Speak Again

fanfiction by Wild Iris

Untitled (Denethor)

"What can you see?"

"Primarily, the site of another of the stones," his father says.

"Where are the other stones?"

"Most are lost," his father explains. "But our enemy holds the stone that was formerly of Minas Ithil."

He does not see the excitement in this at all. Watching the dark, smoky tower across the plain sounds far less agreeable than watching comets through his new scrying-glass.

"So," he ventures, "what use is it?"

His father finishes the lesson then and says, "You will understand when you are older" – the reply grown-ups give in answer to many of Denethor's questions.