DISCLAIMER: NONE OF THESE CHARACTERS BELONG TO ME. THEY ALL BELONG TO THY HOLY GOD, TOLKIEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What happens when your expectations ruin your outlook? What happens when you fall, and can't get up? What happens when you stumble, and lose your ground? What happens when you go over the edge?

Faramir slept soundly in his bed. The night air was soft on his face. He slept in dreamless slumber.

Boromir snuck into his little brother's room. He turned on the lights, and shouted, "Faramir, it's your favorite brother!"

Faramir leaped out of bed. "Boromir!" he shouted with joy. It had been several months since he had seen his brother, and he was overjoyed. "I thought that you said you would gone for a year or two!"

Boromir smiled. "Nothing can stop me from getting home." Faramir laughed, and said, "You said you would bring me some things. Did you?"

Boromir smiled again. "Yes I did, little brother. I would not travel all the way to the Land of the Horse Lords without bringing my little brother a present!"

Faramir smiled. His brother never failed to bring him something special from all the places that he visited. Then, Faramir's face clouded. Their father only sent Boromir places. It was up to the older son to make sure that Faramir knew everything.

The older one pulled out a small green sack. He grinned, and said, "Yours to enjoy." Faramir opened the sack. He gasped in delight.

Inside, was a small wooden horse. Faramir shouted, "Wow! This is amazing!" Boromir nodded. "It was carved for you by the king's own captain." Faramir hugged Boromir, and said, "Thanks Bori." Boromir smiled inside, but then said, "I have to go back to my rooms. I'll see you tomorrow!" Faramir smiled. He said, "Ok. Good night!" Boromir waved, and said, "Good night." He closed the door to his five-year-old brother's room.

Boromir sighed. Sometimes, it was hard to be so nice to Faramir all the time. He could get annoying sometimes, but deep down, he knew that his brother was worth his care. He smiled, and strolled over to his room.

Faramir looked at the little wooden horse in amazement. He picked it up, and said, "Neigh!" He giggled, and amused himself with his new gift until one of the guards rapped on his door and said, "Master Faramir, you must go to bed." Faramir giggled, and said, "I will, Master Guard."

The guard smiled. Master Guard, indeed.

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Years passed. Darkness started covering the land in the East. Boromir set out from Minas Tirith to defend Osgiliath. Faramir went with him.

Faramir tried to prove his worth to his father, but his father only had eyes for Boromir when he climbed to the top of the domed building and claimed the City of the Stars for Gondor. Faramir felt lonely, and worthless, as his father praised Boromir, and insulted Faramir loudly.

"Now, if Faramir had been in charge of this attack, this city would still be under control of the Shadow. But no, I decided that only my best captain would lead this attack. I know for sure that I made the right choice." Boromir beamed, but inside, he saw his younger brother cringe from all the remarks that Denethor was making.

He tapped his father on his shoulder. "Um, father? I need to go speak to Faramir." Denethor just smiled tightly, and said, "You can go do that." Then, he whispered to Boromir, "Remember, he did not help in this invasion. All he did was give Osgiliath to the Shadow in the first place." Boromir nodded, but inside, he thought, The day I do that is the day that the Shadow covers all of Gondor.

Faramir saw his brother walking towards him. "Boromir?" Faramir asked. Boromir gritted his teeth, and said, "Come with me."

Boromir led his brother to a secluded area. He whispered, "Don't pay attention to Father. He doesn't hate you." Faramir broke out into tears. He cried out, "He doesn't hate me! Of course he hates me! You know it as well as I do. You know it as well as everyone in Gondor does! Everyone and everything knows that Father loathes me. If you were lost, and I remained, he would beg with the Valar to replace us! He only wants you by his side, his special elder son!" He spat out those last words, and turned and ran.

Boromir cried out, "Wait, Fari! Come back!" Faramir stopped. The last time he had heard those words... when was the last time he had heard those words? He said coldly, "What do you have to say now?"

Boromir winced, and said, "Look, I don't want to hurt you. I just want to let you know that Father really doesn't hate you. He can't hate you."

Faramir spat out, "It seems that way, doesn't it?" Then, he turned, and ran again.

Boromir sank down on his knees. He asked himself, "Why do I bother trying to tell my brother that he is not hated by his family?" He stood up, and walked back to the celebration.

Faramir continued running. He ran until he passed the walls of Osgiliath. He ran and he could see the White City up ahead. He ran past that, and he kept on running, through the plains of Gondor. He kept on running, and running, and he saw the green windswept meadows of Rohan. He kept running, until he saw the Great Forest. He stopped, and panted, "So this is where my feet carry me." He stepped into the forest.

The trees were wary of this new visitor, and they didn't hesitate to trip him and whack him with branches. Faramir scowled, and said, "Nobody loves me, not even trees." He continued walking through the forest, until he saw a small spring.

He bent down, and scooped some of the water onto his face. The water smelled clean and pure, so unlike himself.

Faramir looked around. He was in a small clear patch amidst tall towering trees. Somehow, he felt like he was five again.

Faramir felt happy. When he was five, his brother was still his friend, his father didn't hate him, and the people of Gondor viewed him and his brother as the Two Heirs of the Throne. Now, there was only one Heir. Now, his brother was less his friend, and more his comrade. Now, his father despised him.

Faramir thought grimly, That's all about to change. He stood up from the spring, and made his way through the Forest of Fangorn.