HOME | DD

Description
”Things seem to be getting back to normal.” Jason commented to Faramir, giving him a side eye to gauge his reaction.

Faramir nodded, a faint smile on his face. ”Yes...it will still take time, but I think we’re beginning to heal.” he replied.

Jason nodded and let out a huff of air in relief. ”Well, I’ll stick around as long as you need me.”

Faramir turned to the other stallion with a real smile. ”How can I repay you for your kindness?”

Jason shook his head quickly. ”No repayment required. My mate grew up in this herd, of course I’m going to help however I can.”

Faramir nodded thoughtfully. He had heard of Denna from both Aloine and Breigo. Apparently she had been a real spitfire and was sorely missed. But it sounded as though she had made a fair life for herself elsewhere.

”Maybe you could try speaking with Aloine...I’m sure hearing about her daughter would…” Faramir trailed off uselessly, looking at the ground.

Aloine still refused to speak to anyone but Aisling, or “The Banshee” as the herd whispered behind her back. Any time another member had sought her out, Aisling would come roaring in and screaming to leave them be. Faramir didn’t think she was a good influence on the grieving mare, but they were inseparable.

Jason nodded, understanding. ”Certainly before I leave I’ll try. For now, I’m gonna do some patrolling with Firefoot. He’s a funny guy.” Jason said over his shoulder as he trotted away.
Faramir watched him go with a grin. As he turned away, he caught sight of Sansa and Sif. Sansa had only just found her way to the herd of Summer Stars late last night. She was thin and had been being pursued by a small pack of wolves. Thankfully, the wolves had been quickly turned away facing a whole herd of horses. Sif was now showing her around and introducing her to the others. Even pregnant, she took her role as a protector every seriously and made sure the newcomer felt welcome.

Faramir approached the pair and gave a small bow of his head to them. ”Sansa, yes?” he asked to be sure.

The mare nodded, eyeing him warily.

”I know you’ve only just joined us, but I hope you feel comfortable here. Stay as long as you like, we’d love to have you.” Faramir said with a kind smile.

Sansa snorted softly and turned her head away, eyes looking tired. ”Every stallion I’ve ever met has made me the same offer. What makes you different?” she asked, tone cold.

Faramir was taken aback by her tone, but went with it. ”Because I intend to keep any promises I make that others have broken.”

Sansa glanced at him and gave a curt nod. ”We’ll see.” was all she said as she slowly walked away.

”She’s had a rough life.” Sif said softly, her normally flashing eyes gentle. ”Give her time.”

”She can have all the time she desires.” Faramir replied as Sif went to catch up with the other mare.

”Faramir?”

Faramir turned toward the sound of his name to see Auri. He smiled happily and went to her. As the mother of his first foal, she would always hold a special place in his heart.

”Yes?” he responded as he came to stand before her.

Auri, normally very straight forward, pawed at the ground and wouldn’t meet his eyes. Finally, she looked up and her eyes were hard. ”How long is that Banshee going to stay with us?” she asked.

Faramir blinked and gaped for a moment before saying, ”Well, it’s always been this herd’s policy to allow anyone to join…” he started.

”We don’t want her.” Auri interrupted. ”Something is...wrong about her.”
Faramir sighed. Yes, he knew that as well as any of the mares. Something was definitely off about the strange mare.

”Well, she is allowed to stay so long as she doesn’t cause any harm. And if Aloine finds comfort in her, then…” he shrugged.

Auri snorted at this response and turned on her heel, trotting away. Faramir sighed again. He knew it would always be impossible to keep everyone happy, but there seemed to be more discourse than necessary lately.

Faramir wandered through the herd aimlessly. Firefoot and Jason were out patrolling and everyone else was gathered relatively nearby. He was happy to hear the hum of many conversations again, something that had been missing since Breigo’s tragic death. Yes, things were very slowly returning to normal and he was glad.

He found himself seeking Fawkes out, as he did every day, without really meaning to. Today he found her lounging under the shade of a tree. She was humming quietly to herself with her eyes half lidded. As he got closer, her eyes opened and she offered a dazzling smile--just for him.

”Hey there. Long time no see. We have to stop running into each other like this.” she said with a tinkling laugh that made Faramir’s heart jump.

He went down onto his knees and let himself flop down beside her, rolling onto his back and looking at her upside down. She laughed again and he fell even further. He rolled back onto his stomach and regarded her for a moment.

”Be my mate.” he asked suddenly.

To her credit, Fawkes only looked surprised for a moment before she grinned cheekily. ”Now I recall you asking me this question back when we were foals...what was my answer then?”

”That colts were disgusting and you’d never be mated to one.” Faramir responded instantly, the memory as fresh as yes yesterday.

Fawkes nodded thoughtfully. ”Yes, yes, I remember now. Colts are disgusting, and stallions aren’t much better. Just look at the scruff on your chin!”

Faramir crossed his eyes in an attempt to see his own chin and Fawkes snorted loudly with laughter.

”You know I’ll only keep asking until you say yes.” Faramir said softly with a lazy smile.

Fawkes rocked to her hooves and shook herself, fallen leaves tangled in her fiery mane. She turned to walk away and glanced over her shoulder.

”I’m counting on it.”

Description
”Things seem to be getting back to normal.” Jason commented to Faramir, giving him a side eye to gauge his reaction.

Faramir nodded, a faint smile on his face. ”Yes...it will still take time, but I think we’re beginning to heal.” he replied.

Jason nodded and let out a huff of air in relief. ”Well, I’ll stick around as long as you need me.”

Faramir turned to the other stallion with a real smile. ”How can I repay you for your kindness?”

Jason shook his head quickly. ”No repayment required. My mate grew up in this herd, of course I’m going to help however I can.”

Faramir nodded thoughtfully. He had heard of Denna from both Aloine and Breigo. Apparently she had been a real spitfire and was sorely missed. But it sounded as though she had made a fair life for herself elsewhere.

”Maybe you could try speaking with Aloine...I’m sure hearing about her daughter would…” Faramir trailed off uselessly, looking at the ground.

Aloine still refused to speak to anyone but Aisling, or “The Banshee” as the herd whispered behind her back. Any time another member had sought her out, Aisling would come roaring in and screaming to leave them be. Faramir didn’t think she was a good influence on the grieving mare, but they were inseparable.

Jason nodded, understanding. ”Certainly before I leave I’ll try. For now, I’m gonna do some patrolling with Firefoot. He’s a funny guy.” Jason said over his shoulder as he trotted away.
Faramir watched him go with a grin. As he turned away, he caught sight of Sansa and Sif. Sansa had only just found her way to the herd of Summer Stars late last night. She was thin and had been being pursued by a small pack of wolves. Thankfully, the wolves had been quickly turned away facing a whole herd of horses. Sif was now showing her around and introducing her to the others. Even pregnant, she took her role as a protector every seriously and made sure the newcomer felt welcome.

Faramir approached the pair and gave a small bow of his head to them. ”Sansa, yes?” he asked to be sure.

The mare nodded, eyeing him warily.

”I know you’ve only just joined us, but I hope you feel comfortable here. Stay as long as you like, we’d love to have you.” Faramir said with a kind smile.

Sansa snorted softly and turned her head away, eyes looking tired. ”Every stallion I’ve ever met has made me the same offer. What makes you different?” she asked, tone cold.

Faramir was taken aback by her tone, but went with it. ”Because I intend to keep any promises I make that others have broken.”

Sansa glanced at him and gave a curt nod. ”We’ll see.” was all she said as she slowly walked away.

”She’s had a rough life.” Sif said softly, her normally flashing eyes gentle. ”Give her time.”

”She can have all the time she desires.” Faramir replied as Sif went to catch up with the other mare.

”Faramir?”

Faramir turned toward the sound of his name to see Auri. He smiled happily and went to her. As the mother of his first foal, she would always hold a special place in his heart.

”Yes?” he responded as he came to stand before her.

Auri, normally very straight forward, pawed at the ground and wouldn’t meet his eyes. Finally, she looked up and her eyes were hard. ”How long is that Banshee going to stay with us?” she asked.

Faramir blinked and gaped for a moment before saying, ”Well, it’s always been this herd’s policy to allow anyone to join…” he started.

”We don’t want her.” Auri interrupted. ”Something is...wrong about her.”
Faramir sighed. Yes, he knew that as well as any of the mares. Something was definitely off about the strange mare.

”Well, she is allowed to stay so long as she doesn’t cause any harm. And if Aloine finds comfort in her, then…” he shrugged.

Auri snorted at this response and turned on her heel, trotting away. Faramir sighed again. He knew it would always be impossible to keep everyone happy, but there seemed to be more discourse than necessary lately.

Faramir wandered through the herd aimlessly. Firefoot and Jason were out patrolling and everyone else was gathered relatively nearby. He was happy to hear the hum of many conversations again, something that had been missing since Breigo’s tragic death. Yes, things were very slowly returning to normal and he was glad.

He found himself seeking Fawkes out, as he did every day, without really meaning to. Today he found her lounging under the shade of a tree. She was humming quietly to herself with her eyes half lidded. As he got closer, her eyes opened and she offered a dazzling smile--just for him.

”Hey there. Long time no see. We have to stop running into each other like this.” she said with a tinkling laugh that made Faramir’s heart jump.

He went down onto his knees and let himself flop down beside her, rolling onto his back and looking at her upside down. She laughed again and he fell even further. He rolled back onto his stomach and regarded her for a moment.

”Be my mate.” he asked suddenly.

To her credit, Fawkes only looked surprised for a moment before she grinned cheekily. ”Now I recall you asking me this question back when we were foals...what was my answer then?”

”That colts were disgusting and you’d never be mated to one.” Faramir responded instantly, the memory as fresh as yes yesterday.

Fawkes nodded thoughtfully. ”Yes, yes, I remember now. Colts are disgusting, and stallions aren’t much better. Just look at the scruff on your chin!”

Faramir crossed his eyes in an attempt to see his own chin and Fawkes snorted loudly with laughter.

”You know I’ll only keep asking until you say yes.” Faramir said softly with a lazy smile.

Fawkes rocked to her hooves and shook herself, fallen leaves tangled in her fiery mane. She turned to walk away and glanced over her shoulder.

”I’m counting on it.”