Faramir Fiction Archive

Accidental Happiness archived in seven not so simple steps (NC-17)

Written by Suryallee

12 January 2012 | 17291 words

Step five: Do not, I repeat do not share blankets on the road…

The trip went uneventful until the evening of the second day on the road.

Well, as uneventful as it can be with two elves that constantly tried to flirt with Faramir on every chance they got. And were rebuked deftly from Faramir every time right under the mirthful eyes of their brother. Who watched the spectacle from out of a safe distance together with the rest of the troupe. Curufin had the time of his life while watching his younger brothers get frustrated with the beautiful human prince. Chuckling he watched another attempt on seduction fail when the human had suddenly to inspect the rear of their riding company. He chuckled again at the sight of their scowls.

He had to give it to Faramir of Gondor and Ithilien, the man was witty enough to avoid it to let them catch him alone with them every time.

This time he outright laughed and nearly fell from his horse in his mirth. What got him twin glares from his aggravated brothers and a many amused ones from the elves and humans around him. Oh, how he wished Celegorm and Caranthir could watch this epic fails too! This time the third youngest of Feanor’s sons had to lean over to avoid falling from his horse because he was laughing so hard now that it hurt.

Amras and Amrod scowled darkly at their silly older brother and finally ignored him after a while.

Wishing the tears out of his eyes Curufin tried to calm down. At first, he had been angry to have to watch the twins, now he was glad as one could be that he had to. To think what all he would have missed, if he had not agreed to do this! The elf barely got down from his mirth in time to watch the man ride over to one of his warriors to hold a conversation with the Ranger. Curufin could hardly wait for the night to approach so he could write a letter to his older brothers about the newest folly of their youngest.

This was too good to miss out! He could already imagine the envy of Celegorm and Caranthir in his mind when they did read this.

It wasn’t that the man was scorning his brothers or that he was leading them on, oh far from it. Otherwise, he would have killed Faramir already, redemption be damned, no one played his brothers’ a fool if he had a say in it! He looked the man appraisingly over for a third time this day. Faramir seemed unperturbed at the glares of his brothers. On his side, the poor Ranger sweated profoundly under the icy glares that they were sending his way.

Curufin could not blame the poor man.

He knew how the gaze of his brothers and himself could unnerve already an elf, least a mortal. They were famous for their glares after all. He grinned. A wild and feral thing that scared the Ithilien Ranger next to him a few paces further and away from Curufin in the man’s fright without his notice. The elf silently mused that Faramir was most likely one of those men that were for keeps once they chose a final partner, and not to be trifled with in any way. Curufin wondered idly if his younger brothers did realize what they got themselves into this time. Shrugging the smith was sure they did not but did not care for once. Amras and Amrod were old enough to know what they did. And Faramir was it too in human standards and seemed to know exactly what they were up to and how to rather skillfully, evade them.

He shook his black hair and rode on.

Unknowingly from Curufin he was watched too, from Faramir. The man had tried to evaluate the elven smith since the beginning of their journey. The elf was taller as the twins even and dark as the night. A fine contrast to his brothers Faramir mused. Alright, the elf had quite a temper so much he had already found out too but generally speaking he was rather pleasant to have around. Curufin Feanorion was learned in Lore and obviously a fantastically good smith. And he knew it, that much was sure.

The first thing he had said to Faramir after being introduced to him was a question. About the whereabouts of the smith that had forged his sword. Not because Curufin wanted to talk to him, oh no! He wanted to find the poor man to kick him out of his smithy for being obviously a failure for their guild in general to judge from his work as he told Faramir in his blunt way.

Faramir being himself as usual just blinked and then pleasantly told him that he was very sorry that they had no time for that, before he asked Curufin sweetly if he could please watch his son for a moment. With that, he had given into his instincts and simply gave the surprised elf his son Elboron before Curufin knew what hit him to ride with him for a while.

Whilst ducking away fast to mount his horse and lead them out of Gondor under the rather amused gaze of Maedhros and his other brothers.

It had done the trick. The elf watched his mouth and temper abruptly in the presence of the curios child who earnestly asked him questions about metals with a sweet smile and so, distracted the elf unknowingly rather fast from his former ire.

Luckily for the poor human smith in Gondor.

After that, the elf had given him stares all the way long. Faramir knew that Curufin tried to assess him as he tried to evaluate him. Both had a silently stalemate for the time being and both knew it. The man noted amused that his son Elboron rather seem to search the company of the elf lord over the entire ride. His son loved the smithies and often was he found in them watching the smiths at their work. Out of a safe distance of course. He headed his father’s wish to stay out of trouble all the time so far what made Faramir glad.

Having the elven smith riding with them gave his curios little mind the unique chance to ask one all of his questions.

Faramir wondered from which side of the family his son got that interest but did nothing to hinder his son. What in turn made Curufin glad since he rather enjoyed the child’s curiosity about his chosen profession immensely in secret. And that the boy wasn’t easily scared away from his rather blunt way to speak was a plus too in his mind.

Like the cunning father, the son brushed the most off with enamoring smiles and that was that.

He wondered silently about the mother. He had heard, as all others had, too, of the divorce of the pair and of what had brought it on. He had seen the sad sight of the woman shortly in Gondor. The pain her eyes had even made him shudder seeing it into one that young. What made him sad, the woman was outstanding even for the standards of his own kin and from what he knew, and she did not deserve the damage she had in her mind and soul.

What a waste the elf thought. She would need a long time to heal from all her inner wounds and would go to Rivendell with his brothers. The healers there could help her better he had been told.

The man, he was a surprise for the elf.

He never seemed to get irritated or uptight. Not even at his brothers and that made him wonder. Faramir was always kind to everyone, gallant even. The females of the group practically flogged to the man. What had his brothers double their efforts to keep them on distance and made him laugh to watch them in their follies.

He had to agree on his eldest brothers assessment before the ride, concerning Faramir, the man was really something to behold.

Polite to a fault and obviously well learned in Lore and the laws and customs of even the Eldar; the latter made him a good debate partner for Curufin with ease. As well as Faramir’s skills in both, Sindarin and Quenya what made it easier for the elf to talk with the man. His skills in Lore and fast thinking had the others around them listen to their conversations with glee since he matched Curufin in that much to their and the elf’s amusement. He was sharp and had a soothing air about him that was rivaling that of his adored eldest brother.

Grudgingly Curufin had to admit that he begun to like the man in his own way and no one was more surprised at that revelation as the elf himself.

When nightfall came to them, the sudden storm came with it too.

Rain and winds soon had the most riders stay from their designed paths and before they all realized it, some had vanished from the traveling group.

Curufin seeing the dilemma of Faramirs captains took hold of the situation and ordered them all to gather everyone up and to make camp. It would be stupid and useless to search for the missing elves and men in the storm and so everyone did what the Elf Lord told them rather fast.

Looking out into the chaos around them, Curufin just hoped that the others were fine and went into the tent that he had claimed with the children of the missing man. Why they clung to him out of all people, he couldn’t fathom but they did and so Curufin ended up with the brats. What unnerved him slightly, to be honest.

The others were on their own for now.

The door to the small hut opened rather harshly when Faramir run it halfway in because the stupid thing had been locked. He was thrown inside from his sudden momentum and the wind blowing ruthlessly at his back and did land rather hard on the crude flooring of the hut. Behind him, the figures of the twins brought the horses into the small thing with them. They had tried to find the missing people from their group and too lost their bearings in the chaotic storm. Agreeing that it was of no use they had searched for shelter and found the hut by sheer luck alone.

They needed all three of them to get the door back closed since the wind had become rather strong in the last hours.

All three sunk to the floor rather gracelessly after they managed it.

Rubbing his hurting arm and back Faramir squinted at the elves in the darkness. “Now this wasn’t exactly how I envisioned our travel to Ithilien.” The two chuckled at that. “I rather think not, is this storming a normal occurrence here?” What Faramir thought to be Amras asked that sounding rather tired to the man. “No. Normally it is peaceful at this time of the year. I can’t remember the last time such a storm has hit the land here in this time of the year.” He stood and carefully made his way through the almost completely dark room to the herd to make a fire to dry them up and to get warm again.

Concentrating on what he was doing Faramir went on.

“Storms such as this one only hit the land in autumn and winter. But normally not in late summer like we have now.” He told the elves that had also gotten busy behind him and took their soaked saddles off the horses to rub them dry as best as they could.

“So this is extraordinary, how considerate of the weather.” Amrod had asked this time of that he was sure and Faramir looked behind him to confirm his thought and was proven true. He slowly got better in keeping them apart from the voices and the way they spoke alone. Amrod was more the mischief-maker of the pair and Amras was the more frank one of them.

He got up when the fire was finally burning merrily in the herd and went over to help them with his own mount.

Along the route, many of such huts had been building since the peace. To give travelers like them a chance to survive in such a storm. He had them regularly checked on and filled with necessaries such as firewood and food. Especially in the winter, they were checked out. Often the Rangers found travelers in need this way.

Later the three sat before the fire, stripped down to their loincloths. The hut had warmed up in the last hour and all three were just glad about Faramirs wise forethoughts in the past. It now aided their own survival immensely. Elves and man looked equally battled and wore blue and green bruises from head to toe to show off. As if they had come from a war and not out of a storm.

With Faramir having the worst bruises of them all.

“There on the shoulder, you missed that one Faramir.” Amras pointed at a scratch on the man’s left biceps. Faramir currently tried to put ailment on his many cuts and bruises. As did the twins do it too. He had to admire the economy and efficient way the two treated each other’s wounds. It spoke of the times they had done the same in the past for each other after a fight and at the same time, Faramir tried not to ogle at their wonderful bodies too.

Lean and muscular at the same time, an almost ideal build for a warrior that was used to speed in a fight and to use a bow. He wasn’t aware that he got also checked out from the twins. Only they were more subtle as he was. Whilst trying to be helpful that took an eyeful too.

“And you missed one on the back of Amras on the left side near the kidneys.” He told the elf distracted by his own wound that he tended to right this moment.

“I did? Crap! Turn again, I need to check. I thought I got them all.” Amrod made his twin show him his back again and soon found the rip in the skin that Faramir had spoken about. It was small but nonetheless needed cleaning. “I really did.” With a scowl, the elf went to work and reached for the bowl with the ailment again this night.

In the end he turned again to Faramir who tried to reach one of his cuts on his back and failed miserably. What made him curse softly under his breath.

“Here, let us do that. it is easier this way.” Amrod told the tired looking man and at Faramir’s nod he promptly and deftly went to work along with his brother. Together they needed no time at all to tend to the cuts and bruises that littered Faramir’s back. the man had fallen from his horse twice, once from a branch that had swept him and Amras from their horses and the second time when the horse suddenly reared up in fright from a thunder in the air. The latter had also dislodged Amrod temporary from his mount. In the end all three had walked instead to ride, it had been safer.

Not they checked critically over the big bruise on his back to assess how badly Faramir had been hurt.

Glad to find that he had no broken rips and injured organs as far both could tell they dressed the bruise carefully. Faramir was grateful for their consideration; he was in real pains now, since he had land on the floor when he had opened the door. The other two times he caught his fall just in time to avoid real injuries, he been schooled how to from Mablung and his brother in the past and now was really grateful to both dead men.

“Who told you how to avoid falling too badly?” Amrod mused loudly when he was finished.

Faramir stopped his shrug just in time before the back could hurt too much from the movement. “My brother and my teacher in the Ranchers in my past… both did die in the War of the Ring” He told the elves quietly. The two elves stopped to ask more questions immediately. Having been told what happened to Faramir’s brother in the past war. If his look was any indication then his teacher had met an equally ugly fate if not more.

For long moments Faramir simply stared into the fire and this time the twins let him brood.

This was something different, they understood that all too well themselves. “Is the food ready? Faramir finally asked when he stopped to think about Boromir and Mablung. “I believe so. It looks rather good considering that it is store food and not fresh. We even found some lembas.” Amrod gave the man a curios gaze. “How did you get your hands on those, may I ask?”

Faramir chuckled merrily.

“I am good, aren’t I?” He grinned at Amras and Amrod who had to grin back, Faramir was infectios when he was grinning like that. “Oh stop it and tell already before I give you a cuff over your silly head!” Amras told Faramir in a fake gruffly voice not caring that his own grin spoiled the effort right away.

Faramir still grinned when he answered them.

“Some of Legolas Elves know how to make them and some there are from the Golden Wood. They too know how to make them. I asked for them since they sustain a person of any race for a longer while without to get bad too soon.” He suddenly got up and checked on the store items again. Finally, he returned with a triumphant smile. “I knew I had made the order!” He showed the elves his catch. It was a bottle; dark green glass hid the liquid inside from the light. “Miruver, from Lord Elrond. It is one of the best things that he has ever come up with!” He told the curios elves who looked interested at the bottle now.

“So, this is his famous brew that all talk about?” The man nodded at Amrod. “Yes and it speeds up healing and recovery immensely, trust me!” Taking a sip he gave it to Amrod who also took a swig and then two more after he found out that he liked the taste. Then he gave it to his twin who did the same and gave it back to Faramir.

“Here, you better take the rest. We elves heal faster anyways; you need it more, Faramir. But I agree with you here, that is a fine stuff!” Faramir nodded and drunk the rest out of the bottle. “It is, isn’t it? Many of my Rangers and warriors have already sung high praises for the Lord of Rivendell in the past because of this.” He grew serious out of the sudden. “He rescued many a life with this stuff.” All three fell silent and stared into the fire for a while before they began their meal.

After cleaning up the most of their gear was still wet and clammy.

Amras looked up from his crouch in front of the heap of wet sleep gear inside the hut with a grimace. “They are still too wet to use.” He told the others dismayed. “Then we have to make do with what is stored in the hut I fear.” Faramir answered. He went over to the storage again and after a bit rummaging he found only one bigger blanket that wasn’t eaten into debris from insects inside of it. “Curse it! I have to tell the checkers to lay out more lure for those three times cursed moths.” He looked angrily down at the leftover of former blankets. The elves behind him exchanged a grin at his outburst of unusual anger.

All wore their leggings again since they had been dry enough.

It simply was warmer in them in the hut. Although the two would have normally taken to other measures to warm up this time, they headed the man because all were too tired anyways for something more. Even elves had an end to their stamina and the twin brothers’ were equally tired and cold as Faramir this time.

Slamming the door to the storage closed the man turned around to them and gave them one of his rare scowls.

“I fear we have to share this one here. It escaped the beasts hunger in one piece. Although it was originally thought as an under blanket and not as a cover.” He shrugged softly, still mindful of his bruises. The twins did not mind, meant it that they could cuddle up under it with the beautiful man the entire night.

Not surprisingly, they forgot wisely to mention that detail to Faramir.

The sleeping arrangements were thusly the following. Amras left and Amrod right and the poor Faramir in their middle before he knew what had hit him. Too tired to argue about it with them, he simply gave both a glare when they insisted that he was warmer this way and tried to find a position that was not hurting him too much on the hard floor that was only covered with the rug from in front of the fireplace.

He found it surprisingly easy to fall asleep, even with Amrod’s cold feet always sneaking between his warm ones to warm up and Amras’s cold nose snuggling into his warm neck.

Before he fully fell asleep, Faramir thought that Aragorn had been more then right when he had told him that elves could be a pain, these two undoubtedly fit the description with ease!

The rest of the night, he ended up fighting for the blanked with them and their sleepy limbs of the twins off him. the two reminded him for more than one moment at little greedy octopi when he was woken again from a twin, snuggling up to him so much that he felt uncomfortable. In the end he ignored it forcefully to get some sleep.

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