A/N: Sorry for not updating sooner; I'm trying to work on making the chapters longer, anyway enjoy:-)

Time seemed to fly by as they talked in the stables; Eowyn hadn't smiled this much in a long while, a raven haired young man entered the stables. His hazel eyes seemed grim, and out of reverence he dipped his head once he realized that he was in the presence of lady Eowyn, the captain of Gondor's wife.

He once again turned his gaze to Faramir.

"We must make haste to leave now, my lord," he said.

"Lord Denethor ordered me to leave at noon," Faramir replied.

"No, my lord; I have come straight from lord Denethor; he demands that you take leave of this city immediately."

Faramir was puzzled at Denethor's sudden change of mind, but nonetheless he composed himself, "Very well; Darcyn gather the rest of the men, we shall meet on the first level."

"Yes my lord," said the Ranger."

When Darcyn left, Faramir began to saddle his horse, Denrolth. A look of sadness was on his face-sadness, and determination. To Eowyn he now seemed as one going to their death.

"I will be sure to see you again my lady if I am to return," he said turning to look at her.

Eowyn walked closer to Faramir and his horse, "I wish that we could have had more time to get to know each other," she said, smiling faintly.

"I am sure that you will be happy here my lady," he said.

Eowyn looked down, "I am not so certain of that my lord."

Faramir had now saddled Denrolth; in his heart he knew that he would never see his brother or his sister in-law again.

Nonetheless he placed a comforting kiss on her pale cheek, "Until we meet again my lady," he said softly.

Eowyn stood and watched as Faramir led the beautiful gray horse, Denrolth out of the stables; she hoped that all would be well with him on his journey. Little did she know how perilous it would really be.

000

Norah had managed to get acquainted with nearly all of the household servants; she was returning to her small quarters when she accidentally bumped into someone; she looked up and found herself staring into the face of Boromir.

"I am sorry my lord," she said, backing away and bowing her head in shame, "I should have paid more attention to where I was going."

"It is alright, it was just a small accident," he said kindly.

Norah lifted her head, and Boromir found himself staring into soft yet deep blue eyes, although for some reason she would never fully hold his gaze. A look of shame was still on her fair face.

"Do you by chance know where I can find lady Eowyn?" Boromir asked, changing the subject.

"Yes my lord, I believe that she is in the stables," said Norah.

"Thank you," Boromir said, not knowing what to call her for he did not know her name.

Norah watched as he walked down the hall; she couldn't help feeling sorry for him for she was sure that he was not as bad as Eowyn had stated, after all wasn't he also forced into marrying her?

That was a large part of the reason why she could not look into his eyes; she pitied Eowyn, but it was not Boromir's fault.

000

Faramir had soon met up with his men, and they had ridden out of Minas Tirith in silence. None had dared to ask how lord Denethor could be so cruel as to only send sixteen men out to kill possibly an army-how could he so carelessly send them their death?

There was no denying that these Rangers loved Gondor, they would willingly die for her; that was the reason why none of them had deserted the mission. But to die in honor was one thing, to die needlessly was another; they all knew very well that lord Denethor could have spared more men, it was obvious that this was just an act of cruelty; finally Medwyn, who was riding along-side Faramir spoke up.

"My lord, do you not think that sixteen men are too few?" He asked.

Medwyn and Faramir had become very close friends, for although Faramir felt that he could talk to his brother he glad that he could also talk to Medwyn; Medwyn was not afraid to speak up and say some things that others felt were true but were afraid to say so. He knew that Denethor saw Faramir as the lesser son, and it angered him for Faramir had as much honor and integrity as his older brother Boromir.

But he had given up on trying to understand what the steward of Gondor was thinking, for he had become more and more recluse as the months and years progressed, and he seemed colder, and had aged decisively.

Faramir bowed his head, "I do not know," he said in a low voice.

"My lord you know what I am saying to be true," replied the dark-haired young man, his hazel eyes seemed as though they had been set aflame.

Although Faramir knew what the odds were, he was determined not to give up; if he gave up, who would keep the already sinking morale of the men up?

"We cannot give up Medwyn, no matter how impossible this task seems."

It was no coming up to evening time and the rest of the ride had been silent. They soon arrived in south Ithilien. But when they arrived reality really began to sink in: there was no way that they could track down this army with so few men, despite the fact of how good they were in following tracks.

The men were all exhausted from the long ride, for they only took a few minutes break before setting out again, because Faramir knew that it was likely that if the army had not yet journeyed into Harad at that time that there was still a possibility that they may be gone by the time they reached the Harad road.

Faramir had sent Bard, who was Medwyn's younger brother along with Liran, Caleb, and Levi to scout the area; when they returned they saw no sign of the enemy. But still there was no guarantee that the enemy wasn't lurking in the shadows, waiting to catch them off of their guard.

But nonetheless, they had to rest, for they needed to be refreshed so that they could hunt down their so far, unseen enemy.

So it was decided that two men each would take turns keeping watch whilst the others slept. The first pairing was Medwyn and his older brother Marwyn.

They had set up a temporary camp near the Harad road, so that they could keep watch, just in case the army had not yet passed by; there had been no campfire lit for they did not want their presence to be known to the enemy, for they knew that their best chance was to take them by surprise.

As Faramir lay down to go to sleep, his mind wandered back home to Minas Tirith; he hoped that lady Eowyn, now his sister in-law would find some way to make peace with her new life, although he knew that it wouldn't be easy. He also hoped that his brother would find a way to make peace with things also; he continued to dwell on those thoughts until he finally drifted into a dreamless sleep.

000

Earlier that day, as Faramir was just setting out with his fellow Rangers, on a seemingly impossible task, Boromir had made his way to the stables in hopes of finding his new wife-lady Eowyn.

And he was in luck; there she was tending her beautiful grey horse, Windfola. Boromir felt as though he was intruding, and he began to think that it was a bad idea.

As Eowyn tended her beloved horse, she heard someone enter the stables; she did not want to look up for fear of whom it might be.

But nonetheless, she seemed to conquer her fear in an instant, and when she looked up, she found herself looking into the eyes of her husband; she held his gaze, and her eyes looked cold, but he could also see sadness in her eyes, and now more than ever, he wished that he had never come.

"May I have a moment with you, my lady?" he asked.

"Yes my lord, you may," she said stiffly.

Boromir now walked closer to her. Eowyn wished that she could turn into a bird and fly away.

"We are to dine with Prince Imrahil of Dol Amroth, and his daughter, lady Lorithiel; I felt that I should bring this important visitation to your attention my lady," he said.

"Thank you bringing it to my attention, it was very considerate of you to do so, my lord," she replied, stiffly.

Boromir did not know how to read lady Eowyn. He had been told by his father that she was a kind bubbly and gentle woman, but when he finally did meet her she was cold as stone! But could, in a way understand why she was so cold towards him, for he did not wish to be bound to a woman that he did not love.

Eowyn watched as he left, "Good riddance! I do not wish to see him again!" she thought to herself, she did not even realize at that moment that tears were running down her cheeks-tears of anger.

000

Faramir was suddenly awakened; the sky was now dark: it was a starless night. Faramir opened his eyes to find Elendur shaking him violently; when the chestnut haired Ranger realized that Faramir was awake, he stopped shaking him.

"What is it Elendur?" Faramir asked, sleepily.

"There is no time to explain properly, my lord; the camp has come under attack!"

Now Faramir could hear it; the sound of harsh voices-unfamiliar voices. He could also hear the sound of someone being beaten.

He sat up immediately and reached for his sword. But Elendur stopped him.

"My lord, we have gone unnoticed-for now; we cannot walk into a death trap: we are greatly outnumbered; you must stay here until an opportunity comes for you to escape!"

"I will not escape and leave my men to be captured; if they are to die, then I will die with them. But I want you to take the opportunity and run! Run as far away as you can and when to return to Minas Tirith: tell Boromir and lord Denethor that I love them."

Elendur put his hand on Faramir's shoulder. "If my captain is to walk into deaths snare, I will follow him. If you are to die then I shall die with you."

And so they both took their swords, knowing that it could be the last time that they held them, and they fearlessly ran into deaths snare.