5This idea came to me when I searched for a Boromir-Elboron fic and found nothing... So I decided to write my own!
The twenty-sixth of February was always a sad day in the castle of Minas Tirith, though Elboron never truly did understand why. His father had told him many times, that today was the day that his uncle, his father's brother, had died many years ago. Today, it was also raining, which meant that Elboron could not escape out to the great fields to play instead of being kept, locked up with the adults who all mourned on this day. His friend, almost like a brother to him, Eldarion, was also unhappy about these circumstances. Elboron understood that at least. Eldarion had no relation to the deceased man, so why should he have to listen to all of the people's mourning as well? But he was the king's son, who had been a friend to the dead man, so he had to stay.
What Elboron wanted to know the most, was what kind of a person his uncle really was. From the mouths of the street people, his uncle was not a good man, that he had tried to take the Ring from the hobbit Frodo, and almost caused the world to fall into darkness. From his parents, and the king, he was a strong man, filled with honor and pride. Elboron did not know which one to believe. Today was different though, today he was truly find out why. Late in the evening, two hobbits had knocked on the door, drenched in the rain, looking very weary from travel. Elboron looked up at his father, who smiled at one of them, whilst his mother smiled at the other.
Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took had come to pay their respects to his uncle. Elboron had heard about these hobbits, one had saved his father's life, and the other had saved his mother's life, but he had never met them. Peregrin, or Pippin as he told him to call him, was a thin hobbit, with curly locks of mahogany hair and bright green eyes. He always seemed to be happy or hungry or both. This was the hobbit who had pledged allegiance to his grandfather as payment for something. Elboron never did get the whole story. Meriadoc, who also had a nickname as Merry, was a blonde hobbit with dark eyes. He shared the same curly locks as Pippin did, though his were just a bit curlier. He was still as happy as Pippin, though he seemed much older, and he seemed to understand the grief more. Elboron was told that this hobbit was the one that rode with his mother.
The king of Gondor, then took the group of people to the dining room and proposed a toast for Elboron's uncle. Unfortunately, Elboron was too young to actually have ale, so he had to make-due with some juice. Eldarion, though a year older than him, share the same drink with Elboron. Elboron noticed that his father had not yet taken a swing of his ale yet, and that there were tears falling from his eyes. The Steward's son was shocked, he had never seen his father cry, and he wondered how good of a person his uncle was to leave scars on his father's heart forever. Elboron put down his juice and then walked over to his father.
"Father, why have you not had a drink yet?" Elboron asked politely, looking up at his father with grey eyes that were mirrored by the man.
"It reminds me of Boromir," His father simply answered. "The last time I saw him, we were drinking ale together." The words hitched in his throat, and Elboron sighed. His uncle had passed away twelve years ago, he did not understand why his father was so upset about it now. Elboron then walked back to Eldarion, who was refilling his glass of juice.
"What's wrong with your father?" Eldarion questioned once Elboron was in earshot, "Is he still sad about his brother dying? You don't seem too said."
"It's because I never did know him, and Father hasn't really explained much to me, whenever he does, he gets really sad," Elboron answered, looking down at his feet. He wanted to know more about his uncle, he wanted to know why his father was crying about him at this moment. Suddenly a sadness hit him. He would never get to meet his uncle, he would never really get to know what he was like. Hot tears threatened to fall down the ten-year-old's face, but Elboron held them back. He did not want to seem weak in front of Eldarion.
The small hobbit Pippin seemed to notice the young child's depression, and he then walked over to him, still holding his mug of ale.
"So you're Elboron," The hobbit noted, "You look a lot like your father, and even more like your uncle."
"I did not know that, because I have never seen my uncle," Elboron said to him, still fighting the tears. Why was he so said right now? He never used to be this sad before.
"Your uncle was a great man," Pippin said, and his voice seemed to fall from its happy tone to a much sadder, depressed one. "He was one of my good friends. Your uncle died, defending me."
Elboron looked at the hobbit in shock. No one had ever told him this before. Why didn't they? Were they afraid that he would get angry at the hobbits for being so defenseless? Elboron suddenly felt anger at all of the people who called his uncle weak, who tarnished his memory because of their silly beliefs.
Pippin did not seem to notice that Elboron had his fist clenched and then he continued, "I wish I could go back, I wish I could fight with him. I wonder that if I had helped him fight, that he would still be here today. I can't help but feel this way, and I feel guilty about it. But, I can't change the past, no matter how much I wish I could," Pippin looked at Elboron for a moment and then he sighed, "You really do look like your uncle."
Elboron was then put to bed by his father. It took him a long time to fall asleep, all he could think about was what Pippin had said. He knew that it was true, someone could not have come up with such a lie. He tossed and turned, he wanted to tell the world that his uncle was a strong man, but they wouldn't believe him because he had never met him. Exhaustion took over, and the last thoughts that Elboron had were 'I wish I could meet him, just once...'
Elboron was suddenly standing by the Anduin River, in the fields of Minas Tirith. He did not know that how he had gotten here, he only knew that he was here. In the distance, he saw a tall man laying down on the grass. Elboron rushed over to him, hoping that he wasn't dead, and he then saw that the man looked almost exactly like his father. He then realized that the man looked more like him than his father. Or was it that he looked like the man instead? He had his eyes closed, and his hair was spread out along the ground. He seemed to be at peace. Suddenly, the man opened up his eyes to reveal a piercing grey hue.
"So," the man spoke in a deep voice. It seemed distant, like it was from another world. "You are my nephew."
The man sat up and looked at the White City behind him, smiling. He then turned his glance from the city down to Elboron's shaking form. His smile grew and then he laughed. "Do you think that you have died? Do not fret, you haven't, I have merely visited you from the other world. What is your name?"
"I-I am Elboron Son of Faramir," Elboron stuttered. Was it that this man was his uncle? The man looked so big and strong, so magnificent under the light of the pale moon and the stars. Elboron looked up at him, he was very tall, about 6'4 and strong built. He had a heavy jaw, giving him a manly and scary appearance, but when he smiled, he seemed to be one of the most friendliest people in the world.
"So Faramir did have children," The man sighed, and then he looked at the ten-year-old boy, "If you have not figured it out already, I am Boromir Son of Denethor, or I am your uncle."
"But... aren't you dead?" Elboron felt himself ask the question before he truly realize what he had said. He looked up at the man, afraid that he might get mad at him for asking such a question, but the man laughed instead.
"Why, yes I am, and I have been for twelve years," The man replied, "Now, Elboron, you said that you wanted to meet me, so here I am. Do you have any questions?"
"Are you real?" Elboron blurted out.
"I am," Boromir nodded, "But I am only a sprit, and that is why you can only see me in your dreams."
"Un...cle," Elboron said the word with a bit of uncertainty, and Boromir smiled down at him. "Why does father miss you so? I mean, did Grandfather help him through the loss?"
Boromir's expression turned from its smile, to a frown. "So they have not yet told you."
"Told me what?"
Boromir looked at his nephew for a moment before he then said, "My father did not like Faramir much, he favourited me instead. Father... was torn by my loss, I suppose and it drove him mad. He tried to kill your father after Faramir had sustained great wounds, but the hobbit that you met just this night, Pippin, saved him. Faramir was my closest friend, my little brother, and we loved each other very much. I am very sad to be dead without saying a proper goodbye." Tears rolled down his uncle's face, and Elboron felt the grief grasp his heart again.
"Uncle, do not worry, I am sure father knows that you love him," Elboron tried to comfort the man. "Uncle, is it true that you tried to take the One Ring?"
"It ails me to say this, and I do say it with horrible regret, but I did," Boromir told him. "And those people have a right to be angry with me."
"No they do not!" Elboron retorted, "King Aragorn told me that he was also tempted by the One Ring at one time, and that it was not only you! Father told me that you were a strong man and that everybody in Gondor loved you..." Elboron then let himself cry. Boromir pulled him into a hug, and then began to stroke his hair. "Those people are wrong Uncle, you- you are the best Uncle anyone could ask for..."
"Thank you, Elboron, and you are the greatest nephew ever," Boromir said, "Now, you are going to have to leave soon, next time you see your father, tell him that I will see him soon."
"Yes..."
Elboron felt himself drift to sleep in his Uncle's arms, and then he heard a call, "Wake up, Elboron, wake up!"
"Father?" Elboron asked sleepily, "What is it father?"
"I came to check on you, and you were crying in your sleep!" Faramir told him, and then he looked at his son, "Is everything all right?"
"Father, I met Uncle," Elboron explained, "I met him in my dream! Father, I understand him now. He talked to me in his dream, he believes that the people who dislike him are correct, I told him no."
"You cannot have met him," Faramir whispered.
"I did Father, and he was very sad that he left you," Elboron replied. "Father, Uncle loved you very much, and he wanted to say goodbye to you. He told me that he was going to see you soon! So go to sleep Father, and you will see your brother again!"
"Elboron," Faramir shook his head, "He is dead, I will not be seeing him."
"Yes you will," Elboron insisted before he then said goodnight to his father and went back to sleep. Happy that he had finally met his Uncle.
The next morning, he was woken by Faramir. "Elboron, you were right, I did see Boromir last night..."