Hi again! Sorry for the long time since my last update, but I have been totally swamped for the past few weeks. Therefore, I will give you two chapters today as penance and hope you don't kill me. D

Reviewer Responses
Seed-of-Flame I would let you kill Daendil, but I need him alive and whole…for now. I will let you and the other Daendil-haters have what's left…I mean I'll let you have him at the end of the story.
cleasmileUnfortunately Aragorn has a little problem with left over councilmembers who share their views with the late Denethor. And we all know how much Denethor loved Aragorn. He has to think about his country before even his brother. I think that if Faramir was in his right mind, he'd agree. As for Ithilien: if Faramir as Prince of Ithilien tires to interfere with the conflict between Lossarnach and Lebennin then he loses his right to rule Ithilien and the land goes to Daendil. I kinda just made up an old, archaic law that really has no meaning anymore but is still on the books and can be dredged up at times like this.
Rana Ninque This story is completely separated from Du'elea. However, you also won't find out who the master is until much later, and I mean much later. Yes, Daendil's brilliant but every evil man has his downfall, at least in my stories. And no, I still can't tell you who dies, you'll have to wait until the next story. Sorry, but that would be giving too much away and a lot of readers might try to hang me.
Thanks also to Alia G.L. and Mysterious Jedi for reviewing! You guys are all great!

"Lady, you need to eat a bit more. It will not due to 'ave you starve to death." Naicalle held out the bread to Éowyn. Quietly Éowyn accepted, not wanted to alienate her only friend among the captors. She didn't often see the burly leader, Moradanur, which she was thankful for. Even Naicalle feared him a little, though he would never lay a hand on his sister.

A tumble broke out among two of the men. Naicalle rolled her eyes at Éowyn before walking over to the fight. "What do you two lard-'eads think you are doing?"

The fight immediately stopped, both men falling back on the ground. Another of the group piped up. "Miss Calle, Brithanto 'ere mentioned 'ow 'e thought the 'orse-land lady was the prettiest girl 'e 'ad ever seen. Norien disagreed, saying you were the prettiest." The blonde fighter, obviously Norien, blushed furiously. "So you see, Miss Calle, it was a matter of 'onor."

Naicalle raised her eyebrows. "I see. And who won?"

The man grinned. "Why Norien of course. Nearly knocked Brithanto into the next age!"

Naicalle turned to Norien. "Thank you, Norien, for fighting for me. I cannot claim you were right, but I appreciate 'ow you stood up for me."

Norien's blue eyes met her brown ones, their piercing light seeming to bore into her soul. "Anything for you, Naicalle."

Finding herself somewhat uncomfortable, Naicalle quickly retreated to Éowyn's side while Norien returned to the other men. The female captor glared when she saw Éowyn smirking at her. "Stop that!" Éowyn smirk grew. "It means nothing," Naicalle hissed. "Nothing, so you can quit thinking that Norien feels anything more for me than friendship."

"Did I say anything?" Naicalle continued to glare and Éowyn decided it would be best to let her smile drop. "Naicalle, why do you fear love?" Though the woman jerked slightly she did not answer. "I used to fear that love would be like a cage, that marriage would mean to give up everything that I was. I know now that Faramir would never keep me caged. He loves me enough to let me choose. I cannot imagine life without his love."

Naicalle sighed and shifted away from the group of men that was beginning to sing a loud, bawdy song. "I never feared marriage, I welcomed it. There was this nobleman in Lossarnach. My 'eart would beat faster every time 'e talked to me. Me, a daughter of merchant." Naicalle began doodling in the dirt with a stick. "When 'e asked me to marry 'im, I jumped at the chance. We were going to wait a whole two years before the wedding, but I was 'appy. 'e would 'elp my father with 'is business and then would come see me. Everything was wonderful until 'e left me the week before the wedding. Not only that, it turns out 'e took all the money my father 'ad saved with 'im. We could not do anything about it since 'e was noble and we were not."

Éowyn placed her bound hands on Naicalle's shoulder. "I am so sorry, my friend."

"My father died soon after. Danny and I struggled by, then the war finished us off. We 'ave nothing now except each other and these men." She sighed. "I will not go through that again."

"Not every man is like that. My Faramir loves me and would never hurt me."

Naicalle's eyes flashed. "Is that so? Why 'as 'e not saved you yet then?" Seeing the hurt look on Éowyn's face, Naicalle bit her lip. "I am sorry. Forget I said that."

Éowyn tried, but she couldn't forget. She knew it would be nearly impossible for Faramir to find her in the week she had been gone, but part of her had hoped that he would come riding to her rescue within the first days. Escape was impossible, she was kept bound at all times and the ropes were knotted well. As much as it galled the shieldmaiden, rescue was her only hope. And deep in her heart, she desperately wanted Faramir to come and whisk her away so that they could get married and start their lives together. Please come Faramir. I need you.

.,.

The next morning Éowyn was roughly woken by a sharp kick in her side. Moradanur glared down at her. "Get up and come with me."

As Éowyn struggled to her feet she saw Naicalle come up to her brother. "Danny, what are you doing?"

"The next phase of the plan, Calle. We 'ave word that the Steward is on 'is way. Everything is set up, but from 'ere on me and the lady go on alone."

Norien stood next to Naicalle. "Now wait a minute, Moradanur. This was a plain 'ostage taking. We can do the exchange right 'ere, with all of us."

Moradanur barked out a laugh. "This is not a regular 'ostage exchange. Our employer doesn't just want the land, 'e wants the Steward dead."

Éowyn's eyes widened. She wasn't a hostage. She was bait! "No!" Éowyn tried to beat against the ruffian with her bound fists, but he caught her and roughly forced a gag in her mouth.

Naicalle frowned at the treatment of the woman who had become her friend. "What are you planning on doing, Danny?"

He grinned wolfishly at his sister. "That is for me to know. Calle, you are in charge 'ere until my return. Do not leave."

Letting out a laugh, he dragged a struggling Éowyn away. Naicalle looked after her friend, her heart hurting. Norien put his arm around her shoulder to try and comfort her. "She will be fine, I am sure. 'e won't 'urt 'er, only the Steward. Moradanur will let 'er go after it is over." He didn't voice the 'I hope' that plagued his mind.

Naicalle tried to find comfort in this, but she couldn't. "I do not know if she would want to live if 'e was dead. What is 'er life without 'is love?"

Norien looked at the woman with whom he had been in love with for years. 'The same as my life without yours.'

Short chapter, but the next one is pretty long so I had to split it somewhere.