Reviwer Responses
Smeagol= The waterfalls aren't evil per se, but let's just say that Faramir is going to have some trouble. As for Evil Skittle, all I will say is that one cannot keep an entire huge handful of Skittles in your mouth without spitting some out on your friend.
JediKnightBalthasar= You will see more of the shoulder angels. It's from watching the Emperor's New Groove too many times=D I didn't know that about broken arms. Never had one myself, so sorry for the discrepancy. Maybe Faramir's stronger than people think, since he does get hurt a lot. I looked in the Appendices and all it said was that Aragorn left Rivendell and traveled a lot. He's mentioned in this chapter and will be appearing in the near future. You will definitely see that Faramir isn't truly healed. He may be running around a bit, but remember he is ten. He should be bouncing off the walls driving the elves crazy. At least that is what I have read in other fan fics about young Estel or Legolas. Thank you for reviewing, everyone. I hope this next chapter meets up to your expectations.
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Over two years had passed since Faramir had left his home in Minas Tirith. Two years of exile, of silence. In those two years, Faramir's spirits rose and fell like the great mountain range of Hithaeglir. At times he felt almost normal again, nearly happy. Yet mostly he despaired of ever healing his shattered heart. At ten years old he should have been laughing, enjoying life, not captive to hopelessness. Lord Elrond worried also. Never had any of his foster sons tugged so on his heartstrings like this one. He had never felt so helpless.
Elrond had tried a different approach to get Faramir to talk. He gave the boy a notebook and ink to write his feelings in. Whether he ever used it, the elf did not know. Even if he did, the young lord still refused to speak. Sometimes, when she talked about the history of Middle Earth, Eluial felt that he wished to say something or ask a question, yet when she encouraged him he shrank back.
Dinner was almost ready to be served, as Lord Elrond entered the dinning room where he ate with Faramir. To his surprise, two elves were already in there! Alike in appearance, Elrond knew these elves, his sons Elladan and Elrohir, were very different in temperament. The elder twin, Elladan, while having the usual refinement of the elves, managed to be energetic and outspoken, more inclined to fight. Elrohir was his brother's opposite. Calm and soft in speech, Elrohir preferred the healing arts, although still being a strong soldier. He always managed to keep his brother out of trouble, while being more aware of others' needs.
Elrond smiled and embraced his sons. "I am glad to see you both! We were not expecting you for a while yet." The twins had been riding with their foster brother Estel of the Dunedain.
"Estel sent us home. He said that we had been away too long, and that it was getting annoying having us there looking over his shoulder." Elladan said with a smile on his face.
"So he has sent you home to annoy me, is that it? Come, sit. Dinner is soon and I am sure Tir will not mind you eating with us."
Elrohir's ears perked up, interested. "Tir? Who is that?"
"Your new foster brother, Tirpalandil. I warn you, he does not speak. . ." He would have said more, told them about Faramir, but just then the boy entered. Faramir was startled to see the other elves. At first he thought he was seeing double, then, realizing his mistake, he noted that they looked much like Lord Elrond. "Tir, these are my sons, Elladan and Elrohir. They have been gone for a long time, and just arrived now. I have asked them to eat with us tonight." Faramir nodded in agreement, then bowed to the twins in greeting.
Sitting down, Elladan began telling his father about their journeys with the Dunedain. Dinner was served, and Faramir sat quietly eating as the twins talked. Mostly Elladan spoke, with Elrohir interjecting bits and pieces in between. At one point Elrohir noticed that they had been served milk instead of wine. Ordering glasses of wine for his brother and himself, the elf did not see the look on his father's face, nor the one on Faramir's. Things worsened after that when Elladan brought out his new dagger and proceeded to show his father its fine points, such as a curved handle and sharp blade. The blood drained out of Faramir's face as he remembered his last encounter with a dagger handled by a man who drank wine. Seeing this, Elrond quickly asked Elladan to sheath the dagger at the table. Elladan opened his mouth to argue, but Elrohir silenced him with a kick under the table. The younger twin had noticed the fear in Faramir's face and though he wondered why, he knew the dagger frightened the boy.
Faramir pushed his plate away, the signal that he wished to leave. Elrond excused him and watched as the boy hurried away. He turned on his sons angrily. "Elladan, Elrohir, that was very inappropriate of you."
Elrohir exchanged a look with his brother, then turned back to face Elrond. "I am sorry Father, but we did not know that whatever we did was wrong." Elrond's anger left him. He hadn't told his sons, so they had no way of knowing.
"I am sorry my sons. As I said before, Tir does not speak. That is because he had a great hurt done to him. Two years ago, his father, in a drunken rage, nearly killed him... with a dagger. Since that time he had spoken once and he rarely, if ever, smiles." Now the twins were remorseful of their actions.
"Is there anything we can do to help?"
Elrond shook his head. "I myself wish to help him, but he will not let me. I so not know what to do."
~*~
The sky was dark by the time Elrond made his way upstairs. He wished to see if Faramir felt all right after the disaster at dinner. In the hallway, though, he stopped. Coming from Faramir's room flew a haunting melody, sung not by the voice of an elf, but the soft tongue of a young boy. The Sindarin words sent a shiver down the elf lord's spine.
Darkness approaches,
I try to hide,
But shadows call
Stronger than I.
Silent plea,
Ignored by all,
Shadow grows,
Darkness falls.
Who shall survive,
End comes to light.
Hope shall save those
Lost to night.
Hope comes,
The dawn is nigh
Yet the shadow, the shadow,
Is stronger than I.
It scared Elrond. Why did Faramir sing so? Even the sorrowful songs of the elves held hope, yet this had none. Walking quickly towards the boy's room, he found the door locked. "Tir! Tir, open this door please! Tir!" His words went unheeded as the singing continued.
Darkness approaches,
I try to hide,
Kneeling by the door, Elrond started using a pin to pick the lock.
Silent plea,
Ignored by all,
Now Elrond was beginning to panic. A feeling of darkness crept through him.
Who shall survive,
End comes to light.
Finally the door opened and Elrond rushed into the room. No candles lit the chamber, only the light of the stars filtered through the windows. Sitting on the bed and facing the windows was Faramir, tears in his gray eyes. The boy turned his head and gazed sadly at Elrond as he whispered the last words. "The shadow, the shadow, is stronger than I."
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Hehe. Evil Skittle has convinced me to make this a cliffhanger. Expect an update either tomorrow or sometime this week.
