Disclaimer: Only Seralina and her father are my original creations. Everything else I owe to Tolkien.
Rating: PG13, if that
** ** ** **
Seralina walked down the hallway of the Steward's home with Boromir. She carried herself proudly, but did not look upon him nor smile at him.
"My Lady," he said, "we are to be wed two weeks hence. Will you not soften your heart to me?"
"Lord Boromir, I respect you greatly as a warrior and as the Steward's son, but I do not love you. Being forced thus only hardens it further."
"You still pine for Faramir." There was a note of anger and accusation in the voice as they reached the rooms where she was now staying. Two weeks ago, Denethor had ordered her moved into suites in his manor so that she would be come used to and comfortable with the halls of his house, which she would someday be Lady of.
"Good night to you, my Lord," said Seralina at the door, ignoring the question.
Boromir took her wrist. "I would not part ways with you yet, Seralina." He looked down at her.
By all the Gods, but she is beautiful, he thought. He slid his arm around her and pulled Seralina to him. He bent his head and kissed her on the lips. Seralina stiffened and pulled back and as she twisted out of Boromir's grasp she slapped him.
His cheek burned and his eyes watered, but then they flashed angrily. Boromir grabbed both of Seralina's wrists and pushed her into the door. The shock of her back striking the wall froze Seralina for a moment. Having Boromir hold her like this frightened her to her core for it was sheer dominance and nothing more.
His brother had held her like this once, but it had been far different. After practicing with his bow, Faramir had left the mews tired and dirty. Seralina, in a fit of mischievousness, had doused him with cold water. He'd pursued her up the stairs and down one of the halls of her father's house until he caught her, laughing. He'd grabbed her by the wrists and held her against the wall, calling her a minx. She had not feared him then, only desired him.
Now she feared Boromir.
"You're hurting me, my Lord!" Her voice shook.
Boromir stepped back and released her. His jaw clenched and unclenched as he struggled with his own feelings. Watching Seralina rub her wrists, he felt some pang of guilt and regret.
"Forgive me," he said, "my passions got the better of me." He paused. "Do not make the mistake of striking me again, Seralina. That is one thing I will not tolerate."
She would not look at him. The abrupt nature of his actions had torn a section of Seralina's dress collar, exposing a silver disc on a fine chain. Faramir's medallion. Boromir grabbed it and tore it off of Seralina's neck. She cried out in surprise and raised her hand to the stinging red line where the chain had bitten into her skin.
"I am the Captain of Gondor, a warrior of great reputation who will someday hold the Stewardship of Gondor. What is it that keeps your heart from me?" He shook the medallion at her. "What quality does Faramir possess that I lack?"
"The answer lies within your very question, my Lord." She disappeared inside her room, not saying another word to Boromir.
The Captain of Gondor stood in the hallway for several minutes. His heart had grown heavier over the past weeks. He had tried to make himself believe that Seralina's feelings for Faramir were a passing fancy, and that she would change. He, too, had loved Seralina for many years, never thinking he would ever have the opportunity to have her as his wife.
"What would you have me do, Seralina?" he said softly to the door. "What would you have me do?"
** ** **
Well, folks, we're almost done. I only have one more chapter written. Yes, I know some of you think Seralina is too perfect, mea culpa! If I ever continue this arc, I promise you'll see some not-so-perfect moments from her.
Rating: PG13, if that
** ** ** **
Seralina walked down the hallway of the Steward's home with Boromir. She carried herself proudly, but did not look upon him nor smile at him.
"My Lady," he said, "we are to be wed two weeks hence. Will you not soften your heart to me?"
"Lord Boromir, I respect you greatly as a warrior and as the Steward's son, but I do not love you. Being forced thus only hardens it further."
"You still pine for Faramir." There was a note of anger and accusation in the voice as they reached the rooms where she was now staying. Two weeks ago, Denethor had ordered her moved into suites in his manor so that she would be come used to and comfortable with the halls of his house, which she would someday be Lady of.
"Good night to you, my Lord," said Seralina at the door, ignoring the question.
Boromir took her wrist. "I would not part ways with you yet, Seralina." He looked down at her.
By all the Gods, but she is beautiful, he thought. He slid his arm around her and pulled Seralina to him. He bent his head and kissed her on the lips. Seralina stiffened and pulled back and as she twisted out of Boromir's grasp she slapped him.
His cheek burned and his eyes watered, but then they flashed angrily. Boromir grabbed both of Seralina's wrists and pushed her into the door. The shock of her back striking the wall froze Seralina for a moment. Having Boromir hold her like this frightened her to her core for it was sheer dominance and nothing more.
His brother had held her like this once, but it had been far different. After practicing with his bow, Faramir had left the mews tired and dirty. Seralina, in a fit of mischievousness, had doused him with cold water. He'd pursued her up the stairs and down one of the halls of her father's house until he caught her, laughing. He'd grabbed her by the wrists and held her against the wall, calling her a minx. She had not feared him then, only desired him.
Now she feared Boromir.
"You're hurting me, my Lord!" Her voice shook.
Boromir stepped back and released her. His jaw clenched and unclenched as he struggled with his own feelings. Watching Seralina rub her wrists, he felt some pang of guilt and regret.
"Forgive me," he said, "my passions got the better of me." He paused. "Do not make the mistake of striking me again, Seralina. That is one thing I will not tolerate."
She would not look at him. The abrupt nature of his actions had torn a section of Seralina's dress collar, exposing a silver disc on a fine chain. Faramir's medallion. Boromir grabbed it and tore it off of Seralina's neck. She cried out in surprise and raised her hand to the stinging red line where the chain had bitten into her skin.
"I am the Captain of Gondor, a warrior of great reputation who will someday hold the Stewardship of Gondor. What is it that keeps your heart from me?" He shook the medallion at her. "What quality does Faramir possess that I lack?"
"The answer lies within your very question, my Lord." She disappeared inside her room, not saying another word to Boromir.
The Captain of Gondor stood in the hallway for several minutes. His heart had grown heavier over the past weeks. He had tried to make himself believe that Seralina's feelings for Faramir were a passing fancy, and that she would change. He, too, had loved Seralina for many years, never thinking he would ever have the opportunity to have her as his wife.
"What would you have me do, Seralina?" he said softly to the door. "What would you have me do?"
** ** **
Well, folks, we're almost done. I only have one more chapter written. Yes, I know some of you think Seralina is too perfect, mea culpa! If I ever continue this arc, I promise you'll see some not-so-perfect moments from her.