"I say Faramir shall go."
"I claim this errand. The way is full of doubt and danger, and I take this journey upon myself. My brother is not without valor, but I am recognized the greater warrior; I am the older and the hardier. I will not be stayed."
"Yet I, Steward of the realm of Gondor, do stay you. The dream-vision has come to Faramir repeatedly; to you but once only. Faramir is called, and Faramir shall go. As the one with the greater scholarly learning he is suited to this task: to seek the meaning of this riddle; to ask for counsel and the unraveling of hard words. Let your brother go off on this wild goose chase. Your valor is in feats and strength of arms. You are needed- your City, and your father, need you- here."
"But, Father—"
"My decision is final. We will not discuss it further."
Denethor, Steward of Gondor, watched as his son stormed off in anger- and sighed. Seldom before had he ever denied his elder son- his firstborn and heir- in anything. And it is unlikely he would have done so now, had it not been for the warning. Indeed, he had been on the point of giving this errand to Boromir, albeit reluctantly, when a seer of Gondor had come to him, with grave and portentous words.
"I see a boat floating on the water, glimmering grey; within, lapped in the water, a warrior asleep- arrayed as for a funeral; and the great horn, heirloom of the House of the Stewards, cloven in two. -If Boromir goes on this quest, he will not return alive."
It was the dreams had started it all. Gondor was besieged; in sudden war Osgiliath was swept away; the evening before the attack, Faramir had had a dream, in which he heard strange words:
"Seek for the Sword that was broken:
In Imladris it dwells;
There shall be counsels taken
Stronger than Morgul-spells.
There shall be shown a token
That Doom is near at hand,
For Isildur's Bane shall waken,
And the Halfling forth shall stand."
As he set out, he passed by Boromir sitting moodily in a corner of the pavilion, and he went over to take his leave.
"Boromir; Brother; do not grudge me this chance. Please... this is something I feel I must do." He knew how his brother's pride must be stung, seeing his younger brother set out on the errand he had been refused; and indeed, he would sooner have preferred to face an army of orcs than his brother's resentment. At length, Boromir raised his eyes; and Faramir was startled to see that they were wet with the trace of tears.
"I suppose you are getting too old for me to be forever standing between you and the chance of danger," he said, in a low voice; quite unlike his usual commanding tones. "Take care of yourself, Little Brother—and come back safe."