Denethor looked over to Boromir at breakfast. He noticed his son wore an exhausted expression that particular morning. Faramir noticed the same thing. Usually Boromir was wide awake at this hour of day. Boromir looked like he was about to nod off and fall asleep right there at the table.
"Are you feeling well, my son?" Denethor asked.
Boromir's eyes were closed almost as if he were asleep.
"Boromir!"
"Yes father?" he said waking up.
"I asked are you well?" Denethor said. "You look as if you hadn't slept a wink."
"I hadn't", Boromir yawned. "I could not sleep."
"Is there a reason?"
"I suppose I was not tired", he answered. "I spent the majority of the night…"
"Yes?" Denethor asked.
Boromir looked at Faramir trying to come up with a good excuse.
"I was…reading!"
"Reading?" Denethor asked confused. "I didn't know you could read."
"Well, Faramir here does", Boromir said with a smile. "He's helped me learn."
Denethor looked at Faramir sharply. Faramir smiled trying to get a smile out of his father for once, but instead received a look of disapproval.
"You have no business distracting your brother with useless things."
"Father, reading is not useless", Boromir said. "I will need the knowledge if I am to be the next steward."
"For what will you need it for?" Denethor asked. "I have had no need for it in years."
He sighed as he got up.
"You both have my leave to go. Boromir, I will excuse you for all lessons for today. I want you to get some sleep."
"Thank you, father", Boromir said as he got up to leave.
Faramir got up and followed him down the hall.
"Why did you lie to father?" he asked.
"What are you talking about?"
"I saw you this morning", Faramir answered. "You weren't in your room reading. You were outside in the lower levels. You were with a girl."
Boromir looked down the hall to make sure Denethor didn't hear them. He took Faramir and rushed to his chambers.
"You mustn't mention a word of this to father", he said. "Father would punish us severely."
"What would he do?"
"He will whip me within an inch of my life", Boromir said. "He's done it before. But to Kyra, he could banish her from Minas Tirith or sentence her to imprisonment or death."
"Why would he hurt the girl?" Faramir asked.
"Father despises anyone who is of a low class", he said. "I cannot let that happen to Kyra."
"Who is she, brother? Why have you taken a sudden interest in someone we don't know?"
"She's a girl I met long ago. You were just a baby at the time. I met Kyra in the lower levels of the Citadel when we were children. She may be the only friend I have."
"Are you going to see her again?" Faramir asked.
"Yes", Boromir answered. "Tonight, after father retires for the night, I will go back to the lower levels to Kyra."
"Be careful when you return. If I saw you, then father could too."
Boromir nodded as he hugged his brother. It was comforting to know at least Faramir approved of his friendship with Kyra.