June 19, 3018 of the Third Age

Ranamir crouched on top of a white marble roof, surrounded by a ruined parapet. She peered from behind the crumbled stone, looking across the dark fields of Ithilien up to Mordor, where a red light edged the top of the mountains. The light of torches and fires flickered in the distant forest of Emyn Arnen, just out of range of her bow.

As she scanned the area again, she thought she saw the movement of a rag from behind a great pine tree. She slowly reached behind her and pulled an arrow from her quiver. As she nocked her arrow, she peered over the parapet, and ducked as an arrow whizzed over her head. She stood up abruptly, her green suede and wool jerkin swishing, and let loose the arrow the moment she was upright. The arrow flew through the air, finding its target.


"What is it now Ranamir?" a man murmured sleepily, as he lay on the roof top next to where Ranamir had been crouching.

Ranamir kneeled down again next to the man.

"There was an Orc scout in the trees Thalion!" she whispered urgently as she shook him awake with her free right hand.

At this, the man threw off his green woolen cloak that had been doubling as a blanket, and crouched beside her. His dark brown, shoulder length hair appeared black in the moonlight, but his grey-blue eyes appeared even bluer.

"Where?" he asked, searching the trees along the edge of the forest.

"There." she replied, pointing to the top of an arrow shaft sticking out from behind the tree.

"We should go and tell the Captain about this." Thalion replied.

"I will be back then." Ranamir said as she started creeping toward the stairs.

At the top of the stairs, she looked back at Thalion and gave him a thumbs-up before going down.

Thalion shot her a thumbs-up back and gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile before she disappeared into the darkness.


Ranamir bolted down the stairs, silently but swiftly. She leapt over the places where small sections of stair were missing, and landed like a cat as her feet met the stairs again.

Once at the bottom, she ran as fast as her feet could carry her to the center of Osgiliath, where the river ran through the city, and where the Captain - her brother Faramir - was sleeping.


She wove through the ruined buildings, her jerkin flapping around her. She ran quietly, leaping over sleeping Rangers, and only stopped once to wake up two of them.

"Thalacam, Limodyn, wake up!" Ranamir softly exclaimed as she shook her friends awake.

Limodyn, who slept sitting up against a pillar, opened his brilliant blue eyes and rubbed them hard.

He ran his fingers through his blond hair and muttered stupidly, "What's wrong Ranamir?"

"Orcs, that's what. Orcs near the eastern border of the city." replied Ranamir as she shook Thalacam.

Thalacam had found a sturdy rock shelf on the wall; since she was a bit smaller than the average human female, she had crawled on to it for sleeping.

As Ranamir shook her awake, Thalacam started crawling off the shelf face first, but then caught herself once she gained her senses, and turned around and crawled down.

"You would not want your best friend to have a cracked skull now would you?" asked Thalacam cheekily. She pushed back her short brown hair behind her ears, and her dark brown eyes twinkled with merriment mixed with seriousness

Ranamir grinned, but then her face grew stern again.

"Alright, you two get your weapons and meet me at the center of the city at Captain Faramir's quarters." said Ranamir firmly.

"We will." said Limodyn, buckling on his sword as he spoke.

Ranamir gave Thalacam a tiny smirk and ran into the shadows of the buildings.


As she neared the heart of Osgiliath, Ranamir found that she couldn't weave through the buildings as they were less damaged. Closer in, she came upon small fires where Rangers slept or were sitting up on guard duty.

As she came upon the river she began to sprint northward alongside it, until she arrived at the huge stone bridge that marked the Great West Road running through middle of Osgiliath. Once she reached the bridge, she began looking through the different Ranger groups, asking for Captain Faramir.


"Have you seen Captain Faramir?" Ranamir asked a fairly tall, stout, dark haired Ranger. Mablung - a close friend of Faramir - looked at her sleepily with his grey eyes.

"I saw him not ten minutes ago," replied Mablung. "He was in his full Ranger garments, walking fast toward the ruins of the Dome of Stars. He seemed to be anxious, and was muttering under his breath. Is something wrong?"

"I hope not. Thank you Mablung." replied Ranamir.

She sprinted away northward, running along the east bank of the river. A tall, half-standing building with a grand dome stood looming ahead.


As she got closer, the damage to grand building became even more evident. The western half along the bank of the Anduin had collapsed, with the eastern half still standing. From afar, it appeared as if a great knife had sliced it in twain.

Ranamir looked up and saw Faramir on the eastern roof of the main building. He was gazing east towards Mordor. She whistled at him, a high-pitched whistle that sounded like a thrush's call, but not quite. Faramir looked down and saw her, and motioned for her to come up.


Ranamir ran lightly up the ruined stairs of the building. The interior was white and silver, and along the walls were colorful but dusty murals and mosaics of the celestial realm. She reached the top of the building where it opened out onto the roof, with Faramir waiting for her. In the center was a tall tower, with an open dome at the top. From this peak you could see the land for miles around, and the stars looked so close, you felt like you could touch them.

Ranamir ran towards Faramir, but stopped just before she reached him.

"There are orc scouts along the eastern forest border." she said breathlessly, saluting him in the Ranger form - touching a right-hand fist to her left shoulder.

At this Faramir, turned to face her. His face - usually full of joy and love towards his little sister - now was stern and serious.

"How many?" he asked quickly.

"I saw only one, who is now dead, but there may be more." she replied, dropping her salute.

Faramir turned his gaze back toward Mordor, looking at it as if his stare would destroy it in an instant.

Ranamir stole to his side, and put a hand on his shoulder.

"What is it?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

Faramir turned his head and gave her a small, reassuring smile, then took her hand and squeezed it gently.

"Just a disturbing yet vivid dream." he said reassuringly.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked.

"Not right now; later on, when Boromir is here." Faramir replied.


Just then Limodyn and Thalacam burst through the door.

"What is it Captain? What do we need to do?" asked Thalacam as they approached, as she and Limodyn saluted.

"Perhaps we should send a message to Boromir back at Minas Tirith?" suggested Ranamir.

"I agree," replied Faramir. "Limodyn, take a horse and ride as fast as it will carry you. Tell Boromir to have his company ready to move out at our signal."

"Yes sir!" replied Limodyn, and he ran back to the door and down the stairs.

"Thalacam, get the Rangers up, but have them be quiet. An attack appears to be imminent." Faramir instructed.

Suddenly a voice - it sounded like Thalion's to Ranamir - called out from the eastern edge of the city

"An army of Mordor rapidly approaches! Led by a nazgul!"