Disclaimer: Elboron, Faramir and Eowyn belong to the great J.R.R Tolkein

History Lessons

The hustle and bustle of the people below the White Tower tempted Elboron. The busy market stalls sent smells of freshly baked bread wafting into the hot and sticky room. The sound of laughter followed and mingled beautifully with the shouting of the street vendors trying to sell their products, creating the song of Minas Tirith the lured most men into the city.

How Elboron longed to be down there, running around the streets with the other children, trying the sweet, warm bread and adding the sound of that glorious melody.

Instead he was stuck in the classroom, listening to some old man talking about something that happened long ago. Not that Elboron didn't like history. Oh no, quite the opposite- he had inherited his father's love for it. But like any 12-year-old boy, he would much rather be getting dirty while he played in the sun than stuck in this dark classroom.

He sighed quietly, so not to attract the attention of the teacher, and tried to look away from the scene below him, so the sight wouldn't tempt him any longer. But just as he looked up, something caught his eye, a sight that he often seen but not like this.

His mother and father were standing on the walls of the city, near the houses of healing. The slight breeze made their golden and raven hair mingle together. They're hands were clasped and his father's arm was around his mother's waist protectively. His mother's head rested perfectly on his father's shoulder and he stroked her hair slowly. Elboron noticed that his father's mouth was moving slightly and his mother's eyes were closed which meant his father was probably singing. His father had the most wonderful; when Elboron was little, his father would often sing to him to send him to sleep.

Elboron had often been told of the tale of the two people who met the houses of healing after they both gravely hurt and fell in love. But he never thought that it was his parent's story. He never asked them how they had met, but now Elboron realised he didn't need to.

Elboron smiled. He could almost imagine what his father was singing, and the sound of his voice seemed to drift into the classroom, completely blocking out the sounds of the streets below. He would be singing her a love song, about how beautiful she was (and his mother truly was beautiful) and Elboron could almost see the tiny smile on his mother's lips.

"Elboron, are you still with us?"

Elboron jumped at the sound of his name and looked around to see the stern face of his teacher.

"Well, boy, did you hear what I just said?"

"No, sir," Elboron replied still smiling slightly.

"Well why are you smiling? Do you now everything about the history of this world?"

"Well," Elboron replied, turning back to the sight of his parents, and his smiled turned into a grin. "I know a lot more than I used to."

Fin