Reviews (78)

Author's reply

Thank you, Pipkin. I am glad you enjoyed the story. I was suddenly impelled to write about Boromir - remarkable in itself, as he doesn't usually take centre stage - and it was a great experience. I'm afraid I don't do ff.net - I landed up here first and never got round to ff. But I am honoured that you feel this story is worth archiving. Thank you again.

Author's reply

I'm glad you're enjoying it! It was one of those stories that jumps into your head almost fully formed - and a pleasure to write. I'm relishing the thought of you itching to get back to reading - and I hope you continue to enjoy it.

Author's reply

Thank you! It's great to have you visit - I'm glad you found it enjoyable! It just seemed suddenly so unlikely to me that Denethor - in the position that confronted him - wouldn't have wanted to ensure his family line. And he is the kind of man who, despite not having married until he was older, wouldn't necessarily see that as a reason for not marrying off his sons. He has rather a tendency, I think, to be absolutely certain that he knows best. Moreover, arranged marriages - or at least encouraged marriages - would probably have been quite likely in a society like Gondor. Preserving the bloodlines, making alliances, keeping a tight hold on property and power are all integral in aristocratic societies. Denethor is ... not evil ... but, perhaps, on the point of becoming enmeshed in the rather personality-changing toils of the Palantir. Which is why, on Emeldis's death, he didn't get round to arranging further marriages for his sons. And I do like Imrahil! It always feels very easy to portray him positively! I didn't get round to explaining why Emeldis's mother never left her tower - although it is in my head! And what happened was this ... There was a fire - caused by a candle catching the bed curtains, perhaps - and Emeldis's brother died and her mother was burned, suffering facial injuries. She adores her children while they are babies, but, once they get old enough to react to her injuries, she pushes them away. It is hard for her family - but they do their best to care for her and stand between her and the world. It didn't develop into more than an outline - but that's it! Denethor wasn't bothered - an accident is not going to affect the family bloodlines and Emeldis's parents are undeniably fertile. /and fertility can be a problem in some old, rich families, since they have a passion for marrying heiresses - and heiresses, by definition, tend to come from small families and lack brothers to inherit their parents' wealth. So that's the background!

Author's reply

Thank you, elliska. But I think the happy ultimate outcome can be left to the imagination of the reader. Because it would be there for them all. No matter that the ring did its best to corrupt him - ultimately it failed and he died defending the defenceless. (Relatively defenceless, anyway.) And maybe his love of and desire to protect Emeldis and the child - and his failure - helped him see people as individuals to be shielded rather than just being concerned with the state of Gondor. It is sad - it had to be sad. There's no way that Boromir can have had a wife and a dozen children waiting for him at home. But maybe he cared more for the hobbits because of that little one who didn't grow up to ride and spar with him.

Author's reply

It is now some years past - fifteen or so, I reckon. Long enough for the worst of the sting to ease, if not long enough to forget. Two men here - who share an understanding (no matter what) that perhaps does not touch the other races.

Author's reply

It had to be unhappy, really. Poor Boromir cannot be gifted with a happy ending. But I think it is important that he learned to love Emeldis and that he was prepared to love the son who did not live to know him. Between that and his love for Faramir, I think it prepared him to care for the hobbits - and made his sacrifice for them even more likely. (Not that he got a lot of choice, really. But the willingness is important.) And maybe Emeldis and the child will be awaiting him in whatever afterlife is there for him.

Author's reply

Thank you! Poor Boromir - he would have made an excellent husband and father. I feel he had a carefully hidden soft streak that would have made him much loved by his children. But it couldn't happen.

Author's reply

Thank you, Linda. This was just a short tale and I don't have any plans at the moment to have Boromir talk about his brother. It would be an interesting perspective, though, as we seem more often to see Faramir talking about his older brother. Maybe an idea will strike one day!

Author's reply

Thank you. I don't usually writed about Boromir, although I am very fond of him as a character. This arrived complete in my head, though, and wouldn't leave me alone until I finished it. I am happy you liked it.

Author's reply

Thank you - I am pleased you liked it!

Author's reply

The end of their relationship was inevitable - and he was never going to have a happy marriage and children. Poor Boromir. Owls make very unearthly noises.

Author's reply

Boromir is rather a man's man, I think. Went to the army young and thinks in hierarchies. But no. He wouldn't find a wife leaping to fulfil his commands ... especially as I think he's secretly very soft-hearted when it comes to women and children. And animals.

Author's reply

Thank you! Poor Boromir. He doesn't get many breaks, really. Except when he's playing with the hobbits!

Author's reply

Poor Boromir. He was clearly a loving character - Faramir's devotion to him speaks well of him - and he is beautifully poetic about his love for his city. I think he would have made a good husband and father - but I am particularly surprised that Denethor didn't insist on an early marriage for him. The lack of heirs to the Stewardship plays (politically) into the hands of the northern heir of Isildur. If Boromir had half a dozen sons raised to rule and defend Gondor, odds on at least two of them would have opposed the return of any king and civil war would have ensued. It's only because there is one calm and self-effacing Faramir that Aragorn is able to become king so smoothly. Denethor must have become far too absorbed in the Palantir if he forgot something that basic! No wives = no children = the end of many a noble house. Both Boromir and Aragorn put their duty ahead of their own needs - and it's just luck (and authorial decision) that Aragorn's boat comes in - while Boromir's elven craft drifts out to sea.

Author's reply

Thank you - I am glad you have enjoyed the tale. Have a good weekend!

Author's reply

I don't really know why I suddenly had the urge to write about Boromir - but I wanted to give him a past that made him more rounded emotionally - and perhaps gave him an added reason for his desperate need to protect Gondor and then sacrifice himself for a couple of young hobbits. I like Boromir!

Author's reply

The child, had he lived, might well have been in the situation of those young Rohirrim at Helm's Deep - forced by the situation into taking a man's role in battle. He would be about the age at which boys were on the verge of being sent to fight anyway. And I suppose that knowing his son wouldn't die on the plains before Mordor might be some consolation for having lost him. Thank you - I'm glad you liked it.

Author's reply

Hobbits are sensitive to mood, I think - and close to the earth. I think Boromir grew very fond of them. Particularly of Merry and Pippin - who are quite young. But I do think the other members of the Fellowship would come to see, if they didn't know from the first, that Frodo was their equal in experience if not in stature - and weighed down with an intolerable burden.

Author's reply

Frodo might take Boromir aside and encourage him to speak - but I think the others would know better than to pry. They would leave it to the senior hobbit - if he felt it necessary! Thank you. I'm glad you liked it.

Author's reply

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Boromir is a heroic character - and the love Faramir has for him makes you realise that the Ring used some of his best characteristics against him. It's a shame he died when he did - but I think he would have thought it was worth it to save the hobbits and bring victory.

Author's reply

Romantic love is quite a modern idea really. Compatability and a common aim - and social and financial considerations - have long been considered better grounds for successful marriage. But the hobbits might have been shocked - although I think Merry might realise that the heir's duty is to provide the next generation. But the elf would have been appalled, I expect, and so might the dwarf. I think I might leave the reunion to the imagination - although I certainly want to imagine Boromir being reunited with the wife he hadn't expected to love and the son he never knew. Boromir was desperate to protect those in his care - and the Ring used that against him - but it didn't, perhaps, expect him to consider the hobbits as part of his charge. And their need pushed Boromir into sacrificing himself selflessly - thus redeeming himself.

Author's reply

Boromir was a noble man - used by the Ring and, in the end, absolutely horrified by how it twisted his honour against him. I think Tolkien was a believer in the rewards of fulfilling a duty without expecting recompense or glory - but just doing it because it was your task. Aragorn's whole life is about that, really, until finally he does get his throne and bride - but then just has a still bigger task to work on.

Author's reply

Well - elves don't remarry, hobbits rarely do. I cannot imagine that dwarves do, considering female dwarves seem fairly rare anyway. Men, on the other hand, must have done. Aragorn must have been pressurised to marry every time he saw anyone old enough or bold enough to broach the subject. Although I think he must have had cousins who could trace their line back nearly as well as he could. His ancestors can't all have had just one son - there are too many generations to have maintained a line so tenuous. They'll have wanted back up! Occasional second sons and a few daughters around to carry the blood. Boromir is a natural protector, I think. He wants to protect Gondor and he would take that down to protecting the individuals under his care. And failure would hurt him badly. And the Ring ate at him through some of his best qualities - wretched thing. But I reckon he would probably account his death worthwhile, if through it he had any part in saving Gondor. His words about the White City show how much he loves and prizes his home.

Author's reply

Thank you. And I just realised how similar the title is to yours! Apologies. I thought I was being all clever and playing on words there, too!