I do not own LotR or anything else in Arda.

Faramir unfolded the map and looked at it with Madril. "What news?" he asked. "Our scouts report Saruman has attacked Rohan," the older man said, placing his finger on the country and drawing a line across it. "Theoden's people have fled to Helm's Deep," he continued. "But we must look to our own borders." He moved his hand to trace along the east bank of the Anduin.

"Faramir, orcs are on the move. Sauron is marshaling an army." He lifted his hand from the map and merely pointed towards Mordor. "Easterlings and Southrons are passing through the Black Gate." "How many?" Faramir asked. "Some thousands more come every day," Madril said mournfully. Faramir tapped the map. "Who's covering the river to the north?" "We've pulled five hundred men out of Osgiliath," Madril replied, tapping the city. "If the city is attacked, we won't hold it."

Faramir turned to stare at the map. "Saruman attacks from Isengard." He tapped the tower. "Sauron from Mordor." He moved his hand to the dark land. "The fight will come to Men on both fronts. Gondor is weak. Sauron will strike us soon, and he will strike hard. He knows now we do not have the strength to repel him."

Madril glanced around at the other men, then leaned in close to Faramir. "I know you well, my lord, and I can tell that you are worried." "The loss of my brother has struck myself and my father hard," Faramir replied. "He is not functioning. He cannot counter the politics of the court and the threat of Mordor all at once. He is not well, not at all. Again, I wish that my sister were here, though we know not whether she is alive or dead."

"You have much faith in her," Madril noted. "She is a far better politician than Boromir or I," Faramir shrugged. "Boromir is a warrior. I am a scholar. My father is a politician, though only because he must be. Taríen's skills eclipse us all, and if anyone could handle this situation, she could." "Perhaps our guests know something of use," Madril suggested. Faramir nodded and walked towards the door. "I will speak with them now."

A moment later, he was walking towards the two prisoners, both of who had their hands bound as they exchanged confused and worried looks. "My men tell me you are orc spies," Faramir said. "Spies!?" the fair-haired one said indignantly. "Now wait just a minute…" "If you are not spies, then who are you?" Faramir asked, genuinely curious. That sort of indignation could not be faked. They were silent for a long moment as Faramir sat down. "Speak!" he ordered.

"We are Hobbits of the Shire," the dark-haired one said. "Frodo Baggins is my name, and this is Samwise Gamgee." "Your bodyguard?" Faramir asked. "His gardener," Samwise replied. "And where is your skulking friend?" Faramir asked. "The gangrel creature. He had an ill-favored look." "There was no other," Frodo said, a bit too quickly. Samwise looked at him.

After a moment, Frodo said, "We set out from Rivendell with seven companions. One we lost in Moria. Two were my kin. A Dwarf there was also, and an Elf, and two Men: Aragorn, son of Arathorn, and Boromir of Gondor." Faramir's eyes widened. "You are a friend of Boromir?" he asked, not letting any emotion creep into his voice. "Yes," Frodo said. "For my part."

Faramir stood and walked away, then turned back towards them. "It will grieve you, then, to learn that he's dead." Samwise looked at Frodo, whose eyes widened in shock. "Dead?" he asked. "How? When?" "As one of his companions, I'd hoped you would tell me," Faramir replied. "If something has happened to Boromir, we would have you tell us!" "His horn washed up upon the riverbank but six days past. It was cloven in two. But more than this I know it in my heart. He was my brother."

Frodo and Samwise's eyes widened slightly as well. "So, you know Lady Taríen then," Samwise said. "You have seen my sister also?" Faramir asked. "Was she well?" They exchanged glances. "Lady Taríen joined us after we left Moria. However, the last time we saw Boromir, he was well," Frodo said slowly. "I saw Lady Taríen last, and when I saw her, she looked like she was about to collapse from exhaustion." Faramir's eyes widened. "What? Why?" "She hadn't slept since we left Lothlórien," Frodo said. "I know this for certain, I couldn't sleep, and she had been keeping my company. I did not see her eat at all while we were in the boats, though I did see her eat once when we stopped for the night, but that was three days before we parted." He looked up at Faramir. "Did you know she was pregnant?"

Faramir barely controlled a gasp. "Pregnant?" he choked out. "Again?" Frodo and Sam both nodded. Faramir placed his hand on his forehead. "And she was in a boat. She hates boats, she suffers from severe seasickness. And pregnant as well? She's always nauseous when she's pregnant. She could not have been a kind companion for those days." "She was a bit grouchier than normal, but she didn't complain until the last day," Sam mentioned.

"Do you know when she was due?" Faramir asked, unable to contain his curiosity. "I believe she mentioned that she expected the baby to be born on March the twenty-sixth," Frodo said. "My poor sister," Faramir said. Unable to contain his tears, he turned and walked out of the room.