-----Shlee Verde: Yes, I do like the idea of dropping fruit off the
wall...hehe. I will certainly try to make this story as good as the last
one.
-----Teresa Martin: Thanks :) Basically, this story (and the last) is simply how I think Boromir and Faramir might have spent their time growing up.
-----GamgeeFest: Yep, Boromir is always there for Faramir. And I wouldn't want to go swimming in a river in March either!
-----Lathanna: Well, I think this chapter is a bit more "adventury" than the last.
-----Susan: Yeah, restful times are good, but don't worry, I like the action a lot too. Besides, how long could they possibly stay out of an adventure (especially Boromir!)
---------------------------------------------------------
To the relief of both Boromir and Faramir, finding a few companions interested in accompanying them to the river did not in itself require a quest across the entire city. In fact, a mere ten minutes passed before they stumbled upon Beregond, listening to a few of the off duty city guards in the third circle. He briefly heard their request, and standing quickly, agreed to go to the river. After all, being only slightly younger than Boromir, he enjoyed their company, and realized that staying in the city would probably result in being left out from some extraordinary happenings. "Besides," Beregond admitted, gesturing towards the guards, "their conversation has gone from entertaining one another with battle stories to discussing potential drainage problems in the city, and I doubt I will miss anything here. Still, I admit the stories were rather interesting, while they lasted."
Boromir had been listening intently at the mention of battle stories, and Faramir wondered if he would forget about the river entirely, instead choosing to hear Beregond's retelling of old (and possibly exaggerated) tales. However, the older brother had not forgotten his original plan. Turning to Beregond, Boromir said, "Have you seen anyone else around whom you deem worthy of coming with us?"
Beregond nodded. "I thought you might ask, and indeed, I saw the boy Anborn only moments before, walking in that direction." He pointed, then added, "I believe he was rather bored at the time. Let's see if we can catch him."
The three of them sprinted in the direction Beregond had indicated, their eagerness lending speed to their feet. Indeed they quickly found Anborn, and within hearing the first two sentences of their plan, he agreed to go, setting the plan officially in motion.
********
To a man on horseback, the river was a very short distance from the city, but to the four boys who had rarely visited, the walk seemed considerably farther. Luckily, the land was mostly flat grassland (being the Pelannor) and in this venture, Boromir was certain of the direction they took. Both he and Faramir had experienced their fair share of misadventures outside the city walls in the past, and he had no intention of getting lost this time. Besides, if he wanted to be one of the Rangers, he would need a keen sense of direction.
Eventually, it was Anborn who first caught the sound of the Anduin, the great river. The waters were not yet visible, for they hid behind the trees signaling the end of the grassland. However, soon all four could hear the unmistakable noise, and breaking into a run, were quickly upon its banks.
For a moment, they were completely silent, simply watching the water roar past. Then, Boromir spoke, a hint of pride rising in his voice. "Behold the Anduin!"
Beregond laughed. "Our eyes are working fine, Boromir; we see the great river before us. However, I believe we came here to do more than simply admire water, for we can stick our head down a well and do as much."
Despite himself, Boromir cringed slightly at the mention of a well, remembering a time as a child when he had inadvertently gotten too close to well for comfort. He shook his head slightly, ignoring the memory, then responded. "Very well, I will show you what I had in mind for today."
Boromir lead them a short distance upstream, towards a small group of bushes. For a moment, none of the others saw any significance in the spot, until Boromir brushed aside one of the bushes, revealing something that was previously hidden.
"Boats!" exclaimed Faramir, awestruck. He had suspected his brother of hiding something of interest, but he wondered how Boromir came upon this particular surprise.
Anborn echoed his thoughts, even as Faramir opened his mouth to speak. "How did you find them?" he asked, pushing aside another bush to fully reveal the two hidden boats.
"Father told me about them," Boromir replied, "a few years back when I first mentioned my desire to be a Ranger. He said there were several locations along the river with them, and they were used occasionally by the Rangers to cross the river. I suppose it is easier than trying to ford the river, especially in the winter months. Anyways, lets borrow them for today. They don't seem to be used very often (just look at the fine condition they are in), and it is certainly more interesting than mere swimming." He looked at the others for approval.
Beregond responded by grabbing the pointed bow on one boat, and attempting to lift it. "Come on," he said, motioning for the others to help. "It is not too heavy, but I can't carry it to the river alone." Anborn immediately lifted the other end, and both boys took off with the first boat.
Boromir took hold of the other; then noticed that Faramir seemed less thrilled than himself about the prospect of boating. He stopped and asked, "What ails you, little brother?"
Faramir had gotten over his initial surprise, and now turned towards the sound of the river. "The water is moving quickly," he pointed out, "probably from snow melting somewhere in the mountains. And what if we find the boats difficult to handle? We have practiced swimming before, and are quite strong, but the water may be stronger."
Boromir sighed, then put his hand on Faramir's shoulder. "We won't take the boats too far," he assured him, "and there is some rope in both boats. If anyone falls in, we'll pull them up. Besides, many people have gone down these waters in the past, without any trouble."
The response was a good one, and it seemed to satisfy Faramir for the moment. He held the end of the boat opposite Boromir, and they took off after the others.
********
Within an hour, all four boys decided that boating was an excellent way to spend an otherwise boring afternoon. They had split up between the two boats; Anborn and Faramir in one, and Boromir and Beregond in the other. Although this left both of the least experienced people in the same boat (Anborn was as young as Faramir), Boromir pointed out that it was excellent practice at controlling a boat on the water.
It was definitely an exciting day to be going down the river. As Faramir had noted, the water was moving swiftly, but the boats were well built, and not too difficult to control. Besides, he enjoyed talking to Anborn, who shared (to some extent) his passion for reading. At one point, though Faramir loved his brother dearly, he almost wished Boromir was slightly closer in age, instead of being nearly five years older.
Meanwhile, a little controlled chaos seemed to be occurring in the other boat. Beregond was finally retelling one of the battle stories of the guard he had heard, and attempting to act it out simultaneously. Apparently, he felt that acting involved doing many complicated maneuvers with the boat, and sword fighting with a paddle.
Boromir found the entire display hilarious, even when Beregond accidentally hit him with the paddle. For a moment, Boromir seemed to have forgotten his desire to join the Rangers soon, and was behaving as though he were only the same age as Faramir.
Eventually, Beregond could be heard challenging his companion to a wrestling match inside the boat. This caused Anborn and Faramir to turn momentarily from their conversation. "What are they doing?" asked Anborn, attempting to get a better view of the other boat. "Who wrestles in a boat, especially in the middle of the river?"
Faramir nodded. "I guess the river wasn't exciting enough for them, so they had to improve it. Hopefully they don't tip the boat over." He took the rope lying next to him, just to be safe. Unfortunately, Faramir wasn't very familiar with using rope, and managed to partially entangle himself within the various coils when he attempted to prepare a piece suitable for throwing.
Anborn laughed good-naturedly at his companion, who now resembled a rather large spider, and turned his attention back to the other boat.
Boromir had accepted the challenge of Beregond (after all, how could he turn it down?) and both boys had stored their paddles safely inside. They even thought to glance down the river, to ensure that nothing dangerous was approaching, before turning towards each other. Boromir then began speaking, explaining the rules of what he deemed to be important in wrestling.
He was abruptly cut off by Beregond, who had decided to forego any rules, and managed to knock Boromir into the bottom of the boat. "The rules are for wrestling on land," Beregond pointed out, while trying to pin his opponent. "They don't apply on the boat, so we will have to invent them as we go."
The second boat wobbled slightly as Boromir managed to wiggle out of Beregond's grasp. "All right," he gasped, "we will make the rules then."
From the first boat, the fight was beginning to get very interesting. Anborn had to crane his head a bit to see the action, but despite his initial disbelief at a wrestling match on the water, he was now completely absorbed. He originally pulled for Beregond to win, yet now he found it difficult to pick a side and had to be content yelling occasional cheers for both competitors.
Even Faramir was paying little attention to anything but the match. He was still tangled in the rope, but was now merely picking at it once in awhile. The river seemed more familiar now, even though it still moved swiftly, and Faramir admitted that it was unlikely for the well made boats to tip. He decided to worry about the rope later, and exchanged a few comments with Anborn about the match. The day was peaceful, if one disregarded the few shouts from Boromir and Beregond's boat, and all were off their guard.
Unfortunately, rivers can be very tricky things.
While absorbed in the wrestling match, all four boys had foolishly lost track of the time, and the water ahead. Suddenly, Anborn and Faramir were startled to their senses when they found themselves thrown to one side of the boat. The former let out a small cry of surprise, and glanced downstream.
"Look out ahead!"
Boromir and Beregond looked up. To their shock, they noticed that both boats were now moving at an incredible speed. The river had been fast before, but now it seemed riddled with large rocks and powerful currents. An angry roar filled the ears of all present.
Anborn and Faramir, who were downstream of the other boat, grabbed their paddles and attempted to steer away from a particularly nasty looking wave in the water. However, Faramir discovered that he was still tangled in the rope, which he had foolishly decided to ignore for awhile, and could not effectively paddle. He reached for his sword to cut himself free, then realized that it was impossible for him to reach it. The boat swung around dangerously with only one paddle.
Meanwhile, Boromir and Beregond were having only slightly better luck. Their carefully stowed paddles were now difficult to untie, and it seemed to take forever to get them back in the water. Boromir cursed under his breath, finally taking out a sword and slicing through the rope that held them. Both boys snatched a paddle, but Boromir almost instantly smashed his when their boat came near a large boulder.
With only one person paddling in each boat, it soon became apparent that all were at the mercy of the river. Anborn was just barely keeping the first boat from tipping, with Beregond doing slightly better in the other boat.
Suddenly, the first boat became stuck on a rather large rock. For a moment it was a welcome relief from the angry river, but soon Anborn yelled, "How are we going to get off of this?!" He was wide eyed and appeared to regret the boating trip.
Faramir watched something behind Anborn, unable to speak. Beregond was desperately trying to maneuver his boat away from the trapped one, but it was a losing battle. The river had taken hold, and set Boromir and Beregond on a collision course with the others. All braced themselves for the crash.
The sound of splintering wood filled the air, seeming to drown out even the surging waters of the Anduin. The bow of the second boat hit the side of the first, causing the latter to crack under the impact.
Everything seemed to happen in an instant. Beregond grabbed onto Anborn's arm before the younger boy was tossed into the water, and dragged him aboard the partially damaged second boat. Boromir lunged at Faramir, but he was seconds too late. The first boat had been completely shattered, and Faramir was dragged under the water, still fighting to free himself from the rope.
----------------------------
I will try to update on Monday again, because I will be busy moving this weekend.
-----Teresa Martin: Thanks :) Basically, this story (and the last) is simply how I think Boromir and Faramir might have spent their time growing up.
-----GamgeeFest: Yep, Boromir is always there for Faramir. And I wouldn't want to go swimming in a river in March either!
-----Lathanna: Well, I think this chapter is a bit more "adventury" than the last.
-----Susan: Yeah, restful times are good, but don't worry, I like the action a lot too. Besides, how long could they possibly stay out of an adventure (especially Boromir!)
---------------------------------------------------------
To the relief of both Boromir and Faramir, finding a few companions interested in accompanying them to the river did not in itself require a quest across the entire city. In fact, a mere ten minutes passed before they stumbled upon Beregond, listening to a few of the off duty city guards in the third circle. He briefly heard their request, and standing quickly, agreed to go to the river. After all, being only slightly younger than Boromir, he enjoyed their company, and realized that staying in the city would probably result in being left out from some extraordinary happenings. "Besides," Beregond admitted, gesturing towards the guards, "their conversation has gone from entertaining one another with battle stories to discussing potential drainage problems in the city, and I doubt I will miss anything here. Still, I admit the stories were rather interesting, while they lasted."
Boromir had been listening intently at the mention of battle stories, and Faramir wondered if he would forget about the river entirely, instead choosing to hear Beregond's retelling of old (and possibly exaggerated) tales. However, the older brother had not forgotten his original plan. Turning to Beregond, Boromir said, "Have you seen anyone else around whom you deem worthy of coming with us?"
Beregond nodded. "I thought you might ask, and indeed, I saw the boy Anborn only moments before, walking in that direction." He pointed, then added, "I believe he was rather bored at the time. Let's see if we can catch him."
The three of them sprinted in the direction Beregond had indicated, their eagerness lending speed to their feet. Indeed they quickly found Anborn, and within hearing the first two sentences of their plan, he agreed to go, setting the plan officially in motion.
********
To a man on horseback, the river was a very short distance from the city, but to the four boys who had rarely visited, the walk seemed considerably farther. Luckily, the land was mostly flat grassland (being the Pelannor) and in this venture, Boromir was certain of the direction they took. Both he and Faramir had experienced their fair share of misadventures outside the city walls in the past, and he had no intention of getting lost this time. Besides, if he wanted to be one of the Rangers, he would need a keen sense of direction.
Eventually, it was Anborn who first caught the sound of the Anduin, the great river. The waters were not yet visible, for they hid behind the trees signaling the end of the grassland. However, soon all four could hear the unmistakable noise, and breaking into a run, were quickly upon its banks.
For a moment, they were completely silent, simply watching the water roar past. Then, Boromir spoke, a hint of pride rising in his voice. "Behold the Anduin!"
Beregond laughed. "Our eyes are working fine, Boromir; we see the great river before us. However, I believe we came here to do more than simply admire water, for we can stick our head down a well and do as much."
Despite himself, Boromir cringed slightly at the mention of a well, remembering a time as a child when he had inadvertently gotten too close to well for comfort. He shook his head slightly, ignoring the memory, then responded. "Very well, I will show you what I had in mind for today."
Boromir lead them a short distance upstream, towards a small group of bushes. For a moment, none of the others saw any significance in the spot, until Boromir brushed aside one of the bushes, revealing something that was previously hidden.
"Boats!" exclaimed Faramir, awestruck. He had suspected his brother of hiding something of interest, but he wondered how Boromir came upon this particular surprise.
Anborn echoed his thoughts, even as Faramir opened his mouth to speak. "How did you find them?" he asked, pushing aside another bush to fully reveal the two hidden boats.
"Father told me about them," Boromir replied, "a few years back when I first mentioned my desire to be a Ranger. He said there were several locations along the river with them, and they were used occasionally by the Rangers to cross the river. I suppose it is easier than trying to ford the river, especially in the winter months. Anyways, lets borrow them for today. They don't seem to be used very often (just look at the fine condition they are in), and it is certainly more interesting than mere swimming." He looked at the others for approval.
Beregond responded by grabbing the pointed bow on one boat, and attempting to lift it. "Come on," he said, motioning for the others to help. "It is not too heavy, but I can't carry it to the river alone." Anborn immediately lifted the other end, and both boys took off with the first boat.
Boromir took hold of the other; then noticed that Faramir seemed less thrilled than himself about the prospect of boating. He stopped and asked, "What ails you, little brother?"
Faramir had gotten over his initial surprise, and now turned towards the sound of the river. "The water is moving quickly," he pointed out, "probably from snow melting somewhere in the mountains. And what if we find the boats difficult to handle? We have practiced swimming before, and are quite strong, but the water may be stronger."
Boromir sighed, then put his hand on Faramir's shoulder. "We won't take the boats too far," he assured him, "and there is some rope in both boats. If anyone falls in, we'll pull them up. Besides, many people have gone down these waters in the past, without any trouble."
The response was a good one, and it seemed to satisfy Faramir for the moment. He held the end of the boat opposite Boromir, and they took off after the others.
********
Within an hour, all four boys decided that boating was an excellent way to spend an otherwise boring afternoon. They had split up between the two boats; Anborn and Faramir in one, and Boromir and Beregond in the other. Although this left both of the least experienced people in the same boat (Anborn was as young as Faramir), Boromir pointed out that it was excellent practice at controlling a boat on the water.
It was definitely an exciting day to be going down the river. As Faramir had noted, the water was moving swiftly, but the boats were well built, and not too difficult to control. Besides, he enjoyed talking to Anborn, who shared (to some extent) his passion for reading. At one point, though Faramir loved his brother dearly, he almost wished Boromir was slightly closer in age, instead of being nearly five years older.
Meanwhile, a little controlled chaos seemed to be occurring in the other boat. Beregond was finally retelling one of the battle stories of the guard he had heard, and attempting to act it out simultaneously. Apparently, he felt that acting involved doing many complicated maneuvers with the boat, and sword fighting with a paddle.
Boromir found the entire display hilarious, even when Beregond accidentally hit him with the paddle. For a moment, Boromir seemed to have forgotten his desire to join the Rangers soon, and was behaving as though he were only the same age as Faramir.
Eventually, Beregond could be heard challenging his companion to a wrestling match inside the boat. This caused Anborn and Faramir to turn momentarily from their conversation. "What are they doing?" asked Anborn, attempting to get a better view of the other boat. "Who wrestles in a boat, especially in the middle of the river?"
Faramir nodded. "I guess the river wasn't exciting enough for them, so they had to improve it. Hopefully they don't tip the boat over." He took the rope lying next to him, just to be safe. Unfortunately, Faramir wasn't very familiar with using rope, and managed to partially entangle himself within the various coils when he attempted to prepare a piece suitable for throwing.
Anborn laughed good-naturedly at his companion, who now resembled a rather large spider, and turned his attention back to the other boat.
Boromir had accepted the challenge of Beregond (after all, how could he turn it down?) and both boys had stored their paddles safely inside. They even thought to glance down the river, to ensure that nothing dangerous was approaching, before turning towards each other. Boromir then began speaking, explaining the rules of what he deemed to be important in wrestling.
He was abruptly cut off by Beregond, who had decided to forego any rules, and managed to knock Boromir into the bottom of the boat. "The rules are for wrestling on land," Beregond pointed out, while trying to pin his opponent. "They don't apply on the boat, so we will have to invent them as we go."
The second boat wobbled slightly as Boromir managed to wiggle out of Beregond's grasp. "All right," he gasped, "we will make the rules then."
From the first boat, the fight was beginning to get very interesting. Anborn had to crane his head a bit to see the action, but despite his initial disbelief at a wrestling match on the water, he was now completely absorbed. He originally pulled for Beregond to win, yet now he found it difficult to pick a side and had to be content yelling occasional cheers for both competitors.
Even Faramir was paying little attention to anything but the match. He was still tangled in the rope, but was now merely picking at it once in awhile. The river seemed more familiar now, even though it still moved swiftly, and Faramir admitted that it was unlikely for the well made boats to tip. He decided to worry about the rope later, and exchanged a few comments with Anborn about the match. The day was peaceful, if one disregarded the few shouts from Boromir and Beregond's boat, and all were off their guard.
Unfortunately, rivers can be very tricky things.
While absorbed in the wrestling match, all four boys had foolishly lost track of the time, and the water ahead. Suddenly, Anborn and Faramir were startled to their senses when they found themselves thrown to one side of the boat. The former let out a small cry of surprise, and glanced downstream.
"Look out ahead!"
Boromir and Beregond looked up. To their shock, they noticed that both boats were now moving at an incredible speed. The river had been fast before, but now it seemed riddled with large rocks and powerful currents. An angry roar filled the ears of all present.
Anborn and Faramir, who were downstream of the other boat, grabbed their paddles and attempted to steer away from a particularly nasty looking wave in the water. However, Faramir discovered that he was still tangled in the rope, which he had foolishly decided to ignore for awhile, and could not effectively paddle. He reached for his sword to cut himself free, then realized that it was impossible for him to reach it. The boat swung around dangerously with only one paddle.
Meanwhile, Boromir and Beregond were having only slightly better luck. Their carefully stowed paddles were now difficult to untie, and it seemed to take forever to get them back in the water. Boromir cursed under his breath, finally taking out a sword and slicing through the rope that held them. Both boys snatched a paddle, but Boromir almost instantly smashed his when their boat came near a large boulder.
With only one person paddling in each boat, it soon became apparent that all were at the mercy of the river. Anborn was just barely keeping the first boat from tipping, with Beregond doing slightly better in the other boat.
Suddenly, the first boat became stuck on a rather large rock. For a moment it was a welcome relief from the angry river, but soon Anborn yelled, "How are we going to get off of this?!" He was wide eyed and appeared to regret the boating trip.
Faramir watched something behind Anborn, unable to speak. Beregond was desperately trying to maneuver his boat away from the trapped one, but it was a losing battle. The river had taken hold, and set Boromir and Beregond on a collision course with the others. All braced themselves for the crash.
The sound of splintering wood filled the air, seeming to drown out even the surging waters of the Anduin. The bow of the second boat hit the side of the first, causing the latter to crack under the impact.
Everything seemed to happen in an instant. Beregond grabbed onto Anborn's arm before the younger boy was tossed into the water, and dragged him aboard the partially damaged second boat. Boromir lunged at Faramir, but he was seconds too late. The first boat had been completely shattered, and Faramir was dragged under the water, still fighting to free himself from the rope.
----------------------------
I will try to update on Monday again, because I will be busy moving this weekend.