This is my first LOTR fan fiction to go onto the net. I’d like to thank my best friend Livi-Wan Kenobi for spell checking and proof reading it for me.

Disclaimer:I do not own LOTR,I am simply borrowing a couple of the characters for a while.And I use them in honor to both the books and the films.I was decided to write this story because Boromir and Faramir are two of my favourite characters and I feel that Faramir needed to get a few things out in the open, even if they only are expressed in his thoughts.I have also read a few fan fictions that deal with similar themes.

Thank you and I hope you enjoy my story.

*Remembrance*

It was night and all was well in the house of the Steward, until the cry of a baby pieced the air. Faramir opened his eyes and gazed down at his wife. She smiled in her sleep, but did not stir.
‘I suppose I should see to him’ Faramir thought, sliding out of bed carefully so that he didn’t disturb Eowyn. He walked into an adjoining room and looked down into the crib at his son.
Théomir had been in the world for five months now, and Faramir loved him dearly. He picked up Théomir and held him. The baby’s cries stopped as soon as his father touched him. He looked up at Faramir and smiled. Faramir smiled back and walked out onto a balcony and into the night air.
‘He is so small, and so innocent’ Faramir thought ‘I thank all the heavenly spirits for blessing Eowyn and I with him. I would never have thought that one day I would have a son, and be the Steward of Gondor.’
Sadness clouded his eyes then as he thought of the past.
‘If I had been told many years ago that I would be here this day, I would have thought them a fool. I was meant to only be only a captain, Boromir was to be Steward.
All that I have in life is my own only by his death. Were he alive he would most likely have married Eowyn and have fathered a son, not I.’
He looked down at Théomir then. The baby was still awake and looked at his father as if he could read Faramir’s very thoughts.
“I can tell already that you will become a good person.”Faramir said to his son, “And I promise that I will always treat you and any brothers or sisters that follow you fairly.”
‘Unlike father’ he thought.
Faramir sat down on a stone bench that was on the balcony, being careful all the time of Théomir in his arms.
‘I never held it against Boromir that father preferred him over me, I don’t now. He was the firstborn son, it was to be expected. Boromir always felt guilty about it though, even when we were children he would stand up for me to father and always give me his attention and love. It didn’t change the fact that I felt as though I had to prove myself to father, I always felt that one day I would do something that would make me worthy in his eyes.’
Théomir cried out then, and Faramir noticed that a tear had fallen down his cheek and had landed on Théomir’s face. Faramir gently bushed the tear away from the infant’s face.
‘I suppose it was that feeling that made me want to take The One Ring. I wanted it so that father would love me the way he loved Boromir, as the best son. When the hobbit Sam told me about what the Ring did to Boromir, it wounded me. Boromir was always strong, was always good. I never could have thought him able to do such a thing, but he did. I thought my life was over when I fell under the black breath, I welcomed death then. I thought then that maybe I could see my brother again if I died, that we would be able to face the end together. But I lived, the King healed me in body and Eowyn healed me in soul and heart. In her I found love and joy after darkness and death.
Aragorn has also been a good friend to me, almost like a brother.
I am glad for the things in my life, but I have to wonder if I was meant to happen. It may have been a twist of fate that sent Boromir to his death. It may have been me to die; maybe it should have been me to die. Who can tell?’
“Faramir?”
Faramir turned to see Eowyn in the doorway behind him.
“What are you doing awake at this hour?”
Faramir stood up and walked over to her.
“I was just comforting Théomir, he was crying.” Faramir explained.
Eowyn kissed his cheek and took Théomir from him.
“He seems fine now, we should put him and then ourselves back to bed.”
She went inside, placing Théomir in the crib. Faramir came up behind her and hugged her close.
“Let’s get back to bed.” He whispered softly.
They went back into their room and lay down.
“Faramir?”
“Yes Eowyn?”
“When Théomir was born I asked you if you wished for him to be named after his uncle, and you said no. I’ve just been wondering why.”
Faramir smiled slightly and put his arms around his wife.
“I didn’t want our first son to be named after a previous first son. I didn’t want other children that we will have to feel overshadowed by an oldest brother called Boromir.”
“I know you would never make them feel that.” Said Eowyn, resting her head against his chest.
“I know. I also think that if I name any of our children after Boromir, it will be the second son.” He added
“I think that feels right. “She said. Eowyn then turned upward and looked in his eye.
“Though who says we will have more children. Do you have any idea how much pain there is involved?”
Faramir just smiled and kissed her then, deeply and truly. When he broke the kiss, Eowyn smiled back.
“Well,” she said. “Maybe there are good things about having more children.”

They settled down and slept then, the Steward and his wife. All was as every other night, but this night Faramir slept more peacefully.

*18 years later*
Faramir watched as Théomir taught his ten year old brother Boromir how to use a bow while their young sister Théodwyn sat nearby with Eowyn.
Théomir had grown into a very good, very kind and very honourable young man. He had all the good traits of both his mother and father and the people of Gondor loved him well. As did the oldest daughter of Aragorn, princess Aranel.
‘He has grown up to be the best kind of man that I could have hoped him to be.’ Faramir thought.
‘I feel that ever since that night, so long ago, that I held him and comforted him as a baby; the old burdens of my life have been lighter. It’s as if by thinking on them in that moment, the ghosts of the past went away.’
“Father! Father I did it!”
Faramir looked up then to see that Théomir had successfully taught Boromir how to shoot the target. Boromir was grinning at his father.
“Well done Boromir.” Faramir called, smiling.
‘What I have in my life may have been for another. But I should not be one to second guess fate and what should be. I am happy with my life, and so that will do’

End