Kizár Elená Durin · @SilmarilNaro
5th Feb 2015 from TwitLonger
After http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1skf0t8
Faramir has heard about the lady at Osgiliath and comes to see this rumoured sister.
@FaramirRanger @SilmarilNaro @Boromir_Aesir
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Faramir
Hearing rumours, news and a lot of camp talk was certainly nothing new for Faramir when he returned to Osgiliath at times. It was something that kept people sane, provided a healthy sense of normality in a world that was rapidly spinning into danger. Yet, when he came back this time, what he heard was so strange that he could hardly believe he was not made look like a fool by some of the younger soldiers.
A Lady in Osgiliath? Faramir would say it might happen, some of the healers were women, and while Boromir disliked bringing them to the front, he would not argue too much, when they were the only healers available for his troops. But this Lady was not just some healer... she was someone special, and the rumour that she was the long lost sister of Boromir and Faramir was already spreading like wildfire. Had not Anarion quite seriously told Faramir that it was all true, Faramir might have put it away as wild talk.
Yet, when he thought of it, he knew that his brother had a soul-stone, and that he had intended to have a long chat with the stone's potential maker... only to find out, that Boromir and said maker were a bit closer than Faramir had expected them to be. Weighing his options Faramir decided it was time to find his brother and talk. Anarion again proved quite helpful, telling him that Boromir spend a lot of time over at the forge, "since the Easterlings found out his hideout tower." With a shake of his head Faramir went to find him there.
Elennárë
Elennárë sat in the forge, having taken her boots off to rub at her feet. It was taking a bit to get her new body used to... well, being her body, and she had to admit that maybe she had started on it a bit hard. Elenaria had a lifetime of memories of being a warrior in another world, and of making sure she kept up daily exercise to keep herself in shape. Elennárë had taken a bit of that wisdom and set herself some of her Other's exercises, but even with a routine that was gentle in Elenaria's measure, Elennárë was feeling the effects, as well as that she had from the rest of her day.
Boromir had mentioned Kíli's suggestions of roles she could take and she had taken inspiration from the idea of working with the healers. She had to admit to herself that compared to Lossanárë's attentiveness, she had not been very dedicated in her studies in her youth. Now she wished to correct that, learning healing properly, as she had not back in Valinor.
Faramir
Approaching the forge, Faramir did not only spot the blacksmith working but also a dark-haired woman, sitting on a stool, massaging her feet. She was obviously tired, and quite at home inside the forge. To his astonishment he saw, that she truly had looks much alike his own family, the hair, the face... though there was something else, something he could not quite name.
Kíli stopped his work when Faramir approached. "Repairs, m'Lord?" he asked politely. Faramir could well see that he must have worked hard all day, judging by the repaired weapons and armor stacking up and by two smelters aglow with heat.
"Not right now," he replied. "I was looking for my brother and told he had been seen here."
Elennárë
"There was a small situation over on the north side of the camp he had to deal with." Elennárë spoke, looking up from her foot. "A scuffle only. He should be back in shortly." She shifted to look at the other foot, which had been bothering her and felt like she could end up with a blister on her ankle.
Faramir
Faramir arched an eyebrow at her, not quite sure what to make of her presence. He also noticed the way she moved her foot. "You better have some salve on that or you will feel it come morning."
Elennárë
"Hmm... yes." Elennárë responded thoughtfully. "I may also have to see if I can get something to pad the back of these boots with..." She murmured, half to herself. "New boots can be a pain."
Shaking her head she looked at Faramir with a more attentive look. "So until Lord Boromir is done, is there anything I can help you with, Lord Faramir?"
Faramir
Faramir arched an eyebrow at her, studying her more closely. There was a perplexing resemblance to their mother, to Boromir too, except for some features he could not quite place, But something in her reminded him strongly of the vague memories his mother had left with him. "Who are you?" he asked, the question too direct, too raw, but there it was. "I think I saw you once - in my brother's guard room where you had been reading the Lay of Elune."
Elennárë
Elennárë recalled the time Faramir referred to. He had come to Boromir's office while she was reading, forcing her to withdraw quickly. She had thought that she had managed to disappear quickly enough, though the way his attention had lingered on her stone made her wonder if she was wrong about her opinion of him and he did somehow recognise her obsidian as being from Mordor and was worried about it.
She looked at Kíli, unsure what to say, but tried to forge ahead anyway. "He has been my guardian for some time now, though until recently I have not been brave enough to show myself."
Faramir
Faramir looked at her, and tried consciously to reign in the tone of his voice. "I guessed as much." he had noticed her look to the dwarf and it had confirmed his suspicions.
"A soulstone then," Faramir turned towards Kíli. "I always knew that your skills must be something special, for my father wanting to tie you to the city that firmly, that he did. But tying my brother to you in some way, by creating a soulstone of our mother? The fact aside, that such magicks are forbidden in Gondor and punished by..."
"Punished by death in fire," Kíli had placed the hammer on the anvil and walked up to Faramir, his eyes angry, ablaze. "I would never - for no reason in this world - try to make what you are suggesting. Soulstones, the few that were real, were given by a power much greater than any arcane smith can hope to aspire to. And I would not try to force your Lady mother's soul back to this plane of existence. Not if my own life were on the line!"
Instinctively Faramir took a step back, for the dwarf's anger was fierce and a sight to behold. What was more it was honest. "It does not say that you could not." He believed the dwarf's anger, but the Ranger wanted answers.
Kíli shook his head. "I was there when your mother died, Faramir," he said directly. "I was there when she died, assassinated deep in the lost parts of the Undercity. Your father had everyone hunt for her, ever since he learned she had been lured down there. I was the first to reach her, and I can tell you - not her wounds killed her, but something darker, older and fouler than you can imagine. May Lord Mandos lay her soul to rest until she can be healed."
Elennárë
Elennárë listened to their talk, frozen for a moment in shock. Faramir truly thought she was Lady Finduilas? The simple incongruity finally got through to her and a slightly pained laugh bubbled up from her.
"There is no way I could ever be who you thought." She spoke, wiping at eyes pricked by tears of her bitter amusement. "I have only lived in Gondor for twelve years, though I can claim to have lived in this world for far longer than Gondor has even existed. Longer than even Numenor even. I am not your mother, I am not a dead soul, and though I can safely claim an arcane smith gave me my stone shell, it was definitely not Kíli, and I can also say that he is already dead and has been since the Sun first rose over Arda."
She stood to her feet, an ear catching a sound from the door. Looking up behind Faramir she smiled. "If I had been here when your mother died, I would have tried to save her. I was not here though, but I was lucky enough to be able to protect your brother."
Boromir
"Though that is only a very small part of why I protect her." Boromir chimed in from the doorway. "Though I have only known she has been with me in the waking world for a short time, she has guarded my dreams ever since Minas Morgul."
He stepped into the forge, walking over to lightly touch Elennárë's shoulder in a silent question. She gave him a silent tilt of the head, a wordless message that recalls those years of dreams where they never needed words to communicate. She was alright, better now he was here.
Faramir
The words of them, all three of them, held too many details at once. Faramir tried to not dwell on the words on his mother's death, he only knew the barest bones of the incident, and had been very young when she had passed away.
The words of the darkhaired Lady were what raced in his mind. A stone-formed soul so old that it's maker died before the first sun rose? Found by Boromir twelve years ago? Guarding his dreams.
Minas Morgul.
Boromir's escape from the city... the fact that he had been sane at all. Had she been the reason for his sanity?
Too many questions at once, too many thoughts racing in his mind. And above all, the quiet, well-knowing interaction of his brother with her, that bespoke "family" in ways that Faramir could barely name.
"I... I had no wish to offend you," he replied slowly, directed at her. "Your appearance, and that you read our mother's favourite book, made me wonder."
Elennárë
As Boromir moved over to Kíli Elennárë went over to the corner where Kíli kept salves. Working in a forge would require a few available, for burns, for muscle strain. She returned to her chair and started to apply the salve to her sore foot. "I was born in Valinor, a spirit with no material body." She started telling the basics of her background. "One of the great crafters of the Ñoldor adopted me, gave me a shell that would protect me, raised me as his child. Then Morgoth destroyed the Two Trees and I ended up on Beleriand. I was there through the whole of the First Age and the catastrophe of the land breaking up, I was lost, falling into the Deep Fire."
Her feet done, she sat back. "I do not know exactly how long ago it was, but some time in the last few decades I managed to reach the surface again, coming up in Mordor. I made my way west, in hopes of eventually finding... something better... and encountered Boromir in the Morgul Vale. He was badly injured, delirious, suffering from infected wounds... I did what I could to help him."
Boromir
"Do you recall a piece of rough basalt I had? I know you saw it a few times, the one time you asked about it I called it a reminder that I survived." Boromir chimed in. Though he had kept Elennárë out of sight most of the time, he knew a few people knew about the piece of stone he kept with him. "Kíli paid no mind to old superstitions and cleaned up her shell, carving her into a far more tidy orb. He was also the one who made me aware that she was more than just a dream, more than my wishful mind."
Faramir
Faramir listened, the way he always did, not just to the words, but the meanings and this time his mind could not miss the connection. He looked at her. "And your outer shell would have been changed by the fire, molten and reshaped, to resemble basalt or obsidian... " Was Boromir aware what he had found? The dwarf would have to be, he was an arcane smith, they hoarded knowledge. But another, much more powerful thought, dominated his conclusions. "Tell me..." he hesitated for a moment. "does your walking the world mean that the... Dagor Dagorath is close?" He may have consigned himself to fight Mordor for all of his life, but the thought of a much greater power rising in the east made him feel very small indeed.
Elennárë
"No." There was no allowance in Elennárë's tone as she spoke. "Not even the Valar would curse the worst of souls to what I have lived through. The Deep Fire is Morgoth's oldest and most terrible marring of this world, and I had to live through it for millennia." She picked at a loose thread on the corner of the tunic she wore, a nervous action, showing that she was feeling unsettled. "My shell was not damaged, my father was one of the best and his working remained strong, even under the constant attack of the Fire. Obsidian and basalt are both stones formed from the lava spewed by a fire mountain, fast cooling stones such as you might find thrown out in an eruption."
The thread came loose and she glanced at it, frowning. "Besides, I recently went through something that allowed me to have a very brief contact with one of the Holy Powers. They are glad I am free, but I was given no sign Dagor Dagorath is any time near."
Faramir
Faramir could see how Kíli and Boromir both drew close to her, flanking her protectively. He could see the dwarf gently putting an arm around her, a short hug, like a reminder she was safe. "I did not mean to imply..." he had not meant any harm with his words, but her temper was fierce, that much was sure, and... Light of the world, how had his brother managed to become guardian of a very fiery Silmaril?
"I did not mean to hurt you with my words," he amended. "I am trying to digest all that I just learned. By all what you say - and what I could glean in the years that passed - you may well have saved my brother, when he escaped from Minas Morgul. For that alone, you will always have my thanks." And his protection, for it would need some good intrigues to ensure her safety and even more that her presence was not questioned here.
Elennárë
Elennárë did not respond immediately, leaning into Kíli's hold and a free hand taking a hold of one of Boromir's. "If you have guessed who I am rightly, then I will tell you that legends told about me have come through storytellers who I would question greatly." She sat up a bit straighter. "Most of those tales come through the Sindar who have inserted many moral ideas that were never really a part of the real events. A broken dagger was not broken because it's holder was greedy, it merely broke because it was not strong enough. Those who would be lauded as keeping a great treasure out of the hands of murderers were selfishly holding a sister prisoner from her brothers, inviting further rescue attempts."
Faramir
Faramir had no problems following her references, he loved the old lore, even if many of her words implied that histories were less than reliable. But one thought stood out above all others. A sister.
A sister.
Not jewels, not stones, not possessions. But family. Family. A father and his sons going after their daughters and sisters to bring them home. It called so much of the histories... if not into question then into a new context.
"I hope that in time I may have the chance to learn more of the truth from you," Faramir replied honestly. "though at this moment, your person and protection will have to take precedence."
He looked at his brother. "I already know she is a healer, but what legend have you thought up for her? We will need a few good tricks for this one, and she needs a good story, one that makes sense to the men, not to mention others."
Boromir
"None but the meanest of the lords would believe we had a totally unknown sister, our uncle especially would call such a claim into question as it would call into question Mother's fidelity. I am more inclined however to say she is a cousin." Though talk had got out in the camp as soon as Elennárë was first seen, Boromir had not acknowledged any questions about her being his sister, thinking ahead to this exact matter.
Faramir
"Calling our mother into question, would not only enrage Uncle, it would vex father as well," Faramir said. "though he would probably see the need, if he knew the stakes. A cousin..." he left the words hanging in the air. "will still be hard to explain. Does it need to be a blood relation to us? Because, if not, we could find a family, a loyal soldier, to claim she is his sister... a few benign rumours here and there, involving father and his loneliness after our mother passed... and everyone will believe her to be our half-sister, without us saying it out loud."
Boromir
"That is a rumour I would hope Father would not also be vexed about, but I do letting such an idea spread by rumour is the better way." Boromir nodded. "I may even know some soldiers who would be loyal enough to agree to such." His mind was already working through those he trusted most - best to choose someone not from the nobility, but known to be a trustworthy soldier...
Faramir
Faramir smiled, Boromir inspired incredible loyalty in his men, and if he asked, many of them would help and not ask too many question. They would *think* of course, and help all the more, but the thoughts and the deeds were exactly what was needed. "Once you have a name, we can settle on a few more details, which ultimately will lead to the point on why she is here with us."
Now the dwarf grinned, or maybe simply smiled very amusedly. "Because your brother finally did what your noble father asked him to do several times already: appointing a personal healer."
Faramir had to admit it was a good idea, and one that would run with the idea that she was their secret half-sister. "How do you know he ever asked?" he asked in return.
Now the dwarf's amusement faded, even as the smile remained. "The Undercity has ears, Lord Faramir."
Boromir
"I will inquire, discreetly. I should have someone willing by nightfall." Boromir agreed, his mind still somewhat occupied by how he would address this to the man he had in mind.
Hearing Kíli's comment brought a slight frown to his face. "I just hope there are not too many unfriendly ears amongst them."
Faramir
Faramir saw the smile that went from the dwarf to his brother, realizing that the dwarf probably had not wanted to imply anything that Faramir by rights should not know. Another tangle in this very tangled affair. "I will have my ear to the ground until then - to find out if there are rumours we need to swiftly discourage."
Elennárë
"If any get out... I will not be happy." Elennárë sounded a little distracted as she spoke. "I don't want to be unhappy, fire results when that happens." She rubbed her face, a bit tired. "I think I need to rest. I want to be awake when the stars are in the sky." The connection she now had with Lossanárë was only truly strong enough to really reach her when she was visible in the night skies.
Boromir
Boromir leaned over as Elennárë stood, giving her a light kiss on the forehead. "Rest well Dream-sister." He spoke softly before she turned towards the back room.
"She has been staying up for hours each night lately, watching the stars." He did not say what he knows is the reason for that, Kíli knew it and Boromir believed his brother smart enough and educated enough in the legends to guess.
Faramir
A small shiver ran down Faramir's spine at her words. She certainly was not harmless, and that was a very friendly way of putting it. When he saw how Boromir send her off to rest... it held a warmth, a closeness that seemed so strange, so unexpected, especially here of all places.Not wasting any more time Faramir withdrew.
Kíli
Kíli gave Elennárë a swift hug before she left. "I know." he replied to Boromir's words. "The stars sing to her..." As Faramir withdrew he let out sigh and allowed himself a warm smile for Boromir. "I am glad you came when you did."
Boromir
"I am too. I had no idea someone could somehow draw a conclusion that she could have been my mother. I suppose that is because I know when I found her, and where. I know what she was in my dreams and it was never a mother." With Faramir now gone Boromir let himself wrap an arm around Kíli and draw him close, enjoying his presence.
Kíli
Kíli wrapped both arms closely around Boromir, the topic of his mother was an unsettling one. "I would not have thought so either. Though he indicated that he saw her in ghost form before. Sometimes things look very strange from the outside. He certainly caught me off guard with his idea." He looked up at Boromir. "Will you be alright?"
Boromir
"I heard you say no arcane smith could capture the soul of someone dead, but could someone in this time ever do something similar to what her father managed? Place a living soul in a stone shell?" Boromir wondered at that, curious as to how much smiths like Kíli could really do, rare though they were.
"I will be alright though, it surprised me, but knowing Fari understands the truth now makes it better."
Kíli
Kíli wondered what Boromir was really asking, what had him think in that direction, but his answer was straightforward and honest. "No." He shook his head. "Her father was the greatest arcane crafter that ever lived, no one that came after came even close to what he knew... and no one ever surpassed him. The secret of the three sisters... how they were made, how their spirits came to him... they were lost to time, and mostly to his untimely death. While I believe that certain aspects of his knowledge might have lived on and have been used in the making of the rings - for they too show signs of a soul tied to an artifact, it is imperfect at best." He looked up at his love, taking Boromir's sword hand between his hands. "Why do you ask? Do you know some lost soul, that is in need of either journeying on, or a tie to the world?"
Boromir
That made Boromir laugh briefly. "No, nothing like that. It was merely my mind wondering out of curiosity." He said, giving Kíli's hand a squeeze in return. "I have no idea what the limits of your craft are, so perhaps there will come up further odd questions like that in the future. It is one more thing about you I want to learn." He reached up to run a thumb over Kíli's cheek affectionately.
Kíli
Kíli relaxed with the small affectionate touch, settling a bit more comfortably, not letting go of Boromir's hand, tracing his fingers slightly over the back of it. "The limits... the limits of this art are a tricky thing, my heart. The knowledge of the secrets, or the ability to invent them, the understanding how the living world and the arcane interact... and the strength to pull it off. Sometimes the limits nature gives us are weird. I could easily make a blade that kills at it's first strike - but I could not make a knife that peels potatoes by itself." He now let go with one hand, to reach up and cup Boromir's cheek with his hand. "Never be shy to ask questions, though you will probably end with many strange tales that way."
Boromir
"Sometimes truth is far stranger than anything made up." Boromir leaned into the hand cupping his cheek, a warm smile settling on his face. "I should head back out soon and go deal with my part in working out Elennárë's background, but before I do..." He leaned in to Catch Kíli in a kiss.
Kíli
Kíli drew the kiss into a long, sensuous caress of their lips, his arms coming up around Boromir to embrace him fully for a moment. When he had to let go, he smiled ruefully. "I have to get back to work as well. I promised Veryan he'd have the repairs for his men by sunset."
Boromir
"Then I should let you get back to it. Though after we're done with today's duties..." Boromir said in a tone that hinted with desire and promise. There still remained a smile on his lips as turned to head back out, giving Kíli another long look before stepping back out the door.