Disclaimer: The Lord of the rings and all its characters belong to J.R.R.
Tolkien.
Summary: The setting is post-RoTK. A renewed attack by a band of Southrons sees Faramir, Legolas and Gimli set off to Ithilien soon after Aragorn's coronation. Faramir and Legolas are yet to build their settlements in Ithilien.
Ah reviews, here goes:
Gemstone - my first reviewer, cool! I'll try to get the updates up quick
Susan, thank you for reviewing, I'm glad you liked it.
IceAngel - good to hear from you, the bit about Gandalf and Boromir was more for Gandalf to console Faramir, Imrahil could have, but I felt since Gandalf had been with the fellowship, it would sound better from him, even though he wasn't actually there when Bormoir died. I'm trying to work on the changing viewpoint thingy, hope it works out fine:-) I don't mind the hints, it's my first fanfic so they'll help immensely
Ithilien lay basking in the sun, a land surrounded by mountains to the east and north, and the river Anduin to the west. Across the river in the far distance lay the white mountains of Gondor.
The journey was outwardly quiet, but the minds of all involved still had memories of the days before the defeat of the dark forces, so that the aim of their journey still remained uppermost in their thoughts, and each of them kept their eyes open for any sign of anything untoward.
"Aragorn has sent emissaries to Harad, has he not? Do they not want peace with Gondor?" Gimli asked, "Who then are these?"
"Some within Harad do not agree with that," Faramir responded, "Or perhaps they send them knowingly looking to weaken us when we do not expect it."
"This a fair land," Gimli told him, thinking back to the days after the war when the company had rested there before proceeding to Minas Tirth for Aragorn's coronation as king.
"Yes, it was once the fairest land in Gondor," Faramir replied.
Ithilien had once been known as the garden of Gondor. It had since been besieged by the forces of Mordor repeatedly, the Nazgul and Uruks had over many years caused more and more of its inhabitants to flee the land, and then finally when the flames of Mount doom began to flare up again the last few inhabitants of Ithilien had crossed over the Anduin that snaked its silvery way through the land. Some had become rangers like those accompanying the company now. Damrod and Mablung both were descendants of men who had once inhabited this land.
For many years Faramir had captained the rangers in these forests and they had patrolled the land between the Ephel Duath that surrounded the dark land of Mordor and the River Anduin, using the secret strongholds built by Turin II in their endeavour to keep Gondor safe, waiting for the day when the garden of Gondor would be restored to its former glory, but unsure whether they would live to see it. Not only did they have to guard Gondor from the orcs and other forces of the enemy but also from the men from Harad. The Southron regiments from Harad used the old roads built by the men of Gondor to send their regiments to join the dark host from Mordor.
With the defeat of the forces of Mordor, it seemed that would happen. Aragorn had given Faramir Ithilien as his princedom and bade him make a home in Emyn Arnen, within sight of Minas Tirth, and Legolas too wanted to bring his elven folk to these forests.
But right now, it seemed troubles were still destined to visit Ithilien. Little was known of the band of Southrons that had been reported as seen in the forests of north Ithilien, but Faramir could feel inwardly that it did not augur well. Harad lay well to the south, and there was little reason for their men to be here now. All the same, a close watch was being kept by the rangers in the south on the Harad road, and Aragorn's emissaries in Harad had been entrusted with the task of keeping their ears well open.
They had ridden hard until the sun hung low in the sky, peering out through bands of clouds streaking across, indicating the possibility of rain. When the shadows began to lengthen the rangers led them towards one of the secret strongholds that were to be found all over the forests. A small copse of pines hid a small rocky hill with a stream flowing by. The narrowest of passages through those rocks led to a cave-like enclosure, where the stream had probably flown at one time.
"We can spend the night there," Faramir told them as they headed towards the copse, "It is quite safe, as the passage allows only one person to enter at a time."
Legolas frowned slightly when he heard this. Like most of his ilk, he had no love for dark, enclosed spaces. Gimli had no problems however. Faramir and the rangers had lived in places like this often and they too had no problem.
"What of the horses?" Legolas asked, "they will not like being inside an enclosure like that, and we cannot leave them outside."
Damrod shook his head, "No, we will not be in the cave, a passage leads out of the enclosure to a small open space surrounded by cliffs on all sides. They are very steep cliffs. We often camped out there. The cave is very damp because the stream is so close. There are only two ways in or out, the other is to the opposite side. It is as narrow as the passage you enter by. There is no fear of ambush."
"But my friend the elf here, likes sleeping in caves," Gimli exclaimed wickedly, getting a very hard glare in response.
They urged their mounts continuing to keep a careful lookout for anything out of place. The rocky hill was still some distance away, when they noticed the signs they had been looking for.
"People have been this way recently," Legolas confirmed as they examined the ground around them. Even in the fading light, the signs of movement of a number of feet was noticeable.
"Where would they be headed?" Gimli inquired.
"The enemy had its hideouts in these forests too," Faramir said, "We located as many of the orc hideouts as we could but not all. It is possible the Haradhrrhim got to know of them too. We are not far from where the band was spotted."
The presence of unfriendly forces soon became quite noticeable as a series of arrows suddenly flew through the air.
To be continued..
Summary: The setting is post-RoTK. A renewed attack by a band of Southrons sees Faramir, Legolas and Gimli set off to Ithilien soon after Aragorn's coronation. Faramir and Legolas are yet to build their settlements in Ithilien.
Ah reviews, here goes:
Gemstone - my first reviewer, cool! I'll try to get the updates up quick
Susan, thank you for reviewing, I'm glad you liked it.
IceAngel - good to hear from you, the bit about Gandalf and Boromir was more for Gandalf to console Faramir, Imrahil could have, but I felt since Gandalf had been with the fellowship, it would sound better from him, even though he wasn't actually there when Bormoir died. I'm trying to work on the changing viewpoint thingy, hope it works out fine:-) I don't mind the hints, it's my first fanfic so they'll help immensely
Ithilien lay basking in the sun, a land surrounded by mountains to the east and north, and the river Anduin to the west. Across the river in the far distance lay the white mountains of Gondor.
The journey was outwardly quiet, but the minds of all involved still had memories of the days before the defeat of the dark forces, so that the aim of their journey still remained uppermost in their thoughts, and each of them kept their eyes open for any sign of anything untoward.
"Aragorn has sent emissaries to Harad, has he not? Do they not want peace with Gondor?" Gimli asked, "Who then are these?"
"Some within Harad do not agree with that," Faramir responded, "Or perhaps they send them knowingly looking to weaken us when we do not expect it."
"This a fair land," Gimli told him, thinking back to the days after the war when the company had rested there before proceeding to Minas Tirth for Aragorn's coronation as king.
"Yes, it was once the fairest land in Gondor," Faramir replied.
Ithilien had once been known as the garden of Gondor. It had since been besieged by the forces of Mordor repeatedly, the Nazgul and Uruks had over many years caused more and more of its inhabitants to flee the land, and then finally when the flames of Mount doom began to flare up again the last few inhabitants of Ithilien had crossed over the Anduin that snaked its silvery way through the land. Some had become rangers like those accompanying the company now. Damrod and Mablung both were descendants of men who had once inhabited this land.
For many years Faramir had captained the rangers in these forests and they had patrolled the land between the Ephel Duath that surrounded the dark land of Mordor and the River Anduin, using the secret strongholds built by Turin II in their endeavour to keep Gondor safe, waiting for the day when the garden of Gondor would be restored to its former glory, but unsure whether they would live to see it. Not only did they have to guard Gondor from the orcs and other forces of the enemy but also from the men from Harad. The Southron regiments from Harad used the old roads built by the men of Gondor to send their regiments to join the dark host from Mordor.
With the defeat of the forces of Mordor, it seemed that would happen. Aragorn had given Faramir Ithilien as his princedom and bade him make a home in Emyn Arnen, within sight of Minas Tirth, and Legolas too wanted to bring his elven folk to these forests.
But right now, it seemed troubles were still destined to visit Ithilien. Little was known of the band of Southrons that had been reported as seen in the forests of north Ithilien, but Faramir could feel inwardly that it did not augur well. Harad lay well to the south, and there was little reason for their men to be here now. All the same, a close watch was being kept by the rangers in the south on the Harad road, and Aragorn's emissaries in Harad had been entrusted with the task of keeping their ears well open.
They had ridden hard until the sun hung low in the sky, peering out through bands of clouds streaking across, indicating the possibility of rain. When the shadows began to lengthen the rangers led them towards one of the secret strongholds that were to be found all over the forests. A small copse of pines hid a small rocky hill with a stream flowing by. The narrowest of passages through those rocks led to a cave-like enclosure, where the stream had probably flown at one time.
"We can spend the night there," Faramir told them as they headed towards the copse, "It is quite safe, as the passage allows only one person to enter at a time."
Legolas frowned slightly when he heard this. Like most of his ilk, he had no love for dark, enclosed spaces. Gimli had no problems however. Faramir and the rangers had lived in places like this often and they too had no problem.
"What of the horses?" Legolas asked, "they will not like being inside an enclosure like that, and we cannot leave them outside."
Damrod shook his head, "No, we will not be in the cave, a passage leads out of the enclosure to a small open space surrounded by cliffs on all sides. They are very steep cliffs. We often camped out there. The cave is very damp because the stream is so close. There are only two ways in or out, the other is to the opposite side. It is as narrow as the passage you enter by. There is no fear of ambush."
"But my friend the elf here, likes sleeping in caves," Gimli exclaimed wickedly, getting a very hard glare in response.
They urged their mounts continuing to keep a careful lookout for anything out of place. The rocky hill was still some distance away, when they noticed the signs they had been looking for.
"People have been this way recently," Legolas confirmed as they examined the ground around them. Even in the fading light, the signs of movement of a number of feet was noticeable.
"Where would they be headed?" Gimli inquired.
"The enemy had its hideouts in these forests too," Faramir said, "We located as many of the orc hideouts as we could but not all. It is possible the Haradhrrhim got to know of them too. We are not far from where the band was spotted."
The presence of unfriendly forces soon became quite noticeable as a series of arrows suddenly flew through the air.
To be continued..