Author's note: I am so sorry for taking so long to put Chapter 6 up! The
idea was all set, but I never had any time to finish the actual writing. A
new fanfic, which corresponds with 'Red Dawn', in Faramir's POV. Oh I'm so
excited! The plot's been set for the beginning journey (yes, you're only at
the very beginning). There will be twists. In fact, Chapter 7 should be a
real shocker! So enjoy and please keep reviewing! Your encouragement is
invaluable!
The Pendants
My eyelids fluttered as I awoke. Remembering where I was, I sighed before I was aware that someone else was in the room.
Faramir was sitting on a chair beside me. His eyes were closed as he spoke his perfect Sindarin. I frowned and realised that he had put his hand in mine like earlier. Only now, he had two fingers of his other hand pushing firmly on my pulse. He kept speaking as though he were not aware that I was awake.
I did not move but listened to his accent. He would have passed for an elf, I thought. The way his words blended into each other musically. His tone changed as he began to end the healing.
"So it shall be." He murmured in Elvish and took his fingers off my pulse and opened his eyes. He suddenly looked very tired. Faramir was sweating and it was obvious that he'd lost a lot of energy. Oh no, he was doing the energy transfer. I was able to transfer a little but nothing that would save someone. My pendant wouldn't allow it. He took his hand off my palm and picked up the necklace that rested in my hand. I tried to raise myself so I could speak.
But Faramir would have none of it. "Don't talk. Don't explain." He said. He poured a glass of water and put a hand behind my head and tilted it forward. He put the glass to my lips and I sipped a little. I stopped.
"It's just water." he muttered unconvincingly.
I swallowed another gulp and finished the rest without resisting. Faramir didn't seem to be the type that would poison little elf-girls. He put the glass down and gently laid my head back down on the pillow.
"Now you can talk if you want." He said. He looked around for a spare glass but finding none, he tried to get up. That seemed to use a great effort and he leaned heavily on the chair, trying to catch his breath.
I finally succeeded in sitting upright. "Are you all right, my lord?" I asked tentatively.
He nodded and walked off to a cabinet in the adjoining room. After a good deal of clanking and banging, he returned. Pouring a glass of water, like he did mine, he downed it in one gulp.
Whoa. What's going on? Why was he so tired? The energy transfer? It must be. I took the necklace from the bedside counter and fingered the pendant.
He seemed to not want me to touch it but was too tired to stop me. I was still staring at it.
The tiny cylinder was filled with powder. The colour of the powder meant your level as a healer. It was a healer's charm and all healers had one. Bronze powder if you were a plain healer. Silver powder if you were an advanced healer. And gold if you were an exceptionally distinguished healer. Very few had the privilege to hold the gold powder. Black powder was a symbol of "better than the level".
Bronze-Black was if you were not as low as a bronze and not yet ready for silver. There were also Silver-Black and Gold-Black. Lord Elrond's charm was of only black powder. He was the only one in Middle-Earth to have such a powerful charm. I was a Bronze-Black.
This cylinder charm was covered with the design of the White Tree. Its branches wrapped protectively around the charm. There were stars etched over the caps of the powder cylinder. It was elegantly completed with a silver chain of mithril.
I looked up at him.
"My lord?" I inquired.
"Hmm?" he looked from his charm to me.
"It's..well..you're a Silver-Black? I mean, that's only one step away from Gold. Who's your master?" I asked. "If I may ask," I said hurriedly.
He looked at me for a long moment, "Lord Elrond."
"Lord Elrond." I repeated.
"Well, Lord Elrond tried to teach my father who would become the future Steward, but my father did not wish to learn the art of healing. He gave the pendant to my mother, who gave it to me. Boromir wanted it too, so my father persuaded Mother to give it to him. After the first bit of training, he gave it to me. And I've changed the pendant from Bronze, which is where it was in the first place." He said.
At the end, he drew a sharp breath and relaxed. I put the pendant back down on the counter.
He nodded at it, "Do you have one."
"Yes." I said, "Bronze-Black."
"That's a good start."
We were going in circles. I was still haunted by the vision of Faramir's death. He did not ask but I knew that he wanted to. I didn't answer him but paused. The tension was horribly tight. I frowned slightly.
"I suppose you'd like an explanation then, my lord." I began.
He looked at me intently. Then, he sat down on the chair and fingered the cup.
"I'm not forcing you to do anything." He stated.
I nodded. Yes, he had a right to know. I mean, how often does a little elf-girl show you how you die and then faint right in your bedchamber?
"How much did you see?" I asked. If he saw only a little, I might be able to change the facts and save myself.
"I noticed that you never looked up at me. And when you did, you averted my eyes. I didn't know what was going on, so I followed. And then-" he stopped.
"So you saw it all." I said.
What if he was afraid for the kingdom? Would he send me back to Rivendell? Would he have me executed in Minas Tirith? Horrific thoughts poked me doubtfully.
"Yes." He said.
"I." I began and stopped.
"You don't have to continue." He said reassuringly. I smiled faintly.
"I was born and raised in Imladris." He nodded, "When I was younger, they found out that I had..this problem. I could see..how someone would die. It only happens when I have eye-contact and the person had never seen before. But sometimes it doesn't happen. Sometimes I can speak to someone with eye contact. I've never tried to figure out the circumstances that must take place before someone sees. I don't want this to happen again. Lord Elrond said..that it cannot be cured by him. He said that maybe there was someone who could..but, I doubt that."
Someone knocked. I looked up at the door.
"Who is it?" asked Faramir.
"Mablung, sir."
"Come in."
Mablung opened the door slowly. "Lord Boromir wishes to see you, Captain."
"Now?"
"As soon as you can, he says." He replied.
"All right." He said, "Do you have anything to do?"
"Yes, my lord, but it can wait."
"I'll be able to find my brother's chambers on my own, so run along." Faramir made a shooing gesture to Mablung.
The soldier looked at me and back to his commanding officer. With a small grin, he shut the door and left.
"Do you want to come with me?" he asked. To me, it sounded like a command, though I doubt he meant it to sound so.
"Yes, my lord." I replied.
I needed some fresh air anyway. But..wait..Boromir, he hasn't seen yet. What if..
"Good." He said, interrupting my thoughts. "I have your bags here." He gestured to the saddlebags leaning against the wall. I blinked.
"Thank you, my lord." I murmured.
He smiled. "Now I'll leave so you can change into something else. The bathroom is over there. I didn't touch anything." He said, meaning my belongings.
"Thank you." I said again.
He got up, "Do you need help?"
"Let me see.." I swung my legs slowly over the edge of the bed and planted my feet on the cool carpet. I stood, lost my balance, and plopped back down onto the bed.
Faramir chuckled, "Take it easy." He helped me back standing and waited until he thought I was sure-footed enough to take a few steps. I did and he nodded approvingly.
Striding over, Faramir slid on a tunic with the White Tree emblem. He buckled on a cape and frowned as he turned back to me. I stiffened. Was I supposed to have turned my face away? He was changing, of course, but he still had sufficient clothing on in the first place, right? Faramir came back and took the healing pendant from the counter. He put in on and underneath the rest of his clothing.
Finally, he sighed. "I'll be outside the door. If you need help, just say something. Loud."
"Yes, my lord." I said.
He slipped out the door and shut it. I stood there for about five seconds without moving. Shaking my head, I went over to my belongings and unpacked. Underclothing. Hair accessories. Necklaces. I rummaged for my pendant and found it. The bronze powder mingled with the black as I tilted it back and forth. Glinting in the afternoon sun, the pendant shone. I put it down on the ground and took out one of my elven dresses. Should I wear the purple, or the wine red? Nah, too dinner-like. Perhaps the forest green? It would match Faramir's attire. Okay, forest green dress and..gloves? No, no gloves. Ah..silk slippers? Nah.
My hand touched a cool surface. I took out the leather case which enveloped my flute. Pulling the leather material away, I touched the smooth surface of the instrument. It had been my mother's flute. I put the instrument to my lips and played a gentle tune of the sea. Unexpected tears flooded my eyes. I deftly returned the flute to my saddlebags and took up my clothing. I made my way to the washroom, closed and bolted the door, and observed myself in the mirror.
I undressed quickly and pulled on the new gown. I tied the cords at the back. One knot. Two. Three. It was tight enough, but not so much that I could not breathe. I'd never had attendants and doubted that I ever would. Running a brush through my thick, raven hair, I became aware of all the time I'd spent here. Faramir was waiting outside. What was I thinking? Getting all upset, and playing my flute? He must think there's something wrong with me.
But there was something wrong with me.
Extremely angry for my lack of concentration, I tightened the cords at my wrists. I put on my healing charm and stalked out, taking everything that belonged to me. Putting everything back into my saddlebags and trying to compose myself, I neared the door.
And I stepped outside.
The Pendants
My eyelids fluttered as I awoke. Remembering where I was, I sighed before I was aware that someone else was in the room.
Faramir was sitting on a chair beside me. His eyes were closed as he spoke his perfect Sindarin. I frowned and realised that he had put his hand in mine like earlier. Only now, he had two fingers of his other hand pushing firmly on my pulse. He kept speaking as though he were not aware that I was awake.
I did not move but listened to his accent. He would have passed for an elf, I thought. The way his words blended into each other musically. His tone changed as he began to end the healing.
"So it shall be." He murmured in Elvish and took his fingers off my pulse and opened his eyes. He suddenly looked very tired. Faramir was sweating and it was obvious that he'd lost a lot of energy. Oh no, he was doing the energy transfer. I was able to transfer a little but nothing that would save someone. My pendant wouldn't allow it. He took his hand off my palm and picked up the necklace that rested in my hand. I tried to raise myself so I could speak.
But Faramir would have none of it. "Don't talk. Don't explain." He said. He poured a glass of water and put a hand behind my head and tilted it forward. He put the glass to my lips and I sipped a little. I stopped.
"It's just water." he muttered unconvincingly.
I swallowed another gulp and finished the rest without resisting. Faramir didn't seem to be the type that would poison little elf-girls. He put the glass down and gently laid my head back down on the pillow.
"Now you can talk if you want." He said. He looked around for a spare glass but finding none, he tried to get up. That seemed to use a great effort and he leaned heavily on the chair, trying to catch his breath.
I finally succeeded in sitting upright. "Are you all right, my lord?" I asked tentatively.
He nodded and walked off to a cabinet in the adjoining room. After a good deal of clanking and banging, he returned. Pouring a glass of water, like he did mine, he downed it in one gulp.
Whoa. What's going on? Why was he so tired? The energy transfer? It must be. I took the necklace from the bedside counter and fingered the pendant.
He seemed to not want me to touch it but was too tired to stop me. I was still staring at it.
The tiny cylinder was filled with powder. The colour of the powder meant your level as a healer. It was a healer's charm and all healers had one. Bronze powder if you were a plain healer. Silver powder if you were an advanced healer. And gold if you were an exceptionally distinguished healer. Very few had the privilege to hold the gold powder. Black powder was a symbol of "better than the level".
Bronze-Black was if you were not as low as a bronze and not yet ready for silver. There were also Silver-Black and Gold-Black. Lord Elrond's charm was of only black powder. He was the only one in Middle-Earth to have such a powerful charm. I was a Bronze-Black.
This cylinder charm was covered with the design of the White Tree. Its branches wrapped protectively around the charm. There were stars etched over the caps of the powder cylinder. It was elegantly completed with a silver chain of mithril.
I looked up at him.
"My lord?" I inquired.
"Hmm?" he looked from his charm to me.
"It's..well..you're a Silver-Black? I mean, that's only one step away from Gold. Who's your master?" I asked. "If I may ask," I said hurriedly.
He looked at me for a long moment, "Lord Elrond."
"Lord Elrond." I repeated.
"Well, Lord Elrond tried to teach my father who would become the future Steward, but my father did not wish to learn the art of healing. He gave the pendant to my mother, who gave it to me. Boromir wanted it too, so my father persuaded Mother to give it to him. After the first bit of training, he gave it to me. And I've changed the pendant from Bronze, which is where it was in the first place." He said.
At the end, he drew a sharp breath and relaxed. I put the pendant back down on the counter.
He nodded at it, "Do you have one."
"Yes." I said, "Bronze-Black."
"That's a good start."
We were going in circles. I was still haunted by the vision of Faramir's death. He did not ask but I knew that he wanted to. I didn't answer him but paused. The tension was horribly tight. I frowned slightly.
"I suppose you'd like an explanation then, my lord." I began.
He looked at me intently. Then, he sat down on the chair and fingered the cup.
"I'm not forcing you to do anything." He stated.
I nodded. Yes, he had a right to know. I mean, how often does a little elf-girl show you how you die and then faint right in your bedchamber?
"How much did you see?" I asked. If he saw only a little, I might be able to change the facts and save myself.
"I noticed that you never looked up at me. And when you did, you averted my eyes. I didn't know what was going on, so I followed. And then-" he stopped.
"So you saw it all." I said.
What if he was afraid for the kingdom? Would he send me back to Rivendell? Would he have me executed in Minas Tirith? Horrific thoughts poked me doubtfully.
"Yes." He said.
"I." I began and stopped.
"You don't have to continue." He said reassuringly. I smiled faintly.
"I was born and raised in Imladris." He nodded, "When I was younger, they found out that I had..this problem. I could see..how someone would die. It only happens when I have eye-contact and the person had never seen before. But sometimes it doesn't happen. Sometimes I can speak to someone with eye contact. I've never tried to figure out the circumstances that must take place before someone sees. I don't want this to happen again. Lord Elrond said..that it cannot be cured by him. He said that maybe there was someone who could..but, I doubt that."
Someone knocked. I looked up at the door.
"Who is it?" asked Faramir.
"Mablung, sir."
"Come in."
Mablung opened the door slowly. "Lord Boromir wishes to see you, Captain."
"Now?"
"As soon as you can, he says." He replied.
"All right." He said, "Do you have anything to do?"
"Yes, my lord, but it can wait."
"I'll be able to find my brother's chambers on my own, so run along." Faramir made a shooing gesture to Mablung.
The soldier looked at me and back to his commanding officer. With a small grin, he shut the door and left.
"Do you want to come with me?" he asked. To me, it sounded like a command, though I doubt he meant it to sound so.
"Yes, my lord." I replied.
I needed some fresh air anyway. But..wait..Boromir, he hasn't seen yet. What if..
"Good." He said, interrupting my thoughts. "I have your bags here." He gestured to the saddlebags leaning against the wall. I blinked.
"Thank you, my lord." I murmured.
He smiled. "Now I'll leave so you can change into something else. The bathroom is over there. I didn't touch anything." He said, meaning my belongings.
"Thank you." I said again.
He got up, "Do you need help?"
"Let me see.." I swung my legs slowly over the edge of the bed and planted my feet on the cool carpet. I stood, lost my balance, and plopped back down onto the bed.
Faramir chuckled, "Take it easy." He helped me back standing and waited until he thought I was sure-footed enough to take a few steps. I did and he nodded approvingly.
Striding over, Faramir slid on a tunic with the White Tree emblem. He buckled on a cape and frowned as he turned back to me. I stiffened. Was I supposed to have turned my face away? He was changing, of course, but he still had sufficient clothing on in the first place, right? Faramir came back and took the healing pendant from the counter. He put in on and underneath the rest of his clothing.
Finally, he sighed. "I'll be outside the door. If you need help, just say something. Loud."
"Yes, my lord." I said.
He slipped out the door and shut it. I stood there for about five seconds without moving. Shaking my head, I went over to my belongings and unpacked. Underclothing. Hair accessories. Necklaces. I rummaged for my pendant and found it. The bronze powder mingled with the black as I tilted it back and forth. Glinting in the afternoon sun, the pendant shone. I put it down on the ground and took out one of my elven dresses. Should I wear the purple, or the wine red? Nah, too dinner-like. Perhaps the forest green? It would match Faramir's attire. Okay, forest green dress and..gloves? No, no gloves. Ah..silk slippers? Nah.
My hand touched a cool surface. I took out the leather case which enveloped my flute. Pulling the leather material away, I touched the smooth surface of the instrument. It had been my mother's flute. I put the instrument to my lips and played a gentle tune of the sea. Unexpected tears flooded my eyes. I deftly returned the flute to my saddlebags and took up my clothing. I made my way to the washroom, closed and bolted the door, and observed myself in the mirror.
I undressed quickly and pulled on the new gown. I tied the cords at the back. One knot. Two. Three. It was tight enough, but not so much that I could not breathe. I'd never had attendants and doubted that I ever would. Running a brush through my thick, raven hair, I became aware of all the time I'd spent here. Faramir was waiting outside. What was I thinking? Getting all upset, and playing my flute? He must think there's something wrong with me.
But there was something wrong with me.
Extremely angry for my lack of concentration, I tightened the cords at my wrists. I put on my healing charm and stalked out, taking everything that belonged to me. Putting everything back into my saddlebags and trying to compose myself, I neared the door.
And I stepped outside.