Hear ye, hear ye, another chapter I do posteth! Flameth not, nor basheth not, for I will sent the powers of Morgoth upon you! I tell no lies!

Bwhahahaha! Ok, another chapter-apter-apterrrrrrrrr dun dun dunnnnn! Hehe, I like the chapter, particuarly fond of the ending, ok, bai!

~Hoshiko

Return to Gondor

The gates to Minas Tirith were closed, and when the two horsemen came up to it a guard opened a small window in front of them. There was no exchange of words, though, for once the guard saw who was asking to be allowed to enter, and he opened it immediately.

'Welcome back, sir.' He said and bowed to Teredon. Teredon nodded, and they rode their horses through Minas Tirith, up to the top level, where the castle now stood. On their way up, people stared at the site of the Steward's youngest son, who they had not seen for months. When they arrived, they left their horses and walked up the stairs. 

The guard at the doors to the castle looked hard at the face of the man who had come, recognizing him immediately.

'Teredon, we've been wondering when you'd return my Lord.' He said, and bowed, Teredon nodding at the guard. When the guard saw whom he brought with him, he put a hand to the side of his mouth. 'And be happy your father isn't home!' he said, and Teredon put up his hand. 'By the way, you look horrid!'

'Thank you, Generad. The same to you.' He said, and Generad smiled.

'As always, my Lord.' He said, and Teredon opened the great doors to the castle. When he did, everything stopped, though someone in the hall dropped a tray. For a second they could not recognize him, until a woman came to a doorway in the hall, and saw who he was.

'Teredon!' she cried, and ran up to him.

'Hello, Tedren, how are you?' he asked, and she looked at his clothes. Tedren was Teredon's younger sister. Her face was as proud as his was, and it was easy to tell they were related. She had the same dark hair as his, though longer and wavy, and her eyes were the same color.

'How am I? You look as if you've been in Mordor and back again!' she said, and Brendalin smiled.

'You are lucky I found him. He would be dead now if it were not for my horse.' He said, and she smiled at him, noticing him for the first time.

'Thank you, Brendalin.' She said, and suddenly embraced her brother. He did the same back, and when they let go Brendalin nodded.

'Yes, well, I have business somewhere else, now.' Brendalin said, his face becoming urgent. 'I will come back later and tell you of what you are to do next. Take advantage of being home, for it might be a while until you are in its comfort again.' Brendalin said, and turned, walking out the door, back to his horse. Everyone then went back to his or her work, trying not to stare at the man who had just walked through the door. Tedren then took him by the hand and started dragging him to his living-chambers.

'You must tell me how you became so filthy. I take it that the stone was not destroyed yet,' Tedren said quickly and Teredon shook his head.

'No, it was not.' He said as she took him into his living quarters. There she told a servant to draw some hot water for him and he looked around his room. 'You're getting fussy.' He said, and she stopped suddenly. She always had been protective of her siblings, sense their mother had died, taking up the queen's duties as a ruler and a mother.

'And how do you expect me to act?' she asked with a tone that made him feel like a naughty child. 'I mean, you come banging in, looking like the Nazgul itself, and expect me not to worry?' she said, and he sighed.

'All right, I am sorry.' He said, and she nodded.

'Now, I will have a feast made for your return, but before that you must get cleaned up. Oh, there's the servant; your bath is ready. Go on now, I will leave and have the feast prepared. While we are waiting you must tell me all that has happened.' She said, and he put a hand up to calm her.

'Of course I will, sister. Now, let me relax, please.' He said, and she nodded, smiling.

'Certainly. I can tell you have gone through a lot. I will calm down if you promise to tell me everything. You know that if you do not now I will get it out of you at any rate.' She said, and left, closing the door behind her. He sighed, got undressed and went to his bathroom, where he took a long, hot bath. It felt grand, and he felt as if he could stay there for hours. In fact, he would have, if the water had not gotten cold. He then went back in, taking a towel with him, and looked through the drawers for his clothes.

The ones he had worn for many months now had been taken away, his chain-mail hung on a dummy. He picked out a green tunic, along with dark green leggings and put them on. He then put on another pair of boots and dark green robe, trimmed in gold. Lastly he put on a golden belt, and hung his horn across his body. He planned to never have it leave his sight; it was too precious a gift.

Checking his reflection in the mirror, he then opened his door and walked out into the hall. Walking through the halls he got many 'welcome home, sir,' and he would all ways nod to them. He was on his way to the kitchen when Tedren came rushing down the hall.

'Teredon, you look much better.' She said and smiled. 'Come, the dinner is ready.'

'A dinner in a warm house is well met, you did too much.' Teredon said, and Tedren shook her head.

'No it is not. Father is not here, he can not say anything about it, a feast is proper.' She said, and they walked into the hall together. When they did so everyone stood and bowed to them. When they sat everyone except the servants sat after them, and before the feast began Teredon stood.

'I would like to thank you all!' he said, putting his hands out to the meal in front of them, 'but I will only be home for a very short amount of time. I am just having a rest, if you will. But I am here now, and I plan to enjoy it as much as possible, thank you.' He said, and sat. Everyone else then began talking, while Teredon looked at the food in front of him. It was warm and plentiful, more than he had seen in months. He started right away.

'Teredon, tell me of your adventures now.' Tedren said, and Teredon started from when he left Gondor. It took a great deal of time, but when he was done she sat, staring at the walls of the hall.

'You have been through much, my dear brother…' she muttered, and he nodded.

'Yes, it was a perilous journey.' He said, and she nodded. 'But the Stone is not destroyed, it is not done. I am afraid that war will come here,' he said, and she sighed.

'So it will, most likely. Father will know what to do: we have a great number of troops with us. Will it come here first?'

'I do not know, I only know of what has happened when I fell…' he said, and she saw the pain in his face.

'Teredon, it was not your fault. You are too hard on yourself. Weather father will see it or not, you have brought pride to Gondor,' she said.

'I let them be taken… it is my fault that two innocent hobbits have been taken and tortured… killed…' he said, and she put her hand on his shoulder.

'Teredon, you must not think like that. Please, you do not know of how much you have helped.' Teredon stood, and walked into his room. He needed to be alone, and Tedren knew this. She did not follow.

She knew how he felt, though, for their father was not one to be too kind to any except their brother Toromid. He could be plain cruel at times, for his eldest son was his favorite, and everyone could plainly see it. Toromid did not like the way his siblings were treated, but his father could not be changed. Once he made up his mind, it would not be shaken, and though Toromid tried, nothing changed. That was the reason why Toromid was with his father in Western Gondor now, he was favored.

The feast ended, and people went back to their own business, thanking Tedren for it, and hoping that Teredon would be back for a good time. She merely nodded to them, and smiled.

Teredon spent the next five days in Minas Tirith, enjoying his home. It was nice to be there and not be scrutinized by anyone, just being able to live his life. One night, as he sat in his room in great thought, there was a knock on the door.

'Come in.' he said, and Tedren appeared, closing the door behind her.

'I would like to talk.' She said, and he motioned to a chair. She took it, and looked him straight in the eyes.

'What is on your mind?' he asked, and she took a deep breath.

'You know I am trained in fighting, do you not?'

'Yes.'

'And you know the extent of them, correct?'

'Yes, you have beaten me once or twice'

'I wish to use those skills in helping Gondor.' She said, and he immediately shook his head.

'No, Tedren, you can not fight.' He said, and she sighed.

'Oh, come along, Teredon! I am skilled in the ways of a sword, you know this. One more person to fight can help win the war.' She said, but he stood.

'Or one more to become killed.' He answered, and she stood, too.

'I am sure if you just try to help convince father, he will surely-'

'No.'

'But what of this Dweller of whom you speak? She is a woman and she is allowed to fight.' She argued, but a light in Teredon's eyes told her to speak no more of the subject. He was quiet for a moment, but when she did speak he did so slowly.

'There were many times Aradraen could have been killed. Besides, she has been training for twice the years you have, while living in the Wild. She is a Ranger, Tedren, not a young woman who has been locked up in a tower her whole life.' He said, and Tedren looked at the expression on his face. He sat down quickly, and went back to polishing his sword.

'You care for her, don't you?' Tedren asked, and Teredon did not look up.

'I do not know of what you speak.' He said, and she nodded.

'Yes you do. I've seen the look in your eyes every time you speak of her. You worry about her, don't you?' she asked, and Teredon stood, sword in front of him. In its reflection he could see Tedren's face.

'No.'

'Look me in the eyes and tell me you do not love her.' Tedren said, but Teredon did not. 'You can not, that gives me the proper answer. It is nothing to be ashamed of, Teredon, loving some one.'

'I do not care for her.' Teredon said quietly, looking at Tedren at last, 'I can not care for her.'