XI.  Aspiration (Faramir)

Master Egalmoth sat in the corner as Faramir set himself to the task his teacher had directed.  He was not certain if Master Egalmoth was watching or starting to nod in his large chair, but it was no matter.   Faramir nibbled his thumbnail absently, thinking on the Master’s instruction.  “Who is your hero, Faramir?  Who do you most admire and aspire to be like?  You have fifteen minutes to write your answer.”

It should not be a difficult exercise; in fact it was just the sort of writing task that Faramir liked.  The difficulty was that there were so many he admired:  Haleth, the lady of the Haladin, Eärendil the Mariner and his son Elros Tar-Minyatur, Elendil and Isildur the mighty lords of the Faithful, Steward Cirion who forged the great alliance with Eorl and the Northmen, Captain Thorongil, bane of corsairs, the learned and kindly wizard Mithrandir; and his own brother Boromir, deservedly called by some The Bold…

Faramir paused, his quill poised to write.  And he smiled when the best choice of all came clearly to his questing mind.  He scribbled furiously, his pen-strokes scratching the parchment in his haste, eager as he was to make the words obey his thoughts.

I have learned of many heroes, many great people in Ages past and even in our own time.  Their deeds are legend.  But the hero I reverence the most, whose wisdom I aspire to match, is Denethor, son of Ecthelion, Lord of Minas Tirith, sixth and twentieth Ruling Steward of Gondor.  He is a great scholar and lore-master; wise in governance.  He keeps our realm safe from the Enemy. 

Faramir, son of Denethor, aged 11; he signed firmly.   “Master Egalmoth, I have finished!” Faramir called out, and stood ready, parchment in ink-stained hands, as his tutor awoke.

Author's Note:

Originally written for the B2MEM (Back to Middle-earth) Challenge, Day Four, with a prompt asking about role models and how people should relate to them.