Sorry about the long wait. I've been working on an NCIS fanfic and haven't had time to post this. Lirenel has recently been freed thanks to the wonderful reviewers who sent their help. Unfortunately, Evil Skittle is still on the lam and influencing the fanfic way too much. If you have any information on her werabouts, please contact Lirenel through the review box. Thank you.
Reviewer Responses
Raksha the Demon I can neither confirm nor deny your guess. Please keep reading to find out.
Forever Faramir Ack! Not the butterflies! 'runs and hides behind Elladen' Here, here's an update!
Rosie26 I like Beregond as well. I wish they had put him in the ROTKEE.
arwens-light Again, I can neither confirm nor deny your guess. I also don't know any of their kids names for sure, though I think popular support says that they had a son named Elboron. I think their grandson's name was Barahir. I'm also really enjoying your new story, so please update!
Mysterious Jedi Your wish is my command!
flowerbee I almost had that happen, but I didn't want Éowyn to get hurt. Thanks for your support!
Elenhin Oh very painful. It wouldn't be angst without a little pain, now, would it? I'm glad you like the story.
Wenham-Wonderer Thank you for Hibby, he was very helpful. And thank you for your support.
King Éomer and the rest of Edoras had no warning of the attack. Guards on the city walls cried out in amazement and terror as a dark army appeared out of thin air, charging and breaking down the Gate before anyone could move. Éomer and Faramir were eating breakfast when the warning horn blew. They ran into the main hall in time to watch the doors fly open, revealing a company of black-clad soldiers and the dead bodies of Ádhelm and the other door guards. Neither the King nor Faramir had their swords with them and could do nothing as the soldiers surrounded them. They watched, stunned, as two men rode their horses into the Golden Hall. Both wore black uniforms, one with the symbol of wolf, the other with a symbol consisting of two entwined blood-red circles. The man the Éomer mentally called Wolf dismounted and walked up to the King.
"We meet at last Éomer son of Eomund, heir of Theoden the Cruel." Éomer glared at the man, angry at the insult to his uncle, but Faramir laid a hand on his arm to keep him from doing anything rash. "It will be a pleasure seeing you rot in the dungeon as I rule your country." Wolf smugly backhanded the King of Rohan, leaving a red mark on his cheek.
Blood-red also dismounted. He was a tall man, taller than Wolf by a few inches, though Faramir nearly matched his height. His raven hair fell stiffly around his pale face. But his most obvious feature were his eyes, crimson with gold lightning streaking across the irises. "Now Mustayo, surely you will do more to him than just keep him in prison." Blood-red's voice, while softer than Mustayo's, was at the same time more evil. "What kind of revenge is that? It should be more painful, don't you think? After all, his uncle caused you great pain."
"You are right, Pelatarn. Yet somehow, I feel that anything I think of will be nothing compared to what you have planned for our little Steward here." They both laughed and Faramir felt a glimmer of fear at the men's obvious cruelty and darkness.
"What do you want with us" demanded Éomer.
Pelatarn grinned maliciously. "We want revenge. Mustayo for his family's death, I for the death of my friend at the hands of the Steward."
"And just who is this friend you say I killed"
"Surely you remember, little Steward. Lokir is a hard man to forget."
Faramir's eyes widened in recognition. "General Lokir" Lokir had tried to assassinate Aragorn after the War of the Ring and Faramir had been forced to kill the General.
"Yes. The General was as close to me as a brother and you killed him. And now you will pay" Pelatarn raised his hand and made a shoving motion. Faramir felt himself go flying backwards into a pillar, falling to his knees from the force of the attack. Pelatarn made another motion, pulling Faramir back into the circle of soldiers.
Mustayo smiled at Pelatarn's display of power. He turned to the captain of the soldiers. "Take them to the dungeon." Éomer and Faramir's hands were tightly bound behind them and the soldiers pushed them down to the cells beneath the Golden Hall.
Faramir winced as a soldier shoved his back where a bruise was beginning to form from his encounter with the pillar. He and the King were thrown non-so-gently into a large cell, the iron bars slamming behind them. "Éomer, I think we are in trouble."
Éomer sighed in agreement. "At least I ordered the dungeons made a little more comfortable. This is my second time here in three years."
Éowyn glowered at Eistavar the whole journey to Minas Tirith. The small company had 'borrowed' some horses, intending to return them later, but desperate to quickly bring news of the attack to King Aragorn. Now Éowyn was sharing a horse with one of the guards of the White Company while Beregond rode with Eistavar in order to keep her from wringing his neck. All seven of them sighed in relief when the great white city of Minas Tirith appeared. Spurring the horses into a fast trot, they entered through the north gate and hurried up to the Tower of Ecthelion where Aragorn held court. After seeing that the horses were taken care of, Éowyn hurried into the Tower, past the surprised guards, and up to the throne where Aragorn sat.
The King of Gondor was startled to see Éowyn, disheveled and dirty from the journey, nearly running towards him. 'Something is very, very wrong.' Aragorn quickly dismissed the others in attendance, though Prince Imrahil of Dol Amroth and Imrahil's daughter, Lothiriel, stayed. The Prince had a sinking feeling that his nephew, Faramir, was in trouble. The King frowned as he saw that Éowyn was followed only by five of the White Company, including Captain Beregond, as well as a skinny, dark man whose hands were bound behind him. Aragorn walked down to Éowyn and the others. She had a frantic look in her eyes. 'And the White Lady does not show her worries easily.' "Lady Éowyn, what has happened"
"Edoras... the attack... it all happened so fast." Éowyn's fear and worry found its way to her voice, and to her frustration, tears began welling.
"Éowyn, what attack? What happened"
She took a deep breath. "Edoras was attacked and overtaken by an unknown army. I do not know who they are or anything about them. I was outside the city when it happened because of falsehoods told by this man." Éowyn glared at the dark man.
Aragorn shook his head, unable to deal with this sudden news. "Was there no warning of attack? Surely the Rohirrim could hold back even a large army until Gondor was informed and came to help."
Éowyn looked helplessly at him. "There was no warning. In fact, the army seemed to appear out of thin air, like they were invisible."
"Invisible" asked Imrahil skeptically.
"The lady speaks truthfully." Beregond spoke up. "We could not see the army, though we did hear them. And this rat, Eistavar, knew they were coming." He threw the man forward. Eistavar cowered beneath Aragorn's kingly gaze.
"You did not warn Rohan of this impending attack? It would seem that you are in league with this new enemy, yet you saved Lady Éowyn. Why"
"Th... they were going to kill her, my lord."
"And 'they' would not kill King Éomer and Prince Faramir"
"N... no, my lord. They want revenge. It would not b... be in their interest to kill them. B... but they don't need Lady Éowyn. I saved her, saved her life, sir."
"Perhaps. But for now, you will tell us what you know. Tell us everything and we may be lenient on you. Captain Beregond, help him to the small conference room." Aragorn called a servant as the others filed out of the room. "Bring Queen Arwen to the conference room. I think she should be part of this."
Éowyn collapsed into a chair, weary from the journey and from concern for her brother and husband. Lothiriel sat next to her. The oldest daughter of Prince Imrahil, she was younger than Éowyn by only a few months. Though Lothiriel had only spoken with the White Lady a few times, she felt a deep kinship with her, namely through their common bonds. For Lothiriel loved her cousin Faramir dearly, and had always looked up to him. 'And now he is in danger. That little rat-man is dead if I get my hands on him.'
Arwen entered the room and sat next to Éowyn. She gently squeezed Éowyn's hand in reassurance. The Aragorn sat down. "Now, Eistavar I believe? Start at the beginning and tell us everything, or I will hand you over to Lady Éowyn. I am sure she would be happy to put you out of your misery."
Eistavar fidgeted in his seat. "It... it began a few months ago, maybe a few years. I have lost track of time. I w... was out of work and needed money. This man came up to me with a job offer. The promise of a well-p... paid job overcame my uneasiness about the fellow. He led me to a place in Puvarjo forest where I met 'them'." He shuddered at the memory of his 'employers'.
"Who are they"
"I'm not quite sure. They called each other Mustayo and Pelatarn, but I don't know what their real names are.
"What do they want with Éomer and Faramir" demanded Éowyn.
"I... I think Mustayo just wants power, though he hides it under the guise of revenge."
"Revenge for what" asked Aragorn.
"During the battle of Helm's Deep, in the Great War, his young son was forced to fight under King Theoden's order. He... the boy was killed and his wife died from grief. B... but I really think he just wants to rule Rohan."
"What of this Pelatarn"
Eistavar visibly quaked at the thought of Pelatarn. "H... he is an e... evil man. He works with dark magic; that is h... how he turned the army invisible. Mustayo is in charge, but I do not f... fear him as I do Pelatarn."
"But what does he want"
"Revenge. Pure revenge for his friend's killer. Revenge on the Steward."
Aragorn leaned forward. "And who was his friend"
"I... I think he called him Lokir. General Lokir."
Arwen gasped. "The assassin who tried to kill Aragorn and Faramir"
Aragorn spoke softly, trying not to show his fear for his friends. "You said he does dark magic. What is he going to do to Faramir and Éomer"
Eistavar shook his head. "Not Éomer. He does not care about the King. He just wants the Steward."
Éowyn's eyes darkened and she glared menacingly at the man. "What. Will. He. Do"
"I... I do not know for sure. I h... heard him say s... something about u... using the Steward's own m... mind to break his will. B... but it didn't make sense. W... what memories could break a man's will"
A strangled gasp caught in Éowyn's throat and a pale Arwen hugged her in a vain effort to comfort her. Aragorn's heart plummeted. He remembered the suffering boy who became a brother to him, the grieving man that the boy became under a hurtful father. The others in the room who knew of Faramir's past also had horrified expressions on their faces. Aragorn sat back in his chair. "What memories could break a man's will? Memories of things no person should ever go through."
Hmmm, Evil Skittle must have stolen my keyboard. Please hold while I try and retrieve it.
