Henneth Annûn Story Archive

Hey guys,

It's that time of the month again. It's time to celebrate the births of those members born in this month.

Is your birthday in June? Would you like a drabble? Then post a request in this thread so other members can write you drabbles.

Birthday Drabble requesters - don't forget to add your story to the
HASA Birthday Cards workshop and enter it in the June Birthday Challenge

Birthday Drabble Writers - don't forget to add your drabbles to the recipient's story in the HASA Birthday Cards workshop

Instructions for Birthday Drabbling: complete and easy to follow instructions on the new system.

Marta

*****

June 2 -- Gwynnyd: I was going to try and think up a very clever and unusual request, but now I don't wanna. I am stuck in a rut and so predictable. Give me Aragorn/Thorongil/Estel/Elessar in any way, shape, or form. Show him being silly, or lover-ly, or noble, or confronting some unusual experience, or meeting someone, or... well, anything. Thanks!

June 7 -- Avon: I'd love (to be predictable) Aragon and Legolas friendship. Book or movieverse is fine by me. If that's not your cup of tea then how about either Boromir and Theodred or Boromir and Faramir? No slash please.

June 7 -- SallyK : My birthday is the 7th June and I am a major Eowyn fan, so I would love anything about her - particularly if it is set after the destruction of the Ring.

June 9 -- AmandaK: Since my June is going to be dominated by music (as in 10 Duran Duran concerts in 3 weeks, in case anyone's interested) I would like to see a drabble about music. Preferably LotR-based since I have neither read The Hobbit or the Silm. Extra points if it features a live Boromir.

June 14 -- Shadowed Mind: I would love (if possible) either an Erestor/Glorfindel thing, very sweet and cuddly, or something very romantic and cute about any couple?

June 16 -- Edhellana: I'm a true Gemini (split personality and all! hehehe) So if someone can do a naughty NC-17 drabble with me and the Half-elven twins (Elladan and Elrohir), I would love it....*GRINS*

June 17 -- Linaewen: I would love to see some Boromir drabbles. It's hard to narrow down what I want to something specific, since Boromir anything is just what I like -- Boromir and hobbits, Boromir and Faramir, Boromir being noble and heroic, etc. etc. But if someone is feeling adventurous, why not try giving me some pre-Ring Quest drabbles of Boromir visiting Rohan or Boromir interacting with Gandalf or even Saruman -- extra points if you can get Faramir and a non-movie!verse Denethor in there.

 

Shadowed Mind said I would love (if possible) either an Erestor/Glorfindel thing, very sweet and cuddly, or something very romantic and cute about any couple? I'm afraid Erestor/Glorfindel didn't speak to me, but this romantic (in a fairly loose sense of the word) and definitely cute drabble presented itself to me. You can choose the couple (I think it could be applied to several). Speechless He always had a way with words, my husband. He knew many songs from the long hoard of the past, yet could turn a poem fresh minted at need. Fine speeches to suit formal occasions came easily to his lips, but pomp and status did not make him forget how to trade light words with friends. And he knew well the way to rally others to some greater effort, or comfort their despair – and when to speak and when be silent. Presenting our first born to him, I see I have found a way to render him speechless at last. Happy Birthday! Cheers, Liz

 

It's gotta be Faramir and Eowyn - Faramir tends to be more a bit more chatty than Strider-Aragorn, and would have had more practice in public speaking at formal occasions. Very nice!

 

You wanted a drabble with music. And I have one for you. I have no idea what it's about really, but it has music. Cheers! Juno

---

Sing Me a Song, Love "Sing me a song, love, for my heart is weary and yearns for the sea." "Would that I could, love, but my heart is wearier and never will long for the ocean again." "Tell me a tale, love, for my heart is heavy and bleak like black swans." "Would that I could, love, but my tongue is heavier and I will lift it no more." "Kiss me goodbye, love, for my spirit is drawn to Aman's sweet dawn." "Would that I could, love, but for us it's farewell. My lips turned to dust, love, my spirit fled from its shell." (litograph by Jean-Paul Donadini, one of my favourite modern artists)

 

June 9 -- AmandaK: Since my June is going to be dominated by music (as in 10 Duran Duran concerts in 3 weeks, in case anyone's interested) I would like to see a drabble about music. Preferably LotR-based since I have neither read The Hobbit or the Silm. Extra points if it features a live Boromir. Amanda: Music. check. LotR based. check Live Boromir. check Other than that, I can't promise much compared to the marvelous drabbles that incorporated all the song titles. I hope your birthday and your tour were wonderful! Enjoy! Practice Makes Perfect Plonck. Boromir’s fingers tangled in the strings. Grimacing at the discord, he tried again. Plonck. Again! “Sir?” Boromir’s voice broke. He gave the corporal his best smile and indicated the guitar slung on the trooper’s back. “Could you teach me that song about the ladies of Lamedon?” “You must enthuse them.” Boromir addressed the recruiters. “Like this!” He grabbed the nearby lute, voice ringing out over the chords, “Rise and fight for Gondor!” The elves passed the lyre and sang absurd verses. Boromir laughed heartily, until it was thrust at him. Ready, he easily picked out the melody, and sang. Gwynnyd

 

Hi Linaewen, here's a birthday tribble for you, featuring bookverse! Denethor and a glimpse of Faramir and at least mentioning Boromir. Enjoy! Yours JunoMagic

---

Woebegone – Woe Begone – Be Gone – Gone There is no one left to be trusted. Least of all myself. He is about to launch his last attack. I know this. I have seen this. And this time, he will win. He is telling me that he will win. With one look of his eye. His burning eye. There is no need to tell me, for I know. I have seen. But he rejoices in telling me. The eye is following my every step. Every step. Step. Step. It flickers in the eye of that servant, watching me out of the corner of his eyes. Eyes, eye, I. I scream at him. He shrinks back shivering. I look into his eyes and they are blue. Blue, blue, blue. I feel the eye on my back whenever I turn around. Round, round and round we go, ring around the tree, ring around the white, white tree. I scream at it. But it stands white and dead. Dead, dead, Dad. The eye is looking at me with Faramir's eyes, Finduilas' eyes. Love turned to hate, their eyes pursue me. Pursue me, pure me, oh me. Woe me. The eye is sitting in its dark tower, staring at me, the eye is sitting in my white tower, staring at me, there he sits and stares at me, stairs, stairs, stairs. No air… Air. Heir, my heir. Boromir. But Boromir's dead. Boromir. Brother, dear. He said that, said that always said that. Sad that. Sad. Sat smiling weakly at Faramir's face. Fair Faramir, now my heir. Fair, so fair. But fire is burning inside him now, burning fair and burning face. Face will turn foul. Only fire will preserve what once was fair and now is foul. Fair face fears no fire. Fire, fire the great purifier. Fire… Fire… Fire… …burn… …higher.

 

June 9 -- AmandaK: Since my June is going to be dominated by music [...] I would like to see a drabble about music. Preferably LotR-based since I have neither read The Hobbit or the Silm. Extra points if it features a live Boromir. I tried to come up with anything with a living Boromir. Really, I did, but I couldn't make it work. I hope you like it, and at least it's in Gondor. Cormallen, to be exact. Praise them! ***** Denethor was a good master. My leg, twisted from birth, kept me from riding a horse or stepping aside to escape a sword's blow, but he accepted me as herald. Yet the king is a better lord still. I can see it in the sheen in his eye. I shall be proud to serve him all of my days. What of those halflings before him? We owe them all our lives, but they would not accept such a tribute. So I shall weave them into legend. My sons' sons will learn their names. "Praise them," I cry, "with great praise!" Marta

 

June 17 -- Linaewen: I would love to see some Boromir drabbles. It's hard to narrow down what I want to something specific, since Boromir anything is just what I like -- Boromir and hobbits, Boromir and Faramir, Boromir being noble and heroic, etc. etc. But if someone is feeling adventurous, why not try giving me some pre-Ring Quest drabbles of Boromir visiting Rohan or Boromir interacting with Gandalf or even Saruman -- extra points if you can get Faramir and a non-movie!verse Denethor in there. Well, Rohan wasn't speaking to me, and neither were the wizards, but here is a Boromir and Faramir moment with references to a very bookverse Denethor. "A Steward's Dreams" He spoke of Osgiliath rebuilt, the Tree in bloom. Such a smile lit his face! Yet of all Faramir's dreams, this one pained me most. Where would it leave our father? Or me? The stewards had served Gondor faithfully for nigh a thousand years. Our place was at the head of armies, recapturing past glory, our families enjoying the security our swords bought. But while he spoke of a sable standard fluttering in the wind, the white one also flew below it: the House of Húrin would not be displaced. And I found in my own heart that same dream.

 

Ooooh, Marta! How lovely, and also a bit *wibble*.

 

Thank You Liz! That was lovely! I'm guessing...Arwen/Aragorn - I find him quite poetic! And romantic too...also puts me in mind of the 'Son's of Gondor, Of Rohan' speech in ROTK because of the 'he knew well the way to rally others to some greater effort'. And, yes, it IS a very cute drabble! Thank you again: you made my day! SM p.s. I'm legal now! Legal for what, I don't know since I don't drink and voting's done, but now I'm eighteen! Yay!

 

Marta, I liked PRAISE THEM WITH GREAT PRAISE; and absolutely adore A STEWARD'S DREAMS! The latter is so very Faramir and Boromir - Faramir dreaming of the King's return and the Steward's honored place at his side, Boromir thinking of Gondor's glory and security but finally convinced of the rightness of his brother's vision. It has always bothered me that JRRT said, while describing Aragorn's coronation, that the Steward's banner flew for the last time over Gondor before Aragorn entered the City - surely that standard would be raised below the King's flag at least when Faramir was in residence in Minas Tirith doing Stewardly things? I think JRRT had to have meant that it was the last time the Steward's banner flew alone. RAKSHA THE DEMON

 

Thanks, EdorasLass, I'm glad you liked it. Marta

 

Marta, I liked PRAISE THEM WITH GREAT PRAISE; and absolutely adore A STEWARD'S DREAMS! Score! Two drabbles in two days, and you like both of them. The latter is so very Faramir and Boromir - Faramir dreaming of the King's return and the Steward's honored place at his side, Boromir thinking of Gondor's glory and security but finally convinced of the rightness of his brother's vision. This one was actually heavily influenced by Acacea's vignette "Dawn", in which Faramir remembers discussing his hopes for the future with Boromir. The piece is about other things, too, of course, but that image in particular stayed with me. I also took inspiration from Faramir's comments to Frodo at Henneth Annun, about wanting to see the white tree in bloom again. And of course the latent hostility or at least uneasiness Boromir has toward Aragorn in the movies, and to a lesser extent in the books. It has always bothered me that JRRT said, while describing Aragorn's coronation, that the Steward's banner flew for the last time over Gondor before Aragorn entered the City - surely that standard would be raised below the King's flag at least when Faramir was in residence in Minas Tirith doing Stewardly things? I think JRRT had to have meant that it was the last time the Steward's banner flew alone. Or that Faramir was not yet reconfirmed as steward. I think that everyone expected Aragorn to take up rule of Gondor, and for Faramir to be just another powerful lord, not particularly more important than, say, Imrahil or Húrin of the Keys. People might have expected Faramir to be Aragorn's chief adviser, but I'm not sure that's official enough of a post to warrant a special standard. After all, it's not like Gríma's standard hangs under Théoden's at Edoras. So I agree with you that Aragorn did not seek to supplant the rule of the steward. He was certainly ruler, but I think he respected what his stewards offered through their service, and I don't think he would hace accepted Faramir both as prince and steward if he had wanted to rule without their assistance. I can't imagine the white flag not flying ever in the Fourth Age, either. Marta

 

Hi Linaewen, here's a birthday tribble for you, featuring bookverse! Denethor and a glimpse of Faramir and at least mentioning Boromir. Enjoy! Yours JunoMagic Ah, this is magnificent! I have often thought of what course the final descent into madness might have taken, and pondered how Denethor might have come to the decision that burning was the only way out. Fire, fire the great purifier. Yes, indeed, he might just have seen it this way. No matter how strong or capable he was when he first began confronting the Eye, once the realization that the Eye has won takes hold, he would not be able to escape it. How sad that he was so mistaken! Thank you for a very thought-provoking tribble! Lin

 

Well, Rohan wasn't speaking to me, and neither were the wizards, but here is a Boromir and Faramir moment with references to a very bookverse Denethor. "A Steward's Dreams" *happy sniffle* I can't seem to find the words to describe how this moment makes me feel -- it is such a perfect Boromir moment. The words glorious, brilliant and beautiful all fall short of the mark! Where would it leave our father? Or me? The stewards had served Gondor faithfully for nigh a thousand years. Our place was at the head of armies, recapturing past glory, our families enjoying the security our swords bought. This is a legitiimate question from one who has never had any other reason to suspect that he would not be the one to take on the duty of Steward when his time came. It makes me wonder if this might not have had some influence in Boromir's desire to take on the quest for the meaning of the dream he and Faramir shared -- not just to seek aid for the battle and answers to the riddle, but to discover exactly what that aid and those answers might mean for his own future, as well as that of his people. Thank you, thank you for a thoughtful glimpse into Boromir's thoughts and dreams! Lin

 

I have Boromir and music for you - though you may not consider the final words true music! Italics are, of course, Tolkien's own words. Down In The Valley After a long, weary, lonely journey, Boromir finally found the hidden valley of Imladris. He paused, gazing down the track, wondering. Would the answer be found here? The haunting music and words of the song he had heard in his dream still echoed in his mind, ‘Seek for the sword that was broken.’ With a shrug, he rode on. Gradually he became aware of light and laughter ahead of him, and strains of gay music. A burst of laughter and song greeted him as he rode into the valley itself. ‘Oh! What are you doing, And where are you going?’ Jay

 

Wonderful, wonderful Boromir -- I never thought of there being haunting music accompanying the dream, but I like the idea of it. And I love that shrug of his -- I always see Boromir shrugging when he doesn't know what to make of a situation. though you may not consider the final words true music! That music is now stuck in my head for the rest of the day!! Thank you, Jay! Lin

 

I listened to the BBC Radio 4 version of LOTR long ago (it's on CD; if you can get a copy, get it!) and the words of the dream are set to music there - a high, ethereal, boy's soprano. I deliberately contrasted that with the ridiculous song in The Hobbit for Boromir's arrival. Glad you like this!

 

Look! Birthday pressies!

I finally found the time (and mental energy after having lived in Medazzaland for the past month) to look at the lovely b'day drabbles people wrote for me. *gasp* And there are so many! I'm going all mushy inside just seeing how many people took the time to write me a lovely musical drabble.

Of course there was Tanaqui's brilliant "Nightboat" which put me all in Duran Duran spirit. And when I returned, the first drabble I found was EdorasLass's "80", yet another puzzle, and a sad and poignant drabble (and there's nothing wrong with being a Roger fan!). I loved it! Next I found himilce247's "Music to my Ears". Boromir, and Elves, and a great punchline. Thank you, that made me laugh! Juno wrote a mysterious drabble that gave me chills. And it included a picture! Thank you, Juno. Gwynnyd also managed to include all my requirements and wishes in "Practice makes perfect". And I don't think I ever saw a title more apt for a drabble. It was wonderful! Marta's "Praise them" might not include a live Boromir, it was still a wonderful drabble, and a great last line, so thank you! And finally I found Jay's "Down in the Valley" with more Boromir and music.

Thank you all so much. I had a great (but exhausting) time on my vacation, and it was absolutely great to find such lovely presents waiting for me when I got back. (I do hope I didn't overlook any; there were so many posts in the birthday forum.)

Can I make one tiny request? I do have a story in the Birthday Workshop here and I'd love it if you could all add your drabble in separate chapters. That way I have them all within easy reach for later perusal and enjoyment.

Thanks again,
Amanda.

 

June 14 -- Shadowed Mind: I would love (if possible) either an Erestor/Glorfindel thing, very sweet and cuddly, or something very romantic and cute about any couple?

Shadowed Mind, 

I could not come up with anyting 'sweet and cuddly' for the longest time, but then my husband and I went sailing last night.  I was careful to make the 'partner' in this drabble gender neutral so you may read this with any couple you like in mind.

I hope your birthday was a happy one!

On Course

Summer haze greys the sky over the slate green water. The sunset colors, muted bands of red and purple, green and gold, arc across the horizon and shade into a smoky grey sky the same color as my love’s eyes.  The brisk wind pushes the single sail and our small boat skims the waves.  I shiver as the sun sinks. My love pulls me into his arms. Warmth, a hand on my shoulder; I turn my face up to him.  Sweet lips meet mine.  The frantic luff of the sail breaks our concentration.  

“We may kiss, but you must steer.”  

 

Gwynnyd 

 

Linaewen said I would love to see some Boromir drabbles... if someone is feeling adventurous, why not try giving me some pre-Ring Quest drabbles of Boromir... interacting with Gandalf or even Saruman -- extra points if you can get Faramir and a non-movie!verse Denethor in there. Sorry it's so late, but this is very pre-Ring Quest, and involves Faramir, non-movie!verse Denethor (umm, OK, not much character development for Denethor here, but I am imagining book!verse Denethor ) and your choice of Gandalf or Saruman (although I think Saruman "works" better given the drabble's last line). Keeping an eye on the enemy Boromir recognised the signs. Faramir squatted behind a lavender bush, carefully parting the nodding purple flower spikes to peer past them. Playing Rangers. Again. Stepping quietly, older brother stole up on younger. Three paces, two paces…. Faramir shifted. For a moment Boromir froze: had he been detected? But it seemed Faramir was simply leaning sideways to gain a better view as Father and the wizard paced. A slow breath out. A lunge forward. A loud and undignified shriek. As Faramir squirmed in his brother’s grip, Boromir gleefully admonished him, “Remember to look for enemies behind as well as in front!” Happy Birthday, Linaewen! Cheers, Liz

 

Birthday Drabble requesters - don't forget to add your story to the HASA Birthday Cards workshop and enter it in the June Birthday Challenge Birthday Drabble Writers - don't forget to add your drabbles to the recipient's story in the HASA Birthday Cards workshop Instructions for Birthday Drabbling: complete and easy to follow instructions on the new system. Gwynnyd Workshop Admin

 

Liz, I loved your drabble of young Faramir playing Rangers and Boromir sneaking up on him. Very nice interplay between the brothers. RAKSHA THE DEMON

 

June 17 -- Linaewen: I would love to see some Boromir drabbles.  But if someone is feeling adventurous, why not try giving me some pre-Ring Quest drabbles of Boromir visiting Rohan or Boromir interacting with Gandalf or even Saruman -- extra points if you can get Faramir and a non-movie!verse Denethor in there.

 

Linaewen,

Here I am squeaking in under the wire, but at least it's still June!

 Hope your birthday was a happy one!

Role Models

“Your heir will do you credit, Denethor. “

Boromir stretched a tiny bit taller as the visiting wizard patted his shoulder. Dismissed with a wave, he walked as slowly as possible from the room, studying the Head of the White Council and the Steward of Gondor. Soon - fairly soon - he too would need to lead men.  What was the secret?  No one would ever question an order that either man gave. Let Faramir prefer that ratty grey wizard who skulked around the archives and told stories.  Boromir knew what was expected of him, and would do it well.
 

 Gwynnyd