A/N: I'd reckon this is the longest chapter. Sorry I haven't updated in so long. I've been trying to think of a gabillion ways to end this thing. Ok, let's wrap this story up...

VIII

So we awoke the next morning, damper than ever and shoeless. My feet were muddy. Faramir was bending over by a pool, washing his face.

"Good morning," he greeted me.

"Mornin'," I mumbled. He did not show any hint of what happened last night. If it did happen at all. It seemed like a distant dream. I scratched the sole of my foot and winced. A small thorn stuck out of the pad of my big toe. I pulled it out and wiped the blood away. I hobbled to the pool and rolled my pants up. Then, I dunked my feet in. "Yiiaaoooww!" I yelped. "It's cold!" I washed the blood away. "Should we go and look for our boots, Faramir?" I inspected my palms. They were diry. I touched my cheeks. They were raw from the tumble down the hill. I got onto my knees and dunked my face in.

"Good idea," Faramir said when I had pulled my face out of the water.

We trudged back up the path. Never try walking an unbeaten path barefooted. It hurts! We retraced our steps from last night. Our fire was nothing more but crumbly white sticks. Faramir's boots were missing.

"The orcs must have taken them," Faramir muttered. He bent down next to a bush to see if his boots were there. I slipped my boots on, feeling guilty.

"Are you sure you can walk barefooted all the way to Minas Tirith?" I asked.

"Aye, aye, aye." Faramir appeared distracted. "Let's go. The sooner we arrive, the better. We should cover as much ground as possible before nightfall. Orcs travel under the cover of darkness."

"Oh."

So we walked, and we walked. My feet kept rubbing against the soles of my boots. The friction soon made it feel like someone had set my feet on fire. I yanked my boots off and waded in the shallow part of the Anduin. Ocassionally, a silver fish flicked around my toesThe water was very cold. If it weren't for my thick clothing, I might have died of hypothermia or something.

"Can you tell me about your family, Carrie?" Faramir said. That was outta the blue, I thought.

"Why?"

"Oh... I dunno. It helps past the time," he said. He walked next to me, occasionally kicking up mud and water. Little blobs of mud made ripples in the water.

"I have a father a mother and an older brother named Eric," I said in one big breath. "We lived on Koopman farm. It belonged to my father's mother. My dad's dad was a Jew. That's why my last name is Mendenberg."

"'Tis a nice name." Faramir gave a nice and sweet smile.

"Thank you. Anyway, my brother Eric can be quite obnoxious at times. Once, I chased him around the living-room with a spatula. He turned around so suddenly that I slammed the spatula down into his face." I shivered at the memory. "Blood was everywhere. My mom made me go for counselling for the next two months. What's so funny?"

Faramir was laughing. He was doubling over with laughter! "You'd make a good orc-hunter. Come Carrie-the-orc-hunter, let's hunt orc." He punched my shoulder lightly.

"I've no experience in killing, Faramir. That's why I took the boat--and you--and fled Nindalf."

"I'm glad you did," Faramir said softly.

We were silent again.

"Do you miss them, your family?" Faramir asked.

"I don't think so," I admitted. "A little, maybe."

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Faramir didn't build a fire that night. "We cannot risk another orc-attack and another boot lost," he said, giving a wry laugh. We hid in the dense shrubbery, our arms wrapped around our legs. Faramir's feet looked startlingly white in the night. I had my head on his shoulder.

"Will you stay with me in Minas Tirith, Carrie. Here?" he whispered. One arm went around my shoulders. He drew me close.

"Yes," I said without hesitation. "Yes I will."

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I woke up suddenly in the middle of the night. I couldn't stay with Faramir, here in Minas Tirith! If I did, what in the world would happen to Eowyn? Eowyn was my second favorite character in the trilogy, under Faramir. I didn't want Eowyn to be all alone in the story!

I looked at Faramir, who was lying next to me. He was snoring, gently though. When Eric snored, it sounded like a freight train had blasted through the walls of my bedroom. I bit my lip and thought, Maybe I should leave him. Now. Before anything else happens.

"Carrie?" Faramir was suddenly awake. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah," I lied. "I'm all right."

Ohhh, I'm so pathetic sometimes.

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We have been walking nearly ten days now. Faramir's stubble was beginning to get really long.

Like Charlton Heston's in the Ten Commandments.

Sometimes, Faramir would find mushrooms and plants. He'd hand them to me and I'd eat. It would taste good. Surprisingly. That didn't fill me much anyhow. Now, my stomach was as hollow and empty as the Grand Canyon. What I wanted was a hot dog baptized in ketchup, mustard, and pickles in my right hand, and a Big Gulp in my left.

Suddenly, Faramir stopped. "Wait!" he whispered. I stopped in my tracks. "Listen, Carrie! That's the whistle of the Rangers!" I listened and heard a soft bird-call. But it sounded a little artificial. The next thing I knew, Rangers surrounded us, arrow-heads gleaming in the sunlight.

"What is your business in Gondor?" one of them asked, pushing his way through the ring of Rangers.

"Boromir!" Faramir cried. "It is I, you brother Faramir!"

Boromir's eyes widened. "Faramir!" His eyes lit up in recognition. "Faramir!" and went off in a babble of some weird language. Faramir answered in the same language.

"We all thought you were dead, little brother!" Boromir finally said in English. A dark look crossed Faramir's face.

"Did Father grieve?"

Boromir's face fell and he shook his head.

"But let's not talk of these things here, little brother! Let us return to Henneth Annun. Damrin, return to Minas Tirith immedietly and tell them you bring great tidings. Faramir has returned!"

Damrin bowed low and disappeared among the trees.

Boromir looked at me. His eyes glittered. "Carrie? My, my..." Faramir stiffened and draped an arm over Boromir's broad shoulders.

"Come, brother! I am weary and I desire greatly to rest. Put your bows down, fellow Rangers! Come on. Let us not tarry here. Night is falling."

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Though I was starving, I went to bed early because I wanted to avoid any awkward conversations.. I could hear Faramir and Boromir talking outside. There was a soft slurp as someone sipped his wine. How uncouth, I thought and curled up tighter. I wanted a good shower, and my stomach was growling like nuts.

"Carrie disguised herself as a Ranger?" Boromir asked.

"Aye," Faramir said, after sometime.

"Ethwin was nervous that her ward was not in bed the next morning," Boromir said. "We found a Ranger in the armory. His name was Aithon. He said he was knocked out. I figured it was Carrie." There was a long silence. Then, Boromir spoke so low I had to strain to hear him. "You love her, don't you?"

There was a loooooong pause. And then Faramir said, "Aye." He paused again. "She saved my life."

"We know that," Boromir said. "Surviving Rangers reported of seeing someone spirit you away down the Anduin, O brother. Many men rejoiced that you were alive. But Father said you were a coward to do so."

Oh great, I had just incurred the steward's wrath again.

"Father says Carrie will be punished when she returns to Minas Tirith," Boromir added.

Punished! I touched my neck.

Faramir sucked in his breath rapidly. I drew the blanket over my head and fell asleep.

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"Carrie?" someone whispered. I sat up in my bed. It was Faramir.

"Yes, Faramir?" I whispered back.

He sat at the foot of my bed. "I had a dream, that you were gone, Carrie."

"But I'm still here," I said, smiling.

"I guess..." Faramir said softly. He moved up so that he was at my elbow. My heart was hammering into my chest. Faramir dug into a pocket and handed something to me. "Here. So you can remember me, Carrie, when you return to your country."

I haven't really thought about me returning home. "I-I'm not really sure if I want to go back, Faramir." I took the thing from Faramir. It was cold. I held it toward the moonlight. It was piece of black onyx hammered into the shape of a tear-drop. In the middle was a strange symbol made of silver.

"That is the elf-rune for 'F'," Faramir said to me. "My mother gave it to me the day--" he coughed "she died." His voice trembled with emotion.

"Oh Faramir," I whispered and wrapped my arms around him. He brought his face close to mine and kissed it. "I love you, Carrie." When we pulled away, I swung my legs out of bed. I fastened the necklace around my neck.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm taking a walk outside," I said. "I need to walk."

Faramir came up next to me and took my hand. Together, we walked down the stairs and into the pale and cold moonlight. Ithilien was bathed in shades of black, blue, white, and grey.

And then, a bush stirred. Faramir drew his sword.

Not again, I thought.

There came a great shout. I screamed in terror. A black figure lurched out of the bushes. Faramir was quick. He plunged his sword through the orc's neck. I backed off and something else caught me. I turned and another orc leered at me with his yellow fangs.

"Ah!" I screamed. "Faramir!"

"I've got the lass," said the orc. "Let's go, Margluk." The orc carried me over his shoulder.

"Faramir!" I screamed. "Faramir! Faramir!" Someone had knocked Faramir out. There was a bloody gash on his forehead. I kicked and pounded my fist in vain. "Faramir!" I stretched out my hand, like I was trying to claw my way back to him.

"Carrie!" someone shouted, shaking me. How did the orc know my name? "Carrie! Carrie! Wake up, Carrie!"

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I opened my eyes. The blanket was pulled to my chin. I saw Mom looking at me. She was bathing my face is cold water.

"Mom!" I exclaimed.

"I'm glad you're awake, Carrie. Eric got a shock when you fell off the horse!" Mom said. She put the face flannel away. "Now, you go back to sleep, Carrie. My! Sometimes, you were shouting and screaming as if you were falling off a cliff or a waterfall! Go back to sleep, Carrie. There's a good girl." Mom left the room.

I looked at the ceiling. So it was a dream. It was a dream and nothing more. I pulled my armspre from under my blanket and gave a cry of surprise. I wasn't wearing my sweatshirt or whatever. I was still in a Ranger's uniform. I got out of bed. Yup, a Ranger's uniform. I went to my full-length mirror. I looked good in it.

"Wow," I breathed.

Something cold was pressing against my chest. I inspected it. It was the necklace Faramir gave me. I smiled and kissed it. I took off my uniform and changed into my street-clothes.

Something urged me to turn on my laptop. I turned it on, opened Wordpad and thought for a minute. And then, I typed: I pushed my hat higher off my head, so as to improve my vision...

THE END