A/N: Hey, look! It's an update!! Wow! Okay, I do have a good reason for
not updating lately. I have been STRESSED OUT as I came back from visiting
my folks over Christmas to find out that my workplace burned down on
Christmas Eve and I am now out of a job. Life is settling now, though, so
I have time to work on my fics for all you wonderful folk who leave me
pretty reviews. :) I AM NOT abandoning ANY of my fics, so don't worry!
It just may take me a little longer to get stuff out right now. And THANK
YOU to everyone who has stuck with me and supported me with both reviews
and e-mails.
A/N part 2: I am working on a webpage for all of my fiction so I can post NC-17 parts if I choose to do so. This story will be NC-17 eventually, so I will probably post the edited version here and the "real" version on that webpage. I will give the URL when the links and everything actually work.
Part 10:
Boromir entered the deserted stable, waiting impatiently for Derek or a groom, or even that stable boy to attend to him. He was not used to waiting. Was he not the Lord of this house?
Boromir huffed as he finally turned towards the stall of his favorite stallion. The big bay horse was temporarily lame after receiving a bad cut to the leg during a vigorous hunt. He wished to ride, but the only other animal he considered worthy was the rebellious Devil. He approached the white stallion, who immediately laid his ears flat back against his head. Devil well remembered what that Man had done to his little friend, and he was ready to take out his own revenge. Boromir reached to undo the latch on the stall door, but Devil was quicker, darting his head in to viciously bite Boromir's arm.
Boromir leapt back, clutching at his bleeding arm. Devil whinnied shrilly, tossing his head in triumph. Boromir grasped a riding whip from the wall and turned back to the horse, lashing him across the neck. Devil screamed his outrage, but Boromir gave no quarter, taking out his frustrations on the stallion.
"No!" he heard a voice cry and Elrohir was suddenly between him and Devil's stall.
Boromir could not halt his movement and the whip cut viciously into Elrohir's shoulder, ripping clothing and skin beneath it. Elrohir clutched at his shoulder, but did not move from his place.
"Brother!" Faramir cried as he saw the scene. He stepped between Boromir and Elrohir, shielding the Elf from the whip. "Will you whip me also?"
Boromir's grasp weakened and he let the whip fall to the floor. His green eyes were hard as he looked from his younger brother to Elrohir and back again. "Why do you shield him?"
"Elrohir has done nothing wrong!" Faramir said. "He is trying to protect a living creature that cannot protect itself."
"So are you," Boromir said. He turned on his heel and stalked off, slamming the stable door in his wake.
Faramir sighed and turned towards Elrohir. Elrohir was still holding his arm, but he was calm. "Thank you," Elrohir said simply.
"Nay, there is nothing to thank," Faramir said softly. "Let me see to that," he said, peeling Elrohir's hand away from the wound. It was not a bad cut, but Faramir still made the young Elf sit while he washed and bound it with a clean cloth.
"I'm sorry," Elrohir whispered. "I did not intend to cause a rift between you and your brother."
Faramir laughed and sat heavily on a pile of hay. "That rift has existed for many years. You merely fell into it without seeing it first."
"But you love each other?"
"Yes, very much. But it is a love borne out of obligation, not choice. When our mother died, we had no one but each other. Our father had duties to attend to, and he could not forgo them to take care of two small children. But Boromir grew up to be more and more like Father and I...well, I did not."
Elrohir nodded, lightly touching the bandage on his arm. "So it is with Elladan. He is most like our father. He is so certain all of the time. And I, I never know what I want."
Faramir's eyebrow quirked. "All of the time?"
Elrohir laughed. "I am still making my mind up about you," he said.
Faramir smiled wickedly and jumped to his feet. "Well," he said, dusting off his breeches. "When you decide, be sure to let me know!"
"Wait, no!" Elrohir cried when Faramir started to leave.
"No?" Faramir echoed. "I do not pass your test?"
Elrohir sighed in mock exasperation. "Why do Men spend so much of their short lives mired in confusions of their own makings!"
Faramir grinned. "Solely to annoy you," he said.
"I am beginning to believe so."
"And is a short lifetime of confusion a fair trade for a long life of surety and boredom?"
Elrohir grew quiet and Faramir regretted his words. Faramir sat next to Elrohir again, resting his cheek against Elrohir's uninjured shoulder. "I am sorry. I didn't mean to be so blunt."
Elrohir shook his head, making his dark, silk-soft hair brush against Faramir's face. "I sometimes forget why I am here," he admitted.
"Will you stay here with us..with me?"
"For a while yet. If for no other reason than this," Elrohir said as he bent his head to touch his lips to Faramir's in a gentle kiss.
They fell back together into the fragrant straw beneath them, never seeing Boromir as he watched them from the doorway.
********************************
Faramir was in love. He smiled as he watched Elrohir asleep in his bed. The afternoon rays slanted through the open window, bathing the Elf in a golden sheen. Elrohir stirred in his sleep and turned, batting at the hair that fell into his eyes. Faramir laughed to himself and reached out to tuck the errant strands behind the delicately pointed ear.
They had settled into a routine that allowed them to see as much of each other as possible. Elrohir slept in the stables, rising early to see to his duties. He would finish them and bathe, coming to the kitchens for his midday meal just as Faramir would be coming in to spend time with Sarah the Cook after his own duties were performed. Elrohir would watch them from the hearth as he ate, content to study how Faramir would let Sarah mother him, though he himself was old enough to have children if he so chose. Sarah would eventually shoo them both out as she started the preparations for the evening meal. Elrohir would then steal up to Faramir's room through the service corridors and spend the afternoons with him sequestered behind the heavy doors.
Afternoons were the most wonderful part of Faramir's day. They would read together, curled up on the bed or in front of the fire. Sometimes Faramir would prod Elrohir into reading aloud to him and he would sit back and let Elrohir's honeyed voice wash over him without truly listening to the words. More than once, he had realized that Elrohir had started speaking Elvish without him noticing.
"I am merely testing your powers of observation," Elrohir would say before continuing with the story in Westron.
But Elrohir was tired today. Derek had found foxtails in the horses' hay and worked him hard clearing the mangers and checking the horses for any injuries. Faramir had all but pushed him into the bed.
"Elrohir, you look like you haven't slept in days!" he said.
"No, I haven't been sleeping well," Elrohir admitted.
"The stable is too cold and drafty for you sleep properly. The horses can take care of themselves. Let me find you your own room in the manor, with a real bed!"
"No, no," Elrohir said vehemently. "I cannot accept that."
No amount of coaxing would get Elrohir to admit why he would not take a room in the house. Instead, Faramir insisted that he at least lay down to rest, though Elrohir was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Faramir curled up on his side opposite to him, far enough away on the big bed to allow him his own space. He was happy to watch Elrohir in this rare moment of abandon.
"Nothing will harm you," Faramir said aloud to the empty air. "No one will ever touch you again lest it be out of love, if it is in my power to prevent."
A/N part 2: I am working on a webpage for all of my fiction so I can post NC-17 parts if I choose to do so. This story will be NC-17 eventually, so I will probably post the edited version here and the "real" version on that webpage. I will give the URL when the links and everything actually work.
Part 10:
Boromir entered the deserted stable, waiting impatiently for Derek or a groom, or even that stable boy to attend to him. He was not used to waiting. Was he not the Lord of this house?
Boromir huffed as he finally turned towards the stall of his favorite stallion. The big bay horse was temporarily lame after receiving a bad cut to the leg during a vigorous hunt. He wished to ride, but the only other animal he considered worthy was the rebellious Devil. He approached the white stallion, who immediately laid his ears flat back against his head. Devil well remembered what that Man had done to his little friend, and he was ready to take out his own revenge. Boromir reached to undo the latch on the stall door, but Devil was quicker, darting his head in to viciously bite Boromir's arm.
Boromir leapt back, clutching at his bleeding arm. Devil whinnied shrilly, tossing his head in triumph. Boromir grasped a riding whip from the wall and turned back to the horse, lashing him across the neck. Devil screamed his outrage, but Boromir gave no quarter, taking out his frustrations on the stallion.
"No!" he heard a voice cry and Elrohir was suddenly between him and Devil's stall.
Boromir could not halt his movement and the whip cut viciously into Elrohir's shoulder, ripping clothing and skin beneath it. Elrohir clutched at his shoulder, but did not move from his place.
"Brother!" Faramir cried as he saw the scene. He stepped between Boromir and Elrohir, shielding the Elf from the whip. "Will you whip me also?"
Boromir's grasp weakened and he let the whip fall to the floor. His green eyes were hard as he looked from his younger brother to Elrohir and back again. "Why do you shield him?"
"Elrohir has done nothing wrong!" Faramir said. "He is trying to protect a living creature that cannot protect itself."
"So are you," Boromir said. He turned on his heel and stalked off, slamming the stable door in his wake.
Faramir sighed and turned towards Elrohir. Elrohir was still holding his arm, but he was calm. "Thank you," Elrohir said simply.
"Nay, there is nothing to thank," Faramir said softly. "Let me see to that," he said, peeling Elrohir's hand away from the wound. It was not a bad cut, but Faramir still made the young Elf sit while he washed and bound it with a clean cloth.
"I'm sorry," Elrohir whispered. "I did not intend to cause a rift between you and your brother."
Faramir laughed and sat heavily on a pile of hay. "That rift has existed for many years. You merely fell into it without seeing it first."
"But you love each other?"
"Yes, very much. But it is a love borne out of obligation, not choice. When our mother died, we had no one but each other. Our father had duties to attend to, and he could not forgo them to take care of two small children. But Boromir grew up to be more and more like Father and I...well, I did not."
Elrohir nodded, lightly touching the bandage on his arm. "So it is with Elladan. He is most like our father. He is so certain all of the time. And I, I never know what I want."
Faramir's eyebrow quirked. "All of the time?"
Elrohir laughed. "I am still making my mind up about you," he said.
Faramir smiled wickedly and jumped to his feet. "Well," he said, dusting off his breeches. "When you decide, be sure to let me know!"
"Wait, no!" Elrohir cried when Faramir started to leave.
"No?" Faramir echoed. "I do not pass your test?"
Elrohir sighed in mock exasperation. "Why do Men spend so much of their short lives mired in confusions of their own makings!"
Faramir grinned. "Solely to annoy you," he said.
"I am beginning to believe so."
"And is a short lifetime of confusion a fair trade for a long life of surety and boredom?"
Elrohir grew quiet and Faramir regretted his words. Faramir sat next to Elrohir again, resting his cheek against Elrohir's uninjured shoulder. "I am sorry. I didn't mean to be so blunt."
Elrohir shook his head, making his dark, silk-soft hair brush against Faramir's face. "I sometimes forget why I am here," he admitted.
"Will you stay here with us..with me?"
"For a while yet. If for no other reason than this," Elrohir said as he bent his head to touch his lips to Faramir's in a gentle kiss.
They fell back together into the fragrant straw beneath them, never seeing Boromir as he watched them from the doorway.
********************************
Faramir was in love. He smiled as he watched Elrohir asleep in his bed. The afternoon rays slanted through the open window, bathing the Elf in a golden sheen. Elrohir stirred in his sleep and turned, batting at the hair that fell into his eyes. Faramir laughed to himself and reached out to tuck the errant strands behind the delicately pointed ear.
They had settled into a routine that allowed them to see as much of each other as possible. Elrohir slept in the stables, rising early to see to his duties. He would finish them and bathe, coming to the kitchens for his midday meal just as Faramir would be coming in to spend time with Sarah the Cook after his own duties were performed. Elrohir would watch them from the hearth as he ate, content to study how Faramir would let Sarah mother him, though he himself was old enough to have children if he so chose. Sarah would eventually shoo them both out as she started the preparations for the evening meal. Elrohir would then steal up to Faramir's room through the service corridors and spend the afternoons with him sequestered behind the heavy doors.
Afternoons were the most wonderful part of Faramir's day. They would read together, curled up on the bed or in front of the fire. Sometimes Faramir would prod Elrohir into reading aloud to him and he would sit back and let Elrohir's honeyed voice wash over him without truly listening to the words. More than once, he had realized that Elrohir had started speaking Elvish without him noticing.
"I am merely testing your powers of observation," Elrohir would say before continuing with the story in Westron.
But Elrohir was tired today. Derek had found foxtails in the horses' hay and worked him hard clearing the mangers and checking the horses for any injuries. Faramir had all but pushed him into the bed.
"Elrohir, you look like you haven't slept in days!" he said.
"No, I haven't been sleeping well," Elrohir admitted.
"The stable is too cold and drafty for you sleep properly. The horses can take care of themselves. Let me find you your own room in the manor, with a real bed!"
"No, no," Elrohir said vehemently. "I cannot accept that."
No amount of coaxing would get Elrohir to admit why he would not take a room in the house. Instead, Faramir insisted that he at least lay down to rest, though Elrohir was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Faramir curled up on his side opposite to him, far enough away on the big bed to allow him his own space. He was happy to watch Elrohir in this rare moment of abandon.
"Nothing will harm you," Faramir said aloud to the empty air. "No one will ever touch you again lest it be out of love, if it is in my power to prevent."