Author's note: I said the next chapter would be soon. Enjoy.
***
The journey back to Minas Tirith was uneventful. They walked back to Ithilien, and there they had left Faramir. They had to work to repair the damage the orcs had done during their brief return. But he gave them horses to speed their journey. The company passed onwards, and managed to forget their pain. Merry and Pippin were soon talking and laughing cheerfully again, and their happiness soon began to infect the others. By the time they reached the gates of Minas Tirith, the wounds the last few days had put in their hearts were healing well. Sal only wished the wounds of his body were healing as quickly. His leg was sore, and the riding hadn't done anything to help it, and his chest throbbed painfully with each breath. The king had done all he could to heal him, but the body takes time to repair itself, no matter how good the healer may be.
Still, they were a cheerful party when they passed through the gates of Minas Tirith and rode towards the citadel in the centre. The people in the streets looked at them curiously, surprised to see the mix of elf, dwarf and halfling.
Suddenly Sal noticed Bergil, watching from the doorway of a house. He looked at Sal for a moment, and then looked away. Then they had passed him. Sal realised how little he had thought of Bergil since this business began. Bergil must have been so worried, not knowing what had happened to him. Sal hoped he hadn't been feeling too guilty about it.
They came shortly to the stables, and dismounted. Sal wanted to go and find Bergil, but knew he couldn't leave without the king's permission. When the king noticed him shifting impatiently from foot to foot he laughed.
"Go, if you must," he said, "but you are to come to the Tower of Ecthelion at sunset, your parents too." Then the king smiled as another idea struck him, "Your friend Bergil can come too if he wishes." Sal knew he was planning something, but it wasn't wise to ask. He supposed he would find out soon enough, so he ran back through to city to his home.
His mother hugged him as soon as he came in.
"We were afraid for you?" she said.
"I'm all right," he said.
His father didn't say much, but that was normal. He put his hand on Sal's shoulder and smiled. That told Sal everything he needed to know.
Suddenly the door opened, and Bergil rushed in without even knocking. He flung his arms round Sal, rather too tightly. Sal let out a gasp of pain, and Bergil backed away quickly.
"I'm sorry," he said concerned, then repeated, "I'm sorry." Sal knew what the other thing was he was sorry about.
"Don't be," Sal said, "I'm all right."
"What happened?" Bergil asked.
"I gave my oath to the king that I wouldn't tell anyone."
"Why?"
"Because he decided it was for the best." Sal turned to his parents. "He says we are to go to the Tower of Ecthelion at sunset. And you, Bergil."
"Why me?"
"I don't know. I didn't dare ask him." Bergil looked puzzled and a little afraid. Sal wondered about telling him he would be all right, but decided to get revenge for his teasing by letting him worry.
***
As the sun set, the tower shone like a red flame. Lords and nobles of Gondor were gathered in the throne room. Bergil and Sal's parents were among them, watching. Sal stood with Merry, Pippin, Legolas and Gimli in front of the throne where King Elessar sat.
"There are people in history who have done much to serve Gondor, and yet gain little from it," the king said. "Therefore, from today, those who do a great service to Gondor and her king, will receive a token which they may where with honour, whatever race they may be. I award this token to those who have done much for the sake of this city and her people." He called out the names of the four members of the fellowship in turn, and they stepped up to the throne, returning to their places with something silver pinned to their chests.
"Salafir," the king called finally. Sal could imagine the surprise on Bergil's face as he walked up to the throne. The king smiled and pinned to his chest a silver broach, shaped like the white tree of Gondor.
"Remember," the king said in a low voice, "if the truth cannot be told, rumour will create a deed even Frodo Baggins could not have done." Sal smiled back at him, then turned and walked back to his place in the line. He looked over at where Bergil stood, open-mouthed in shock. Together, the five faced those who had gathered, and stood as their names were cheered by the people of Gondor. Sal saw his parents beaming with pride, and smiled so widely he thought his mouth might split. Only a few days ago he had been afraid of being executed as a traitor. Now he stood before the people of Gondor as a hero.
***
Author's note: A nice happy ending for you all. This is the final chapter, but there will be a sequel. Don't worry about that.
***
The journey back to Minas Tirith was uneventful. They walked back to Ithilien, and there they had left Faramir. They had to work to repair the damage the orcs had done during their brief return. But he gave them horses to speed their journey. The company passed onwards, and managed to forget their pain. Merry and Pippin were soon talking and laughing cheerfully again, and their happiness soon began to infect the others. By the time they reached the gates of Minas Tirith, the wounds the last few days had put in their hearts were healing well. Sal only wished the wounds of his body were healing as quickly. His leg was sore, and the riding hadn't done anything to help it, and his chest throbbed painfully with each breath. The king had done all he could to heal him, but the body takes time to repair itself, no matter how good the healer may be.
Still, they were a cheerful party when they passed through the gates of Minas Tirith and rode towards the citadel in the centre. The people in the streets looked at them curiously, surprised to see the mix of elf, dwarf and halfling.
Suddenly Sal noticed Bergil, watching from the doorway of a house. He looked at Sal for a moment, and then looked away. Then they had passed him. Sal realised how little he had thought of Bergil since this business began. Bergil must have been so worried, not knowing what had happened to him. Sal hoped he hadn't been feeling too guilty about it.
They came shortly to the stables, and dismounted. Sal wanted to go and find Bergil, but knew he couldn't leave without the king's permission. When the king noticed him shifting impatiently from foot to foot he laughed.
"Go, if you must," he said, "but you are to come to the Tower of Ecthelion at sunset, your parents too." Then the king smiled as another idea struck him, "Your friend Bergil can come too if he wishes." Sal knew he was planning something, but it wasn't wise to ask. He supposed he would find out soon enough, so he ran back through to city to his home.
His mother hugged him as soon as he came in.
"We were afraid for you?" she said.
"I'm all right," he said.
His father didn't say much, but that was normal. He put his hand on Sal's shoulder and smiled. That told Sal everything he needed to know.
Suddenly the door opened, and Bergil rushed in without even knocking. He flung his arms round Sal, rather too tightly. Sal let out a gasp of pain, and Bergil backed away quickly.
"I'm sorry," he said concerned, then repeated, "I'm sorry." Sal knew what the other thing was he was sorry about.
"Don't be," Sal said, "I'm all right."
"What happened?" Bergil asked.
"I gave my oath to the king that I wouldn't tell anyone."
"Why?"
"Because he decided it was for the best." Sal turned to his parents. "He says we are to go to the Tower of Ecthelion at sunset. And you, Bergil."
"Why me?"
"I don't know. I didn't dare ask him." Bergil looked puzzled and a little afraid. Sal wondered about telling him he would be all right, but decided to get revenge for his teasing by letting him worry.
***
As the sun set, the tower shone like a red flame. Lords and nobles of Gondor were gathered in the throne room. Bergil and Sal's parents were among them, watching. Sal stood with Merry, Pippin, Legolas and Gimli in front of the throne where King Elessar sat.
"There are people in history who have done much to serve Gondor, and yet gain little from it," the king said. "Therefore, from today, those who do a great service to Gondor and her king, will receive a token which they may where with honour, whatever race they may be. I award this token to those who have done much for the sake of this city and her people." He called out the names of the four members of the fellowship in turn, and they stepped up to the throne, returning to their places with something silver pinned to their chests.
"Salafir," the king called finally. Sal could imagine the surprise on Bergil's face as he walked up to the throne. The king smiled and pinned to his chest a silver broach, shaped like the white tree of Gondor.
"Remember," the king said in a low voice, "if the truth cannot be told, rumour will create a deed even Frodo Baggins could not have done." Sal smiled back at him, then turned and walked back to his place in the line. He looked over at where Bergil stood, open-mouthed in shock. Together, the five faced those who had gathered, and stood as their names were cheered by the people of Gondor. Sal saw his parents beaming with pride, and smiled so widely he thought his mouth might split. Only a few days ago he had been afraid of being executed as a traitor. Now he stood before the people of Gondor as a hero.
***
Author's note: A nice happy ending for you all. This is the final chapter, but there will be a sequel. Don't worry about that.