Letters from Faramir
by Agape4Rivendell
IV.
Brother,
Would that I knew what happened in the North Lands! The Halfling is
here – in Ithilien, dropped into my hands as if fated thus. ‘For
Isildur’s Bane shall waken; And the Halfling forth shall stand.’ *
And stand he did, Boromir, stood right up to me! Told me you had been
his traveling companion. I told him whom you are, he didn’t seem to
know, and that you are sorely missed. And I mean it with all my heart,
Boromir; not only I, but also your men sorely miss you.
There were reports of Haradrim using the ancient roads up north and
your Rangers and I met them and did what damage we could to their
ranks. Fire courses through my veins as I think of them desecrating the
very roads that Gondor built. You would do the same, dear Brother. I
know your heart. I had not meant to come so far North, but as I said,
it seemed to be fated thus for that is where we met the Halflings. I
left them in the care of two of our men and led the Rangers to battle.
It went well, the trap worked. The men did more than they were trained
for. You would have been proud. The men of Gondor, the Enemy may say,
are weak or frail, but there is courage in this band and honor to be
found, dearest Brother.
After the battle, I questioned the Halfling and suddenly an unreasoning
hope flooded my very soul. He said you were alive and well when last he
saw you! But a fear has been growing in my heart, a fear of more
terrible things for you than death. Some strangeness emanates from this
Halfling. But then hope, so quickly kindled, is dashed as he describes
your raiment – the same raiment I saw the night the elven boat bore you
from me.
He tried to allay my fears – saying it was mayhap some trick of the
Enemy, but I know better. Bitter words were wrung from my lips when I
learned of your stop in Lothlorien. What did she say to you? What woke
in your heart then? In that furtive and mystical place? So, I brought
them to Henneth Annun and we talked long into the night, yet I find
little comfort speaking with him.
Boromir, Isildur’s Bane drove you mad, didn’t it? Even though not of
the direct bloodline, we still carry that weakness. At least, it seems,
you do. Would that I had gone in your stead! This evil does not seem to
touch me. I feel nothing but dread of it and hatred, yes, for what it
did to you, what it stole from me. The Halfling has told me some of
what occurred and I believe, and it seems he believes, that you were
not yourself. The vision in the boat - you’re face was beautiful and at
peace. I know you died well, brother. I know it with my whole heart.
And Boromir - the Halfling does not hold you to blame. There is no
hatred in his heart or condemnation. He seems to know what this thing
can do. I worry for him, Boromir, he is so small and seems so weak. And
the path he has decided upon is so dangerous. Yet, the courage in his
heart is stronger than mine. He will die doing this and you would say
it is folly, but I know why he has chosen this path. He is valiant,
Boromir, and worthy of our love. I will let him go, even though Father
will be furious. My very life lies in the balance, but there is
something here greater than Gondor. He must be allowed to try to do
this. I gleaned some knowledge during Mithrandir’s visits, enough to
know that this thing is evil. It corrupted Isildur and now it has
corrupted you. Its power is unimaginable and I cannot wield it. Neither
can our Father. It must be destroyed. Why this little one should have
been chosen is a mystery to me. But as I look at him, I know he will do
everything in his power to do it. I remember your motto ‘Gondor will
see it done.’ To think that this little stranger has more ability to do
it than you is beyond me.
He is gone now. I have let the Halfling go. His companion told me
before they left that I have shown my quality. I feel his respect for
you, but also his fear of you. Boromir, how can I make them understand!
You were the one who raised me after Mother died. Father turned from me
and I would have been an orphan if not for you! Do not they understand
this – my quality comes from you!
I love you, Brother – you are the world to me, the sun and the moon.
But Denethor raised you with harder, harsher standards than you raised
me. And your pride was lifted up by our Father – and it was good – but
it was also too much for one man. Would that I could have helped you
see that Father was wrong. Gondor is not a man – not a Steward – but a
glorious entity unto itself. He made you believe you were the only one
to save her, and in your fear and desperation – and pride – you did the
unthinkable. You broke your oath. But if not for you, for your love of
me and your deep need to make me better than you, I too would have
failed. I owe you everything – my love, my life – my honour.
I stand now in the very torrents of the falls, the fairest of all the
falls of Ithilien, and release my long-held tears. It seems somehow
appropriate, Boromir, to stand here and grieve for you – here in the
land that has my heart. For it is broken now and I cannot mend it.
Would that healing would come and quickly, but I fear this wound will
never heal.
I fear I know your heart too well, Boromir. Did you go to your death
believing you had lost all honor, that you had failed Gondor? I know
not what happened there, but I know you, brother. Ever ready to jump
into the fray. A man of action. You must have seen some course laid out
before you and judged your way the right way. Or mayhap some madness
took you. I know not. But my heart cries out to all the Valar that it
had not been so, that in some way you were able to redeem yourself, to
go to your grave in peace. It must be so. There is none dearer to me,
my beloved Brother. I will it so – that you were given a chance to
atone for that moment, that one moment in your whole life where you
failed. Somehow I must come to terms with this. I must go on and do my
duty and put aside all thought of this.
I have been summoned back to Minas Tirith. I must face Father alone and
hide this grief, this fear that shakes me to the core. I will not let
him believe you failed. I will not. I pray you escaped in the end. I
believe you did.
Ever your devoted
Faramir
