Faramir Fiction Archive

That which you can never have (NC-17)

Written by Anorienbean

24 April 2007 | 23005 words

Chapter 12

Moving quickly and quietly, Haldir kept his eyes trained on the forest behind them. He reached for the small pile of clothes they’d discarded before entering the water, and handed Faramir his tunic and breeches without a word. Dressing quickly, he helped Faramir slide on his breeches and heard him mumble an apology for making so much noise. Haldir shook his head, and knelt beside his lover, brushing still-damp hair back from his forehead. “Don’t be,” he whispered. “From the way they’re heading directly toward us, I’d wager they’ve been tracking us for some time now.”

Faramir closed his eyes and was filled with a sense of dread. He couldn’t fight, couldn’t protect himself or the Elf he loved. As usual, he was useless. But the thought of just sitting there, while Haldir had to face the danger alone made him sick to his stomach. No. He’d die first.

He could hear someone approaching in the distance, and they were making no effort to tread lightly.

Haldir gently picked his lover and tried to sit him back down among the thick roots of a large tree, facing away from the danger. With his dark tunic and dark hair, he could almost blend in – which was exactly what Haldir was hoping for.

“No,” Faramir hissed, “I’m going to help you… ”

Haldir shook his head, trying to pry Faramir’s arms from around his neck. “Faramir… ”

“I won’t just sit here while you try and fight for us both!” Faramir’s voice was just above a whisper, but so fierce that Haldir straightened back up at once. “You’ve never once treated me like a cripple, Haldir. Don’t start now.”

It went against everything in Haldir, but he could see by the fire in his lover’s eyes that he meant every word. He moved around the tree, where Faramir would only be partially hidden, and reached into their saddlebag, pulling out two small daggers. “I’ll train you how to use these one day, but for now… ”

“I’ll be fine.” Faramir sounded braver than he felt, but now wasn’t the time for fear. Now was the time to help… in any way he could. He only hoped it would be enough.

Haldir pressed a kiss to Faramir’s temple and nodded, trying his best to keep the worry from his face.

Only moments after he’d released him, Haldir moved away, hoping to draw their attention, arrow at the ready, prepared to face their uninvited guests. Judging by the sound of them, there were only 5… maybe 6, all on foot.

In almost no time at all, an arrow sliced through the air beside him and imbedded itself in a tree that was mere inches away from his head. His eyes narrowed, and he loosed an arrow of his own, keen Elven eyes having no trouble at all discerning their target. A scream followed soon after, then another as Haldir quickly notched a second arrow and loosed it as well.

Before he knew it, he was facing his attackers – 4 left in all, all Men, all wearing the colors of Gondor.

As the men advanced toward him, Haldir was startled to see one of the daggers he’d given Faramir go flying through the air and embed itself in one of the men’s chest.

Two advanced toward him and one started in Faramir’s direction. By the time Haldir had fought off his attackers, several moments had passed and he turned to see the last man standing above Faramir, lifting him up by the front of his tunic. His other hand was drawn back, ready to drive a blade into his captive’s stomach.

It all seemed to happen in slow motion. Haldir ran toward them, just as the man holding Faramir thrust the knife against Faramir’s side. At that moment, the Gondorian soldier looked into the eye of the man he was about to kill, the man who hadn’t even stood to fight him. Immediately, he dropped Faramir in a graceless heap and stepped back, staring at Faramir as if he’d seen a ghost. “You… you look just like… ”

His words were cut off as Haldir grabbed him, but his gaze never left Faramir, despite the fact that the Elf’s arm was pressing against his throat as he struggled to speak. “Who are you?”

“You try to kill us, then you want to talk?” Haldir increased the pressure on the soldier’s neck as he finally began to struggle. “How badly are you hurt, love?”

Blue eyes clouded with pain as Faramir clutched at the wound on his side. “He… he stopped…” His voice was strong, and he wondered why his attacker had suddenly pulled the blade to the side before it could do any real damage. “It’s not very deep. I’ll be fine once the bleeding stops.”

Haldir was filled with such a deep hatred of this so-called soldier who had hurt his lover that he wanted nothing more than to make him suffer before he died. “Faramir… give me the knife.”

The man before him froze, then leaned back against Haldir so hard, the golden Elf almost stumbled. “F… Faramir?”

Faramir looked up at the man and Elf struggling in front of him, lifting the dagger so that the tip rested just below the White Tree of Gondor on the man’s chest. He could do it, he thought, he could kill this man who would have killed him… and his lover, given half the chance. “How do you know me? And why are you trying to kill us?”

Haldir had just decided to simply break the man’s neck until he heard the softly spoken words fall from his lips. “My father sent me to kill you. An Elf and a Man, he said, an Elf and a Man that were bent on humiliating him and all of Gondor… ”

“Humiliate? We only wanted to live in peace,” Haldir growled. “We left Gondor behind, and weren’t ever planning to return!” As he spoke, his arm tightened around the man’s throat. “Who are you?”

“Boromir.” The single word was hoarse and broken. “My name is Boromir.”

Haldir squeezed harder and Faramir simply stared up at the stranger who was only mere seconds from dying, the pain in his side all but forgotten. “Haldir… Haldir stop! I think this is… my brother.”

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