While Boromir was preparing to set out with his men, Denethor had had a secret meeting with some of the top Gondorian soldiers; Gelidir was, by Denethor's request, also present.
"What would you have us do my lord?" asked the blond Gondorian soldier whose name was Marcus.
"I called you all here for one reason and one reason only-I want you to find my son and bring him back here so that justice may be done upon him."
The room was silent for they all had some idea of what kind of justice Denethor meant, but yet there was a little doubt in all of them, for they were not sure if he would actually have his youngest child executed; therefore they were not sure so they decided to hold their tongues—all except for Laddyn, who, at times could not hold his tongue and would say things that should not be said at that moment; of course he always had the best of intentions.
"Do you intend to execute him my lord?" he asked.
"I do not need to answer to you on how I will execute my judgment!" Denethor said, raising his voice at the raven-haired soldier.
"Of course you do not my lord, but surely you would not have your own flesh and blood executed-surely you could not do that," Laddyn said.
Gelidir glared at the man who he thought was just trying to push the Stewards buttons.
"I think that you have said more than you needed to Laddyn; I am sure that it would be better for all of us if you were silent."
Denethor was grateful for the sharp intervention of Gelidir, for he did not know how to reply to Laddyn, because in truth he still had a very strong debate going on in his mind-to serve out justice on his son as he would do with all deserters, or to spare him and risk his integrity and respect on grounds that he was 'bias' and 'only saved Faramir because he was his son'.
He could not have been happier to have an adviser than he was at that time. And then he suddenly jerked out of his thoughts when he clearly saw that the soldiers were waiting for him to continue speaking.
"And where was I Gelidir?" Denethor asked.
Gelidir, who was sitting to the right of the Steward, answered. "You were saying how you want to bring lord Faramir back so that justice may be done upon him."
"Ah, that's right; my thanks Gelidir, you are in fact a great help to me in my old age."
"My lord, you know that you do not act nearly half your age," replied Gelidir, who could no longer stifle his smile.
Denethor found that Gelidir was a joy to have around, and although he sometimes felt guilty that he was preventing Gelidir from being with his family in Lossarnach, most of the time that never crossed his mind.
"Yes, and as I was about to say; lord Boromir must not know of this-I will tell him when the time is right; but the time is not right, you must not give any clue to him why you are leaving."
"Then what are we to say my lord? That we are scouting?" Laddyn asked, avoiding the icy stare from Gelidir.
"Yes, there should be enough of you to make that seem believable. But if he does not ask, then do not explain to him."
Suddenly Denethor could hear a soldier and someone else at the door:
"It is important that I speak with lord Denethor immediately!" said a clearly agitated male voice.
"I am sorry lord Eomer, he is having a private meeting and he was adamant that he should not be disturbed by anything-or anyone," the guard replied calmly.
"He will speak to me," Eomer replied, clearly determined to enter and speak with the Steward.
"You may let lord Eomer in!" said a voice from within, which was clearly Denethor's.
The guard turned a light shade of red, due to the fact that he thought he was acting out the Stewards orders by turning Eomer away.
"Please forgive me of my incompetence my lord, I only thought that I was acting in lord Denethor's best interest," he said stepping aside and getting ready to open one of the double doors.
"It is alright, I do understand that you was acting in lord Denethor's best interest; I also apologize if I spoke to you unkindly," apologized Eomer.
"None taken my lord," the guard replied, opening the door for Eomer.
When he walked in, it seemed as though he had indeed interrupted a meeting, but he ignored that for there was something much more important on his mind.
"And what is it that you wanted to speak to me about lord Eomer?" Denethor asked, and just by looking into the man's eyes he could see that it had to do with Eowyn.
"My lord, it is about my sister; lady Eowyn," said Eomer after he had formerly bowed to the Steward of Gondor.
"I knew it; I could see it in your eyes," Denethor said, in a way that some would call cold.
Eomer did not have the time to feel intimidated, for it was about his sister, and insuring that she would escape to Mirkwood without being caught.
"Yes my lord and I also heard that you are sending lord Boromir and some soldiers after her."
"Word surely does spread fast within these walls," Denethor said."
"Well lord Boromir told me, and I ask nothing except that you allowed me to accompany them in their search for my sister."
Denethor seemed thoughtful for a moment, and then he finally answered. "I see no harm in you accompanying the soldiers of Gondor."
"Thank you my lord," said Eomer, turning to leave.
"Oh, just one thing lord Eomer, where do you think that she may be?" Denethor asked suddenly.
"In truth my lord, I do not know; but I will be glad to assist her safe return."
"Oh, well we seem to think that she may have escaped along with our servant Arial to the Elven-land of Mirkwood; you see when Arial came to me and asked for his freedom, he believed that his brother was in great danger, and although he did not say it then-he has told me that his only brother lived in Mirkwood, and the night when it is believed that they both escaped, two figures on horseback were seen riding across the Pelennor-it only makes sense that it was them. Do you not think so?"
To Eomer it seemed as though Denethor was trying to trap him and make him slip words, therefore revealing that he aided Eowyn and possibly Arial in their desperate escape.
Instead, Eomer acted as composed as he possibly could.
"I do not know my lord, but we shall find that out soon enough; I am sure that is one thing that we can agree on, am I not right?"
"Of course you are right, for indeed we shall see…we shall see," Denethor looked at Eomer as though he could see right through him, now that intimidated Eomer.
"Well that is all my lord, I shall leave and prepare for the journey," and with a slight bow of the head, Eomer left.
000
That day Theodred had barely eaten, slept, or been socially involved with anyone; he had been summoned back to Rohan for his father had become deathly ill, but as Theodred always said:
"That leech Wormtongue is to blame-yet father cannot see it."
So yes, it was a very big possibility that Wormtongue was to blame for King Théoden's worsening condition.
But that was only a fraction of what was on Theodred's mind, it was his cousin Eowyn; he wished that he would have been able to go all the way to Mirkwood with her, and he kept on worrying about her getting caught; finally, he made a decision: he would go after her and when he found her he would ensure her safety for as long as he possibly could.
000
The Shadow elves and the Haradrim had now journeyed for a long while and so Sherah and Selwyn had both agreed to stop and take rest at Emyn Arnen.
Jaylyn, the rough elf who had dragged Faramir for their entire journey so far, roughly shoved him to the ground.
He shoved Faramir down with all the force that he could muster, and since Faramir had no way of breaking his fall, it caused his nose to start bleeding pretty badly.
He seemed to enjoy this and he laughed cruelly. "You Gondorians are weaklings," he replied, kicking Faramir in his side and walking off to join some of the other elves as they set up a smaller temporary camp, for they would need to journey under the cover of darkness now that they were soon to pass through more occupied territory; but if all went well for them, they would be able to follow the Harad road and enter into Mordor without encountering any Gondorian resistance.
As Faramir struggled to try to get to his feet, he felt a hand on his shoulder; looking up, he found himself staring into those beautiful, yet deep eyes of Tatiana.
"He is a wild beast and you need not heed what he tells you," she said, treating his bleeding nose with a wet cloth.
"I do not heed what he tells me although he seems as though he knows me," Faramir admitted.
"He does not; but he knows me and I know him much better than I would have liked to-he is the elf that I am to marry," she said.
Faramir could see the sadness in her eyes, "Does he treat you ill, Tatiana?"
"It is not more than what I deserve," Tatiana said.
"If you do not mind me asking; what is it that you have done that is to you, unforgivable?"
Tatiana lost his gaze for a moment or two; "Many things," she replied.
"I do not think you wicked," Faramir said; the words had just somehow slipped out of his mouth.
"If you knew what I had done, you would think differently."