Ties
Boromir twisted the red cords together, rubbed them gently where they lay looped around his belt. His heart twisted. Faramir, far away. Pippin’s eyes were bright with questions.
Boromir reached for a small pouch, tipping into his hand three more cords, discolored, worn almost to threads.
“These my brother gave me when first I rode to war. An old custom, a child’s fancy. One to tie me to life, one to Gondor, the last to those I love.”
“The ones on your belt?”
“The day I left for Rivendell. We need no cords to bind us, but I wear them.”
***
Faramir shivered in the water. His brother’s face was peaceful, but the cords…. Only two remained, stained the darker red of his brother’s life.
~~~~
Avon kindly gave me permission to drabble her beautiful story "Ties of Love"
here
for a challenge at HASA (to drabble one of your favorite stories). This is not quite a drabble and it doesn’t do this lovely story justice, but I liked the longer version better.