Flower of Gondor
~
Ciara followed the two brothers down the hall, "Where are we going?" Ciara asked as she took in the sights of the palace, she hadn't really taken in anything she had seen yet n the palace and was beginning to notice things.
"Just to the dining hall. After that I am going to join the guards." Boromir said proudly.
"Guards?" Ciara wasn't really quite sure what they did.
"Yes, they watch over the city and such things. I wanted to wait until I could get at least second level so I didn't have to do the dirty chores that first level has to do." Boromir explained briefly, it was also tradition for the stewards son to wait for some time before he joined.
"That's good. Will you be away a lot?" Ciara hoped that he would not.
"Probably but, you can always come visit. I am sure the other guards won't mind." Boromir guessed, and quite correctly at that.
The hall was nearly empty when the three arrived and the few people who were in the hall were just guards and servants. All their eyes were on Ciara as she entered; many of these servants had not yet seen her and of her beauty, which rumours were spreading like wildfire through Gondor about.
"That is good. I wouldn't want to stay in the palace waiting for you to return all day." Ciara smiled happily.
The three ate quickly and Boromir hurried to leave to join.
"I think he will make at least third level, if not fourth." Faramir commented after Boromir left.
"I don't understand the levels." Ciara said to Faramir.
"There's different levels of skills in the guards, first through seventh and eighth level is Captain." Faramir explained to Ciara who seemed vaguely to understand.
"I see, and Boromir wants to be a level-"
"He wants to go in level four, than he would be a Guard of the City. He would patrol the inside of the city and make sure everything is fine here." Faramir looked down where a group of guards had assembled and were currently talking.
"What exactly do you have to do to join the guards?" Ciara asked.
"Nearly anyone could join at level one, otherwise you have to basically show you strength and skill and how well you can handle all the different weapons, also your knowledge of warfare and things like that. I am going to join tomorrow, if Boromir makes it but, of course he will." Faramir smiled at Ciara.
"You couldn't join today?"
"It's tradition for the sons of the steward to wait quite some time before joining and then the first son joins first then the other sons the days that follow." Faramir shrugged, "Just traditions."
"Well, I like that." Ciara smiled.
~
Later that day Boromir returned to the palace, very dirty but with a very big smile.
Ciara and Faramir were standing the side of Denethor as Boromir walked towards them.
"Tell me, my son, what level have you made?" Denethor smiled at his first born.
"I have made guard, father, at a level seven." Boromir couldn't help but break into a bigger smile.
"Level seven!?" Faramir exclaimed
Denethor broke into a smile, the first one Ciara had seen on him and stood to congratulate his son. Boromir hugged his father and gave Ciara a wink as he did so.
"Well, well, I believe that is a record, is it not?" Denethor stood looking proudly at his son.
"Yes, I broke it by two levels. The highest level gone into was fifth level now, it's seventh." Boromir laughed, happy with himself and knowing that his father was extremely pleased as well.
"Congratulations my brother!" Faramir smiled and gave Boromir a hug as well, "What did I tell you." He whispered while they hugged.
"Very well done, Boromir." Ciara stepped forwards to give Boromir a hug as well.
"That is my son, I knew he would always be the best." Denethor returned to his seat still smiling proudly at his son.
Faramir said nothing but stepped back to stand next to Ciara.
"Thank you father, I'm going to change now." Boromir took his leave and Faramir and Ciara followed.
~
"I can't stand it when he acts like that!" Boromir shook his head as soon as the three were well away from the hall.
"Boromir, it's okay. He was just happy for you." Faramir patted his brother on the shoulder.
"He doesn't have to treat you like dirt! You are his son as well! I am no better than you!" Boromir stopped and looked at Faramir, Ciara stood silently off to the side, not wanted to interrupt them.
"Boromir, I know that he does care for me, deep down otherwise I wouldn't be here." Faramir tried to console his brother.
"I want him to show that he cares though! He never shows it. He acts like you are something he doesn't want or need! I'm sick of it. Any other father would be happy with two sons but not him." Boromir looked out of the dirty window over their busy city.
"It's okay. At least you show you care, that's what matters. I know someone cares." Faramir smiled at Boromir.
"Yea well, someday he'll be sorry he treated you like this." Boromir muttered and turned to continue towards their rooms. He wrapped his arm around Ciara's waist as they went, she wasn't forgotten.
~
Later that evening Boromir, Faramir, and Ciara were sitting outside with quite a few of the upper level guards, talking and eating their dinners.
One of the newly promoted guards had taken a fancy to Ciara, as had many of them but he was one of the few brave enough to venture talking to her.
"So, I hear you are an elf?" The guard, Dredor smiled.
"Yes." Ciara was sick of being asked that question; it gets very old, very fast.
"I've never met an elf before." Dredor smiled and moved a bit closer.
"Fancy that. Well, now you have." Ciara forced a smiled and stepped away from the guard towards the safety and protection of Boromir.
"Yes, we ride tomorrow to Rohan. I hear Eomund has had another child, a girl." The Captain of the guards was telling the level seven guards who would be riding with him.
"Why are we going?" One of the guards questioned.
"Just regular visit, keep the peace and such things but, mostly to do some trading and of course-"
"Drinking." The guards chorused together.
Boromir laughed along with the rest of the men, excited about finally being able to leave the city.
"You will be gone?" Ciara frowned a bit.
"Not for long. Faramir will be here though." Boromir comforted Ciara.
"Oh, that is good. I thought you both had to go." Ciara's frown lightened a bit.
"No, he will stay and care for you." Boromir gave her a small kiss on the cheek that made her face flush. Ciara couldn't help but let a small smile come to her lips. She had never been kissed before, not even on the cheek.
"Boromir!" Rydon, Boromir's only good friend finally found Boromir, "I heard the news!" Rydon embraced Boromir. He himself was only a level four guard. "Both about your guard level and your new beautiful sister. Is this her?" Rydon smiled at Ciara, still at Boromir's side.
"Yes, this is Ciara, my new foster-sister." Boromir introduced Ciara, "And this, Ciara, is my friend Rydon."
"Nice to meet you." Ciara smiled at Rydon.
"Enchanted." Rydon gave a little bow of his head.
"You ride tomorrow Boromir?" Rydon asked.
"Yes, I go to Rohan with the other guards. I will only be gone for a short time though. No more than a month's time." Boromir nodded, he hadn't seen his friend in some time.
"Well, then I guess I'll have to watch Ciara here, won't I? Wouldn't want Cael's dirty hands near her!" Rydon laughed.
"Is that how you heard of Ciara?" Boromir couldn't stand Cael in the least.
"Partially, that how I heard how beautiful she was and how he would court her if it killed him-"
"I will kill him if he goes near her." Boromir grumbled to himself.
"But otherwise, word spreads like wildfire through this city, everyone was talking about it." Rydon shrugged.
"I thought as much." Boromir nodded.
"Where is little Faramir? I haven't talked to him in what seems forever." Rydon looked around for sign of Boromir's brother.
"I don't know. He was talking to some of the level six guards over there but I haven't seen him in a while." Boromir looked for a sign of his brother.
"All right then, see you when you get back from Rohan, don't scare to many horse there with your ugly face!" Rydon joked as he left.
"He's funny, I like him." Ciara smiled at Boromir as Rydon left the two.
"Yes, I've known him since I was very young." Boromir nodded.
~
~
Ciara followed the two brothers down the hall, "Where are we going?" Ciara asked as she took in the sights of the palace, she hadn't really taken in anything she had seen yet n the palace and was beginning to notice things.
"Just to the dining hall. After that I am going to join the guards." Boromir said proudly.
"Guards?" Ciara wasn't really quite sure what they did.
"Yes, they watch over the city and such things. I wanted to wait until I could get at least second level so I didn't have to do the dirty chores that first level has to do." Boromir explained briefly, it was also tradition for the stewards son to wait for some time before he joined.
"That's good. Will you be away a lot?" Ciara hoped that he would not.
"Probably but, you can always come visit. I am sure the other guards won't mind." Boromir guessed, and quite correctly at that.
The hall was nearly empty when the three arrived and the few people who were in the hall were just guards and servants. All their eyes were on Ciara as she entered; many of these servants had not yet seen her and of her beauty, which rumours were spreading like wildfire through Gondor about.
"That is good. I wouldn't want to stay in the palace waiting for you to return all day." Ciara smiled happily.
The three ate quickly and Boromir hurried to leave to join.
"I think he will make at least third level, if not fourth." Faramir commented after Boromir left.
"I don't understand the levels." Ciara said to Faramir.
"There's different levels of skills in the guards, first through seventh and eighth level is Captain." Faramir explained to Ciara who seemed vaguely to understand.
"I see, and Boromir wants to be a level-"
"He wants to go in level four, than he would be a Guard of the City. He would patrol the inside of the city and make sure everything is fine here." Faramir looked down where a group of guards had assembled and were currently talking.
"What exactly do you have to do to join the guards?" Ciara asked.
"Nearly anyone could join at level one, otherwise you have to basically show you strength and skill and how well you can handle all the different weapons, also your knowledge of warfare and things like that. I am going to join tomorrow, if Boromir makes it but, of course he will." Faramir smiled at Ciara.
"You couldn't join today?"
"It's tradition for the sons of the steward to wait quite some time before joining and then the first son joins first then the other sons the days that follow." Faramir shrugged, "Just traditions."
"Well, I like that." Ciara smiled.
~
Later that day Boromir returned to the palace, very dirty but with a very big smile.
Ciara and Faramir were standing the side of Denethor as Boromir walked towards them.
"Tell me, my son, what level have you made?" Denethor smiled at his first born.
"I have made guard, father, at a level seven." Boromir couldn't help but break into a bigger smile.
"Level seven!?" Faramir exclaimed
Denethor broke into a smile, the first one Ciara had seen on him and stood to congratulate his son. Boromir hugged his father and gave Ciara a wink as he did so.
"Well, well, I believe that is a record, is it not?" Denethor stood looking proudly at his son.
"Yes, I broke it by two levels. The highest level gone into was fifth level now, it's seventh." Boromir laughed, happy with himself and knowing that his father was extremely pleased as well.
"Congratulations my brother!" Faramir smiled and gave Boromir a hug as well, "What did I tell you." He whispered while they hugged.
"Very well done, Boromir." Ciara stepped forwards to give Boromir a hug as well.
"That is my son, I knew he would always be the best." Denethor returned to his seat still smiling proudly at his son.
Faramir said nothing but stepped back to stand next to Ciara.
"Thank you father, I'm going to change now." Boromir took his leave and Faramir and Ciara followed.
~
"I can't stand it when he acts like that!" Boromir shook his head as soon as the three were well away from the hall.
"Boromir, it's okay. He was just happy for you." Faramir patted his brother on the shoulder.
"He doesn't have to treat you like dirt! You are his son as well! I am no better than you!" Boromir stopped and looked at Faramir, Ciara stood silently off to the side, not wanted to interrupt them.
"Boromir, I know that he does care for me, deep down otherwise I wouldn't be here." Faramir tried to console his brother.
"I want him to show that he cares though! He never shows it. He acts like you are something he doesn't want or need! I'm sick of it. Any other father would be happy with two sons but not him." Boromir looked out of the dirty window over their busy city.
"It's okay. At least you show you care, that's what matters. I know someone cares." Faramir smiled at Boromir.
"Yea well, someday he'll be sorry he treated you like this." Boromir muttered and turned to continue towards their rooms. He wrapped his arm around Ciara's waist as they went, she wasn't forgotten.
~
Later that evening Boromir, Faramir, and Ciara were sitting outside with quite a few of the upper level guards, talking and eating their dinners.
One of the newly promoted guards had taken a fancy to Ciara, as had many of them but he was one of the few brave enough to venture talking to her.
"So, I hear you are an elf?" The guard, Dredor smiled.
"Yes." Ciara was sick of being asked that question; it gets very old, very fast.
"I've never met an elf before." Dredor smiled and moved a bit closer.
"Fancy that. Well, now you have." Ciara forced a smiled and stepped away from the guard towards the safety and protection of Boromir.
"Yes, we ride tomorrow to Rohan. I hear Eomund has had another child, a girl." The Captain of the guards was telling the level seven guards who would be riding with him.
"Why are we going?" One of the guards questioned.
"Just regular visit, keep the peace and such things but, mostly to do some trading and of course-"
"Drinking." The guards chorused together.
Boromir laughed along with the rest of the men, excited about finally being able to leave the city.
"You will be gone?" Ciara frowned a bit.
"Not for long. Faramir will be here though." Boromir comforted Ciara.
"Oh, that is good. I thought you both had to go." Ciara's frown lightened a bit.
"No, he will stay and care for you." Boromir gave her a small kiss on the cheek that made her face flush. Ciara couldn't help but let a small smile come to her lips. She had never been kissed before, not even on the cheek.
"Boromir!" Rydon, Boromir's only good friend finally found Boromir, "I heard the news!" Rydon embraced Boromir. He himself was only a level four guard. "Both about your guard level and your new beautiful sister. Is this her?" Rydon smiled at Ciara, still at Boromir's side.
"Yes, this is Ciara, my new foster-sister." Boromir introduced Ciara, "And this, Ciara, is my friend Rydon."
"Nice to meet you." Ciara smiled at Rydon.
"Enchanted." Rydon gave a little bow of his head.
"You ride tomorrow Boromir?" Rydon asked.
"Yes, I go to Rohan with the other guards. I will only be gone for a short time though. No more than a month's time." Boromir nodded, he hadn't seen his friend in some time.
"Well, then I guess I'll have to watch Ciara here, won't I? Wouldn't want Cael's dirty hands near her!" Rydon laughed.
"Is that how you heard of Ciara?" Boromir couldn't stand Cael in the least.
"Partially, that how I heard how beautiful she was and how he would court her if it killed him-"
"I will kill him if he goes near her." Boromir grumbled to himself.
"But otherwise, word spreads like wildfire through this city, everyone was talking about it." Rydon shrugged.
"I thought as much." Boromir nodded.
"Where is little Faramir? I haven't talked to him in what seems forever." Rydon looked around for sign of Boromir's brother.
"I don't know. He was talking to some of the level six guards over there but I haven't seen him in a while." Boromir looked for a sign of his brother.
"All right then, see you when you get back from Rohan, don't scare to many horse there with your ugly face!" Rydon joked as he left.
"He's funny, I like him." Ciara smiled at Boromir as Rydon left the two.
"Yes, I've known him since I was very young." Boromir nodded.
~