You know, I’m no Middle-earth scholar, so can’t speak with authority on the matter, but at least basing on my personal perception of the text, it seemed there was this “shadow”-world of sorts, as sort of an in-between plane of existence. A dimension in which things exist in their true form – like Frodo could see Glorfindel shinin with white light during the scene at the ford, showing that in truth Glorfindel was more powerful and generally more than what he seemed to the “naked eye”. And when Frodo was wounded, I remember him being described as growing paler and as if thinner, as if he was slipping moe from the mortal corporeal world into this shadow world – like there could actually be a physical transition of an entity from one dimension to another. And that’s pretty much what happened to the Nazgul, isn’t it? They were more substantial in the shadow world than they were in the mortal world. Whether this is one universal plane into which everyone slips, or whether each person has their own shadow-world, that’s a question. Perhaps different spells created separate alternative planes, and the Ring had its one dimension, into which both the Nazgul and Frodo slipped (as a side note, I wonder what Gollum looked like in his shadow form, spooky thought!). Anyway, Faramir’s fever was connected ot the Ring as well, wasn’t it? What with the black breath, so maybe he and Aragorn just got themselves sucked into one corner of this plane? Not that it matters too much, not for the plot of this particular story I guess not – but the idea definitely gave me an extra spooky-factor when reading this :)

Well, I wouldn’t mind them being taken back to the world of the living, provided they can be not only taken back, but properly healed. And it’s ust that the latter does not seem entirely probable. And again, wouldn’t it be plain awkward? XD

And I can entirely see why they, at least in their current state, are convinced they should stay where they are. It is akin to being on drugs or mentally ill, I would imagine, when your mind operates according to a completely different logic. I can’t really speak from personal experience here, having never really been either, but recently read an account by a mentally unwell lady, and it’s really creepy, it’s like she lives in a world all of her own, among other people, but in truth her mind is someplace else. So I guess it is a real place in whichever case, because so long as you are in it, to you, it exists. Ok, that’s about as much philosophy as my brain is capable of on a Saturday morning. Just wanted to say once more that I’ve enjoyed been moved by this story, and find it in a good way an original take on a popular topic.

Oh, December, thank you so much!

You know, I never once linked this shadow world to the one Frodo experiences when he uses the Ring! However, I do appreciate the idea of it (whichever one) being an actual place. Maybe because in such a universe, where such ultimate Evil exists, it seems to me that a final death is too ‘simple’ a concept. Indeed, Tolkien’s universe is full of afterlives and ancestors’ halls and the like. So why could not someone slip out of life’s grasp but not (or never) walk into the waiting arms of death? And why could not someone else actually choose to do the same? If they thought that they might gain something from it…

I’m very pleased you liked this, and that you don’t feel the necessity to call the boys back to life upon finishing it. I’m quite sure they would not listen. Or, perhaps, even hear you.

I love the idea of “the shadows” being an actual place where people can stay, like a certain dimension in space. As in this is happening not in Faramir’s head, but they’d fallen through or been sucked into or whatever, into a different plane of existence, like a broken and warped reflection of the world of the living. Kind of like the dimension that Frodo falls into when he puts on the Ring. At least that’s the perception this story leaves me with. It’s just so much spookier and gloomier and cooler than simply going nuts xD

I feel not only is the story great in its own right, the originality and the beautiful turns of the language – it actually adds to the original. I always felt that LOTR could’ve gone a step further in painting the horrors that would unfold if the darkness prevailed – and this story very well fills in the gap. There’s madness and fogginess, and things make sense only about 85% of the time, which is exactly the way it should be, I think. It’s like the darkness eats away, like acid, at the very fabric of the universe.

It was a difficult read – enjoyable but difficult specifically for the reason that it draws you in so much, and the theme is not a pleasant one. It was like wading through a swamp, in circles, breathin on the toxic vapours – you realise you don’t fully understand, and somehow that’s very cool, you are fine to not understand, you just keep wading on and on.

And most curious of all, towards the end I come to share their desire that they be left where they are and never dragged out. Because if they are “saved”- then how the hell are they going to live with what they’d done? How will they ever be Steward and King?

Oh my gosh, I had (almost) forgotten about this story! I’m delighted to find that you read it and thrilled that you liked it!

Yes, I suppose there is some dying going on here, in one way or another, but for Aragorn and Faramir that’s not necessarily a bad thing. For the rest of Middle-earth, of course, it will have some dire consequences, but I suspect that the boys are beyond caring at this point. And I said above that a choice lies with Aragorn… Perhaps that is so, but ultimately, I think the end is decided by Gandalf. Perhaps :)

When you love something, let it go.

Thank you so much for reading.

Ha, you don’t think I forgot you, do you? Wouldn’t dream of it… it’s just, some authors/stories I tend to savour for a special moment. Like a good chocolate you leave lying in the cupboard for a while, simply being happy about having it. No reason to eat it all at once:)

Anyway, I think you’re the queen of intros. Your beginnings are always so very captivating and so intriguing that a reader can’t help being thrown right into the story. That horse was such a powerful and poignant way to start the story. (“I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him.” So, much foreshadowing going on here.)

You present us with a lot of questions: What’s happening? When is what happening? Where is it happening? And most importantly: What the heck is going on here?

I like the surreal feel, the slight shift of reality that never feels quite right. It’s very subtly done, which makes most of the effect IMO. It’s never too far off the middle, never unrecognizable, but it’s neither the characters’ nor the reader’s comfort zone. It leaves you with a slight unease, a little on edge. And that makes you read on. And on.

And man, that story is amazing. And I’m gushing once again.

(Also, I guess I have to read “Swordspoint” sometime.)

Oh, no! Major review reply failure! :(

I was so certain that I had responded but obviously only done so in my head. I’m sorry.

Oh, Eora and Minx thank you! I don’t know why I so often seem to end up writing semi-supernatural stuff. Or, in this case, going all in. I think there’s something about Faramir that just sets all that mystical dust swirling in my head. Eeh, so to speak.

This story was not intended to be angsty. (Hehe, I don’t know… I probably failed miserably.) And I wasn’t aiming for sorrowful either, I think. I set out with the intention of exploring what would happen if, instead of bringing Faramir back to ‘the light’, Aragorn found himself being pulled deep into Faramir’s world of ‘darkness’. And there was so overwhelmed and captivated by what he encountered that he found that he was not willing to go back. And in the background (in the Houses of Healing) we have Gandalf realising that the healing process has gone awfully wrong. Or taken a different turn, from Aragorn’s perspective.

And I know it seems like they will be separated with Faramir’s final ‘giving in’, but I’m not sure it is that simple. Because I think Aragorn has a choice in this one, and I’m not so certain he will choose the light.

As for the meaning of the horse. I’ll leave that up to you to decide ;)

Lots of love to you both!

Ohhh…. lovely! I’m speechless as ever with the way you render this pairing, the ethereal note that runs all through, the intensity of their emotions and actions, the way you convey their feeling for each other in a few words or gestures… I loved all of it here! And sad though the ending seems to be, in a way I felt Aragorn was giving Faramir what he needed.

There was such a poignancy in that request for no more healing and the brief mention of Mithrandir. It seems to add layers to the story, an entire backstory in fact, that perhaps events have happened that have left Faramir in a state where only Aragorn can help him.

Thank you for a lovely piece!

Ah yes, the silent ‘eeeeee!’ I do in my head whenever I see you’ve posted a new story ;D (And yes, the inevitable novel I write as a comment…) And oh, oh! It’s dark, so very dark and different and I’ve fallen instantly in love with these two all over again…again!

Now as I was reading I originally thought this might be some sort of continuation of your wonderful vampire-AU but realised soon enough that it was an entirely different animal, and I was pretty mystified until I got near the end and things became clearer (or perhaps foggier- this is a good thing!) The supernatural elements in your writing are a theme I always love to see explored and you certainly are the queen of well-written ethereal (but not too over-done) other-worldly happenings! I loved this so much :) (I go on a bit of a stream-of-consciousness thing here, please excuse me!) I loved the first line, the sudden simple statement of the horse ploughing forwards through the silence was wonderfully uncluttered language-wise and very effective. Right from the start I was filled with questions; is it a ghost? Does it carry a rider? Where are we? The symbolism of the horse is something I’ve been thinking about a lot since reading this which is wonderful; I love stories that leave you asking more questions than they answer. Barely a paragraph in and I’m already eagerly reading further because my curiosity has been piqued so intently! In the beginnings I did think either the horse or Faramir was a ghost of some sort; the collision, the way he is injured and yet not injured all at once…questions that only begin to get answered as we near the end of our glimpse into this world.

The sex-scene I thought was very well done; rough-but-not-too-rough and Faramir’s strange exhaustion mingled with Aragorn’s insistence on silence was a very heady mix; it seems no matter how these two come together (oh what a dreadful unintended pun!) it always has some beauty in it somewhere, in this case beauty with the edge of sadness, a sense of ending, of pain and fear, and a desperate longing and perhaps love. I also like the use of slightly more graphic language/words, they really add a rawness to the events, a more realistic edge in the midst of this shadowy place we find our pair. You never fail to capture something both entirely new and different and yet familiar in the way you bring these two together and let us into the miasma of their emotions for so brief a time :) The story is so sad, fundamentally, but even with the pain and darkness there is a brief, if hidden, burst of light, a release, even if all Faramir can feel is exhaustion, and all Aragorn can think about in the moment is silence.

When I began to realise where this was happening and what was really going on I was stuck between smiling at such an original and well-done idea and being envious that I didn’t think of it first :P Seriously, I love where you went with this, and I do love those stories that seemingly come out of nowhere and take you on such a wonderfully different journey even when writing them. I’ve been trying to branch out a little with story ideas and themes lately and I really was gobsmacked while reading this because it’s the sort of thing I’ve been trying to do (theme-wise I mean, and also I’m talking about works-in-progress I have piled up on my computer, ha) and argh I really don’t know what I’m trying to say but this beautiful story really hit the nail on the head with everything that’s been inspiring me lately and I love it love it love it! Thank you so much for sharing, and I wish I could actually leave a more coherent comment but I really did adore this and my mind is positively brimming with inspiration now so hooray!

How are you? How has your summer gone? I hope everything’s been lovely! :)