#40 Down The River

Their eyes fixed upon the two small 'boats' bobbing along in the rushing water the two brothers raced alongside each willing their own on. A perfect day saw the sun shining down from a clear blue sky and their boyish laughter rang out in peals as they ran side by side down the bank of the river, absorbed in their game and oblivious to the hidden guards ensuring their safety as they played. Denethor would take no chances with the lives of his young sons.

Boromir grinned as his small craft, a pair of twigs with a leaf sail, swiftly gathered pace as it swung around a bend in the river, catching the current and riding the small white tipped waves with ease.

"Mines the fastest Fara'" He piped, hopping excitedly along. "Told you the widest leaf would catch the wind better."

"But mine is catching up. Look!"

Faramir jumped up and down excitedly as his small craft bobbed along in the others wake, then cried out in dismay as a low branch suddenly bobbed in the breeze catching the tip of his boats 'mast' and turning it into the muddy bank.

"Oh no!"

Boromir's exclamation stopped his brother in his tracks as Faramir reached the beached vessel he had intended to refloat, causing him to look up to see his sibling staring wide eyed and anxious downstream. Following the elder boys gaze he was just in time to see Boromir's little leaf boat sucked into a swirl of white water before disappearing over the edge of a small cascade.

"No!" Boromir exclaimed again and both boys began to run along on the bank beside the churning water hoping against hope that the craft had survived but seeing no sign. Eventually, as the river widened out and calmed one more they slowed and Boromir sighed sadly.

"That was the best one I ever made too." He muttered, kicking at a pebble on the bank.

"You can have mine if you like." Faramir smiled gently, his generous heart hating to see his big brother upset.

"No, it's alright Fara." Boromir replied with a grin of his own and the typical sudden shift in a child's fancy as he bent to pick up a long, straight stick. "I'm bored of sailing. Let's play soldiers now instead."

As he swung the pretend sword about in front of him, trying to imitate the movements he had watched the guards make whilst sparring he laughed and headed back along the river bank towards the city, beheading wild flowers as he went.

A slight movement in the water caught Faramir's eye and he turned to see a leaf, punctured in two places as if it had been used to make a mast for a small boat twirling past. A cold shiver ran up his spine and for a moment he thought he heard the sound of an elven lament carried upon the breeze before his brothers voice rang out again, the spell was broken and with a shake of the head he rushed off in answer to Boromir's call.


A/N

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