Once again, I wish I owned them, but I don't. And a special thank you to Evendim, who allowed me to borrow a few of her own creations.

How it all began

He knocked, then waited for admittance.

"Enter."

Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and walked seamlessly to kneel in front of the Steward.

"Arise Faramir." Denethor stood facing his younger son. After a moment he then picked up a parchment off his desk.

"Theoden has asked that we send you as an emissary so that you and his nephew may meet."

"Father?"

Denethor held his hand up, then continued. "I questioned this myself, but your brother assures me that with a small contingent along, you will quite enjoy yourself."

This led to Faramir and four guards ensconced off to Rohan.

The first week or so seemed everything that Boromir had ever told his younger brother about Rohan. Faramir found that though Eomer was a little brassier than himself, was still a very likeable person. In the short time since the Gondorians had arrived, the two young men had come to be friends. Then the evil befell.

Faramir didn't notice at first, so engrossed was he in just being a young man with no responsibilities upon him. But soon he realized he had not seen his guards in some days. He was questioning Eomer about it when a voice interrupted.

"They are learning our new maneuvers, my Lord. Have no fear, you will see them at the celebration." With that the man continued on his way.

"Celebration?" Faramir looked at Eomer as they continued toward the courtyard.

"Tomorrow night. I thought you knew. Every year we celebrate the Elders."

"Elders?" Faramir's eyebrows furrowed. He'd read everything he could about Rohan before embarking on this journey. Vaguely, he remembered seeing something regarding the Elders, but didn't have the time to finish reading.

"Yes the Elders." Eomer laughed now, "Don't tell me I've finally found something that you know nothing about?"

"Well, I hadn't…"

"There you are young Faramir."

The lad shivered at that voice, then turned to greet the advisor.

"Grima."

"Come, Eomer has lessons and you are summoned by the King."

Frowning slightly, Eomer turned to his friend. "Perhaps we can go riding later?"

"Of course." Faramir bowed, then followed the advisor.

Grima smiled, 'This couldn't of worked better.'

Had the two young friends known that the Gondorian guards had been sent home 'By order of young Hurin', they might have done things differently………..

They had taken him far into the country on the pretense of meeting Eomer. What he found however, was far more than he ever expected.

He'd been yanked from his horse and beaten, left alone only after he'd lost consciousness. After enjoying their lunch, the guards threw water on him to rouse him, starting all over again.

Finally, after what seemed an eternity to the young man, they'd stopped, pulled him to his feet, and told him he had thirty minutes before they came after him.

So the game of cat and mouse began.

A bruised and battered Faramir crouched behind the rock, knees to his chest, arms wrapped around them, trying to still the tremors.

"Think young Hurin. Always you put him between. He grows weary."

Closing his eyes, holding his breath to still the sob that threatened to tear out of his throat, Faramir begged silently to any that would listen.

"There's no need to hide. Your brother asked us to simply teach you a lesson." The voice now came from his far left. "to explain to you how he truly feels."

"You are the cause of the rift that is ever growing between father and son." A voice to the right joined in. "And the reason he cannot come and go as he pleases, forever a chain pulling him down."

A whimper from ahead.

"Do you not realize the hate he has for you? The loathing? Come now Hurin, surely to have noticed?"

They were getting closer. 'Boromir…. Please………..'

Present Day

"Boromir?"

"Hmm?" Taking another sip of his wine, he turned to his adjutant.

"I knocked. You must have been far off to not of heard." Ancir joked.

"What is it you need Captain?"

"Boromir?" Ancir stopped midway to his friend.

"I asked what is it that warrants you walking into my private quarters Captain?"

"I was not aware that I needed a reason Commander." Ancir answered quietly, confusion in his eyes. "I wished to see if there was anything you might need before retiring sir."

Sighing, Boromir lowered his head. "I'm sorry Ancir. I'm not sure what bothers me of late. My days feel like nightmares and my nights are filled with them."

"I know not what ails you my friend, but I worry for you. You are preoccupied much lately." Ancir replied cautiously. "Mayhap it is all of this with Faramir that has you out of sorts."

"Faramir?" Boromir spat. "Faramir betrayed his Lord's trust."

"He is just a boy." Ancir pointed out. "A boy who wasn't given a chance to explain. He is scared."

"He was a Hurin!" Boromir took another sip from his glass turning to the fire. "Dismissed Captain."

Ancir frowned at the wording his friend used. 'was'? He needed to think, to mayhap speak to another. Someone whom he could trust. "Goodnight Commander."

'Alright, this definitely is not his friend, his Bori.' Ancir was deep in thought.

He'd walked through the streets for hours before ending up at this very door. The lead physician, himself, had granted him entrance. Caranthir had heard of what happened earlier and was not at all pleased. He had treated both sons of Gondor since they were but babes and never had he seen the elder treat the younger with anything but kindness and love.

Stepping into the lounge, the physician offered the redhead tea then settled across from him. "Tell me young sir, what ails you to bring you to my door?"

"I" Ancir cleared his throat, "I fear for young Faramir."

There, he spoke it aloud. Gathering his courage, he continued. "I also suspect that something is amiss with Boromir."

"Go on.."

"I know not where to turn. Boromir is not himself lately, he's been so…."

Ancir was at a loss for words. 'How does one describe that gone was his friend of years and replaced by a, a someone he did not know.'

"I too have seen this." Caranthir decided to step in.

"He seems to be, well, under a trance. To partition his brother to…."

The physician held his hand up to stop the adjutant. "When did you first notice these changes?"

"Almost immediately after Faramir was sent to Edoras." Ancir frowned remembering something. "When the message from Rohan arrived, Boromir also received wine from Theodred."

"Wine you say? Hmmm… I wonder?"

"Always those two send gifts to each other," Ancir provided, "this is nothing new."

"No, it has been that way since they met." Caranthir agreed. "However, has not the prince been at Helm's Deep of late?"

"Eru! You're right. Boromir and I just were there two months ago. It never occurred to me that…."

"It is not your fault Ancir. There is more at play here than meets the eye, has been for some time now."

"You mean the Eye."

"Perhaps." The physician pondered, then with a gleam in his eye he continued. "Here is what we do……….."

"Theodred?" Eomer began tentatively.

The prince looked up from tending the fire. "Cousin?"

"I, how"

"Eomer, what bothers you?"

"Faramir of Gondor came to visit."

"Did he now? How did this come to pass?" Standing, Theodred looked at his cousin.

"Uncle requested it."

Theodred frowned, "Father or Grima?"

"I do not know."

Deciding to dismiss this for now, Theodred wondered that Boromir even allowed Faramir out of Gondor without himself escorting him. "And did you not get along? I know he's not his brother, but surely it wasn't that unbearable."

"No, we actually did. Which is why I didn't understand why he left early."

"He left early? Perhaps you'd better explain."

"Well, we were heading to the courtyard to spar, then Grima sent me to lessons. He also told Faramir that the King wished to see him. We'd made arrangements to go riding later, but he'd left."

Theodred didn't like the sound of this. Faramir and Boromir both were diplomats to the core. Sooner would Faramir poke his eye out than disobey his father. If something happened to the younger, Boromir would be heartbroken.

"Theodred? Did I do something wrong?"

"No Eomer, you did no wrong, only the worm has done that." The prince began putting out the fire, while turning to his men.

"Mount up. We ride to Gondor."