To Capture the Heart of a Warrior
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Lord of the Rings Movies › General
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
32
Views:
12,464
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36
Recommended:
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Currently Reading:
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Category:
Lord of the Rings Movies › General
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
32
Views:
12,464
Reviews:
36
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own the Lord of the Rings book series and movie series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Little Brother
Chapter seventeen: Little Brother
“Wake up, Little Brother,” said Faramir, “Today your bandages come off, and you can at last see again.”
Pippin smiled. He could smile at the voice, now, though he still thought of Boromir every time he heard it. He could smile because, in Faramir, Boromir lived on. He tried to stretch, but stopped himself when it hurt, for he was still very battered and bruised. His arm was still in a sling, but it was healing. His legs were still painful. He could stand for a few minutes, but only for a few minutes, and could not yet walk again.
He felt Faramir help him into a sitting position, then lift him from the bed and set him in a chair. It was a Man’s chair, of course, which meant his legs dangled from it like those of a child. He could hear people bustling around him, and heard Aragorn speaking softly nearby.
“Where did this poor fellow come from?” said Aragorn.
“He was thrown from the top of the Black Gate. We think they believed him dead, and threw him down upon the soldiers in disdain, like so much offal.” This was an old woman’s voice; that would be Ioreth.
“Isildur’s Teeth!” said Aragorn; “This poor fellow has been beaten so badly his mother wouldn’t know him. What happened to his eyes?”
“They were sewn shut, milord.”
“And his mouth?”
“Sewn shut, too, milord.”
“Only the foulest heart could do such a thing. This, then, is why he is so thin. He has been starved for so long he looks like a corpse. No doubt his mouth was sewn shut to keep him from eating even a rat. See the marks there on his ankles? He has been chained like an animal. There, on his neck, too. He must have been made to wear a collar, like a dog. Has he spoken?”
“Not a word, milord, not so much as a moan or whisper. Will he live, do you think?”
“He lives yet, though by rights he should be dead. Hope is not yet lost, Ioreth. Be careful not to feed him anything rich, and feed him but little, else the shock of it should kill him. Clear broth only, and little of that. Mind, now; I know he is pitifully starved, but he may yet die of kindness should he have much to eat. Water only, no wine or ale.”
“Yes, milord.”
“This man has been tortured. He must bear some knowledge the Enemy would have. If he speaks, send for me right away.”
“Yes, milord.”
“And put up a screen around him. Whoever he is, I’m sure he would not want people to gawk at him. His face is disfigured, and others will stare. Afford him all dignity; the poor wretch has earned it.”
Pippin could hear people bustling around, apparently following Aragorn’s orders. Then Pippin heard footsteps approach, and he knew Aragorn was near.
“And how fares my littlest soldier, today?” said Aragorn.
“He seems well enough, more well than he has any right to be.” Faramir replied.
“That’s a hobbit for you, Faramir. It is true they can be as soft as butter, yet as tough as old roots. They have remarkable powers of recovery. “Tis a shame that poor wretch in the next bed has not this quality. If he is to live, his will be a long healing, and not an easy one, if he can be healed at all. Now, Master Peregrin, let us finally dispense with some of your bandages.”
Pippin felt hands about his bandaged forehead and face, and felt the bandages being unwound. It seemed to take forever. He could now see a little light through the bandages when the unwinding stopped.
“What’s wrong?” asked Pippin.
“Nothing at all, Pippin, do not fret yourself. You must first get used to light again for a little. Have something to eat, and I’ll take the rest off later.”
“Oh, but Strider… I mean, Aragorn… I mean…”
“Aragorn will do, Pippin, at least among friends.”
Pippin sighed. “Well, I suppose you know best.”
“Don’t look so full of woe, Pippin, the bandages will be gone before noon. Then you can at least see those whom you have frightened half to death. I thought poor Gimli was going to rip his beard out by the roots when he found you.”
“Well, I had hoped to see them now, but you know best, I suppose.”
Aragorn gave his shoulder an affectionate squeeze, then went on to the next bed. Pippin could smell bacon and fresh bread and he knew breakfast had arrived. He had hoped to be able to feed himself for a change, but he reckoned one more time being fed by Faramir wouldn’t be too much. He and Faramir had grown quite close, and Faramir had been a great comfort to Pippin.
Pippin heard the soft clink of fork and plate. “Eggs, bacon, or bread, first?” asked Faramir.
“Eggs, please.” A fork touched Pippin’s lips. He opened his mouth and took a mouthful of scrambled egg.
“Are you very disappointed, Little Brother?”
Pippin chewed and swallowed. “A little, but it will be only a little while, then I can see again. Bacon, please.”
“When the bandages are all gone, would you like to sit in the sun a bit?”
“Oh, but that would be lovely. A little bread, please.”
“Good heavens, I’ll never get used to feeding a halfling. Never have I met anyone so fond of eating before. Are you sure your legs are not hollow?”
“I’m sorry, I’ll slow down.”
“No, no, you’ve had little to occupy your time but eating and sleeping, and one can only sleep so much. Then again, I would have thought someone your size could only eat so much, but since I’ve known you I have seen the error of my ways. Eggs?”
“Yes, please.”
“After you eat, do you want me to read it again?”
“Silly question. Bacon, please.”
“I should have known. I’m glad he wrote it, Pippin. I think no one would have said anything about you two, out of respect, but I’m glad I found out. He deserved a little love, and you gave him more than just a little. Bread?”
“Yes, please. Faramir?”
“Yes, Little Brother?”
“I’m glad you found out, too. You’ve been so very good to me, and it has made it easier to bear. Eggs, please.”
“Almost done. There, that’s the last of it. Full?”
“Yes, quite full. Will you read it for me now?”
Pippin heard paper rustling, and then Faramir began to read. “ ‘My Dearest Faramir; First, I should start by saying that I miss you terribly and wish I were with you now. I am very homesick. So much has happened on this journey, but I’m sure you shall have the full telling of it, if not from me, then from others. Suffice to say at first I hated the journey, but then as it went on, happenstance saw to it that my opinion should be changed, and such a remarkable change it is. More than just my opinion has changed, brother, so much more. My heart has changed. My very soul has changed. I am a much better and happier man than I was, for something wonderful has happened to me…’ ”
To Be Continued
“Wake up, Little Brother,” said Faramir, “Today your bandages come off, and you can at last see again.”
Pippin smiled. He could smile at the voice, now, though he still thought of Boromir every time he heard it. He could smile because, in Faramir, Boromir lived on. He tried to stretch, but stopped himself when it hurt, for he was still very battered and bruised. His arm was still in a sling, but it was healing. His legs were still painful. He could stand for a few minutes, but only for a few minutes, and could not yet walk again.
He felt Faramir help him into a sitting position, then lift him from the bed and set him in a chair. It was a Man’s chair, of course, which meant his legs dangled from it like those of a child. He could hear people bustling around him, and heard Aragorn speaking softly nearby.
“Where did this poor fellow come from?” said Aragorn.
“He was thrown from the top of the Black Gate. We think they believed him dead, and threw him down upon the soldiers in disdain, like so much offal.” This was an old woman’s voice; that would be Ioreth.
“Isildur’s Teeth!” said Aragorn; “This poor fellow has been beaten so badly his mother wouldn’t know him. What happened to his eyes?”
“They were sewn shut, milord.”
“And his mouth?”
“Sewn shut, too, milord.”
“Only the foulest heart could do such a thing. This, then, is why he is so thin. He has been starved for so long he looks like a corpse. No doubt his mouth was sewn shut to keep him from eating even a rat. See the marks there on his ankles? He has been chained like an animal. There, on his neck, too. He must have been made to wear a collar, like a dog. Has he spoken?”
“Not a word, milord, not so much as a moan or whisper. Will he live, do you think?”
“He lives yet, though by rights he should be dead. Hope is not yet lost, Ioreth. Be careful not to feed him anything rich, and feed him but little, else the shock of it should kill him. Clear broth only, and little of that. Mind, now; I know he is pitifully starved, but he may yet die of kindness should he have much to eat. Water only, no wine or ale.”
“Yes, milord.”
“This man has been tortured. He must bear some knowledge the Enemy would have. If he speaks, send for me right away.”
“Yes, milord.”
“And put up a screen around him. Whoever he is, I’m sure he would not want people to gawk at him. His face is disfigured, and others will stare. Afford him all dignity; the poor wretch has earned it.”
Pippin could hear people bustling around, apparently following Aragorn’s orders. Then Pippin heard footsteps approach, and he knew Aragorn was near.
“And how fares my littlest soldier, today?” said Aragorn.
“He seems well enough, more well than he has any right to be.” Faramir replied.
“That’s a hobbit for you, Faramir. It is true they can be as soft as butter, yet as tough as old roots. They have remarkable powers of recovery. “Tis a shame that poor wretch in the next bed has not this quality. If he is to live, his will be a long healing, and not an easy one, if he can be healed at all. Now, Master Peregrin, let us finally dispense with some of your bandages.”
Pippin felt hands about his bandaged forehead and face, and felt the bandages being unwound. It seemed to take forever. He could now see a little light through the bandages when the unwinding stopped.
“What’s wrong?” asked Pippin.
“Nothing at all, Pippin, do not fret yourself. You must first get used to light again for a little. Have something to eat, and I’ll take the rest off later.”
“Oh, but Strider… I mean, Aragorn… I mean…”
“Aragorn will do, Pippin, at least among friends.”
Pippin sighed. “Well, I suppose you know best.”
“Don’t look so full of woe, Pippin, the bandages will be gone before noon. Then you can at least see those whom you have frightened half to death. I thought poor Gimli was going to rip his beard out by the roots when he found you.”
“Well, I had hoped to see them now, but you know best, I suppose.”
Aragorn gave his shoulder an affectionate squeeze, then went on to the next bed. Pippin could smell bacon and fresh bread and he knew breakfast had arrived. He had hoped to be able to feed himself for a change, but he reckoned one more time being fed by Faramir wouldn’t be too much. He and Faramir had grown quite close, and Faramir had been a great comfort to Pippin.
Pippin heard the soft clink of fork and plate. “Eggs, bacon, or bread, first?” asked Faramir.
“Eggs, please.” A fork touched Pippin’s lips. He opened his mouth and took a mouthful of scrambled egg.
“Are you very disappointed, Little Brother?”
Pippin chewed and swallowed. “A little, but it will be only a little while, then I can see again. Bacon, please.”
“When the bandages are all gone, would you like to sit in the sun a bit?”
“Oh, but that would be lovely. A little bread, please.”
“Good heavens, I’ll never get used to feeding a halfling. Never have I met anyone so fond of eating before. Are you sure your legs are not hollow?”
“I’m sorry, I’ll slow down.”
“No, no, you’ve had little to occupy your time but eating and sleeping, and one can only sleep so much. Then again, I would have thought someone your size could only eat so much, but since I’ve known you I have seen the error of my ways. Eggs?”
“Yes, please.”
“After you eat, do you want me to read it again?”
“Silly question. Bacon, please.”
“I should have known. I’m glad he wrote it, Pippin. I think no one would have said anything about you two, out of respect, but I’m glad I found out. He deserved a little love, and you gave him more than just a little. Bread?”
“Yes, please. Faramir?”
“Yes, Little Brother?”
“I’m glad you found out, too. You’ve been so very good to me, and it has made it easier to bear. Eggs, please.”
“Almost done. There, that’s the last of it. Full?”
“Yes, quite full. Will you read it for me now?”
Pippin heard paper rustling, and then Faramir began to read. “ ‘My Dearest Faramir; First, I should start by saying that I miss you terribly and wish I were with you now. I am very homesick. So much has happened on this journey, but I’m sure you shall have the full telling of it, if not from me, then from others. Suffice to say at first I hated the journey, but then as it went on, happenstance saw to it that my opinion should be changed, and such a remarkable change it is. More than just my opinion has changed, brother, so much more. My heart has changed. My very soul has changed. I am a much better and happier man than I was, for something wonderful has happened to me…’ ”
To Be Continued