Warning: I don't know what this is going to do between the beginning and
ending- the only two parts I know. Other than that, anything is fair game.
And I mean ANYTHING, as you will see.
Interior Summary: Faramir is given a chance to change the events of his life, creating any possible ending for the world of Middle Earth. Given the ability, he must go back in time to see what might have happened had other choices been made. Starting in movie-verse, but eventually going to end up in what most fans of the book will expect.
Mandatory Disclaimer: Yeah, like I own this. Right. But honestly, I can't afford to be sued as I make no money off of this- or anything else, as it stands. Remember: it's called FANfiction for a good reason!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It was a dream, or so Faramir thought. Just a bad dream he had that night. It began like all the others: he had to relive his failures, as they played one by one in his head. So many times he'd proven breakable, fragile. Idiotic? Well, less often, but still. . .
The nightmares were different from what he used to have, yet still frightening. At least with the premonitions there was an action that could be taken, even if it were missed; these were simply repeats of the worst moments in his life, things he would never be able to do again. They were too numerous, too uncomfortably numerous, to recount them in full. Yet there they were for all to see if they could get into the head of Faramir, steward of Gondor.
When he awoke, things were as usual. Eowyn lay next to him in bed, the children just down the hall. Quietly, so as not to disturb his wife, Faramir slid from the bed and stepped outside. Once there, he found some water and brushed it across his face- a movement which usually made everything clearer and less demanding. The cooler air of the night helped as well, less confined then that inside. Still, something about the series tonight was different. It refused to go away.
Unwilling to return to bed, Faramir went to his study and lit a single candle. By its light, he began to read. Some elvish volume it was, telling of the older legends, but the contents proved of little consequence as his eyes still drooped and sleep finally came again, unbidden.
But this time, the litany did not occur.
Voices did.
"Is he ready?"
"Ready as he'll ever be."
"Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"Am I ever?"
Faramir heard the voices and, too his amazement, saw himself in the dream. It was pure white, as though nothing was around, and looking at himself he noted he was younger- more himself than he'd been in many years. It was not the person he saw reflected, but the image he had of himself in his mind which was there. But of those he heard talking, there was not a sign. "Excuse me?" he called out. "Is there someone here?"
The only answer was a few murmurings in a language he did not understand, though it bore many similarities to the tongue of Rohan. Then, finally, it returned to the common speech. "Forgive the intrusion," spoke one of the two voices. "My friend and I were just having a debate over whether you were ready for our offer."
"What offer might that be?" Faramir spoke into the nothingness.
"The offer," spoke a voice which materialized from behind, "of changing you future. And the past."
Faramir turned, seeing a man only slightly taller than him, oddly clad with some dark covering over his eyes. "Who are you?" he asked cautiously.
"Who we are has little to do with the subject at hand," was the only answer. "But we hold the key to that will allow you to correct some of the nasty mistakes of your past. So, what do you say? Would you like a couple of chances?"
Faramir shook his head. "Forgive me," he sighed. "I still do not understand."
"You will be given five chances to change what has happened in your life," was the reply. "Five rights which you can make wrong. When you have made each choice, you will be brought back to the moment of time in which we found you and allowed to either undo your changes- or live the rest of your life with what has occurred due to your decision. You have five minutes each time- just enough to see what has become of your life."
Faramir hardly believed his fortune; surely he had much that was great, but so many things could have been done differently. "Is it only my part I can change?" he asked quietly.
"It is," answered the other. "And choose wisely, or everything could become ruled by the dark lord."
Faramir bit his bottom lip, nodding. Indeed this was a perilous choice- he might make a decision that would enslave all the world in darkness. Yet the possibilities! Besides, he could always undo everything. . .
"Why me?" he asked in wonderment, trying to analyze his option carefully. "I am hardly worthy of such an offer!"
"You underestimate your importance," answered the gentleman before him with a grin. He snapped, and suddenly they were in Osgiliath- the way it had been during the war, pillaged and overtaken by evil. "You saved this reality from being permanent. Your strength is great, and not physically. It is your mind that has given you this choice. You are learned, and you have done well, yet for all your work you have been but poorly rewarded."
"Poorly rewarded! I have a home, a wife that cares for me, children!"
"You were not granted those you have always loved," explained the voice. "Your wife, Eowyn, is too strong to let it all be revealed. Your children hardly see you. And your liege lord does not note all you do, and appreciate you, as he is far away. So little truly remains for you. We see this, as we see.. . .well, I should say we see enough. And in this case, I can chose to open a door for you to change all that."
"I can undo all?" Faramir finally asked. "Even the last choice, if I so choose, and make all as it was at this time?"
"You may."
Faramir smiled. There was a lot he would gladly undo, and full moments that should be changed. "In that case," he replied. "I accept your offer. And I think I know right where to start. . ."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
N.B. here. I don't know of another LotR story like this, though there have been some in other genres. Hopefully not TOO similar (crosses fingers). . .
I will take a few suggestions as to things he might want to change, though I obviously have a few ideas- and of course, I know how it all ends up. ( Then again, so does anyone who's read the books, eh?
Well, please review when you can!
Thanks!
Interior Summary: Faramir is given a chance to change the events of his life, creating any possible ending for the world of Middle Earth. Given the ability, he must go back in time to see what might have happened had other choices been made. Starting in movie-verse, but eventually going to end up in what most fans of the book will expect.
Mandatory Disclaimer: Yeah, like I own this. Right. But honestly, I can't afford to be sued as I make no money off of this- or anything else, as it stands. Remember: it's called FANfiction for a good reason!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It was a dream, or so Faramir thought. Just a bad dream he had that night. It began like all the others: he had to relive his failures, as they played one by one in his head. So many times he'd proven breakable, fragile. Idiotic? Well, less often, but still. . .
The nightmares were different from what he used to have, yet still frightening. At least with the premonitions there was an action that could be taken, even if it were missed; these were simply repeats of the worst moments in his life, things he would never be able to do again. They were too numerous, too uncomfortably numerous, to recount them in full. Yet there they were for all to see if they could get into the head of Faramir, steward of Gondor.
When he awoke, things were as usual. Eowyn lay next to him in bed, the children just down the hall. Quietly, so as not to disturb his wife, Faramir slid from the bed and stepped outside. Once there, he found some water and brushed it across his face- a movement which usually made everything clearer and less demanding. The cooler air of the night helped as well, less confined then that inside. Still, something about the series tonight was different. It refused to go away.
Unwilling to return to bed, Faramir went to his study and lit a single candle. By its light, he began to read. Some elvish volume it was, telling of the older legends, but the contents proved of little consequence as his eyes still drooped and sleep finally came again, unbidden.
But this time, the litany did not occur.
Voices did.
"Is he ready?"
"Ready as he'll ever be."
"Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"Am I ever?"
Faramir heard the voices and, too his amazement, saw himself in the dream. It was pure white, as though nothing was around, and looking at himself he noted he was younger- more himself than he'd been in many years. It was not the person he saw reflected, but the image he had of himself in his mind which was there. But of those he heard talking, there was not a sign. "Excuse me?" he called out. "Is there someone here?"
The only answer was a few murmurings in a language he did not understand, though it bore many similarities to the tongue of Rohan. Then, finally, it returned to the common speech. "Forgive the intrusion," spoke one of the two voices. "My friend and I were just having a debate over whether you were ready for our offer."
"What offer might that be?" Faramir spoke into the nothingness.
"The offer," spoke a voice which materialized from behind, "of changing you future. And the past."
Faramir turned, seeing a man only slightly taller than him, oddly clad with some dark covering over his eyes. "Who are you?" he asked cautiously.
"Who we are has little to do with the subject at hand," was the only answer. "But we hold the key to that will allow you to correct some of the nasty mistakes of your past. So, what do you say? Would you like a couple of chances?"
Faramir shook his head. "Forgive me," he sighed. "I still do not understand."
"You will be given five chances to change what has happened in your life," was the reply. "Five rights which you can make wrong. When you have made each choice, you will be brought back to the moment of time in which we found you and allowed to either undo your changes- or live the rest of your life with what has occurred due to your decision. You have five minutes each time- just enough to see what has become of your life."
Faramir hardly believed his fortune; surely he had much that was great, but so many things could have been done differently. "Is it only my part I can change?" he asked quietly.
"It is," answered the other. "And choose wisely, or everything could become ruled by the dark lord."
Faramir bit his bottom lip, nodding. Indeed this was a perilous choice- he might make a decision that would enslave all the world in darkness. Yet the possibilities! Besides, he could always undo everything. . .
"Why me?" he asked in wonderment, trying to analyze his option carefully. "I am hardly worthy of such an offer!"
"You underestimate your importance," answered the gentleman before him with a grin. He snapped, and suddenly they were in Osgiliath- the way it had been during the war, pillaged and overtaken by evil. "You saved this reality from being permanent. Your strength is great, and not physically. It is your mind that has given you this choice. You are learned, and you have done well, yet for all your work you have been but poorly rewarded."
"Poorly rewarded! I have a home, a wife that cares for me, children!"
"You were not granted those you have always loved," explained the voice. "Your wife, Eowyn, is too strong to let it all be revealed. Your children hardly see you. And your liege lord does not note all you do, and appreciate you, as he is far away. So little truly remains for you. We see this, as we see.. . .well, I should say we see enough. And in this case, I can chose to open a door for you to change all that."
"I can undo all?" Faramir finally asked. "Even the last choice, if I so choose, and make all as it was at this time?"
"You may."
Faramir smiled. There was a lot he would gladly undo, and full moments that should be changed. "In that case," he replied. "I accept your offer. And I think I know right where to start. . ."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
N.B. here. I don't know of another LotR story like this, though there have been some in other genres. Hopefully not TOO similar (crosses fingers). . .
I will take a few suggestions as to things he might want to change, though I obviously have a few ideas- and of course, I know how it all ends up. ( Then again, so does anyone who's read the books, eh?
Well, please review when you can!
Thanks!