Faramir Fiction Archive

If you can't see me as who I am, then why bother? (NC-17)

Written by Laivindur

22 April 2012 | 74699 words | Work in Progress

Chapter 4

Clouds hid themselves behind the knolls. And with bright orange, and colors of a night beckoning, Boromir watched Faramir as he and his troops rode up to the king in the front. Goosebumps spread across Boromir’s skin as he studied Faramir’s serious and focused, but yet frightened face under the short conversation with the firm king.
Boromir shortly smiled as he thought of the situation of his little brother already cooperating with a high king.

The night was reaching to its darkest so the hurry begun. The determined and accepting nod from Faramir, and the well done sliding off his horse to give sign to his troop, gave Boromir shivers through his spine. Getting closer to Rohan the terrain dilated and made it easier to battle by horse, but as the rangers were not to use horses no more, they gave them up to others who’d been sharing horses. He couldn’t help it to feel a hole in his tummy when the rangers, along with his precious, disappeared by foot behind a narrow knoll.

It didn’t help on Boromir’s worry that darkness was hiding his little brother in the shadows, which made it more difficult to keep an eye on him. His images about Faramir under the orcs’ captive almost made him skip his horse in a straight gallop and get him back. He hurried his gaze away from the view for not making his wishes for real. As Théodred made his troop ride to the left, it was Boromir’s sign to take the right.

As Boromir made it around the knoll, he could see the forest with the red sunset in the back, where also some mountains had the honor of participating in the glorious view. He couldn’t see Faramir; the rangers had already entered the woods where they would be hiding and make the sign when all the orcs had made it out of the trees. Théodred and the king would be waiting behind a slope, and Boromir would ride his troops in for another ambush behind another slope. Faramir and his rangers had found their places and were well hidden thanks to their nature colored uniforms and blending skills.

Faramir didn’t like to take lives, but knowing this amount of orcs had their direction towards an innocent village, he would do it. His hatred towards orcs still lingered after seeing Éomer and Éowyn’s faces after knowing their father had been killed by one. He remembered poor Éowyn who he had comforted after she had crashed into him while running from her mother who’d told her to act like a lady. The woman had been devastated of her husband’s death.

The boy from Gondor and Éowyn had never spoken to one another before, but somehow the little girl trusted the boy who sat down on his knees to face her and dry her tear away while speaking softly that it was alright to cry. The long blonde hair the girl possessed reminded him a bit of his mother.
He thought of her in the darkness of the trees, and just like every other time he did, he wished her alive safe back in Gondor waiting for him to return. Before sinking into deeper thoughts he gathered his concentration once more. Just then he heard a branch break.

Théodred had difficulties to keep his gaze on two of his spies who lay still on the top of the hill, scouting for the orcs. The sun had almost vanished, only seconds left. He only assumed the two black spots he’d locked his gaze on still were his spies. The king did the same. Théodred trembled with excitement; this would be over in a minute. Two troops would attack before the orcs; Théodred and Théoden, a rain of arrows from the woods, which would be Faramir, and another two troops afterwards with Boromir in the front. This would be a child’s play.

“They are coming” One of the spies had whispered hysterically to Théodred and ran to mountain his horse. The other spy which had told Théoden, did the same. “Wait for the sign, and charge at my command” Théodred’s heart beat adrenalin in every inch of his body. With a torch each, waiting to be lit, they waited in total silence and were afraid their heartbeats would be heard like drums to the orcs.

Théodred worried when time passed without the sign, and started to doubt Faramir. Why did it take so long? The orcs were getting pretty close. The men could hear grunting, stomps and rustling. Panic started to spread through the air only for a second when a sudden flock of birds were squeaking all over the field. The men jumped, and though they knew it was the sign, some did cast a sight at the sky.

The orcs reacted the same way and started to converse between themselves where it could have come from. Another flock of birds, so it seemed, squeaked in the woods. The captain of the orcs shouted as he and the rest were staring at the woods “It’s just mating sick birds. Get a move on!”
When the chieftain turned to lead his fellow orcs forward, he became aware of a herd of horses. It took him a while to understand why the horses seemed to have some kind of fireball attached to each one of them. He didn’t know what to scream so he only roared angrily. That was enough for the others to understand a battle was on.

The rohirrim tossed their torches in the middle of the crowd of orcs as they slashed every foul creature they could get their blade or spear into. The torches light up the battleground and made it easier for the men to see. Some orcs were living torches as they had been set fire to, and some orcs tried to make a run for it, but the outer line got struck down by another herd of horses with fireballs.

Boromir had finally get himself to enjoy the battle, and jumped down from his horse right onto an orc who died right at the spot by the severe dash the warrior made on his chest. Drawing his sword he slashed two middle sized orcs in one blow and turned to stab a bigger creature in the chest.

Seeing their doom, the orcs went for the forest. The silent rangers watched the orcs get closer from afar. Their green hoods hid them quite well, and with the bow ready with an arrow they waited. Faramir’s eyes reflected the fire from the field a hundred meters away as he pointed out an oncoming orc.
The rangers had crawled to the end of the forest after all the orcs had left it, and waited for the horrified creatures to get closer for instant kill. Faramir’s men were amazed of their Captain’s courage to go forth with his strategies, and they admired his philosophy.

Even though some thought of him too mellow, most of them respected and admired their new appointed captain. He’d been having struggles at the start, for some of them had been under Boromir earlier and had troubles adjusting to Faramir’s difference. Some were not happy about the boy’s age, but followed the orders he gave.

Faramir would be the first to raise his bow followed abruptly by the others. After the raise of bows, they all counted the agreed amount of seconds before they let go of the arrows with fire burning in their eyes.

A sound of arrows swift through the air got followed by the thuds and groans of the orcs. Faramir wouldn’t let go of his tightened lips before reassuring the screams of the men had turned to cheering. All of the orcs had been slaughtered, and only two men had been badly wounded. A deep cut through a thigh were tended to, and one had almost lost his arm. Many splintered and broken armors had to be fixed, and some horses had been burnt or cut, but not severely. Faramir could see his brother assist the others by collecting the orcs in a pile to set fire on them. He got out of his hiding place, followed by the others to assist.

Théodred watched as Faramir dragged a corps of an orc a few meters, and walked over to him as he tossed it in the pile “I can’t believe this went so smooth. You did well my friend.”

Faramir huffed and puffed as he smiled and answered “Yes, it went quite smooth. Thank you.”

After this he glanced at the orcs in the pile still panting of the effort used in carrying heavy orcs.
“Do you pity them my young friend?” Faramir’s sad and unsecure eyes fell to the ground, and he felt embarrassed before his elder Captain
“Don’t worry my friend, I know you. And you’re right, but this is war and you have to learn to comprehend to these feelings. After some time you will.”
Looking up to Théodred’s firm and tender eyes, he smiled, and they slammed on each others’ shoulder with a friendly gaze
“Now, we all deserve a nice and long rest.” Théodred said before he disappeared behind the pile of orcs to attend to some of his men with a concussion each.

The young and proud ranger heard his name being called by a loud and warm voice which made his heart pounce, and his skin tremble. He turned and was grabbed firmly on the shoulders by his brother “You did great! I can’t believe this, it went on so fast. I think this is a record when it comes to slaying orcs.”
Faramir smiled with his brother and met his firm grip by holding on to his elbows. “I’m so proud of you!” Boromir continued with a passionate look on his brother and squeezed him in a hug. He let go right after and ruffed his hair
“Let’s go home and tell father!”
Boromir did notice the face on Faramir at the mention of Denethor, but thought that this time their father had nothing on Faramir to make him feel bad. Faramir wasn’t so sure; there were a lot of things he could scold him for.

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