Gandalf motioned for them to dismount their horses and to follow them. Sarah kissed her pony goodbye and made sure that a nice stable boy took care of him before she followed Gandalf. Alex kissed her horse goodbye as well. . .Kristi and her horse exchanged looks coming to an agreement and no kiss was exchanged.
"Lord Denethor is aware of your arrival," Gandalf said leading them up stairs. "He demanded to meet with you when you entered the city."
Alex blinked, "He wants to meet with us?"
"Great," Sarah said with a notable lack of enthusiasm.
Kristi's thoughts were drifting elsewhere and she collided with Faramir. She seemed to have a habit of doing that when her mind drifted and frankly she had no idea that he was Faramir. He looked upset, so she smiled at him. "Hey, it's all right. I have faith in you." She patted his hand and leapt up the steps to catch up with the others.
Faramir blinked, "who was that?" He wiped his eyes and his curiosity got the better of him as he followed them quietly.
Gandalf arrived at a set of large doors and knocked.
A rough voice yelled, "Come in!"
The girls gulped and followed Gandalf. They bowed when he bowed and did not like the fact that Denethor looked rather angry. "These are my visitors Lord Denethor," Gandalf said motioning to the girls.
"They are filthy! I demand that they are to be clean in my presence and in proper feminine attire."
The girls fought back the urge to insult him. Gandalf seemed taken aback, "they just arrived from horseback. . ."
"I do not care! My word is law here!"
"Yes Steward," Gandalf said gritting his teeth and ushering the girls out.
"What a creepy old man!" Alex said shuddering as they were out of the chamber.
"Can we say pervert?" Sarah said shaking her head.
"Pervert," Kristi said simply.
Faramir had watched the whole thing from the door. "He does tend to have that reputation," he said coming from the shadows.
Gandalf seemed amused, but his face turned serious. "Yet you still follow his words."
"I must to prove myself to my father, Gandalf," he said with a bow. He turned to the girls, "come. I know some women who will give you some attire that will cover you, unlike the ones the guards would outfit you in. I would rather do this task than prepare for battle at the moment."
Alex sighed, "He's such a gentleman."
Sarah grinned staring at him, "He is and it's so hard to find a nice guy these days."
Kristi just blinked thinking, 'so it was Faramir I collided and spoke with. . .great, just great. Nice first impression.'
Gandalf waited outside the door, as the girls got ready.
Alex twirled in her forest green dress. "Well, they certainly have taste." She admired herself in a full-length mirror.
"I'll say," Sarah said smoothing the sides of her black dress.
"It's not bad," Kristi said from behind a screen.
"Well, come on out," Alex said.
"We'll tell you if it's bad or not," Sarah chimed in.
Kristi walked out in a deep red dress and modeled. "Well? Is it okay?"
Alex and Sarah stared. Their dresses were all the same, save for the color. The bottom nearly touched the ground, it laced up the front, and the sleeves flared open in a medieval style.
"Damn, red is your color," Alex said and Sarah nodded with her.
Kristi absently shrugged and blinked at her image in the mirror.
Gandalf knocked on the door. "Are you three ready?"
"Yes," they all chimed.
Gandalf blinked at them as they came out of the room. To save himself from being labeled 'the creepy old man' he motioned for them to follow and merely stated, "Good."
Denethor smiled like a cat when the girls entered his chamber once again. Pippin was with his this time, looking bored and a little disturbed, but he brightened up when he saw the girls. In other words, his eyes nearly fell out of his head. Gandalf stood off to the side and hoped that the girls wouldn't say anything rash.
"So," Denethor said sipping his goblet, "Who are you and what brings you to Minas Tirith?"
Alex nudged Kristi forward and she fought the urge to glare back at her. "My name is Kristi and these are my comrades, Alex and Sarah. We are companions of Gandalf and Peregrin Took, Lord Denethor. We traveled to see them."
"Why?"
Kristi thought, 'oh shit. . .come on Kristi, think!'
"Does one need a reason to see their companions Lord Denethor? We merely came to converse with Gandalf about a great many things and it came as a pleasant surprise to see such grandeur in this city. We are honored to be in your presence."
Sarah concluded then and there that Kristi was an extremely good 'brown noser.' Alex concluded then and there that she was going to gag.
Denethor grinned and the girls suppressed a flinch. "Well, visiting your companions comes at a price. You must obey my laws."
Kristi raised an eyebrow, but nodded. "Of course Lord Denethor. . ."
Faramir watched from the doorway, knowing his father had something up his sleeve.
Denethor's grin widened, "that makes you under my command." He looked to Sarah. "I saw your skill at riding when you approached Gondor. You are to tend to the horses and if need be to fight to protect them and Gondor." He looked to Kristi. "You came in here, with a broad sword worn so casually at your side. You will fight for me, if need be." He turned to Alex. "And you will become my entertainment, much like your friend," he motioned to Pippin at his side.
The girls' jaws nearly hit the floor.
"Lord Denethor-" Gandalf tried to intercede.
"It is my word!" Denethor dismissed him. He motioned for his guards to escort Sarah and Kristi to their stations, and then he turned to Alex motioning for her to stand beside Pippin.
Kristi got outside of the doors and fumed. "First he says we're not feminine enough and now this! Where's my sword?!"
Sarah struggled to restrain her. "Calm down!"
"Oh hells no! Alex is still in there!"
"Which is why we have to grin and bear this," Sarah said. "We're all still in the same room and if anything happens we'll kick some serious ass."
Kristi nodded and glared at the door. Faramir walked over to her, doing a double take at the dress up close. He composed himself before Kristi noticed and took her to the guard station himself, and then prepared for battle.
Alex stood next to Pippin and felt like she was going to faint. 'Why aren't Kristi and Sarah here?!' Pippin held onto her hand reassuringly.
Denethor asked her, "Can you sing?"
Alex shook her head. "No not really."
Denethor seemed to ponder. "Fine, the hobbit will sing and you shall dance."
Alex and Pippin exchanged a glance. Alex inwardly thought, 'someone is going to hurt because of this. . .'
Pippin started to sing a song he heard,
"Little Princess Mee
Lovely was she
As in Elven-song is told:
She had pearls in hair
All threaded fair;
Of gossamer shot with gold…"
Alex gritted her teeth and danced to the quickened beat, trying her best to ignore Denethor and to pretend she was just with Pippin in Rivendell. When the song ended Denethor clapped and dismissed them.
Sarah and Kristi were lying on their beds when Alex came in and buried her face in the pillow on her bed. They were exhausted from walking around Minas Tirith, but they lifted themselves to look at Alex.
Kristi asked, "Do we even want to know?"
Alex lifted her head to glare at her.
Sarah looked between them.
Alex sighed, "Pippin sang and I had to dance."
Sarah shuddered.
Kristi, trying to make the best of things, said, "well, at least you got to hear the real Pippin's singing voice first hand."
Alex tossed a pillow at her. "You're not helping."
Kristi coveted the pillow, refusing to throw it back. "I know."
Sarah mumbled, "oh boy. Here we go again."
The Second Great Pillow War commenced.
Author's Note: Another day another chapter, yep I thought Alex was going to kill me because of the whole Denethor thing. Coughs to cover a chuckle The song that Pippin sings is from page 215 of 'The Tolkien Reader'. In the next chapter a battle commences and evil makes its presence known to the three girls. Dodges a pillow Please review!