Disclaimer: The Lord of the rings and all its characters belong to J.R.R.
Tolkien.
Summary: The setting is post-RoTK. A renewed attack by a band of Southrons sees Faramir, Legolas and Gimli set off to Ithilien soon after Aragorn's coronation. Faramir and Legolas are yet to build their settlements in Ithilien.
In the pale glimmer of the evening light the White city stood bathed in the warm glow enjoying peace after years of living in the shadow of nearing darkness. The same sun sent its shafts of light through the tall windows in the library of the Citadel. It rested on the dark head of the silent figure sitting on the parapet of one of those windows watching the city below. It gleamed off the dark strands imparting them a reddish golden hue. It shone on the face revealing lines not seen before, and sadness in the eyes that had for a short while vanished but now returned. Or so, it seemed to the two figures who entered the library in search of Faramir, Steward of Gondor.
"Faramir," Prince Imrahil's voice seemed to raise his nephew from his solemn reverie.
He turned to look at his uncle and the wizard he had always treated as much a mentor as he had his brother. Gandalf and Imrahil came up to the tall window.
"I thought I might find you here," Imrahil said quietly.
"Does not the city look beautiful in peace? See how the people smile and sing and make merry," Faramir said softly. Far below the daily business of the city continued as usual but as the steward said everyone seemed to have an extra spring in their step. Peace had indeed come to Gondor after long, very long.
"And the one who helped her stand long enough to see this peace cannot see it himself," he continued softly. He had been sitting there remembering how often in their younger days his elder brother Boromir and he had sat on the parapets of the Citadel and watched their city first with enthusiasm as children, and then as they grew older and wiser, with growing concern and not little trepidation at the thought of the darkness reaching for their doorstep. But now Sauron had been defeated, and Gondor was safe. The rightful king had returned, and life was slowly nearing normalcy for him. But Boromir was dead, his father was dead, and he alone was left to witness this triumph. The dull ache in his heat that he had repressed for many days returned in force. From far away he heard Mithrandir speak. Something about a valiant man till the end. He had heard that oft. Boromir's companions from the fellowship repeatedly told him that. But it didn't help, it would not bring him back.
Imrahil watched his nephew's face sadly. When he had returned to Minas Tirth after the defeat of Sauron, he had seen something near happiness in it. A calm and peaceful visage, the reason had not taken long to emerge. Whenever he was around the Lady Eowyn of Rohan, his nephew's face lit up with a joy that had never before been seen on his face. Long years of dealing with a stern father, who reserved any emotion in him for his elder son and heir to his stewardship, had left the younger son of Denethor with a reserved nature revealing little of his thoughts or feelings. Eowyn however had departed for Rohan some weeks prior after the coronation of Aragorn as king. And the one diversion for his nephew away from the thoughts of his brother and father was gone.
Mithrandir was still speaking, " Come, they are looking for you downstairs, a council has been convened."
Faramir nodded, and slipped off the window easily.
They entered the hall of kings to find Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli seated there, as also the councilors. The grave expression on their faces revealed that all was not well. And information revealed the same.
A few remaining Southrons had banded together in Ithilien, their intentions yet unknown. Some of the dark forces were still around of course, they had not all been vanquished, been though their overlord had been. But for peace to prevail, they had to be routed out. Aragorn wanted to send a party of rangers out to do just that in Ithilien. He wanted to go himself but wiser counsel had prevailed. Instead, his elven friend Legolas volunteered to go. Faramir had offered to go at much the same time, and the final decision was to send a party of rangers with Legolas, Faramir and Gimli the dwarf, who had jumped into the fray too, not wishing to hold back where his elven friend had entered. Two of their hobbit friends burst into the room almost immediately, expressing an equal desire to join the party.
"Walls have ears here, it appears," Gandalf said drily.
Pippin spoke up first, "We have heard much of Ithilien from Frodo, and of Henneth Annun, can we not come along?"
Merry piped in with, "Yes, can we not come along?"
"Not this time, my little friends," came Gimli's reply.
It took a while to convince the two hobbits otherwise. Faramir finally mentioned a feast in Gondor scheduled two days later, which the rangers would have to give a miss to.
"When we have set up our people in Emyn Arnen and the elves from Greenwood have joined us in the forests of Ithilien, there will be plenty of time for you to visit. I will take you to Henneth Annun myself, and you will find food to your hearts' content. But now, there is little for the two of you there, and much to do here.
Early next morning, the party set out on horseback, some of Faramir's rangers who had served under him in Ithilien, Legolas, Gimli, and Faramir.
The journey was quiet and without incident. Legolas was glad to be out in the open again, enjoying the fresh air on his face, the wind blowing through his long blonde hair and the greenery surrounding him. He silently took it all in letting nature refresh his mind.
Gimli was brooding on his horse. He never felt comfortable on anything other than solid ground.
Faramir was brooding on the time he had come down this way, returning from a visit to Minas Tirth, where his father had been grieving Boromir's death. Grief had hit him too, though he had had little time to give in to it, they had had a land to defend.
Summary: The setting is post-RoTK. A renewed attack by a band of Southrons sees Faramir, Legolas and Gimli set off to Ithilien soon after Aragorn's coronation. Faramir and Legolas are yet to build their settlements in Ithilien.
In the pale glimmer of the evening light the White city stood bathed in the warm glow enjoying peace after years of living in the shadow of nearing darkness. The same sun sent its shafts of light through the tall windows in the library of the Citadel. It rested on the dark head of the silent figure sitting on the parapet of one of those windows watching the city below. It gleamed off the dark strands imparting them a reddish golden hue. It shone on the face revealing lines not seen before, and sadness in the eyes that had for a short while vanished but now returned. Or so, it seemed to the two figures who entered the library in search of Faramir, Steward of Gondor.
"Faramir," Prince Imrahil's voice seemed to raise his nephew from his solemn reverie.
He turned to look at his uncle and the wizard he had always treated as much a mentor as he had his brother. Gandalf and Imrahil came up to the tall window.
"I thought I might find you here," Imrahil said quietly.
"Does not the city look beautiful in peace? See how the people smile and sing and make merry," Faramir said softly. Far below the daily business of the city continued as usual but as the steward said everyone seemed to have an extra spring in their step. Peace had indeed come to Gondor after long, very long.
"And the one who helped her stand long enough to see this peace cannot see it himself," he continued softly. He had been sitting there remembering how often in their younger days his elder brother Boromir and he had sat on the parapets of the Citadel and watched their city first with enthusiasm as children, and then as they grew older and wiser, with growing concern and not little trepidation at the thought of the darkness reaching for their doorstep. But now Sauron had been defeated, and Gondor was safe. The rightful king had returned, and life was slowly nearing normalcy for him. But Boromir was dead, his father was dead, and he alone was left to witness this triumph. The dull ache in his heat that he had repressed for many days returned in force. From far away he heard Mithrandir speak. Something about a valiant man till the end. He had heard that oft. Boromir's companions from the fellowship repeatedly told him that. But it didn't help, it would not bring him back.
Imrahil watched his nephew's face sadly. When he had returned to Minas Tirth after the defeat of Sauron, he had seen something near happiness in it. A calm and peaceful visage, the reason had not taken long to emerge. Whenever he was around the Lady Eowyn of Rohan, his nephew's face lit up with a joy that had never before been seen on his face. Long years of dealing with a stern father, who reserved any emotion in him for his elder son and heir to his stewardship, had left the younger son of Denethor with a reserved nature revealing little of his thoughts or feelings. Eowyn however had departed for Rohan some weeks prior after the coronation of Aragorn as king. And the one diversion for his nephew away from the thoughts of his brother and father was gone.
Mithrandir was still speaking, " Come, they are looking for you downstairs, a council has been convened."
Faramir nodded, and slipped off the window easily.
They entered the hall of kings to find Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli seated there, as also the councilors. The grave expression on their faces revealed that all was not well. And information revealed the same.
A few remaining Southrons had banded together in Ithilien, their intentions yet unknown. Some of the dark forces were still around of course, they had not all been vanquished, been though their overlord had been. But for peace to prevail, they had to be routed out. Aragorn wanted to send a party of rangers out to do just that in Ithilien. He wanted to go himself but wiser counsel had prevailed. Instead, his elven friend Legolas volunteered to go. Faramir had offered to go at much the same time, and the final decision was to send a party of rangers with Legolas, Faramir and Gimli the dwarf, who had jumped into the fray too, not wishing to hold back where his elven friend had entered. Two of their hobbit friends burst into the room almost immediately, expressing an equal desire to join the party.
"Walls have ears here, it appears," Gandalf said drily.
Pippin spoke up first, "We have heard much of Ithilien from Frodo, and of Henneth Annun, can we not come along?"
Merry piped in with, "Yes, can we not come along?"
"Not this time, my little friends," came Gimli's reply.
It took a while to convince the two hobbits otherwise. Faramir finally mentioned a feast in Gondor scheduled two days later, which the rangers would have to give a miss to.
"When we have set up our people in Emyn Arnen and the elves from Greenwood have joined us in the forests of Ithilien, there will be plenty of time for you to visit. I will take you to Henneth Annun myself, and you will find food to your hearts' content. But now, there is little for the two of you there, and much to do here.
Early next morning, the party set out on horseback, some of Faramir's rangers who had served under him in Ithilien, Legolas, Gimli, and Faramir.
The journey was quiet and without incident. Legolas was glad to be out in the open again, enjoying the fresh air on his face, the wind blowing through his long blonde hair and the greenery surrounding him. He silently took it all in letting nature refresh his mind.
Gimli was brooding on his horse. He never felt comfortable on anything other than solid ground.
Faramir was brooding on the time he had come down this way, returning from a visit to Minas Tirth, where his father had been grieving Boromir's death. Grief had hit him too, though he had had little time to give in to it, they had had a land to defend.