I left my brother and entered the fort, where a room was kept for me; should I need to stay the night. The moment the door closed all the strength within me left my body. I collapsed, my knees buckling as the first sob escaped me. Boromir, my beloved brother, dead. Why did he have to be taken from us? My chest ached with his loss. Words to describe my pain were lost to me, there were no thoughts of times we laughed, but only images of him in the boat at rest. No memory of his smile, just his cold empty face. Never again would I hear the Horn of Gondor ring out, in either victory or seek of aid.

I found my thoughts didn't linger long on Boromir, for the pain was too much, but instead on the Orc I had slain. A life I had ended. And although I knew it had been necessary; kill or be killed, I had still taken a life.

"Elsamir?" Lost in my thoughts and pain I had not heard the door open, nor realised my brother's presence until he spoke. "Elsamir…" He pulled me to my feet and held me tight. "Worry not for the Orc you killed, it would have showed neither you nor father mercy. And know that however Boromir met his end, he went like a true man of Gondor. Fighting for his home, his people and most of all his family."

Faramir had always been good at reading me, knowing how I felt and always had words to make it right. But no words could make this right. Boromir should not have died. I did not blame Faramir for not going as he wanted to, nor did I blame the councilmen or my father. I blamed the men he had gone with. They should have protected him, stood by him. With my grief I felt the stirrings of anger rise and a vicious thought of revenge came to me. But just as quickly it was gone. I was tall, but it was my only fighter's attribute, for I was not strong or muscular.

I was a daughter of the ruling steward and had been treated as such since birth. Waited on hand and foot, and as my mother I was considered a beauty. My long flowing auburn hair, strong jaw and broad cheek bones left me with a purely regal look. Nothing about me screamed warrior. And I had only just begun to really fight with a sword and shield. How could I possibly go in search and enact vengeance? I would be more likely to be picked up and carried off for a king's ransom or far worse.

Faramir had left when I would say no more to him. He needed his time to grieve also though he wouldn't give himself long. No, Faramir never gave himself much time to do anything except unsuccessfully try to win father's affections even if he did not see it as such.

In the door way watching me patiently was Astar. He was a veteran of many battles; now seen as fit for nothing but watching over the steward's daughter. Astar use to tell me tales of wars and battles just like my brothers'. It had been his tales of shield maidens and warrior princesses that had sparked my interest in the art of the sword. It had not been intentional, his wish had been merely to entertain a young girl.

"Boromir was a good man, a fine soldier and would have made a great steward of Gondor one day." Astar said what was expected of him.

"Now he is dead; and what should have been, will never be," I said, pain evident in my voice. "What would you do?"

"Do about what, my lady?" He asked, crossing his arms and staring at me curiously.

"The men that Boromir was travelling with." I watched as he thought it over; considering his words carefully.

"If it was I, my lady, then I would leave, track down these men that he was with him. And then I would find the truth about his death and seek revenge if they had part in it." Then he looked down at me. "But, of course, you do not know who these men might be; nor where they would be. And you, my lady, are not capable of undertaking such a task."

I hated the way he dismissed such an idea, but he was right I was not capable of such a task. Even if I should want to go after these men, I would not know where to begin.

"Excuse me, my lady, I have some things that I need to check with." And with that he left me, but not before I noted a curious look on his face as if he had thought of something, but he was gone before I could ask.

A/N: Short chapter I know, but I hope you enjoyed it all the same. Thanks again to my amazing beta and those that have taken the time to read and review :D