Bright Futures

“Boromir!”

The man in question heard his name and sighed in frustration. Would his brother not learn?

“What?” he bellowed back from the arena.

His sparring partner grinned, knowing that the distraction would be the future steward’s downfall. Sure enough, he found a hole and took advantage. The fact that Boromir would take losing out on his brother was an added bonus. Faramir made some of the soldiers uneasy, with his penchant for books rather than swords.

“Damn! Look what….” Boromir turned on his younger brother.

Usually caught up in scholarly pursuits, Faramir had no sense of timing when a man was busy doing manly things. He viewed swordplay as exactly that- play, and Boromir was tired of it.

“What was so infernally important that you caused me to lose the fight?”

“I only wanted to tell you that lady Eldwyn has arrived and is asking after you.” Faramir smiled, seeing the shift in his brother’s eyes. Ah, yes, the one thing that meant more than swords, the fair daughter of lord Aldwulf.

“Did she say…?” Boromir was at a loss for words. The answer to his proposal lay with the lady.

“She waits. With her mother.” The implication was clear.

Boromir pick Faramir up and swung the smaller man around, laughing with glee. She says yes! All the conniving of his father was come to naught. The fair Eldwyn would be his bride, and not that pinch-faced sister of Denethor’s friend. Why, she was five years older than he was! What kind of wife would she make?

Rushing back to his rooms to bathe and prepare for dinner, Boromir ran through his head the hurdles on the path to their wedding. He had two more years of training before he was free to wed. Then, his father insisted on him spending another three years learning his duties as steward.

Finishing up, he ran back down the stairs to the dining hall. There she was, just as he remembered. Her silky blond hair hanging in loose curls, a pale blue dress moulded against her slender body. The epitome of beauty.

After dinner, they withdrew to Denethor’s study to discuss dowry and bride price. Their parents handling this part, Boromir and Eldwyn stared moonstruck at each other. The hours passed as minutes. They heard no one else.

Until a courier knocked on the door.

“Lord Denethor, I have a missive from Imladris.”