-THE GAMES OF THE GODS-
-Disclaimer:-
CS: I am like the monkies, and own nothing but my tree and some fruitcake. Some nuts, too. And they're stored in my head. Because that's the safest place. Except that bats seem to get in there somehow...*wanders off*
Glorfindel: ...I don't get it.
Rachel: She's batty and nuts as a fruitcake.
Glorfindel: *blink* Oooh. But what was the part about the monkies and the tree?
Rachel: That was a result of her being batty and nuts as a fruitcake.
Glorfindel: Ah...
Kari: This disclaimer needs some help...
Rachel: Yes, rather boring...most of them lately seem to be that way.
CS: *comes back* Blame the people I know who have been taking me out without giving me sugar, thus making me very very f---ing tired..
-66: Pelennor-
I woke just after dawn - or what would have been dawn, could we have seen the sun - the next morning, and after getting myself up and going, I went to Faramir's room to see if he was up. He wasn't, and he looked absolutely adorable lying there, as fast asleep as a man could get. He was even snoring lightly, something Faramir rarely ever did. I watched him for a moment, grinning, and then set off to see Kari. She proved to be in the city, eating breakfast with Gandalf, and so I sought out my own breakfast, and then Imrahil.
Prince Imrahil, I was informed by one of the servants, was down in the stables. I pondered whether or not to go see him there, and decided that I would only be getting bored up here, anyways. And if the horses were reacting as most of the soldiers were to the occasional screech of the Nazgûl that could be heard from high above, my natural skill with horses might be welcomed. Not like I wouldn't be welcomed anyways, I amended as I received a hearty greeting from Imrahil when I entered the stables.
I spent the early morning with Imrahil, then he was called off to Council, and when I followed him back up to the Citadel, I ran into Kari. She dragged me off to see the Houses of Healing, and from then on the day was a blur. Most of it was spent giving Kari a tour, with a break around noon to see Faramir off - and a depressing break THAT was - and then later we had supper with Denethor. He spent most of the meal talking to Kari, wanting to know all about Elves, and Kari answered his questions as best she could. I noticed that she was infinitely more cautious about exactly what she told him than with Imrahil, though. I honestly couldn't blame her - with Denethor using the palantír, it was safer to assume that anything he knew, Sauron knew.
Certainly, Kari was firm in a refusal to answer when he started asking about anything relating to the defenses of any of the Elvish kingdoms - she claimed it was from a lack of knowledge, but I did not believe she could be married to one of the sons of the Lord of Rivendell and not know about its defenses, at the least. Denethor didn't seem to believe it, either, but after a short staring contest, he gave up on the subject.
The next day was spent with Kari and me wandering the city, stopping and talking to everyone, and in the afternoon, we even went up on the walls. We were trying, of course, to help bolster the men's courage - a pretty face will always help that, especially if one is an Elf. Some of the men wished to speak with me about Boromir, and, though it was like prodding a still-open wound each time, I gave those that asked about Boromir a nice little speech about how he had died to save his kingdom, and if they held true, his death could still not be in vain.
The soldiers still looked dubious about hope remaining, but Kari and I always left them at least a little cheered when we left - even if it was due only to our tendency to act totally oblivious to the fact that we were in the middle of a war zone. We succeeded somewhat, at any rate, as our activities for the day gained us a thanks from Denethor. And then, in the evening, the retreat came.
I was in Kari's room at the time, talking to her, and when I heard the trumpets sound for the calvary of Gondor, I went right to the window and leaned out, looking down to the Pelennor Fields and watching, biting my lip as I did so. I watched as the men came in, and then heard the cries of grief as the men discovered Faramir had been injured. I wasn't aware that I had tears in my eyes, nor that I was biting my lip so hard it was starting to bleed, until I felt Kari's light touch on my arm.
"Rachel?" she asked softly as I turned to face her, hurriedly rubbing my eyes and licking the blood off my lip.
"I'm not sure if I can do this, Kari." I said after a pause, looking down at the floor. "I'm not sure I can let Denethor despair, when I have spent the years since Lady Finduilas' death trying to stop him from doing so. I'm not sure coming back here was such a good idea." I looked up at her, somewhat helplessly, I think, and found myself enveloped in a hug. I hugged back, and we just stood hugging for a moment before I drew away.
"I'm going to go lock myself in my room so I don't do anything stupid." I said with a sigh.
"I have a better idea." Kari said with a smile. "Let's find the best room in the Citadel for watching the Pelennor, and then lock ourselves in there until the siege is broken." I considered this for a moment.
"Sure." I said finally, and she smiled warmly before taking my arm and leading me off out of the room, me giving her directions as to what I uninhabited rooms I thought would have the best view of the Pelennor Fields. And in the hallways, we ran into Imrahil.
"Asira." he looked uncertain and sad. "Have - were you told?"
"About Faramir? No. I did not need to be told." I said sadly, then reached over and gave him a hug. "I will go and see him in the Houses of Healing later."
"Denethor will not let him be taken to the Houses of Healing. He acts as though Faramir is already dead." Imrahil said miserably.
"Faramir will get to the Houses of Healing, and he will survive." I said emphatically. Imrahil gave me a weak smile, obviously thinking I was just trying to be hopeful. I considered letting him continue with that belief for a moment, but as with Sam in Rivendell so long ago, I felt a sudden urge to use my knowledge to reassure someone.
I shook my head strongly. "No, Imrahil, listen to me." I grabbed his chin and forced him to look me in the eyes. "Faramir will live." I said quietly, but strongly, and then smiled slightly. "It has been seen by those who have never yet been wrong." Imrahil blinked in surprise. After a moment, a small smile formed on his lips, and he nodded. Then, with a bow, he turned and sped off down the corridor, his spirit much lighter.
"Ah, that was like chicken soup for my soul." I said with satisfaction, and Kari chuckled.
"I take it you do not want to go find the room with the best view lock yourself in, still, then?" she asked, a teasing look in her eyes.
"First part, yes, last part, no!" I replied with a cheerful grin. "And once we've found the room with the best view, let's go make a nuisance of ourselves at the Houses of Healing. There's got to be something two she-Elves can do there, at least!" Kari laughed, and so we set off to do just that.
There was indeed something for two she-Elves to do in the houses of Healing, even if the healers didn't know I was an Elf. Kari seemed to have picked up some healing while hanging around Elrond and Sons, so I soon found myself following her around as she acted as a healer in her own right, treating the patients with lesser wounds, and leaving the more serious ones to the skilled healers. Several times, however, I found her staring mournfully into the area with the more severely wounded patients.
"The only thing keeping me from depression on their behalf is the knowledge that Elladan and Elrohir will be coming here after the siege to work their magic." Kari said softly to me in Elvish one time, and I nodded, joining her in a moment of sadness, before pulling her back to the patients.
Kari and I retired late that night, and returned to the Houses of Healing the next day. More injured men kept coming in, and even though most of the wounds were small enough that the soldiers could leave once they were treated, the wounds did need treating. We were kept busy the entire day, and we left in the evening with a promise to the healers to return the next day.
We ended out returning earlier, however, as the forces that had surrounded the city that day began their attack at midnight. The noise woke me, and I woke Kari, and we went straight to the Houses of Healing. The little sleep we'd had had already refreshed us, but when we reached the houses, we saw tired healers running around that had been there when we'd left. I quickly pulled what little rank I had and sent two healers to bed, telling them to return only after they'd gotten at least an hour's good sleep, and then got a quick lesson in dealing with minor wounds from Kari before we parted ways and set about dealing with the wounded. And so, before Kari and I knew it, we heard the cockcrow, followed by the horns of the Rohirrim. All movement inside the Houses of Healing stilled for a moment to listen to the horns.
"Rohan is come." I announced to the room at large, and instantly talk sprang up, and the message was passed on to the rest of those in the Houses. I think the soldiers that came in after that were a little surprised to learn that we already knew about Rohan having arrived, but hey. What can I say? I have a flair for the dramatic. I made another such announcement shortly afterwards when the witch-king was killed, eliciting a cheer from those in the Houses, but then I knew that if Kari and I wanted to see Aragorn's arrival, we needed to leave. I excused myself, telling the healers I needed a break, and found Kari. I waited for her to finish treating her current patient, and then brought her with me out of the Houses.
Kari and I sped up the streets towards the Citadel, then tore through it's passageways and up it's stairs, bypassing the room we had picked out in favour of going up to the very top to watch. We arrived panting, and took a few moments to collect ourselves before looking out over the fields. We were just in time to see the Corsair's ships come 'round the bend of the Anduin, and we watched, both smiling, as the cries of the free Men of the West went from triumph, to horror, and then back to triumph, as first the ships were spotted, and then Aragorn's banner.
We meant to return to the Houses of Healing after seeing that, but we became enthralled with watching the battle unfold beneath us, and before we knew it, the day was winding down, and we could see Aragorn, Éomer and Imrahil (or rather, three shining figures who everyone else seemed to make way for) heading for the gates. Kari and I took off again, and raced down to the gates. We arrived, once again breathless, just as Imrahil and Éomer entered the city. Imrahil smiled tiredly when he saw us, while Éomer seemed to barely register our presence. Kari barely paused to say a brief 'hello', and then continued out of the gate. Imrahil arched an eyebrow.
"She is married to one of the Sons of Elrond, who are standing outside the gate." I said with a shrug and a smile, and Imrahil nodded as understanding dawned on him. He opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by someone roaring my name. I winced.
"And one of which is now going to kill me for bringing his wife here." I said. Imrahil grinned momentarily, gave my shoulder a supportive squeeze, and disappeared with Éomer even as a very angry Elrohir appeared, a frowning Kari following.
"Rachel." Elrohir said, his voice pure ice as he stopped a few inches in front of me, his eyes glittering dangerously. The blood spattered all over him from the battle furthered the impressive sight, and I found myself wishing for the first time since I'd left Lothlórien that Glorfindel was there.
"Elrohir, wonderful to see you." I said uneasily, taking an involuntary step backwards. Elrohir took a step forward to compensate, and continued to glare down at me.
"Elrohir, enough." Kari's exasperated voice cut into the silence that had fallen around us, but Elrohir barely spared her a glance before returning his attention to me.
"You were to go to Lothlórien to make your peace with my wife. NOT to drag her with you into the biggest battle of this Age!" Elrohir practically growled this at me, and I swallowed nervously.
"Um, she came willingly?" I tried. Elrohir's eyes narrowed slightly, and he seemed about to say - or perhaps do - something, but he was abruptly lifted up and dragged away from me by his twin and foster brother. I heaved a sigh of relief.
"Sorry, I should have anticipated that." Kari said with a wince.
"Me too." I replied, also wincing. Then we sighed as one. Kari looked over to where her husband was currently arguing furiously with his brothers.
"I think I am going to have to go talk to him." she said.
"You do that. I'll go back to the Houses of Healing, where I should have stopped in the first place." I said with a wry smile. Kari chuckled, and so she went to her husband, and I to the Houses of Healing.
----To be continued...with a chat with Faramir!----
(And the wonderful side effects that come from his natural curiosity about Elves and their customs!)
-Authors Note:-
Ugh. I got no sleep on Saturday night...and I mean that literally. I went to bed at 9:30 AM on Sunday, after having been awake for over 24 hours. The name 'sleepover' really is incorrect...
Yep. All you reviewers are munderful, please keep it up, I enjoy reading your reviews muchly.
See ya Thursday evening/Friday!
~Crimson Starlight
-Disclaimer:-
CS: I am like the monkies, and own nothing but my tree and some fruitcake. Some nuts, too. And they're stored in my head. Because that's the safest place. Except that bats seem to get in there somehow...*wanders off*
Glorfindel: ...I don't get it.
Rachel: She's batty and nuts as a fruitcake.
Glorfindel: *blink* Oooh. But what was the part about the monkies and the tree?
Rachel: That was a result of her being batty and nuts as a fruitcake.
Glorfindel: Ah...
Kari: This disclaimer needs some help...
Rachel: Yes, rather boring...most of them lately seem to be that way.
CS: *comes back* Blame the people I know who have been taking me out without giving me sugar, thus making me very very f---ing tired..
-66: Pelennor-
I woke just after dawn - or what would have been dawn, could we have seen the sun - the next morning, and after getting myself up and going, I went to Faramir's room to see if he was up. He wasn't, and he looked absolutely adorable lying there, as fast asleep as a man could get. He was even snoring lightly, something Faramir rarely ever did. I watched him for a moment, grinning, and then set off to see Kari. She proved to be in the city, eating breakfast with Gandalf, and so I sought out my own breakfast, and then Imrahil.
Prince Imrahil, I was informed by one of the servants, was down in the stables. I pondered whether or not to go see him there, and decided that I would only be getting bored up here, anyways. And if the horses were reacting as most of the soldiers were to the occasional screech of the Nazgûl that could be heard from high above, my natural skill with horses might be welcomed. Not like I wouldn't be welcomed anyways, I amended as I received a hearty greeting from Imrahil when I entered the stables.
I spent the early morning with Imrahil, then he was called off to Council, and when I followed him back up to the Citadel, I ran into Kari. She dragged me off to see the Houses of Healing, and from then on the day was a blur. Most of it was spent giving Kari a tour, with a break around noon to see Faramir off - and a depressing break THAT was - and then later we had supper with Denethor. He spent most of the meal talking to Kari, wanting to know all about Elves, and Kari answered his questions as best she could. I noticed that she was infinitely more cautious about exactly what she told him than with Imrahil, though. I honestly couldn't blame her - with Denethor using the palantír, it was safer to assume that anything he knew, Sauron knew.
Certainly, Kari was firm in a refusal to answer when he started asking about anything relating to the defenses of any of the Elvish kingdoms - she claimed it was from a lack of knowledge, but I did not believe she could be married to one of the sons of the Lord of Rivendell and not know about its defenses, at the least. Denethor didn't seem to believe it, either, but after a short staring contest, he gave up on the subject.
The next day was spent with Kari and me wandering the city, stopping and talking to everyone, and in the afternoon, we even went up on the walls. We were trying, of course, to help bolster the men's courage - a pretty face will always help that, especially if one is an Elf. Some of the men wished to speak with me about Boromir, and, though it was like prodding a still-open wound each time, I gave those that asked about Boromir a nice little speech about how he had died to save his kingdom, and if they held true, his death could still not be in vain.
The soldiers still looked dubious about hope remaining, but Kari and I always left them at least a little cheered when we left - even if it was due only to our tendency to act totally oblivious to the fact that we were in the middle of a war zone. We succeeded somewhat, at any rate, as our activities for the day gained us a thanks from Denethor. And then, in the evening, the retreat came.
I was in Kari's room at the time, talking to her, and when I heard the trumpets sound for the calvary of Gondor, I went right to the window and leaned out, looking down to the Pelennor Fields and watching, biting my lip as I did so. I watched as the men came in, and then heard the cries of grief as the men discovered Faramir had been injured. I wasn't aware that I had tears in my eyes, nor that I was biting my lip so hard it was starting to bleed, until I felt Kari's light touch on my arm.
"Rachel?" she asked softly as I turned to face her, hurriedly rubbing my eyes and licking the blood off my lip.
"I'm not sure if I can do this, Kari." I said after a pause, looking down at the floor. "I'm not sure I can let Denethor despair, when I have spent the years since Lady Finduilas' death trying to stop him from doing so. I'm not sure coming back here was such a good idea." I looked up at her, somewhat helplessly, I think, and found myself enveloped in a hug. I hugged back, and we just stood hugging for a moment before I drew away.
"I'm going to go lock myself in my room so I don't do anything stupid." I said with a sigh.
"I have a better idea." Kari said with a smile. "Let's find the best room in the Citadel for watching the Pelennor, and then lock ourselves in there until the siege is broken." I considered this for a moment.
"Sure." I said finally, and she smiled warmly before taking my arm and leading me off out of the room, me giving her directions as to what I uninhabited rooms I thought would have the best view of the Pelennor Fields. And in the hallways, we ran into Imrahil.
"Asira." he looked uncertain and sad. "Have - were you told?"
"About Faramir? No. I did not need to be told." I said sadly, then reached over and gave him a hug. "I will go and see him in the Houses of Healing later."
"Denethor will not let him be taken to the Houses of Healing. He acts as though Faramir is already dead." Imrahil said miserably.
"Faramir will get to the Houses of Healing, and he will survive." I said emphatically. Imrahil gave me a weak smile, obviously thinking I was just trying to be hopeful. I considered letting him continue with that belief for a moment, but as with Sam in Rivendell so long ago, I felt a sudden urge to use my knowledge to reassure someone.
I shook my head strongly. "No, Imrahil, listen to me." I grabbed his chin and forced him to look me in the eyes. "Faramir will live." I said quietly, but strongly, and then smiled slightly. "It has been seen by those who have never yet been wrong." Imrahil blinked in surprise. After a moment, a small smile formed on his lips, and he nodded. Then, with a bow, he turned and sped off down the corridor, his spirit much lighter.
"Ah, that was like chicken soup for my soul." I said with satisfaction, and Kari chuckled.
"I take it you do not want to go find the room with the best view lock yourself in, still, then?" she asked, a teasing look in her eyes.
"First part, yes, last part, no!" I replied with a cheerful grin. "And once we've found the room with the best view, let's go make a nuisance of ourselves at the Houses of Healing. There's got to be something two she-Elves can do there, at least!" Kari laughed, and so we set off to do just that.
There was indeed something for two she-Elves to do in the houses of Healing, even if the healers didn't know I was an Elf. Kari seemed to have picked up some healing while hanging around Elrond and Sons, so I soon found myself following her around as she acted as a healer in her own right, treating the patients with lesser wounds, and leaving the more serious ones to the skilled healers. Several times, however, I found her staring mournfully into the area with the more severely wounded patients.
"The only thing keeping me from depression on their behalf is the knowledge that Elladan and Elrohir will be coming here after the siege to work their magic." Kari said softly to me in Elvish one time, and I nodded, joining her in a moment of sadness, before pulling her back to the patients.
Kari and I retired late that night, and returned to the Houses of Healing the next day. More injured men kept coming in, and even though most of the wounds were small enough that the soldiers could leave once they were treated, the wounds did need treating. We were kept busy the entire day, and we left in the evening with a promise to the healers to return the next day.
We ended out returning earlier, however, as the forces that had surrounded the city that day began their attack at midnight. The noise woke me, and I woke Kari, and we went straight to the Houses of Healing. The little sleep we'd had had already refreshed us, but when we reached the houses, we saw tired healers running around that had been there when we'd left. I quickly pulled what little rank I had and sent two healers to bed, telling them to return only after they'd gotten at least an hour's good sleep, and then got a quick lesson in dealing with minor wounds from Kari before we parted ways and set about dealing with the wounded. And so, before Kari and I knew it, we heard the cockcrow, followed by the horns of the Rohirrim. All movement inside the Houses of Healing stilled for a moment to listen to the horns.
"Rohan is come." I announced to the room at large, and instantly talk sprang up, and the message was passed on to the rest of those in the Houses. I think the soldiers that came in after that were a little surprised to learn that we already knew about Rohan having arrived, but hey. What can I say? I have a flair for the dramatic. I made another such announcement shortly afterwards when the witch-king was killed, eliciting a cheer from those in the Houses, but then I knew that if Kari and I wanted to see Aragorn's arrival, we needed to leave. I excused myself, telling the healers I needed a break, and found Kari. I waited for her to finish treating her current patient, and then brought her with me out of the Houses.
Kari and I sped up the streets towards the Citadel, then tore through it's passageways and up it's stairs, bypassing the room we had picked out in favour of going up to the very top to watch. We arrived panting, and took a few moments to collect ourselves before looking out over the fields. We were just in time to see the Corsair's ships come 'round the bend of the Anduin, and we watched, both smiling, as the cries of the free Men of the West went from triumph, to horror, and then back to triumph, as first the ships were spotted, and then Aragorn's banner.
We meant to return to the Houses of Healing after seeing that, but we became enthralled with watching the battle unfold beneath us, and before we knew it, the day was winding down, and we could see Aragorn, Éomer and Imrahil (or rather, three shining figures who everyone else seemed to make way for) heading for the gates. Kari and I took off again, and raced down to the gates. We arrived, once again breathless, just as Imrahil and Éomer entered the city. Imrahil smiled tiredly when he saw us, while Éomer seemed to barely register our presence. Kari barely paused to say a brief 'hello', and then continued out of the gate. Imrahil arched an eyebrow.
"She is married to one of the Sons of Elrond, who are standing outside the gate." I said with a shrug and a smile, and Imrahil nodded as understanding dawned on him. He opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by someone roaring my name. I winced.
"And one of which is now going to kill me for bringing his wife here." I said. Imrahil grinned momentarily, gave my shoulder a supportive squeeze, and disappeared with Éomer even as a very angry Elrohir appeared, a frowning Kari following.
"Rachel." Elrohir said, his voice pure ice as he stopped a few inches in front of me, his eyes glittering dangerously. The blood spattered all over him from the battle furthered the impressive sight, and I found myself wishing for the first time since I'd left Lothlórien that Glorfindel was there.
"Elrohir, wonderful to see you." I said uneasily, taking an involuntary step backwards. Elrohir took a step forward to compensate, and continued to glare down at me.
"Elrohir, enough." Kari's exasperated voice cut into the silence that had fallen around us, but Elrohir barely spared her a glance before returning his attention to me.
"You were to go to Lothlórien to make your peace with my wife. NOT to drag her with you into the biggest battle of this Age!" Elrohir practically growled this at me, and I swallowed nervously.
"Um, she came willingly?" I tried. Elrohir's eyes narrowed slightly, and he seemed about to say - or perhaps do - something, but he was abruptly lifted up and dragged away from me by his twin and foster brother. I heaved a sigh of relief.
"Sorry, I should have anticipated that." Kari said with a wince.
"Me too." I replied, also wincing. Then we sighed as one. Kari looked over to where her husband was currently arguing furiously with his brothers.
"I think I am going to have to go talk to him." she said.
"You do that. I'll go back to the Houses of Healing, where I should have stopped in the first place." I said with a wry smile. Kari chuckled, and so she went to her husband, and I to the Houses of Healing.
----To be continued...with a chat with Faramir!----
(And the wonderful side effects that come from his natural curiosity about Elves and their customs!)
-Authors Note:-
Ugh. I got no sleep on Saturday night...and I mean that literally. I went to bed at 9:30 AM on Sunday, after having been awake for over 24 hours. The name 'sleepover' really is incorrect...
Yep. All you reviewers are munderful, please keep it up, I enjoy reading your reviews muchly.
See ya Thursday evening/Friday!
~Crimson Starlight