The open halls of Gondor rang with his quick footsteps.
"Faramir!"
A strong voice, a familiar one. Filled with pride and honor. A voice of
valor and truth. The voice of a knight, the one voice that Father loved.
"Boromir." He heard his own voice, tired and weak, a voice of. of a
dreamer, at best.
His brother came into the hall, once empty and lonely, and filled it with a
sudden loud hearty cheer that lit up the stones. A broad smile lit up
Boromir's strong angular face, eyes wrinkled in laughter, face weathered as
a true soldier of Gondor. And clothed as one, as the prince of Gondor. The
pride and offing of their city. The prince that stood every morning, filled
with warmth and yet a strong sense of lead, blowing into his ivory horn-
waking his people to another day that he would light the way through.
Now he was enclosed in his brothers sweet grasp, strong and commanding-one
that made all that felt his eyes or knew his words- want to follow him,
"Dreaming again, brother?" Boromir laughed, teeth white and gleaming,
smelling of battle and valiant steeds. Leather jerky and scarlet sleeves
embossed with silver threads of the Embiln tree high on Mount Embronir.
Faramir felt all this and saw it all, eyes filled with sudden wanting. And,
oh, this was the worse of all. His heart wrenched to think that he wanted
to be another.
"Faramir! Will you not speak to your brother then? That is good, we shall
speak with our minds." Boromir's sudden hearty laugh boomed through the
halls, eyes wrinkled and sparkling beneath browned eyelids.
Faramir swallowed, how was Boromir so sure of himself, how was he so filled
with valor and courage? How was his warmth and heartiness so loud and
fufilling?, "My brother, this day is one of thought for me."
"Is it not everyday then?" More ringing laughter that would have brought
great courage and brightness into his leaden heart if the laughter itself
was not what was bothering him.
"Particularly today." Faramir replied gravely, and refused to laugh along
as Boromir took his purposefully serious answer as a joke.
"Alright," Boromir finally sighed, amused, "Then, heavy hearted dreamer,
will you not accompany me to the eatery?"
"Yes, yes I will dear Brother, it is where I am headed."
Boromir smiled, laughed, put his boulder- like arm about his brother, "Come
then! And let us rejoice in the strength of Gondor, and the coming of the
war!"
War. The very word brought chills to Faramir's heart.
