A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for reading and reviewing. I really didn't expect this story to do so well ; ). But all things must come to an end and well...this is the last chapter before the epilogue, so please review and let me know what you think about it.: D ; you guys can expect the epilogue on my regular posting date.
Thnaks!
Jedi Knight247
Uncertain Fates
While Boromir was still making his way to Éowyn's room, preparations for Faramir's death were already being made.
"Thank you, that is all," said Denethor to the messenger. When the messenger left, he opened the letter.
Gelidir, who was standing across from the Steward, stared ahead, anticipating the answer.
"He has accepted the request and is making his way here as I speak," Denethor said, finally looking up from the letter.
"I suppose that the sooner it is done, the less painful it will be," Gelidir observed, trying to make Denethor feel at least a little bit better.
"Justice must be served out, no matter who the person is," said Denethor. "But I do have one more order for you before the execution."
"Anything, my lord," Gelidir said obediently.
"I do not want the deed to be carried out publicly. Make sure that it is done in the arge dungeon."
"Will you not be present, my lord?"
"Of course I will be present," Denethor snapped. "Leave me."
Gelidir wasn't surprised at Denethor's sudden mood change—after all, one of his sons were going to be executed and he had no choice but to allow it to be carried out.
Gelidir bowed formally, and then left to make sure that a room in the dungeon was prepared so that a Captain of Gondor might die there.
000
Boromir looked around somewhat nervously. He only had one chance to save his brother's life and he didn't want anything to go wrong.
"Are you sure we're alone?" he asked.
Éowyn nodded. "Yes; now tell me what I have to do."
"I need you because when I am nowhere to be seen, I do not want to raise suspicions. I need you to say that I'm with you. They cannot know that I am elsewhere."
Éowyn looked a little puzzled. "Where will you be?"
Boromir sighed. "The less I tell you, the less you will have to lie."
Éowyn shot him an icy glare. "I am in this with you whether you like it or not; and if anything goes wrong I need to know where I can find you."
Boromir decided that there was no harm in telling her where he would be, for he hadn't even considered the scenario that she had given him.
"Where will you be?" Éowyn repeated.
Boromir gave in. "In the dungeon," he said.
Éowyn wasn't surprised—after all that was where Faramir was currently residing. "You intend to break him out," Éowyn reasoned.
Boromir didn't want to get Éowyn in trouble, for the less she knew, the less she would have to tell if it came down it. "I've already told you more than I should have. I really must be going now."
He turned to leave, but Éowyn put herself between Boromir and the door. "And where will we meet once your plan is completed?"
Boromir shook his head. "I cannot answer that. I only ask that you stay here for now; but I must go now, Faramir's life depends on it."
That was enough to make Éowyn step aside and let Boromir slip out into the night.
000
Meanwhile in Cair Andros, word of Faramir's sudden return and execution had spread. The swordsman had set out immediately after sending his letter of acceptance and was riding through the night without rest. The execution would take place only a few moments after he arrived in Minas Tirith, and now that would not be long at all.
But he was not the only one journeying in great haste to Minas Tirith. Three riders pushed their horses to their utmost limit; they knew that in order to save a Certain Gondorian lord's life, they would have to arrive before the executioner. But that was nearly impossible; yet there was still hope…hope that they could stop this unjust deed from being carried out.
000
Boromir watched and waited. He knew that the guards would be changing shifts soon, and then he would make his move.
His moment came soon enough and while the gate was unguarded he emerged from his hiding place and hid in an alcove next to where one of the guards would be standing. He had no intentions of killing a fellow Gondorian; he only hoped that they wouldn't put up that much of a fight.
Two fresh guards took up their post and Boromir waited for a moment before attacking the first. He snuck up behind the guard, muffled him and was choking him to the point where he was losing consciousness, but then the other guard noticed and drew his sword, ready to fight the shadowed attacker. It was quite dark so the soldier couldn't get a good enough look at the man to know that he was Boromir.
Boromir turned his head just in time to see the man, and landed a well aimed blow to the guard's nose, sending him staggering backwards. Boromir then loosened his grip on the unconscious guard and prepared to subdue the other one.
The guard had hit his head against the stone wall and so he was already lapsing in and out of consciousness. Out of sheer compassion, Boromir left him alone.
Then he began to search for the keys to the cells. He found them on the first guard, and without further thought, he ran into the dungeon, determined to save Faramir.
000
While Boromir was still making his way to Éowyn's room, preparations for Faramir's death were already being made.
"Thank you, that is all," said Denethor to the messenger. When the messenger left, he opened the letter.
Gelidir, who was standing across from the Steward, stared ahead, anticipating the answer.
"He has accepted the request and is making his way here as I speak," Denethor said, finally looking up from the letter.
"I suppose that the sooner it is done, the less painful it will be," Gelidir observed, trying to make Denethor feel at least a little bit better.
"Justice must be served out, no matter who the person is," said Denethor. "But I do have one more order for you before the execution."
"Anything, my lord," Gelidir said obediently.
"I do not want the deed to be carried out publicly. Make sure that it is done in the arge dungeon."
"Will you not be present, my lord?"
"Of course I will be present," Denethor snapped. "Leave me."
Gelidir wasn't surprised at Denethor's sudden mood change—after all, one of his sons were going to be executed and he had no choice but to allow it to be carried out.
Gelidir bowed formally, and then left to make sure that a room in the dungeon was prepared so that a Captain of Gondor might die there.
000
Tatiana was weary from riding, but she would not give up; she, Morwen, and Galen were living evidence of Faramir's capture. They would not be ignored.
"We are almost there, Tatiana," Morwen said, trying to encourage the Elven woman.
"Yes, we are almost there," said Galen looking up at the White City which was now within view.
000
Boromir ran to the end of the dungeon, where Faramir's cell was…only to find that it was empty. He looked around frantically, not being able to believe that he was too late.
"Faramir!" he called desperately. "Faramir!"
There was no answer.
Boromir looked through all of the other cells, only to find that Faramir wasn't in those either; he knew that he had to find Faramir; but the question was, where?
000
The large dungeon was in better condition than the one that Faramir had spent most of his time in. It was a large dungeon beyond a doubt, and much to Faramir's happiness, it was cleaner.
But Faramir doubted that Boromir would find him now that he had been moved. The guards had told him that he was to die in the dungeon in a short amount of time. Faramir now knew that the only thing that stood between him and death was the arrival of the executioner.
He only hoped that Tatiana would be able to get on with her life, for she had a long one ahead of her; the last thing he wanted was for her to grieve herself to death. And he also hoped that Boromir wouldn't kill their father for allowing the deed to be done, even though he himself was angry for he knew beyond a doubt that he was innocent.
000
The executioner approached the White City. He knew that this would be the most significant job that he had ever done…killing a lord of Gondor, but he figured that it had to be done. He just hoped that he would get paid handsomely for it.
He looked up and saw that he had reached the gates, just as the sun was beginning to rise.
000
Éowyn paced back and forth impatiently, she couldn't take it anymore. She had waited for hours and still there was no sign of Boromir or Faramir. And no one had bothered to come by and see if Boromir was with her or not. The lady had had enough. She swung her door open and set out to find Boromir and Faramir.
000
"My lord," said a guard once he had entered. "The executioner from Cair Andros has arrived. He is making his way towards the large dungeon at this very moment.
"Good," said Denethor getting up from his seat. "I suppose that I must go and witness my son's final moments.
The guard nodded. "I will escort you, my lord if you wish."
"Thank you," said Denethor. "But do not enter the dungeon—you must not enter."
000
The trio urged their horses to full gallop. It was the only way that they could make it in time. They looked up just in time to see the gates open and a man dressed in black rode through them.
They were all wondering if that was the executioner, but they were hoping to make it to the gate before it closed.
Morwen, Galen, and Tatiana were able to catch up with the executioner because he had stopped for rest even though it was brief. They had ridden all night without slowing their pace.
They managed to ride up to the gate before it closed, but now they just had to hope that the guards would let them in.
"Who are you?" A guard asked. Elves did not come to Gondor very often. "And was business do you have here?"
Galen spoke up. "We come from Cair Andros at lord Faramir's bidding—it is his dying wish."
The guard eyed them cautiously. "Very well; you will find him in the large dungeon."
"And where might that be?" Tatiana asked anxiously.
"On this level; it is the largest building, so it will be impossible for you to miss it."
They were in too much of a hurry to even so much as nod their thanks. They could see a large building from their position at the gate and so they rode off in that direction.
Boromir had just descended down to the first level. He had searched through three levels already before the thought of Faramir being in the large dungeon had occurred to him. He hastily made his way to the dungeon, not knowing that three other people were also riding there, trying so desperately to save him.
000
Denethor and his escort rode on horses to increase their speed as they descended to the first level. But no matter how fast they rode, they would not reach the dungeon before Boromir—for he had taken a shortcut.
000
When Boromir arrived at the gate of the dungeon, he was out of breath. He hoped that Faramir was there…and he hoped that he had gotten to him first.
But before he could even think of entering, the guards stopped him.
"I'm sorry, my lord," one said. "We cannot permit anyone to enter, save the Steward."
"Is lord Faramir currently residing here?" Boromir asked.
The guards looked at each other, not knowing what to say until one spoke up. 'Yes he is, my lord; but we cannot let you see him."
Boromir was determined to get to his brother. "Listen to me, my fellow Gondorians. I would intentionally cause you harm, but if you stand in my way…" he cut himself off when he heard the sound of footsteps behind him. He turned around to see two Elven women and an Elven man rush past him and make their way to the gate.
"You must let us enter," the Elven man begged.
"His life depends upon it!" Tatiana exclaimed.
Tatiana's remark made Boromir wonder if they were talking about Faramir, for no one was ordinarily executed in the large dungeon. But yet he had no time to inquire, for that information would be of no use to him; he just had to get in and save his brother.
"If you stand in my way then I will be forced to cause you harm," he continued.
Galen recognized Boromir, for he had spent a good deal of his life in Gondor.
Tatiana and Morwen were too caught up in trying to get inside to notice.
"Lord Boromir?" Galen asked.
Boromir whirled his head to the left to face the man. How did he know him by name?
"I do not know how you know me, but now is not the time," Boromir snapped.
"But my lord, I believe that we are here for the same reason."
Galen now had the attention of Boromir, Tatiana, and Morwen.
"How would you know?" Boromir asked, clearly suspicious of the stranger.
"Because we have all come in contact with Captain Faramir and we are here to prove that he is innocent."
Boromir turned deathly pale.