writing on a paper.

Faramir took a deep breath and was tempted to say he knew not, but as the piercing grey eyes shot up from the table in anticipation, Faramir halted and held his breath before speaking.

“Veihar, my lord. Veihar and nothing more. That is their custom.”

“Well then, find this person we’ve spoken about, Veihar, and arrest him. While you do that tell him he is arrested for treason, attack on the noble family and cowardice. Bring him down to the dungeons.”
Faramir took a deep breath while listening to his father’s strict voice, and seeing his chagrin by the tight lips, he sighed inwards. ‘Damn it, I’ve made to fail him again.’

“There you will trial him with a proper punishment. Do you remember, Faramir? Cell 4 in the third grey floor. Is that understood?”

With small nods and mind desperately in search of another way Faramir felt his body cry and scream in agony. How could he ever make himself do this? He had to accept the order and leave with the courtesy needed to make his father happy and felt the anger boil up inside so hard he had to run to his room and scream the loudest he could in there.

“Noo!” He screamed and tossed the chair aside so it smashed into a big chest by the window. He kicked it further away into the bath place and cursed before falling down on his knees with moans of defeat and tears burning his cheeks. By god he did not want to send Veihar to his death, his best friend who had confessed his love for him and then been stupid enough to make him choose between the two he loved the most.

Chapter 2

Faramir had not slept much that night and stared weary and worriedly out his window while halting the arrest for as long as he could; he was hoping that perhaps Veihar fled the land now that he had come forth with such excruciating outbursts about the General, but being only the two of them knowing about it, he could be stubborn enough to stay and hoping once again that Faramir would choose him and save him and fail his allegiance. Faramir banged his fist on the window rail while clenching his jaw.

‘Damn you, Veihar! I can’t abandon everything in my life just to please your emotions…and mine.’

He calmed and dropped his eyes in thought. ‘I have been taught for so many years to serve my country.’ His eyes flickered rapidly when the next thought came in mind ‘so have you, though being enslaved at first, and you think I can just come with you to your lands and they will accept me like that?! No, so where would we go, idiot!’

The anger boiled up and he shouted to the glass and perhaps so the young Harad could hear him through the city streets “Where would we go you damned bastard?!”

The anger had crashed through the sorrow and tears emerged in his now sorrow eyes and he whispered while clenching his fist to the window sill “I can’t do this. I can’t kill you, Veihar. You stupid fool!”

He dried the tears before they even got spilt and put himself together with these thoughts in mind:
‘I know I will never be able to save you from this penalty, so I will find you and speak to you to settle this between us and then you must leave.’

He had been accustomed to the messy and dirty farms in the outline boarders of the Pelennor Fields, and found his way easy through the houses and animals to perhaps find the small residents where Harad families had gathered as the hostility between Gondorians and Haradrims had worsened through the years.

The irony was that Faramir and his Harad friend had gotten closer and closer, perhaps closer than Faramir felt comfortable with. Now his suspicions had been confirmed and wanted to deal with it if he could just find him.

His tall brown leather boots got covered in soil when he stepped past a pig farm right before seeing Veihar’s family house and his little sister playing with some chickens who had run through the small shattered fence. His mother was fixing it while berating the dark little girl to help her rather than messing about.

Faramir smiled while gaining in on the little holding. The woman dressed in black cloths stared hard and skeptical at the young Gondorian before she jumped and dropped the fence when she saw him. She hadn’t seen him for a long time. He’d grown so much.

She’d gotten to know his true identity when by accident he’d slipped out a well educated sentence or having politeness of a royal, or when by other situations a radar had beeped in her head and even more shocked she’d been when Veihar told her he’d always known, but kept it secret for Faramir’s sake. She was shocked to know that a royal was playing with her son in her garden.

She had known him for so long and seen how well the two boys got along that she’d not forbid them to go on like before, but she couldn’t help it but jump every time she saw his face coming alone and unguarded in the dark depths of the village.
She was about to bow and call him by lord, but twitched the movements away and shifted nervously with a stick from the fence in her hand before Faramir’s gentle smile calmed her and she spoke.

“It’s nice to see you, Faramir, after so long. How fare you? Shiva, stop that!”

The little girl stopped alerted, but not by her mother’s orders, by the sight of her second lighter older brother. She didn’t give Faramir time to answer, to his relief, as she run into his arms and screamed his name in joy and excitement.

Faramir laughed, but shushed her as he did not want the entire village to know about a Faramir who’d visited.
He was lucky that many of them had been sent to the festival ground to clean and mostly women and children were inside in the cold and grey weather.
Veihar’s family was not stopped by anyone or anything. That was a trait Faramir didn’t know if he loved or hated about Veihar.

The tall and troubled dark Harad youngster on the same age as Faramir, came out from behind the house in his own thoughts. He stopped and took another step to regain balance as he saw Faramir. He’d wondered if he’d show up there with either a bag to run away with him, or a group of soldiers to arrest him, but now as he saw him without any of them, just holding his little sister in his arms smiling and laughing along with her, he calmed in wonder.

Shivanja’s long and black hair swayed in the wind and a dusky rain flew with the moist air which made Faramir’s hair curl in those splendid small curls which Veihar dreamt of so often. Turmoil of emotions went through him; he loved Faramir, but he was afraid of what business Faramir could have after their quarrel and it didn’t help as his instincts of having a white man of Gondor so close to his family and home making him wary, but the fact that it was Faramir made him ashamed of that thought and walked towards him with seemingly high confidence, but he kept his hands in his pockets not to show how much he trembled.

While he let the hyper and cute little muddy girl down, he greeted Veihar with cheer still in his face, but was reminded of his mission by Veihar’s expression of annoyance and regret.
“Well met, Veihar.”

“Remember you’re in our village now, you don’t need that politeness.”

Faramir noticed Veihar’s insecurity and tense fright, so after he beckoned with a jerk of his head towards the south to take a walk, Faramir kept quiet until they got way behind the barn and further down the field with the great Anduin river in front of them in view. It would have been so wonderful had it not been for their distant positions and Mordor to the left to remind them of the evil wars making their nations clinch.

Faramir took a deep breath while resting his gaze on the ground and now it was he who had put his hands in his pockets making his black and green long tunic wrinkle while hiding his hands. He’d sent soldiers for Veihar’s arrest to another direction while he himself told them a lie of his. He had not much time.
He turned shyly and apologizing with a narrow smile at the annoyed Harad who rolled his eyes and threw his hands down with a ‘give it to me’ look.
Faramir looked away and wished none of this happening. He didn’t know where to begin.

“Come on, Faramir.”

Veihar pleaded and didn’t dare touch his shoulder which he stared at: that lovely soft shoulder he’d managed to touch when they had taken that bath in the river together, which he did not know whether he regretted or not as he had frightened Faramir by the way he both looked at and had touched him.
Faramir responded bittersweet and startled Veihar as he could have read his mind.

“What happened to Fara-mine?”

The questioning and insecure eyes that pierced Veihar were mistaken for mock and suspicion, and the darker man barked in defense.

“Don’t attempt your mind tricks on me! You know now how I feel. It is up to you to make up your mind. Do you want to live your life behind that white wall of yours with your nice clothes and fancy soldiers with shiny metal protecting them from savages’ sticks and stones, then fine by me. I am sure lots of fancy girls in silk and milky white skin and…and…and all that which makes up your appetite just fine doesn’t it? Yeah, I know, that is much better, and of course…”

“Shut up! Gods, please, there’s no end to your tongue.”

The tension between them the earlier day boosted up, but Faramir spoke calmer than his emotions.

“You were not born with that sharp tongue to speak rubbish, Veihar. I know you speak like so because you are nervous and frightened. Your words are far better than this. I know you are nervous, for so am I. It is not easy for me to deal with this.”

He lowered his voice.

“You claim to love me, then why do you put me in this situation you damn well know can cost both of our lives, or one of them, but I will be damned if I ever let your execution come forth and I have no intentions of dishonoring father or myself for that matter.”

Veihar had gotten his answers: there was a death sentence on him and he stared at Faramir in fright. Faramir threw his hands out in defeat.
”I do not know what to do. I…I do care for you, for you are a dear friend of mine.”

Veihar gazed softly at him with his deep dark eyes and listened as he spoke while turning his head at the river.

”We have been through so much together and you made me sure of the greater good in men by their heart and not by nation…” Faramir’s eyes filled with tears and he looked lost, and just when Veihar was to place his hand on the longed shoulder, Faramir barked in anger and pointed on him and towards the city, depending on whom he spoke of. “…but now you dare tell me that Boromir is breaking our most sacred rules in war and therefore you accuse him not worthy of his place and dishonoring him with your…” He stopped as he saw Veihar’s sorrow and fright while stepping away from him. He took a few breaths still angered. Then he spoke.

“…you are telling me that my brother, who I have loved all my life and I dare tell you, is the only real family I have and the first person after mother died who actually deeply and truly cared for me, that he deserves a penalty of death because of his actions which you accuse and told me of only right after I showed the slightest wavering reaction after you…”

Now Faramir screamed and he forgot both place and time.
“…and you dare call me spineless because I actually think of others than myself!”

A stunned and calmed Veihar answered while Faramir panted not far from his face with fury covering his expression.

“It sure did take a while for your tongue to finish as well, dear friend.”
Faramir moaned in hurt and surprise by the easy way he spoke after he’d let it all out on him, but turned back to him to listen when he continued so soft and loving.

“Though your words ended like stones crashing on mountain walls, they started like soft cotton embracing my harsh mind.”
Faramir swallowed and studied him in confusion and the Harad in love continued.

“For my love for you is like a mountain; unable to be moved: it cannot be destroyed. I only wish to receive it back from you.”
Faramir wished this bittersweet song to stop, but as he could not utter a word he blushed and tossed his gaze to the grass and turned away with a knot in his throat.

“Faramir.”

Veihar whispered and finally dared to place his hand on his shoulder for comfort and to the Harad’s surprise Faramir looked at him before he embraced him, but only shortly as he moved back again and asked with a fierce voice.

“Tell me it is a lie about Boromir. Tell me it was just something you said to mess with my mind as you always do!”

“I am sorry, my friend.” Veihar said sincerely while sharing a gaze of sorrow with Faramir, though his was covered with hatred as well.
“Boromir did order that slaughter and I saw those women be forced inside that tent against their will.”

“What were you doing there anyway?”
Faramir knew the question rather stupid, but he was so confused and angry. So he asked this question while shoving himself away from him.

“I think I have the right to see my own country, but I understand why you ask as I have lived most of my life in Gondor. After all it was you who saved my life. See, Faramir? Already as children we met with this…whatever it is.”

Faramir smiled a sad confirming smile.

“I must admit I felt your eyes stronger than anyone else.”

“Oh, so you gave away money as a daily good deed?”
Faramir laughed by the cheering and joking youngster with the dark and funny brows, but the mood fell just as it rose as he remembered Boromir.”

“I must be honest with you, Veihar.”
Veihar brightened as he hoped Faramir would admit his love for him, but as the words reached his mind, the disappointed expression quickly made it to a frightened one, but the stubbornness seemed to never leave him.

“I have been ordered to arrest you and take you to court, but I know father will have your execution. Every Harad in the country is taken by the tiniest cause. You must flee with your family. And by that I mean right now. I am ordered to arrest you.”
Veihar stared heartbroken at his friend, but did only meet his grey depths for a few seconds before they flew off to the river again trying to stay calm.

“Faramir, I cannot leave you. I will die.”
Faramir stared at him in desperation and was about to attack him with his anger and frustration, but stood still hearing him out as he quickly went on.

“…if not by heartbreak then by an arrow or sword piercing right through my hollow gaze when thinking of you.”
Faramir stepped to his friend’s front and stared him in the eyes.
“If you stay, I will be executed or punished alongside with you, and when your head falls to the ground…”
He stepped back and took a breath before he said “I will not let that happen.”

Faramir stepped over to the Harad once more and no one, not even themselves, ever figured out who of them was the tallest, but now Faramir seemed the tallest at least while speaking with all the authority he could.

“You will leave.”

Veihar stepped back as Faramir’s presence by itself pushed him, but he stepped forward again meeting the ranger’s eyes in a stern stare.
“No. There’s nothing for me anywhere than here. My family can leave.”

Faramir pushed Veihar to the ground and screamed down to him after the Harad got up on his elbows.

“You will leave with your family and therefore save both yourself, them and me. Do you care for me and even love me as you keep saying, then leave!”
Veihar had landed with no harm done other than to his heart and jumped when Faramir’s arm threw itself towards his family when mentioning them.

He saw that Faramir was in pain and regret, so he used that to
slowly rise and close in on him.
It was like closing in on a snake ready to bite. Not to kill though, but to give never ending warnings.
Faramir kept screaming.

“Leave! Leave before…!”

He noticed he’d screamed a lot and hoped for god’s sake no one in the village had noticed. He calmed when reassuring no one saw them and spoke lower.
“If you do not leave today there will be others coming for you, they know you have offended the noble and as I said earlier father will have you killed. He will also let me meet terrible consequences and you don’t want that do you? You love me you say. What kind of love is this? I do at least care for you and that is why you have to leave. Please leave, Veihar.”

Faramir stood his ground when Veihar closed in on him with a stern gaze as well, but with fright of what might come if he did what he planned.
Faramir suspected his actions, but was surprised nonetheless when the lips brushed his.

Chapter 3

The rain had snuck in on them and suddenly they were both wet and afraid when Veihar, that damned stubborn Haradrim, had kissed him.

At first Faramir turned abruptly wide eyed away and took a few steps in a start to run away as fast as he could, but as he comprehended, he turned around again and whispered with desperation revealing he was on the brim to give in.
“You must leave, Veihar. Please. There is no other choice.”

As the Haradrim only stared pleadingly and tired on his love, Faramir wanted to walk over to him and grab him by the head to prove to him he felt the same and that all his strivings were not a waste, but wanted him safe, so he stood still and afraid while speaking shakily.
“Do not let this rash rapture make your decisions, my friend. You must go to safety; you cannot love me while dead.”

“I cannot just leave right now without showing you how much I love you. This is not enough.”

Faramir took a step back when the kiss was mentioned and the darkness in Veihar’s eyes increased.

“I cannot die before having you.”

Just when Faramir was about to argument on that the Haradrim spoke with raised voice.

“And I will die fighting for your love.”

“You do not understand!”
Faramir barked. He continued with the same intensity though having the anger switched with plead.
“Hopefully we will both live for several more years if you will just run away this one time and I know you never succumb to such resorts, but you must this time and if it be by the gods’ will we shall meet again. I do wish to see you again, but now you must leave Gondor. Please, there’s not much time.”

They both stared at one another; Faramir just as pleading and sorry and Veihar seemingly a bit calmer though tense with anger, fear and hope.
They longed to touch each other and the silence that followed with the moaning wind and dusky rain was titillating, but the Haradrim tightened his fists and took a deep breath before he turned hurriedly to his village to run away with his family.

Faramir stood still on the narrow ground with the river almost vanishing in the fog behind him and his grey eyes drowned in tears who didn’t fall until he had gone through courtesy with his men, accepted berating from his steward and sat face down on his desk while writing an expanded arrest warrant that was to be done if the man would show himself in Gondor again. A small traitor wanted poster was also at hand.

The youngest steward was so tired and the weeping kept his attention away from the arrest warrant in front of him.
He stood up and dried the tears, but just as he had made his cheeks dry when reaching the middle of the floor, tears flowed once again.
The embarrassing trial in front of his father would only be the first of many.

~ Flashback

“You say the man escaped?”

“Yes, Sire. He is gone.”

“Gone?”

The silence was heavy for the Captain of scouts in the middle of the hall as he could feel his brother’s scowling eyes at him as well as his father’s, but it wasn’t his father he was the most afraid to disappoint. Faramir damned himself for the secret his older brother would push out of him later that evening if not being forced out in this trial by his father.
The steward kept on with his cold and disbelieving voice.

“You did not see him at all? No reports of his presence?”

After a revealing silence from Faramir, Denethor added:

“There was no trace? You didn’t see anyone who might know him and where he was off to?”

These were only questions to taunt his youngest for being disobedient. The silence came back and had not Faramir trained his breath to be silent, everyone would have heard his distress.
While the young captain strived to come up with an explanation good enough for the questions and, by the gods, with no lies in it, the steward spoke. “There’s no one who has ever escaped the squad and when I put you into charge for capturing this Harad friend of yours he simply vanishes. Do you not think I saw it coming?”
Faramir felt everyone’s eyes make his blood freeze with fright and loneliness. After a tormenting while of eyes staring expectantly, and regret and desperation roamed his very being, he simply put it out as the honorable man he wished to be and hoped his father would be gentle.

“I sent him off.”
A young counselor aspirant gasped and made Faramir jump. Everyone else in the room jumped or was shot aback by Faramir’s sudden confess. Boromir had just gotten confirmed what he had guessed along with his father, though Boromir was more understanding and merciful than the steward.

Faramir strived to keep his eyes on his family and the council in front of him, but as he spoke and saw the calm, but disappointed face of his brother he kept on with pride and determination.

“I did not want to send this man into a death trial as it would be unfair and against what Gondor stands for.”
A drop of sweat climbed down his neck when seeing his father’s raged mind.
“I ask my lord to see this as an eviction rather than a run away.”

The steward was far more pleased as he did not need to fish for the truth anymore. But did not like this hostile man free.
“You take your own decisions out to act behind your lord’s back and dare not admit it before he squashes it out of you.”
The steward raised his voice and pierced his youngest with his angry eyes.

“I hereby degrade you from captain and send you back to camps in Ithilien, Faramir.”
Boromir shifted and rubbed his face annoyed while his father stomped on his little one.

“Before that you will be good to hear: Disloyalty repaid with vengeance! You know this! This is a chance for you to regain your honor. I hope you make the right choice this time.”

If the people had not gasped earlier they did now as they watched Denethor send his youngest son, who’d fought his way up for so long, down in both rank and respect among the council. Faramir simply and understandably, though quite shakily and sweaty responded: “I understand and accept, sire.”

Denethor kept on right after. “Before you leave with the next group to Ithilien you will make up for yourself by writing an expanded arrest warrant for this traitor to see if you truly do understand, Faramir. And if I di not find this warrant acceptable, I place you in his stead.”

He nodded and hoped his shaking lips was hidden and bowed before he left at once for his dormitory with three guards on his heels.
Everyone in the room did not utter a single word except the steward and a few others from the council when they got up to leave; mostly to get the steward on other thoughts and some to perhaps go easier on his son.

Boromir had discreetly hurried to his own room before planning to pay his little brother a visit later.
~End of flashback

It was fourteen days until the next group of aspirants were to move out for the first time out on patrol in the dangerous, but beautiful route of Ithilien near Minas Morgul and the dark mountains. This time however, would be a normal route for our Faramir, though with his pride and state far lower than earlier.

He did not look forward to the curious gazes the men probably would give him as they saw him wander of three years ago while they were still in classes, to now go along with them. He thought perhaps he could act like a second teacher if the leader would let him. He hoped for someone who knew him and therefore would.

His thoughts had dried his tears, but he was still tired and leaned to the bedpost. At least he had fourteen days or so, after the punishment, to relax and get his mind on other things now that Veihar was safe. The door was knocked at and he readied himself for whoever might come in when he called for it.

He was glad to see Boromir, but his shame made him give only half the smile intended. He turned to walk over to his desk and sat on the edge of it while looking out in the night through his huge window with red long curtains by each side. He crossed his arms and nervously asked oratorical.

“Are you proud of me, brother?”

Even though Boromir understood why Faramir had done it, he could not help it but to wonder why his little brother had sacrificed that much to save a man, though Denethor had gone far longer than anybody expected.
He had the scowling and disappointed face still and when walking over to his brother’s side, he answered.
“I am proud you spoke the truth, though it took a while for it to come. But I do not understand why you would set yourself in this situation for a mere Harad, Faramir. I know you put yourself in danger for many. But this man?”

Boromir saw the angry face of Faramir when speaking so lowly of the race and darkened his gaze as he thought back at all the times he’d seen his little one along with the people of Harad. Even though they had managed to keep peace between the countries and somewhat the people for some time now, even though their past said otherwise, many Gondorians did not appreciate having so many of them within their borders. Many of them didn’t even know why they resented the people so. It seemes to linger in their blood.

The Harad were mostly a free minded people, but had not been for decades as they had been enslaved, followed and what more. Faramir did not know that his older brother had kept his knowledge of Faramir’s mingling with the Harads from their father, so he did not figure out why Boromir stared so skeptically and wondering at him. He looked up at him in surprise and fear when he saw the darker lines in his face from above.
“What? Did I disappoint you that bad?”

He got up and walked to the middle of the room again while apologizing to his older brother who he wished to please even more than his father.

“Please, brother…I did only what I judged to be right as I am the only one here knowing what really happened.”

He turned to him with a hand outstretched in the air below. “Father overdue the situation and so does everyone else just because he is…a Harad. I am mere fighting for justice.”

As the look on Boromir did not change, Faramir stopped and saw there was something else bothering him. The young man studied his brother from the chagrined face down to his dark boots and up again while grimacing to tell whatever could be on his mind.

The older brother frowned in reluctance while dropping his gaze likewise and placed his hand insecure on the desk before raising his gaze hurriedly to his little one while throwing the words at him accusingly.
“I recall you spending a lot of time with this Harad, Faramir.”
Faramir took in a defensive psyche and regretted he’d let his brother speak.

“He must mean a lot to you apparently.” The older made to add right before the young man was about to answer.
Faramir used the abruption to gain time for a better answer than the first.
“You know I would have done this for anyone. I cannot let injustice go past me if I can do something about it.”
“That damned Harad attacked you, brother! He deserves punishment. And you let him go! You denied father!”

Faramir did not fear the mighty man who dashed a few steps towards him, but he quickly berated himself for evaluating his ribs for a possible target for defense where he knew he was weak from earlier injuries. He calmed his voice though his body trembled in fright for gaining a bad end with his big brother.

“It is just as I said earlier. No one but I and he understand that it was naught more than a small quarrel with two young boasting men fighting for honor. If it was a man from Gondor we’d be laughing at it.”

“That’s it. Father is right!”
Boromir still struggled with his temper as he’d always done and made Faramir’s heart flinch.
“You do not know how to keep your position and he damned well did right to degrade you, little brother.”
Faramir never thought his brother would say such things and felt a sting in his heart he’d not felt in a long long while. Boromir continued.
“I see you need more training and lecture to understand exactly what kind of position you are in.”

Faramir’s gentle face was shocked and he frowned in disbelief while his mouth twitched in hurt. The older brother lowered his hand and spoke gentler, but still with the angry and berating voice of a frightened and protective older brother.

“Forgive me, little one, but this has to stop. You can’t do as you wish…”
Boromir wished Faramir happiness and prosper. Something he could not attain behaving like this and he feared what relationship he might have with this foreigner.

Faramir’s anger grew by every word and he yelled like he’d never ever done to his older loving brother.

“Cannot do as I wish?! What have you done in Harad, Boromir? What have you done to the Haradrim?”

At first the young General looked quite confused at the sudden attack, and as he prepared for a counterattack, he tightened his back and raised his chin so his strong neck revealed the strength of the body which Faramir could never ever overcome and it vibrated while the dark and low voice asked.

“What are you referring to, little one?”
It was a threat, but the little one kept on with nerves shivering underneath his skin.

“What did you do in Harad, Boromir? You know well what I speak of. Your actions aren’t exactly by the book either. But this is what I want to know: How can you stand here to berate me about my actions for good and justice, when you do things for your own gain?”

“Own gain?”

Faramir had really pushed it this time, and he knew it. He wanted answers. The silence before the storm was far worse than all the berating. A thunder of anger and defense roared inside the General and he dashed towards his brother once again while pointing at him and yelling as the storm unleashed.

“I have never used my position for my own personal gain, Faramir! Every order, action, swing of my sword and every step I have taken; has been for my people’s sake and nothing more! Damn it, Faramir I could have beaten your puny ass for saying such!”

Suddenly Faramir felt like the precocious little pestering brother he’d so many times feared to be and was shot quite a back at his upset older brother, for he believed him, but needed answers. He gained a red color in his face and watched Boromir pace uneasy around the room while massaging his face as if to wipe the anger off of him. He was so close to give his brother a beating he’d not done for years. Being far more stronger and bigger he could really hurt him. Faramir calmed and spoke.

“Then what business did you have with a dozen female Haradrim in your tent…?” Faramir started backing when Boromir came towards him with the anger still lingering, but the frightened little brother kept his eyes fixed on him. He had not often gotten to the end of his speech when telling his older brother off, so his voice accelerated in panic “…and how do you explain a certain slaughtering of several male Haradrim?”

As Boromir heard the mentioning of the females in his pace, he’d stopped and turned abruptly towards his little one, making the younger one back away by the hostile and scary face. He walked slowly towards him while gazing at him warningly before the mentioning of the slaughtering caused him to burst to his brother’s front to stare him in the eyes.

“How did you know about that?”

The younger eyes stared with trembling fright and his voice was tight as a string when speaking stubbornly, though he was ready for a swing in the face.

“Answer me.”

“The only reason I have kept this from you, little one, is for your own good. But I see now that I have to stop protecting you. I will tell you what I have done. You mustn’t tell anyone. Not father.”

Faramir knew now why he had not told him. Faramir couldn’t lie to Denethor.

Before Boromir continued after stepping away, Faramir raised his hand to grab him by his tunic, but the general grabbed the arm and held him firmly while speaking.

“I will not let you believe such things about me, so I will tell you. There is little chance that this will burst from your lips as long as you keep to your normal self.”

Faramir nodded and blinked before Boromir let go of him and started speaking.

“Those men we slaughtered were killed rightously. They had done severe damage and got what they deserved, when it comes to the women…”

Boromir’s voice softened and he looked sincerely at his pleading brother who looked at his older brother for hope and explanation.

“They were not only meant to be sold to us as slaves for our silence, but also other cruel things, but I sent them home, though som eof them…stayed. It took a while to sort it out as chaos had inflicted us, but I…I made to arrange everything as best I could.”

“I know father would not have liked that so I kept it to my chest.”

Faramir smiled alittle and nodded. He now saw the brother he knew once again. He even let out a releaved moan before embracing him.

“Thank you. That was all I needed to know.”

Boromir was not pleased.

“How did you know? Was it Veihar who told you?”

Faramir held on to Boromir for safety and dared not look him in the eyes.

“Yes.”

“Who is this Veihar? This Harad which you give so much for? Now you must tell me, Faramir!”

To be continued…

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