O68 - Total War

[altariel.livejournal.com]

B2MeM Challenge: O68: Economy: War; March 3019: 7th March - Denethor and the palantír
Format: Drabble
Genre: Is there a name yet for stories about Denethor and Faramir being father and son? Gen, if not.
Rating: Well, it's not very jolly.
Warnings: N/A
Characters: Denethor and Faramir
Pairings: N/A
Summary: Mutually assured destruction.

Total War

"It is long since we had any hope."
Faramir, "The Window on the West", TTT

But before he left, they quarrelled. Not open hostilities, but that mutually assured destruction that has been their modus operandi for years. Not even death could bring them together.

“We are bereft,” the other said, “but we must not despair. There is still hope.”

He sees their emptied coffers and their opened veins. He sees a world in motion against him. He sees trenches, blitzkrieg, holocaust, fallout. He sees enemies at the gate, at the door, under the bed. He sees a mail clad fist punching at a human face, forever.

“Hope?” he said. “My son, we are beyond hope.”

Comments

[mikononyte.livejournal.com]

And this I think is the true cost of war; the despair and hopelessness. Yet while one dies inside the other refusing to die. What a pair these two are. Maybe only a fool could look at that war and still have hope while fighting in the trenches of Ithilien. You caught it very well, Altariel.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

What a pair these two are.

What a pair indeed.


Maybe only a fool could look at that war and still have hope while fighting in the trenches of Ithilien.

Thank you, that's a wonderful way of putting it. I'm very glad the drabble worked for you.

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

What a great drabble!So very like both of them!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[dwimordene-2011.livejournal.com]

Oh wow - the palantir shows Denethor World War I and World War II? God, no wonder he went around the bend! Brilliant incorporation of the palantir's forecasting abilities (and what a weight for us - we know that the stones can be wrong about the future, but we also know exactly what future - our past - he's seeing, and that it will absolutely come true).

He sees a mail clad fist punching at a human face, forever. - What a line! And Denethor's response works beautifully. Thank goodness Faramir is smart enough that he knows when to refuse a test, or I bet he'd look too and see this, and I'm not sure I want to know what that would do to him.

(Although... if you were to write that... I would absolutely read it, as well you know.)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I think he sees beyond WW2 into our future. He just doesn't see the good bits version. If that helps.

Not sure if I quite answered your request to see what would happen if Faramir saw what Denethor saw, so do feel free to write your own version...

[aliana1.livejournal.com]

Um...amazing? Love the idea that Denethor sees not only the black ships, but EVERYTHING in the palantir--and who's to say he didn't? Who wouldn't despair?

This sort of took my breath away: He sees their emptied coffers and their opened veins. He sees a world in motion against him. He sees trenches, blitzkrieg, holocaust, fallout. He sees enemies at the gate, at the door, under the bed. He sees a mail clad fist punching at a human face, forever. I especially love the juxtaposition of coffers and veins, and the fist in the face.

(Also, I heartily second Dwim's suggestion.)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much! Yes, everything, and beyond our point in history, I think.

Tried my best with Dwim's suggestion, although it came out very affirming. That's our Faramir, though.

[periantari.livejournal.com]

Powerful drabble...i like drabbles from Denethor's point of view.
Good job!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[heartofoshun.livejournal.com]

Well done!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[heartofoshun.livejournal.com]

The pleasure was all mine!

[sallymn.livejournal.com]

Oooh, packs such a lot of image into so few and such beautifully chosen words...

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Picture me stopping halfway on my walk home to type it into the note-taking function on my phone.

[ladyelleth.livejournal.com]

Horrifying and harsh, just as it should be. Given this, it's not surprising in the least that he chose a way out rather than persist.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

All too much. Who knows what else Sauron showed him? Doesn't bear thinking about.

[deborah-judge.livejournal.com]

This is brilliant! And it explains Denethor completely.

Which means it might also explain Feanor. Hm.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Heavens, yes, what did he see?

[azalaisdep.livejournal.com]

I do worry about the inside of your head sometimes, you know. Inspired, if utterly bleak. All the way from Tolkien to Orwell. And thank the Powers that Faramir doesn't listen/look - or even if he believes Denethor about being beyond hope, goes on anyway, because that's what Faramir does.

Have you, btw, read the absolutely fantastic pair of drabbles (http://aliana1.livejournal.com/74608.html#t577904) that aliana1 wrote in response to this? (I hope she doesn't mind me reccing them, but they're absolutely bloody brilliant...)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I worry about the inside of my head sometimes too, which is why I share it around.

I have Aliana's drabbles bookmarked for my reading treat later today.

[blslarner.livejournal.com]

All too likely, Dwim. Perfect!

[blslarner.livejournal.com]

Sorry--I meant Altariel! (Smacks head into handy pillar!)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

:-D

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Awful to think where the palantir (and Sauron) led him.