A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I really appreciated them; I hope that you all enjoy this chappy : )
Reviews:
-The Elvish Pirate And The Hobbit Ninja: Those are awesome ways to annoy people! Thanks for the review : D
-windstar: Thanks for reviewing; I'm glad that you're enjoying the story!
-Cindy: Thanks for the advice Cindy; as long as you're correcting me I guess I'm always learning something. Thanks for taking the time to review.
Uncertain Fates
While Marcus and Faramir were talking, Selwyn approached the elf that he had ordered to eavesdrop on them.
"Have they said anything suspicious?" he asked.
"No, they have been talking a great deal about Gondor—that is all."
"You have done a good job; you may join the others now."
The elf gave a slight nod and left.
0-0
After what seemed like they had been talking forever, some Elven-men, along with Selwyn came and literally dragged the blond soldier away, much to Faramir's anger.
Selwyn returned to Faramir in a matter of minutes; he wore a smug look on his face.
"What have you done to him?" Faramir asked boldly.
"I have set him and his fellow men loose."
Faramir wasn't sure if he could take Selwyn's word for it—he was either just lying or he had some kind of trick up his sleeve…or what if…what if he had killed them?
"Did you kill them?" Faramir asked bluntly.
"Should I answer to you? I think not," as he turned to leave, he turned back to Faramir and dropped something on the ground. "Enjoy your meal."
Faramir watched the arrogant elf walk away before digging into his dry bread. He soon looked up again when he heard someone approaching.
It was Morwen; Faramir was shocked for he had not spoken with Morwen for a long while, she too seemed pleased to see him.
"Are you alright?" she asked looking at him with concern.
"Yes, I am alright; how are you? And how is Galen?"
The Elven-woman's face reddened slightly at the sound of Galen's name; "We are alright," she answered.
Faramir could tell by the look in her eyes that there was something that she wanted to tell him.
"Is there something that you want to say to me, Morwen?" he asked softly.
As she looked deep into his eyes, and he could see a look of desperation in them that he had never seen before.
"Galen and I…we are going to escape, and we want you to come with us for this could be our only chance."
"It is too dangerous!" Faramir said, he was worried about them and did not want them to be killed.
"No, it is not; Galen and I know these parts well and can escape unseen when the right opportunity comes along; will you not come with us?"
Faramir instantly thought of Tatiana—he could not just leave her with the evil elves of the camp.
"If I was to come with you, could I bring someone else with me?"
Morwen was not sure; she and Galen had planned for only three of them to escape, not four.
"Then it is true," she said in a low, soft voice.
"What is true?" Faramir asked.
"That she has you spellbound—it is impossible for you to deny it."
"If you are trying to say that I care for Tatiana, then you are right."
Morwen sighed; word had spread all around the camp that the Captain of Gondor was fascinated by Tatiana, and that he was falling for her.
"You care for her only as a friend?" Morwen asked.
Faramir stared Morwen right in the eye; "If she is unable to come with us, then I will stay here and let fate handle the rest."
"Indeed you have fallen for her; does she feel the same way?"
"Yes; she is very beautiful, and I care for her more than I should, seeing that she is promised to someone else."
000
Marcus and his men had been taken far away from the camp of the Shadow elves, and when they looked up, they saw hope: they could see only a glimpse of the white city, but that was enough to make them persevere.
000
Arial did not even notice that lady Eowyn had been following him; he had dreamt that same dream again, and it was too much for him to take. He could not just wait around for Strider to return, he had to find his brother and that was all there was to it.
Suddenly, as he stopped at a tree to rest, he saw something that ripped his heart from his chest: he saw that the ground was soaked with blood; he kept on trying to tell himself that it could have been any elf, but when he saw something golden on the blood stained ground, he knew that it was his brother Aranel.
He knelt down and picked the golden object up; it was a golden locket. Their mother had given one to each of them before parting with them; they had treasured the gift, and would not exchange it for the most powerful ring of all.
Although he now knew what the odds were, he was not about to give up; so he began to trace the blood trail.
0-0
Eowyn, realizing that she was lost, had decided to continue going after Arial; it did not take her long to come to the tree where Aranel and Legolas had once been. When she saw the blood, she swallowed hard and hoped that whoever had been there previously was still alive.
As she continued to run, she saw Arial again, this time she was not going to let him get away.
"Arial!" she called out, making sure that she had gotten his attention.
The dark-haired elf turned around. "My lady? What are you doing here?"
"Arial, I-"
"Do not tell me that you have been following me all this time!" said Arial; the last things he wanted were for her to get involved—or lost.
"Yes; I have been following you, but only because I was worried when I awakened to find that you was not there!" Eowyn said, her voice rising.
"Did you not hear what Strider said!" exclaimed the elf.
"Did you not hear?" Eowyn said.
"My lady," said Arial, his voice softening. "I understand that you were worried; but I am alright. Now please go back the way that you came and wait for Strider."
"I do not remember the way," Eowyn said.
"You do not remember the way?" Arial said; could things get any worse? He had found the locket which belonged to his brother, lying on blood soaked ground, and now they were lost?
Just then, they found themselves surrounded by Elven archers, the arrows were being pointed directly at them.
"Who are you? And what brings you here?" asked a blond elf, putting his bow and arrow down.
"We mean no harm—I am Arial, and this is my friend lady Eowyn of Rohan."
The blond elf looked at them with suspicion; he then turned to one of his fellow elves and whispered something.
Before Eowyn and Arial could do anything, the elves had pulled out rope, and began binding their wrists.
"Get your hands off of me!" Eowyn said to the elf that was tying her up.
"Please my lady, try to stay calm. I do not think that they intend to hurt us," said Arial, for he thought that it would be better for them if they were obedient.
0-0
When Strider returned, Arial and Eowyn were no where to be found; he searched the camp, and then when he saw that her sword which had been attached to Windfola's saddle was missing, he began to fear the worst.
000
"I do not think that she will be able to come with us," Morwen answered as honestly as she possibly could.
"If it is going to be that way then she must take my place, for I would rather be left here and know that she was going to be free."
"So you will give up what could possibly be your last chance to escape, so that Tatiana can be free?" asked a familiar male voice.
Faramir looked up and found himself staring into the face of Galen.
"It has been too long since we last exchanged words, my friend," said Faramir; the sight of his friend Galen brought a smile to his face.
"Yes my lord, it has been too long."
Morwen smiled lightly, she had heard from around the camp that he was indeed Faramir, Captain of Gondor.
Faramir wasn't exactly thrilled by the fact that everyone knew his true identity, for he did not even tell Tatiana that Galen knew who he was.
"But yes, Galen," said Faramir resuming the conversation. "If it must be so, then I will stay."
Galen and Morwen exchanged glances. Finally, Galen spoke again.
"This could be your only chance, my lord; are you certain?"
"Yes, I am certain."
0-0
Not long after Morwen and Galen had left to resume their duties around the camp, Tatiana came to see him once more.
"Tatiana, there is something that I must tell you," Faramir said urgently.
"What is it?" she asked, knowing by the look on his face that it had to be something serious.
"Morwen and Galen are going to escape—and you are to go with them."
Tatiana looked shocked by two things: one: she was going to escape. And two: Faramir was not going with her.
"Why are you not coming with me?" she asked.
Faramir did not want to make her feel guilty by telling her that he gave up his opportunity so that she would be able to escape, so instead he decided to tell a white lie.
"I am constantly under close watch, day or night, so then I would jeopardize everything."
Tatiana focused her gaze on the ground. "I see," she said in a low voice.
"But do not be down," said Faramir, gently lifting her face upward.
As she stared into his eyes, hers began to water; "I cannot leave without you, Faramir; I can't!"
He embraced the weeping elf, and gently stroked her hair. "You must do this, it is your only chance; there will be another for me," he said.
She drew out of the hug and looked up at him.
"We will see each other again—I promise."
000
Denethor had summoned twenty top soldiers to a meeting; when they were all seated, he began to speak:
"As you know, my first-born son, Boromir married that woman of Rohan…" he stopped for a moment to regain his composure.
"And she has run away with my Elven servant; it is very possible that they are in Mirkwood as I speak. The first attempt to find her and bring her back was a failure; and my son was wounded in process. But this time, we will not fail, I want each of you to assemble the best soldiers and Rangers that you can find, and bring her back to my son."