Hey everybody! I got it up ere September! Thanks for continuing to review. Ok, I think this is the chapter you've all been waiting for, so have fun!
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Chapter Seventeen
I can't believe I did that! Oh well, I don't know what else I could have done. I could have almost sworn that Faramir was going to kiss me, but of course, he is too well mannered for that sort of thing. Sometimes I cannot resist cursing at good manners. Why does Faramir have to be one of those people?
Aragorn had sought out Grima that day. He had him banished from the kingdom forever more. I was not entirely convinced that he will not return, but he did leave. That reassured me a little. Not much though.
In the middle of Arwen and my celebrations, something else extraordinary happened. We were in Arwen's chambers, laughing about some silly matter or another, when Aragorn came bursting in.
"Denethor...furious...at...Niphredil..." he gasped. Apparently he had run all the way from the great hall to here just to tell us. After taking a deep breath he proceeded with his sentence. "And... Lothiriel."
"Lothiriel! What is she doing here?" I demanded.
"Hush, Eowyn, Estel knows of our plan. He figured me out and came to ask me about it two days ago, remember?
I nodded and reseated myself.
"Very...mad...caught them...together. I'm suspicious...that Lothiriel...planned for it...to happen...this way." Aragorn seemed to be regaining his breath slowly.
Arwen nodded. "Come, Eowyn. Let us discover what the situation is all about." Arwen commanded. I complied with pleasure.
(new scene)
As soon as they exited the room the three could hear the racket Denethor was making. As they passed through the halls, they saw servants lining the walls, trying to keep out of sight. Apparently, Denethor could throw quite a fit. Though, in Arwen's mind his fit was quite amateur. If anyone had heard her father throwing a fit, they would be ready to agree with her.
"Eru! I've heard that man lecture his son before, but never yell like that!" Eowyn exclaimed. Arwen just shook her head. It was a good thing she didn't know what real yelling was. Or she'd be deaf. Arwen sometimes wondered how her keen ears had survived Elrond's fits. Sometimes she wondered if they hadn't.
Eowyn was realized that the sound was not coming from the great hall, and instead it was coming from Denethor's office. The three quickly hurried to the office, where they found tons of servants crowded around. Apparently some of the servants were able to overcome their fear of Denethor enough to hear the conversation up close.
Arwen led Eowyn directly into the study where Denethor was hyperventilating at the moment.
Niphredil looked terrified, and Belegthon looked bored.
"NOW, I HEREBY PROCLAIM THAT BOTH BELEGTHON OF RIVENDELL AND NIPHREDIL OF LORIEN ARE BANISHED FROM THE KINGDOM OF GONDOR, FOREVER!" Denethor screamed.
"Does that suggest that the engagement is broken off, Father?" Faramir asked from the doorway. He had come in quietly after Arwen, Aragorn, and Eowyn.
Denethor glared at his son. "Yes, now you stay out of this!" Denethor snapped. Eowyn looked back at Faramir and was surprised to find his face hard and stony. Where was the Faramir she knew? This wasn't he. What happened?
Denethor turned back to Niphredil and Belegthon. "GO PACK YOUR BAGS! YOU HAVE UNTIL MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO DEPART, OR YOU SHALL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES! GO!" He shouted.
The two turned quickly and fled. Everyone else remained. Denethor went back to hyperventilating and rubbing his temples. When he looked up and saw everyone there, he began screaming again.
"OUT, EVERYONE, OUT! GET OUT! OUT!" Everyone left instantly.
Faramir continued to stand outside the door, in a little niche that used to hold a statue. Boromir had been chasing Faramir when they were children, and one of the two knocked the statue over. Neither one knew who did it, but Faramir ended up being punished for it. The statue had never been replaced, so it suited as a perfect place to stand out of the way, even sometimes to hide.
However, someone else had seen him slip into this little niche, apparently. Quietly, she joined him.
"What are you doing here?" Eowyn whispered to him.
"I was trying to collect my feelings and thoughts. What about you?" Faramir muttered back.
"I was trying to find out what you were doing," Eowyn replied. "So what are your thoughts and feelings?" She asked.
"You didn't give me much time to figure it out, but I suppose I am happy for myself, and sorry for Niphredil and Belegthon. I hope they find happiness soon."
"They won't." Eowyn murmured so softly that she could barely hear herself.
"Pardon?" Faramir asked.
"Nothing.
"Oh, I thought I heard you say something."
"I didn't.
"I understand that now."
"Okay then, let us drop it."
"Alright."
Eowyn sighed. Faramir was difficult. But something cut her sigh short. Footsteps were sounding in the hallway. Faramir grabbed her and the two stood perfectly still, squashed together in the darkest corner of the niche. Faramir had the benefit of the sight, but Eowyn could hear the person as he was passing and knew who it was.
"What shall I do about him? There is only one way to find the answer. Of course, I shall ask It. It shall tell me what I must do. Yes, It."
Denethor's voice hit Eowyn's ears. She began to tremble in Faramir's arms. He held her tighter. What was "It"? She wondered. For some reason, she feared the answer.
Suddenly, Faramir released her. When she looked at him, she realized what he intended on doing. She also realized that there was no way she would let him do it alone. So she followed him as he silently slipped after his father.
As she was walking, Eowyn wondered where Faramir had learned his silence skills. She knew that hers had come from hiding too long from Grima. Then she recalled Aragorn, he too could walk extremely softly. Perhaps it was a skill of all rangers. It made sense.
Denethor unknowingly led the two to a high staircase. Of the two, only Faramir was aware of their destination now. The Tower of Ecthelion. Suddenly, the young man became afraid. This was the tower that was forbidden to all save Denethor himself.
Nervously, Faramir glanced back to Eowyn. Her expression was innocent and pondering. For a brief moment Faramir considered leaving her there, but he decided that he wouldn't have the courage to go on if Eowyn wasn't there behind him. So the two began climbing.
144 stairs later (Eowyn counted), Faramir was relieved he had allowed Eowyn to come. They were six stairs away from the door that led into Denethor's private tower. Denethor had closed the door behind him, and Faramir was not pleased to realize that the door had not been oiled for a long time. But when he looked back at Eowyn, she slipped ahead of him and walked up to the door.
(new scene)
Lothiriel sighed in relief. They had done it. They had pulled it off. Even though some people had found out, they had succeeded. Slowly, she prepared herself to come ridding back into the city. Arwen had already planned Lothiriel's return.
She would come in and announce that bandits, who had put a false princess on the horse, had attacked her and then, with the help of a kind bandit, she had killed all the bandits. This story was a little farfetched in Eowyn's opinion, and Lothiriel tended to agree with her. However, there was nothing really to do about it. It was either accept Arwen's suggestion or come up with one on her own.
Slowly she walked through the city, unnoticed. She was sad to see one of her dresses taken as such a sacrifice, but Arwen had ripped up the dress and smudged Lothiriel with mud, so that it would be believable that she had just had the adventure of a lifetime. This is why no one recognized her.
As she walked up to the citadel, Lothiriel thought back to Niphredil. Their last conversation had been a little frightening. Niphredil had begged and pleaded that they remain together, but Lothiriel had insisted on going to the Undying Lands. Finally, Niphredil had declared that she would always wait for Belegthon in Imladris, and that was when Lothiriel earned her third kiss, her second on the mouth.
But everything was taken care of now. There was no longer anything to worry about when it came to Niphredil.
Finally she reached the citadel and spoke to Aragorn, who promised to send a letter to her father immediately reporting what had become of the princess.
After she left Aragorn's office, Lothiriel smiled. Now there was some very important business to handle.
"Eomer," She said when she found him. He was fetching his horse's saddle, for he was preparing to go for a ride. When he heard her speak he dropped the saddle in shock.
"Lothiriel?" he said when he turned around. "What happened to you?"
And so she repeated the whole story to him about why she was dressed like this, just as she had to Aragorn.
Eomer laughed once she was done.
"Now, you said that you wanted to talk to me about something once my charade was done. Well it's done".
"Oh, erm...Well, yes. I suppose I did say that didn't I? Well, you see...I wanted to discuss the matter of your horse some more?" He said, though it sounded more like a question.
"Eomer..."
"Alright, that wasn't it. Well, Lothiriel, I wanted to ask you a question."
(new scene)
Eowyn slowly opened the door. Faramir was tempted to lung out and refrain her, but he decided not to. Eowyn was sure of herself.
To his surprise, the door opened quite softly. Faramir moved up to stand behind her as the two peeked into the room.
Denethor stood in front of a mighty pedestal that was covered in a heavy velvet cloth. Fortunately, he did not seem to have noticed the door opening.
Slowly, Denethor moved to lift off the giant cloth. Eowyn could hear Faramir holding his breath behind her. She almost did so herself, but she did not want him to think her frightened. But as Denethor removed the cloth, she felt a great fear bursting within her, something she could not fight.
What Denethor revealed was a great rock upon the pedestal. Eowyn did not know what this meant, but Faramir did. He had read enough about such stones to know that this was a Palantir, one of the seven Seeing Stones. He gasped. Eowyn looked over her shoulder at him, trying to keep the fear from her eyes. But her mask collapsed when she saw her friend's face, which was white with horror. Faramir looked down and saw her fear, and without a thought wrapped his arms around her. Then they both turned their attention back to Denethor and the Seeing Stone.
Denethor appeared to be concentrating very hard, and Eowyn wondered for a brief second if she should run up there and break his concentration, but that would mean giving herself and Faramir up, and she didn't think she should do anything without Faramir's agreement.
Suddenly, a vision appeared; it showed Eowyn running up steps in Edoras. She charged into a great hall where Eomer stood discussing things with Gamling. Of course, Faramir did not know who Gamling was.
"Eomer!" the vision Eowyn cried.
"Eowyn!" Eomer cried with more joy in his voice than Eowyn had used.
The two siblings embraced, and Eowyn said, "O, Brother, 'tis so good to be back here! Those Gondorians are dreadful people! Every single one of them. I don't know how you are going to do so much business with them, they are terrible!
Then Eomer looked at her strangely. "Perhaps then I should cut off all business with them." He said in a joking manner. Denethor frowned deeply at this.
Suddenly, the vision cut off there. Denethor began muttering to himself about foolish girls and men who follow their whims, marriage, and a perfect plan.
Suddenly, he threw the cloth back over the Palantir and charged out of the room. Eowyn and Faramir ducked, and fortunately he walked right past them.
After he was out of earshot, Faramir sighed in relief. Then he looked at Eowyn. He was surprised to find her on the verge of tears. He slowly released her from his arms, and she nearly broke down under his gaze.
"Eowyn, what has happened to you? What is wrong?"
Eowyn released a sob. "I don't think that way about you, Faramir. Honestly, I don't! I don't know where that thing got that from, but I have never said that! I know what you must think of me now, but I didn't ever say that or even think it"!
"Hush, I know. That was a Palantir. I am aware that the Seeing Stones find miraculous ways of tricking people's minds, and I don't be believe that stuff for a second. I know that you don't hate us. However, apparently my father doesn't realize that. I don't know how the Palantir is working now that Sauron has been destroyed, but apparently it is".
Eowyn sighed. " You mean you don't think I hate you?"
"Of course not, now, let us go down. There is only one way to deal with this from my point of view. We must tell someone who can do something about it."
Eowyn nodded in response, and she followed Faramir down the hundred and a half stairs.
"You know?" Faramir said partly down. "I even have proof that you don't hate us Gondorians. After all, Aragorn is a Gondorian now," he finished with a laugh.
"O, Faramir! How dare you!" Eowyn said, laughing herself.
So they continued to laugh as they proceeded down the stairs.
But as they reached Aragorn's office, the two became somber again.
Faramir hesitantly knocked on the door, which was answered immediately by a "come in!" He gulped ere pushing the door open.
Aragorn sat at his desk with Beregond on the other side. Both of the men were now staring at Faramir and Eowyn behind him.
"Um, I hope I wasn't interrupting anything..." Faramir said meekly.
"No, no. We were just discussing a few issues of little importance. Now, please, what did you wish to say?" Aragorn said with a smile.
"Well, we um..." Faramir trailed off. Eowyn realized what had to be done. Faramir was still in too great of shock to realize that this was what his Father had been up to lately.
"Milord, we happened to overhear Lord Denethor muttering to himself about going to ask "It" a question. Neither of us knew what "It" might be, so we decided to follow him, for we were curious. It turned out to be a mighty good thing we did, for we discovered that "It" is a Palantir." She declared. Briefly, she wondered if she had said it all correctly, and if it was really as bad as she thought, but then both Aragorn and Beregond began to react.
"A Palantir! Hmph. Well, that explains all of his madness. Palantir!" Beregond exclaimed.
"What did you see in this globe? Is Sauron still its master? If so, how?" Aragorn questioned.
Faramir decided to answer Aragorn's questions.
"We saw Eowyn telling her brother that she despised Gondorians, which she told me was entirely untrue, and Eomer joking by saying that he was going to break of connection. I do not know how these images were shown, for it is my understanding that the Palantir can only show things that are, were, and could be, but that is what was shown. As for Sauron, we do not know who is not the master, as he has artfully hidden himself, just as I am sure Sauron did. That is all I know."
"Thank you, Milord, Milady. I think that this is just what I need. It will certainly give all this coronation stuff a lot more urgency. Thank you," Aragorn said. Faramir and Eowyn bowed and departed, soon followed by Beregond.
"A Palantir," He said as he was leaving. "A Palantir! That answers a lot. A Palantir!"