Bring me to life

Chapter 9

The days passed slowly, and Kreshen was quickly recovering, due to Boromir’s and Faramir’s attentions.
She was always occupied with them, as that afternoon.
Faramir was writing something on his writing desk, while Boromir and Kreshen were sitting on the bed.
The older man was drawing his map, and the girl couldn’t help but smile to see the intent expression on his face. Without a word, she gave him a kiss at the corner of his mouth, resting her head on his strong shoulder with a content sigh.
Boromir was busy inking the outlines of the map, and though he didn't turn to look at her, a small smile slowly curved his lips.
"I'm going to claim a real one once I'm finished here" he murmured, "You'd better be prepared."
“I can’t wait “ she murmured back, wrapping her arms around his waist.
From that night, they hadn’t made love. Nor with Faramir. There had been her illness, and she knew all too well that the two brothers had been scared to death, and were now treating her as a precious gift, worried that they could hurt her someway.
But she loved those tender moments shared between them. Even then, sweet or passionate kisses and caresses were the maximum they reached.
Only after a few more moments of meticulous inking Boromir decided that his map could wait, and that Kreshen was way more interesting and enticing than a lifeless piece of paper. He placed both the drawing board and the pen on the nearby nightstand, and turned to look at the girl with an eyebrow raised in a quite ominous way.
"I'm expecting you to kiss me breathless now."
“I was just waiting for you to ask it” she smiled wickedly, framing his face with both hands and nearing his lips, without averting her gaze.
A moment later, she had started to caress his lower lip with the tip of her tongue, nibbling at it now and then.
Boromir sighed softly and drew closer, leaning into her touch and kissing her back with the same gentleness, eyes closed in sheer abandon.
He was sure that she couldn't imagine what that meant to him, to have her at his side everyday and being able to kiss her, hug her, hold her, cuddle her, make her laugh or smile, happy or sad, angry or serene. She couldn't even imagine what it meant to him, to be cherished and somehow loved like that.
They kissed like that for a while, Kreshen hands gently caressing his hair.
It was as if he was again her Boromir. Again sweet and tender, always at her side. And this, and this alone, was helping her to recover quickly.
When they eventually parted, the girl smiled at him, tracing the outline of his lips with one finger.
“Do you want me to massage your back? I’ve felt clearly that your shoulders are tense and tired”.
"I don't want to tire you." he whispered, staring longingly at that oh so inviting mouth and then shifting his gaze to her eyes. "Just hug me, it'll be enough."
“I’ll not be tired” she smiled at him. “I promise to tell you if its too much. For now lean down and let me help you”.
Just then her gaze shifted on Faramir. He was giving them his back, and was still quietly writing, pretending to not be in the room.
She was grateful beyond any reason to him. For she was sharing some precious time with Boromir, knowing all too well that he would have to go in few days.
Once he had removed his tunic Boromir lay down on his stomach, and turned in order to flash her a sly smile.
"I am all yours, my lady. Do whatever you please with me."
Sweat. Panting. Lust. Images of her naked body writhing under his massive one.
His simple words had inflamed her, however she had the presence of mind to avert her gaze, sure that he would have been able to see it all.
She then settled herself on his buttocks, gently caressing his back with both hands at the beginning, and slowly massaging energetically his shoulders, in an attempt to forget the heat pooling down on her belly.
Boromir had his eyes closed, and was completely relaxed beneath her. He would lean into her touch now and then, sigh or almost purr whenever she reached a particularly sensitive area, and he soon fuond that it would probably be better to stop her before things slipped out of his control.
He also found that lying on your stomach with a fierce erection pressing against the mattress wasn't all that comfortable, at all.
"I'm better now."
“I’m happy to hear that” she murmured with a small smile, leaning to gently kiss his right shoulder and settle herself at his side.
Sometimes she felt awkward with him. She desired him, and was sure that he desired her, too. But still they weren’t able to make love. They just couldn’t do it. And she couldn’t figure out what was happening.

The time had come. He was to leave at dawn. To leave his home once again, and to leave Kreshen alone with Faramir for weeks, maybe months. That, added to a quite bad fight he'd just had with his father, had been enough to spoil his mood at least until the departure. No personal worries after that. Away from home there was time only for his army, his people, his kingdom.
He walked to Faramir's door and opened with a deep sigh, stepping inside. But he wasn't there.
"Where's my brother?"
“He’s down into the library. He was searching for some elven books. But I think he will stay away for a while” Kreshen explained, raising her eyes from the drawing she was doing following Faramir’s directions.
She immediately understood that something wasn’t right with him.
“What’s the matter?”
"Nothing." Boromir replied, walking to the window to look outside. "I just wanted to say farewell, I'm leaving at dawn.
“I know” she said softly, looking at his back.
“I’ll miss you very much…”
"Miss me?" Boromir demanded, turning around to look at her, a humorless smile on his lips. "You won't have the time to miss me, Kreshen. I'm sure that he'll see to comfort you properly and to keep you warm. Night and day."
“Now you’re unfair, Boromir” she answered, putting away her drawing and standing up.
“You know how much I care for you. And you have to stop this, understand? I’m not in love with Faramir, he’s almost a brother to me. That doesn’t mean that I care less for you”.
"Yet you share the same bed" Boromir retorted angrily, "And by the time I'll be home again you'll have already forgotten how much you care about me. I'd rather die alone in the battlefield than see that day."
“What are you trying to say by that?” she snapped then, nearing him in a quite angry fashion.
“Do you believe my heart so inconstant, then? Would you like to die in the battlefield? Can you understand what silliness are you saying? Can you? May the Valar save you from what you’ve asked for, Boromir”.
"I don't think you would care anyway." he replied coldly, and then stalked decidedly to the door without looking back. Said door was slammed quite violently a mere moment later, as Boromir was locking himself into his room, not wanting to see anyone.

Kreshen raised her head only when Faramir came back. She was sitting on the carpet, her legs crossed underneath her.
“Am I cold and selfish, Faramir? And I pray you, tell me the truth”.
The young man wasn't obviously expecting such a question. He closed the door and went to sit on the carpet next to Kreshen, watching her closely for some moments before replying. "No, little one, you are not." he said quietly, "How did the mere thought get in that stubborn little head of yours?"
“Boromir” she began softly, looking at the floor for she couldn’t afford those blue eyes that could read even her soul.
“I’ve just told him that I’ll miss him. And it’s the truth. But…he became cold and angry at me. Pretending that I’ll be too busy warming your bed, and that I’ll easily forget him. He’d also said that…that he would prefer to die, rather than to come back home and discover that I don’t care about him. I’ve also tried to explain but…he had said that I wouldn’t care for his death. And had slammed the door behind him…”
Faramir sighed deeply, gathering the sorrowful girl into his arms, and began to stroke her hair affectionately just as he was used to doing.
"I think he's very frightened" he said in a whisper after a while, "he didn't mean what he'd said, do not pine thinking back to those words."
“I can’t understand him” she confessed quietly, closing her eyes and relishing his comforting presence.
"I know. He thinks that I could take you away from him, that's why he's scared now. But you're like a little sister to me, and if there is something going on between you two I won't certainly meddle in any way. He should understand this, for his sake."
“There’s nothing between us…” she immediately told him back, as if trying to convince herself.
Then, deciding that the conversation was on a dangerous path, she stood up, offering him his hand.
“I’m very tired. Would you be so kind to lay down with me and cuddle me until I sleep?”
"I'll be happy to."

It was almost dawn when something dragged Faramir back to consciousness. Footsteps, heavy boots. And the faint, metallic rattling of a chain mail.
Boromir. He didn't open his eyes but just listened closely, pretending to sleep, though he was craving at least to say farewell and hug him one last time.
But what was he doing in his room? Did he want to say farewell, too?
He heard him sigh deeply, and the moment later felt the bed shift slightly, as if he was leaning over to wake him. But he didn't.
Faramir opened his eyes just for a split second, just in time to see his brother bent over Kreshen to place the most tender of kisses on her forehead.
A few words then, barely more than a whisper.
I am sorry.
I love you.
Then the chain mail rattled again, ever so faintly, and the heavy boots walked away. Leaving Faramir baffled and wide eyed, staring at the closed door.

The day after, Kreshen opened her eyes, sighing softly and about to stand up. Just then she remembered that Boromir was gone. And that he probably hated her, considering the way in which he had treated her the night before.
Suddenly she wasn’t willing to stand up. There was nothing else left.
A soft metallic noise drew her attention. She shifted the blankets, looking wide-eyed at the little chain that someone had left there.
It had a little medallion attached, with Gondor’s emblem on it. Taking it in her hand, she studied it attentively, before turning and looking at Faramir.
He was awake, and was staring at her for who knows how long.
“Who left it there?”
"Boromir" he replied quietly, his blue eyes unwavering. "He was here before dawn. To say goodbye."
Sighing again, she rested her head onto his naked chest, still clutching the chain with her hand.
“Why?” she asked softly. “Why had he left it there? It’s for me? He hates me…”
"He doesn't hate you" Faramir said softly, caressing her hair and cheeks. "At all. That jewel was put in his cradle when he was but an infant, it's one of his.. most prized possessions. He cares deeply about you, Kreshen."
“I care deeply about him, too” she whispered, looking at the little medallion. She couldn’t believe his words. And she was planning to jealously preserve it. To return it to his owner. For she was sure that he would have returned home.
“But he always pushes me away…I don’t know what to do with him…”
"Wait for his return" Faramir whispered, smiling pensively, as if trying to remember something. "Wait for the ringing of the trumpets to rise from the Tower, and then you'll know that I'm coming home to you. That's what he used to tell me when I didn't want him to leave. So just be patient and wait, I'm sure that things will change a great deal when he comes back. Change for the best."
“I’m not so sure” she whispered sadly. “He’d never addressed such beautiful words to me…nor he had been able to say his farewell…he had preferred to be harsh…as always…”
"He's been here to say farewell to you this morning. He thought that I was asleep and also said that.. well, he apologized. I am sure he didn't mean to be harsh towards you, he was just sad and upset for he was about to leave. He seemed truly sorry."
“I’ll miss him terribly…”