Telhyandowen: I'm glad you enjoyed it! I hope you think the same way about everything in this chapter. Yikes! You're thinking to quickly for me! I've already planned what happens with both Natalie and Belegmir, and nobody knows everything about it yet. evil grin I hope you feel better! I'm sorry you are sick!

Rivendellwriter: Thanks for reviewing! Your review really eased the pain of the lack of everyone else's review pout. I'm glad you are enjoying it so!

Ok, longer chapter than usual. You can find the exact translations for Elvish at the bottom of the page, but you shouldn't need it because Faramir translates it (indirectly). This is mostly for other Elvish freaks. A little bit more Aragorn than normal, I hope you don't mind! Just to let you know, there is a wee bit of foreshadowing here if you want to call it that. :-)

Chapter Nineteen

"Eowyn!"

Eowyn listened to someone calling her name, feeling to ill to reply. She lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling and thinking about Faramir. Poor Faramir. She had to do something to ensure that he did not believe what Belegmir said he believed. But what?

Perhaps she could declare her love, but if he thought she hated him then he would just think she was lying for some reason or another. Maybe he would think she was lying for the same reason she feared he would think for so long, or maybe he would think that it was because she didn't want him to think she hated him. Whatever it was, he would not believe her. She had been too mean.

She could swallow her pride, but no doubt Belegmir had talked to Faramir. That would mean that Faramir could suspect that she was just trying to save her country's business, not their friendship.

She could just act like nothing happened, but there was always the chance that Faramir wouldn't act the same way. That would force her to act differently.

"Eeeeeeooooooowyyyyyyyyn!!!!!" The cry echoed.

Eowyn sighed. Perhaps she ought to go down and recognize who was calling her. Yet, she didn't want to. Maybe she would wait a little longer still ere she took up her public life again.

Suddenly, someone knocked at the door so hard and loudly that she thought the door would door would break beneath the pressure. She bolted upright and sprang to the door ere she even thought about what she was doing. As she opened it, her head was greeted by a fierce fist as whoever was trying to knock again. In the brief moments left of consciousness, Eowyn suddenly felt badly for the door, as she now understood what it had been bearing.

(new scene)

"I swear, milord, I was merely trying to tell Eowyn some very important news about her brother. She opened the door just as I was about to knock. I couldn't halt the knock at that point. I'm very sorry, milord, very indeed!" Lothiriel's voice came from nearby. Eowyn slowly opened her eyes and looked around.

"How hard did you hit her?" Faramir asked his cousin.

Eowyn looked at him. What had happened? Slowly, her memory returned as Lothiriel replied. Then, she slowly registered the conversation that was taking place as she was awakening.

"What was the very important news about my brother?" She asked, though it came out as more of a groan.

"She's awake!" Faramir declared, and he came rushing over to her.

"Eowyn, how do you feel? Are you all right? What hurts? Do you think you can stand? Can you think?"

Eowyn laughed. "Which question do you want me to answer first?" she asked.

At first, Faramir thought that she was asking a rhetorical question. But when she did not continue, he decided to answer anyway.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Now, Lothiriel, what did you want to tell me?"

Lothiriel squirmed a little, and Faramir, sensing the source of her discomfort, excused himself quietly.

"It's Eomer, your brother, he asked me to marry him! I couldn't believe it! I was so shocked, and I was imagining what everyone would tell me to say, and I didn't know what to say! Everyone contradicted one another," Lothiriel gushed. "Finally I decided that I had to decide on my own, and I had to make the best decision for myself. Of course, I really loved him, but I knew that I am still very young, and..." She suddenly trailed off here.

"And..." Eowyn prompted. She suddenly feared that the girl had said no. That would be terrible for her brother. Eomer would be destroyed, literally. "You did say yes didn't you?"

"I'm not there yet! Hold your horse's reins for a minute."

"And then I looked at Eomer, and I realized that I couldn't let him go, and that I was old enough to know that this was right. I know that Eomer will keep me safe, and that he will respect me. So I said yes," Lothiriel concluded with a shy grin.

Eowyn collapsed into the chair in relief. "At least! Thank you Eru, thank you!"

"Who is Eru?" Lothiriel asked.

"Who is Eru?" Well, I don't know exactly how to describe him. He is said to be the father of Elves and Men..."

"You mean Iluvatar?" Lothiriel said with a laugh.

"I..."

"I don't know what his real name is. Faramir just taught me about Iluvatar. Faramir was my main history teacher. Every time he came to Dol Amroth he would tell me all about what he had read. He was a really amazing person as a child. He started reading when he was but three. He also drew and painted a lot. I think I know where a lot of his old work is. He wanted to throw it out because he was convinced that he wasn't good enough, something his father told him, but Boromir rescued it and stashed it in his bedroom. I'm not sure if we should go in there though, I mean, Faramir goes there a lot. He wouldn't be very happy if we walk in there and try to find his old artwork. However, maybe if we knew that he wasn't there..."

Eowyn didn't know whether she should laugh at the way Lothiriel said all of that in nearly one breath, or if she should panic because Faramir was spending so much time in his dead brother's room. In the end, she did something in between.

"How much time is Faramir spending in Boromir's room? And do you realize how fast you said of that? We have to get Faramir out of there. We can't let him waste away thinking about his brother. We have to..."

"Eowyn! Calm down! Faramir is fine! Don't worry about it. Have you noticed him wasting away? No. Faramir will be fine. He just finds Boromir's room to be comfortable. Don't worry about it, ok? He's fine," Lothiriel soothed.

Eowyn took a deep breath. "Ok, I'm sorry. I was just really worried. Faramir...If something happens to him...I would blame myself," Eowyn admitted.

Lothiriel nodded her understanding. "I would feel the same way about Eomer," she admitted.

Eowyn shook her head. It was hard for her to imagine someone feeling the way she felt for Faramir about her brother. She just wasn't used to the idea of Eomer having a heart that extended beyond his mother, his father, Firefoot, Theodred, Theoden, and herself.

"Now, do you want to see Faramir's old art?" Lothiriel asked.

"Yes, thank you, Lothiriel," Eowyn replied.

"You know, Lothiriel is quite a mouthful. You can call me Thiri. That's what my family calls me normally," She said, and then she added with a grin, "That is, when they aren't angry or anything like that."

Eowyn laughed. "Ok, thank you Thiri."

(new scene)

"What right does she think she has to treat me like that? What right? I was doing nothing. Nothing! Yet she thinks it entirely appropriate to suddenly start snapping at me and firing insults at me and..."

Faramir watched as Belegmir barged into the library and began pacing back and forth across the length of the library. He smiled.

"Problems with a woman?" He asked, joking.

"Woman?" Belegmir asked. "I suppose, if you could call her that. More like a monster! She was terrible! Tell me, Faramir, is Natalie alright?"

Faramir looked up, calculating.

"No."

"Why not?"

Faramir raised his eyebrows. Belegmir mimicked him. Faramir sighed.

"Natalie, as masculine as she tries to act, she..."

"You mean the monthly cycle?"

Faramir nodded.

Belegmir groaned. "What is wrong with her?"

"I think it is a little different than what most men mention about their wives. Natalie, she doesn't want to think about the fact that she is feminine. She tries to forget that she is a woman and just forces herself to believe that she is a man. Then, when she is deliberately reminded of her womanhood, she becomes irritated," Faramir explained.

"Eru, she's got some problems. So, what do I do, avoid her?"

"When it comes to about the 22 of the month, that is the best strategy I've come up with since she was thirteen years old."

Belegmir shook his head and looked down at what Faramir was reading.

Ai, i Palantiri kelerello kal, tenn' mor. Sauron i Goroth ne i turin eva hain. Him quettar nar i err man undalavuva i huine. I gurth eva Sauron uundalavuva i huine. Him quettar:

Huine undalava,

Eva i Palantir vedui.

Huine undalava,

Eva coi.

Huine undalava oiale!

A utul en.

Huine undalava,

Eva I Palantir vedui.

"What on Earth does that say?" Belegmir asked.

"It says that I have to say these words to rid the Palantir of evil. It says that not even Sauron's death can do this," Faramir translated. Then he began flipping through the pages looking for something. He paused at this passage:

I Gurth eva Sauron uundalavuva I huine. I goroth eva Sauron cuiuva esse I Palantiri oiale. I pata ello met hi na quen I quettar.

"Apparently, the Palantiri are still ruled by Sauron's evil, even though he does not live anymore. I should show this to Aragorn. I think this is what he is looking for." And with that, Faramir rose and left, as though his friend wasn't even in the room.

"Is he distracted, or is he as moody as Natalie sometimes?" Belegmir wondered aloud.

(new scene)

"After all of those time that he comes in here, I don't suppose he ever considers cleaning up after his brother?" Eowyn asked as she followed Lothiriel into the jungle called Boromir's Bedroom.

"He would probably consider it disrespectful. Boromir left those things there, and Faramir would deem that it is where Boromir wants them."

"Was Boromir a human, or was he a pig that Denethor took a liking to?" Eowyn asked.

Lothiriel didn't say anything for a moment, but then she burst out laughing.

"Boromir would have thought that was very funny. He would have liked you a lot. He had a fine sense of humor, and he was beloved to all people. He caused a great deal of broken hearts among the women."

"He had a sweetheart?"

"No, that's why he broke so many hearts. He would not love!"

"Did you love him too?"

"Nay, I was in love with his brother," she replied with a coy smile.

Eowyn laughed. "You loved Faramir? Do you..."

"Do I still? Why would I accept your brother's proposal if I still loved my cousin?"

"True." Eowyn hesitated. "Unless..."

"Unless nothing, Eowyn. I don't love Faramir!"

"Ok, ok. I understand. Now, show me those pictures."

"Ok, let's see. Oh, yes. His wardrobe. Ok" Lothiriel opened the doors to the wardrobe, causing Eowyn to gasp. Lothiriel spun around.

"What is it?" she demanded.

"So many...clothes...he has so many...clothes," Eowyn stammered.

"What do you mean?" Lothiriel querried, confused.

"Look! He has all these clothes scattered about his room. And then he has another full wardrobe full in there, where did he put all of these things? He couldn't fit another thing in there!"

"I'd reckon in the closet," Lothiriel stated, nodding to the said closet.

Eowyn ran towards the closet.

"Even more clothes!" she gasped.

"Eowyn, that is just part of being a Gondorian noble. You have the privileges to have many clothes. Now, do you want to see Faramir's work, or do you want to gawk about how many clothes his brother owned?"

Eowyn looked around, and realized the silliness of what she was doing. She had been shocked about how many clothes someone had! It wouldn't do to have the princess of Dol Amroth realize how greater Rohan's poverty was compared to Gondor's.

"By all means, bring out the artwork."

(new scene)

Have I time to go to the library, or ought I go ahead and prepare for dinner? Faramir debated as he walked away from Aragorn's office. I'd better go ahead and get ready, he decided with great disappointment.

But, as he passed Lothiriel's rooms, he heard two people talking gaily. Noticing the door to be ajar, he hesitated. Normally, if the door was open, it would not be impolite to listen, as the occupants did not care if their conversation was overheard. So he moved the door forward, and leaned upon the doorframe.

Eowyn and Lothiriel were sitting on Lothiriel's bed, looking as a series of objects, which appeared to be pictures.

"Oh, Eowyn, isn't this one lovely?" Lothiriel asked, showing Eowyn a picture.

"Oh, yes, very. What is it though? It seems like a magical field or something of that sort," Eowyn said dreamily.

"No, silly! It is the ocean! Haven't you ever seen the ocean?"

"No, never. I hear that it is lovely though. Thiri, are you sure that we should be doing this?"

"Of course! I was there when he said that he didn't care for these anymore, and that his brother may do whatever he pleased with them. Now his brother won't be doing anything with them, so we might as well."

Faramir froze at this comment. He knew very well who his cousin was discussing. Oh, Lothiriel. You are the most impish girl I have ever to lay eyes on, Faramir thought, irritated.

"Oh, look, here is a horse! I love this one. Yet, it isn't a horse. It has a horn on its head,"

"The Unihorn," Lothiriel explained. "Faramir liked that one a lot. It was his second favorite. His favorite was the one of Henneth Annun. Here, this one."

"I can see why. Does it really look like that? I would like to see it someday."

"I'm sure you will. Oh, look at this one. Do you know who it is?"

"Nay, who is it?"

"Guess."

"I don't have a clue. Someone beautiful... Is it you?"

"Yes!"

"It is wonderful."

"Interesting you say that. As I recall, that was one of my worst paintings," Faramir interjected.

Lothiriel and Eowyn both turned to face him. At first they just stared at him, but then they both began reacting at once.

"Oh, Faramir, I'm sorry if we have intruded on your private things. Lothiriel said it would be all right. She said that you couldn't mind because you didn't care what happened to these and..."

"Oh, Cousin! It is good to see you! Come, would you like to join us? I was just showing Eowyn some of your old paintings and drawings. She is enjoying it quite. Come over here! We'll make room..."

Faramir held his hand up, which silenced both girls as quickly and in sync with one another, as his entrance in their conversation had started them talking.

"Thank you, Lothiriel, for your kind offer. However, I must decline. I wanted to tell you that you might want to prepare for dinner for the hour grows old.

"And Eowyn? What are you afraid of? Do you think that I'll bite your head off or something? I must say that I did not want to think of those pictures again, as I am not fond of my craftsmanship, but I mind not that others wish to see them."

"Oh, Faramir, no that is not at all what I meant. I do not think you would be angry, not at all. I just thought that maybe you would be unhappy about it. But I know that you are a kind and caring person, and you would never be angry about something like this. I know..."

"Eowyn, what has gotten into you? Are you sure you are all right?"

"Of course I'm all right! I just don't want you to think that I thought that you would be angry! I'm fine though, I'm fine!" Eowyn insisted.

"Ok, well, enjoy yourselves, but remember about the time," Faramir said, wishing he hadn't come in. what had he done to upset Eowyn so? Why was she reacting like that? He wondered if he would ever know, or if he would wonder forever, like he had for so many other things in his life.

(new scene)

Aragorn picked up the book that Faramir had given him with a sigh. He wondered if Faramir would ever find the right book. He had given Aragorn so many books, that the future king was beginning to wonder if the "right" book even existed.

Written in Faramir's hand was a note tied to the front. It read:

Read pages 132, and 401 first. I know not if anything else in the book will become useful.

So Aragorn flipped through the delicate pages until he reached 132, thinking, that's odd, Faramir has never found a specific page that will certainly come useful. He just notes that there is a little bit of information here and there.

The book read:

Ai, i Palantiri kelerello kal, tenn' mor. Sauron i Goroth ne i turin eva hain. Him quettar nar i err man undalavuva i huine. I gurth eva Sauron uundalavuva i huine. Him quettar:

Huine undalava,

Eva i Palantir vedui.

Huine undalava,

Eva coi.

Huine undalava oiale!

A utul en.

Huine undalava,

Eva I Palantir vedui

Aragorn sat back in his chair, thinking about what he had just read. He could end the evil that reigned over the Palantir. All he had to do was repeat these words? That couldn't be it. No, that couldn't be all.

Barely breathing, Aragorn flipped to page 401, this time less cautious of the fragile state of the book.

I Gurth eva Sauron uundalavuva I huine. I goroth eva Sauron cuiuva esse I Palantiri oiale. I pata ello met hi na quen I quettar.

I had better read this whole book, he decided. So he flipped back to page one, and began the tedious process of reading the poetic Elvish script.

It was very late in the night when he finished. He realized that he had missed the last meal of the day, and that everyone would already be asleep. That meant he had to do this himself.

So he crept up the stairs unto the Tower of Ecthelion. As he hiked, he nearly fell asleep, as though some unknown force was drawing him into exhaustion.

Finally, he reached the very top. The door was closed.

Aragorn feared that it would be locked too, but when he tried the handle, it twisted under the barest pressure. Aragorn expected it to creak, but it hardly made a noise.

He looked carefully around the room, making sure that no one was paying a one-o-clock visit to the Seeing Stone. Once he was sure that there was no one else in the room, Aragorn made his way softly to the great pedestal.

"I suppose I have to take the cloth off first," he said to himself, reassured by the sound of his own voice.

Aragorn was amazed how frightening this encounter was to him. He had faced almost every danger in Middle Earth, including one of the Palantiri, and he was still frightened to remove the cloth. Perhaps it was because he was unsure this time what he would find, where as last time he was certain who controlled the Palantir.

Bracing himself, Aragorn reached for the hem of the velvet cloth. The one thing separating from the Palantir itself. As he touched the cloth, he could feel the power radiating from the Seeing Stone. He heard a great rumbling in the back of his mind, and his vision went blurry. Ignoring this dulling of senses, senses that could be necessary very shortly, Aragorn yanked on the cloth and removed it from the stone.

Immediately, everything went out of focus. He was dizzy, he couldn't think clearly. Someone was entering his mind

No! His mind shrieked. He would not give into Sauron yet. Not until the battle had been fought. He had won so many times; he could not afford to lose without even fighting.

The force backed off, and Aragorn could think again. But he could not see. He would have to rely on his memory to recite the spell that could put an end to the last bit of evil left in Middle Earth.

Before he was conscious of what he was doing, the Elvish words were leaping from his lips:

"Huine undalava,

Eva i Palantir vedui.

Huine undalava,

Eva coi.

Huine undalava oiale!

A utul en.

Huine undalava,

Eva I Palantir vedui"

The Palantir began to shiver and shake. Then, piece by piece, it crumbled to the floor.

But Aragorn could feel that it was not over yet. The evil that reigned through the Palantir had now found a new refuge. He was its host now.

Leave! He commanded silently.

And why should I? it questioned.

I am one of the Dunadain! I am a descendant of Elendil, your bane! If you do not leave now, you shall be strangled, and you will never live again!

Or perhaps you will be the strangled one!

I know your fears. You fear the Eldar! I am related to the Eldar. I am a a descendant of Elros. I..

Stop it boy! I know your history as well as you do for I have battled many of your ancestors. All, in fact, who were not downright cowards. Of course, I have never been able to get a straight answer out of anyone. Which is worse? A coward or a fool!?

Perhaps you can answer yourself. Which side of yourself do you hate more? Aragorn retorted.

He was struggling to think. Sauron, or whatever was left of him, was right. He was being suffocated. He suddenly thought back to what had always cleared his head in the past. The song that his mother had sung to him at night. Softly, and then more confidently, Aragorn began singing this song:

"A Elbereth Gilthoniel

Silivren penna miriel

O menel aglar elenath!

Na-chaered palan-diriel

O galadhrimmin enorath

Fanuilos le linnathon

Nef aear, si nef aearon!"

Inside his brain, Aragorn could hear Sauron squirming. Then shrieking. And then, at last, screaming long and loud.

"A Elbereth Gilthoniel!

Silivren penna miriel!

O menel aglar elenath!

Gilthoniel, A! Elbereth!"

Suddenly, a horrible pain ripped through his body, and he couldn't breathe. A voice was ringing through his mind as visions fluttered past his eyes. Grima Wormtounge, Arwen grieving, a Haradrim rogue, Eowyn wrestling with Orcs, and many other things that ripped at his heart. And that was the last thing he was consciously aware of.

Translations:

Ai, i Palantiri kelerello kal, tenn' mor. Sauron i Goroth ne i turin eva hain. Him quettar nar i err man undalavuva i huine. I gurth eva Sauron uundalavuva i huine. Him quettar:

Alas, the Palantiri flowed away from light, unto dark. Sauron the Horror was the master of them. These words are the ones who will drown the darkness. The death of Sauron will not drown the darkness. These words:

Huine undalava,

Eva i Palantir vedui.

Huine undalava,

Eva coi.

Huine undalava oiale!

A utul en.

Huine undalava,

Eva I Palantir vedui

Darkness drowns

From the last Palantir.

Darkness drowns

From life.

Darkness drowns forever!

And not to come again.

Darkness drowns

From the last Palantir.

I Gurth eva Sauron uundalavuva I huine. I goroth eva Sauron cuiuva esse I Palantiri oiale. I pata ello met hi na quen I quettar.

The death of Sauron will not drown the darkness. The horror of Sauron will live in the Palantiri ever. The way of end is to say the words.