Boromir tossed and turned as he slept. His forehead broke out into a cold sweat as nightmares plagued his dreams.
"Stop!"
Faramir laid on the stone floor as Denethor held a whip in his hand. Boromir watched as Denethor raised his arm and brought the whip down across Faramir's back.
"Father, stop it!" Faramir cried in pain. "This will not make Boromir come back!"
"Silence!" Denethor said. "He will come back!"
He struck him with the whip again.
"Father, stop!" Boromir yelled.
"Boromir!" Faramir cried. "Boromir!"
"Boromir!"
He felt himself being shaken. Boromir opened his eyes to see Kyra shaking him.
"Boromir, wake up", she said. "Please!"
"Kyra?"
Boromir rubbed his eyes and sat up. For some reason the bed felt wet. He threw back the blanket to find the bed soaked. Boromir looked over to Kyra to see her breathing heavily.
"Kyra, what is it?" he asked. "Why is the bed wet?"
"Boromir, it's time", Kyra breathed.
"Time?" he asked. "Time for what."
"The baby", she gasped in pain. "It's time."
"Time? The baby's coming now?"
Boromir jumped up. He started a fresh fire to give them light in the cave. He picked up a bucket to gather water. By the time he came back, Krya cried in pain curling up on the bed. Boromir took her hand as she breathed heavily. She squeezed it tightly as tears streamed down her cheeks. Both of them could've sworn they heard the bones in his hand cracking. Boromir didn't mind.
"Kyra, you will be alright."
"I know", she whimpered as the contraction faded. "Everything will be alright once the baby's here. After this, the three of us will live together in peace."
Boromir nodded as he kissed her forehead. He felt so helpless as he watched Kyra in pain. He had never seen anything like this. Boromir felt sick to his stomach. He just wanted to cover his eyes and pretend everything was alright.
"Boromir, I cannot do it!" Kyra cried. "The pain…is too much!"
"You can do it", Boromir said. "You can."
He brushed the hair from her sweat-covered brow and kissed her forehead. Tears came to Kyra's eyes as she began to push. Boromir stroked her hand, encouraging her every step of the way.
"Can you see the baby yet?" she asked.
Boromir checked to see if he could see the baby.
"I can see the head", he answered. "The baby's got a headful of hair."
Kyra smiled before she started pushing again. Boromir kept his eyes on the baby, hold his hands out to catch it. He was amazed as he saw the baby come into his hands. It was so tiny. Boromir smiled as he began washing the baby.
"Kyra", he began. "We have a daughter."
"It's a girl?" Kyra smiled as she wiped the happy tears from her eyes.
Boromir wrapped the baby in a blanket and handed her to Kyra. The baby gave a cough and opened her eyes. He felt so many emotions swell up in him. Happiness, pride, but above all, astonishment. Was this how Denethor felt when he held Boromir in his arms the day he was born?
"She's beautiful", Kyra said.
"As beautiful as her mother", Boromir said. "You did a perfect job bringing our daughter to life. What are we going to name her?"
"Do you not have a name in mind?" she asked.
Boromir ran his finger across the baby's cheek. The baby looked at him with wide blue eyes. He ran his fingers through her coppered colored hair. She looked so much like him.
"I have a name", Boromir said. "We could call her Vanim."
"Vanim? I never heard of such a name."
"It is Elvish. I came across it in my studies. It is Elvish for beauty."
"So our daughter's name will be beauty in another tongue?" Kyra chuckled. "What do you think? Should we call you Vanim, my dear?"
The baby gave a sneeze making her parents smile. She smiled back before yawning.
"Very well", Boromir said. "Her name is Vanim. Vanim of Gondor, daughter of Boromir and Kyra."