First of all, thanks so so much for all of your advice, comments, messages, suggestions and encouragement. Chapters might be a bit shorter than usual for some time.

Despite Gimli and Legolas' cautions and concerns, Saeleth had left her tent the moment that she had awoken from her sleep.

Maethien had come to her... in her dreams. The relief that had flooded Elle in that moment had been indescribable. Anyone else would have thought it was merely a dream, a figment of her unconscious, but Saeleth knew better. Her sister was alive and well- or as well as she could be having been assaulted by shadows only hours ago. Oh, how Saeleth had cried and apologized as she squeezed the air out of her sister in her dream.

"Elle, I can't breathe. Take it easy, I'm still on the mend!" She had said. Apparently her dream-walking self took on the bodily pains of her physical body.

They had had time for only a brief moment of sisterly bonding before Maethien urged Elle to wake up and go to Aragorn. They both knew that Elrond would not leave until his task had been complete, the sword of the King would be given to Aragorn that night. And then the journey into the mountain would follow.

Saeleth did as Mae said and roused herself from her sleep. She had successfully sneaked past Eomer- who had apparently appointed himself her guardian while she slept, which had surprised her- and hurried to find Legolas and Gimli. Now, she sat beside Gimli on the ground, waiting for Legolas to bring the horses, and for Aragorn to try to sneak past them. She knew he would try to evade them so she'd taken Gimli to where she knew he would pass and instructed him to wait.

"Lass, are you sure you should be out of bed so soon?" Gimli asked gruffly. Saeleth smiled.

"Gimli stop your worrying. I feel better than I ever have." Which was not a lie. Yes, her magic and her body were still exhausted, but her soul? Her light? Elle had not felt her light so brilliant and pure and clean as she did in that moment. Mo longer did she feel the darkness slithering through her. She felt free and she fervently hoped that the feeling would not leave her, ever. "Oh, look! Here he comes."

Aragorn and his horse came out from behind a tent not far from them, he was keeping as quiet as he could as he wandered through the camp and straight toward where they hid and waited.

"Just where do you think you're off to?" Gimli asked, rising to his feet with his trusty axe ready in his hands. Elle blinked innocently up at Aragorn, smiling when his surprised eyes found them. He sighed softly and shook his head, solemn as he met their amused gazes.

"Not this time. This time you must stay, Gimli." He said to the dwarf, then turned to look at Elle. "You should not even be out of bed, Saeleth. You need rest." He exclaimed, exasperated.

"Yeah, well, what can I say? I am my sister's sister." She said with a shrug, realizing a moment too late that she probably should not have brought up her sister quite so casually. They would think her mad! Thankfully, Legolas came up from behind Aragorn, a sly smile on his lips.

"Have you learned nothing of the stubbornness of Dwarves?" He asked.

"You might as well accept it." Gimli announced confidently. "We're going with you, laddie." Aragorn looked from Legolas, to Gimli, to Saeleth ready to argue with them... but then he stopped himself and breathed a resigned sigh. He knew very well that his friends would not leave him to face the mountain alone. Slowly, a smile broadened on his lips and he nodded. He could not explain how joyous he was to have found such friends.

"Well, all except you." Gimli suddenly declared, pointing at Elle. The elleth immediately bounded to her feet.

"What?" She asserted.

"He is right, Saeleth. You must stay and recover your strength." Legolas added. Her glare lashed from the dwarf to the elf.

"Oh, not you too! I am recovered!" Elle argued.

"You're lying." Legolas said drolly.

"I am no-" Three pairs of eyes turned to look at her with raised brows and droll smiles. Elle sighed. "Alright, I'm not fully recovered. But-"

"Elle." Aragorn interrupted. "I will not lead you into danger while you are unsteady. You need to regain your strength." Normally, Elle would have argued. But as she looked at Aragorn, she realized that he was... concerned for her. They all were. They didn't think her weak, nor did they doubt her strength, they simply did not wish to see her get hurt.

"I-" Elle blinked, speechless. She wasn't sure what to say to them. Was this what it felt like to have brothers? Looking at the three men before her, Saeleth felt herself smile warmly and laugh softly. Oh, how she loved these fools. "Alright." She finally said, stunning all three of them.

"Alright?" Gimli asked.

"Yes. Alright. I'll stay." Saeleth clarified, laughing when they stared at her in surprise.

"I expected more of an argument from you, lass." Gimli admitted, prompting another laugh from the elleth.

"As did I. But I know why you all want me to stay, and I appreciate that."

"Saeleth!" Elle's warm smile faded and her eyes widened.

"Uh-oh." She murmured, biting her lip as she slowly turned to face a none too happy Eomer. He marched right toward her and towered over her.

"You should not be out of bed." He growled. Elle sighed, her shoulders slumping in irritation as she glared at all four men.

"You four are fortunate I'm not feeling up to a row." She muttered.

"You must stay and encourage the men, Elle." Aragorn said quietly, aware that men had begun to wander closer to their little group, their curious gazes finding the tacked mounts at their heels. "They will need your strength, and your courage."

"You are leaving?" Eomer asked, understandably confused.

"I'll explain later." Elle said to him before looking back at Aragorn as he, Legolas, and Gimli mounter their horses. "You three better be careful." She warned, smiling when Gimli huffed as if she had insulted him.

"Rest, Elle." Legolas cautioned.

"Make sure she doesn't come after us will you, laddie." Gimli added, addressing Eomer. This time, Saeleth huffed hotly. She decided to pretend she didn't see Eomer nod his head from the corner of her eye, and looked up at Aragorn as he gripped onto his reigns.

"Aragorn?" Elle whispered quietly and waited for him to look at her. When he did, Saeleth simply stared into his eyes with a combination of seriousness, sadness, and remorse. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

Aragorn did not need an elaboration. He knew what Elle apologized for. Pain struck through his being, his eyes falling to the ground for a moment so that he could regain his composure. When he looked up again, his expression was flooded with an array of emotion; he reached down to grip onto the sister's shoulder tightly for a long moment.

"As am I." He whispered, before releasing her shoulder and straightening up on his mount. He glanced at Legolas and Gimli and nodded, then... they were off. The three of them leading their horses into the road under the mountain, each of them avoiding looking at the men that begun to file out of their tents to watch them with confusion. Whispers erupted behind them, but they pressed forward, knowing that they could not look back.

Saeleth watched them go in silence, sending a prayer to the Valar to guide them in their dangerous quest. She then looked at the faces of the men in the encampment and added a quick prayer of guidance for herself.

"Why does he leave on the eve of battle?" A distraught soldier asked.

"He leaves because there is no hope." Hamling lamented angrily. Oooh, that man needs a swift kick in the rear, Elle thought to herself, wondering if she should go ahead and do him the favor but knowing that she would not do so. At least not while they were being watched by an army. Theoden stepped to stand beside Saeleth and Eomer, his head held high.

"He leaves because he must." Saeleth said firmly.

"Too few have come." Gamling bemoaned, his gaze on the three standing in the center of crowd that had gathered, namely his king. "We cannot defeat the armies of Mordor." Elle looked to Theoden, the king shared a glance with her and his nephew before turning to face his men, walking forward to cast a powerful glance upon every single one of them.

"No." He said. "We cannot." The silence that followed was heavy and no soldier dared look away from their king as he faced them. "But we will meet them in battle nonetheless."

The welcome Maethien received was nothing like she had expected. She had expected a cold, cruel, madman that would taunt and humiliate her at every opportunity before throwing her from the palace. She also had expected Gandalf and Pippin to literally have to sit on her to keep her from strangling the idiotic man with her bare hands. But no. Denethor gifted Maethien with the most luxurious of rooms, gowns, and jewels- not that she even acknowledged them- she had been flocked by servants who handed her exquisite perfumes and oils, and tray after tray of scrumptious foods and wine. Denethor was quite polite, full of compliments and praise. Maethien literally had to restrain herself from smacking the old man, the look of desire in his eyes made her want to gag... and scrub herself in the bath until her skin reddened from the cleaning. She knew what he wanted, of course. Denethor longed for her power, his greed for power was what made him such an odious ruler.

Maethien sat atop the tip of Minas Tirith, gazing up at the sky in silence, her thoughts on Aragorn and her sisters and the war that would come.

"I know you're there." Mae said, amused. Turning her head, she smiled as Faramir stepped out from the shadows to stand at her side.

"Apologies." The warrior said softly. "You looked deep in thought. I did not wish to interrupt."

"I was deep in though." Mae admitted. "But I don't mind interruptions. At least... not all the time." Faramir chuckled, looking down at the beautiful elleth with a smile.

"You are very forthright." Faramir commented. "I suppose your sister get that's from you?" He asked. He was rewarded with a brilliant, proud smile.

"They both do actually." She said with laughter in her voice. "We also share a fiery temper and powerful tenacity." She added, prompting laughter from Faramir as he remembered a certain blue eyed elleth who shouted at him, and struck him without a single shred of fear or caution.

"Yes, I am aware of that. Were you the one who taught Anoreth to break people's noses?" He wondered, enjoying the laughter that he was sharing with the peculiar elleth.

"Actually," Maethien said. "I am not responsible for that. My other sister is." She confessed, laughing at the memory. Oh how they'd laughed when they got the call from the school saying that Anoreth had broken the nose of the school bully. They couldn't help but be proud of her in the moment, even as they halfheartedly lectured her about violence on school grounds.

"As I boy I used to play in the halls with my brother, pretending to slay mighty dragons and rescue fair maidens, pretending to be a great warrior who made my father proud." Faramir shared quietly, a wistful look in his eyes as he turned to look at Maethien once again. "Meeting your sister made me realize that some fair maidens are very capable of rescuing themselves."

Maethien chuckled and smiled warmly at the soldier before her. He was a good man. No, a great man. It saddened and agitated Mae to know that that fool Denethor could not appreciate him for the amazing man and warrior he was.

"Well," Mae breathed as she pushed herself to her feet and faced Faramir with a bright smile. "There is one thing you do not have to pretend to be anymore." She said mysteriously, catching Faramir's curiosity.

"Oh? What is that?" Maethien reached out to grip his shoulder and smile at him proudly.

"A great warrior." She said, smiling kindly when Faramir's smile faltered. "You are a great warrior, Faramir. One of the strongest, bravest, and most honorable I have ever seen. And not only that, you are also a great man. Do not ever let anyone tell you different."

"Mae! Mae!"

The voice was distant, but rushing closer with every shout. Even from her perch atop a high, gleaming white building, Maethien heard Pippin's voice coming closer and closer. She looked down and saw the hobbit running through the streets looking around wildly as he continued to call out her name.

"Pip?" She called out, the hobbit froze in place and looked around him, seeking out the elleth. "Pip, I'm up here. What's wrong?" She called out, smiling when Pip lifted his gaze to her. He didn't waste a second to marvel at her feat however.

"Mae! It's Faramir! He's leaving to retake Osgiliath." Maethien didn't hesitate. She jumped off the building, ignoring Pippin's yelp of surprise, and landed gracefully just two feet in front of the winded hobbit.

"Is he insane?" She asked no one in particular as she whirled around to head for the entrance of Minas Tirith, Pippin rushing behind her to keep pace with her.

"Gandalf tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen. Maethien he'll die if he goes!" Maethien said nothing else as she took off in a swift run, soon leaving Pippin far behind as she reached the procession of horses and warriors making their way toward the entrance, or exit in their case.

"Faramir!" She called out, finding his horse at the very start of the procession. He was fully cloaked in his gleaming silver armor, his helmet settled majestically atop his head. Women, children, and elderly watched with desolate gazes as their soldiers charged out toward their deaths. Some turned in her direction as she flew toward the soldiers, but most could not seem to tear their gazes from their men.

"Faramir!" Mae finally reached his horse and immediately threw herself in front of him, unafraid when the horse suddenly reared back on his hind legs, having been startled by her sudden, and rather aggressive, advance. Mae reached up and took hold of the horse's bridle, she then pulled him down gently so that he would not strike her. Faramir looked less than pleased. "Are you mad?!"

His bright blue eyes flared with temper, the only indication of emotion on his stony, expressionless face.

"Release my horse." He ordered coldly. Maethien did not such thing, in fact she stepped closer to his side.

"You can't leave." She said ferociously.

"I will obey my father's command." Faramir said simply, though it was no less frigid.

"Faramir you can't take back Osgiliath! It's overrun, you fool! You march toward your death!" Even through his helmet and armor, Mae cold see his jaw tauten and his shoulder square. He had made up his mind. Rather than continue arguing with her, Faramir simply pushed his horse past her, his men following behind him instantly. Maethien followed as well, easily keeping pace with Faramir as she continued to shout up at him.

"Will you really abandon your people, your city just to sate your father's insanity?" She snarled up at him, but she was responded with stony silence.

"Would a great warrior leave his people, his city, his life, his memories to be destroyed? Where is the warrior that grew up sparring with Boromir? Where is the great warrior that battled dragons and rescued fair maidens?" Maethien was ignored. "Faramir!" She called out once more time, but the Captain of Gondor remained resolute. Soon, Mae found herself far behind the column of gleaming warriors, watching as fear, anger, and despair spread through the crowds of men, women, and children all around her. They knew the insanity of their mission. They knew that only thing waiting for them in Osgiliath was their death.

Maethien walked back toward the palace slowly, looking to the ground as she made her way through the eerily quiet city roads. She could hear the sounds of crying children and weeping mothers, the prayers of despairing men and women, and the dull sounds of working men going on with their works with little to no enthusiasm. As she got closer and closer to the palace, Maethien began to realize that if she focused intently on her senses, namely her sense of hearing, the more that she could heighten them. She could smell the fragrance of flowers growing in the distance, feel the bursts of heat coming from the burning buildings in Osgiliath... she could hear the chilling song that Pippin sang quietly as Denethor ate his luxurious meal.

The time had come. Everywhere men rushed all about the encampment, tacking their mounts, placing on their armor, dousing out fires, bringing down tents, and fastening weapons. The feeling of urgency was in every man, the war was here and it was time to ride out and meet it head on.

"We must ride light and swift." Saeleth kept pace with the king easily, she walked at his left quietly as Eomer walked brusquely beside her to the king's right. Neither said anything as the king spoke. "There's a long road ahead. And man and beast must reach the end with the strength to fight." Elle nodded her understanding and turned to find Belan. Both Lossen and Talagor had disappeared in the night, but Elle did not worry, she knew that she would see them soon. She knew that they left in search of her sisters and she dearly hoped that they found them.

"Elle." Surprised, Elle stopped her search and turned back to look up at the warrior towing over her. Eomer looked very prepared for the battle ahead of them, his armor gleaming in what little sunlight they could grasp, the metal bruised and streaked with the years of war it had met. His gaze however... the look in his eyes was not something that Saeleth had expected to see.

"You're worried." She said bluntly, her eyes narrowing in thought. "Why?" The warrior said nothing, he simply looked at her closely. Saeleth understood. She resisted the urge to bristle at his silent worry, though it took a great deal of her self*control to do so. Closing her eyes, Elle angled her head downward as she lifted a hand to rake a hand through her hair.

"Eomer, I don't know what else I must do to prove to you that I don't need your worry." Elle said tensely. She breathed out a sight and lifted her eyes to meet his worried gaze. He said nothing for a moment longer, then he straightened his shoulders and the look of worry faded into something that Saeleth could not quite decipher.

"You may not need my worry, Elle. But I, however, want it." Elle blinked.

"You... want to worry? About me?"

"Yes."

"Eomer that makes no sense whatsoever." Saeleth had never been so confused in all of her life. She looked back at him as he continued to gaze steadily at her; there was a long silence between them but it was not uncomfortable. They stood together, the only two still bodies among the chaos of men and horses and weapons. After a long moment, Eomer broke the silence.

"Ride with me and the king at the head of the command." Saeleth's eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"Why? So that you can hover over me as we ride into war?" She asked, a tinge of resentment in her tone. She was taken by surprise when Eomer suddenly stepped closer, so close that she had to crane her head up even more so that she could look into his eyes.

"No." He said solemnly. "You are one of our greatest warriors, Elle. We will need your strength and power on the front lines." Saeleth said nothing for a long moment. Then she lifted her arms to cross them over her chest as she glared up at Eomer.

"You are the most infuriating and confusing man I have ever met." She said tensely, though she did not look at him with displeasure, far from it in fact. Eomer could swear a corner of her lips was curved upward in a smile. The sight of Elle's hidden smile brought forth his own smile as she turned and whistled out a calling for her horse.

Oh, how I love these people. I'm personally proud of that small Faramir and Mae scene. Thanks so much for sticking around and reading.

Tibblets

Well, I'm old enough to know how to use "groovy" properly in a sentence but young enough that I has no clue what the Ghost in the Machine was. Suddenly my computer science professor is making a lot more sense. Thanks so much for that piece of advice by the way, it isn't easy but it does happen. Gotta get over it, and I will. Thanks!

Woman of Letters

WWSD? That's awesome. Love it! And, well, she's probably be a bit moody for a bit but she would most definitely push forward. Thanks so much for your advice and understanding. I've lost several essays as well and it hurts every time. You gave me a new idea though! Thanks so much or that! It never occurred to me to use Google Docs to write my chapters, it saves every few seconds! It's perfect. Thanks so much for reading! Loving your awesome titles, gotta admit that Channeling Your Inner Elendil was my favorite. Well, that and may the force be with you because gosh do I need the force right now. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

ColdOnePaul

Thanks for reading and advising! Hope you like this chapter as well.

AndurilofTolkien

Thanks so much!

Angel897

Thanks for reading!

Imurhuckleberry

I'm glad you noticed the slight doubt in Aragorn. They are strong. Still, there is that small part of them... I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for reading and commenting. I hope you like this chapter too.

ForeverTeamEdward13

Thanks so much for your comment! I hope you enjoy this new chapter!

Tkhiroshi

I certainly intend to. To better chapters. I intend to see this story through to the very end. Thanks for reading!

Emperor Delacus

I love detail, makes a story feel all the more real. I'm glad you like the sisters and how the orginial LOTR characters are portrayed, I'm always worrying about whether or not I bring them justice in this fic. Always comforting to know that I'm doing okay. As for the sisters, I always try to give them some reality. There's no fun in perfect characters. Thank for your advice and empathy! I certainly needed it. Things are getting better thankfully, I hope you like the chapter!

FireDancerNix

Thanks. I am now writing everything on Google Docs, it's definitely easier. Hope you like the chapter! Thanks for reading.