"This is how you would serve your city? You would risk its utter ruin?" Denethor spoke in an angry tone.
"I did what I judged to be right," Faramir tried to reason with his father as a start.
"What you judged to be right. You sent the Ring of Power into Mordor in the hands of a witless Halfling," Denethor expressed disappointment. "It should have been brought back to the Citadel to be kept safe. Hidden. Dark and deep in the vaults … not to be used. Unless at the uttermost end of need."
"I would not use the Ring. Not if Minas Tirith were falling in ruin and I alone could save her."
"Ever you desire to appear lordly and gracious … as a king of old. Boromir would have remembered his father's need. He would have brought me a kingly gift."
"Boromir would not have brought the Ring. He would have stretched out his hand to this thing and taken it. He would've fallen."
"You know nothing of this matter!"
"He would have kept it for his own. And when he returned … you would not have known your son."
"Boromir was loyal to me! Not some wizard's pupil!" Denethor shouted before there was movement.
"Father?"
"My son," Denethor spoke in an eccentric happy tone. "Leave me," he spoke in an angry tone.
When Faramir got out, he found his allies outside, "Eavesdropping, haven't you?"
"It is your father that worries us. We fear that his hunger for power would risk the ruin of this city. There's no way that the Ring will save Gondor if it is brought here like he said, but it will aid Sauron's forces in sacking Minas Tirith. You did the right thing letting Frodo continue with his quest," Wesley voiced concern.
"It was a hard choice to make at the first place, whether to bring the Ring here or let Frodo and his group destroy it in Mordor," Faramir admitted.
"It's a good thing that you did what your brother would not do. With the Ring destroyed, there will be peace throughout Middle-earth. Do you want that?" Wesley asked and Faramir nodded as a reply.
In the Mordor-occupied Osgiliath, the Witch-king on his Fellbeast gave orders to his orc second-in-command, "Send forth all legions. Do not stop the attack until the city is taken. Slay them all."
"What of the wizard?"
"I'll deal with the wizard."
"What about the V.S.S.E.?"
"I will break them."
In the throne room, Pippin kneeled in front of Denethor. Faramir and the V.S.S.E. agents were present when the hobbit made his speech to the steward. "Here do I swear fealty and service to Gondor in peace or war, in living or dying, from … From this hour henceforth … until my lord release me … or death take me," Pippin swore.
"And I shall not forget it … nor fail to reward that which is given," Denethor stood up and had Pippin kissed the small ruby on his ring.
Alan and Wesley watched with contempt. "Man, I hate this guy even more," Alan kept his thought to himself.
"Fealty with love," the steward tipped the hobbit's head to face him. "Valor with honor," Denethor walked to the table for his meal. "Disloyalty with vengeance," the steward began eating. "I do not think we should so lightly abandon the outer defenses … defenses that your brother long held intact."
"What would you have me do?" Faramir asked.
"I will not yield the river in Pelennor unfought. Osgiliath must be retaken."
"My lord, Osgiliath is overrun."
"Much must be risked in war. Is there a captain here who still has the courage to do his lord's will?"
"You wish now that our places had been exchanged … that I had died and Boromir had lived," Faramir spoke when tears began to flood his eyes.
"Yes," Denethor hesitated before replying. "I wish that."
"Since you were robbed of Boromir, I will do what I can in his stead," Faramir bowed before heading out. "If I should return, think better of me, Father."
"That will depend on the manner of your return."
Alan and Wesley walked out of the throne room with Faramir while the hobbit had to entertain the steward with a song.
"Faramir, you don't have to do this," said Wesley.
"I will gladly give my life to protect this city."
"Why can't you just do it here?" said Alan.
"Better trying to retake Osgiliath than sit here doing nothing," Faramir spoke with a fatalistic tone.
"Do you think your father will mourn for you if you are killed? Will he be proud of you if you succeed?" Wesley asked but Faramir ignored them.
Large battalion of Gondor knights were on horses equipped with swords and shields heading through the streets of Minas Tirith. Some of the citizens of Minas Tirith tossed flowers to them and there were sad faces from them.
"Faramir!" Gandalf shouted to the leader of the knights. "Faramir! Your father's will has turned to madness. Do not throw away your life so rashly."
"Where does my allegiance lie if not here? This is the city of the Men of Numenor. I will gladly give my life to defend her beauty, her memory, her wisdom," said Faramir.
"Your father loves you, Faramir. He will remember it before the end," the wizard spoke in an ominous tone.
The people of Gondor saw Faramir and the Gondor knights attempting to retake Osgiliath after they passed the gate. Alan and Wesley were watching from the courtyard of the citadel.
The orcs in Osgiliath saw the incoming cavalry and the orc archers nocked their bows. Faramir drew his sword and shouted, "Charge!"
When the Gondor knights were approaching Osgiliath, the orc archers drew their bows. "Fire!" the orc leader shouted signaling the loose of the arrow volley.
The V.S.S.E. agents watched with disgust that no Gondor knight survived the arrow volley.
"What kind of a father would send his last son to his death like that?" Alan muttered with contempt.
"More like the one who chose power over his family," said Wesley. "I don't think there's anything we can do."
The orcs stabilized the bridge in Osgiliath and they were moving everything.
"March! March! March! March! March!" an orc ordered as the trolls pushed siege towers across the bridge.
Hours later, approximately 200 thousand orcs began gathering in the Pelennor fields while drummer trolls provided steady beats and mountain trolls moved siege towers.