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They saw guards of the Citadel and soldiers every day, but Rangers were like oliphaunts – oft discussed, rarely glimpsed, and, to their young minds, the subject of many legends. But once they started talking, there was no stopping them. Halhigil patiently answered their questions, then led them all over the garden, halting now and again to show them something on the ground or to point at a tree or plant. They wandered out of my vision, but of course I was not worried – what could happen to them here, in the company of a Ranger? Why would I be worried? I was being ridiculous, and I knew it, and what was more, I had no say in the matter. Halhigil could take them into the deepest Harad, and I could say nothing, for Lord Denethor wished them to learn skills of the wild. Sighing, trying not to fret, I set the pack of food inside the tent, and went back to the nursery. It seemed very quiet and empty. 87 “Where are we going?” Boromir demanded as Halhigil led them through the garden gates. “We’re not staying here?” “We are going out onto the Pelennor,” Halhigil revealed. “We shall meet a friend of mine called Elchim, and we will have some Ranger training in the woods there.” Halhigil saw the boys exchanged an awed look; likely they had never been outside the City walls except in a carriage. “What will we see?” Faramir wanted to know, and Halhigil was surprised when the boy took his hand and held it tightly. The Ranger smiled down at him. “We shall see many things, young master Faramir. Birds and squirrels, different types of trees, perhaps a fox or two. I shall show you how to tell one animal’s tracks from another, and if we are fortunate, we will follow some creature to its den.” “We aren’t going to catch them, though, are we?” Boromir asked, glancing anxiously at his brother. Halhigil hid his amusement. “No, we are not,” he agreed, though that had indeed been part of what he had planned. Apparently the sons of the Steward were not yet ready to trap their own supper. They would learn soon enough.
Elchim was resting in the shade of a tall maple when they arrived, and true to their Nanny’s warning, Faramir immediately began to climb into its branches while the two Rangers spoke together. Halhigil did not stop him, only kept an eye on his progress. Boromir, however, had other ideas. “Faramir!” he called authoritatively. “If you go too high and get stuck, I’m not going to come get you!” “I won’t go very high, I promise.” Faramir’s voice drifted down from among the leaves. Elchim choked back a laugh. “Are you sure we’re needed at all?” he said to Halhigil. “Sounds as if Boromir has the situation well in hand.” Halhigil grinned. “Brothers will brothers,” he shrugged, and turned his attention towards the children. “Come, young men, let us begin your instruction!” Halhigil was impressed with how eager the Steward’s sons were to learn. He had volunteered to accompany them because he was bored of lying in the Houses, and had half-expected two unmanageable boys. But while they were high-spirited and energetic, they were obedient, and listened to what he and Elchim had to teach them. It was a little odd; Halhigil was not used to having such a captive audience when he explained the difference between rabbit tracks and fox tracks. They paused for a meal of cold meat, bread, and cheese, and the Rangers were amused to find a small leather provisions bag in with the other food. “Here is Ranger food indeed,” Elchim said with a grin. He showed the boys the contents of the pouch: twists of jerked meat, hard flatbread, a mix of dried berries and nuts, a little pouch holding sweetened oats suitable for making porridge. The boys were eager to try the unfamiliar food, but both grimaced at the meat, and Boromir refused to have anything to do with the flatbread. Faramir, however, proved rather fond of the berries and nuts, and filled one of his little belt pouches with the mixture. The men would have lingered over the food, for fresh bread and cheese were not to be taken for granted, but the children were impatient to return to exploring, so luncheon was a quick affair. They stayed within sight each another, but Boromir tended to end up trailing Halhigil, while Faramir was never far from Elchim. Halhigil kept an eye on Boromir, who was now wandering off the narrow path, while Faramir was asking endless questions about the surrounding foliage. Elchim had been surprised at how much the boy already knew; when asked where he had learned 88
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Table of Contents Introduction by C
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Introduction by Cressida and Lilan,
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EdorasLass I've been writing LOTR f
Page 8 and 9:
Nancy Brooke Like many I first came
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They talked a little while eating,
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An Ill-Conceived Notion by Illwynd
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“Gailon, have you any liquor in y
Page 16 and 17:
in this condition, Ciryandil could
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The rest of the night passed withou
Page 20 and 21:
Boromir was already about to give a
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Grief by Gwyneth The person sitting
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23 Boromir averted his eyes from t
Page 26 and 27:
she is gone, and all your hopes and
Page 28 and 29:
Sea Food by Annmarwalk Author’s n
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Summer 2990, T.A. Rumours and Memor
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“Is that true?” “Aye. I read
Page 34 and 35:
Journeys in High Places by Illwynd
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“I know your excuses by now. You
Page 38 and 39: They walked through ever-changing l
Page 40 and 41: chirped. It was a silence like of t
Page 42 and 43: covering of snow; the ever-blowing
Page 44 and 45: Several hours later, Boromir sat hu
Page 46 and 47: “I cannot spot them; can you see
Page 48 and 49: Faramir thought for a moment, then
Page 50 and 51: him more terrible than to die in ba
Page 52 and 53: numbed, and their feet, kicking thr
Page 54 and 55: Leaves on the Wind: Signaling Storm
Page 56 and 57: and you under the sun. It puts me i
Page 58 and 59: door. Still, I will take comfort, a
Page 60 and 61: The time of our separation is over,
Page 62 and 63: They began to pass through the main
Page 64 and 65: "But...have you ever done this befo
Page 66 and 67: snip "I don't think so, little brot
Page 68 and 69: Faramir looked at the table beside
Page 70 and 71: alongside him. The warm breeze stir
Page 72 and 73: son," he said. "May I assume this h
Page 74 and 75: Denethor did not seem at all surpri
Page 76 and 77: An observer might wonder what it wa
Page 78 and 79: name. Better to be Anárion and die
Page 80 and 81: another thing he’d learned from M
Page 82 and 83: So this must be the guest from Roha
Page 84 and 85: Boys at Play by Khorazîr 83
Page 86 and 87: I did not know any Rangers; I hoped
Page 90 and 91: to identify plants by their leaves,
Page 92 and 93: Elchim did not laugh, though Halhig
Page 94 and 95: “You cannot wander about alone at
Page 96 and 97: wondered how hard it would be to sl
Page 98 and 99: He laughs, showing fine straight te
Page 100 and 101: sadness. I wish that we could have
Page 102 and 103: I pack my things into a few small b
Page 104 and 105: Boromir dragged a chair to the wind
Page 106 and 107: ‘No, Boromir, that was not why I
Page 108 and 109: The grime idea had come to Faramir;
Page 110 and 111: To their great dismay, that proved
Page 112 and 113: Something in his face clearly made
Page 114 and 115: Finally, they were at the door to t
Page 116 and 117: ‘Something tells me you are not a
Page 118 and 119: His eldest was lying sprawled acros
Page 120 and 121: ‘Awaken your brother, ’tis rath
Page 122 and 123: oof and cracked it in several place
Page 124 and 125: "Do the young men of Gondor think o
Page 126 and 127: I see it." They walked to the great
Page 128 and 129: "To the new year!" the guests repea
Page 130: Still, Mithrandir thought, it had b
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