A/N: Here is the 12th chapter, it is longest so far. So read and enjoy.
So to remind you this story is book and movie based. And if you find any mistahes in there, they are all mine, I don't have beta.
Disclaimer: I don't own Middle-Earth and the characters in it; they all belong to J. R. R Tolkien
Through Rohan over fen and field where the long grass grows
The West Wind comes walking, and about the walls it goes.
„What news from the West, O wandering wind, do you bring to me tonight?
Have you seen Boromir the Tall by moon or by starlight?"
„I saw him ride over seven streams, over waters wide and grey;
I saw him walk in empty lands, until he passed away
Into the shadows of the North. I saw him then no more.
The North Wind may have heard the horn of the son of Denethor."
„O Boromir! From the high walls westward I looked afar,
But you came not from the empty lands where no men are."
From the mouths of the Sea the South Wind flies, from the sand hills and the stones;
The wailing of the gulls it bears, and at the gate it moans.
„What news from the South, O sighing wind, do you bring to me at eve?
Where now is Boromir the Fair? He tarries and I grieve."
„Ask not of me where he doth dwell, so many bones there lie
On the white shores and the dark shores under the stormy sky;
So many have passed down Anduin to find the flowing Sea.
Ask of the North Wind news of them the North Wind sends to me!"
„O Boromir! Beyond the gate the seaward road runs south,
But you came not with the wailing gulls from the grey sea's mouth."
From the Gate of Kings the North Wind rides, and past the roaring falls;
And clear and cold about the tower its loud horn calls.
„What news from the North, O mighty wind, do you bring to me today?
What news of Boromir the Bold? For he is long away."
„Beneath Amon Hen I heard his cry. There many foes he fought.
His cloven shield, his broken sword, they to the water brought.
His head so proud, his face so fair, his limbs they laid to rest; -
And Rauros, golden Rauros-falls, bore him upon its breast."
„O Boromir! The Tower of Guard shall ever northward gaze
To Rauros, golden Rauros-falls, until the end of days."
He knew those voices, but he couldn't place them, they seemed so familiar. But from where -he didn't know. Everything was dark and peaceful. Strangely he would have gladly stayed in that darkness. But something or someone was dragging him out off it. He felt how the darkness was dismantling and he was rising to consciousness.
He opened his eyes; the air was filled with the scent of dewy mornings of unshadowed sun... Spring is itself but a fleeting memory. Aragorn sat beside him, in his hands Faramir could see little plant leaves – Kingsfoil or in elvish Athelas, that had been the smell.
"You are finally awake." The Northern Ranger said.
Faramir wanted to ask how long he was unconscious but seemed like his mouth had a mind of its own, "Who sang?"
"Sang? No one did?" Aragorn was confused, that feeling had become too familiar for him on this quest.
"But someone did." Faramir looked around in bewilderment and looked again at Aragorn. "It was you and Legolas."
"No we didn't sing. What was the song about?" Aragorn raised his hand and checked Faramir's temperature. No, the other man didn't have a fever.
"I don't know, I think it was a Lament for Boromir." Those were the strangest words he had ever said.
Finally Aragorn understood what it could have been. "Maybe you saw or heard what could have been if you hadn't taken his place?"
"Yes that could be it." Finally he could ask the question he had indented to ask when he woke up. "How long has it been?"
"You were unconscious at least an hour and little more. I cleaned you wounds. On the leg you have only a flesh wound and I bandaged it. I'm more worried about the on your shoulder, I pushed the arrow through and sew the wounds…"
Faramir interrupted him. "Sew?"
"It is an old dúnedain trick. The wounds will heal quicker that way. I bandaged them also; I want you to wear a sling at least two days, Athelas will keep the pain at minimum. If we were in better circumstances I would tell you to rest for ten days, but we are not." Aragorn lifted his hand again as to check Faramir for temperature, but stopped remembering that he had already done that, "Can you stand?"
"Why?" Faramir could not understand.
"We have to go after the Uruk-hai."
"Leave me; I would only slow you down." Faramir couldn't understand anything.
"No one is going to be left behind." But it was not Aragorn who said that, it was Legolas who was leaning against a tree nearby.
"The elf is right." Gimli lowered a back bag beside Aragorn. Faramir recognized it as his.
"If you are sure." Faramir sighed, he knew it was going to be painful; he had been wounded enough times to know. But strangely when he finally stood, there was no pain, the wounds only stung. He raised an eyebrow at Aragorn in question.
"Athelas lessens the pain. Its effect lasts for few hours." Aragorn explained; then took a cloth he was going to use as a sling; he fastened it on Faramir's shoulder. While he did that Legolas and Gimli gathered everything they needed.
Faramir breathed in and took a step. The leg didn't hurt much and neither did the shoulder. Maybe he could endure the chase.
"Where are Frodo and Sam?" it suddenly occurred to him that he didn't see the ring bearer and his faithful servant.
"I let them go; Frodo decided that he would continue his journey alone, Sam went along. I would have gone to the fires of the Mount Doom with him." Aragorn answered sadly.
"As would had I. But seems that destiny had other plans." Faramir took Larsian from Legolas.
"Yes, so it seems. I took your dagger out from the orcs neck where you put it and gathered your arrows." Legolas handed the things to Faramir. "And I found this." with a sad look Legolas handed some strange piece to the man. Faramir took it and turned it around i, it was white and on it a gray wolf it was surrounded with elven ornaments. It seemed familiar but he didn't recognize it. Faramir looked questioningly at Legolas.
"It is piece of your horn. I think Glorfindel would be very sad if you lost his entire gift." The elven prince answered. That was Legola's peace offering.
"Thank you." Faramir smiled.
The afternoon was fading as they came back to the glade where the fight had taken place. There they picked up the trail of the Orcs.
"No other folk makes such a trampling," said Legolas. "It seems their delight to slash and beat down growing things that are not even in their way."
"But they go with a great speed for all that," said Aragorn, "and they do not tire. And later we may have to search for our path in hard bare lands."
"Well, after them!" said Gimli. "Dwarves too can go swiftly, and they do not tire sooner than Orcs. But it will be a long chase: they have a long start."
"Yes," said Aragorn, "we shall all need the endurance of Dwarves. But come! With hope or without hope we will follow the trail of our enemies. And woe to them, if we prove the swifter! We will make such a chase as shall be accounted a marvel among the Three Kindreds: Elves, Dwarves, and Men. Forth the Four Hunters!"
They followed the tracks the Uruk-hai had left. But soon it was too dark to see the right tracks.
"Let's rest until the dawn comes. It is an hour or two away." Aragorn ordered. Faramir fell asleep as soon as his head set on the bedroll. He was so exhausted, his body needed rest but he had decided to join the hunt. Somewhere along the tracking he had started doubting in the wisdom of his decision, had it been wise to come to the chase. But he couldn't turn back now; he had made a promise to protect the little ones.
It was two hours later when Legolas woke them and they gathered their camp together Aragorn turned to Faramir, "How is the pain?"
"How to put it," Faramir had to think a little, "Well if I would be given a choice to be in this pain or give a report to the Steward. I would choose this pain."
Aragorn chuckled, "And what does that exactly means?"
"That means, that I have suffered greater pain than this." Faramir smiled, the pain wasn't so bad.
"That means you don't need any Athelas?" Aragorn was curious, did the Athelas have so long of a effect on the younger man.
"No, I don't need the kingsfoil. I'm quite alright." Faramir was sure of himself.
"Alright, let's continue the chase." Aragorn was not as confident as Faramir in the level of the other man's pain, but he didn't have the time to argue with the son of steward.
They found the tracks again, but suddenly Legolas stopped and looked at Aragorn.
"Did you notice it as well?" he asked.
"You mean?" Aragorn answered with a question.
"That they haven't crossed the river? These orcs are not Sauron's." Faramir didn't understand what they were talking about. He was in no condition to follow the tracks, he followed Aragorn and Legolas.
"Yes," Aragorn looked towards the north, "They are heading to North, towards Fargorn and Isengrad."
"Saruman, that false-hearted wizard." Gimli's voice was full of anger.
"He wants the ring for himself," Faramir could only conclude. "But he didn't know which hobbit carried it."
"We must hurry if they reach Isengard, we will have no hope of getting them back." Aragorn urged them on.
The woods became mountains, the terrain got trickier. The dale ran like a stony trough between the ridged hills, and a trickling stream flowed among the boulders at the bottom. A cliff frowned upon their right; to their left rose grey slopes, dim and shadowy in the late night. They went on for a mile or more northwards.
They found five dead orcs, no traces of fight as it should have been if the Uruk-hais were attacked by the enemy. Seemed like there was bad water amongst the Uruk-hais and orcs.
That gave them hope that meant there was better change of catch them if the drift stayed amongst them, before they reached into the safety of Isengard.
Aragorn found the right tracks again and they followed them. The sun was colouring the sky with pink, orange, violet hews, the day was arriving and they had already crossed three leagues in the early hours.
The terrain was changing again, Faramir knew that soon the mountains would end and the green fields of Rohan would start. Just at the borders of two kingdoms Aragorn stopped and cried.
"Gondor! Gondor, between the Mountains and the Sea!
West Wind blew there; the light upon the Silver Tree
Fell like bright rain in gardens of the Kings of old.
O proud walls! White towers! O winged crown and throne of gold!
O Gondor, Gondor! Shall Men behold the Silver Tree,
Or West Wind blow again between the Mountains and the Sea?"
Then he turned to Faramir. "We will return."
"Yes we will." Faramir confirmed. He looked behind him where his homeland lay, he was not as confident as he had sounded, but he knew that even if he died, his friends would bring him back here.
"Let us go!" Aragorn ordered and Faramir followed. They headed to the north-west leaving the south behind.
Something had changed in Faramir, he couldn't place it. Maybe turning down the ring had finally freed him, maybe that's why he could breathe more clearer. The shadow was leaving him. And at the same time the clearness could be from Athelas.
The ridge upon which the companions stood went down steeply before their feet. Below it twenty fathoms or more, there was a wide and rugged shelf which ended suddenly in the brink of a sheer cliff: the East Wall of Rohan. So ended the Emyn Muil, and the green plains of the Rohirrim stretched away before them to the edge of sight.
Legols stood on the edge and looked far ahead. "What can you see eagle eye?" Gimli asked.
"Many things," said Legolas. „It is a great company on foot; but I cannot say more, nor see what kind of folk they may be. They are many leagues away: twelve, I guess; but the flatness of the plain is hard to measure."
„I think, nonetheless, that we no longer need any trail to tell us which way to go," said Gimli. „Let us find a path down to the fields as quick as may be."
„I doubt if you will find a path quicker than the one that the Orcs chose," said Aragorn.
They found the path that took them down to the plains of Rohan. Now with every step Faramir could feel how his wounds started hurting more and more. The Athelas power was growing weaker. But he didn't tell his companions of the pain his was in. He pressed on, they were on a hunt and the little ones lives were more important than his wounds.
He tried to think what Boromir was doing, to forget the pain. Was he alright, could he still stand up to their father when his little brother was not at his sided. Had Boromir forgiven him, doing what he did? Leaving only a letter for explanation and goodbye. Leaving his older brother behind to protect Minas Tirith and Gondor alone, going against their fathers orders and getting banished.
He couldn't continue on with his thoughts because Aragorn suddenly stepped aside of the path and picked something up.
"Not idly do the leaves of Lorien fall." Faramir could see the thing Aragorn had picked up, it was the same leaf that attached to their cloaks.
Legolas took the leaf, "They may yet be alive."
Aragon touched the ground, "Less than a day ahead of us. Come." They pursuit on, there was no time to rest. Thankfully, it seemed that the Uruk-hais were slowing down; on the fields full of grass their iron-shoes didn't carry them as fast as they had on the hills.
Faramir felt how his shoulder and leg were on fire. He wanted to collapse and never move again, but he resisted, he had decided to go on the chase and he wouldn't give up.
They had run all day, the dusk was falling and soon it was dark, they decided to rest. As soon they stopped, Faramir let go of his control and collapsed.
"Faramir!" At plink of an eye Aragorn was at his side and supported him. "How bad is the pain?"
"I would gladly give a report to the Steward." Faramir said through gritted teeth.
"Why didn't you tell us?" asked Legolas, who was supporting him from his other side. They placed him against a tree.
"I did not want to be a burden; we were making a good chase. We covered twelve leagues today." Faramir answered, as soon he could lay down the pain lessened.
"You are not a burden." Gimli growled he had enough of the man's misery.
"If Gandalf was here, he would say to you something about pride, stubbornness and blood of the house of the Hurin." Grumbled Aragorn, searching his bag for the Athelas.
"We don't need Gandalf to say it, you already did." Faramir send a sly smile to his leader.
Aragorn chuckled, "It is good to know that you have not lost your sense of humour."
"Only at my death."
Aragorn checked all his wounds, "You pulled you stitches, that's why it hurts so much. This time I sew them stronger and tighter." He took a needle and string from his bag. When he finished he continued. "No sign of an infection. It will be healed in two or so weeks. Thankfully it is not your sword hand and the Athelas keeps the pain minimum." Aragorn took the Athelas and rubbed it between his hands. The air was filled with its smell and Faramir felt how the pain dissolved into a sting.
"Good." Was all Faramir could say.
"Eat this," Legolas trusted a lembas into his hand. "And then you need to rest."
Faramir did as he was told, he took the lembas ate and then turned himself into the bedroll, but he didn't fall asleep. He turned to Aragorn who had placed his own bedroll right from his. "I didn't take the ring, it offered itself to me, but I didn't accept it. I found that I didn't want the things it offered."
"Frodo offered it to me. I didn't take it either. It seems we are both stronger than we thought." Aragorn said.
"Yes, so it seems." Saying that Faramir felt how his eyes closed before he could turn to his other side.
He slept through the night, no dreams or visions disturbed him and even the pain didn't keep him up. Faramir woke when Aragorn rose. He could see how Aragorn went to Legolas who seemed to have been up for quite a while. They discussed something but Faramir couldn't hear what they said. He rose and woke Gimli.
Aragorn turned to him, "How is the pain?"
"A sting, nothing more." Faramir answered and he was truthful.
"If it starts hurting more, please tell us. So I can check what has happened." Aragorn upbraided him.
"Yes, I know." Faramir felt ashamed for not telling them yesterday.
With that they continued their hunt, the sun rose higher and soon it was warming the grass they ran on. The spring was coming there was no doubt about that.
Legolas rose onto a cliff. "I fear they have passed beyond my sight from hill or plain, under moon or sun."
Aragorn had lay down to the ground and listened, "If the sight fails, then the ground doesn't lie, I can hear our enemy they have quickened their space. I am afraid they have picked up our scent." Gimli cursed in Khuzdul. Aragorn hushed him, "Also I can hear horses, many of them, they disturbed me at my sleep. They travelled in night and that is not usual something is wrong at this country.
They moved on and quickened their pace also. Thankfully Faramir's shoulder or leg didn't start hurting as much as they had the day before. When the dusk fell again they had covered another twelve leagues. They continued until the night fell and it was too dark to follow the tracks.
They slept until Legolas woke them. "Awake!" he cried, "The red dawn is rising, that means no good." He turned to Aragorn, "There are strange things happening in this country, I don't like it."
"Neither do I, may it be evil or good, we must continue." Aragon answered, then turned to Faramir, "How are your wounds?"
"The pain is much less than yesterday."
"Good, I think it is time to remove your sling, let us see how your arm and shoulder respond to that. If they are alright with it, you do not need to wear it anymore." Aragorn took the sling off from Faramir's shoulder. Son of Denethor moved his shoulder, it hurt a little but not as it done day before yesterday. He smiled at Aragorn questioning eyebrow, "Everything is well right now." Aragorn nodded and they continued on.
The sun had risen to noon when Aragorn laid down. He listened and suddenly his eyes grew wide. "Riders," he cried.
"Yes," said Legolas, "there are one hundred and five. Yellow is their hair, and bright are their spears. Their leader is very tall. They are only five leagues away from here."
"We can't escape them." Gimli said.
"No, they are riders of Rohan, their horses fast." Faramir confirmed Gimli's thought.
"We shall wait them." Aragom decided. "I am weary, and our hunt has failed. Or at least others were before us; for these horsemen are riding back down the orc-trail. We may get news from them."
"There are three empty saddles, but I see no hobbits," said Legolas.
"I did not say that we should hear good news," said Aragorn. "But evil or good we will await it here."
They made their way down from the hill where they had stopped and placed themselves on a little above the hill's foot they halted, and wrapping their cloaks about them, they sat huddled together upon the faded grass. The time passed slowly and heavily.
"Should we be worried?" Gimli asked uneasily.
"What should you be worried about?" Aragorn asked.
"But Gandalf spoke of a rumour that they pay tribute to Mordor." Said Gimli.
"As I told you before, Gimli son of Gloin." Faramir pulled his cloak more heavily around him, he sat between Aragorn and Legolas, but the wind was still cold and his body was weak from the wounds. "Rohirrim are proud people, and stubborn, some times more than Gordorians. They do not take orders from no one but from their King and King Theoden does not take orders from anyone. They love their horses; they will die before they give them to Mordor."
"You will soon learn the truth," said Legolas. "They already approach."
And they all heard it like a thunder approach, many horses they rode past them. Their horses were of great stature, strong and clean-limbed; their grey coats glistened, their long tails flowed in the wind, their manes were braided on their proud necks. The Men that rode them matched them well: tall and long-limbed; their hair, flaxen-pale, flowed under their light helms, and streamed in long braids behind them; their faces were stern and keen. In their hands were tall spears of ash, painted shields were slung at their backs, long swords were at their belts, their burnished skirts of mail hung down upon their knees.
In pairs they galloped by, and though every now and then one rose in his stirrups and gazed ahead and to either side, they appeared not to perceive the three strangers sitting silently and watching them. The host had almost passed when suddenly Aragorn stood up, and called in a loud voice:
"What news from the North, Riders of Rohan?"
With astonishing speed and skill they checked their steeds, wheeled, and came charging round. Soon the four companions found themselves in a ring of horsemen moving in a running circle, up the hill-slope behind them and down, round and round them, and drawing ever inwards. Aragorn stood silent, and the other three sat without moving, wondering what way things would turn.
Suddenly they were surrounded by horses and spears were pointed at their face.
"What business does an elf, two men, and a dwarf have in the Riddermark? Speak quickly!" The Leader cried.
"Give me your name, horse-master and I shall give you mine." Gimli grumbled.
"I would cut off your head, Dwarf, if it stood but a little higher from the ground." The leader answered.
Legolas drew his bow, "You would die before your stroke fell."
Faramir wanted to all three of them, didn't they know anything about diplomacy. He saw Aragon placing a hand on Legolas' shoulder stopping him from making a foolish mistake. "We are hunting orcs, I'm Aragorn of Arathorn, this is Legolas from the Woodland Realm in distant Mirkwood, Gimli son of Gloin and Faramir son of Denethor."
Faramir felt how the eyes of the leader turned to him; how he wished he had another name to go by. "Faramir son of Denethor, there is a word that you should be captured where you stand and brought back to Minas Tirith for execution as a traitor."
Now Faramir felt himself growing angry, he finally recognised the leader, even if he had seen him twice from afar, "There is a word, Eomer son of Eomund, that Gondor's Stewart has no power on these lands since the days of Cirion who gave these lands to Eorl the Young to build his kingdom up on them, after the battle against the Balchoth. Gondor only holds a friendship to Rohan."
He felt Aragon's hand on his shoulder, the anger dissolved and he understood that he himself had forgotten diplomacy.
Aragorn stepped quickly between them, "We are friends of Rohan and Theoden your king."
"Théoden no longer recognizes friend from foe." Eomer removed his helmet, "Not even his own kin. Son of the Stewart was right I'm Eomer son of Eomund, Third Marshal of Riddermark. You have not answered my question. What are you doing on these lands?"
"First tell me whom you serve," said Aragorn. "Are you friend or foe of Sauron, the Dark Lord of Mordor?"
"I serve only the Lord of the Mark, Theoden King son of Thengel." Eomer answered and returned the question. "But who do you serve, from whose orders you hunt orcs in these lands?"
"I serve no man," Aragorn said, "The Orcs whom we pursued took captive two of my friends."
"That you need not pursue them further," said Eomer. "The Orcs are destroyed."
"And our friends?"
"We found none but Orcs."
"But there were two hobbits. Did you see two hobbits with them?" Gimli shivered.
"They would be small, only children to your eyes." Aragorn explained. Faramir stayed quiet he had already said too much.
"We left none alive. We piled the carcasses and burned them." There was sad look in Eomers eyes.
"Dead?" deep sight came from Gimli. Faramir placed a hand on Gimli's shoulder Legolas did the same.
"I'm sad for you loss." Eomer whistled, "Hasufel, Arod, Helden," three white horses came riding towards them, "These horses have no riders, take them and let them bring you better luck then their former riders. But now we have to go, farewell Aragorn son of Arathorn, Gimli son of Gloin, Legolas of Mirkwood," he turned to Faramir, "And you Faramir son of Denethor, your brother was right, you are quick minded. If I did not know about the things I know about you, I would have sent you to Minas Tirith. You own many thanks to Boromir."
"I know, Eomer son of Eomund, I own many thanks to my brother since my childhood. And I'm glad he has such a friend as you." Faramir bowed.
"Farewell, Faramir," Eomer cried a command and the riders rode towards Edoras.
"We must go; the hope is not lost yet." Aragorn jumped on Hasufel, Legolas and Gimli raised both on Arod.
Yes, the hope is not lost yet, Faramir thought when he rode on Helden after his companions.
A/N: So did you really think I could kill Faramir. I would never kill him, he is one of my favourite characters. I got a shock after last chapter; my friend asked if I indented marry Boromir and Eowyn. I asked her why she thought that. She answered but you killed Faramir. That was such a compliment to me. So as you can see, Faramir is still alive and is going to stay alive