A/N: As always, thanks to Sapphire for beta reading.

Forgive me, the events are happening quickly. It took me a while to take it all in and assess them. But this was most disturbing and unreal. "What?" I asked dumbly , but I was dazed and it sounded more in shock. I must have heard him wrong. There was no way Pippin could be dying. Not after I had just found out they had won the battle – that Middle Earth was free from Sauron. He couldn't be dead – he deserved the chance to live a life free from the fear of Sauron.

Merry had fallen to his knees and was shaking from the force of the sobs that racked his body. Éowyn and I leaped off the bed at the same time and quickly knelt by his side. I stroked his back and grabbed the letter, reading its contents quickly. It was a letter from Gandalf with very few hastily, yet still elegantly written words.

Meriadoc,

Come quickly, Pippin is gravely injured and I fear for his life. He calls out for you unceasingly and I fear that only you can bring him back from the shadow that threatens to claim his life.

Gandalf

I looked up at Éowyn in utter horror; she gasped at my expression and gripped Merry's shoulders all the more tightly. I mumbled incoherently for a moment before Éowyn jerked the crumbled letter from me and read it herself. I could not believe what I had read. Pippin could not possibly be dying. Not sweet, loving, joyful Pippin! He immolated everything that was life – his energy, happiness, radiance, and unending love for food and friendship.

Éowyn dropped the letter when she finished it and grasped Merry firmly by the shoulders, turning him to face her. "Merry…' She whispered, calling him to her. After a few times, He managed to look up at her fair face and sobbed all the harder.

"I – I – I can't do it! I can't go on without him!" He was hysterical and I was quickly joining him. Éowyn gave him a fierce shake and forced him to look at her.

"Merry!" She exclaimed fiercely with all the pride of one who lived in Rohan, where the Horse Lords resides. "Hope is not yet lost! You can still save him. It is you he is asking for. He needs his cousin, Merry. He needs him to be strong." She gave him a strong hug and then stood. "Come." She commanded. "We all must pack." Then she turned, giving me an acknowledging look. "We shall ride out to meet them to tonight." I nodded numbly and turned to my bed. Éowyn left the room with Merry in tow. I grabbed my clothes of my bed and began to fold them.

"Faramir?" I nearly jumped at the worried soft voice that came from behind me.

"Boromir!" I exclaimed how I could have forgotten him, my own brother!

He smiled sadly and sat up in his bed. I rushed over and tried to push him back down. He raised his hand and stopped me, sitting up fully. "Brother, do not worry about leaving me. You must go to your companion – were I better I would join you. I only knew him for a short while but I too fell in love with the dear little hobbit. Merry shall have need of yours and Éowyn's strength before the end. Tis a hard thing to face the idea of losing a loved one." He spoke so knowingly that I found myself momentarily wondering who he had known. Boromir slowly rose from the bed a bit tipsily. I rushed to assist him but he stopped me again. He reached for his armor, which we had left by his bed. He grabbed his gloves and grabbed something out of them. He took the small gold object and handed it to me.

"Here, little brother, you may have need of this than I will on the road ahead." He then opened his palm and showed me what he held. A thin band of gold with a single blue sapphire. It was our mother's promise ring. Father had given it to her when he'd asked her to become his wife.

I looked up at Boromir in awe. He would give up his one greatest heirloom from mother to me? I gently reached up and cupped my brother's hand, closing it on the precious ring.

"I cannot accept that my dearest brother." I said, as tears began to fall down my face. Roughly, I wiped them away with the back of my hands.

Boromir smiled softly and dropped the ring in my hand. "Mother wanted it to go to whoever married first; she simply assumed it would be me." He raised his eyes from my hand to look me in the face and continued. "I've no doubt that you have found the right woman Faramir, the way you look at her is sign enough." He smiled thoughtfully. "It reminded me of the way father used to look when I was younger."

I had no idea what to say to that.