It had been over a decade since the dark lord Sauron was finally defeated, and the one ring was throne into the fire of Mount Doom. The world of men struggled to rebuild their lives and cope with the loss from war. Many no longer had a family that they could go to with their anguish. Friends became almost as vital as breath to the survivors of the last great war.

In the White City of Gondor, Aragorn, Son of Arathorn, sat upon the throne once again. His wife, Arwen, sat beside him and together, they made sure that their city thrived. Children took to playing in the streets, and this small action, gave everyone in the city hope. The children were what secured their future now. Those who fought, and won the war for the freedom of men, did it for their future generations.

And that is where our story begins, with the lives of the children. Near the front gates, upon the white steps, sat a child. A beautiful, young girl, who could have been no more than five years old. Her long, golden hair was braided down her back. Her skin was fair and her eyes were as blue as the ocean. She wore a blue dress, which was uncommon for peasant children. She did not look as though she was a child who had to play in the streets, or even be in them at all. She was a rather devious child, always getting into trouble and creating a real mess of things.

The air was hot, and the sun was at its peak in the sky. There were very few people out in the street. If they could escape the sun, they would. Only those who were working remained in the hot sun, them, and the little girl. In truth, the girl was doing her best to stay out of her home. Her brother was being strained in the watch tower, and she had nothing to do. The woman who took care of her since her mothers death was not a very kind woman. She took care of the children well enough, true. Always made sure they were clean, clothed and fed, but she did not play with them or let them have any fun. If they were not reading books, they were being made to clean their home. This is why her brother willingly volunteered to learn to help outside of their home, to escape the terrible woman there.

Suddenly, the whole kingdom seemed to be whipped into a frenzy. There were horns to be heard from above and the small child looked up, not knowing what that meant. She knew nothing of war in her short lifetime and had never heard the horns being blown before. She stood up quickly and hurried into a small alley, peaking around timidly as she watched the large gates. There were soldiers standing all around, with armor on and weapons drawn. The girl did not understand why how they all got ready so fast.

Aragorn walked passed her then, followed by Arwen, and the Steward of Gondor, Faramir. They all walked with quick strides, walking towards the large gates. They all stopped at the bottom of the steps, standing tall and proud. Aragorn had his hand upon the hilt of his sword, but was not holding onto it. He looked at the guards in control of the gate and nodded his head, letting them know it was alright for them to open the doors.

All at once, the men began to move, opening the doors and preparing for battle. They all had their hands on their weapons, ready for anything that may walk through that door. The small girl still watched, wondering why they would open the doors if they believed these people were dangerous.

The doors creaked and cracked, groaning in protest as they were slowly slid open. A strong breeze blew through the door, causing everyones hair to whip into a frenzy. The king did not move, only watched the doors as people came into view.

The people were peasants, mostly women and children. Wearing plain clothing, dirty, tattered and torn. It was easy to see how exhausted these people were. They looked as though they had been traveling for days. All of the horses they had were not being ridden, but instead, had carts of supplies and belongings that they pulled. As the crowd drew nearer to them, the guards and the king seemed to be more rigid. They were bracing themselves for anything that these people may do.

A young woman stepped forth then, with desperation clearly expressed on her dirty face. Her eyes shone like emeralds through the darkness on her skin. She bowed her head politely to Aragorn before looking up at him. Her black hair was knotted and covered with clumps of mud. There were a few twigs sticking out here and there as well.

"Why have you come?" Aragorn asked with a stern, but gentle tone. He was simply trying to show that he was not easily persuaded, but that he was still open to listen to what they had to say none the less.

"My king, I come to you in great need." She said quietly as she hugged a small bundle, wrapped in blankets, tight against her chest. "We have suffered a great drought. We have been traveling for almost a month." She said softly, tears threatening to choke out her voice. "We are seeking shelter, and a new place to rebuild our lives. I offer you this, as payment." She said quietly as she held out the bundle in her arms. She was not looking at him Aragorn, she wasn't really looking at anyone. She just held out her arms, trembling as she looked off to the side.

Aragorn watched her skeptically before stepping forward and taking the package from her arms. He slowly opened it and let out a deep sigh as he looked down at the small bundle of jewelry and gold that he now held in his arms.

"I can not accept this from you." He said softly before wrapping them up and placing them back within her arms. "You and your kin may stay here." He said, patting her hands gently.

"Thank you, my king. You are very kind." She whispered quietly as a tear slid down her cheek. She nervously pulled the bundle back to her chest and began to hug it to herself again. She still was not looking at anyone in particular. Arwen had been studying the girls eyes and looked at her husband when she figured it out. She was not going to say anything now, for fear of embarrassing the young woman. Arwen could tell that this girl was blind, or at least, almost blind. Her sight was not very good, despite her young age.

The woman turned and walked back to her own people, holding an arm out in front of herself as she walked. She announced the good news to them and they flooded into the city around her. Everyone was extremely careful not to walk into her, or bump her. It was like water parting around a large stone as they went passed her. Even the smallest of children were completely respectful of this young woman who lead them.

"Aragorn…" Arwen whispered quietly as she grabbed her husbands arm. He looked down at her with a small smile, but then she continued speaking. "I believe that the young woman is blinded, or very close to it." She said quietly.

"I did notice that something seemed off…"He replied quietly before nodding his head. "She appears to be the person leading her people. If she was not more qualified than others, they would not allow her to keep that position." He pointed out gently. "I believe that these people are true to their word. I will allow them to stay here as long as they do not prove me wrong."

"Why is there no man leading them, or even in sight?" Arwen asked quietly. She had noticed that all of those walking passed her were women, and children. There were no men, except for those who were still children or were very elderly.

"I think that perhaps we should invite her to have dinner with us tonight, to get some more explanation to all of this." He said gently. Arwen nodded and released his arm then, satisfied with his answer. The girl who had lead her people to Gondor walked in last, flinching slightly when the gates closed behind her. She whipped around and stared up at the wall, as if trying to figure out why it would make such a loud noise.

"What is your name?" Aragorn called over the noise of everyone else's talking.

"Polenia." She answered in a strong tone before she turned around to face him again. "My name is Polenia."

"Well, Polenia, welcome to Gondor." He said with a tender smile before he looked at her. "My men will help your people find places to settle in." He said gently before looking at Faramir. "You have a special task." He said quietly.

"Yes, My Lord?" Faramir asked as he stepped forward. Aragorn leaned forward and whispered his words to Faramir, so that the young woman would not hear.

"I want you to help her. I believe that her sight has left her. Be as patient as you can."

"I will do my best." Faramir said with a small nod before he turned and walked towards the young woman. She seemed to know exactly where he was and she looked up at his face. This was the closest to eye contact she had made with anyone since she had arrived here.

"I have been given the honor of helping you settle in here." He said gently as he offered her a hand. "Would you like to come with me?"

"He told you to help me, because I can not see, didn't he?" She asked with a small whisper. A smile crossed her lips as she reached out and grabbed his hand, squeezing tenderly before she released it. "I appreciate your willingness to help me, but I do not need it." She said with a small smile before she turned away and looked up at the stairs. "I do not see as others do, but do not mistake me for someone who is completely blinded."

Faramir watched her walk away from him and could not help but laugh quietly to himself. It had been a long time since he had seen such a strong, bull-headed woman. It actually pained his heart to think of her in such a way. It had been six years since he lost his wife. He had always done a flawless job of hiding his feelings of pain, for fear of upsetting his children. Elboron would understand it, but Finduilas would not. The last thing he wanted was to have to explain to his daughter that she was the reason her mother was no longer alive. There was nothing anyone could have done to save her, but that did not make the pain any less real. He turned away form her then and walked up the stairs, following Aragorn and Arwen back to the throne room, where they were likely to discuss how they were going to handle all of these new people within their walls.

The small girl who had hidden from the vast group of people slowly revealed herself from within her hiding spot. Polenia seemed to notice her almost instantly and she looked over at her. The girl flinched and slid back into her hiding spot, not wanting to be caught out in the city. Her father would be furious if he leaned she had snuck out of her house again.

Polenia took a few steps forward and almost fell on her face, tripping over the first of the stairs. She nervously lifted her skirt slightly, so that she could walk up the stairs without tripping over the hem of her dress. She walked slowly and had a look of concentration upon her face. It was going to take a while for her to memorize her surroundings. She had known every rock, root and hole in the ground in her village, but those days were gone. She stopped when she knew she was beside the small girl and knelt down, looking over at her with a small smile on her face.

"Why are you hiding?" Polenia asked with a tender smile before offering a hand to the small child. She knew that she had to look rather frightening right now, seeing as she had not bathed or even brushed her hair in weeks.

"Father would have been mad if he saw…" She said quietly before looking at the woman, giggling softly to herself. "Your hair is dirty."

Polenia just stared at the girl for a moment before she bursted out in heart-felt laughter. She shook her head and raised her hands, placing them on her head, feeling the debris in her hair. She started laughing even harder as she sat down on the steps, towards the wall, hoping she would be out of the way.

"I think you are right." She laughed quietly as she began pulling clumps of mud and twigs out of her hair.

"I can help." The small girl said tenderly as she finally emerged from her hiding place. She stood behind the woman and began picking things out of her hair, smoothing it down with her small fingers as well as she could. She even gently attempted to get some of the knots out, running her fingers through the woman's hair.

"Thank you. I am sure I will be pretty again when you are done." Polenia laughed quietly as she held her hands on her lap. She could not see all of the people that were staring at her, but she could hear the whispers. Their tones were bitter, wondering why Aragorn had so willingly let strangers within their walls. They talked about how Polenia was a no one, with no royal lineage, and did not even speak the name of the village they had traveled from to get here. She tried her best not to let their words get to her. She would prove her worth soon enough, she just did not know it yet.

"I think you are pretty…" The young girl said softly, pulling Polenia out of her daze.

"You are very sweet. What is your name?" Polenia asked quietly.

"Finduilas." The girl said softly before she stopped touching the woman's hair. She sat down next to her and looked up at her, with admiration in her eyes. She thought that this woman was beautiful, even though her face was still dirty and her dress was covered in dirt. She had asked her father several times as to why she did not have a mother, like the other children did. He never gave her an answer. He would only look at her sadly before saying 'I will tell you when you are older'. That answer was not good enough for her. She was young, but she wanted to be able to have a mother just like anyone else. She wrapped her arms around the woman's arm and leaned against her, holding her tightly. This was the only woman to try and speak to her, other that the woman who was supposed to keep an eye on them at home, and Finduilas did not like that woman. Did not like her even a little bit.

"Where are you supposed to be right now?" Polenia asked gently, raising her free hand to tenderly stroke the young girls hair.

"I am supposed to be at home, but I do not like the lady who watches us. She is mean." Finduilas said angrily as she held onto Polenia's arm even more tightly. "She watches us until father comes home, but he is almost never home… I don't think he likes us very much."

"Oh, sweet heart…" Polenia said quietly as she lifted the girl into her lap and held her close. "I do not think that is true. I am sure your father loves you, very much." She said with a tender, loving tone as she rubbed the little girls back.

"Will you stay with me until he comes home?" Finduilas asked quietly, looking up at the woman with pleading, eyes.

"Where am I going to wait with you?" Polenia said with a small sigh. "I do not think the woman who watches you would like it if I came home with you, especially without your fathers permission."

"We could play games?" Finduilas said quietly as she pulled away so that she could look at the woman. "We could play tag or hide-and-seek?" She suggested eagerly.

"Oh, sweet heart…" Polenia said sadly, feeling her heart break within her chest as she shook her head. "I do not see very well… I can not promise I would be able to find you, especially in a city that I have no knowledge of. Running would not be a good thing for me to do either." She said sadly. "Would you like it if I just told you stories?" She offered, hopeful that the girl would not decide to be bored with her then.

"I like stories!" Finduilas said excitedly as she sat back down on the woman's lap, snuggling against her chest tightly. Polenia laughed quietly and wrapped her arms around the girl, resting her chin upon the girls head as she began to speak. She told stories of her own life, growing up with the love of her family and her sisters. She left out the parts of these stories that took her entire family from her, including her own husband and children, years ago. She was telling stories for so long that she had hardly noticed the air growing cooler as the sun lowered in the sky and began to set.

"Pippin!" A mans voice rose through the streets. Repeatedly, he called out this name, drawing closer and closer to Polenia. She had no idea who he was looking for. She went to stand and realized that Finduilas was asleep upon her lap. She laughed quietly and shifted the girl around so that she could lift her as she stood up. She held the child gently as she looked up to face the sky. The cool air that brushed against her face made her realize just how late it must have been now.

"Pippin!" The voice called again and Finduilas stirred in Polenia's arms. Her eyes opened slowly and she yawned, whimpering slightly, not being to happy with being woken up.

"Papa, I'm sleeping." Finduilas whined quietly against Polenia's neck. Polenia smiled to herself and laughed quietly as she slowly began to walk up the steps, towards the mans voice. She was being extra careful not to fall. She did not want to hurt the sleeping child who was not even her own.

"I have her!" She called gently, trying not to be too loud in the young girls ear. Faramir rounded the corner, a look of panic upon his face that quickly turned to relief as she saw the woman holding his daughter.

"I hope she did not bother you." He said apologetically as he hurried towards her, gently lifting his daughter into his own arms. "I know she can be a trouble maker when she wants to be."

"She was no bother to me." Polenia said with a tender smile. "She reminds me of my little one. It was nice to spend time with her. I hope you do not mind my spending time with her." She said with a small bow of her head. "I do not mean to offend anyone. I know that I am a stranger here and that you have no reason to trust me, but she seemed so lonely and sad." She whispered quietly before focusing on his face. "She says that the woman who watches them is cruel to them, and it makes her feel like you do not love her."

Faramir just stared at the woman with his jaw agape, holding his daughter more tightly as he tried to wrap his brain around what this woman was saying to him. What on earth gave her the nerve or the right to speak to him in such a way? She knew nothing of the way his family was! She had no right. He frowned and nodded, trying to contain his temper so that he would not scream at her in the middle of the street.

"How about I care for my daughter, and you care for your own?" He finally snapped bitterly before he turned to walk away from her.

"My daughter is dead." Polenia answered softly. Faramir stopped walking and closed his eyes tightly, immediately regretting his choice of words. He turned around to apologize, but the woman was already walking passed him up the stairs. She did not turn to look at him, or seem to want anything to do with him now. He watched her walk away from him, wondering what he could do to mend what he had said to her. He thought about offering to let her stay with them, until she found her own place to be here. A woman with no sight should not be forced to live on her own.

"Miss, wait." Faramir called finally as he walked up the steps after her, reaching out and grabbing her by her arm. She stopped walking but still did not turn to look at him. She did not want him to see the tears that screamed down her face, leaving clean streaks down her cheeks. "Please, I did not mean to say something so cruel to you." He said quietly. "I have also felt the sting of loss. I have lost all of my family. All I have left is my children. The thought of disappointing them is more than I could stand. My anger was not at you, but at the fact that I know your words are true." He said gently.

Polenia ripped her arm from his grasp as she turned to glare at him. "In loss, we are almost evenly matched. I too, have lost all of my family. There is only one difference, and that is I was not lucky enough to keep my children. They were to ripped away from me and nothing could have been done to stop it. Be thankful for your children, Faramir." She said bitterly, her lip quivering as she tried to be angry at him. She could not stop her tears, but was doing her best to keep from completely falling into self pity.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" He asked softly as he reached out and cupped her cheek, brushing a tear away with his thumb, leaving a clean mark on her face. Polenia stared at him, trying to decide wether she enjoyed his contact or not. She decided this was not what she wanted and she smacked his hand away from her before turning away again.

"You can treat your daughter well. Find someone else to watch her, someone who cares for her." She said sternly as she began walking up the steps again, tripping slightly, but refusing to ask for help as she went.

"What about you?" Faramir asked suddenly, despite his better judgement. She stopped walking again and just leaned against the building to her right. She clenched her fist and rested it against the wall, not sure what kind of a sick game he was trying to play.

"What about me?" She asked nervously as she turned around to face him again. He walked up the steps behind her and grabbed her arm again, as if trying to help her stand. He could tell that she was uneasy on her feet. Being in a new place, with so many stairs, must be very difficult with no eye sight.

"Pippin likes you. She fell asleep on your lap." Faramir said quietly. "I can tell that you like her too. If I asked you to watch her during the day, would you? Then you would know she is in good hands and happy." He said gently.

"Why would you trust me to watch your daughter? You do not even know who I am, or where I came from. You do not know why these people trusted me to lead them to Gondor even though I am without eye sight." She said quickly before looking up at him.

"I don't trust you." He said sternly. "I do not trust you, at all. I do not know you, but she does and that is good enough for me."

"We will see…" She said quietly as she turned from him again. "I still need a place to settle in, bathe, find new clothes." She laughed gently as she tried to walk up the stairs. He was still holding her arm and he did not release her. She felt uneasy then. Why would he want so badly for her to watch his child? He obviously loved her, very much. He was even willing to let a complete stranger into his home so that his daughter would be happy.

"I could help you with all of those things, if only you would agree to come back with me."

"I do not trust you!" She shouted finally, pulling her arm from his grasp as she wrapped her arms around herself tightly. "I have been lied to and tormented by men before, Faramir." She whispered softly as she closed her eyes tightly. "I can not trust you until you prove to me you can be trusted."

"How dare you-" He started before he saw Arwen walking down the steps towards them, wearing an elegant, white dress, and a dark blue cloak. He stepped back from Polenia quickly, knowing that this would look bad to anyone who had not heard their conversation previously. He felt guilt for making this young woman cry, but he could not help what had been said. She was defiant and head strong. Part of him loathed her for her behavior, and part of him loved her for it. He only looked up at Arwen, nodding his head respectfully before he turned and walked towards his own home, with Finduilas still fast asleep in his arms.

Polenia heard him walk away and only trembled, leaning against the stone wall, tears still brimming her bright eyes. The sky was almost completely dark now, but she did not notice it.

"You are shivering." Arwen said softly as she placed her hand upon Polenia's shoulder. The touch caused her to jump. She had not heard the woman's footsteps coming near her, and that was very rare. "And you are crying." Arwen added sadly before she unclasped her cloak, putting it over the shoulders of Polenia, clasping it around her neck.

"It is nothing…" Polenia said with a small laugh as she wiped the tears from her face. "Thank you. I did not realize how cold it was out here now." She admit softly.

"My king and I would like you to join us for a meal this evening." Arwen said quietly. Her voice was light and airy, sounding almost like a song to Polenia's ears.

"That would be very lovely, thank you." Polenia said with a small smile before shaking her head. "But I fear that I am still a mess. I am not at all presentable enough to enjoy a meal with you tonight." She whispered with a small laugh, trying to keep her own spirits up.

"I know." Arwen said with a tender smile before she tenderly cupped the girls face, looking her over. "I am finding you early, so that I can help you clean up before dinner." She said softly, brushing a lock of hair from the woman's face. "Did Faramir help you get settled in, like was requested of him?" Arwen asked gently, though, she already knew the answer.

"I told him that I did not want his help. Though, I do regret it now." She said with a small smile, standing up straighter and trembling less. Her tears had stopped now, but her face still had clean streaks.

"You may stay with us tonight. Come on, now, lets get you cleaned up." Arwen said tenderly as she wrapped an arm around the girls shoulders, gently leading her up the stairs. Polenia focused on listening for the woman's footsteps now, but still could not hear them.

"You walk like a ghost…" Polenia whispered quietly, a smile crossing her lips. "It is amazing that I can not hear your steps. Without my sight, my hearing can usually catch even the smallest of sounds."

"It may be because I was raised in Rivendell." Arwen said with a small smile. "My husband walks with the same grace, though, he will never admit it." She aid gently.

"You are both very kind. I did not expect so much acceptance or kindness upon coming here." Polenia admit softly.

"Why did you come here if you expected anything else?" Arwen asked softly as she looked at the girl. They arrived at their large home, at the top of the city. Arwen opened the door for the girl and lead her inside, shutting the door behind them.

"I came here out of blind hope." She laughed sadly. "The drought was only part of what destroyed our people. I was not completely honest with you when we arrived. There was a dispute, between our village and a near by city… Over gold and valuables." She hissed bitterly before closing her eyes. "My father was the ruler of our village, and sent all of our men to die in a foolish war. Between the men being gone, and the drought killing our crops and livestock. We could not stay. Either the army of the city was going to kill us, or starvation and the elements would."

"I am so sorry to hear about your loss…" Arwen said quietly as she listened to the girl speak, all the while still leading her towards the large bathing room.

"It is alright. I have been very fortunate, finding the strength to carry on, so that I may keep the families around me safe. I lost my father, my husband, and my two children within the last year." She said sadly. "The pain is fresh, but I have not had a moment to grieve for their loss, not yet. But now that we are here, in Gondor. We are save… I may have a chance to take care of myself, and worry about everyone else just a little bit less."

"I think that would be wise." Arwen said tenderly before leading the girl down a long hallway, opening a door towards the end. The door did not make a noise, but warm hair washed over them both, as well as the smell of flowers.

"Where are we?" Polenia asked quietly as she raised her arms, reaching around nervously, trying to find a wall or something to hang on to so that she could guide herself.

"I had a bath prepared for you before I came to get you, just in case you did not settle in anywhere today." Arwen said tenderly as she removed her cloak from the girls shoulders and folded it neatly, setting it on a small, white table that sat beside the door.

"You just keep proving your kindness to me…" Polenia laughed quietly before shaking her head. "I do not know how I will ever be able to repay you and your king. This is more than I had ever hoped for."

"Are you going to need help?" Arwen asked quietly. She did not want to insult this girl by offering help, but she did not want to let her struggle if she needed it.

"I will manage by myself, thank you, but I would like something clean to wear, if… If you have anything. I do not want to be a burden." She said hurriedly as she began to unlace the front of her dress, walking towards the tub. The air was warmer in that direction, and she assumed that it was because of the steam coming off of the hot water.

"I will see if I can find a dress in your size. I will leave it by the door for you." Arwen said as she turned to leave. She looked back at the girl just as she slid her dress from her shoulders. She stared in horror as she saw the layers of scars upon the girls back, most of which looked as though they had been made by whips. Arwen could not be sure without asking, but now was not the time for such comments. She slid from the room and shut the door behind herself. She leaned against the door for a moment and blinked back tears for a few moments. She regained her composure quickly and hurried down the hall, towards the throne room. She wanted to tell Aragorn what she had found out, and plead with him not to make the girl join them for dinner that night.

Upon entering the throne room, Arwen smiled as she saw Aragorn sitting in his throne, his head propped up on his arm, holding his head up. His eyes were closed and he appeared to be sleeping. His hair was more grayed now, but only enough to make him look distinguished and kingly. She hurried up to him and tenderly placed a kiss upon his cheek. He instantly stirred, a smile crossing his lips before he sat up and blinked a few times, as if trying to remember where he was. He looked up at Arwen and smiled before sitting back in his throne with a small sigh.

"Did you find her?" Aragorn asked quietly. He had sent Arwen out looking for the girl when Faramir told them that she refused his help to find a place to stay within the kingdom.

"I did." She said gently before lowering her head. "I heard very little of what her people have gone through, but it was enough. There was a feud between rulers, leaving most of her people, and all of her family, dead. She even lost her children, Aragorn." She said quietly before sighing. "She has not even had time to grieve for them, having been too busy trying to take care of the rest of her people. I think that we should let her have some time to herself. She needs time to mourn her loss and put it behind her. Death is never easy, especially not when so much is expected of you afterwards."

"You are right." Aragorn said with a small smile. "We will give her time. Is she going to be staying with us, then?"

"Tonight, she is. I heard Faramir offer her a room within his own home, but she denied him. I fear I missed too much of that conversation to understand why." She said tenderly.

"Tonight, we will leave her alone and let her grieve. Tomorrow, if you do not mind, I would like you to show her around the kingdom. I feel that people will be more willing to talk with her if you are near."

"I do not mind. I would like to be able to speak with her further." Arwen said with a tender smile before leaning down and kissing her husband upon the lips tenderly. He smiled and lifted a hand to cup her cheek as he kissed her back softly.

Polenia slowly lowered herself into the hot water, wincing slightly, but enjoying the sensation against her skin. She sat down and trembled as the hot water washed over her body. She leaned back and closed her eyes, doing her best to relax for a few moments. She did not realize how stiff and sore her muscles were until this moment. Every inch of her seemed to throb with exhaustion and stress from her long journey. With no sound to distract her from her mind, she thought about her loss. The feeling of her children's hearts stopping while they slept within her arms. The pain and anguish that seeing their bodies being buried had caused her. Her lip began to quiver, and then, within seconds, she began fully sobbing. She cried loudly, unaware that her noise echoed through the halls, filling everyones ears with her sorrow. She could not contain it anymore. She released every painful emotion that she had contained within her heart. She cried for what felt like hours, until her eyes had no tears left, and the tub of water had grown cold around her. When she finished crying, she quickly washed the dirt and grime from her skin, face and hair before getting out of the cold tub. She trembled and nervously reached out, placing her hands against the walls, trying to find a towel to dry herself with. She whined, feeling like she was doing laps around the room before she finally found a towel, near the sink. She grabbed it and wrapped it around herself tightly, trembling as she ran her fingers through her clean, unknotted hair. It felt nice to be clean again, and to wash herself of her sorrows, at least for a little while. She reached out and tried to find the door. Her hands hit the soft wood, and then the cold, metal handle. She reached to the side and found some clothing on the table. She wondered if it was the cloak that Arwen had put there earlier, but it was not. She picked it up and realized that it was a very soft, very thick dress. It must have been a night gown, to keep her warm during the chilled night. She let her towel fall before she slid into the gown, lacing it up the back to the best of her abilities. She tied it loosely before leaning down and picking up the towel. She folded it and placed it upon the small table before she opened the door to the bathroom and stepped out in the hall. She was hoping that someone would help her find the room she was supposed to be staying in tonight.

"Are you ready?" Arwen's voice called, from not too far down the hall.

"I am. Thank you, so much. I feel a lot better now." Polenia said with a tender smile, feeling slightly nervous that Arwen had probably heard her cries.

"I hoped you would feel better after having some time to yourself. Now, let's see you without all of the dirt." Arwen said tenderly as she cupped the girls face and looked at her.

Polenia was lovely, with raven hair and emerald eyes. Such a combination was a rarity in this part of the world. Her skin was fair, but there were small scars around her cheeks and her neck. She looked as though she had actually worked on a farm as a child. She was confident and showed the will to carry on, even when all was lost. She was more of a warrior than anything else. There were small wrinkles near the corners of her eyes. Arwen could not tell if they were from her age, or if the stress of her life had aged her more than she deserved. By looking at her, she had to be in her early to mid twenties. Her beauty was almost nearing that of the elves, but not quite. Perhaps she was one of the few Dúnedain that remained, but her eyes made that seem almost impossible.

"How old are you, Polenia?" Arwen asked quietly as she slowly released the girls face.

"I am twenty-seven." She said with a nervous smile. "Though, I probably look much older than that now."

"Not at all. I would not have guessed that to be your age. I thought you were younger." Arwen said tenderly, trying to cheer her up. "Are you ready for bed, or would you like something to eat first?"

"I think that sleep sounds like the best idea right now." Polenia said quietly as she looked around.

"Alright. I will take you to your room. You are welcome to stay with me and Aragorn as long as you desire to." Arwen said tenderly. "Though, I did over hear Faramir offer you a room within his own house. If you chose yo accept his offer, we will not protest. He is a good man. He is the Steward of Gondor, you know."

"I do not think I could live with him." Polenia said quickly. "It is nothing against him. I just do not believe I could be that close to his child without getting attached to her. I've lost my own children, I do not want to fool myself into adopting someone else's." She laughed quietly.

"Faramir's children do not have a mother. Éowyn died during the birth of his daughter, Finduilas. The loss destroyed him for a long time. He had finally managed to push passed it, and regain his strength, but it still plagues his heart."

"The pain of death never really goes away. We only learn to live with it." Polenia said sadly as she looked over at Arwen. "Why would you tell me this?"

"To make sure you know that if you did take his children in and treat them like your own, their real mother would not be angry with you. I think Éowyn would love what is best for her children's happiness."

"Well, I will not do anything unless Faramir asks it of me. There would be nothing in this world more cruel than me getting close to his children, only for him to make me leave them alone. That would be unfair to them." Polenia said tenderly. Arwen decided not to push the subject any further. She lead Polenia to a large guest bedroom. It was barely furnished, having only a large mirror upon the wall, one small, 4-drawer dresser, and a nightstand beside the bed. The bed was big enough for only one to sleep in comfortably, but that was not going to be a problem. Arwen lead Polenia across the room and took her hands, placing them upon the bed.

"I will get you in the morning, if you are not already awake. Sleep well." Arwen said tenderly, squeezing the girls hand tenderly before releasing it and walking from the room, closing the door behind herself.

Polenia smiled and nodded her thanks before she lifted the covers on the bed back and sat down on the edge. All of the blankets were extremely soft, and thick. She thought they must be hand made quilts. She would make it a point to ask in the morning. She laid back upon the bed, resting her head on the pillow. She let out a deep sigh of comfort as she closed her eyes and pulled the covers over herself. She was asleep almost instantly, feeling comfort and safety for the first time since she had left home.

"But, Papa, I do not want to go to bed!" Finduilas protested childishly as she struggled against Faramir trying to put her nightgown over her head. She turned from him and crossed her arms over her chest. He could not help but laugh to himself as he grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap, kissing her head tenderly.

"Why don't you want to go to bed? You are tired." Faramir said softly as he cuddled his daughter close to his chest.

"I am not!" She protested, yawning against her control as she tried to struggle away from me. "I do not want to sleep. When I wake up, you will be gone and that mean woman will be here!"

"Do not be so unkind, Pippin, she takes good care of you." He said gently as he stood his daughter up and managed to pull her nightgown over her head successfully this time.

"She is mean to us, that is why Elboron does not like to stay here." She protested quietly as her father put her small arms through the sleeves of her gown.

"Who would you rather watch you while I am serving the king?" He asked gently, even though he already knew what she was going to say.

"Polenia!" She said excitedly as she turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck, trying to be as cute as possible in order to get her way. "Oh, please, Papa! Can she stay here and take care of us while you are away?"

"You only just met this woman. Why do you want her to watch you?" He asked sadly.

"She is nice to me and does not sound mean when she speaks. She is really pretty, papa, and she tells nice stories. I don't have a mom… And I know you told me that I can't have one, but she is close. I want to be able to have her tell me bedtime stories, and brush my hair." The little girl ranted sleepily against his shoulder, finally giving in to the idea of sleep.

"She does not seem to like me very much, Pippin." He said quietly before he stood up and walked over to her bed, tucking her in gently before kissing her upon her forehead.

"If you were nice to her, she would like you…" She said with a small yawn before she rolled onto her side and quickly fell asleep.

"You are probably right…" He said with a sad sigh before standing up straight and walking from her bedroom. He blew out the candle beside the door before closing the door behind himself. He walked outside of his house and stood next to his door, leaning back against the stone wall. He took his pipe out and quickly lit it. He always made sure to smoke outside, not wanting his children to follow his bad example. That, and he did not want his house smelling of smoke. He put his pipe between his lips and smoked in silence for a while, blowing out rings every so often. He looked up at the stars in the navy sky and sighed.

"Éowyn… What am I supposed to do?" He asked softly. He hoped that one day, he would receive an answer, but tonight was not the time. There was only silence as he stared up at the sky, wishing that his wife did not have to leave him so soon.