A/N: Here is the chapter nineteen, thank you for those who have reviewed. Your thoughts are appreciated.
Preparations for leaving Dunarrow were made quick, over two thousand rohirrim were ready with only two hours. The dawn had not break when the host road out from the keep.
Aragorn led Hasufel next to Helden. "I know you wanted to go with Gandalf and Pippin."
"As did you, but we both understand, that there are other plans for us." Faramir smiled so Aragorn would understand that he was not disappointed.
"Yes, and Hasufel and Helden would have not keep the pace with Shadowax. Maybe Menenor or Roheryn could have, but we will not find out." Aragorn pointed out.
Before Faramir could answer, Legolas guided Arod to them. "First of all, you can dream that Memenor and Roheryn are descend from Meara, I have seen them both, they are magnificent steeds, but it really is a dream."
"Killjoy." Faramir and Aragorn muttered together, then exchanged looks and smirked, Gimli snickered.
"Men!" Legolas shot back and grinned. "Back to the point, secondly if they were descended from Meara, then Arod could not keep pace with them."
"I hope you are not believing you can leave us behind." Gimli grumbled.
"Never." Aragorn answered for them both.
"Good." Legolas smiled. Faramir could only shake his head, only his friends.
It took them half a day to reach to Dunarrow, it was few hours before the sun set. They rode up to the mountain. Faramir left Aragorn, Eomer and Theoden look over the troops, he followed Legolas, Gimli and Merry to see where to but the horses and help set up any tents that were needed.
The had just finished when Aragorn joined them. "Six thousand." was the only thing he said.
Faramir felt how something broke in him. "That is not enough, I do not have the numbers of Gondor troops, but before I left there was five hundred city guards, four thousand infantry and cavalry. Two hundred rotating Ithilien rangers, who come all over Gondor, if they are not in services they are at home. Prince of Dol Amroth could send seven hundred men, then there are men from nearby provinces, who I do not have account for, Boromir would. I would figure it round up at least ten to fifteen thousand with rohirrim six thousand, that is not enough. Mordor army is over hundred thousand."
"We have hope Faramir, do not despair, the Valar are on our side." Aragorn smiled, Faramir lowered his head in shame, he had let the shadow blind him.
"You are right Aragorn, I let this place influence me." Saying thus, he looked at the mountain and the beginning of Dimholt road.
They all looked there, the horses were restless, the men did not want to near it.
"What is that place?" Gimli looked at his companion's, all his hair, and he had many, were standing up. If the horses were restless, then a dwarf should also be.
"Dimholt road, it leads to the path of the dead." Faramir answered, every fibber of his being yelled in him to stay away from that place.
"Path of the dead?" Shiver ran thru Gimli's body.
"In the Second Age, a people related to the Dunlendings lived in the White Mountains, and they had for a time served Sauron. They later swore allegiance to Isildur, but betrayed him during the War of the Last Alliance and refused to fight on either side." Legolas explained.
"For this reason," Faramir continued, "Isildur cursed them, proclaiming that, if the Alliance triumphed, they would linger in the mountains until one of his heirs called them again to fight against Sauron. Isildur's curse succeeded: their people dwindled and eventually died out, until only their ghosts remained, only way to break their curse is when heir of Isildur calls for their help and they answer."
They looked at Aragorn. Who only spat: "Traitors." turned and left.
"Proud until his dying breath." Legolas muttered.
"As we all." Gimli agreed.
A young man ran to them. "Rider from Gondor my Lords." he got out between the gasps.
"Gondor." Faramir whispered and ran where Theoden, Eomer, Eowyn and Aragorn were standing and man who he knew well was kneeling before them. Son of Denethor knew the man very well.
"Hail Lord of the Rohirrim, friend of Gondor!" he said. "Hirgon I am, errand-rider of Denethor, who bring you this token of war. Gondor is in great need. Often the Rohirrim have aided us, but now the Lord Denethor asks for all your strength and all your speed; lest Gondor fall at last." He handed a Red Arrow to Theoden.
"The Red Arrow!" said Théoden, holding it, as one who receives a summons long expected and yet dreadful when it comes. His hand trembled. "The Red Arrow has not been seen in the Mark in all my years! Has it indeed come to that? And what does the Lord Denethor reckon that all my strength and all my speed may be?"
"That is best known to yourself, lord," said Hirgon. "But ere long it may well come to pass that Minas Tirith is surrounded, and unless you have the strength to break a siege of many powers, the Lord Denethor bids me say that he judges that the strong arms of the Rohirrim would be better within his walls than without."
"Gondor calls and Rohan will answer, we have already prepared for it." Theoden handed the arrow back.
"Hirgon." Faramir stepped forward.
"Lord Faramir." Surprise was written on the other man's face.
"You forget, no lord, exiled son of the Steward, wanted for the crime of treason." Faramir held out his hand and helped Hirgon up.
"You will always be Gondor's lord. You and your brother Lord Boromir are the favourite sons of Gondor. Lord Boromir has told everyone who would listen why you left. You saved your brother's life and survived yourself as I can see. No one condemns you for your actions. Only your father, the Steward, I know I speak treason, but it is so." Faramir could not look around, he felt how head rose to his face.
He collected himself. "What news from Gondor?"
"When I left Minas Tirith, Osgiliath was under attack, city guard, your rangers and your lord brother were defending it," Hirgon explained, "as there were more defender than attackers, I believe we won, but Mordor is preparing for war, Osgiliath will fall and soon Mordor army will be at Minas Tirith gate."
"It is as I suspected." Faramir looked at Theoden and Aragorn, it was as terrible as they had been afraid. If Osgiliath fell, it must have or soon, his father would want to have it back. Had Boromir thought taking back Osgiliath as the suicide mission in his dream?
"Master Hirgon, stay with us," Theoden spoke again, "we ride at dawn." The king and Eomer left. Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Eowyn stayed at the background, listening, Merry had joined them. His brothers in arms knew, that news from home could hurt him deeply.
"Hirgon, how fairs my brother?" Faramir felt how others stood behind his back, but he knew if he led Hirgon somewhere else, others would follow.
"Let me speak plainly, my Lord Faramir, I ask your forgiveness, I may be to forward and speak of treason." Hirgon lowered his head, waiting for reprimand, but it did not come.
"You forget, Hirgon, I am no lord of Gondor, right now I am a mere solder in the army of Rohan, speak treason, it won't go anywhere from here. And if I were lord of Gondor, your words will never reach into the ears of the Steward, you should know me as much." The reprimand was there, but not for speaking his mind, but forgetting who the other man was, that he was not his father. The words had said so calm voice that his friends found themselves wondering had they ever heard Faramir raise his voice. They seemed not recall any time when the man of Gondor had done so, even when he had confronted Eomer and King Theoden, their respect grew in greater power.
"I ask your forgiveness again. Boromir has taken much upon him, after you left. The City guards, the army, you rangers. He has gone so many patrols, he took over watching for your rangers, he pushed thru the order with the Steward, that there will not be a new captain of the white tower and Ithilien ranges before you return, right now he looks after the rangers and you second in command Madril has the command when Boromir is away. Few months ago, your brother admitted to me that he missed the time when you and I were spies. Gondor spy network had suffered since you left." Faramir frowned, how bad could it be? He had had the best commanding relationship with Gondor spymaster, but Garenth was under the command of the Steward. What was going on in Gondor? what was his father doing? He felt his companions' eyes on him and knew he had some explaining to do later.
Hirgon continued: "Boromir has somehow started seeing things differently he has been fighting with the Steward more over tactics and strategy, they think people do not know it, but servants have ears and sharp ones. Last time they fought before Boromir left to Ithiline, the reason was the Red Arrow, your father did not want to send it to Rohan, but your brother convinced him otherwise. Boromir expected him to send it immediately, but the Steward send me on my way when Osgiliath was attacked."
"Thank you Hirgon for the information. I let you go and find your rest; you must have had a couple of long days."
"It has been, have a good eve, Faramir." Hirgon bowed and left.
Faramir stepped near to the edge and looked the army that was gathering. Threat was forming around his heart; something was amiss in Minas Tirith. His only hope was Gandalf. Maybe the old wizard could get sense of goings on in his city and family.
"Faramir." There was suddenly a voice behind him. He turned around and there stood Merry. Faramir raised his eyebrow in curiosity and sat on a nearby rock. He had never understood people who talked down to the smaller beings. He looked straight into Merry's eyes.
"Yes, my friend."
"I lied to Pippin." It was said so small and sincere voice that Faramir had to bite his lip not to start laughing.
"I think it is not the first or the last time you did so?" Merry shook his head, Faramir smiled tenderly. "What did you lie to him?"
"That it was my last pipeweed." Merry muttered head bowed in shame; it was strange how the hobbit looked like his younger friend, Faramir had never seen Merry like that, something was heavy on the hobbits heart.
"Sometimes we all lie, but Merry, you gave him some, you did not tell him, that you did not have any, it was only a small lie." Faramir did not comprehend why Merry was telling him this.
"You look so sad and worried, that I thought I would share my last with you." Merry raised his hopeful eyes. "I saw that you did not take any pipeweed yourself from the ruins of Isengard." Looking in Merry's eyes Faramir saw loneliness, Frodo and Sam were on their way to Mordor, Pippin had ridden with Gandalf to Minas Tirith and Merry here felt helplessness and wishing to do something, yes, he had sworn his fealty to Theoden and become squire of Rohan, but Faramir had a feeling – Theoden was not going to take Merry with them to Minas Tirith. He saw the same fear in Merrys eyes. He had seen the same feelings in Eowyn's, now he was lost, he did not know how to help them.
Before Faramir could answer, Aragorn stepped next to Merry. "We all have little pipeweed left, what too you think Merry, we all share it with Faramir?" He looked at Gimli and Merry who nodded. "Then let's find our spare pipeweed." Two companions nodded, then Aragorn turned to Faramir, "Your pipe is where it usually is?" At some point Aragorn spare pipe had become Faramir's pipe. Faramir only nodded. Legolas seeing that Eowyn wanted to talk to his friend, excused himself to go check over the horses while their companions returned.
Faramir turned to look over the edge again, Eowyn stepped next to him. "Lord Faramir." Faramir turned to correct her. She shook her head, "You already heard what your friend said. Only one who think you as a traitor is the Stewart of Gondor, no one else. You are a lord, why do you not believe what people who love you tell you?"
Faramir started to answer and then it hit him, his eyes grew large. "What?"
"Lost for words?" Eowyn smiled, turned, and left. Leaving Faramir looking after her with a flabbergasted look on his face.
He did not know how long he stood like that, before his friends returned to him.
"What happened to you." Gimli grumbled, "It seems like your world turned upside down."
Faramir remembering their conversation on the wall of Edoras. "Something I lost was found and something much precious was handed to replace it."
"She confessed her love to you?" Legolas smiled a little, something good must come of the days as dark as these.
"In a way?" Faramir almost laughed, but then grew serious. "Let me guess, you all know that she loves me because even a blind man could see how she looks at me."
"You guessed right," Aragorn handed him his pipe, "even a blind man." He smirked, "And the same blind man can see what you feel for the fair lady:"
Aragorn was right a blind man could see, how much in love he was in Eowyn. He had known it before, but he had not accepted it, let himself admit to the feeling. In just a few days he had fallen deeply in love of the white lady. And it was not something he wanted to deal in the midst of war camp.
"What did I do to deserve friends like you?" Faramir muttered and sat on a rock. He was ready to hear the teasing, but it did not come.
"Maybe because you forgot to tell as something's?" Aragorn raised his eyebrow when he sat beside his young friend.
"You are jesting with me?" The groaned what Faramir let out came straight from his heart, he rubbed his forehead and wished that Hirgon would have not been the one who was sent to Theoden.
"No, we are not, spy of Gondor." Legolas only one who did not sit.
"Or maybe even a spymaster." Gimli smirked.
Faramir chuckled, "No, not a spymaster. My father would have sent Boromir with his company after me if I were the spymaster." Faramir lit his pipe. "Yes, spy I was, Hirgon was once a ranger and a spy, but he got an injury and left the rangers, my father offered him position of errand-rider." Faramir took a drag from his pipe looked up and saw expecting looks of his companions. He almost rolled his eyes good naturally. "I was a spy when I was a lieutenant. As soon I was raised to position of captain I was given leave from those duties. I can tell you as much, the Steward and his new spymaster do not get along and as I was once a spy, I was given assignment to be a link between them, so my father and the spymaster should not meet. I cannot tell you more, Aragorn will learn it when he is king."
He frowned, rose, and stepped to the edge again looking at the gathering army.
"Now, would be a suitable time to tell us, what is troubling you." Aragorn had gotten know Faramir well, he right now it was not the time to show brotherly concern, so he stayed seated.
"I do not understand what his going on in Gondor, I have had my doubts if father and Boromir accept your claim. Boromir was the one who asked when he was seven: "How long must Steward be a ruling Steward to become a king." my father lectured him on questioning the claim of heir of Isildur. But seems everything is changed, Hirgon said that Boromir has started object more to father's ideas. Eomer said that Boromir had told him, he would do everything to get the traitors mark of my back and then I had a dream or a vision last night." Hearing that Aragorn was on his feet. "Another vision so soon after the last one."
"Yes, I do not understand it myself, Gandalf smiled in his mysterious way and said: "Valar ways are strange." Faramir wanted to curse at everything, why was it so hard to understand what was wanted from him.
"What was the dream about?" This time Aragorn came and stood beside him. Faramir told them everything that he could recall. "I have never heard Boromir speak like thus to father."
"Maybe it shows you hope of some kind." Aragorn looked at Legolas, maybe the elf could show some light to the matter, but Legolas shook his head, even he could not understand what was at play. "Remember hope never leaves thee behind." Aragorn placed a hand on Faramir's neck and squeezed lightly, brotherly gesture. It made him miss Boromir, but he was glad that the brothers he had made on the way were with him.
"Faramir?" Merry lifted his eyes to the man, "there is a saying in the Shire: Morning is wiser than the evening."
"Merry, is right, we must rest, maybe Lórien will send us answers in dreams." Legolas agreed.
"Sleep is needed, if we are going to ride to Minas Tirith tomorrow." Gimli grumbled in agreement.
"It seems the decision has been made for us." Aragorn patted Faramir on the shoulder. "Let's find our sleep."
"Go rest, I will come soon, I need to gather my thoughts, otherwise I would not find my way to Lórien lands." His friends looked at him, finding the answer from his eyes, they agreed and left.
Faramir sat onto the rock he had abandoned before, took Larsian and started cleaning and polishing it, meticulous work might calm his thoughts.