home again, home again.

[gondors]

We are a long while parted.



Or so I perceive, with what fault. And thus I am found again, for what better. I cannot place how time feels here, this expanse. Yet so fine, like sand. Parted easily. A great many things have come to pass since we were communed. It is the weight of them, not the number.

There is a king, and it lifts a burden that I had long been--resigned. The burden of my father, and Boromir.

Elessar will be the greatest king of Men. His Queen, a beacon. There is a good woman of Rohan, and I am happy-- my grief is put away. Here, but away. I cannot be melancholy when our people have found more than a hope. A lasting gladness. I give myself to this. This peace.

I am readied. I think.

Comments

[aduial]

[ it sounds like a lot has happened. things she might have missed. ]

What of the Shadow? The one encroaching on the world--it is gone?

[ tauriel smiles a little. ]

Peace is certainly better than the alternative. Enjoy it, if the world has found it.

[gondors]

Shadow. [ A musing half-question that needn't be asked. All dark had been fed by Sauron's will, there could be only one. So, ]

The corruption is ended.

It has passed, as it was always meant to. Swallowed by the dawn of this age. At the cost and honor of Men, and Elves. [ And a dwarf, he'd come to know. ] I pray this lends you some relief.

[aduial]

Good. [ her gaze does indeed reflect her relief. ]

Though I hope the cost was not too steep that it might not be recovered from.

[gondors]

[ A pause. What is a cost too steep.

It is with a genuine, quiet sorrow, ]

The cost was great. I would not place a worth on the lives, a time in which to forget. I lost a brother, and a father to this toil of war. A small cavity compared to the loss of home, lovers, and children. [ He had come within a life's last breath of never having known Eowyn. ]

We will rebuild.

The world was saved. And in no small part, a credit goes to your people. Our king weds one of your own.

[aduial]

[ when he pauses, so does she. all of this has yet to come to pass for her. she cannot possibly imagine the horror of it. but hearing of the depth of his personal loss alone leaves her shaken. it reflects vividly upon her face, as it takes on a look of grim sadness. ]

No loss is greater than another. I.. am very sorry for your losses, my lord.

[ and for those of everyone who lost someone to the sleepless malice that had once festered in dol guldur. perhaps if her king had been willing to do something sooner..

ah, well. she has issue enough with thranduil without finding more. she nods, heartened and pleased by the fact that he ends on a positive note. a small smile even breaks through the clouds of her sadness, and lights her face a little. ]

I shall aid in that endeavour, however I might. There is no worthier cause.

He does? [ she has no idea who it could be. but this pleases her. ] I am glad to see that my people did not allow the world to face that darkness alone.

[gondors]

Do not be.

I lost my father long before his death. And my brother was valiant. He went fiercely.

As he had always intended. [ This is a bit personal, but. What service is rendered in masking the weight, the depth of the truth? He had grieved. His brother had fallen prey to the Ring, then redeemed himself. As only Boromir knew how.

With such enviable, stubborn courage. ] He gives me pride. [ Spoken with a touch of warmth that is honesty, and love.

More importantly now was the living. Such as this kind elf. ]

A generous offer. I can see you have been touched by the far reaching pains of this evil. And I am sorry for it. [ Many beings, at many points, could have slowed or aided the rise and fall of this one great evil. To have spared strangers those wounds, tragedies plagued across lands and time, he will never know them all. He will not despair on it, but he will not forget it. The one lingering shadow of consequence. ]

Many elves will not remain long enough to aid us any further, I think. They sail for the Undying Lands.

[aduial]

Even so, I do sympathize. And empathize, as well. My parents were felled by orcs long ago.

Your brother does sound like quite the valiant. [ as she had perhaps come to expect men to be. or at least an exceptional few. ]

As he should. He surely has an honoured place in the Blessed Realm.

[ tauriel is startled by his words, and offers him a small smile. ]

The right one. I am part of this world, am I not? I have a duty to do what I can.

[ she does not mention the evil festering within the ruined halls of dol guldur, or the very real possibility of that band of dwarves waking a dragon. it would only take away from their conversation, in her mind. ]

All will be touched by this evil. Please, do not be sorry.

[ many could have stalled or slowed its progress, if not halt it entirely. the fact that they did not is grimly apparently to her, as clear as crystal ice covering the river in winter. ]

I see. [ this is news to her, and the expression on her face conveys quite clearly that it is not a decision on the behalf of her people which she agrees with. ] Even if they do, I shall not.

My King wished to hide behind our walls and 'weather' whatever came upon the world. To endure. I did not agree that distance was a prudent course of action.

Nor do I now.

[unmanned]

Pretty words you've got.

[Partially mocking, mostly sincere. Kidd doesn't have the mind for poetry, but the man's words are uplifting even if the complete meaning is lost on one who doesn't know the story behind them.]

[gondors]

[ That takes him a pause to decipher. It had taken him some time, before, to realize others didn't play with half meanings and poetics in the same fashion as his world. It's bluntness.

It's met mostly with amusement. Faramir is a cooled soul, not taken to offense. ]

A taint of my upbringing, I think. Books and much time given to spoil and paint our words.

[unmanned]

Not a bad thing, long as the meaning's not drowned under all that. Most I know don't know their letters well enough to even consider prettying them up.

[gondors]

We find greater meaning, sometimes. A turned phrase. If it is worth being said, it is worth saying well.

Though I appreciate the common brand of speech. Illiteracy lends itself to some honesty, among some men I have met. Knowing things only as they are.

[unmanned]

And is it literacy that lends itself to such kind words from a man of your station? [Literacy and kindness do not go hand in hand, of course. He's met many a well-read murderer. Still, more nice words, and surely from someone who isn't a mere commoner.]

[gondors]

No.

Are you a literate man?

[unmanned]

Literate enough. [James can't say the last time he read a book, but he can read maps and plans and lists well enough to get the job done.]

[arstrae]

[ Those words has Jimmy's mind straying to the most morbid thoughts, and yet that might say more about himself than the man. ]

What does that make you?

[gondors]

[ Well. ]


A steward. Like my father.

I cast off the title, but if the King has it so-- I will serve.

[arstrae]

Fancy word for a servant.

[gondors]

I am a soldier. A captain.

Though I cannot deny the servitude therein. I serve him gladly.

[arstrae]

[ Jimmy thinks he's a soldier too, for a time, though it felt less like he was serving anyone and more like-- he can't describe it exactly. ]

Must be good at doing the pep talk.

[istariormaiar]

[Gandalf can't help but look pleased at both the words and the wisdom begins them.] Truer words were never spoken, Lord Faramir.

[gondors]

Gandalf. From you, I think, truer words will always come.

Our debt will never be repaid.

[istariormaiar]

You owe me no debt, young Faramir. The battle was fought by the Men of Rohan and Gondor, the victory yours.

[gondors]

You turned tides.

Where will you go, now? When you find yourself home again, and do not take part in this-- menagerie of voices?

[istariormaiar]

Nonsense dear boy. I merely pointed the valiant in the right direction. It was the blood and strength of both Man and Hobbit that won the day.

I have yet to decide, to be quite honest. Perhaps I will travel again, help to heal the great wounds this war has left in its passing. [A sly wink] As you and the Lady will no doubt heal Ithilien and restore it to even greater brightness than it knew in ages past.

[gondors]

And Elves and a Dwarf, as I hear it. Wonders wrought by a common evil.

[ A smile that acknowledges, in some small embarrassment. ] By some arrangement and her consent, I think we will make it so. We best start on it now, before I become so weighted with titles that I am at a loss for direction.

[let_it_go]

My Mundane feels great joy upon hearing your words. She is most fond of you and has always wished for your happiness. She says that once, she was the scribe of one Lady Eowyn.

We have never met, though; I am Queen Elsa of Arendelle.

[gondors]

I am honored. Your Mundane is suited to great women, then. I am in awe. And thank her for the consideration to my happiness. [ The last earns a sheepish laugh. ]

I digress, it is strange. That they should know so much of us, and put us to the unknown tasks. This other world. It used to sit less well with me.

I am Faramir, Steward to the King of Gondor, Prince of Ithilien. I am sorry to know nothing of Arendelle.

[let_it_go]

I am but the least of her muses. [Elsa inclined her head humbly.] Indeed, she is wont to write of women of great deeds.

I think this writer is unlike other scribes in that she looks for her muses' happiness and the happiness of those around them. It's disconcerting to be taken away from my home, but I am at least calmed by the knowledge that she has my best interests and my growth at heart.

You are now accustomed to this existence, then?

It's an honor to meet you, Prince Faramir. Perhaps tell me of Gondor and Ithilien and I can tell you about Arendelle?

[gondors]

I am inclined to see such deeds told.

I was called away by this Mundane in another instance, during the war. Shortly after having met the halflings. I was-- anxious. You might say. My brother's death was fresh and weighed heavily, and I found some spite in being robbed of my men.

Yet when it was done, I left behind new faces and good works that I would have seen through to the end. They have passed beyond my reach. So I may start anew.

At your behest, Queen Elsa, I will try. I was born under the stewardship of my father Denethor of Gondor. We are known by the white tree of Minas Tirith, my city. The tiered city of kings and stewards. It is a great kingdom of Men, meant to be ruled by the descendants of its fathers. As it is now, in my King. Many of the great cities are marred, and to ruin, but they will return. At his will, we will see to it. I do not have words to describe them justly.

Ithilien is a riverland to the east of Gondor. Also long brought to ruin, I fear. The title is only a generous gesture of my good will towards it. I would see it be a pride to our people again.

[let_it_go]

[Elsa nodded calmly.] That is most understandable. You had responsibilities to attend to and were grieving above and beyond that. [Elsa tried to imagine herself in that position - Arendelle at war, Anna gone. It was painful to think of. She could only imagine the heaviness of Faramir's heart.] Still, it sounds like you found a purpose and duties to fulfill - you must truly be a man of action.

[Elsa listened to his description of his parentage, of Minas Tirith, and of Ithilien.]

A tiered city? That must be a sight to behold!

I am certain with men of Gondor like yourself, her cities will rise up from the ashes. I wish you and your kingdom all the best, Prince Faramir.

Well, I suppose it's my turn . . . [Elsa proffered a small smile.] Arendelle is a kingdom within the country of Norway. The heart of it, the castle where I live, is located in a fjord, ringed by steep mountains and filled with clear, glacial water. It is a beautiful, idyllic place. It is also an old place . . . there is a magic in the very air, which I believe has been there since the fist sunrise and the first fall of rain.

I miss it.