NOTE: I have been experiencing a lot of problems with fanfiction.net lately. I could not upload chapters, and when I was finally able to, I would preview my files and it seemed like the quotations marks were disabled because I would get a few symbols in place of quotations. When I found a way to fix it, however, I could not get back to my account to upload a new chapter because the site was so busy and it was experiencing overloads. I do not know if it was just my server, but yeah. If there are any new reviews after chapter 6, I am not sure I am able to see them. Fanfiction.net has just been really weird lately, and I do not know how to fix it. So, thank you to anyone who made a review for or after Chap. 6, and if there are not any, then just thanks for taking a look at my story, and to those who are keeping up with my story thanks! Hopefully all this sorts out, and I can get back to the flow of things.

SUBNOTE: If you notice, Anarion doesn't have the accent over the second A, due to the technical difficulties I have been experiencing lately. When I put in the A with the accent, Anarion comes out differently. Sorry about that.

LIFE OR DEATH: 7

The boys had followed the footprints of their intruders to the gardens, but once they reached their destination, they were nowhere in sight.

"There must be a crack somewhere in the wall. A hidden passage where they could all get through," declared Anarion. "I will go to the front, and look out to see how far they've gotten!" he called already making his way towards the entrance. The two boys left gave him a nod, as they heard a moan coming from the darkness the tall trees had caused in the moonlight. Both boys approached with caution, raising their swords ready to defend. They heard leaves muffle, as the person in question began to move towards them as well. They paused, waiting for the unmasked soul to come out into the light. A slender arm was revealed, as the arm pulled on the ground to bare Arodiel, half conscious, her eyes shut and her head swollen with drops of blood visible across her face from the gash across her forehead.

"Arodiel!" Laurelas cried, gently picking her up to cradle her in his arms. "Stay awake, Arodiel. Can you hear me?" he questioned, stumbling over his words as worry began to disable his movement. Arodiel gave a moan, as the boys took it to mean YES. Eldarion quickly ripped off the sleeve of his shirt, wrapping it tightly around her forehead to stop the bleeding, as Laurelas held her up, patiently watching in hopes she would keep strong.

"It looks like the blood is drying, which means the wound isn't deep enough to kill. Hopefully the cloth will put more pressure to stop the bleeding entirely," Eldarion informed his friend, Laurelas only nodding.

"Come on, let's lay her in a servant quarter," Eldarion said, getting up motioning his friend to bring the girl.

"Eldarion, I'm not just going to leave her here!" Laurelas said firmly.

"Laurelas, I am worried just as you are. But we have to help the others!"

Just then Anarion came up to the trio, with Nestor draped over him.

"Look who I found," he said, placing the girl gentle on the ground so she could rest her legs.

"Nestor, are you alright??" Eldarion questioned, concerned since his sister was wobbling as if in a daze.

"Yes, I'm alright. Just a bruise." she said, squinting her eyes as she lightly rubbed her forehead, the pain still intense from the strike.

The group was now huddled on the ground in a circle, quiet for only a moment, as they had little time to spare.

"Well, what do we do now?" asked Laurelas, as Anarion had noticed his sister in Laurelas' arms, and rubbed her head lightly showing his concern.

"Go after them, what else?" Eldarion replied.

"What about these two? I will not leave Arodiel here, nor would I leave Nestor. We do not know what lurks about still," said Laurelas.

"We have no choice but to leave them here. Don't you think they'd be in the same amount of danger if we took them with us?" questioned Eldarion, annoyance trailing in his tone.

"No, I'm not staying here Eldarion. They are my sisters just as much as they are yours," Nestor protested, not giving Laurelas a chance to retaliate himself.

"Look, I agree Eldarion, I would feel safer if they were with us. Leaving them here is a risk. I believe they took your mother as well, so who will stay with them? There's no time to argue anymore, so come on!" Anarion almost commanded his statement as he headed towards the front of the citadel, and the rest had no other choice but to follow, for the orcs were getting away.

Three miles outside of Gondor's walls was the group of orc and Uruk- hai who had successfully taken hostage of three maidens.

"But what of the boy Erurg?" asked an orc running beside the high leader. "Shouldn't we wait, he will follow us for sure! And that will be our moment to seize him."

"No!" said the Uruk with a forceful tone. "I will not risk it. If we let him catch up, he can free his sisters and we will bring back nothing. Better three, than none at all. We will worry about the boy later." The orc only nodded as they continued their trek to escape. The leader was clueless, however, as to the occurrences that were going on behind them. A shadowed figure, draped in black, with his face covered only to reveal his piercing cerulean eyes, crept up behind the Uruk carrying the golden- haired princess. Amdiriel, who was draped over the large creature's shoulder, noticed the masked figure creep up to them, but she dared not make a sound under the cloth wrapped around her mouth, for the anonymous follower motioned to keep quiet. The trees were so tall that they blacked out the moonlight, keeping the option of clear vision to a minimum. So, when the mystery man pulled out a blade, reached over the free shoulder of the kidnapper at precisely the right moment to slit his throat deep enough for the Uruk to not even croak, it went almost unnoticed, as the orcs were running at distances apart anyway. He picked up the bound girl, throwing her over his own shoulder and running a few yards with the group so it would seem nothing was out of the ordinary. At the right moment, he slipped out of the line of moving orcs, quietly running towards an area of the forest dark and parallel to the group that he had previously escaped. When all seemed clear, he set the girl down on a rock, removed the cloth across his mouth, and quickly released her from her bounds. In surprise however, instead of receiving a thank you he received a shove to the ground.

"You know, for a girl I just saved you seem a little ungrateful," he said sarcastically, looking up to her from the ground, puffing, as he was sweaty and tired.

"My sisters! You just left them!" she cried.

"Shhh! Keep your voice down they might still hear us. And I left them because I needn't put us both into even more danger. They will not harm your sisters. The man they're taking them to will not harm them. But you are a different case entirely," he said, wandering about the small clearing they were in, surveying the rest of the forest.

"What do you mean? They took them did they not?! Why would you kidnap someone you have no intentions for?" asked Amdiriel, annoyed and confused at the same time as the young man's back was faced to her.

He turned around, however, for he felt his next statement to be important. "Okay, if you want to know the truth, there is a chance they will be harmed somehow, BUT, he will not kill them, not immediately anyway. YOU, however, would be killed the second you stepped foot in his lair, which is why I took the liberty of rescuing you first and foremost," he told her, looking straight into her eyes, with a tone serious enough to calm her nerves a bit.

"Who is this HE you speak of? More importantly, who are you!"

"There's no time, for chit chat. Come on, it's completely clear and I think I see a way back," he trailed off already heading towards the direction he wished to take her, but he paused when he noticed she was not behind him, and looked back at her puzzled.

"Tell me your name at least. How can you expect me to follow you if I am clueless as to who you are?" her arms were crossed and her expression like that of a rock.

"I saved your life, isn't that enough?" But she stood firm, putting her foot down, literally, proving to him she wanted an identity. The tall, golden haired boy with the cerulean eyes and lean but muscular build, turned to her and stood close in front of her, hovering his eyes to meet hers.

"My identity is of little importance. But you can call me Ewan," he said gently, his voice reassuring giving off a feeling of comfort. "And you, milady?"

"My name is Amdiriel," she replied, softly as it seemed the puzzling man bemused her.

"Alright, come on then," he motioned, holding out his hand, running and leading her in the direction opposite to Gondor.

THE NEXT DAY

Arwen was slipping in and out of consciousness, as she had been standing all night, for the closet left no room for her to even rest her legs, and the air became stuffy, suffocating almost. She didn't know for how long she could hold on, but the thought of her children was the only thing on her mind. Suddenly she heard footsteps walking passed what had become her dungeon, and with what strength she had left she banged on the door calling out as she did, slowly becoming unconscious. The knob began to turn, and the door opened, as Arwen fell with the motion of the door, almost passed out. She could feel someone holding her in their arms, as the vision of whom it was was blurred. She could only noticed golden hair hovering above her, and a faint idea entered her mind.

"Eowyn?" she asked with her last breath, before finally passing out entirely.

Eowyn gently held the queen, calling out to the already running servants who were scrambling about the palace, trying to clean up what was ravaged. "Get some water, now!" she called, as she wondered the fastest way to send word to Rohan.

ROHAN

The morning had already passed, and it was now afternoon in Rohan. Surprisingly, the battle fought was an easy one to fight. When Rohan's army had lessened the intruders' army to about two thousand, they mysteriously had retreated. Eomer, and the rest of the company, called out in glory, but Aragorn questioned the action.

Eomer, and his five guests, were seated in his throne room, quietly resting, soaking up their victory, but the dilemma still itched Aragorn's thoughts.

"Aragorn, my friend, you seem distracted. Anduril not receive enough exercise on the battlefield today?" Eomer asked jokingly.

"No, no it isn't that. It's just, do you wonder why they retreated so easily? An army like that should have held for at least two days, Aragorn replied.

"You worry too much! Come, we shall feast tonight, in honor of our victory."

"Yes, but........." before Aragorn could finish his thought however, a servant had barged into the room.

"What is the meaning of this?" Eomer questioned the humble man.

"Sire, my apologies. But your guests have a very important message they should hear," he said, as he motioned for the guards to bring in the man who relayed the message.

"Maeron?" Aragorn questioned, stepping forward to the man was covered with dirt and sweat, looking as if he were to pass out any minute, as Aragorn recognized him to be a servant of their home.

"I came as soon as I could. I've been riding all night my lord," he said, pausing, as if afraid to tell the king what came next. "But there has been an intrusion to the citadel at Minas Tirith. Last night, sire. I was in my quarters, but I heard a blood-curling scream, so, I ran to see what was the matter, only to witness orcs engulf the halls, so I hid, before I was noticed, thinking getting help as soon as possible was the best thing, and took the first opportunity to sneak away and come here."

Aragorn placed a hand on the man's shoulder, to show his appreciation, as the guards escorted him to the kitchen where he would be given refreshments.

"Aragorn, my children!" cried Faramir, not being able to hold his composure as the shock seemed to be too great, as Amrothos stood silently, realizing the danger his own child was exposed to.

""And mine......." whispered Aragorn to himself, beginning to realize the connection between his two mysteries.

TBC. This was a little shorter than most of my chapters, but I hope you guys liked it!