The Multifandom Drabble Exchange
Far Seers (The Lord of the Rings – J.R.R. Tolkien) for AnonSubjectTimothy
Denethor leaned closer still, unwilling to miss a breath, and Finduilas whispered, "When thou tookest me to wife, my heart sang. It sings still." Save not with the song of the sea, nor with strength enough for life.
He closed his eyes, steeling himself for her next words, as he could not for half a century alone.
"Yet, my lord," Finduilas advanced: unmerciful, unstoppable, "I would not have our sons grow into thy image."
"I, too, would see peace," Denethor promised. She nodded but spoke not.
She'd grown cold when he arose and ascended to take up his new burden.



Thank you, I really liked this! I've never thought that Finduilas just faded away wispily, and I like that you make her determined to the last. You make me feel for Denethor's sense of loss and desolation, and it seems in-character for him that he would see her final injunction as another duty. Thank you for writing me a treat!
Glad you enjoyed it. I also thought there had to be quite a bit to Finduilas, to hold Denethor's attention it nothing else. It occurred to me as I was posting that I'd be happy to read a fic where HE was the one to die of Pneumonia (or in battle, or whatever), and she ruled Gondor as regent steward until Boromir was old enough. Another time, perhaps.
I also probably should have been more clear (100 words FTW!), but I was always fascinated that it was Finduilas dying that seems to have been the last little push to make Denethor break out the Palantír.
I'd read that! Though it would make parts of LOTR go very differently. Faramir might have been the one in the Fellowship, for one thing.
Though if you want a similar situation in canon, there's Isildur's wife in Arnor after the Battle of the Gladden Fields. She could have been regent for Valandil -- canon doesn't say either way.
Ah, I got the far seers = palantiri reference in the title, but I hadn't gotten that his new burden = the Palantir. Thanks for clarifying that.
Yes, one assumes that if Boromir had been Steward for some forty years, that he wouldn't have been tramping around the countryside looking for Elves. And both boys would have been under more pressure to marry and have sons, so the whole political situation would have been very different. Plus who knows if Boromir could have held up the politics end. Maybe his mother would have done more of that.
That's true about Isildur's wife. I had wondered about that before. It would have been another interesting time, in terms of kingdom building, rather than kingdom holding on by its fingernails.
I had a bunch of drafts that had the Palantír thing spelled out, but in the end none of them worked. Oh well.
It's interesting to think about!
And not a problem -- I know with my drabble I was also going through many drafts, trying to figure out what to leave in or out and how to compress it. :) And I enjoyed it either way.
I think I said so at the time, but I really liked your drabble too.
Thank you very much! I haven't replied to comments yet because I've been dithering over whether to deanon -- I'll reply once I make up my mind -- but I appreciate all of them!