The woodcutter could not recall a time when the old King was not on the throne, nor could his father, or even his grandsire.

No doubt, Lord Eldarion, now King Eldarion, would rule well enough, but things felt different somehow, as if the world were turning upside down.

The woodcutter shook himself; he had work to do. The forest remained unchanged while Men came and went. The great oaks outlasted the foresters by centuries; their branches budding anew through countless springtime’s.

In the forest’s heart, the woodcutter observed that the mightiest oak had fallen, cleft asunder by a lightning bolt

Title – Banks of Green Willow

Author: Linda Hoyland
Characters/Pairing: Faramir

Rating: PG
Warnings: none
Book/Source: LOTR book-verse

Disclaimer: The characters are the property of the Tolkien estate. This drabble is written for pleasure, not profit.
With grateful thanks to Raksha

Every year Faramir returned to honour those who fell at Osgiliath.

It was hard now to imagine that so many lives had been lost at this now peaceful spot

The willows grew green and fresh on both sides of the Anduin, their long branches seeking the river, offering shade from the summer heat.

How apt, Faramir thought, that weeping willows should grow here, to forever mourn the flower of Gondor who were slaughtered there. Only the memories remained: vivid and unsullied as the living trees. The wind sighed through the branches, singing its mournful lament for fallen sons and brothers

Title – Tree of Life and Death

Author: Linda Hoyland
Characters/Pairing: Faramir, Gandalf

Rating: G
Warnings: none
Book/Source: LOTR book-verse

Disclaimer: The characters are the property of the Tolkien estate. This drabble is written for pleasure, not profit.

With thanks to Raksha

Faramir never passed the old yew tree without pausing. No man could recall how long the ancient twisted trunk had stood.

“Did you know that this is the oldest tree in Gondor?”

Faramir turned to see Mithrandir standing beside him.

“Older than the White Tree? Surely not!”

“This tree was mature when the White Tree was still a fruit. Deadly though it is, the Wise call yew the tree of life. It outlasts both Man and beast.”

The longbow in Faramir’s hand seemed to grow heavier. He had dealt death to many with this branch torn from the living yew.

Title – First Fruit

Author: Linda Hoyland
Characters/Pairing: Faramir

Rating: G
Warnings: none
Book/Source: LOTR book-verse
Disclaimer: The characters are the property of the Tolkien estate. This drabble is written for pleasure, not profit.

The old orchard had suffered long years of neglect when no man had dared prune the trees. Dead branches lay entangled with sharp brambles and weeds on what once had been carefully tended grass.

Faramir sighed. Ithilien had once been fair, but now it seemed a desolate place to build a home. The land had been neglected for so long. Could it ever again be fruitful?

Then he saw it: a huge single apple growing from one of the gnarled trees

Faramir smiled and carefully harvested the apple. Yavanna had given her blessing; this was the first fruit of many.

Author: Linda Hoyland

Title:  Yavanna’s Gift

Rating: PG

Theme: Myths

Elements: Elderberry

Author's Notes: With grateful thanks to Raksha and Virtuella.

Summary: Bell Gamgee and her daughters find help from an unexpected source in their hour of need.

Word Count  1677

The characters are the property of the Tolkien Estate. This story was written for pleasure, not profit.

Dedicated to Harrowcat as a belated birthday offering.

Title - Fruition
Author: Linda Hoyland
Characters/Pairing: Faramir/Éowyn
Rating: G 
Warnings: none 
Book/Source: LOTR book-verse

The King and Queen had retired to their chamber. A few of the labourers lingered to savour another mug of cider and sing slightly tipsy songs in praise of Yavanna.

Arm in arm, Faramir and Éowyn strolled past the freshly harvested cornfields and into the orchards, where the trees were laden with almost ripe fruit.

Faramir looked up at the harvest moon and tenderly kissed his wife.

“How blessed I am!” he exclaimed. “I have you and our children. Our lord is most gracious while our land is fruitful and at peace. All I ever dreamed has come to pass.”

Title – Moonstruck

Author: Linda Hoyland
Characters/Pairing: Faramir, Aragorn, Éowyn

Rating: G
Warnings: none
Book/Source: LOTR book-verse

   With thanks to Raksha

A tall man stood outlined against the rising harvest moon. A gem adorned his noble brow, and his eyes shone like stars.

 Faramir knelt before the man together with a lady with golden hair. She held out a sheaf of ripe corn towards the man.

“Yavanna’s blessings be upon you both and our fruitful land!” the stranger said.

Faramir swayed slightly as he came back to himself. Before him lay no fertile meadow, but a corpse strewn battlefield. Only the moon remained

”Are you well, Captain?” Damrod enquired.

“T’was but a moonstruck vision,” said Faramir. “Would that it were real!”

In your stories I enjoy?

In your stories I am bored with or dislike

Title – Willing Hands
Author: Linda Hoyland
Characters/Pairing: Faramir, Aragorn

Rating: G
Warnings: none
Book/Source: LOTR book-verse

The rain clouds drew ever closer, their grey plumes like angry warhorses about to charge, trampling the grain. The harvesters quickened their pace.

 Faramir bound the twine securely around another sheaf of wheat. He looked up and beheld the King walking across the field towards him. “I did not expect to see you here, sire.” Faramir exclaimed in surprise.

Aragorn smiled. “I grow weary of sitting at a desk, my friend. I have laboured over sheaves of paper all morning, this afternoon I would liefer choose wheat. Why should the king stand idle when the harvest is ripe for gathering?

Title – Wheat or Chaff ?
Author: Linda Hoyland
Characters/Pairing: Faramir, Damrod

Rating: G
Warnings: none
Book/Source: LOTR book-verse

“Were you not a soldier, Captain, what would you be?” Damrod asked one night as they returned from patrol.

“A scholar, I believe,” said Faramir. Then, seeing the man’s bewildered expression, he added; “Or maybe a farmer, if I needed to earn my living.”

“And why a farmer?”

“With my sword, I must cut down all who stand before us as foes, unknowing whether they deserve death or not. With a flail, I would thresh, and winnow the wheat from the chaff, storing the good grain. A farmer knows what must be garnered, a warrior can never be so certain.”