Faramir Fiction Archive

Elves, Orcs and the Road to Recovery

Written by KC

06 November 2004 | 58662 words

Part 14

Faramir regained consciousness slowly and painfully, as the first thing to register with the young Steward was a massive, pounding headache. He was aware that he was lying on his side and his head was being cradled in someone's lap. Voices, that sounded at first muffled and distant, became more distinct.

"He will be all right will he not, Mithrandir?" Faramir recognised the concerned voice of his father directly above him, which answered the question of the owner of the lap in which his head rested.

"Yes, yes. He will recover, though I expect that he will have somewhat of a headache when he awakes," came Gandalf's response.

*Somewhat* of a headache, thought the Steward indignantly almost snorting and giving away the fact that he was both awake and aware, was like saying the fires of Mordor were *somewhat* warm. Faramir felt as if a small Gimli was using the inside of his skull as a giant bell, banging his axe from side to side; indifferent to whatever brain matter he was slicing through in the process.

"What happened, Gandalf? What was the blue light? Was it the ring?" Faramir heard Elessar ask.

"I would not have thought that he would have been able to do that as yet," the Steward heard his father say.

"He should not have been able to, just as he should not have come into contact with the ring for many years but as it always has been with this young one, he has somehow managed to do so," came Mithrandir's almost petulant response.

"Why did he fall unconscious?" Elessar's voice again.

"My young wizardling here took the power from within himself to channel through the ring. A dangerous manoeuvre if you do not know how to control its flow."

Took the power from within myself? Faramir thought. The young Steward could not remember doing anything except push Elladan out of the path of the Uruk-hai's arrow unfortunately putting himself in its path. Faramir sent up a silent but probably fruitless prayer that his father had not witnessed that particular event.

A spike of pain in his head caused the Steward to moan. He opened his eyes and closed them again quickly as the overly bright light felt like knives stabbing through his eyes and into his head. Rolling over slightly and onto his knees Faramir retched. As he had had nothing much to eat the retching was a series dry heaves. He felt his father's hands pulling his hair back from his face and supporting his forehead, as he felt sure his stomach was attempting to vacate his body.

Maglor passed a brew for the relief of pain to Aragorn who crouched beside his ailing Steward and pressed the cup to Faramir's lips. Scrunching up his nose at the odour emanating from the noxious brew but offering no other objection, the Steward drank; surprised that the liquid stayed down. Thranduil eased his son back down onto his side, placed his head on his lap and brushed the auburn locks out of his son's face.

"You look awful, muindor tithen," Legolas said as he crouched down beside Faramir examining his brother's pale and sweaty face.

"Thank you, brother, I would indeed hate to think I felt this ill and it *not* show." Faramir replied sarcastically. "Was anyone hurt? Are the twins alright?" the young Steward asked quietly as he continued to lay still with his eyes almost closed to minimise the light and thus the pain resulting.

"Nay, no one was hurt. Well…with the exception of you of course. The twins are fine and looking decidedly better than you do at the moment," Legolas said with his usual forthrightness.

Faramir sighed.

"I am in trouble, ada?" the young Steward asked in hushed voice. Gandalf, Aragorn and Legolas all snorted.

"Be assured, ion-nin. You are in deep, deep trouble," Thranduil replied quietly as he stroked his son's hair.

"What happened?" Faramir sighed, although he really wanted to ask what his father had witnessed.

"From when we arrived?" Thranduil clarified.

"Yes, ada," Faramir replied.

"We arrived not long after you climbed down into the ravine apparently, for Legolas was still shouting down at you in anger. I saw you push Elladan out of the way just as the Uruk-hai loosed an arrow…" Thranduil related shuddering, his voice becoming coarse with emotion. "You raised your hand and a blue bolt stopped the arrow before it hit you."

"I am sorry, ada," the Steward apologised contritely, curling his arm around his father's knees as the fear of what his father had witnessed was realised. Faramir wanted to say that he reacted again without thought but knew, with his usual acuteness, that it would not calm but incite his father's anger.

"You 'reacted', I know," Thranduil said sternly as he looked at his son but continued to stroke his hair. Faramir winced and wondered in passing if his father could read thoughts. "Back at the ruins when you had the vision, did you hear Mithrandir or I call out to you to cease, ion-nin?"

"Not at that moment, ada, only later when I was in the ravine with Elladan, did it register," Faramir replied truthfully.

"Thank you for your honesty, ion-nin. That has saved your posterior an extra discipline session on top of your current, considerable tally," Thranduil said.

"How considerable, ada?" Faramir asked quietly as he had, in all honesty, lost count.

"Well, let us see, ion-nin. You were to receive a hand spanking from Estel tonight, myself tomorrow night, Estel the following night and myself the night after that. You have now earned more than a hand spanking from myself, Estel and possibly Legolas for he was most vexed with you. Were you not ion-nin?" Thranduil asked Legolas who was still crouched beside Faramir.

"Very," Legolas replied, glaring down at his brother.

The young Steward groaned wondering if he would be ever be able to sit comfortably again.

"When, ada?" Faramir asked in a resigned tone.

"Later, ion-nin. You are as yet unwell and Maglor and I have the Elrondion twins to deal with first," the elven King replied. Faramir did not miss how his father growled the words 'Elrondion twins' in a way that promised very unpleasant happenings to come for the sons of Elrond.

Thranduil signalled for Legolas to exchange places with him so that Faramir's head rested on his elven son's lap.

"Rest now, ion-nin," Thranduil said as knelt by his son's side and placed a kiss on Faramir's forehead but the still drained Steward had already fallen asleep.

"I know you wished to blister your Steward's behind at the first opportunity, mellon-nin, and though he has undoubtedly earned such, I ask that you wait until the morrow" Thranduil requested of Aragorn who was sitting opposite Legolas with his back against a rock. Aragorn nodded his head in acceptance "For after the fright he gave me this day, I need access to that particular target myself! And now for the 'duo horribus'..." Thranduil growled as he strode off to where the twins were being watched over by Maglor and Finrod.

Legolas shared a look with Aragorn both wincing.

The Elrondion twins were sitting on the ground near the wall of the ravine, leaning back against a large rock. Maglor and Finrod were sitting with them.

"How fares Faramir?" the twins asked in unison.

"He will be alright, once the ache in his head abates," Thranduil replied as he crouched down beside Elrohir. "And how are you, pen-neth?" the elven King asked as he cupped and lifted the elf's chin, looking at him intently and moving his head from side to side.

"I am fine. We did not mean to involve Faramir," Elrohir responded, concern and regret evident in his eyes.

"As you are no doubt aware, tithen-pen, both my sons excel at getting 'involved' in situations in which they should not. But I am thankful that Faramir saw your plight and we were able to assist," Thranduil said as he released Elrohir's chin. "However, this whole situation would not have occurred if you two had not disobeyed my instruction not to go after the orcs by yourselves." the elven King added sternly.

Both twins cringed at the elven King's tone.

"All right, Elrondion," Thranduil said as he stood and held a hand out to Elrohir. "Time to pay the piper, as the humans say."

Elrohir gulped, took hold of the elven King's hand and was pulled to his feet. Elrohir whimpered softly as he saw Maglor hand 'Faramir's Bane' to the elven King. Thranduil walked to a stand of rocks that would offer privacy. Sitting down on rock of suitable size and height, Thranduil patted his knee in a silent command. Elrohir sighed, loosened the ties of his leggings and leaned over the elven King's knees. Thranduil wasted no time in starting the punishment as he let loose with a whack that made Elrohir yelp. The elder elf kept up a blistering pace until the younger elf was howling and sobbing in earnest. Thranduil added a few harder whacks to the elf's 'sit-spot' before ending the chastisement. Elrohir slid from the elven King's knees and pulled up his leggings.

"Come here, elfling," Thranduil said gently as he held his arms open. Elrohir flew into the elder elf's arms and sobbed out apology after apology as Thranduil crooned comforting words to the repentant twin.

The elven King guided the younger elf back to where his brother awaited his punishment. Thranduil smiled when he saw Maglor sitting beside Elladan with his arm around the young elf's shoulders. Elladan looked up and on seeing his twin, sprang to his feet and ran to hug his distressed brother. Thranduil handed the paddle over to Maglor who guided Elladan to the rocks where his brother had been chastised. Sitting on the same rock that Thranduil had, Maglor patted his knee in the same mute command. Following in his brother's footsteps, Elladan found himself bare-bottomed over the Mirkwood Seneschal's knees. Eru! Thought the elder twin on feeling the first couple of whacks from the Seneschal, Aragorn and Elrohir were right, Maglor does hit harder. It was not long before Elladan was howling as loudly as his brother had and offering the same apologies. Maglor added a few very hard whacks to the younger elf's thighs before ending the punishment and gathering the equally repentant young elf into his arms.

---

Faramir slept through the Elrondion twin's howls until late afternoon, his head still cradled in his brother's lap. Upon awakening the Steward was pleased to find that his head had stopped aching and his stomach had stopped wanting to divest itself of all content therein. Then the thought that he would be considered 'fit' for punishment made him groan.

"Your head still aches, muindor tithen?" Legolas asked as he examined his brother's face.

"No," Faramir grumbled blushing fiercely. "I was just thinking of another part of my anatomy and how sitting with any degree of comfort will not be an option soon."

Legolas smiled ruefully and stroked his brother's hair. After several long moments, Faramir sat up.

"How fare you, ion-nin?" Thranduil asked as he crouched down in front of his sons.

"If I could lie worth a damn, I would tell you miserably," came Faramir's surly reply as he looked down at his hands.

Thranduil smiled at his son's temper and Legolas just shook his head in bemusement.

"Well, ion-nin. I think we should conclude this evening's proceedings before your mood turns ever more sour," the elven King said as he stood and offered a hand to his son and pulled him to his feet.

Faramir bit the knuckle of the index finger of his right hand to stop a totally inappropriate comment about sour moods and their cures from springing forth. Thranduil saw the action and guessing its cause, shook his head and chuckled as he guided his son to the rocks where the twins had received their punishments. The elven King sat down upon the rock. Faramir walked over to his father, loosened the ties of his leggings and lowered himself over his father's lap.

"What is this punishment for, ion-nin?" Thranduil asked.

"I am not entirely sure," came Faramir's plaintive response.

"This is the first of the four hand spankings you are due for your escapade with the orcs in the gully and at Minas Morgul," the elven King explained. "The other discipline sessions will begin when these are concluded."

Faramir groaned and glared at the ring, willing it to do something to assist but alas, the ring remained idle. Thranduil landed blistering slap after blistering slap to his son's buttocks until they turned from pink to red. Faramir squirmed and moaned as his father kept up a fast pace. Thranduil moved to Faramir's thighs. His son was yelping and sobbing now but still the elf continued the punishing slaps to his son's thighs until he deemed the punishment enough.

"I…am sorry… ada… sorry… sorry," Faramir repeated over and over.

The elven King ceased the punishment and pulled up his son's leggings, turned the young human over, careful of his abused bottom and crooned soothing words of forgiveness as he hugged his son tightly.

Faramir, still drained from the day's events, fell asleep in his father's arms as the elf continued to rock him. Thranduil smiled down at his son and bestowed another kiss on his forehead and carried him to where they were camping for the night.

Maglor met Thranduil and showed his King where he had prepared a bed for his young charge.

"I am afraid we have a long, long road ahead of us, mellon-nin, in teaching this one to take care of himself, especially with his newly discovered wizarding powers" Thranduil sighed as he and Maglor, divested Faramir of his over-tunic and boots.

"How long do wizard's live for, anyway?" Maglor asked in a hushed voice so as not to wake Faramir as they turned him onto his stomach and covered the young one with blankets and cloaks.

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