Three
* *It just occurred to me that I haven't done my usual disclaimer-y thing!! Whoops!! So, here goes…no, I don't own the LotR characters/storyline/ingeniousness/anything. Erin is my creation, and no, she isn't a Mary-Sue, I promise. It may look like that, but anyone who knows me will tell you otherwise. And yes, I KNOW that Boromir and Faramir didn't have a foster-sister, but once more you find me taking liberties with the plot. Apologies to anyone offended by this; I love the world of Middle-Earth as much as anyone, but this helps keep me sane. If you don't like it, don't read it!! Oh, and it was kindly pointed out to me that Erin's background isn't very clear. I'll try and sort that out this chapter!!* *
The following morning, although still a little weak, Erin resisted all attempts to make her stay in bed and insisted that she leave the Houses of Healing. Hearing this, Gandalf paid her a visit, and told her everything; of the finding of the Ring, of the Council of Elrond, of the Fellowship's journey. He explained how the battles had been fought and won around her city, how Faramir had bravely proven himself a thousand times over. And then he told her, as gently as he could of the death of Denethor, and Erin paled.
"Dead?" she asked in a whisper. "My Lord Denethor is dead?"
"I am afraid so, my lady," Gandalf replied, and Erin sank onto a chair. "The evil of Mordor had corrupted his mind. He was not himself when he died, nor should you remember him that way."
Erin looked up at him, trembling.
"Faramir…" she murmured, and Gandalf nodded, understanding.
"He does not yet know, Erin," he told her gently, "for he does not have the strength yet in him."
"Then am I to be the keeper of such grave tidings?" she wondered, getting shakily to her feet and crossing to the window. Below her, she could see the city bustling with early-morning activity, and the camp of Aragorn and his men just beyond the city walls. "And the bearer of ill news?"
"It is a hard thing to bear," Gandalf agreed, "but you do not have to bear it alone. Others in the city know of his death, and it does not have to be you who tells him so."
Erin turned to face him, a sad smile on her lips.
"I was taken in by Lord Denethor when I was but a few years old," she said softly, a dim and distant light in her eyes. "My mother died in childbed, and my father, who was a great friend and companion of Denethor, was dead before my third birthday. I barely remember him. But I was looked after by the nurse of both Boromir and Faramir from birth, and when my father died Lord Denethor took me in as his own. He did not have to, for he had two sons to raise without a wife, the lady Finduilas having died before I was born, but out of love for my father he did so. He was ever as a father to me, and I was never treated any differently to his own children. We were raised as brothers and sister, and as they loved me, so I loved them more."
Here she paused, and Gandalf nodded, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I understand," he said gently. "None shall speak of this to Faramir save you, and you yourself shall judge when he is ready. I shall re-inform the Warden of this."
Erin smiled.
"Thank you, Mithrandir," she answered him. "Thank you…"
For the rest of the morning, Erin was left mostly to her own thoughts. She was informed by Pippin, the Halfling who had been present in the chamber the day she had taken sick, that Mithrandir and the other captains were debating the best course of action, and accepted his invitation to join him and his friend. Here, she was introduced to his kinsman Meriadoc, who bowed when they were introduced and expressed his sorrow at the loss of her foster-brother Boromir, and she smiled at him kindly.
"Boromir ever thought of others before himself," she said, "and I am honoured to know that he did not die in vain."
She sat with the two in the garden talking for a while, and they were soon joined by an Elf and a Dwarf, both of whom bowed low to her.
"Gimli, son of Gloin at your service, lady," the dwarf announced, and his companion also smiled.
"I am Legolas, my lady," he told her, and Erin smiled back.
"I am Erin, foster-sister to Faramir and Boromir your companions," she said, trying not to show her surprise, for she had never seen Elves or Dwarves; but she was glad that they, too, had survived the battles so far unscathed, for they spoke admiringly of both her foster-brothers and their bravery.
After a short time, she left the Hobbits and their friends talking to each other, and wandered through the Houses of Healing. She spent a few moments with Faramir, instructing him NOT to try to leave his bed for at least another day and, promising to return to sit with him later, she kissed him and returned to her room, where she began to silently contemplate all that she had been told.
The knock on the door startled her. It was Gandalf, bringing with him Aragorn, Eomer, and another man whom Gandalf introduced as Imrahil, Prince of Dol Amroth.
"We have come with news, Erin," the wizard told her. "Aragorn is to lead a great company of men and horses from this city two days from now, to assail the gates of the lord of Mordor."
"Vengeance for my lord Denethor and others," Erin muttered, and Aragorn nodded.
"For all," he told her gently, "but we will give you vengeance for the murders of those you have lost."
Erin nodded, and Gandalf continued, "We shall not leave this great city unguarded, however. Imrahil is, at present, placed in the stead of the Steward, at least until Faramir recovers his strength and he is obliged to see that you are well protected."
Looking surprised, Erin turned to Imrahil, and he bowed to her.
"My lady, we will leave you with some three thousand men out upon the West Road," he told her. "And the guards of the city will mostly remain here to protect you."
"On behalf of my foster-brother and my people, I thank you," Erin replied, and Gandalf smiled.
"Ah, but there is more!" he told her his eyes twinkling. "For what use is an army if it has no leader?"
"Surely Prince Imrahil will ride with the captains?" Erin exclaimed, and Gandalf nodded.
"He will indeed," he said, musingly. "And Faramir your foster-brother is not yet well enough to resume his station. Lady Erin," he said gravely, looking her in the eye. "As foster-daughter of the late Steward Denethor, will you hold Minas Tirith in your charge until either Faramir is sufficiently recovered or Imrahil returns, whichever shall come first?"
There was a slight pause. Erin looked around her, at the brave men who had fought for the freedom of her city; at Gandalf, ever loyal to helping Denethor despite their differences; at Imrahil, who had taken the place of the Steward willingly, even though he had his own people to care for; at Aragorn, who had done so much for her and her surrogate family; and finally at Eomer, who had vowed the loyalty and allegiance of Rohan with Gondor, and his own hand in friendship to her. They looked back at her, at her delicate face suddenly set with determination, and it seemed to Aragorn that she suddenly grew in stature.
"Minas Tirith is my home," she said at last, "and I will do whatever is in my power to see its people safe. I cannot ride and fight with you, lords, but nor shall I lay idle. If you see fit to give charge of this fair city to me, so shall I be charged. I will keep the city safe until one more suited to the cause returns to power."
Aragorn suddenly smiled at her.
"Then, gentlemen," he announced, "I believe we are leaving this fair city and its people in more than capable hands…"
* *It just occurred to me that I haven't done my usual disclaimer-y thing!! Whoops!! So, here goes…no, I don't own the LotR characters/storyline/ingeniousness/anything. Erin is my creation, and no, she isn't a Mary-Sue, I promise. It may look like that, but anyone who knows me will tell you otherwise. And yes, I KNOW that Boromir and Faramir didn't have a foster-sister, but once more you find me taking liberties with the plot. Apologies to anyone offended by this; I love the world of Middle-Earth as much as anyone, but this helps keep me sane. If you don't like it, don't read it!! Oh, and it was kindly pointed out to me that Erin's background isn't very clear. I'll try and sort that out this chapter!!* *
The following morning, although still a little weak, Erin resisted all attempts to make her stay in bed and insisted that she leave the Houses of Healing. Hearing this, Gandalf paid her a visit, and told her everything; of the finding of the Ring, of the Council of Elrond, of the Fellowship's journey. He explained how the battles had been fought and won around her city, how Faramir had bravely proven himself a thousand times over. And then he told her, as gently as he could of the death of Denethor, and Erin paled.
"Dead?" she asked in a whisper. "My Lord Denethor is dead?"
"I am afraid so, my lady," Gandalf replied, and Erin sank onto a chair. "The evil of Mordor had corrupted his mind. He was not himself when he died, nor should you remember him that way."
Erin looked up at him, trembling.
"Faramir…" she murmured, and Gandalf nodded, understanding.
"He does not yet know, Erin," he told her gently, "for he does not have the strength yet in him."
"Then am I to be the keeper of such grave tidings?" she wondered, getting shakily to her feet and crossing to the window. Below her, she could see the city bustling with early-morning activity, and the camp of Aragorn and his men just beyond the city walls. "And the bearer of ill news?"
"It is a hard thing to bear," Gandalf agreed, "but you do not have to bear it alone. Others in the city know of his death, and it does not have to be you who tells him so."
Erin turned to face him, a sad smile on her lips.
"I was taken in by Lord Denethor when I was but a few years old," she said softly, a dim and distant light in her eyes. "My mother died in childbed, and my father, who was a great friend and companion of Denethor, was dead before my third birthday. I barely remember him. But I was looked after by the nurse of both Boromir and Faramir from birth, and when my father died Lord Denethor took me in as his own. He did not have to, for he had two sons to raise without a wife, the lady Finduilas having died before I was born, but out of love for my father he did so. He was ever as a father to me, and I was never treated any differently to his own children. We were raised as brothers and sister, and as they loved me, so I loved them more."
Here she paused, and Gandalf nodded, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I understand," he said gently. "None shall speak of this to Faramir save you, and you yourself shall judge when he is ready. I shall re-inform the Warden of this."
Erin smiled.
"Thank you, Mithrandir," she answered him. "Thank you…"
For the rest of the morning, Erin was left mostly to her own thoughts. She was informed by Pippin, the Halfling who had been present in the chamber the day she had taken sick, that Mithrandir and the other captains were debating the best course of action, and accepted his invitation to join him and his friend. Here, she was introduced to his kinsman Meriadoc, who bowed when they were introduced and expressed his sorrow at the loss of her foster-brother Boromir, and she smiled at him kindly.
"Boromir ever thought of others before himself," she said, "and I am honoured to know that he did not die in vain."
She sat with the two in the garden talking for a while, and they were soon joined by an Elf and a Dwarf, both of whom bowed low to her.
"Gimli, son of Gloin at your service, lady," the dwarf announced, and his companion also smiled.
"I am Legolas, my lady," he told her, and Erin smiled back.
"I am Erin, foster-sister to Faramir and Boromir your companions," she said, trying not to show her surprise, for she had never seen Elves or Dwarves; but she was glad that they, too, had survived the battles so far unscathed, for they spoke admiringly of both her foster-brothers and their bravery.
After a short time, she left the Hobbits and their friends talking to each other, and wandered through the Houses of Healing. She spent a few moments with Faramir, instructing him NOT to try to leave his bed for at least another day and, promising to return to sit with him later, she kissed him and returned to her room, where she began to silently contemplate all that she had been told.
The knock on the door startled her. It was Gandalf, bringing with him Aragorn, Eomer, and another man whom Gandalf introduced as Imrahil, Prince of Dol Amroth.
"We have come with news, Erin," the wizard told her. "Aragorn is to lead a great company of men and horses from this city two days from now, to assail the gates of the lord of Mordor."
"Vengeance for my lord Denethor and others," Erin muttered, and Aragorn nodded.
"For all," he told her gently, "but we will give you vengeance for the murders of those you have lost."
Erin nodded, and Gandalf continued, "We shall not leave this great city unguarded, however. Imrahil is, at present, placed in the stead of the Steward, at least until Faramir recovers his strength and he is obliged to see that you are well protected."
Looking surprised, Erin turned to Imrahil, and he bowed to her.
"My lady, we will leave you with some three thousand men out upon the West Road," he told her. "And the guards of the city will mostly remain here to protect you."
"On behalf of my foster-brother and my people, I thank you," Erin replied, and Gandalf smiled.
"Ah, but there is more!" he told her his eyes twinkling. "For what use is an army if it has no leader?"
"Surely Prince Imrahil will ride with the captains?" Erin exclaimed, and Gandalf nodded.
"He will indeed," he said, musingly. "And Faramir your foster-brother is not yet well enough to resume his station. Lady Erin," he said gravely, looking her in the eye. "As foster-daughter of the late Steward Denethor, will you hold Minas Tirith in your charge until either Faramir is sufficiently recovered or Imrahil returns, whichever shall come first?"
There was a slight pause. Erin looked around her, at the brave men who had fought for the freedom of her city; at Gandalf, ever loyal to helping Denethor despite their differences; at Imrahil, who had taken the place of the Steward willingly, even though he had his own people to care for; at Aragorn, who had done so much for her and her surrogate family; and finally at Eomer, who had vowed the loyalty and allegiance of Rohan with Gondor, and his own hand in friendship to her. They looked back at her, at her delicate face suddenly set with determination, and it seemed to Aragorn that she suddenly grew in stature.
"Minas Tirith is my home," she said at last, "and I will do whatever is in my power to see its people safe. I cannot ride and fight with you, lords, but nor shall I lay idle. If you see fit to give charge of this fair city to me, so shall I be charged. I will keep the city safe until one more suited to the cause returns to power."
Aragorn suddenly smiled at her.
"Then, gentlemen," he announced, "I believe we are leaving this fair city and its people in more than capable hands…"