Faramir Fiction Archive

When Darkness Falls (NC-17)

Written by Sairalinde and Anorienbean

10 April 2008 | 42956 words

Title: When Darkness Falls Chapter 3/?
Authors: Sairalinde & Anorienbean
Fandom: LOTR
Characters: Faramir/Haldir
Rating: NC17
Warnings: Non-con in later chapters, violence
Disclaimer: No money was made from this, and the characters all belong to the late, great Mr. JRR Tolkien and his estate.
Summary: Faramir and Haldir join the Fellowship and vow to do everything in their power to see the one ring destroyed. Things get complicated, however, when they fall in love almost immediately, and vow to protect one another as well. When the ring accidentally falls into Faramir’s possession, Haldir realizes that he can’t do both.
Warning: TOTALLY non-canon.

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The trek back down from the icy mountain was arduous but once they had moved out of the snow and onto more ‘normal’ terrain everyone’s spirits seemed to lift a bit, particularly Gimli’s who regaled them all with stories of the mines they were headed toward.

Faramir found he was as apprehensive about the mines as Haldir was for some reason he couldn’t quite place. Maybe it was the look in Gandalf’s eyes he’d seen when they had all finally agreed on the mines? When they finally drew to a stop before the gates, Faramir leaned against a large boulder next to Haldir, their hands entangling between them as they waited for Gandalf to remember how to get into the mine.

More time passed than any of them had imagined it would, and the hobbits had grown bored. Merry and Pippin began skipping rocks across the surface of the inky black lake that lay before the gates and Faramir began to feel restless for some reason. Apparently, Aragorn had the same feeling of unease because he warned the hobbits not to disturb the water. Shortly after Gandalf managed to open the gate and they all started moving toward the large opening.

Swallowing back his dread as they neared the mines, Haldir unconsciously squeezed Faramir’s hand tightly. He hated the mere thoughts of being in the dwarf-infested mines, but knew they had little choice. While there was a good chance he and the Men of their fellowship could have made it over the mountain, there was little doubt about the hobbits.they would never have survived. Still.he felt a chill running up his spine at the very thoughts of what lay beneath the cold earth that the dwarves had delved so deeply into.

The rest of the fellowship had accepted his relationship with Faramir, and Gandalf seemed especially keen to give them time alone, a fact which Haldir couldn’t help, but attribute to Lord Elrond. Nevertheless, he was grateful for every moment with his lover, and more determined than ever that whatever trials lay ahead of them, they would survive… together.

As they made their way through the entrance of the mine, Haldir saw something moving in the water from the corner of his eye. “There’s something in the water,” he said just loudly enough for the others to hear.

Faramir turned just as Haldir spoke and saw the water rippling as something started to rise out of the water. He blinked for a moment thinking he was seeing things, though his hand was already reaching back for his bow and notching an arrow in place as he saw Haldir do the same from the corner of his eye. Before anyone could even say a word a giant tentacled monster rose up before them, his long arms reaching out toward them and the first of many arrows flew forth from their bows as they stood in the entrance. Faramir started to tell the hobbits to get behind them when one of the long arms lashed out and wrapped around Frodo’s leg. The hobbit screamed as he was drug across the rock strewn ground and then lifted into the air by his ankle. The necklace with the ring slipped from over his head and landed on the ground. All members of their party moved forward, trying to rescue the young ringbearer and without thinking Faramir leaned down and scooped up the ring, shoving it into his pocket to return to Frodo later.

Haldir took careful aim and his arrow found its mark just between the beast’s eyes. The creature let loose a blood curdling scream and dropped Frodo, who was caught easily in Aragorn’s arms just as yet another tentacle lashed out toward Haldir and Faramir. Both man and Elf were thrown deep inside the cave, and before they could get to their feet, they saw the creature grabbing once more for the hobbits, who were running in the other direction, Aragorn and Gimli doing their best to usher them to safety.

Gandalf’s eyes met Haldir’s just as another long arm slunk into the cave entrance, trying it’s best to reach either Haldir or Faramir. The doorway was completely blocked and Haldir knew they were trapped, unless someone managed to kill the creature. As it stood, the grasping tentacle was driving them further into the darkness, and further away from the rest of their fellowship. Gandalf closed his eyes and reached deep into his robes, where his fingers closed on a crystallized piece of stone that glowed in the darkness. Hoping for the best, he threw the stone with all his might toward the lovers inside the cave.

Haldir caught the stone in one hand and realized what was happening. The creature, seeing that he would not reach either of it’s prey, simply reached toward the upper edge of the entrance and started pulling the stones down one by one, until, with a great crash, the entrance was completely buried beneath layer after layer of boulders.

Haldir’s hand found Faramir’s in the darkness and he pulled him closer. “Guren, are you all right?”

Faramir watched in horror as the creature began collapsing the entrance, cutting them off from the rest of the fellowship. He could hear the hobbits screaming on the other side of the wall but was forced back by the choking dust and debris falling around he and Haldir.

There was nothing that they could do other than just move deeper into the cave and try to keep from being crushed by the stones. When Haldir’s hand found his and he was pulled close, he gasped. “I think so… are you?” he asked worriedly. He hoped that the others would get away from the monster or manage to kill it before it killed one of them. It was incredibly dark, and he wondered why if the dwarves still lived in these mines, they had no light at all. Just as he wondered that, Haldir’s hand rose and light shimmered around them. It dawned on him that he’d seen Gandalf throw something toward the cave and smiled sadly. “At least we can see in here… though I’m not exactly sure I want to… if feels… wrong in here, Haldir.”

“I know,” Haldir whispered softly as he found what looked to have been an old torch and carefully nestled the glowing crystal between the sharp edges at the top. His free arm slid slowly around his lover’s waist and he pulled him closer, feeling as if the darkness was weighing heavily on their shoulders. “I feel it too. I think we are trapped. That… creature brought down the whole side of the mountain. I guess well have to.try to find our way out and hope the others are there waiting for us.”

Faramir sighed as Haldir spoke and nodded in agreement. “I don’t think we can get out that way at least… but surely there is another way. There has to be,” he said softly feeling awkward about raising his voice in the darkness that surrounded them. The light Gandalf had given them helped, but it wasn’t bright enough to cast the light far about them. “I suppose… we just start walking and hope?”

“I suppose so,” Haldir agreed, feeling almost claustrophobic as the darkness seemed to wrap around them even with the glowing crystal before them. “And I..oh, Gods.” Before he could continue he felt something grinding beneath his feet and lowered the light. There were bones scattered across the ground in every direction. Bones of hundreds of what could only be dwarves. “I guess it is a good thing Gimli was spared seeing this,” he sighed dismally. “He thought he would find a warm welcome.but I am afraid that any dwarves who used to live here are long gone. I dreaded seeing a band of dwarves.but now I would almost welcome them.almost.”

Faramir looked down as Haldir spoke and gasped at the view he was greeted with. “I don’t think I want to know what happened here or what was responsible for it,” he agreed softly though he smiled slightly at Haldir’s words about the dwarves he would ‘almost’ welcome. “I suppose the only choice we have is to move forward into the mines and hope there is another exit on the other side of the mountain. Surely there is… there must be, no one builds a house let alone something like this with only one exit,” Faramir said trying to focus on logical things as much as he could. They slowly started to move away from the wall, deeper into the cave and their hands entwined automatically both for safety as well as comfort.

As they moved forward, Haldir listened carefully, but the silence around them was unbroken. He remembered Gandalf saying that the journey through the mines would take several days, and that was with him knowing where he was going. As it stood, Haldir and Faramir could only go on instinct alone.

They trekked for hours, hand in hand, speaking softly when they spoke at all, until they were both exhausted. “Shall we rest and see what food we have in our packs?” he asked quietly. “I think it is most likely nightfall outside by now and we have not had food since morning.”

After so many hours of walking in the darkness, Faramir found himself feeling as if he hadn’t seen the sun in weeks. “That sounds good, love,” he said softly and they moved over to a low outcropping of smooth rock and sat down next to one another. He wondered how long they would be trapped in the darkness, but tried to push the thoughts away. His mood was as dark as the cave around him, but he tried to push his worries away. At least they were together; he could take heart in that.

Haldir rested the glowing crystal beside them and opened the small pack he carried, happy to find enough food and water to last for several days. As they set their meager meal before them, he rested one hand on the small of Faramir’s back and smiled at his lover. “How’s your back, meleth? Better, I hope?”

Faramir smiled as Haldir asked about his back and nodded as he leaned into his lover’s touch. “It is better, love,” he whispered. “I imagine once we are free of this place and when this journey is over with we will both be longing for a nice soft bed though,” he grinned as they settled in and began to eat. “How many days did Gandalf say it would take?” he asked hoping that he hadn’t heard almost a week though he was sure he had.

“He said it would take almost a week, if we didn’t get lost,” Haldir sighed. “I’m already dreaming of a nice bed, and we’ve not been in here a full day yet. I miss the bed we shared in Rivendell.such a nice bed. Of course, I think it would have been perfect if it had been made of stone as long as you were beside me, so maybe this won’t be so bad. At least we’re together.”

Faramir sighed with Haldir when he confirmed how long the journey would take through the caves, though soon enough he found himself smiling. “I was just thinking the same, that at least we are together,” he said softly. He leaned closer to Haldir and kissed him tenderly. “That is all I will ever need, is you by my side, and just the two of us… perhaps if we don’t get too lost in here, can make good time? The others will be slower and have to cross around the mountain… if… if… if they made it,” he said sadly looking down at his hands.

Haldir smiled and wrapped both arms around his lover, pulling him closer, loving the way Faramir was talking about needing nothing more than Haldir by his side. Faramir was all Haldir needed as well, and he couldn’t wait until this was over and they could be free and happy, without worrying about Sauron or the ring, or the fate of all man and Elven-kind. “They will make it,” he said softly, hoping to lift his lover’s spirits. “Gandalf will protect them, and Aragorn, and even that gruff little dwarf will look out for the little ones. Try not to worry, love. We will make it through these caves quickly, and find the others if they are not there waiting for us at the other end. We will finish this quest, and can move on with our lives, pen velui.”

Faramir smiled as Haldir spoke. “I look forward to the day when we can move on with our lives as well… though I suppose none of us really thought this journey would be easy, I think we all could have done without the avalanche and that… creature,” he said with a wry smile. They continued to eat their dinner in silence and Faramir turned to Haldir, “Do you want to rest here… or do you want to continue on? I know that you don’t get as tired as I do… we can keep going if you like,” he said softly. A part of him wished that he had Elven stamina if only for the desire to get out of the caves even faster.

“I am tired, but not enough to sleep,” Haldir answered as he gently tucked a lock of hair behind Faramir’s ear. “If you like, I will watch over you while you rest here, or we can continue on for a while and stop whenever you need to.” In truth, he simply wanted to hold his lover close, whenever and wherever Faramir needed rest. Though he was glad they were together, already he was berating himself for not pushing Faramir to safety with the others, though it would have meant he was trapped here, alone. At least Faramir would be safe, and he wondered if that wasn’t what Elrond had meant when he told him to watch after Faramir. I have failed already. He would have been safer with the others.

Faramir smiled tiredly and scooted closer to Haldir. “Maybe we can rest here a few hours at least and then move on. I feel… strange here and in truth I hope I can sleep easily in such a place,” he admitted honestly. His arm slipped around Haldir’s waist and Faramir leaned against him. “You don’t mind resting here do you, love?”

“Of course not,” Haldir smiled, leaning back against the wall and running his hands over his lover’s arms. “I will keep watch, and you just relax, my love. Lean on me, or sit with me, or do whatever makes you comfortable, and when you wake, we shall head out again. Maybe we will get lucky and find a shortcut.”

Faramir nodded slowly and snuggled against Haldir’s chest, part of him tempted to crawl into Haldir’s lap but thinking that would be childish he simply held tight to his lover. “Maybe so,” he whispered in regards to a shortcut and Faramir let his eyes sink closed. It took him quite a while to relax, but Haldir’s steady breathing and soothing touch began to relax him. Just as he started to slip into sleep he murmured against his lover’s neck, “I love you.”

“I love you too, pen velui,” Haldir whispered softly as he rested his cheek on the top of Faramir’s head. When Faramir shifted shortly after going to sleep, Haldir shifted as well, and gently pulled him onto his lap. Both arms wrapped around his lover again, and he sighed happily, as content as he could be under the circumstances as Faramir’s warm breath ghosted over his skin. He knew they needed to make good time tomorrow, for the damp darkness surrounding them could do neither of them any good, but for now, they were safe, and that was all that mattered.

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