Osgiliath
Aragorn watched her leave, walking away, towards the white city. The city that had brought so much pain and destruction to his life.
"you are not to blame for the fall of Gondor, like many cities, they have their faults, she needs you Aragorn". A voice said from behind him.
"she has her rangers to help her". He answered.
"I speak of Gondor, I have never known you to be afraid Estel". Aragorn turned and looked at legolas.
"I'm not afraid, I just don't know which path to take".
"is it that hard to choose?, mirkwood has suffered Aragorn, do you think I would abandon her because of fear that I would fail her?, I would only give her more then my best". Wise words from an elf. "Isilme has kept her safe, but now the eye is awake, and one elf and a world of mortals can only do so much". Legolas concluded.
Aragorn sighed.
"after helms deep, I will go to her". Aragorn decided. Legolas smiled at that.
"I will go with you, I would not abandon you to such trying times".
Aragorn noted the sarcasm in the elf's voice. "strong words for one who is the only elf in these lands".
"not so, there is another, and she can fight like any other". Legolas came back laughing.
Gandalf watched the two.
Each man faced his own destiny. And Aragorn had chosen his. Isilme had timed her arrival well, even though for an elf she was aggressive, she took after her father in that, Gil-Galad did not beat around the bush when he had a point to be made. She had his strength as well. She was a noble warrior, as well as a beautiful maiden. ********************************************************
Isilme reached Osgiliath, she had traveled all night without rest. One of her rangers met her and escorted her in.
"my lady, the captain will be pleased you have finally arrived home". Isilme took a moment to view the city as it was.
It was coming down. And the nazgul had begun their attack the day before. Ahead of schedule.
"grima, you have earned your ticket to the other side". She said under her breath.
"my lady?" the ranger asked.
"nothing, I was speaking to myself, where is Faramir?"
she was led to a small yard. There were many men about who immediately separated when they saw her. Each bowed to her slightly in respect.
Faramir smiled broadly when he spied her.
"my lady, you are home".
"I am, what news here?" she asked coming abreast him.
"the nazgul attacked last night, those creatures they fly, are strong and big, but we are confident that Osgiliath will stand".
"she cannot fall faramir, Minas cannot lose her sister, we are fighting with arrows?"
"we are my lady". Another ranger answered. Faramir nodded.
She bowed her head. How could they fight such huge creatures that were the spawn of something so evil. "my lady?" the question came so soft that she had to look up to make sure she had heard it at all.
"tis nothing captain, I am thinking how else we can fight these creatures".
"they want the ringbearer". Someone said. Isilme spun around.
"the ringbearer is here?" she asked.
"aye, we brought them in not long ago".
"who is them?" she replied.
"the ringbearer, his servant and a creature, I think they said his name was Gollum".
"I must see this creature".
They took her to where they had the threesome.
She knelt in front of the ringbearer. Its not that she knew that he was the ringbearer but like all elves she could feel the evil emanating from the object he wore around his neck.
"I do not want the ring Halfling, I have nothing to gain by it". She told him softly.
They looked at her with distrust. "have you eaten?"
"no, you have treated us poorly, so much highness spoken of Minas Tirith and we have yet to see it". The pudgy Halfling told her.
She smiled. "that is because you are not in Minas my friend, but in her sister city Osgiliath, what are your names?"
"I am Frodo". The ringbearer told her. Drawing her attention back to him. She nodded then looked at the other.
"sam, samwise gamgee".
"welcome to Osgiliath Frodo and samwise gamgee of the shire, I am Isilme".
"how do you know we're from the shire and what kind of name is that for a mortal?" sam asked before Frodo could hush him for asking imprudent questions.
"I will answer both with one answer, I am elf kind, and I haven't always been in Gondor, I am a ranger, I have traveled your fair lands while visiting mirkwood". She replied.
"mirkwood?" samwise asked.
She nodded. "then have you met legolas? He is the prince of mirkwood". The Halfling said that with such pride that Isilme tried hard not to laugh.
"legolas and I are old friends, he sends you greetings". A lie, but it would give them hope. "you saw him?" they asked.
"I did, in Rohan, Aragorn and Gandalf are there, they are happy that you are safe with us". She did not mention that she had not known until recently that they were here, or that legolas, Aragorn or Gandalf did not know that either.
"will they come?" Frodo asked.
"they fight a battle at helm's deep". She answered. She stood up. Faramir touched her arm.
"rohan is at war?" he asked.
"uruk hai, a new breed of saruman, they will attack them soon, mordor is attacking from all sides, from orthanc and us from baradur". He nodded.
Something was not right with faramir, he seemed detached, sad somehow. She looked back at the Halflings. "where is the creature? The one you are master to?" she asked Frodo.
He pointed to the corner. She went over, the creature had its back to her.
"speak to me Gollum, I would hear your words". She whispered to it, kneeling.
"they took the precious, they stole it from us".
"the halflings?" she asked. "it was given to them by a cousin".
Frodo shuddered. This elf knew more then they had informed her. How did she know so much?
Gollum looked at her. She gasped. So much pain in those blue eyes. She felt his pain.
"faramir, take the halflings to the mess, give them some food". She ordered. Not taking her eyes off Gollum.
"wheres they taking my master?" Gollum asked. She held up her hand to stop him from leaping forward. His eyes were drawn back to her.
"faramir, take them to the mess". She re-ordered. Hearing the shuffling of feet that the Halflings made she knew that she was finally alone.
"Gollum, are you taking them in Mordor?"
"we wants it".
"we must know Gollum". She repeated.
"the precious, we don't wants her to be taken back".
"her?" Isilme was amazed. Gollum had given the ring a gender. The temptation the ring had over him, it was like a lover bidding her mate to come back and to retrieve her.
Why wasn't the hobbit affected? No correct yourself Isilme, she told herself. He was affected but it showed itself lightly. The Halfling had great will of mind to not fall.
"Gollum, what does she say to you?"
the creatures eyes were drawn to her. A hand reached out. Faramir held his breath, he had stayed behind to guard her.
Isilme stayed still, her hands far from her weapons at her waist.
The hand touched her cheek. "wants her, more beautiful then elven maid".
"Gollum, if you go to mordor, the Halfling will destroy her, are you leading him?"
"we leads him to the black gates, but they not get through, many orcs guard there, we goes another ways, through a tunnel, something hides theres in the darks". He told her.
He removed his hand from her cheek.
Her skin went back to being warm, his hand had been ice cold.
"I thank you Gollum, and I am sorry you were tortured in baradur". The creature gave her the kind of look she had not seen in years. One of torture sustained and lived!.
She stood up.
"how did you know?" faramir asked her.
"I did not, Gandalf did not give much information on Gollum but I heard while scouting".
She looked back at the creature. He had turned his back to them again.
"he leads them to mordor, I will not stand in their way faramir, this ring should have been destroyed by Isildur yet the ring persuaded him otherwise, Elrond tried but the hold was to great, my father died in that battle".
He put his hand on her shoulder as if to comfort her.
Sam looked at Frodo then at the ranger who had brought them to the mess to eat some.
"who is she that everyone follows her rules?"
"she is Isilme".
"that I know, but what is she to you?"
"I have been asked to care for Gondor until her king returns". Came the reply from the door.
They turned to see her. Frodo did not miss seeing how beautiful she was, so different from Arwen the evenstar of the elves.
"are you her queen?"
"in a way, after you eat, I will guide you to the border". She told them.
"who was your father?" the Halfling asked.
Family was important to the hobbits. As they were important to the elves.
She was silent. Noone knew of her true origin exactly except faramir who knew all her secrets.
"My father was the Noldorian King, Gil-Galad". She replied quietly.
All the rangers that were in the mess turned to her.
They had heard of the great elven king, his journies and battle legendary, if anything they held great respect for him. But to have his blood, his daughter here, with them, helping them, to save their world! That was more than any man could ask. Such hope did not exist if it did not come from her. She looked at them.
"my father bequeathed me gondor, I hold her in trust, I would not abandon you, when my own kin are leaving these shores to the Undying Lands". She told them, a hard edge to her voice, faramir stood behind her. He surveyed the men around them, and saw the dawning come into their eyes, as if they finally understood who she was. It was then that Isilme, became their Queen. And they would die for her.
Faramir
Faramir sighed. Here he was staring out, over Osgiliath, and he hated himself for it, instead of wanting to save her. All he wanted was to be out in the forests, with the creatures and. he threw a stone in to the water. Why was he kidding himself. So much at stake now. He shook his head. Since boromir had died. Oh yes, he had found the body, so carefully laid to rest in a boat that was not of mortal origin. Elven built. It had to be. He knelt down on the hard floor and stared at his hands He knew not what to do. His father, was losing hope. And he himself did not have much of it left. The younger son of the steward of gondor, without hope. But men looked up to him.
And then there was his Queen.
Isilme.
A breath of fresh air. So different from the elves he had met in the woods. Yet, that's what he loved about her. Did he mention that he loved her? Yes he thinks he did. He laughed to himself.
He sighed.
Isilme, a dark raven beauty with so much of her father in her. Well he supposed she was like her father. He had never met the man. He laughed even harder. Imagine him knowing Gil-Galad, would he have liked him? Gil-Galad liked the Captain, he corrected himself. Not the other way around.
A tear fell from his eye. He had an unknown churning inside his body. He wanted a different life. So much war could tire a man. And then there was this king. Presumed dead. But he knew that Isilme thought otherwise.
Elves and their damn secrets. What would he think of this king? A runaway, who didn't face his destiny as the gondorians had all their lives?
Would he like him, would he bow to him.
Who knew.
"are you in pain Faramir?" a soft voice asked from the shadows.
"depends, on what you would define as pain". He replied.
"for an elf, it could be many things, often good or bad". She murmured softly. Silence greeted her words.
"would you like me to leave?" she asked him.
He shook his head slowly. She took a few steps forward to be equal to him.
"how was your meeting with Gandalf?" he asked.
"we shared information, Gandalf is like a grandfather to me". She replied.
"it took you a week to do only this?". He asked in awe.
She sighed. "I met with Haldir, we had some things to see to".
She would not discuss her relationship with Haldir to anyone, Haldir was a sensitive topic with her, and she was still distressed about it, their joining had been one of passion, desperation of something that they would never have again, and purest of all loves. No, she would not discuss Haldir with anyone, even the mortal she loved. So she changed the subject.
"you mourn your brother". It was a statement not a question.
"I mourn him, the loss, how empty my life is". He sighed, he noted her change of subject, he was not one to pry. Keep going like this faramir and you'll end up as flat as a blade of grass.
Silence greeted his words.
He looked at her. She wasn't looking at him but out at the lake.
"such beauty there once was, now being destroyed by the darkness". She said so softly he had to bend towards her to catch the words uttered in a moment of thought.
"not all beauty ends, sometimes it nourishes" he told her.
"you are angry with me faramir, I do not know why".
"I don't know myself".
"strange words for a mortal, they boast they know all of the world".
yes he was mortal, and she never let him forget it, no faramir, correct yourself, you never let yourself forget.
Whilst yes you love her, but she is immortal, you will die and she will go on. Such is life. A cruel blow. "Brother, at least you don't have to see me fail this way". He silently told boromir where ever he was.
Isilme turned to look at him.
"when you look at me, its not as if you are looking at me". She told him.
He turned to her, also. "I do not understand".
"you do not see me as your queen". She explained.
"and would you wish it so?" he countered. "I would do anything you asked of me Isilme".
"that is the problem faramir, you are to quick to lend your life to others, you do not see the danger until you are in the puddle, sinking, you must think more of yourself, I never considered myself Gondor's queen, just her keeper until her king decides to take what is his". She told him heatedly.
At that moment she truly believed in hate, for Aragorn, for not claiming his people, when they needed him so much.
"my life is to serve gondor". Faramir replied his own explanation.
"a minute ago you told me you were tired, your life was empty, is gondor empty?"
"must you repeat every word I say?". He asked her heatedly. This was something boromir also did to him.
"when you contradict yourself yes, it serves as a lesson, do you think me so superficial?, do you believe I am not prone to mistakes?, I make them everyday, I am not perfect, but I live with it, we all loose people we love". She told him.
"and whom would you have lost my lady?" a slap in the face if there ever was one.
"too many, (Haldir!)". she yelled out with her mind. She went back to the conversation at hand.
"I feel for your loss faramir, but is the weight of the dead worth risking yours needlessly?". She asked in return.
"I am here melamin". My love. Came haldir's reply.
"to serve my people and lands yes". He replied, faramir's words brought her back to the moment.
"you take the weight of a dead man". She replied.
"my brother - ". She held up her hand, it stopped him.
"I speak not of your brother, I will go before you end up hating me for who I am". She turned and left.
He was about to say something but felt it better not to.
Fool!.
He berated himself.
Isilme
She was so tired.
It just did not end. For thousands of years, she had lived here, roamed the forests and never once had much dealings with her own kin.
Her father, had he seen the injustice he was to make upon her when he had made that agreement with the mortal?
Mortal? Was she beginning to despise them?
She shook her head. Gil-Galad was or had been a wise lord, a king of their people. She remembered him with much fondness in her heart.
He would not have chosen her had he thought she was not up to the task.
She pushed back a raven lock. And smoothed her brow tiredly.
Elves rarely felt the need to sleep, but lately it seemed to invite her. She walked amongst the fallen debris of her city.
The sister of her crown. And wandered over to the peaceful solitude that only one hall gave.
No one ever went there.
She sat on a chair eyeing the temporary throne that had been built there. She had never sat in it, and did not want to. It was not hers by blood and she was not so arrogant to take what was so freely offered.
Or was she?
Faramir, what was she to do with him?
There was a undying attraction there, but no mortal/immortal relationship had ever worked. The elf always died in the end.
No fairytale there.
But she loved him. To death and beyond.
She would enslave herself to him without question, much as arwen did to Aragorn. She threw the cup against the wall.
Its crash echoing against the wall of the entombed hall.
Aragorn how had he come into her mind? - no she must think of faramir, her captain.
"Isilme?" she sighed - again, she recognized that voice. She turned towards it.
"I wish for a moment alone captain". She said softly.
"I understand but the nazgul have begun their attack in earnest". He said striding up to her. She swung her gaze to his, and the ice cold blue of her eyes met his.
"then fight them captain, with elven arrows, I have them in store in the cellar, nazgul are impure, elvish weapons can destroy them". She told him.
His gaze was hard on her.
"are you punishing me for being so truthful earlier? Therefore punishing our people?" he asked softly.
"do not flatter yourself captain, other things apart from the welfare of gondor has been preying on my mind, go and organize the groups, I will be there shortly". She ordered him.
He took a step back. Why was she so cold? He opened his mouth to say something else but she held up her hand.
"please captain do as I ask". Before she turned her head away, he noticed tears in her eyes.
She swung her gaze back as she heard him close the door behind him. Then she let the tears fall.
The emptiness in her heart, the space that Haldir had once occupied.
"Haldir". The pain in her chest was recognizable now. She searched her mind for his.
"I will miss our battles in the moonlight". He told her in a mind link.
"explain to me melamin, I am here".
"I am dying".
Silence.
No.
She knelt on the floor and bent her head to the coldness of the ground.
"legolas". She cried out his name.
"I am coming". Was the faraway reply.
She stood up and walked out of the hall. A new resolve in her heart.
Haldir had died for something that was not a task meant for him. The elves were sacrificing themselves for the sake of mortality. He could have gone to the Undying Lands, but the need of his rank, the lure, the - order of his queen, made his death inexcusable.
She took her bow and quiver of arrows and took up a position on the wall, directly above the attacking nazgul. Why there?
In one moment, she saw the reason. The Halflings had taken shelter in the alcove and the nazgul felt the pull of the ring.
She fired her shot.
The nazgul screamed in pain. At this thing that was protruding out of its back. It burned. It burned like a hot coal pushed into its body.
The creature swung up and flew straight to Isilme. Its rider directing it to her.
She stood her ground.
The creature stopped mid air and just seemed to float in front of her. Facing her, challenging her.
She lowered her bow. And calmly returned the gaze.
"your kind, have polluted this earth enough, is it not time you returned to a place of peace?, or has greed completely taken control of your mind?" she asked.
"I am the witch king she- elf, no one commands me".
"he does, you are a slave to his will, you were once a friend to my kin, you were sorely missed".
The witch king did nothing, just stared at her.
Finally he spoke.
"what is your name she - elf, so I can engrave your name in baradur in your blood?". He asked taunting her.
She smiled dangerously.
"my name is Isilme, queen of gondor, daughter of Gil-Galad, king of the Noldorian Elves, do you think you can remember all that while you sleep in hell?" she asked courteously.
With that she raised her bow and aimed and fired, and hit the nazgul witch king directly in the centre of his face, or where his face would be if only she could see it had it not been for the hood.
It screamed. And it erupted in flames.
The creature turned and flew away looping in the air trying to unload its burning cargo. To which it did.
The witch king falling to the earth burning, no savior in sight.
Aragorn watched her leave, walking away, towards the white city. The city that had brought so much pain and destruction to his life.
"you are not to blame for the fall of Gondor, like many cities, they have their faults, she needs you Aragorn". A voice said from behind him.
"she has her rangers to help her". He answered.
"I speak of Gondor, I have never known you to be afraid Estel". Aragorn turned and looked at legolas.
"I'm not afraid, I just don't know which path to take".
"is it that hard to choose?, mirkwood has suffered Aragorn, do you think I would abandon her because of fear that I would fail her?, I would only give her more then my best". Wise words from an elf. "Isilme has kept her safe, but now the eye is awake, and one elf and a world of mortals can only do so much". Legolas concluded.
Aragorn sighed.
"after helms deep, I will go to her". Aragorn decided. Legolas smiled at that.
"I will go with you, I would not abandon you to such trying times".
Aragorn noted the sarcasm in the elf's voice. "strong words for one who is the only elf in these lands".
"not so, there is another, and she can fight like any other". Legolas came back laughing.
Gandalf watched the two.
Each man faced his own destiny. And Aragorn had chosen his. Isilme had timed her arrival well, even though for an elf she was aggressive, she took after her father in that, Gil-Galad did not beat around the bush when he had a point to be made. She had his strength as well. She was a noble warrior, as well as a beautiful maiden. ********************************************************
Isilme reached Osgiliath, she had traveled all night without rest. One of her rangers met her and escorted her in.
"my lady, the captain will be pleased you have finally arrived home". Isilme took a moment to view the city as it was.
It was coming down. And the nazgul had begun their attack the day before. Ahead of schedule.
"grima, you have earned your ticket to the other side". She said under her breath.
"my lady?" the ranger asked.
"nothing, I was speaking to myself, where is Faramir?"
she was led to a small yard. There were many men about who immediately separated when they saw her. Each bowed to her slightly in respect.
Faramir smiled broadly when he spied her.
"my lady, you are home".
"I am, what news here?" she asked coming abreast him.
"the nazgul attacked last night, those creatures they fly, are strong and big, but we are confident that Osgiliath will stand".
"she cannot fall faramir, Minas cannot lose her sister, we are fighting with arrows?"
"we are my lady". Another ranger answered. Faramir nodded.
She bowed her head. How could they fight such huge creatures that were the spawn of something so evil. "my lady?" the question came so soft that she had to look up to make sure she had heard it at all.
"tis nothing captain, I am thinking how else we can fight these creatures".
"they want the ringbearer". Someone said. Isilme spun around.
"the ringbearer is here?" she asked.
"aye, we brought them in not long ago".
"who is them?" she replied.
"the ringbearer, his servant and a creature, I think they said his name was Gollum".
"I must see this creature".
They took her to where they had the threesome.
She knelt in front of the ringbearer. Its not that she knew that he was the ringbearer but like all elves she could feel the evil emanating from the object he wore around his neck.
"I do not want the ring Halfling, I have nothing to gain by it". She told him softly.
They looked at her with distrust. "have you eaten?"
"no, you have treated us poorly, so much highness spoken of Minas Tirith and we have yet to see it". The pudgy Halfling told her.
She smiled. "that is because you are not in Minas my friend, but in her sister city Osgiliath, what are your names?"
"I am Frodo". The ringbearer told her. Drawing her attention back to him. She nodded then looked at the other.
"sam, samwise gamgee".
"welcome to Osgiliath Frodo and samwise gamgee of the shire, I am Isilme".
"how do you know we're from the shire and what kind of name is that for a mortal?" sam asked before Frodo could hush him for asking imprudent questions.
"I will answer both with one answer, I am elf kind, and I haven't always been in Gondor, I am a ranger, I have traveled your fair lands while visiting mirkwood". She replied.
"mirkwood?" samwise asked.
She nodded. "then have you met legolas? He is the prince of mirkwood". The Halfling said that with such pride that Isilme tried hard not to laugh.
"legolas and I are old friends, he sends you greetings". A lie, but it would give them hope. "you saw him?" they asked.
"I did, in Rohan, Aragorn and Gandalf are there, they are happy that you are safe with us". She did not mention that she had not known until recently that they were here, or that legolas, Aragorn or Gandalf did not know that either.
"will they come?" Frodo asked.
"they fight a battle at helm's deep". She answered. She stood up. Faramir touched her arm.
"rohan is at war?" he asked.
"uruk hai, a new breed of saruman, they will attack them soon, mordor is attacking from all sides, from orthanc and us from baradur". He nodded.
Something was not right with faramir, he seemed detached, sad somehow. She looked back at the Halflings. "where is the creature? The one you are master to?" she asked Frodo.
He pointed to the corner. She went over, the creature had its back to her.
"speak to me Gollum, I would hear your words". She whispered to it, kneeling.
"they took the precious, they stole it from us".
"the halflings?" she asked. "it was given to them by a cousin".
Frodo shuddered. This elf knew more then they had informed her. How did she know so much?
Gollum looked at her. She gasped. So much pain in those blue eyes. She felt his pain.
"faramir, take the halflings to the mess, give them some food". She ordered. Not taking her eyes off Gollum.
"wheres they taking my master?" Gollum asked. She held up her hand to stop him from leaping forward. His eyes were drawn back to her.
"faramir, take them to the mess". She re-ordered. Hearing the shuffling of feet that the Halflings made she knew that she was finally alone.
"Gollum, are you taking them in Mordor?"
"we wants it".
"we must know Gollum". She repeated.
"the precious, we don't wants her to be taken back".
"her?" Isilme was amazed. Gollum had given the ring a gender. The temptation the ring had over him, it was like a lover bidding her mate to come back and to retrieve her.
Why wasn't the hobbit affected? No correct yourself Isilme, she told herself. He was affected but it showed itself lightly. The Halfling had great will of mind to not fall.
"Gollum, what does she say to you?"
the creatures eyes were drawn to her. A hand reached out. Faramir held his breath, he had stayed behind to guard her.
Isilme stayed still, her hands far from her weapons at her waist.
The hand touched her cheek. "wants her, more beautiful then elven maid".
"Gollum, if you go to mordor, the Halfling will destroy her, are you leading him?"
"we leads him to the black gates, but they not get through, many orcs guard there, we goes another ways, through a tunnel, something hides theres in the darks". He told her.
He removed his hand from her cheek.
Her skin went back to being warm, his hand had been ice cold.
"I thank you Gollum, and I am sorry you were tortured in baradur". The creature gave her the kind of look she had not seen in years. One of torture sustained and lived!.
She stood up.
"how did you know?" faramir asked her.
"I did not, Gandalf did not give much information on Gollum but I heard while scouting".
She looked back at the creature. He had turned his back to them again.
"he leads them to mordor, I will not stand in their way faramir, this ring should have been destroyed by Isildur yet the ring persuaded him otherwise, Elrond tried but the hold was to great, my father died in that battle".
He put his hand on her shoulder as if to comfort her.
Sam looked at Frodo then at the ranger who had brought them to the mess to eat some.
"who is she that everyone follows her rules?"
"she is Isilme".
"that I know, but what is she to you?"
"I have been asked to care for Gondor until her king returns". Came the reply from the door.
They turned to see her. Frodo did not miss seeing how beautiful she was, so different from Arwen the evenstar of the elves.
"are you her queen?"
"in a way, after you eat, I will guide you to the border". She told them.
"who was your father?" the Halfling asked.
Family was important to the hobbits. As they were important to the elves.
She was silent. Noone knew of her true origin exactly except faramir who knew all her secrets.
"My father was the Noldorian King, Gil-Galad". She replied quietly.
All the rangers that were in the mess turned to her.
They had heard of the great elven king, his journies and battle legendary, if anything they held great respect for him. But to have his blood, his daughter here, with them, helping them, to save their world! That was more than any man could ask. Such hope did not exist if it did not come from her. She looked at them.
"my father bequeathed me gondor, I hold her in trust, I would not abandon you, when my own kin are leaving these shores to the Undying Lands". She told them, a hard edge to her voice, faramir stood behind her. He surveyed the men around them, and saw the dawning come into their eyes, as if they finally understood who she was. It was then that Isilme, became their Queen. And they would die for her.
Faramir
Faramir sighed. Here he was staring out, over Osgiliath, and he hated himself for it, instead of wanting to save her. All he wanted was to be out in the forests, with the creatures and. he threw a stone in to the water. Why was he kidding himself. So much at stake now. He shook his head. Since boromir had died. Oh yes, he had found the body, so carefully laid to rest in a boat that was not of mortal origin. Elven built. It had to be. He knelt down on the hard floor and stared at his hands He knew not what to do. His father, was losing hope. And he himself did not have much of it left. The younger son of the steward of gondor, without hope. But men looked up to him.
And then there was his Queen.
Isilme.
A breath of fresh air. So different from the elves he had met in the woods. Yet, that's what he loved about her. Did he mention that he loved her? Yes he thinks he did. He laughed to himself.
He sighed.
Isilme, a dark raven beauty with so much of her father in her. Well he supposed she was like her father. He had never met the man. He laughed even harder. Imagine him knowing Gil-Galad, would he have liked him? Gil-Galad liked the Captain, he corrected himself. Not the other way around.
A tear fell from his eye. He had an unknown churning inside his body. He wanted a different life. So much war could tire a man. And then there was this king. Presumed dead. But he knew that Isilme thought otherwise.
Elves and their damn secrets. What would he think of this king? A runaway, who didn't face his destiny as the gondorians had all their lives?
Would he like him, would he bow to him.
Who knew.
"are you in pain Faramir?" a soft voice asked from the shadows.
"depends, on what you would define as pain". He replied.
"for an elf, it could be many things, often good or bad". She murmured softly. Silence greeted her words.
"would you like me to leave?" she asked him.
He shook his head slowly. She took a few steps forward to be equal to him.
"how was your meeting with Gandalf?" he asked.
"we shared information, Gandalf is like a grandfather to me". She replied.
"it took you a week to do only this?". He asked in awe.
She sighed. "I met with Haldir, we had some things to see to".
She would not discuss her relationship with Haldir to anyone, Haldir was a sensitive topic with her, and she was still distressed about it, their joining had been one of passion, desperation of something that they would never have again, and purest of all loves. No, she would not discuss Haldir with anyone, even the mortal she loved. So she changed the subject.
"you mourn your brother". It was a statement not a question.
"I mourn him, the loss, how empty my life is". He sighed, he noted her change of subject, he was not one to pry. Keep going like this faramir and you'll end up as flat as a blade of grass.
Silence greeted his words.
He looked at her. She wasn't looking at him but out at the lake.
"such beauty there once was, now being destroyed by the darkness". She said so softly he had to bend towards her to catch the words uttered in a moment of thought.
"not all beauty ends, sometimes it nourishes" he told her.
"you are angry with me faramir, I do not know why".
"I don't know myself".
"strange words for a mortal, they boast they know all of the world".
yes he was mortal, and she never let him forget it, no faramir, correct yourself, you never let yourself forget.
Whilst yes you love her, but she is immortal, you will die and she will go on. Such is life. A cruel blow. "Brother, at least you don't have to see me fail this way". He silently told boromir where ever he was.
Isilme turned to look at him.
"when you look at me, its not as if you are looking at me". She told him.
He turned to her, also. "I do not understand".
"you do not see me as your queen". She explained.
"and would you wish it so?" he countered. "I would do anything you asked of me Isilme".
"that is the problem faramir, you are to quick to lend your life to others, you do not see the danger until you are in the puddle, sinking, you must think more of yourself, I never considered myself Gondor's queen, just her keeper until her king decides to take what is his". She told him heatedly.
At that moment she truly believed in hate, for Aragorn, for not claiming his people, when they needed him so much.
"my life is to serve gondor". Faramir replied his own explanation.
"a minute ago you told me you were tired, your life was empty, is gondor empty?"
"must you repeat every word I say?". He asked her heatedly. This was something boromir also did to him.
"when you contradict yourself yes, it serves as a lesson, do you think me so superficial?, do you believe I am not prone to mistakes?, I make them everyday, I am not perfect, but I live with it, we all loose people we love". She told him.
"and whom would you have lost my lady?" a slap in the face if there ever was one.
"too many, (Haldir!)". she yelled out with her mind. She went back to the conversation at hand.
"I feel for your loss faramir, but is the weight of the dead worth risking yours needlessly?". She asked in return.
"I am here melamin". My love. Came haldir's reply.
"to serve my people and lands yes". He replied, faramir's words brought her back to the moment.
"you take the weight of a dead man". She replied.
"my brother - ". She held up her hand, it stopped him.
"I speak not of your brother, I will go before you end up hating me for who I am". She turned and left.
He was about to say something but felt it better not to.
Fool!.
He berated himself.
Isilme
She was so tired.
It just did not end. For thousands of years, she had lived here, roamed the forests and never once had much dealings with her own kin.
Her father, had he seen the injustice he was to make upon her when he had made that agreement with the mortal?
Mortal? Was she beginning to despise them?
She shook her head. Gil-Galad was or had been a wise lord, a king of their people. She remembered him with much fondness in her heart.
He would not have chosen her had he thought she was not up to the task.
She pushed back a raven lock. And smoothed her brow tiredly.
Elves rarely felt the need to sleep, but lately it seemed to invite her. She walked amongst the fallen debris of her city.
The sister of her crown. And wandered over to the peaceful solitude that only one hall gave.
No one ever went there.
She sat on a chair eyeing the temporary throne that had been built there. She had never sat in it, and did not want to. It was not hers by blood and she was not so arrogant to take what was so freely offered.
Or was she?
Faramir, what was she to do with him?
There was a undying attraction there, but no mortal/immortal relationship had ever worked. The elf always died in the end.
No fairytale there.
But she loved him. To death and beyond.
She would enslave herself to him without question, much as arwen did to Aragorn. She threw the cup against the wall.
Its crash echoing against the wall of the entombed hall.
Aragorn how had he come into her mind? - no she must think of faramir, her captain.
"Isilme?" she sighed - again, she recognized that voice. She turned towards it.
"I wish for a moment alone captain". She said softly.
"I understand but the nazgul have begun their attack in earnest". He said striding up to her. She swung her gaze to his, and the ice cold blue of her eyes met his.
"then fight them captain, with elven arrows, I have them in store in the cellar, nazgul are impure, elvish weapons can destroy them". She told him.
His gaze was hard on her.
"are you punishing me for being so truthful earlier? Therefore punishing our people?" he asked softly.
"do not flatter yourself captain, other things apart from the welfare of gondor has been preying on my mind, go and organize the groups, I will be there shortly". She ordered him.
He took a step back. Why was she so cold? He opened his mouth to say something else but she held up her hand.
"please captain do as I ask". Before she turned her head away, he noticed tears in her eyes.
She swung her gaze back as she heard him close the door behind him. Then she let the tears fall.
The emptiness in her heart, the space that Haldir had once occupied.
"Haldir". The pain in her chest was recognizable now. She searched her mind for his.
"I will miss our battles in the moonlight". He told her in a mind link.
"explain to me melamin, I am here".
"I am dying".
Silence.
No.
She knelt on the floor and bent her head to the coldness of the ground.
"legolas". She cried out his name.
"I am coming". Was the faraway reply.
She stood up and walked out of the hall. A new resolve in her heart.
Haldir had died for something that was not a task meant for him. The elves were sacrificing themselves for the sake of mortality. He could have gone to the Undying Lands, but the need of his rank, the lure, the - order of his queen, made his death inexcusable.
She took her bow and quiver of arrows and took up a position on the wall, directly above the attacking nazgul. Why there?
In one moment, she saw the reason. The Halflings had taken shelter in the alcove and the nazgul felt the pull of the ring.
She fired her shot.
The nazgul screamed in pain. At this thing that was protruding out of its back. It burned. It burned like a hot coal pushed into its body.
The creature swung up and flew straight to Isilme. Its rider directing it to her.
She stood her ground.
The creature stopped mid air and just seemed to float in front of her. Facing her, challenging her.
She lowered her bow. And calmly returned the gaze.
"your kind, have polluted this earth enough, is it not time you returned to a place of peace?, or has greed completely taken control of your mind?" she asked.
"I am the witch king she- elf, no one commands me".
"he does, you are a slave to his will, you were once a friend to my kin, you were sorely missed".
The witch king did nothing, just stared at her.
Finally he spoke.
"what is your name she - elf, so I can engrave your name in baradur in your blood?". He asked taunting her.
She smiled dangerously.
"my name is Isilme, queen of gondor, daughter of Gil-Galad, king of the Noldorian Elves, do you think you can remember all that while you sleep in hell?" she asked courteously.
With that she raised her bow and aimed and fired, and hit the nazgul witch king directly in the centre of his face, or where his face would be if only she could see it had it not been for the hood.
It screamed. And it erupted in flames.
The creature turned and flew away looping in the air trying to unload its burning cargo. To which it did.
The witch king falling to the earth burning, no savior in sight.
