Interested in Tolkien legendarium, other awesome stories, and personality typing // hoping to post fan art & random thoughts etc. // the fanfiction is on AO3, same username
Merry Christmas! Here's Faramir and Éowyn reuniting after an entire autumn apart. I drew it for fun last December, and just this afternoon wrote the story to go with it (which I'd been procrastinating for a year)
I don't usually cross-post my fics to Tumblr, because extra work... but I need to post the illustration here before I can link to it on AO3 anyway, so why not tack on the story?
Aragorn and Faramir returned from their tour of the southern fiefs in late November, and not an hour too soon. The royal family of Rohan arrived to find them still standing outside the city walls, greeting Arwen.
Faramir looked up at the sound of hoofbeats, and his face lit with joy. “Éowyn!” he cried, running across the field.
Éowyn rode out ahead of her countrymen, pulling Windfola up beside her betrothed. “Faramir!” she cried, and leapt from the saddle into his outstretched arms. He caught her in mid-air and spun in a full circle, both of them laughing. When he let her down, she slid into his arms for an exuberant kiss.
“Oh, Faramir!” she gasped, her boots now firmly on the turf. She pulled his face down and kissed him again, and he melted against her, his warm arms at her back. A tear slid from his eye onto her face.
“Oh, my White Lady,” he sighed as they let go. His smile was weary but content. “I missed you.”
“Are you still well, my love?” Éowyn asked. “You look well, but perhaps you are only happy.”
Faramir laughed and kissed her again, briefly. “Very happy, and quite well. The King and Queen have looked after me as diligently as you could have.” He held up a mittened hand. “The Queen even made these for me. I think they must have some elven magic in them…”
The diligent King and Queen, meanwhile, stood hand-in-hand, watching the scene. On the other side, Éomer had halted his sister’s escort to give her space for a private reunion. Aragorn had respectfully averted his eyes when the young couple fell to kissing, but when they drew apart, still halfway in each other’s arms, he met Éomer’s gaze and raised a hand in greeting. They were too far away to attempt conversation, even by shouting.
“Are they not sweet?” Arwen sighed fondly at his side.
“Very,” Aragorn agreed. “I believe they are now discussing your mittens. Faramir told me that, no matter how cold or wet the weather, his hands were always perfectly warm and comfortable in them.”
“He is telling Éowyn so right now.”
“I daresay he is.”
“Do you feel flattered?” Arwen asked, looking up at him with a smile.
He smiled back and stole a quick, appropriate kiss. “Certainly. My queen is the best fiber-worker in all Middle-earth.”
Arwen laughed. “Why, thank you, but I meant the praises aimed at yourself.”
“What praises?”
“Did you not hear? They are speaking of you now. Faramir is telling Éowyn how very kind you were to hold him through a thunderstorm without making him feel like a coward. You are exemplary.”
“Am I? I mean, did you really hear all that? I hardly caught a word after the first greeting.”
“I am a little deaf compared to most elves, but…”
“Ah, yes!” Aragorn laughed. “I have been too long among only my own kind. Well, I must ask, on my friend’s behalf, that you not repeat before his men the part about his fear of thunder.”
“He can rely on my discretion.”
“As I am sure he would readily have done, had he realized that he had you for an audience.”
Arwen laughed softly and kissed his chapped hand. “I am glad to have you home.”
“And I to be home,” he replied, kissing her smooth one. “I suppose we ought to invite them in.”
“Yes, I have rooms ready for the Rohirrim. But must we interrupt them? Faramir is describing the White Tree with great affection. But then, he will want to show it to her; yes, here they come.”
I posted one drawing of Aragorn and Faramir meeting today; it was from the POV of a bystander. But a few hours ago, I also finally finished a much larger full-color drawing, set just a moment earlier, inside Faramir's fever dream! (Background colors are symbolic.) Content warning: mild blood on a bandage
Please enjoy Aragorn helping Faramir out of the Shadow!
Also, guess what? I'm audaciously planning to post a series (only half written, so far) about Aragorn and Faramir's first several months ruling Gondor, and the first story is up on AO3 now!
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
The rumors of Elendil's banner spotted on the battlefield yesterday have received further support from an unlikely source: widespread medical reports.
Since the appearance of the Riders in the Air a few days ago, a new epidemic of terror and cold sleep has swept the City. It is called the Black Shadow, is terminal, and has no known cure - at least until last night!
Beginning this evening from the Houses of Healing, and gradually trickling in all night from every corner of the City, reports abound of a tall, rugged man with a large green brooch, or possibly a noble Elf, healing hundreds, many of whom were on death's door.
His true name is not known. He is called Elfstone after his brooch. Evidence for his status as the heir of Elendil is, however, compelling. Among the most desperately ill was his first patient, Faramir son of Denethor, our beloved captain and future Steward. Sources within the Houses report that when the Lord Faramir woke from his sickness, he addressed his healer as the King and offered allegiance.
The staff of the Eagle of Manwë would like to thank the noble Prince Imrahil for generously allowing the newspaper to share this photo
The people of Gondor must now decide: Will we offer our allegiance to the Elfstone?
When you get this, respond with 5 things that make you happy (if you'd like to)! You never know who might benefit from spreading positivity. ✨
1 ~ Your asks, @afaroffsong! I've been neglecting your sunflower ask from November because it makes me happy to see it in my inbox every time I check 🥰 and comforts me when needed
2 ~ Thinking about Tolkien characters!
3 ~ Thinking about Pride and Prejudice characters!
4 ~ Having so many people in my life, both internet and local, who love Tolkien and Austen stories as much as I do!
5 ~ Living in the subtropics where the days get a little shorter in winter, so I can take a walk in the morning twilight without getting up way early OR postponing breakfast?!! (This was my main joy early this morning; Kanafinchwë was a bonus - see previous post)
... and many other things, such as wind, music, my sister, lunches with two friends in the past two days?!! ...and getting to know Henry Tilney (I'm exactly halfway through Northanger Abbey, and he reminds me so much of Elizabeth Bennet; they have such witty, sassy, delightful sense of humor, and they do not hesitate to use them!)
I got to hear Kánafinchwë sing early this morning! This powerful, musical voice came from a tree, and when I looked, the singer was so tiny... just like Kánafinwë probably was when his father named him for his commanding voice!
This art is beautiful! Thank you for sharing it, @elyksina
And thanks for pointing it out to me, @thegreenleavesofspring
Also, this situation is beautiful. Turin is a hopeless disaster child with questionable judgement, but he listened lovingly to people everyone else despised, and I look up to him for that.
Me too! I don't know enough about Karate Kid, but I do know that Faramir is the only character from any book that I have ever had a crush on, and his kindness was what did it. Kindness is the BEST.
And here is someone else giving Faramir (both book and movie) the recognition he deserves, in a blog post I found several years ago:
Some people are a little confused when they find out that Faramir is my favorite Lord of the Rings character. Not only my favorite, i
(And Yule, winter solstice, lunar new year, etc, there are a lot of holidays at this time of year but it happens to be Christmas today, so there we go.)
Anyway, it always struck me as funny how Beleg showed up with supplies that one winter like Saint Nicholas himself except bringing gifts to the kids on the naughty list. Couldn't believe I hadn't done a comic relating to that yet.
Transcription:
[Santa:] "Ah, well, I got here first. Tough luck, sorry, man. But hey, I do have some job openings for elves!"
[Andróg:] "What's this black stuff he gave to all of us?"
Happy Christmas, Tarva! It's lovely to see you again. And this comic looks amazing! I had never thought about how Beleg gave gifts to the naughty kids that winter. I love him so much!!
Santa's vibe here is hilarious... just a polite, upbeat man going about his normal job, not really too disturbed about having inconvenienced a competitor. (From the look on Beleg's face, I think he's going to give them gifts anyway.)
You know the funny thing, though? Santa's punishment went completely awry. The Gaurwaith have no idea what coal is, let alone what it means... but once they discover that it burns very nicely, it'll be an excellent accompaniment to Beleg's lembas and medical care!
For anyone not sure what to give their relatives... or by now, for anyone not sure what to make of what their relatives gave them... Here's a mock-advertisement my Daddy saw on Saturday Night Live in the 80's, adjusted for the royal family of Rohan:
Fun fact: I originally planned to post this a year ago, shortly after getting my Tumblr account, but was prevented by the inconvenient fact that I hadn't yet started drawing it. 😂 As it is, I only just finished it yesterday. I planned to post it earlier today, but the day was crazy busy. Seriously, if you are running late on anything, you are not alone!
Original text as retold by my dad:
"What shall I give my uncle for Christmas?"
"Toast on a stick! Toast on a stick!"
"What shall I give my cousin for Christmas?"
"Toast on a stick! Toast on a stick!"
"This Christmas, give the gift of toast."
(I substituted Yuletide for Christmas since Tolkien insisted that Middle-earth did not have any Christian-background names.)
I thank you, Father, for these eyes
That let me see the starry skies
I thank you for my ears and nose
For all this body: head to toes
I thank you for my mother's arms
That keep me warm and safe from harm
She swaddles me and gives me food
With love that's pure and wholly good
I thank you for my father's love
So like that which We shared above
With him, the helpless need not fear
I know I'm safe when he is near
I thank you for this manger's hay
That makes a bed where I can lay
For all these soft and swaddling clothes
That keep me warm in my repose
Thanks for these shepherds, men of earth
Who come to celebrate my birth
And all their soft and woolly sheep
And for the angels that sing me to sleep
