Last update ere school starts! Enjoy!

RivendellWriter: I'm glad you enjoyed it so. I hope this one lives up to your expectations.

Telhyandowen: Yes, things are getting better. I must say, the whole Palantir thing was unexpected. It just sort of came along. Things will be there soon!

Pickle Freak: Thanks for your review!

CleverGirl: I thought it was going to be more somber too as I do not think of myself as a very funny person. I'm glad you found it funny!

Aldawen Eldartari: I'm still not exactly sure

Chapter Eighteen

Eowyn and Faramir walked down the halls together as they thought privately about the news. Faramir wondered how long this had been going on, and how much would have been different if it hadn't started. There were no answers however, and so he had to give up. He turned to Eowyn, wondering what she was thinking about.

Eowyn seemed deep in thought. Faramir pondered her for a moment, ere finding his voice.

"What do you ponder, milady?" he asked gently.

Eowyn appeared startled. Then suddenly, she blushed.

"Nothing of significance," she murmured.

"Nothing of significance? Nonsense! Of course it is of significance. All that you think or say has significance," Faramir insisted.

Eowyn blushed deeper ere coming up with the perfect comeback.

"Do you always flirt with women in such a manner or am I particularly special in some way?"

As Eowyn had hoped, Faramir blushed a deep red.

"Indeed I do admire you for your valor and your strength. However, that is not why I said what I said. I said it merely because I am of the mindset that all thoughts should be heard," He declared. "Even the insignificant ones," he added with a grin.

"Well, milord, I believe your mindset to be honorable indeed, however I shall not comply to your desire to hear my thoughts because, although all thoughts may have a right to be heard, depending on one's opinion, many minds have no desire to make their thoughts public property," Eowyn retorted proudly.

Faramir frowned, and at first Eowyn thought that he was angry with her sharp tongue, but he just nodded and said, "Forgive me, Milady, I did not mean to pry," in a small voice full of remorse.

"All attempts of prying are forgotten, milord," Eowyn replied sincerely.

Faramir nodded solemnly. Eowyn felt bad for the words she had used before. She had overreacted and regretted it greatly. However, with the same pride that forced the words out of her mouth, she could not now take them back.

Sometimes, Eowyn cursed her pride. It had led her through life so far, but it pulled strongly, and she could not deny its tug. Many of the wounds that she inflicted upon others were solely results of her pride. She had never wanted to hurt Faramir in such a way, but she was sure she had, even before this occasion. Why did pride have to be so strong in her veins? Yet, she was glad of her pride. Pride was what led her to the battlefield and Pride was what led her out. Pride had slain the Witch King of Angmar, not Eowyn of Rohan. In a way that was hard to describe, Eowyn was proud of her pride.

But it was clearly getting her in trouble now. Faramir walked away from her without a word, and Eowyn knew that she would have to give up some of her pride in order to be fully happy. But wouldn't that be giving up part of who she was? She wouldn't be happy as prideful as she was, and she wouldn't be happy to be less. Was there such thing as a compromise?

(new scene)

"Well, I wanted to know...um...what did I want to know...I can't remember so we might as well forget about it."

"EOMER!"

"Ok, Eru! You are almost as bad as my sister! Ok, I wanted to know, Lothiriel...ok, here it goes. Lothiriel, will you marry me?"

Lothiriel stared at Eomer, wondering if this was what he really wanted to say. If it was, then why the big fuss? Yes, he really wanted to ask her that. He was just making a big deal over nothing, typical.

The next thing she thought about was how to answer him. She loved him, yes, but was she ready to marry him? She wasn't as sure. Perhaps she should let it settle for a while. But she knew she couldn't. If they did not come to some formal relationship soon, then Eomer would have to marry someone else, as he was a king. She didn't know how to answer him.

Lothiriel thought of her father. What would he want her to say? As much as he loved his daughter, he would desire her to answer the king with a yes. That is what he would consider the right choice. He would say, "well, you love him, and I know you could be happy with him so I think you should go for the love that you have in your grasp ere it is too late. To add to it, this marriage will help your country. We have an alliance, but to have secure proof of this alliance is vital and still lacking, therefore, your marriage would help there too."

Then Lothiriel thought of her mother, whom she had only known a short while. She could clearly hear Lady Falma saying, "Lothiriel, do what you feel in your heart. You are yet young. You have time. You have not known Eomer all that long. How can you be sure that he is the right one? Follow the small voice in your soul, not your mind. Do not follow passion, and do not follow fear, follow a mixture between both."

In agreement with Lothiriel's mother came the voice of Finduilas. "I thought I found love, and I knew it would help my country so I married Denethor. Yet I did not love the man as I thought I would, and I withered from being so far from the sea. Denethor would not understand; I was helpless. Do not do as I did. Without the sea our people are nothing."

Yet her brother, Elphir's voice asked her clearly, "Do you love him?" the answer was yes, and she knew that she shouldn't let him go if such was the case.

On and on the voices went, though it was only a matter of minutes before she gave her answer, to Eomer and Lothiriel it was a matter of eternity. The voices argued one way and another and finally Lothiriel realized that the only person who could make the decision was herself. But what was her decision?

(new scene)

Arwen paced the halls, worrying. Even without her elvish senses she could feel the tension in the air. There was tension in Eowyn's heart, tension in Faramir's heart, tension in Lothiriel's heart, tension in Beregond's heart, tension in Eomer's heart, tension in Denethor's heart, and finally, there was tension in her beloved Estel's heart. All this tension of course was creating a new heart with tension, her own.

What was wrong with everyone? Arwen tried to move her mind into Lothiriel's, but could not succeed. So instead she tried Estel. Surely he would work.

A Palantir. What are we going to do about that? All the Palantiri were supposed to have been destroyed with the downfall of Sauron. It is possible that one still remained, but how does it work? Sauron controlled it before, what of now? Does he yet live on? Of course, there would be no sense in asking Denethor, he thinks he has controlled it. What Belegmir is doing is useless. I wish I could

Arwen shuddered and pulled out of her fiancee's mind. The organizations of Men's minds were entirely alien to her. It was too strange to remain in his brain for too long.

A Palantir. What did that mean? Denethor had a Palantir in his possession? It was as her father had feared. There was still a Palantir left in Middle Earth.

Suddenly, Arwen felt a tug on her senses. Estel needed her. He was silently wishing that she would come to his aid. Well, come she would.

"Estel?"

Aragorn looked surprised when she came in.

"How did you know I needed you?" he asked.

Arwen smiled. "What exactly did Denethor see in the Palantir, Melnin?"

Aragorn was even more surprised. "He saw Eowyn telling Eomer that she hates Gondor and its people. Eomer joked and said that perhaps he should cut off connection with us, perhaps meaning the trade routes. Aparently, Denethor took it very seriously."

Arwen nodded and closed her eyes for a moment. "Don't do anything about him just yet. Wait until after he has taken he first action. Then you can do something about him," Arwen said.

"How is this to help, Milady?" Aragorn asked.

"Denethor has no issues with marrying his son off. However, he doesn't want Eowyn to hate us, so he will slyly push Faramir and Eowyn together. This, perhaps, shall turn out with the result we are hoping for."

Aragorn nodded. "As always, You are brilliant, Evenstar."

Arwen just smiled in response.

Just then, the couple were interrupted by a knock.

"Come in!" Aragorn called.

"Lord Elessar, I could not reach Lord Denethor. I will try again, I just wanted you to know where things stand," Belegmir said. Arwen noted with amusement that Belegmir spoke sarcastically when he said the word "Lord" in front of Denethor's name.

"Nay, Belegmir, I was just about to come and tell you. That plan is called off. The Evenstar has come up with a better one."

"Do you call for any action on my part, Milord?" Belegmir asked, hoping that he would find out anyway.

"Nay, however, I shall tell you of the plan. Sit down, my friend, but you must promise not to tell a soul."

"Aye, Milord."

(new scene)

After she heard the news from Belegmir, Natalie went looking for Faramir. As usual, she went to the library first, and as usual, he was there.

"Faramir, Belegmir says your father is working with a Palantir," She said.

Faramir turned to look at her and smiled. "Hallo, Natalie. Aye, 'tis true. It doesn't matter though. I'm researching them right now to discover how it works yet."

Natalie nodded.

"You know, Faramir. What if it is right? What if Eowyn really does hate us?" She asked, keeping in mind everything Belegmir had told her.

"Of course she doesn't hate us. She told me herself. I trust Eowyn with all my heart. I know she wasn't lying."

Natalie nodded again. He's just like everyone else. Always blinded with love, she thought sadly. No, I have a mission to complete, and I'm going to do it.

"Perhaps you should give her a reason to not hate us. It would help, just in case."

"Natalie, what do you want from me?" Faramir said with a sigh.

Natalie rolled her eyes and left. She knew that her words would remain. They were enough to torment Faramir that night until he gave into them at last. And then there would be nothing left to worry about. Except the fact that she would remain heartbroken, but no one else worried about her so neither would she.

Belegmir came walking down the hall.

"How did it go?" he asked.

"I think he'll think about what I said," she replied.

"Eowyn officially believes that Faramir thinks she hates him. She said something about 'and after those harsh words I said to him, no wonder!' or something. It was quite interesting. I think that was the closest I've ever seen Eowyn come to a breakdown," he paused. "For that matter, any woman for many years."

"Don't be silly, Belegmir. The only woman you've really been around is me, and I don't break down in front of people."

"Do you in privacy?"

"Sometimes."

"I had no idea."

"No wonder, I did it in privacy, you dolt!"

"Good point."

Natalie rolled her eyes. Belegmir was so hard to talk to sometimes!