I Will Always Be There For You

A non Faramir/Eowyn for those who are fans of such.

Faramir stood silently in the upper courtyard, next to the white tree. Falling to his knees, he wept as he looked at the broken horn that he held in his hands. He lifted his head and searched the horizon. "I shall never see him ride home again," he said to himself. He felt a hand slip around his arm. He turned his head to see Airell.

He had met her when they were children in the royal courts of his father, the Steward, since her father was Lord Denethor's advisor. He had always thought she was beautiful. She had long brown hair that graced her fair skin, but her eyes were what he found the most beautiful; they were emerald green and shone so brightly. They would always light his heart. He practically begged her father to let him court her, and he thought he might have burst from joy when gave his consent. They spent as much time together as they could. She loved him with all her heart, and he with his, but they hadn't married. It was not that he didn't wish to make her his, but with the constant battles and the ensuing war, he refused to make her a widow before she was even his wife. But he had always been there for her, but even more so when her father died. Now, she was there for him when he needed her most.

"Boromir was a great man and I know you loved your brother very much," Airell said as she wiped a tear from his face, "and I love you. I'm here for you." She paused and began to cry, "I will always be here for you.

Faramir wrapped his arms around her tightly, almost afraid that she would leave him too. He kissed her on top of the head.

Silence. Blissful silence.

Airell sighed, "I wish we could stay this way forever."

"I would wish for nothing more than to stay here with you. To never leave your side."

"Then stay with me, please, Faramir. Stay for a while. Do not leave in your grief."

He stood and helped her to her feet as well. He pulled her close to him so she was pressed against him. She knew what he would say.

"My dear, I cannot stay. I must return to Osgiliath tonight. I only came to Minas Tirith to tell father that I had seen Boromir." She lightly pressed her finger to his lips.

"I understand."

Then she brought her lips up to meet his, but they never did. . .

"Captain Faramir."

Faramir woke suddenly, seeing his second in command standing above him. It was a dream, nothing but a pleasant dream. It had only been two weeks since he had seen Airell, two weeks since the discovery of Boromir's death. He missed his brother, but he didn't dwell on it. He couldn't.

"What is it?" Faramir asked as he stood slowly, trying to shake his sleepiness.

"The scouts say they have spotted orcs coming up the river, sir. They shall be here by nightfall."

"How many?"

"Two thousand, sir. We believe it to be a raiding party."

Faramir thought about this, "Tell the men to be ready by dusk. Place them all along the bank. Osgiliath must not fall."

"Yes, sir," the second said confidently as he saluted.

In his heart Faramir knew Osgiliath would fall.

Airell stood on the balcony outside of the Hall of Light, the royal dinning hall, watching her breath meet the cold morning air. The warmth of the sun had not yet arrived, as it was only slightly over the mountains behind her, casting the looming shadow of Minas Tirith on the fields before her. The beauty of it all was so deceiving, for during war, there was no beauty.

"Good morning, Airell," a rough voice said behind her. She instantly recognized it as belonging to the one man in all of Middle-Earth she truly and passionately despised.

"I beg you, Lord Denethor, pray tell me what is so good about it," she said in a chilling voice. She doubted he even had a heart, but her tone would have frozen it.

He only smirked. "Airell, why are you being so grim?"

She glared at him. "Are you being so whimsical? Did you not hear the screams from Osgiliath during the night? Can you not see the attack that is taking place now?"

"What of it?" Denethor said coldly, turning his back to the fortress.

"Osgiliath cannot hold back the forces of Mordor. You know Sauron has been massing an army. You have known about this and you still did not send aid to Faramir. Do you not care for your own son?"

Denethor spun around and pushed her back against the balcony, forcing her to lean backwards a little.

"Faramir is not my son, and if he can not hold Osgiliath, then he will have failed me again," he paused and backed off a little. "No, my son is dead." Denethor turned to walk away, but Airell was not through.

"Farmair loves you," she yelled, hot tears streaming down her face. "He has tried all his life to please you, to live up to all of your expectations. And still, he is not good enough." With that, she ran past him sobbing.

She ran through the halls, toward the courtyard. Her eyes were so blinded with tears she did not see the child that she ran into until it was too late.

"I am so sorry. I did not see you there, little one," she said as she wiped her tears and helped the little boy up. She studied him, and was quite perplexed. "You are strangely clad for a child."

He just smiled and laughed, "Ahh, but I am not a child. I am a Hobbit."

Well, what do you think? I hope you like it. This chapter was not spectacular, but I had to introduce you to the new character, and get it started. Please review and tell me what ya think!

SweetBloom EDITOR:

Kika

AKA Spawn of Sauron

AKA Keeper of the Evil Eyebrow