Disclaimer: Not. Mine. At. All. It would be a lovely birthday gift, but my birthday has just passed. What rotten luck! : )
Seven Stars
Boromir watched as Faramir, in his nightshirt, padded silently to the window and sat on the cushioned ledge. Being ten, a full five years older than his brother, and knowing well his duties, Boromir slipped quietly to his side.
"What's wrong?" he asked. Faramir shook his head, and Boromir saw a gleam of tears on his cheek. He put an arm around his younger brother's shoulder. "Mama?" he guessed. Faramir nodded swallowing hard.
"When...when Mama dies..." he began unsteadily, "Will she be a star?" Boromir followed Faramir's gaze out of the window, into the night sky.
"Mama will be well again. Father told me so," he assured, doing his best to sound as confident as his father.
"Do we all have stars?" Faramir asked, stifling a sob. Boromir pulled him close, as he had seen Finduilas do to comfort his brother.
"I don't know," he replied, uncertain of what to say.
"But what about the seven stars the guards wear? Aren't they ours?"
Boromir wasn't so sure, but he agreed for fear of upsetting Faramir further.
"I think those are ours," stated Faramir solidly. "One for me, one for you, Papa, Mama, Uncle Imrahil, and Grandfather."
"You don't remember Grandfather, you were only a baby when he died," reminded Boromir.
"But I still love him," Faramir sniffed.
"And anyway," Boromir reminded, finding it difficult to set aside the I told you so role of an elder brother, "that was only six. There are seven stars."
Faramir was silent for a moment before he replied, "The other is for the King, then, so he can come back and make Mama well."
"Do you think he'll come back?" asked Boromir skeptically.
"Of course he shall. He is the King, and he would not leave his country."
Boromir said nothing as Faramir continued, "And he shall be King of Gondor, and you his Steward."
Faramir paused. . "But- but will you let me crown him with you? For I shall love him dearly as my lord, and…and I would die for him, if he asked it."
Boromir hugged his brother tight. "Of course you shall crown him. We shall be Stewards together. Would you like that?"
"I should like that very much, Bor." Boromir smiled, wiping away the tear that clung to the tip of Faramir's nose, and looked to the sky and his seven stars.
(l)
Thanks for reading!
A timeline for you convenience:
2852 King Belecthor II dies, and with him the White Tree. The Dead Tree remains.
2976 Denethor II and Finduilas wed
2978 Birth of Boromir
2983 Birth of Faramir
2984 Death of Ecthelion II. Denethor II becomes Steward.
2988 Death of Finduilas
I find it interesting to note that Faramir and Samwise Gamgee are the same age. At the time of this story, (year 2988), Isildur's heir is 57 years old and guarding the Shire as the Chieftain of the Dunedain.
A/N I do hope I got the sibling relation thing right. As both a younger sister and an older sister, I am somewhat acquainted with the predicaments of both brothers. Comforting a sibling can be quite difficult at times, as many of us know. And also very complicated.
Thanks for the lovely responses, and best wishes to you all for the new year!