Faramir looked around at the celebrating rangers with a grin, they had just won a great victory in Ithilien. While they had only managed to keep the western shore
while the orcs inhabited the eastern shore it was still a great accomplishment. A battle that had lasted six days and unfortunately cost them many good men and the
bridge joining the shore together.
The rangers were happy and drinking deeply from mugs of ale and clapping each other on the back, they were all wounded and tired but in good spirits, they rarely
had anything to celebrate.
Looking up as his brother approached he smiled and hugged him tightly.
"We did well here today little brother" Boromir told him and Faramir nodded.
"Indeed" He agreed.
The Rangers of Ithilien had joined forces with Boromirs solders for the battle as there had not been enough solders or rangers to make the stand alone and so there
were soldiers dotted around in heavy silver armor that could be easily seen. While the rangers were dressed in lighter, darker clothes for invisibility in the wild.
"Here, brothers" A husky voice said from behind them and they turned to see Morwen with three mugs in her hand and a large smile on her was clad in the same garb as Faramir was as she was one of the best rangers of Ithilien and highly respected among the rangers. Boromir and Faramir took a hug each and they clanged mugs. "To family and Gondor" Boromir said and Faramir exchanged a grin with his younger sister before they mimicked his words then drunk deeply from their mugs.

Morwen was the first and only female ranger, if he could Faramir and Boromir would make it so their sister wouldn't fight but she had been a ranger since she was a child of nine and refused to do anything else. Faramir thought that the only reason their father aloud her to become one of them was because he wanted rid of her
and was hoping she died in battle, but she had been a ranger for seven years now and had saved every ranger in their company including him more then once and he knew the rangers viewed her as another brother.
"Remember today, brothers. For today everything is good" Morwen told them in her husky low voice and Boromir wrapped an arm around her shoulders with a large smile.
"You were wonderful out there sister, i think you killed half of them by yourself" He teased and Faramir laughed when Morwen elbowed him.
"Aye, someone had to cover for you" She teased back and Boromir gasped.
"Are you questioning my abilities,ranger?" He said in a serious voice but his gray eyes were laughing.
"And if i am, what are you going to do about it Boromir" Morwen challenged back.
"I shall challenge you," He told her his hand going to her sword.
"Not if i challenge you first, Lord Boromir" She teased back while Faramir watched them laughing. He missed this, being with his family without..
"Where is he? where is my first-born" He heard a deep voice say and turned to see his father. The smile was immediately erased from his face and Boromir stopped laughing with Morwen while Morwens face whipped of all emotion, as they watched their father move towords them.
"Couldn't he give us a moment, for pities sake" Boromir muttered then their father saw them and approached with arms open and eyes only for Boromir.
"Father" Boromir exclaimed with exaggerated happiness and gave the man a short embrace before leading him back to Morwen and Faramir who he could see had moved closer together.
"They say you won the battle almost single-handedly" Denethor said showing no recognition of his two youngest children and Boromir gritted his jaw. It wasn't that he didn't love his father, because he did. He loved him deeply, he just could not understand why the man insisted on acting as though his siblings were a burden to him instead of a blessing.
"They exaggerate, the victory belongs to Faramir and Morwen also" He told his father hoping at that at least his recognition would comfort his younger brother. His good intentions were for naught it seemed as Denethor's face was twisted in a deep sneer of loathing as he turned to Faramir and Morwen.
"And who's fault is it that we lost Ithilien in the first place" He said disdainfully and Morwen clenched her jaw, the only outward sign of the anger her fathers words inspired. Hurt flashed across Faramir's eyes and then it was gone.
"There were to many and us too few.." He tried to explain but Denthor waved his words away as though he was swatting a pest much to Morwens disgust.
"I have a task for you" He told Boromir, firmly grasping his arm he lead his eldest away to talk in private without a word to his two youngest. Sighing, Boromir tossed them a look of sorrow over his shoulder as he aloud himself to be herded away.
Hearing Faramir sigh Morwen glanced over to find a his shoulders slumped and a frown etched into his gentle features.
"You shouldn't let him get to you so, brother" His sister told him and he looked into clear gray eyes the shade of which was identical to his own only her's were a little larger.
Sometime he wondered who is father treated worse, himself or his sister. While he was extremely hard on Faramir at least he had knowledge his existence unlike Morwen, it was as if she didn't exist to him.

Morwen had grown up being ignored by their father and so she had hardened herself to him. As far as Morwen knew Denethor was a harsh and arrogant man who ignored anyone that he didn't view as important but Faramir remember a time when he was a kind, good ruler and a doting father and husband so it still hurt and so it still sent a stab to his heart when he treated Faramir as such.
"I know, but i cant help it" He replied taking a drink of ale.
"You know Ithilien being over run was not your fault, don't you?' Morwen felt the need to ensure remembering clearly the look of guilt that had crossed his face at Denethors words. 'If i was the captain i would have made the same choice to retreat, had you not. We would all be lying
dead right now" She told him. Glancing down at the woman, for that was what she was now, as much as he and Boromir hated to admit it, he smiled gently.
"What would i do without you sister?" He teased his mood brightening at the smile that stretched Morwens own lips..
"You would not have lasted nearly as long without me to care for you" She teased back but then the smile disappeared as soon as it arrived warning Faramir to the approach of his father who was striding after Boromir towards them.
"My place is here. not in Rivendell!" They heard Boromir argue. The two youngest siblings exchanged a worried look they had never witnessed their brother deny Denethor anything.
"If there is need to go to Rivendell, let me go in his stead" Faramir volunteered calmly. If asked he would insist that he did so simply because of his brothers distress but truthfully deep in his heart it was because just once he wished for his father to look upon him with the same look he bestowed upon Boromir, The look of a proud father.
"You would like that wouldn't you?', Denethor sneered angrily in response. 'A chance for Faramir, captain of Gondor to prove his worth. No. I entrust this task to Boromir alone, he i know will not fail me"
The hate and disappointment in his voice almost brought faramir to his knees. No matter how old he got and how many times he was dismissed it still felt like a blade to the chest when his father the man he looked up to spat venom through his words. Seeing Faramirs shoulders slump once more and his head lower in pain Morwen was sure that she had never hated any man as much as she despised her father