Kindle My Heart
Lea of Mirkwood
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Merry sat down at a stone bench in the gardens outside the Houses of Healing. The sweet flowers smiled up at him, out of place in the darkness. He could see no stars, even though it was dark as night. Somehow he had been left behind. Forever and ever he had been protecting his dear little cousin Pippin. Pippin, the youngster who had run into a beehive and had to be saved by – who else? – Merry. Pippin, who nearly drowned in the Brandywine and had to be brought out by Frodo, Merry and Fatty Bolger. And now it was Merry who was left behind, and Pippin who had gone ahead. Possibly, thought Merry solemnly, possibly Pippin was going ahead of him in another way. Merry shivered. Hobbits did not live forever. It scared Merry slightly that he might never see those who went off ever again. But if they did not succeed, then he would be seeing them very shortly.
"Hello," a voice interrupted Merry's reverie. He frowned. Lots of things seemed to be interrupting his reveries these days. The hobbit turned around, wincing slightly as a pain shot through his still-injured arm. He recalled exactly why he'd had to stay behind. Standing in the pathway with a bandage across his chest and arm was a tall man. He had a fair face and stern grey eyes. Something about his countenance flashed familiarity in Merry's mind. His light brown hair just grazed his shoulders, and the lightest shadow of a beard dusted his jaw. Merry's jaw dropped.
"Boromir!" he gasped, paling. The man chuckled and shook his head.
"Not Boromir, Master Halfling, but his brother Faramir." Faramir stepped closer to where Merry was sitting and shook his head again, ruefully. "Until I met you halflings, I had never before been told quite so bluntly how much I resemble my brother."
Merry shook his head also, but he was trying to shake the memory of Boromir's grey eyes away with the sharp* movement. Then he looked back up at Faramir and was able to see the many differences.
"Not so much you look the same, Master Faramir, but only it is as if there is a shadow of Boromir behind you, or above you. Something is the same. Possibly your eyes. It's just...you put me in mind of you, and it took a second to chase away the thought." Merry blinked hard, still trying to get rid of the odd feeling that Boromir was standing next to him. "You...feel like Boromir, but a little less hasty."
Faramir lifted his shoulders briefly (wincing) and cocked his head to the side. "That's a different way of putting it. So you were a friend of Boromir?"
Merry nodded emphatically. "Yes, as much as I could be in such a short while. He was kind to us halflings, and taught us to fight well, without just hacking at things blindly."
"Really? I thought that's what Boromir did in battle. Odd," said Faramir, smiling at the memory of good-natured banter between brothers. Merry looked puzzled for a moment, but then shrugged.
"You are not riding out either?" he asked Faramir.
"No, I am not. I wish I were and am glad I am not. I have seen overmuch of fighting, but it is still the last battle, and I wish to be there, instead of caught up in this cage." Faramir seemed to remember something important and sat down next to Merry so they were almost eye-level. "You were a friend to Frodo son of Drogo and Samwise Gamgee?"
Merry's eyes widened. "Frodo is my cousin, and Sam a great friend."
Faramir nodded. "I had heard as much. Then you would be happy to know that when I last saw them they were alive and well."
Merry was shocked and amazed. Frodo, Sam...alive? "You have spoken with them?"
"Yes, I have. The Ring weighs more heavily with Frodo now, and he feels its weight with fear, but they are going onwards. He is quite thin, your kinsman. They were being led to a pass in the mountains called Cirith Ungol by a shifty creature called Gollum, or Sméagol. That worried me most of all. But when we parted they were safe and well. I gave them food and drink and two good walking sticks to go on with. But they were well."
"This is good news indeed, Faramir!" cried Merry, clasping Faramir's hand in his. "Thank you! I had feared my friends to be dead or worse. Thank you!" The hobbit paused. "Are you feeling better?"
Faramir nodded and flexed his arm. "I am, yes. I think they're giving me the free run of the place to make up for making me stay behind."
Merry smiled, despite the sad circumstances. "That seems about right."
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"kjrtffffghed32V VQ" This was my ferret attempting to help me write this fic. I appreciate the effort, Gwen, but I think I can take it from here.