Another chapter for my very long story. Just wanted to say that Imrahil is back! I did expect him to be cut out of the movie trilogy, of course, because otherwise there'd be a lot more explaining to do, but I think he's a good character and therefore he is given a place in my story!
CHAPTER 33 : Healing Begins
"Would there be kings in Gondor, as there were once upon a time, they say! For it is said in old lore: The hands of the king are the hands of a healer."
Pippin looked up at Ioreth from his place beside Liana. Tears ran down the face of the eldest healer as she gazed upon the face of the young captain. Gandalf turned, and the look on his face made Pippin sigh in relief. Things can be all right after all, he thought to himself.
Gandalf left the Houses of Healing in haste.
Éomer walked with Prince Imrahil of Dol Amroth into Minas Tirith. They walked up slowly to the Citadel, and into the Steward's hall, in search for the Steward and, and also for Mithrandir. But the Steward was not in the hall. King Théoden lay before the dais, just as Pippin had seen him, and Éomer looked sadly upon the face of his fallen uncle.
Imrahil turned to a guard. "Where is the Steward of Gondor?"
"In the Houses of Healing, my lord."
"Where is my sister?" Éomer asked. "Should she not be here, lain next to my uncle?"
"Do you not know?" Imrahil replied. "Your sister was alive when they bore her into the city!"
Hope swelled up in Éomer as he raised his eyes from the face of his uncle to Imrahil's face. Éowyn was alive! "I was not told, I had believed her dead. Where is she now?" he asked urgently.
Imrahil smiled. "Don't worry, she is in good hands. She lies now in the Houses of Healing, and I'm certain that the healers there would have found something that can help her."
"Let us go there now," Éomer said, beginning to walk out of the hall quickly. His sister was alive, and that was the most important to him right now. She was all the family he had left, and he wanted, needed her strength with him. Just knowing that she would be there would be a great comfort.
Gandalf met Imrahil and Éomer at the entrance of the Houses of Healing. Accompanying Gandalf was a man cloaked in grey, but Éomer paid no attention to Gandalf's companion. "We were looking for the Steward, and heard that he was in the Houses. Has he been hurt? Also… I am looking for my sister, Lady Éowyn, for I was told that she was also in the Houses."
Gandalf sighed, and began to recount to them the happenings that they had not heard while on the battlefield. Denethor had died, and Faramir was now the Steward of Gondor, but he was lying in the Houses of the Healing, wounded when he had brought his men out on an attempt to retake Osgiliath. Éowyn was not yet dead, but near death. Éomer listened on in grief, beginning to despair for his sister once more.
"Should we not send for Lord Aragorn, then?" Imrahil asked. "Who will take charge of Gondor now?"
The cloaked man stepped forth, and Imrahil and Éomer saw that it was Aragorn. "I am not here to rule the city, though," he said. "I am here because Gandalf asks me to come, and for now I am only a Captain of the Dunédain."
Pippin cried out in joy when he saw Aragorn enter the Houses of Healing. "How wonderful, you're here!" he exclaimed, grinning at Aragorn.
Aragorn took his hand and greeted him, and Pippin finally relaxed completely, sure that everything would definitely be all right. Aragorn was here, and Aragorn could help. According to Ioreth, Aragorn was the one who could heal Faramir, Éowyn and Merry.
He followed behind everyone else silently as Aragorn went about looking on at those who needed his help. He sighed, and shook his head. "If only Elrond were here… Time is running out for them, especially for Faramir. I will do the best I can."
He and Gandalf then went to speak with Ioreth, and Pippin turned away. Once more, there was nothing he could do. He saw Liana sitting quietly by herself in the corner of Faramir's room, unnoticed by the others, and went towards her. The least he could do now was to bring her home. "Come on, Liana, let's get you home. You need some rest," he told her.
She obeyed silently, getting off the chair, and holding onto his hand. He led her out of the room, but not before she turned back for one more look at Faramir, the last of those she truly held dear to her heart.
The room was filled with a wholesome smell that lightened every heart, a result of the two leaves of athelas that Aragorn had crushed and thrown into bowls of steaming water. Everyone looked on as gradually Faramir stirred, and opened his eyes, drawn back from the Shadow at last.
This is a short chapter because I didn't want to dwell too long on the healing. If you want to read more on this, just read the chapter The Houses of Healing in The Return of the King. Nobody can write it better than Tolkien did and therefore I didn't even bother to try.