Boromir woke when the door to his chamber was opened. It was Faramir, pale as a ghost and shaking. Wordlessly he closed the door behind him and crawled into Boromir's bed, pressing his ear against his brother's chest.

Boromir wrapped his arms around Faramir and held him close. Whenever his dreams had left him awake in the middle of the night Faramir had sought refuge in his arms and Boromir had never denied him.

While the nightmares were horrible enough it was the prophetic dreams that seemed to burden Faramir with more than he could carry.

"Don't go to Rivendell", Faramir whispered.

"You know I cannot do anything about that." Boromir was carding his fingers through Faramir's hair to calm him down.

"Say there were orcs or wild men. Say the roads were closed. Say Gondor needs you now more than ever. But don't go." Faramir's voice was strained as if he was close to breaking.

"What did you dream?" Boromir asked softly.

"You died. You went to Rivendell and then you died."

"The elves will hardly kill me", he tried to joke.

"It was an orc. A tall monster that doesn't fear sunlight."

Boromir rested his hand against Faramir's cheek. "Let me take your mind off these dreams", he whispered and tilted his head to kiss him.

/

"Don't go", Faramir said again in the grey hour before the sunrise. The night air held the first coldness of autumn and made him shiver. Boromir wrapped his arms around him and held him close. Faramir's hair tickled his chin and carried the faint smell of Ithilien's woods and sunshine.

"I cannot." He pressed a kiss to Faramir's head. "I would but I cannot. I have a duty just as you do. It is for Gondor."

Faramir tangled their fingers together. "One day of peace."

"We will have that, one day."

There was a knock on the door. "Sire, the Steward wishes to see you."

"I will see him shortly", Boromir answered with an expression of utter regret on his face.

As soon as the servant's steps were quiet Faramir rolled out of bed and gathered his nightshirt but before he could leave Boromir caught his wrist. "Will I see you before I go?"

Faramir leaned down to kiss him and gave him the sweetest, saddest smile before he closed the door.