Boromir sat outside the door of the houses of healing. He was getting worried, his mother was screaming in pain and when his father came out to check on him his face was lined with worry. "Boromir." He looked up when his name was called. "What's wrong?" Aleathiel sat down beside him. "My mother, she's having my brother, I'm scared she's going to die." He whispered.
"Don't worry, she won't." His friend smiled and hugged him tightly. Boromir buried his face in her slim shoulder. She smelled like a field of flowers and that always seemed to comfort him. After a few minutes he lay down and rested his head on her lap. She smiled and combed his shaggy hair with her fingers. Aleathiel smiled reassuringly at him. She was only four, but she seemed to know how to handle any situation.
"Aleathiel, do you know how to read?"
"No, my father says it's a waste of time to teach a girl how to read." She sighed.
"Want me to teach you?" Boromir looked up at her.
"Please, would you?"
"Sure." It made him happy to see her emerald eyes light up when she smiled.
Denethor stepped out of the door and knelt by the bench. "Boromir."
"Father, how is mother?"
"She's very weak, but she should be fine. You have a brother, his name is Faramir." His eyes were cold as he spoke of his second son.
"Can I see him?"
Denethor nodded and led his son inside.
Three years past, Boromir was ten, Aleathiel was seven, and Faramir was three. The Steward's wife had fallen ill many times in those three years. Denethor was having Boromir train with the sword so he could someday be a great captain. Faramir, for a reason that Boromir and Aleathiel did not know, was despised by his father. The three of them spent every moment together. They had this one place in the gardens, where a huge Willow tree grew. Its branches hid them from view when the sat under it. Normally Boromir would lean against the tree with Aleathiel leaning on him and Faramir would curl up on Aleathiel's lap. They spent many happy hours sitting like that with Boromir and Aleathiel taking turns reading books of lore.
One day, when Faramir was taking a nap, Boromir and Aleathiel snuck out to the tree and sat together talking and reading a book of ballads. A guard of the citadel made his way toward them. "Milord." He bowed slightly. "What is it?" Boromir's smile fell when he saw the graveness on the soldier's face. "Your mother, she has passed. The healers could do nothing." He backed slowly away and left them alone. "No!" Boromir roared and ran from the willow. Aleathiel followed him slowly.
"Boromir." She called after him. He stopped running and collapsed in anguish. Aleathiel knelt beside him. Rain slowly started falling from the cloudy sky.
"Boromir, get up. We must get to the gazebo." She ordered. He stood but felt nothing as she led him to the shelter. Boromir sat on the floor and slowly slipped down until his face was touching the cool stone.
"Oh, Boromir." Aleathiel whispered she lifted his head and rested it on her lap.
"This is a dream, Aleathiel. I'll wake up and none of this will have happened." He whimpered.
Aleathiel pulled him into a sitting position. "Boromir, this isn't a dream." His eyes clouded with tears but he refused to let them fall.
"Father says it is weakness for a man to cry." He mumbled.
"Just cry, he's not here to see you." She whispered and hugged him gently.
"I need her, Ally."
"I know. But, you've still got your father." Boromir frown slightly. "He isn't nice to Fari. I think it's because when Faramir was born he made Mamma weak." Aleathiel sighed. "Don't worry, he'll get over it."
"I hope so." Boromir hugged his friend again. Little did they know that this event would change the course of their lives forever.