Fallaciously Framed!

by Dene4 & Simply Sara

Author's Note/Disclaimer: For fun, not profit, as always. Any and all non-canonical and/or impossible situations/characterizations/modernizations/etc. found within the following story, are for the sake of said story, so please don't review us citing our misrepresentations or "mistakes". We know canon, sometimes we just choose to ignore/bend/twist it a little bit. But only a little. And only for fun. The idea, genius, and working force behind this story is Dene4, my younger sister. I, Simply Sara, was simply present to edit, offer suggestions, support, corrections, additions, new ideas, new wordings, etc. The title of this story in currently tentative and could change. I personally hope it will, but my sister does have dibs on the title rights.

Well, here's to hoping you'll continue to be amused : )

Ch. 2 Dinner With the Steward

For dinner that night, the servants brought out quite a delicious feast. Roast chicken, bread, soup, roast duck, almond tarts, etc., all graced the table with their presence as well as a rather enormous bowl of ripe, red, cherry tomatoes, Denethor's favourite. (Typist tries not to laugh)

Faramir and Boromir entered the hall silently, both fearing the wrath of their father. Finduilas followed them in and sat quietly. They all began eating after the solemn moment of silence facing west—all except Boromir that was. He couldn't help but be fearful and he wasn't really in the mood to eat. Finduilas looked up and sternly caught his eye. Her look clearly said "Eat up or your Father will know something is wrong." Boromir took a tentative bite of his bread.

Before he had finished chewing, a servant came in with a letter and discreetly placed it by Denethor's plate. The Steward quirked an eyebrow but continued chewing. Finduilas glanced at her eldest child who tried in vain to stop from choking on his bread and hide a grimace. Faramir coughed to hide a tiny giggle. Finduilas turned her gaze to him raising both her eyebrows. Denethor observed them all, eyebrow quirking to a higher degree.

The message-carrying servant looked slightly confused, standing uncertainly beside the Steward's chair. Usually, the Steward immediately inquired after who had sent the letter. "Uh…from Lady Ienmir, my lord," the servant supplied, somewhat perplexed. Denethor's eyebrow quickly unquirked itself. His gaze settled on Boromir, who thought his father looked very disturbing when he looked at him that way. Boromir slumped in his seat. Faramir on the other hand looked pleased as pie, sitting happily, waiting for the outburst he was certain was on its way.

Denethor picked up his knife to cut open the letter, eyes seeming never to leave Boromir's. Boromir's response was to gulp and sink lower in his chair. In one smooth motion he slit open the envelope. Finduilas suppressed a smile, amused at how characteristically dramatic her husband was being. Knowing all to well his son's fear, he purposefully kept the knife in his hand longer than necessary, looking back and forth between knife and son, as if he was contemplating what exactly he should do with said knife. Boromir didn't move. He didn't even breathe.

Denethor finally laid the knife gingerly down beside his plate and dropped eye contact with his son. Boromir breathed an all but inaudible sigh of relief and sat up a little straighter. Finduilas brought her napkin to her mouth to hide a grin. Denethor pulled out the letter, looking once again in Boromir's direction. The elder son of Denethor slumped once more.

Denethor coughed, largely for dramatic effect. Finduilas and Faramir shared small grins. "My Lord Steward," Denethor began reading the letter, "I regret to inform you…"

Why, oh why, is he reading it out loud?! Boromir thought frantically. He wished he could disappear entirely. Well, either that or at least find a decent hiding place. What kind of nut thought it was a good idea to hide by slumping down in your chair? Yeah…like that would ever work. Better than nothing, though, he supposed.

Denethor continued: "That your son…" he paused.

Faramir suddenly had an epiphany. What if the letter was about him? Faramir gulped weakly—he'd always been a little paranoid. His mother threw him a quizzical look but his only response was to turn a very interesting shade of pink. Denethor continued yet again: "Boromir (here Faramir breathed a sigh of relief) is failing to keep his attention upon his work." Denethor stopped reading long enough to throw Boromir a particularly murderous look. At least, it looked murderous to Boromir. Boromir seemed to turn a sickly shade of green. "However, I am sure with the proper mind set he shall certainly be able to concentrate, for he is indeed a very bright young man, full of much potential. I merely wished to inform you of the situation so that you might act accordingly. Sincerely," Denethor punctuated, "Lady. Ienmir." He placed the letter to the side of his plate and looked meaningfully at Finduilas who raised both eyebrows. He turned his gaze to Boromir, who merely continued to play with his hands as he had started to do after his father said the word "failing".

"Boromir," Denethor began, his voice rising, "Do you mind telling me what in the name of Gondor is going on?"

"Well…uh…sir…see…I…uh…sort of…um…was…a little bit…uh…um…rude….to…uh…Lady Ienmir." He told the story again. When Boromir was finished, he dared a glance at his father's face. The Steward's eyes looked like burning pieces of coal, getting fiercer with every moment that passed. Boromir gulped, pondering all the things his father could do to him.

"Boromir," Denethor said in that all too calm voice he used when upset," your mother and I will discuss your punishment later, but for now, go to your room."

"Yes, sir," Boromir said obediently. He certainly wasn't at all pleased with the outcome of dinner, but he was certainly thrilled to be out of the company of his father's piercing stare. He excused himself in silence. Faramir tried his best to keep his face straight as his brother timidly (and with some speed), quit the room.

Hi! Hope you enjoyed this second chapter. And thanks so much for your reviews. I really wanted to get this next chapter before I left this afternoon, so I decided to delay the Reviewer Response section so I could get this next chapter up. My church youth group is going on a mission trip to Ohio, so I won't be back till late Saturday night. Next chapter should be up soon after that though with the reviewer response section I didn't have time to add to this chapter. Apologies.

Thanks for reading!

God bless,

Dene4 and Sara