B2MEM 2009
Mar. 16th, 2009 12:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
illwyndSo, whenever I contribute to a BoG zine, I never seem to wind up posting the fics anywhere else, and I now have a handful that will be new to anyone who hasn't read the zines. Hopefully they'll be acceptable for a few B2MeM posts, since I can't seem to come up with anything else at the moment!
Very Unlike Him
By Illwynd
Disclaimer: All is Tolkien's!
Rating: G, humor
Summary: Denethor speaks to his sons, acting very unlike himself, and the brothers wonder why.
Notes: First appeared in The Noble Steward's Chronicles, vol. 4
Both brothers jumped as the door was yanked open and Denethor came in, a flurry of black robes topped with an unreadable look. They sat back from the maps and reports that covered the table and gave their father their respectful attention.
But something was amiss.
Denethor flung out his arms wide, towards both of them.
“My sons! Come, I must embrace you both and tell you how dearly I value you. I don’t think I have been doing that enough recently.”
Boromir looked wide-eyed at Faramir, who was trying to keep his jaw from dropping. They shared a quick glance—what in Arda was this about?—before hesitantly standing. In an instant they found themselves being enthusiastically hugged together. Without releasing them, Denethor turned to Boromir.
“I’m sorry I have put so much pressure on you to become a great soldier and to defend Gondor. It never occurred to me until today that you might have been under the impression that my fatherly love for you was conditional upon doing these things as well as you have. Do you need a holiday, maybe? Dol Amroth is lovely at this time of year…”
Boromir started to reply that it was quite all right, that he was perfectly happy with his duties, and that his company was currently on leave or why else would he be in the City? But before he could get a word out, Denethor was speaking again, anxiously.
“Oh dear! I’m sorry I mentioned that… My sons, I too am still reminded of her at every turn. The damage her loss must have done to you both, so young as you were, ai! Why have we never talked about this before?”
Faramir saw Boromir blinking and completely flustered, and realized that if any reply would be given, it would have to come from him. He opened his mouth to say something about the reason for that being that, well, Denethor had never seemed too keen on talking about it, or about anything else regarding feelings, for that matter. Before he could say it, though, his father had turned to him and was looking at him with an expression of such deep regret and remorse that Faramir’s words dried up. Denethor drew back and regarded him solemnly, one hand still clasped to Faramir’s arm.
“Faramir, I hope you can forgive me,” he said at last. Faramir now blinked and floundered for words. “No, say nothing! I have come to realize that I have unwittingly inflicted upon you the same hurt that I received when my own father showed more care for Thorongil than for me, and that I may have exacerbated this through disagreeing with you on so many occasions. Know that I did not intend this, and forgive, my dear son! I will endeavor to treat you more fairly in the future.”
Faramir glanced at Boromir, who only shrugged and continued to look on in confusion.
Denethor stood back and sighed contentedly, smiling at them both. “Well, then! I am pleased that we have had this conversation. You may go back to… whatever it was you were doing,” he said with an airy wave of his hand. Then he disappeared back out the door, again in a flurry of black robes.
The brothers stood silently for a moment, stunned.
“That was odd,” said Boromir. “Very unlike him.”
Faramir nodded, still staring at the door.
“But it was somewhat gratifying,” Boromir prodded.
Faramir looked at his brother as if he had gone mad.
“Well? Queen Berúthiel’s cats got your tongue? What do you think that was about?”
Faramir shook his head sadly. “I think the daytime Palantír programs have finally gone to his head.”
Very Unlike Him
By Illwynd
Disclaimer: All is Tolkien's!
Rating: G, humor
Summary: Denethor speaks to his sons, acting very unlike himself, and the brothers wonder why.
Notes: First appeared in The Noble Steward's Chronicles, vol. 4
Both brothers jumped as the door was yanked open and Denethor came in, a flurry of black robes topped with an unreadable look. They sat back from the maps and reports that covered the table and gave their father their respectful attention.
But something was amiss.
Denethor flung out his arms wide, towards both of them.
“My sons! Come, I must embrace you both and tell you how dearly I value you. I don’t think I have been doing that enough recently.”
Boromir looked wide-eyed at Faramir, who was trying to keep his jaw from dropping. They shared a quick glance—what in Arda was this about?—before hesitantly standing. In an instant they found themselves being enthusiastically hugged together. Without releasing them, Denethor turned to Boromir.
“I’m sorry I have put so much pressure on you to become a great soldier and to defend Gondor. It never occurred to me until today that you might have been under the impression that my fatherly love for you was conditional upon doing these things as well as you have. Do you need a holiday, maybe? Dol Amroth is lovely at this time of year…”
Boromir started to reply that it was quite all right, that he was perfectly happy with his duties, and that his company was currently on leave or why else would he be in the City? But before he could get a word out, Denethor was speaking again, anxiously.
“Oh dear! I’m sorry I mentioned that… My sons, I too am still reminded of her at every turn. The damage her loss must have done to you both, so young as you were, ai! Why have we never talked about this before?”
Faramir saw Boromir blinking and completely flustered, and realized that if any reply would be given, it would have to come from him. He opened his mouth to say something about the reason for that being that, well, Denethor had never seemed too keen on talking about it, or about anything else regarding feelings, for that matter. Before he could say it, though, his father had turned to him and was looking at him with an expression of such deep regret and remorse that Faramir’s words dried up. Denethor drew back and regarded him solemnly, one hand still clasped to Faramir’s arm.
“Faramir, I hope you can forgive me,” he said at last. Faramir now blinked and floundered for words. “No, say nothing! I have come to realize that I have unwittingly inflicted upon you the same hurt that I received when my own father showed more care for Thorongil than for me, and that I may have exacerbated this through disagreeing with you on so many occasions. Know that I did not intend this, and forgive, my dear son! I will endeavor to treat you more fairly in the future.”
Faramir glanced at Boromir, who only shrugged and continued to look on in confusion.
Denethor stood back and sighed contentedly, smiling at them both. “Well, then! I am pleased that we have had this conversation. You may go back to… whatever it was you were doing,” he said with an airy wave of his hand. Then he disappeared back out the door, again in a flurry of black robes.
The brothers stood silently for a moment, stunned.
“That was odd,” said Boromir. “Very unlike him.”
Faramir nodded, still staring at the door.
“But it was somewhat gratifying,” Boromir prodded.
Faramir looked at his brother as if he had gone mad.
“Well? Queen Berúthiel’s cats got your tongue? What do you think that was about?”
Faramir shook his head sadly. “I think the daytime Palantír programs have finally gone to his head.”
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2009-03-17 01:09 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-03-17 01:14 am (UTC)Thanks for reading!
(no subject)
Date: 2009-03-17 01:23 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-03-17 01:41 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-03-19 01:58 pm (UTC)"I have come to realize that I have unwittingly inflicted upon you the same hurt that I received when my own father showed more care for Thorongil than for me, and that I may have exacerbated this through disagreeing with you on so many occasions."
This never fails to crack me up...
(no subject)
Date: 2009-03-21 12:40 am (UTC)