Untitled - BoG-Archive

“You cannot wander about alone at night,” the guard said firmly, “And I
cannot leave you, so I am afraid that you have to sleep without him.”
Faramir looked on the verge of tears, and Boromir gave a heavy sigh. “Can
I go get him?” he asked, looking both annoyed and concerned for his little
brother.
“Is there a Ranger here missing his pet rabbit?”
“Nanny!” Faramir cried, leaping up and running to her. “Did you bring
Hanu?”
“I did,” she said, smiling. “Good evening, Haloth.”
“Good evening, miss,” he returned, sighing in relief at her timely
appearance. He had not relished the notion of arguing the point with a grouchy
four-year-old.
“Now I see you are ready for bed,” she said to the boys, “so come and lie
down, and I shall sing to you, all right? Tomorrow you can tell me all about your
day.”
“All right,” Faramir nodded, clutching the stuffed rabbit to his chest as he
scrambled back under his blankets.
Nanny – Haloth realized he did not even know her name – pulled their
blankets smooth, tucked the edges underneath them, and sat down between the
boys. That surprised him – very few women, even women in service, would sit
on grass without even bothering to see if the ground was muddy, but she did not
seem to care. He was also surprised that she was so calm; he had expected her to
be all a-flutter with anxiety, for everyone in the Citadel knew how protective she
was of the Steward’s sons, and putting them in the care of someone else for a
whole day had likely been trying for her.
“Now, what shall I sing for you?” Nanny asked fondly, combing her
fingers through Faramir’s hair.
“A Ranger song,” Boromir declared sleepily.
Nanny looked startled. “I am afraid I do not know any Ranger songs,” she
admitted, glancing at Haloth for help.
Fortunately, he did know one Ranger song. “Might I sing for you, instead
of Nanny?” he asked.
Faramir lifted his head and frowned. “She is not your Nanny,” he said
severely. “She is ours.”
Nanny gave a cough that sounded more like a laugh. “It is no matter,
Faramir,” she said, the faintest hint of rebuke in her voice. “Haloth may call me
that if he wishes. Now shall he sing?”
The boys agreed, and Haloth took a moment to remember all the words.
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